ONE ON ONE WITH Junior Lessard

By Michael McHugh

Jr. Reporter


MM: What do you do for fun?


JL: I just like to relax. We usually spend half the day at the rink so when I get home I like to relax and I play with my computer a lot. I like to play Playstation with Wanvig, Veilleux and Bouchard.



MM: What was your most exciting hockey moment?


JL: I think it was going to Boston last year when I was in college and if was great. First of all, we were in the finals for the NCAA championship and then there was the Hobey Baker presentation, so I think that was one of the highlights.



MM: Does it hurt to get slammed on the boards?


JL: At times it can, but I think it looks worse than it actually is. When you grow up you learn how to take a hit, but sometimes you don’t seen them coming so you do get hurt.



MM: What do you think is your greatest strength as a player?


JL: It’s kind of hard to tell because every player is different. For me, I think it’s my physical play and my shooting. I think it depends from player to player. Skating is very important and if you can’t skate you’re not going to get anywhere.



MM: Do you have a favorite TV show?


JL: For years it’s been Friends, but now I don’t know. I haven’t been watching a lot of TV this year, but I am a big fan of shows like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.



MM: When did you begin playing hockey?


JL: I was about four or five years old. We had a pond right by our house. I’ve got two older brothers so we’d spend days there especially during Christmas break. Then I started playing minor hockey so it’s been almost 20 years.



MM: If you weren’t a hockey player, what job would you have?


JL: I’d probably be an English teacher. That’s what I went to college for. I got my degree last year so I would go back home and teach English as a second language.



MM: If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?


JL: On the ice I’d like to be a little quicker. I think once I get going I’m fine but I’ve got to work on my agility a little bit. Off the ice, I’m happy with what I have.



MM: Who influenced you most in life?


JL: I would have to say my dad. Since I was young he’s always supported me. Every time I made a decision, he gave me his opinion, but he wasn’t telling me what to do. He just supported me whether he liked it or not and I think that made a difference. Once I had some pretty big decisions to make at 16 and 17 with hockey and he was behind me and influenced me a lot.



MM: What advice do you have for kids who want to become hockey players?


JL: I think lots of people say you have to practice and you have to work hard and that’s true but you have to do it if you like it and have passion. If you don’t have the passion, it’s not going to take you anywhere so enjoy the game and have fun. Even at this level, if you don’t have fun anymore you’re not going to be successful.



MM: Finish this sentence - I will never forget where I was when:


JL: When I signed my first pro contract. That was in Dallas and I remember the day too. That was a very special moment. I think I will remember that whole day. I was there for about 24 hours and I remember everything about it so it was pretty special.



MM: You will never catch me…


JL: (laughs) If you don’t skate faster than me.



MM: One thing people find interesting about me is …


JL: I think my hair. Every time I go get a haircut I hear that people pay lots of money to get the color of my hair. It’s natural and I just think it’s kind of funny. Growing up I used to kind of hate it because everyone was picking on me but now I kind of like it because it’s different.



MM: The funniest thing that has happened to me was when…


JL: Probably one time in my rookie year in juniors just before practice, everyone was asking me to wait for them before getting on the ice and I really didn’t speak much English back then. I really didn’t know what was going on and everyone was staring at me as I was dressing up and I didn’t get it , and when I stepped on the ice, they had put clear tape on my blades and I just went head first on the ice. Both skates slipped and I just fell right there. The guys had a blast out of it. I didn’t think it was that funny at the time but now I think it’s pretty cool.



MM: If somebody made a movie about you, who would play you?


JL: Probably my older brother Nick. We have very similar personalities. We’re both kind of jokers and I think he’d be a good person. He’s probably the one person who would play me best.



MM: What kid of things did you do as a kid?


JL: I grew up on a dairy farm and had to work quite a bit on it, especially during the summer. I used to not like it all the time, but I think it taught me a good work ethic.



MM: Do you have any special childhood memories?


JL: I don’t know. I think every time with hockey, every season is special. I think my hockey career besides college and professional, those are the best moments. You play just for fun and you don’t have any pressures and those moments are pretty special.



MM: What is your hometown like?


JL: I lived about half way between Quebec City and the state of Maine. It’s a French community and it’s a 100% French back there and that is where I grew up.



MM: Who helped you the most?


JL: Like I said, my Dad. My older brother has helped me out too. I think that every teammate that I have played with has taught me something or I’ve learned from them whether it was positive or negative, so I think you always learn from your teammates.



MM: Tell me how you got in the NHL.


JL: I haven’t really gotten there yet. I’m on my way I hope. I played four years in college. I never was drafted so I was strictly a free agent. Any team could draft me, so last year the Dallas Stars signed me as a free agent and so here I am in Houston trying to get better and get there.



MM: What are your hobbies?


JL: I used to play guitar a little bit and this year somehow, I don’t find time to practice. I go to movies a lot to get my mind off hockey.



MM: Do you have a mentor on this team?


JL: Not really just one. There are a lot of guys who help me on this team, especially Stephane Veilleux. We grew up playing together so we knew each other and I think it’s kind of nice to have him here. He teaches me a lot with how to deal with the game and also some of the guys like Patrick Traverse, Todd Reirden, they all help me out.



MM: Who is the funniest guy on the team?


JL: I’d have to say Dan Cavanaugh. I think he’s really funny. Before games he kind of jokes around and I think it kind of brings the pressure down and makes everyone loose and he’s pretty funny too.



MM: Do you do anything special before a game?


JL: We always have a meeting an hour before the game and I always try to get here early to work on my sticks and warm up after the meeting to get my muscles going and myself going.



MM: What do you do on the bus and in the hotels?


JL: I usually room with Matt Foy so we’ll go out to eat, come back to the room and sometimes watch TV. That’s usually when we get our rest is when we go on the road.


MM: Best and worst hockey moment?


JL: Best was winning the Hobey Baker and the worst was probably just a couple of weeks before that when I hurt my knee. That was really painful and that could have really hurt my career but I was pretty lucky with that.



MM: Who would you like to meet and why?


JL: I think I would like to meet Wayne Gretzky because I have always admired him when I was younger, and he was a role model and I liked him for years. That would be a great honor to meet him.



MM: What do you think is the most important skill needed in hockey?


JL: For me it’s shooting and playing physical and being strong so you don’t get pushed around all the time. If you’re not strong you’re not going to push through.