I recently caught up with Jackets prospect Will Weber, Columbus’ second round pick in 2007. Weber is a shutdown defenseman who is going into his senior year with the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks. The Cannon will be following Weber’s progress through his final collegiate season, and he’ll be stopping by for monthly interviews where we’ll discuss he and the Redhawk’s quest for a National Championship.
We’ll start things off with a few quick hits:
Mike MacLean: First off, thanks for taking some time to chat with us. You’re heading into your senior year at Miami, what are your expectations for the season from a hockey perspective?
Will Weber: I’m very excited for this upcoming year. We have seven freshmen joining the team who are going to play a big part in our success. It’s nice because we also have a strong core group of guys that are coming back so hopefully we can get everyone on the same page early and have a successful season. The potential to be a great team is definitely there.
MM: Does playing in Ohio allow you to follow the Jackets more closely, and what do you think of the moves Columbus has made this offseason?
WW: I follow the Jackets pretty closely and think these offseason moves are exactly what the organization has wanted for a while. I know everyone involved with the Blue Jackets wants to win and adding the key players that they did was definitely a big step in the right direction.
MM: You’re a past recipient of the Top CCHA Defensive Defenseman award, do you model your game after a particular NHL player?
WW: There are a couple players I try to model myself after, one in particular would be Chris Pronger. Pronger is tough to play against in his own end and most players would probably admit that they hate playing against him. That’s the way I like to play and I enjoy trying to shut down the other teams top lines.
MM: You wear number 4 with the Redhawks, is there any significance to this number?
WW: There is a lot of meaning behind this number. I idolized Bobby Orr growing up and he is my all time favorite player. My late father played college hockey for Cornell with his twin brother back in the 70s and he wore the number 22. The number 4 is simply the digits of his number added together which adds even more significance for me.
MM: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
WW: I usually keep it pretty simple before games but always try to fit in a solid pre-game nap. When I get to the rink, I usually eat some fruit and a bagel while I tape my stick and prepare for the game. Typically I like to listen to country music when I’m getting ready, it keeps me relaxed until I’m ready to get pumped up for the game.
We wish Will the best of luck , and look forward to catching up with him on a monthly basis this upcoming season. It will be an exciting year for he and Miami, as they look to return to the Frozen Four again next Spring.