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Quick on the draw-Travis Hamonic

What’s the first thing that went through your mind when your shoulder hit the boards against Switzerland and you felt the pain?

Well, first of all, I wanted to assess where the pain was coming from and right away I realized it was with my shoulder. The second thought that went through my head was that I wanted to get off the ice on my own power and thirdly, I wanted to play the rest of my shift.

What’s your favourite Pats vs. Warriors story from the Crushed Can?

Oh jeez. That’s a crazy rivalry. I’d have to say when we had a bench-clearing brawl. Everybody was out there fighting. It’s definitely a heated rivalry and it was nice to be part of that for three and a half years.

Did you have to leave a girlfriend behind in Moose Jaw, or are you a free agent?

You know I actually have a girlfriend in Winnipeg. I’ve been seeing a girl there so I’m kind of excited that I’m close to her now.

So . . . you’re not a free agent?

No, I’m under contract if that’s the way you want to put it.

What NHL defenceman does your play most closely resemble?

I try to watch a guy like Shea Weber. We play similar styles. We both play in all situations and have a heavy shot and we both like to play the body. But I want to play my own style and I want to create my own path to the National Hockey League but if I could follow anybody it would have to be him.

What can you remember about the first time you strapped on skates as a toddler?

The first time I don’t really remember but we have it on video. I was about two and I had my mom and my dad on both sides of me, trying to hold my hand and I wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t hold their hands. I tried to skate on my own and, of course, fell down and cried. It’s kind of funny and ironic how it all started because that’s kind of how my hockey career has been. I just want to create my own way and not have to rely on anyone else.

What's St. Malo's claim to fame?

You know what, there’s actually a lot to do. Jokingly, I’d have to say the deer statue right when you come into town. There’s two big deers and as a kid, we’d always go up there and it would always be full of bees and we’d always worry about getting stung. In the summertime, there’s a nice beach. It’s a hockey town as well. They like their hockey.

What's it like playing in the glitzy World Juniors?

The crowd is insane; the emotions you feel are unbelievable and just being able to play in that is something I’ll never forget. The honour that it is to play for you country – to be part of that select few who get to play in that tournament is huge and it’s definitely something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.

Do players enjoy the TSN interviews while at the World Juniors, knowing that they're being broadcast to millions of viewers, or would they rather avoid them?

I think some guys really like them. I think some guys kind of like all the attention but whenever you’re getting publicity, it’s never a bad thing. It always keeps your name out there. I think a lot of the guys, myself included, would rather just go out and play hockey and not have to deal with all the off-ice stuff but I think we all understand it’s part of the business and that’s a part of who we’ve become and who we’re going to be in the future.

Who won the one-on-one battles between you and John Tavares at Islanders training camp?

Johnny won the last one at the World Junior camp last year. I think that’s what got me cut actually. We became pretty good friends actually at Islanders camp. We hung out a lot. He roomed with Doug Weight and I roomed with Bruno Gervais. We drove to the rink together and I like to say I got the best of him at camp this year.

How was your Christmas considering you were with Team Canada and not your family?

I probably wouldn’t have known it was Christmas unless someone wished me a Merry Christmas. It was pretty weird. We celebrated on Christmas Eve. It was a pretty neat experience. We got a lot of stuff from Hockey Canada. They treated us first class. It was definitely a first for me and a Christmas I’ll certainly remember.

Does an event like the World Juniors help prepare you for what's to come in the NHL?

That’s probably the biggest test you can have mentally and physically. It’s a gruelling process and mentally, it’s tough because you have to make sure you’re on every day and you have to make sure you turn the page on yesterday. At a national tournament like that, you have to act like a pro and there’s no better test than the World Juniors.

You are teammates once again with Brayden Schenn. Did he ever fill you in on the trade rumours of you coming to Brandon during the World Juniors?

Actually we talked about it a lot. I was pretty open that I wanted to come here and be a Wheat King. He was pretty open about wanting me to be here too. At the end of the day, we’re just a couple of players; we didn’t have any say in anything. The general managers got it done but we did certainly talk about Brandon and it made me want to come here even more.

Is there any chance you return to the Wheat Kings next season?

Hockey is not a guaranteed thing. There’s always a chance for something. If I have my way, I definitely won’t be back because I’m going to train and push and do everything possible to further my hockey career. If it does happen and I do come back, I know it’s to a great city and a great organization but I want to be in the NHL next year.

What do you like to do when you’re not at the hockey rink?

I like to think about hockey (laughing). I get asked that question a lot. Obviously throughout our season, our life is hockey. It’s nice to go home and kind of get away from the game. I like to go out to the lake and the cottage and just experience those kinds of things and just get away from the game and kind of regroup a little bit. But to be a professional in sports, you have to spend a lot of time training and pushing yourself to get ready for the season because if you’re not doing it, somebody else is.

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