 Defenseman Michal Jordan is featured in this edition of “Breaking the Ice with…” The feature showcases different Whalers so we can get to know them.
Selected by the Windsor Spitfires with the 8th overall pick in the 2007 CHL Import Draft, Jordan was acquired along with goaltender Matt Hackett, Barrie's 2nd round pick in 2008, and Windsor's 3rd round pick in 2009 for Michal Neuvirth, Tom Kane, and a 4th round pick in 2009 on November 13, 2007. He has been named the captain of the Czech Team, and will play in his third straight year World Junior Championship, joining Paul Mara as the only Whalers to play in the tournament three times. The Zlin, Czech Republic, native, took a few minutes after practice to help us break the ice and chat about the adjustment to North America, how he first met Ryan Hayes, and the comparisons to the basketball player with the same name.
» On the best advice he has been given…
“My dad, he told me it doesn’t matter how good your opponent is, at the start of the game, you are on the same page. You don’t have to worry about the names of the other guys, just play your game and don’t give up.”
 » On his youth hockey highlight…
“I went with my team back home, HC Zlin which is like the AAA Midget Major team, and we went to the championships and won. We were in second place in our junior league, so that was one of my highlights.” » On the championships he has won…
“Yeah, just the one championship with the junior team.”
» On how he started playing hockey…
“I was 4 years old, my dad brought me to the rink because my dad and my grandpa played hockey and they wanted me to do the same. My brother, Ondrej, plays hockey too, he’s a midget major right now.”
» On who has influenced him in hockey…
“My dad.”
» On other sports he played growing up…
“Yeah, obviously soccer is popular in Europe, so I played soccer for a little bit and basketball, but hockey was in first place. I had so much fun over there.”
» On his most memorable goal…
“I would go with my first OHL goal (9/29/07). It wasn’t with Plymouth, I was still with Windsor, but it is my most memorable goal and I actually scored it against Plymouth. We were in their zone, they passed it to me on the blue line and I took a one timer and scored top cheese on Michal Neuvirth.”
» On the trade process…
“It was my first year in the OHL so I was trying to figure out things in Windsor. It was kind of a shock to get traded my first year. I didn’t know what was going on in Windsor, but I was looking forward to the trade because usually that means the other team wants you. Now it feels really good and now I can say it was really good for me because I couldn’t play on the World J’s (World Junior Championship) and I couldn’t get drafted, so it gave me a big opportunity to play hockey. If I wasn’t traded, I would play at home right now and have to come back for the NHL.”
» On his most embarrassing hockey moment…
“Well I know it was a couple years ago when I was back home. I was skating backwards and was trying to make some really good pass, but I fell backwards and crashed into the boards really hard and I got hurt, so I couldn’t play the last two periods. It was pretty embarrassing.”
» On if he has played with any of the guys before…
“No, I did not, but I remember when I was in the Under-18 Tournament, we played against USA and Ryan Hayes came and scored. They had a 2-on-1 and he came through on the side and toe dragged under his knee and scored top cheddar. And I was like, ‘Wow, who is this guy?’, but after a couple years I played in Plymouth and I figured out it was Ryan Hayes, so that was cool.”
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Jordan has represented the Czech Republic numerous times. He played in the 2007 World Under-18 Championships and the 2008 World Under-18 Championships - Division 1A, where he won a gold medal and was named best defenseman of the tournament. He has also played in 3 World Junior Championships, including being the captain of the 2010 team. |
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» On playing for international teams…
“It’s so much fun because right here I don’t have another Czech guy or Slovak guy, so I miss talking in my language. It’s pretty cool. I played with the guys who speak the same language and who grew up with and play all the time hockey.”
» On playing in 3 World Junior Championships…
“Well my first year, I was real surprised I was on the team, but I got really good in the middle of the season and in the playoffs, so I made the team. Last year it was kind of hard for me. I didn’t have a lot of fun, but I don’t think I played that bad. I’m looking forward to this year still and there’s a lot of people in the NHL watching us, so it’s going to be really cool. I don’t know about the captains yet but we will see what happens.” » On adjusting to North America and the OHL…
“The ice is really short compared to European ice. The guys are so much better than the players back home. They are on a higher level and the league is more professional. There’s media and fans around, so it’s pretty much looking forward to being in the NHL, so that’s the difference. So many fans are watching the games than back home in junior hockey there were only 200 fans and it’s family and friends.”
» On billet life…
“Well for my first time, I think it’s really cool. I got a really nice family, they care about me, I got to say they care. I really enjoy that. I miss my family back home, but they are really nice people so it’s helping me a lot.”
» On if there is anything behind his jersey number 32…
“Well I usually play with 23, not about Michael Jordan – he had the number, but I really like that. When I came to Windsor, they had retired the number, so I switched the numbers around to 32, and when I was traded Joe McCann was the guy who had 23 and he was an overager, so I couldn’t change it.
I finally got to wear it at World J's and everyone was like, 'Are you the basketball player?' Just a bad joke.”
» On if people compare him to the basketball player…
“Yeah sometimes, but my parents gave me the name and they didn’t know anything about Michael Jordan the basketball player, so I guess it’s funny.”
» On who he tries to model his game after…
“That’s a hard question. Probably Tomas Kaberle, he plays for Toronto and I like to watch Niklas Kronwall from the Detroit Red Wings.”
» On what he should bring to the team…
“I think I can bring some new songs from Europe to the locker room. I think I have a good first pass, help out in the power play, and just play good defense.”
» On the toughest player he has played against…
“I don’t know probably the guys like JT (John Tavares) and (Steven) Stamkos who are first overall because they are so fast and it’s real hard to play against them.”
» On if he has any superstitions…
“I have something like that but I don’t want to say it, it’s a secret.”
» On if he has any nicknames…
“They usually call me Jordy because that’s what they call my dad. The guys call me MJ sometimes.”
» On his typical day…
“I’m going into the am at the rink and work hard or ride on the bike. Then I go get a little lunch, go back to practice, work out after practice, then hang out a little with the guys or get home and have a meal, then watch some hockey on the tv and sleep.”
» On his pre-game routine…
“Pretty much the same, going to the ice rink in the morning, ride the bike, stretch. Go home to my family have a pre-game meal and go take a little nap for 45 minutes or an hour then go up to the rink.”
» On getting drafted and attending NHL camps…
“Well I was watching the draft on the internet back home with my family and it was pretty cool. They said they didn’t draft basketball players so they were thinking they were so funny, but I didn’t think so. But it was huge for me to be drafted by Carolina, they are a great organization and they work with the Plymouth Whalers, so it’s real good for me. They can watch me and are always around. The camp was really cool especially practicing with the guys at the pro level. The guys are so much quicker and faster and have harder shots. And it’s really fun to practice with them.”
» On what he'd be doing if he didn't play hockey…
“A lawyer I guess.”
» On the craziest thing that has happened on the road…
“Pretty much fun every time, but I really don’t want to say. Stuff like that should stay in the locker room between the guys.”
 » On his dream goal…
“Probably join the rush, a 3-on-2, back door, top cheddar cheese in the Mem Cup for the OT winner.”
» On what TV show he'd be on…
“I don’t really watch TV shows. Friends I guess.”
» On his funniest teammate…
“I got to go with Jamie Devane or the U.S. Brownie (Tyler J. Brown).”
» On his dream vacation spot…
“Florida.”
» On the person he'd most like to meet…
“Lance Armstrong.”
» On what one thing he could not live without…
“I don’t have an answer, maybe friends and family.”
» On a rule change he'd make in hockey…
“Neckguard and mouthguards. I don’t like them.”
» On what other players he would want on the ice with him…
“Robert Esche in goal. My brother (Ondrej) on the D. Sergei Brylin on the forward, Peter Cermak, I don’t know. My billet kid Max (Ellis) on the left wing.”
-Natalie Shaver, December 14th, 2009-
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