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Alternate Captain
Number: 23
Position: Forward
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 205
Birthday: 4.12.83
Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN
Last team: Des Moines Buccaneers
Player Biography
Mike first played with the Buccaneers at the end of the 2000-01 season, playing 4 games before joining the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. Mike had a bit of bad luck at Minnesota injuring his ankle.
The injury turned out to be good news for the Buccaneers as he rejoined the Bucs to get more ice time and build up his strength in the ankle. |
Kevin Kasel: Tell me about your family life, do you have any brothers or sisters?
Mike Erickson: I have sister, who is a Senior High School this year back in Eden Prairie. (She) was playing hockey up until this year, decided to put the skates up.
Kevin: How old where you when you started playing hockey?
Mike: I want to say four or five maybe?
Kevin: Why did you start?
Mike: Basically, the athlete in me. My Dad played football, baseball and hockey, and kinda passed that down to me. I started just clowning around with a stick and ball in the front yard when I was younger. Then (my parents) put the skates on me and see if I liked it.
Kevin: Why did you decide to play for the Bucs?
Mike: It was a tough situation I was in at University of Minnesota. I wasn't getting a whole lot of playing time. I wasn't sure how much more I was going to get the rest of the year. And especially coming off the ankle injury, the biggest thing I needed was ice time and time to develop as a hockey player. Basically it came down to a mutual decision with Coach Lucia and myself that would be the best place for me.
Kevin: Have you always been a forward?
Mike: Always been a forward.
Kevin: Tell me about the past teams you've played for.
Mike: Well, last year University of Minnesota we won the National Championship. Just a great group of guys, bunch of leaders on that team, which is real special and fun to be a part of. My Senior year at Eden Prairie was an interesting year - unfortunately. Our other stud, if you want to call him that, Garrett Smaagaard, tore his ACL in the State Championship football game so he was out all year. Which was different for me, cause I always played with him since we were nine years old. We did pretty well, a lot of guys wrote us off, but we made it to the State tournament. Unfortunately, we lost in the first round to Greenway.
Kevin: Do you have a favorite pro or college team?
Mike: My favorite professional team might be the Canucks.
Side note: I was anticipating Mike to say his favorite professional team was the Minnesota Wild. After all that, it was the team that drafted him in the 3rd round, 72nd overall in the 2002 NHL draft.
Kevin: What about a favorite player?
Mike: Todd Bertuzzi. He wasn't someone everyone heard about, but last year in the play-offs, he really stepped forward. Just a big guy, tall. Big guy, about 240, but he's got the skills.
Kevin: Best advice you've ever received (doesn't have to be hockey-related):
Mike: Everything happens for a reason. The experiences you have make you a better person.
Kevin: What are some things you want to do in your life besides hockey?
Mike: I would like to travel over to Europe. I was over there once and thought it was a beautiful place and I would like to get back over there. Other then that, if hockey doesn't work out, a nice job.
Kevin: Finish this sentence: The fans would be surprised to know that I ...
Mike: That I never gotten into a fight before.
Kevin: My first job was ...
Mike: Working at a golf course, Bear Path in Eden Prairie. Basically, I would clean shoes and look after the locker room.
Kevin: Best decision I ever made?
Mike: I'm going to go with coming here.
Kevin: What would you consider your dream car?
Mike: Have to be a Hummer.
Kevin: What do you like to do besides hockey?
Mike: I love golf. Golf is big thing in my life. Well, not in winter obviously. I'm a big football fan. I still think about the days of playing football back in high school. Anything sports related I'm a big fan of. I like music a lot too.
Kevin: Do you have a favorite movie?
Mike: Black Hawk Down.
Kevin: Who is your favorite non-hockey athlete?
Mike: Brett Favre.
Kevin: What is your favorite non-hockey sport?
Mike: Golf.
Kevin: If you could have lunch with one person, past or present, who would it be?
Mike: I'd have to say, Vince Lombardi.
Kevin: If you were a head coach of a team what would you do?
Mike: Work on skills. Biggest part of hockey that I think is not being used is development of skills. Whether it be, shooting, skating, I think a lot of guys get away from skating, including myself. Just the little parts of the game.
Kevin: What is your favorite food?
Mike: It have to be steak.
Kevin: Who is your favorite band?
Mike: It's a tough one. I'm fan of Phish, Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews Band, Beatles, I like the Beatles a lot. Anywhere along those lines, I can't really say I have a favorite.
Kevin: Who has been the biggest influence on your life?
Mike: I'd say my Mom.
Kevin: If you started your own NHL franchise, and you could pick any player, who would you start with and why?
Mike: I go with Martin Brodeur of the Devils.
Kevin: Who would you have on your hockey "Dream Team"?
Mike: Gretzky, Lemieux, Bobby Orr, I have to go again with Jagr, Pronger, MacInnis, Brodeur.
Kevin: What are your superstitions?
Mike: I always eat at 2:30 if it is a 7 o'clock game. So, that is four and half hours before. Usually chicken and pasta or something along those lines. I always get an hour nap in from about 3:30 to 4:30. Then I re-tape every stick I have, whether it used or hasn't been used.
Kevin: If you were stranded on a desert island, whom would you want to be stranded with ... Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz, Sarah Michelle Gellar or Tara Reid?
Mike: I think I'd go with Britney Spears.
Kevin: What is something you've always wanted to do, but haven't yet?
Mike: Go to a concert. I've never been to a concert.
Kevin: Who would you rather be, Bugs Bunny or Road Runner?
Mike: Road Runner.
Kevin: Who would you rather be, Superman or Batman?
Mike: Batman.
Kevin: Any advice for younger hockey players?
Mike: Don't forget the skills of the game. Just the little parts, skating, shooting passing. Don't go away from them. You always work on them when you are younger. When you keep going up from level to level, keep working on those things.
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