Jonas Brodin Interview with NHL Staff

An interview with:

                              JONAS BRODIN
                          MINNESOTA, 10th pick


     Q.     Can  you  tell  us  your overall impression of being picked by
Minnesota?
     JONAS  BRODIN:   Yeah,  it  was  a  fantastic feeling to be picked by
Minnesota in Minnesota.  It's a great feeling.

     Q.  Did you talk to them?
     JONAS BRODIN:  No, first time.

     Q.  What do you think?
     JONAS  BRODIN:  I like it.  My hometown is like a thousand people, so
it's a big difference.

     Q.   Did  you have an idea that the Wild wanted you?  Did you have an
interview at the combine when you went up there, or no?
     JONAS  BRODIN:   It's  hard  to  say.  I talked with many teams and I
think they had the same questions.
     I had no idea.  I'm really happy.

     Q.  What was that like?
     JONAS BRODIN:  I liked it.  They showed me around the locker room and
the  arena.  I like it very much.  They have a really good organization, so
I like it.

     Q.  What kind of player are you?
     JONAS  BRODIN:   I'm  a mobile two-way defender with good skating and
good in both zones.

     Q.  You like a shutdown defenseman mainly or more stay at home, or do
you like to bring the puck?
     JONAS  BRODIN:   I  like to bring the puck and follow the rush to the
offense.  That's my play.

     Q.   We  don't  have any Swedes but we've got about ten Fins, are you
worried about that?
     JONAS BRODIN:  No (laughing).

     Q.  How tough is it to get ice time when you're your age?
     JONAS  BRODIN:   It's  tough.   But  this season there were very many
injured on defense so I got much play time.  It was good for my development
to play much in the Swedish league.

     Q.   What's  it like to have four Swedish players go in the Top 10 in
the draft?  What's that mean for Swedish hockey?
     JONAS  BRODIN:   It's  really  cool.   They have really good players:
Adam  Larsson,  Landeskog,  Mika Zibanejad.  And I know those guys; they're
really good guys.  It's very good for Sweden.

     Q.  Jonas, how much time have you spent in the States?  Have you been
here before?
     JONAS BRODIN:  Yeah, I was in the World Juniors last year and for two
years ago I was under 17.  Yeah, this is my third time in the USA.

     Q. Do you understand the Scandinavian-Swedish connection between this
area  in Minnesota and Sweden?  Maybe it will make the adjustment for you a
little easier?
     JONAS  BRODIN:   Yeah, I heard there are many Swedes in this town, so
that's good.

     Q.  Have you been to IKEA?  We've got one?
     JONAS BRODIN:  Yeah (laughing).

     Q.  What is your plan?  Do you think you'll be in the National Hockey
League next year?  Are you hoping to do that?
     JONAS  BRODIN:   Yeah, it's hard to say how the season will go, but I
need  to  be stronger and I'm going to work at it I hope one year -- one or
two years.

     Q.  Is there an NHL player you model your game after?
     JONAS BRODIN:  Yeah, I think it's Lidstrom.  I think we have the same
play, and play easy and he's in the right place and everything.

     Q.   How  does  it make you feel to know that you're in a place where
the coach is known for developing young talent?
     JONAS BRODIN:  Yeah, that's really good.

     Q.  Jonas, tell me about your family.  Did your father play hockey?
     JONAS BRODIN:  No, my father played soccer when I was younger, and my
mom doesn't do sports.

     Q.  Do you have brothers and sisters?
     JONAS BRODIN:  Yeah, I have one brother and one sister.

     Q.  Do they play sports?
     JONAS BRODIN:  Yeah, my brother played in the third league in Sweden,
maybe.  And my sister played soccer.

     Q.  Is he younger than you?
     JONAS BRODIN:  Older.

     Q.  So you're the best hockey player in the family?
     JONAS BRODIN:  Yeah.

     Q.  Have you been skating since you were like a little tiny kid?
     JONAS  BRODIN:  Yeah, I have a rink 15 minutes away from my house.  I
played with my friends every day when I was younger there, so...

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