It’s the middle of the summer, and while most people aren’t thinking of hockey, those who participated in the World Junior Summer Showcase at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota, were thinking about nothing but hockey. It’s only fitting that hockey is played in the summer in a place like Minnesota, which has more than 10,000 lakes that work as perfect rinks in the wintertime.
This state lives, eats, and breathes hockey, and that is why the United States team for the showcase had 13 Minnesotans on it, the most from any state, by a long shot. 12 of those players were listed as born in Minnesota, while one of them was born in New Jersey but played hockey in Minnesota through his teen years.
Not every Minnesotan on the United States roster will make the cut when December comes around, but there are a couple who have stood out and should make the cut. One of them has been on fire since the last World Juniors and is likely to be on the top line when the tournament rolls around.
That is Brodie Ziemer, and he has the unique position of being from Minnesota, playing for the University of Minnesota, where the showcase was held, where part of the December tournament will be held, and he will have the same head coach for both team’s Bob Motzko. He’s also a crucial part of what is expected to be the top line for USA, with Teddy Stiga and James Hagens. Ziemers is the only Minnesotan on that line, and he took a few moments to speak with The Hockey Writers’ Mariah Stark about the experience.
Showcase & Tournament at Home
Ziemer had a bit of a head start compared to some of his teammates when it came to the showcase. Last season, they were all in unfamiliar territory as the showcase was held in Ottawa, Ontario, but this season it was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the University of Minnesota campus, where Ziemer played his freshman year of college hockey last season. The only difference was that the showcase was held at Ridder Arena, where the Gopher women’s hockey team plays, while the men typically play right next door at Mariucci.
So, he was familiar with the campus, and he didn’t have to deal with the nerves of not only having to impress the coaching staff, but he also didn’t have to worry about not knowing where to go. Instead, he was able to just focus on playing, and he was able to relax on a campus he already knew. Plus, he’ll have the upper hand when the tournament starts in December, as some games will be held at the men’s rink, Maruicci, where Ziemer is very familiar with, and also at the Xcel Energy Center across the river.
“Yeah, it was super special, it’s nice to be at home, my family got to watch me play. Got to show everybody around campus, it was a lot of fun,” Ziemer said about playing at Ridder for the showcase, and he continued about what it will be like to have the actual tournament in Minnesota as well, “Yeah, it’s awesome. I grew up watching a lot of games at the X (Xcel Energy Center), so for it to be there it’ll be super special and I know the fans will be great and the whole family will be there, so I’m super pumped.”
Motzko Coaching USA
Not only has Ziemer had the comforts of playing at his college rinks this summer, but he also gets to have his college coach be his USA coach for both the showcase and the tournament in December. Last season, it was Denver University’s head coach, David Carle, coaching USA, but this season it’s Bob Motzko, who normally coaches the Gophers at the University of Minnesota; however, this year he’ll be doing both the Gophers and USA.
Again, just like playing on his college campus, Ziemer having his college coach be his USA coach will be a big help. He knows what his coach expects of players, what systems he runs, and how his coach works under pressure. It’ll give Ziemer an advantage, but he can also help his teammates know what to expect as well.
“Again, it was great, a lot of familiarity, know the systems and things like that. I know I can ask him questions and stuff like that, so yeah, it was good,” Ziemer said about having Motzko behind the bench for the showcase.
Home Can Mean Distractions
While having the showcase and the tournament at home can be a great thing in terms of comfort and familiarity, it can also be a distraction. Being able to have family and friends come can put added pressure on a player’s shoulders, and while some thrive under that pressure, especially at this level, some have their nerves show.
Not only will a player like Ziemer have to deal with that kind of pressure, but he’ll also have schoolwork to keep up on. Now, when the tournament is underway, most schools will be on their holiday breaks that last about a month, so he may not miss any actual school for the tournament itself, but the camp earlier in the month will likely cause him to miss some classes. However, when asked about it, Ziemer appears to already have a plan in place and knows he’ll have to work ahead.
Related: World Junior Summer Showcase is All About the Process
“Just staying on top of stuff, working ahead, doing whatever I can,” Ziemer said when asked how he’ll juggle homework and hockey. He already has to juggle both hockey and school during the regular season, but this tournament is a lot of games in a short amount of time, so it’s even more intense and will need a lot of focus.
Ziemer Will be One to Watch
Like stated above, Ziemer is likely to be on the top line for USA with Stiga and Hagens. Even in the small portion of the showcase they played, they were a force to be reckoned with. USA has a lot of strong players, and it’ll be interesting to see if they can bring back a third gold medal with Ziemer helping lead the way.
