Speedy Friesen set to help Canada

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2001

By Lucas Aykroyd

When Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, it proved no one is untouchable. Jeff Friesen, long considered the heart and soul of the San Jose Sharks, learned that lesson the hard way when he was shipped off to Anaheim in a March 5 deal for Teemu Selänne. But still, the 24-year-old native of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan is excited to be representing Canada in his fourth IIHF World Championships. He previously captured a silver medal in 1996 and gold in 1997, scoring three game-winning goals in the latter tournament. The winner of San Jose’s 2000 Sharks Training Camp Fitness Award, Friesen is expected to use his speed to good advantage on the large ice surface. The 6-0, 215-pound left wing boasts the most career NHL points among players drafted in 1994, so he should be a key contributor on offense, even though his season-ending totals of 14 goals and 34 assists were his lowest in five years. IHWC.NET’s Lucas Aykroyd caught up with Friesen recently.

IHWC.NET: How do you feel about being named to play at your fourth World Championships?

Jeff Friesen: It’s always a real good experience. Especially if you don’t make the playoffs, it’s a good time to salvage your season. I wish they’d name the teams and wouldn’t allow open spots. I went there one year after the Sharks got knocked out of the playoffs, and you’re just emotionally drained, and going over there, it’s tough to contribute. That’s just my personal opinion. But definitely, getting a chance to represent your country, it’s a great honor and a chance to win a gold medal.

IHWC.NET: Does it help to cushion the disappointment of being traded from San Jose?

Friesen: Yeah. I was gearing up for the playoffs, but at least we finished strong here in Anaheim. Now my playoffs are going to be the World Championships. It’s an interesting tournament with playoff-style games.

IHWC.NET: What are your thoughts on Paul Kariya not joining Team Canada this time around?

Friesen: That’s Paul’s decision. Everyone has their own opinion, but with injuries and things that go on during the season, I think if you’re not 100 percent, you should not be going over there. It’s like Eric Lindros: he doesn’t have to go over there. It should be guys who are healthy.

IHWC.NET: Looking at the other players who have been selected, what do you think of the direction Team Canada is going?

Friesen: I got a chance to talk to [Team Canada GM] Lanny McDonald and I was honored to get the chance to link up with this group. It’s a young team and should be a fast team. I’m looking forward to playing with some great hockey players.

IHWC.NET: Do you see this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2002 Olympics?

Friesen: Well, I think it’s going to be watched pretty closely. If you play well on the big ice surface, Gretzky and the rest of the management team are going to notice. It would be the opportunity of a lifetime to play in the Olympics, and there’s always the chance that if you have good speed, you could be picked. And I’ve had experience over there, so that may help.

IHWC.NET: What did you take away from the 1997 tournament in Finland where you won a gold medal with Canada?

Friesen: It was a tournament where we had good chemistry. It seemed like we just found a way to win big games. Another year, I was over there when we lost to the Czechs with three or four minutes left in the overtime in the gold medal game. You see how close you can be. You just learn a lot from playing over there, how you’ve got to change your game.

IHWC.NET: Such as?

Friesen: You have to play a disciplined game. It’s not North America. It’s a bigger ice surface and the referees will get you. It’s not a seven-game series where you can afford to run a team out of the building and you’re going to scare them. You run a team like the Czechs and they just laugh at you and suck it up for the entire game. They know they don’t have to face you again. They’ll take the whacks and hacks, it doesn’t matter. So you have to play fast and aggressive, but you can’t be taking penalties. It’s not to say I’m all that great over there! But I have learned something from two World Juniors, and now I’m heading into my fourth World Championships.

IHWC.NET: It’s given you a great opportunity to see Europe: the Czech Republic, Austria, Finland, Norway and now Germany. Which of the countries that you’ve visited did you enjoy the most?

Friesen: I think Vienna was beautiful. Obviously Finland is my most memorable, due to what happened on the ice. But in Vienna, I had my mother over there and there were a lot of German-speaking people. She was born in Germany, so it was nice. It’s a beautiful part of the world. I’m looking forward to Germany as well. We’ll have to see if any family will be joining me. My grandparents on my mother’s side will be over there. It should be pretty neat.

IHWC.NET: What’s going to be the biggest key for Canada to succeed in Germany?

Friesen: I think with a young, fast team, we just have to use our skill and our hockey sense. We’ll have to be disciplined, but we can’t be playing a totally European-style game. We know that Canadians play with grit. We’ll try to outwork them and go from there.