NHL Network: NHL Live on Congressional Hockey Caucus

This article originally appeared on the NHL Network on April 24, 2013. A copy of the article can be found here.

By: Steve Mears

Steve Mears: Earlier today the Congressional Hockey Caucus took place in Washington, DC. Leading the way there on the of the gentleman in charge, hes one of our favorite guests from DC its Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley. Congressman great to talk with you once again, thanks so much for coming on the show. Tell us about the Congressional Hockey Caucus, what did you discuss today and what was the purpose this afternoon?

Rep. Mike Quigley: Well we talked about the game we have this Saturday where we play the Lobbyists in a charity game to raise money for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Commissioner Bettman was there, our friend the owner of the Washington Capitals, actually getting last years winners there to go to a college of their choice. So it was a great day.

I have to tell you though, I told my staff to craft, carefully craft, a speech to the NHL officials and the whole caucus defining what it means to grow up playing hockey and living in the second balcony of the Chicago stadium. I needed a three minute speech so they wrote "Detroit sucks" one thousand times. I said guys, we have to do better, we have a realignment, we have to understand realignment, its a new league out there, a little more hyper out there, so they wrote "Vancouver sucks."

Seriously it was a great day and the Cup will be out again in DC tonight for everyday fans to get a picture with it and to understand why this game matters and the charity it helps.

Ken Daneyko: Congressman weve seen the state of hockey, youth hockey in particular, Ive been in New Jersey thirty years now and Ive seen it grown tremendously and in the southern states and Illinois. I mean, what is your take been, we know youre an avid hockey fan, Blackhawk fan, and its just such a positive thing, great for to play sports, and conditioning, and everything else- all things that are positive and kind of what you guys are doing on Saturday. What have you seen in the growth of our game throughout the United States?

Quigley:: Well just here in Chicago, as you know it helps to have a winning team, because you can drive through the whole city and every neighborhood and see kids wearing Kane and Toews jerseys. Its just extraordinary. So our attitude is to strike while the iron is hot and were working with the Hawks to try to get, for example, floor hockey programs in every gym or park district that wants one. The Hawks come out themselves and show kids how to play. They leave the equipment with the instructors. Then the kids that show some aptitude and interest, were plugging in to a new program only in its second year- but were putting 100 kids who have never played hockey before, who are going to be learning how to play ice hockey from the inner city. So my attitude is that hockeys going to grow because the game is great and theres a natural interest. My objective, and I think the NHLs interest with Hockey is for Everyone, is to get hockey into neighborhoods where perhaps its wouldnt otherwise be without our help.

Mears: Congressman, tells us more about the Hockey Challenge at the Verizon Center this weekend and how is your game these days?

Quigley: Well, you know, just to show you, at this point one of my teams was called Old And In The Way. But still love the game. Still play twice a week. The game this Saturday is, as it should be, for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. We play the Lobbyists at the Verizon Center. The Puck drops at 1:30. My staff has been busy all day ordering aluminum foil and otherwise getting ready got the game in a normal and healthy way. But its a lot of fun, I think its split now in this series. Its a lot of fun, its for a great cause and I encourage people to come out and watch.

Daneyko: Congressman we know your team, the Chicago Blackhawks, have had an amazing season, a great start, record start. They rarely lose in this shortened year. Now theyre a number one seed, number ones havent had a lot of success winning it all. How confident are you in your Chicago Blackhawks, to carry on what theyve done this season into the playoffs and bring another Cup back to Chicago?

Quigley: You know I feel good about this. Your point is well taken. There are bodies strewn of Presidents Cup winners losing in the first round all over. So I think you just have to remember you want to get there sharp and healthy, no pun intended getting Sharp back. So who gets a hot goalie? You remind yourself you start zero zero, The regular seasons kind of unimportant, see what LA did. You know its good to have the number one seed and home ice but you just got to remind yourself it starts fresh and you havent done anything once the regular season is over. I feel good, its a great balances team, we got four good lines.

Mears: They do, its looking great. And Congressman best of luck to you with the game. You know this is hockey so you have to have a nickname, so instead of Congressman can we just call you Quigsey?

Quigley: Usually its Quigs or Why Dont You Ever Pass.

Mears: I knew there had to be something in there. Well Congressman always great to talk with you. Thanks so much and best of luck with the game.

Quigley: Thanks so much, take care guys.