The Daily hockey beat used to run a video series during the 2011-12 season called “Quick Hits.” They were one-on-one interviews with players that covered everyday life and all of its funny moments. But now, for budget reasons, it’s in written format.
And for the first time in three years — despite the pleas of the editors — Quick Hits are back.
For its first edition this season, The Daily sat down with senior forwards Will Lockwood, Jake Slaker and Nick Pastujov — who upon then-sophomore forward Josh Norris’s injuries last season, formed a line — to talk about class, hypotheticals and more.
***
Tien Le: Take it away.
Molly Shea: This is your idea.
Tien: You go first.
Molly: OK, fine. If you’re stranded on a deserted island with one other person on the team, who would you pick?
Slaker: One other person on an island, alright.
Lockwood: Lavigne, the gear man.
Slaker: Luce. *Whispers* Griffin Luce.
Molly: Why?
Slaker: Because Luce is an animal. He is one with the island. He would keep me safe.
Lockwood: I would go with Lavigne because he has every gadget, and we’d probably survive pretty well.
Pastujov: I think Lavigne could definitely build the boat pretty quickly. Get us off.
Tien: And he loves fishing too, right?
Pastujov: He does love fishing.
Slaker: He loves everything.
Pastujov: And building fires.
Lockwood: Yeah. Yeah. You’d be golfing on the island.
Attending John U. Bacon’s History of College Athletics class, Molly Shea observed the events that occurred in class on Oct. 2nd. She watched Lockwood get berated by Bacon for not wearing a helmet while driving a moped.
Tien: Yeah, so uh, Molly told me about John Bacon’s class today.
Lockwood: Yeah, oh Jesus, I forgot you (Molly) were in that class.
Tien: You had a fun time there?
Lockwood: It was a horrible time. I actually brought Grab-and-Go. And I was going to eat during class, but I was just bombarded with questions the entire class, I wasn’t unable to eat or think or really do anything at all.
Molly: Are you gonna wear a moped helmet now?
Lockwood: Yes, I was actually thinking about sending him an email. With me in my hockey helmet on my moped.
Tien: Who do you least want to room with?
Slaker: Okay. Uhhhh.
Pastujov: Strauss. I’ll say it straight. He brings like 18 coolers.
Lockwood: Oh true.
Slaker: His diet is insane. Who would I least want to room with? Hmm. Strauss, probably, yeah.
Lockwood: Strauss.
Tien: Same reasons?
Lockwood: No brainer.
Slaker: Yeah. His food just smells. He keeps all his food in his freezer and it just smells.
Pastujov: *mumbles* Six coolers worth of food.
At this point in the interview, assistant coach Kris Mayotte crosses the room to reach his office. Lockwood dragged him into the conversation.
Lockwood: Mayo! Should we get Mayo in it?
Molly: The more the merrier?
Lockwood: Mayo!
Slaker: Hey!
Lockwood: Who would you take on an island from the team? You could only pick one person.
Lockwood: Probably Shieldsy (volunteer coach Steve Shields), I would pick Shieldsy.
Slaker: That’s not bad though.
Mayotte: But you would never know where he is.
Slaker: Yeah, that is a problem.
Lockwood: Yeah, he goes off the grid, you guys would lose each other.
Mayotte: Yeah, that would be a problem.
Mayotte left with a grin on his face, knowing he would probably die on the island if he chose Steve Shields.
Tien: So what were some of your favorite off-ice moments from last year?
Michigan coach Mel Pearson walked by to go to the smoothie room and caught wind of the conversation.
Pearson: Oh, off-ice moments?
Pearson walked into the other room and poked his head through the door frame to catch some of the answers.
Pastujov: We had a pretty good Friendsgiving last year.
Slaker: Oh, yeah, we did. My house created a Friendsgiving right before Thanksgiving.
Pastujov: A ton of food and guys got to watch football.
Slaker: Oh, and we do football Sundays because we all play fantasy football. We cook a bunch of food and all the guys come over, and we watch football. So it’s probably a pretty good, pretty good one. Super Bowl. We have a Super Bowl party. We have a ton of people. We cook a bunch of appetizers, and we just chill and watch the Super bowl. What else do we do?
MLive reporter Ryan Zuke felt pity for the TMD reporters and decided to chime in.
Ryan Zuke: Who’s the best cook on the team?
Pastujov: Who do you guys think is a better griller out of you two?
Slaker: Cook-wise? I mean, usually Skill (Lockwood) and I would fight for grill master. Skill can make a mean chili. That’s all I know. I mean, when fall comes around, we’re looking forward to chili.
Lockwood: Can’t compete with that salmon.
Tien: You guys were in a fantasy league? Who’s winning that right now?
Slaker: Who is it in the lead right now? Jack Olmstead.
Lockwood: Yeah, we just do it for fun, just bragging rights, of course.
Tien: Who won it last year?
Pastujov: Who did win it last year, you guys know who?
Slaker: Ugh.
Slaker: Nick won it last year. Nick beat me in the championship last year. By three points.
Pastujov: Yeah.
Slaker: I’m sweaty now.
Lockwood: My team was really good though.
Slaker: I’m sweating now that you brought that up. I’m still pissed about it.
Suffocating in the heat of the moment, Slaker started to unzip his jacket. He proceeded to take off part of the jacket before realizing he was shirtless and saw his audience.
Pastujov: Will has a good team this year though. Yeah, he beat me last week.
Lockwood: Not a big deal though.
TMD: Who’s the best dresser on the team?
Lockwood: Slakes.
Pastujov: Ughhhhh, I do not know.
Slaker slapped the thighs of the two sitting on either side of him.
Slaker: Thanks, boys.
Pastujov: He’s got a couple new suits he’s ready to breakout this year.
Lockwood: Slakes or Marty. Day to day Slakes. And then Marty puts in a good effort, but Slakes overall.
Lockwood: And Nick. I mean, Nick’s just so creative.
Slaker: Nick’s color coordination is on point.
Pastujov: Wait who me?
Pastujov sheepishly smiled as Lockwood and Slaker laughed.