Carolina Hurricanes Coach Rod Brind’Amour
Weighs In On USA-Canada Title Tilt (Thursday)
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
Rod Brind’Amour was born in Canada (Ottawa), raised in Canada (British Columbia) and represented his native country in international competition for the first decade (1989-98) of his long National Hockey League playing career.
Brind’Amour, 54, also became a United States citizen long ago, married an American and helps raise four American children. He hasn’t lived in Canada since 1988, when he left home to attend Michigan State, and he has been a resident of North Carolina for the past 25 years.
So, when Team Canada faces off against Team USA on Thursday night (8 pm, ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+) in the highly anticipated championship game of the NHL’s extremely popular “4 Nations Face-Off” event, what will he be thinking?
“Just from watching it, so far, it’s pretty obvious: These two teams are pretty stacked!” Brind’Amour told David Glenn in his latest interview on the North Carolina Sports Network. “They’re all good but, man, that’s been impressive to watch. I was hoping we’d get Canada-U.S. (in the championship game).
“The lineups are just so … just amazing! (Shaking his head, laughing.) You couldn’t get any better than what they’re throwing out there.”
Brind’Amour, now in his seventh season as the head coach of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, said he has had mixed emotions during the 4 Nations event. He views the first-time format as a wonderful experience for the participants, but he worries about his players getting injured.
The Hurricanes, who have the third-best record (33-19-4; 70 points) in the Eastern Conference so far this season, sent four of their best players to the tournament: defenseman Jaccob Slavin (USA) and forwards Sebastian Aho (Finland), Seth Jarvis (Canada) and Mikko Rantanen (Finland).
“You do kinda want to get through it,” Brind’Amour said. “You’re, like, holding your breath. Every time Slavin was out there, I was just like, woah. You know, I saw him getting hit, and I’m just like … get through it, you know?”
Slavin, 30, has led Team USA in minutes played and directed its #1 penalty-killing unit during the tournament, while drawing rave reviews from his coaches, teammates and opponents.
“Jaccob’s a guy that, in my mind, is one of the best defenders and one of the best defending defensemen in the league,” Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan said. “His size, his mobility, his reach, his ability to read plays, he closes on people, how strong he is in the battle areas. I don’t know if there’s a defenseman in the league who defends the rush more aggressively or better than Jaccob does.”
Jarvis, who turned 23 earlier this month, has been in and out of the loaded Team Canada lineup but will be back on the ice for the championship game.
“I look at Seth Jarvis, playing for Team Canada, and sitting there with that, just, riches of talent,” Brind’Amour said. “What he’s gonna soak in, just by being around there, I can only imagine how that’s gonna help him moving forward. That’s a huge plus for him.”
So, given Brind’Amour’s unique mix of very deep Canadian and American roots, will he be able to cheer while watching the game on Thursday night?
“I do. I cheer for my guys,” Brind’Amour said. “I also want my guys to stay healthy, and I hope it’s a great game.”
Follow-up question: Does that mean you’re not really picking a side between Team Canada and Team USA?
“Well, it’s tough, right?” Brind’Amour said. “Obviously, I played all my international hockey for Canada.
“But I’ve been in the U.S. since I was 18 years old. Every penny I’ve made has gone … I pay taxes in the USA. (Laughs.) I married an American. My kids are all U.S. citizens. I’m not going back to Canada any time soon. Like, this is home.
“So it is kind of interesting to watch it, I guess, you know, to be honest, right? I can’t lose here. I mean, if Canada wins, my blood is in that.
“But, like I said, I’m a full-on U.S. citizen, and what a great country. It takes a lot of flak for a lot of things, but, I mean, I’m not moving. You know what I mean? There’s a reason that people are coming here in droves.”
NOTE: For another lengthy, “getting-to-know-you” conversation (from last season) between Brind’Amour and Glenn, who have done dozens of interviews together over the past 25 years, please click HERE. The video of Brind’Amour’s most recent visit with Glenn is below.
