S1E4: Round 1 Roundup, Hockey Jargon, and Paul Kariya

[00:00:01] You're listening to... Whoa! Hotluck! Hotluck! Alright, welcome back to the Asians in Hockey podcast. Once again, I'm your host, Nate Nakao, and today we've got a packed show. Three periods of hockey talk once again, as usual.

[00:00:29] In our first period, we'll break down how the players of Asian descent that are currently still active performed in the first round of the NHL playoffs, and then we'll look ahead to who's moving on beyond the first round as Round 1 has wrapped up already at the time I'm recording this. In the second period, I'll share a few of my favorite hockey movies and documentaries that you should absolutely check out,

[00:00:57] whether you're a long-time fan or just getting into the sport. Though, I'll admit, if you're a long-time fan, you probably have already seen these, but if you're just getting started, be sure to check these out. I'll also provide a little bit of insight into some hockey jargon for those of you just getting into hockey and are a bit mystified by some of the lingo in this sport. And then, in the third period, we're diving into the legacy of one of the greatest Asian players

[00:01:25] to ever lace up a pair of skates. Paul Tetsuhiko Kariya. We'll drop the puck right after this. It's an exciting time in Asian America. There are more movies, TV shows, books, and music reflecting us than ever. But all of these represent just a small slice of Asian American culture and experiences. So what do we do?

[00:01:55] Tell more slices. Asian Americana is a show that explores these slices of distinctly Asian American culture and history. We've talked about how Chinese Americans built California's Sacramento Delta, the art scene turned gallery institution giant robot, a play that explores the lost Cambodian pop music of the 60s and 70s, and, of course, FOBA, just to name a few stories. You can find Asian Americana at AsianAmericana.com or on your podcast app.

[00:02:26] All right, let's drop the puck on today's episode. So for the first period, we will talk about the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, which showcased several players of Asian descent making contributions for each of their teams. So let's go ahead and take a look at their performances. Kicking things off with Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens.

[00:02:54] Montreal captain Nick Suzuki played in all five games of the Habs' first round series against the Washington Capitals. He recorded two goals and no assists, totaling two points. And despite his efforts, the Habs were unfortunately eliminated in five electrifying games that honestly could have gone either way. But since the Habs are out, we'll say au revoir to our captain until next season.

[00:03:23] Moving on to Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars. Robertson missed the entire first round series against the Colorado Avalanche due to a lower body injury sustained during the regular season. Now, despite his absence, the Stars advanced in seven exciting games. Robertson's status has been changed though, and he's now listed as day to day. So he could very well make an appearance later on in the playoffs,

[00:03:50] most likely by the semifinals if Dallas makes it that far. Moving on to Nicholas Robertson of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jason's brother Nicholas contributed to the Maple Leafs' first round victory over the Ottawa Senators. He played in all six games, recording one assist for a total of one point through the first round. Moving on to Matt Dumba of the Dallas Stars. Dumba did not feature at all in Dallas' first round against Colorado,

[00:04:19] but we'll keep an eye on things to see if he makes an appearance later on in the playoffs. Then we have Jordan Spence of the Los Angeles Kings. Spence participated in all six games of the Kings' first round series against the Edmonton Oilers, netting one goal in the series for a total of one point in round one. Unfortunately for Spence, Edmonton won that series, so we'll bid Jordan farewell until next season.

[00:04:50] Next up, we've got Cody Cece of the Dallas Stars. Cece, who was traded to the Stars during the season, played all seven games of the first round series. He recorded two assists, totaling two points, and provided veteran leadership on the Stars' defense. Next up, we've got Jonas Siegenthaler of the New Jersey Devils.

[00:05:15] Siegenthaler returned from a long injury and played in all five games of the Devils' first round series against the Carolina Hurricanes. He did not record any points in the series, and unfortunately, since New Jersey has been eliminated, we will bid Jonas goodbye until next season. And finally, we have Devin Shore of the Minnesota Wild.

[00:05:42] Now, Shore hasn't actually made an appearance with the Wild since back in April 6th, so he didn't feature in this series. And since the Wild have been eliminated, it does look like we'll have to wait until next season to touch base with Devin again. Goodbye, Devin. See you next season. Alright, that was a very quick first period, but that wraps things up now.

[00:06:10] After the first round, we have just four Asians moving on to the second round. So, we'll of course be following them as they all try to make it onto the semifinal round, and hopefully onto the Stanley Cup final. The second period is coming up right after this.

[00:06:39] Hello, I'm Phil Yu, and I'm the host of All The Asians on Star Trek, the podcast in which I interview all the Asians on Star Trek. I'm talking to actors, writers, directors, stunt people, background extras. You know, all the Asians on Star Trek. Find out more at alltheasiansonstartrek.com. Part of the Potluck Podcast Collective. Live long and prosper. Welcome back to the show.

[00:07:06] So, I've got a couple segments for this second period. First, we're going to talk about some hockey jargon. Now, like a lot of other sports, hockey has its own lingo. However, the lingo in hockey includes an awful lot of its own jargon, whether nicknames and alternative names for some of the sports lingo, or just straight up odd ways of describing various phenomena in the sport,

[00:07:32] and even things that might not necessarily have anything to do with the game of hockey itself, but that for some reason have hockey nicknames. Let's tackle a few of these. So, hopefully, when you're watching a game and a commentator describes something using a term you've never heard before, you might remember it from this podcast. First, Apple. Simple. Simply put, an apple is an assist. Barn burner.

[00:08:02] A barn burner is an extremely high-scoring game. Bender. A bender is a player who looks like a newbie. This comes from the fact that new skaters often don't tie their skates up properly or don't have the ankle support to prevent their skates from bending outward while skating. Bottle rocket.

[00:08:26] Now, this takes place when a goal breaks or knocks off the goalie's water bottle from the top of the net. Goalies keep their water bottles in a little holder that's connected to the top of the net, or they place them right on the top of the net directly. And when a goal knocks the bottle off, it's called a bottle rocket. Biscuit. Simply put, the biscuit is another name for the puck. Beauty.

[00:08:57] Beauty or butte has a few meanings, but the most common one is to describe a goal that is particularly pleasing aesthetically, whether it's because of the moves leading up to the goal, or the shot itself that then obviously leads to the goal. Bucket. Bucket is simply another word for helmet. Selly.

[00:09:24] Selly is short for goal celebration. Chirp. Chirping means to trash talk the opposing team. Clapper. Clapper is simply another name for a slap shot. This comes from the sound that a stick makes when it hits the ice just before flinging the puck on a slap shot. Dangle.

[00:09:55] Dangle describes the act of stick handling, particularly when a player moves to fake out an opposing player, like a defender or the goalie themselves. Deke. A deke is a type of stick handling move that feigns moving in one direction and then it quickly moves in the opposite direction.

[00:10:18] A deke is the move that is described by dangle. Dirty. Dirty. Dirty is a term used to describe an outstanding deke. You might even hear the phrase dirty dangles, which basically means somebody's got incredible stick handling ability.

[00:10:48] Duster. Duster. A duster is somebody who doesn't get a whole lot of ice time and essentially collects dust sitting on the bench. Filthy. Another term for a great deke or a great pass, it's similar to dirty. In fact, you'll probably hear the phrase filthy dangles just as often as you'll hear the phrase dirty dangles. Gong show. Duster.

[00:11:15] A game that gets out of control either from big hits or an extremely high score. Hoser. This is a trash talk term for calling a player or a team a loser. Or losers. This actually comes from a time before the invention of the ice resurfacer or Zamboni. The losing team had to hose down the ice following the game.

[00:11:48] Lettuce. Lettuce is a term for hair. Yeah, hockey players like to talk about their hairstyles. Lighting the lamp. This is another term for scoring a goal. There's a red light that goes off behind the net when a team scores a goal in higher levels of hockey. Lip lettuce. Lip lettuce is a mustache.

[00:12:19] Pillows. Pillows are the goaltender's leg pads. Plumber. Plumber. A plumber is somebody who might not be the best player on a team, but is an extremely hardworking player who really digs into the corners. Civ. A civ is a goaltender who allows a lot of goals. Sinbin.

[00:12:48] Sinbin is a nickname for the penalty box. Sweater. Sweater is another term for a hockey jersey. This comes from a time long ago when hockey jerseys were made out of sweater material and actually looked like sweaters. Top shelf. Top shelf. The top shelf is the upper section of the goal's net between the crossbar and the goaltender's shoulders.

[00:13:17] If you hear somebody say, I'm going top shelf, that means they're scoring a goal above the goaltender's shoulders. Yard sale. A yard sale is when a player gets hit so hard that he loses some of his equipment, whether it's his stick or his helmet or gloves, and then they're left on the ice after the play.

[00:13:42] So, what are some other pieces of hockey jargon that you've heard around the rink or while watching the game? Let me know on bluesky at asiansandhockey.com, on Instagram at asiansandhockey, or via email at asiansandhockey at gmail.com. Okay, let's talk about hockey in the movies now.

[00:14:05] Whether you're winding down from the playoffs or you just love seeing the sport through a different lens, these are some essential movies that I think are worth checking out. So, let's start with a classic. And I actually feel weird calling it a classic, but... I guess technically it is a classic. The Mighty Ducks Trilogy.

[00:14:34] And if you haven't already seen it, you absolutely must watch these movies. All three films have something to offer, but it's of course the first two that stand as beloved hockey movies by any hockey fan. They are in fact the reason that I came to love this game so much.

[00:14:55] So, fun fact, the player that we're profiling in today's episode actually has a cameo appearance in the third Mighty Ducks film. Honestly, if you're listening to this, you've probably already seen these films countless times. But in case you haven't, please do yourself a favor and go watch them. Next up, there's Miracle.

[00:15:21] Which is arguably the best dramatization of real hockey ever made. Miracle tells the story of the 1980 US Olympic team and their legendary game against the Soviet Union. Kurt Russell does an incredible job playing coach, Herb Brooks.

[00:15:44] And this movie as a whole kind of fits into the canon of great sports movies that came out during that period in the early 2000s when inspirational sports films were all the rage. It's basically, remember the Titans for hockey fans.

[00:16:01] A fun fact about this movie, in casting the film, they focused on bringing in hockey players and then teaching them how to act rather than trying to teach actors how to play hockey. That made the on ice scenes so much more engaging and realistic.

[00:16:21] So every year, I try to make a point to watch this movie again and again, again, again. Sorry, inside joke. Okay, so for something grittier and much more comedic, I recommend Goon and Goon 2.

[00:16:45] These movies follow the story of a brawler turned underdog hero. The first one is very loosely based on a true story. And they both star Sean William Scott, Jay Baruchel and Alison Pill, who all turn in some pretty fantastic performances. These films are cartoonishly violent and incredibly irreverent, but they're also surprisingly heartfelt.

[00:17:16] They follow in the footsteps of the equally irreverent Slapshot, which stars Paul Newman. Though for me, I think the Goon movies do a much better job. I know, I know, that's probably blasphemous to a certain crowd. In fact, probably blasphemous to most hockey fans. But I honestly had a harder time getting into Slapshot than I did getting into Goon. Your mileage may vary.

[00:17:45] Another must-see is the heartfelt French-Canadian film The Rocket. The movie is severely underrated, but it's so beautifully shot and so well composed. The film features Roy Dupuis as the legendary NHLer Maurice Richard and provides some fascinating context for the struggles of Francophones in Quebec during the early 1940s, late 1930s.

[00:18:10] Now, naturally that landscape has shifted considerably today, but it is certainly quite interesting to get a glimpse of French-Canadian life prior to The Quiet Revolution. Oh, and it's got some incredible classic hockey action. And quite a few NHLers made cameo appearances in this movie as well.

[00:18:33] Mystery Alaska is an oft-forgotten drama that blends small-town charm with the high stakes of professional hockey. The film follows a tight-knit Alaskan community whose local team gets the once-in-a-lifetime chance to face off against the New York Rangers. Russell Crowe plays the lead in the film, which provides a fun blend of small-town pride and the high stakes of a professional hockey game.

[00:19:00] It's not the finest film on this list, but it definitely is one that every self-respecting hockey fan should put on their list of movies. There are also three documentaries that I want to mention here that I think are absolutely worth setting aside the time and effort to watch. First, and arguably most important, is Black Ice.

[00:19:27] Pulling from the book of the same name, this documentary captures the experiences of Black hockey players and traces the history of racism in the sport. In a similar vein, Willie tells the story of Willie O'Ree, the first Black player in the NHL. And lastly, I want to give a shout-out to Overtime, particularly because of the topic of this whole podcast series.

[00:19:50] Overtime is a lovely mother-daughter story about an Asian-Canadian woman who plays hockey for a women's team that competes at the Kamloops 55 and Up games. There are dozens of hockey-themed movies, TV shows, and documentaries. Now, I haven't even begun to scratch the surface with this list, so I would love to hear from you. What are some of your favorites?

[00:20:16] And since we're coming up on the off-season, do you think I should do some hockey movie reviews on the podcast during the summer months? Let me know by shooting me a DM on Blue Sky, Instagram, or by email. Don't go anywhere. Coming up next, we'll take a closer look at the Hall of Fame career of Paul Correa.

[00:20:54] Dedicated to books by Asian and Asian-American authors. Each month on Books and Boba, we pick a book by an Asian author to read and discuss on the show. We read a variety of genres, including contemporary and historical fiction, sci-fi and fantasy, romance and cozy mysteries, and so much more. Our past book club picks have included Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribeye, Yellow Face by R.F. Kuang, and The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Quinn.

[00:21:19] We also chat with some amazing Asian authors on the podcast, as well as review the latest publishing news in Asian-American literature. Listen to us now on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts, or learn more by looking us up at booksandboba.com. Part of the Potluck Podcast Collective. For hockey fans of my generation, Paul Correa needs no introduction. He was our first superstar.

[00:21:46] The face of hockey for a group of kids who never imagined themselves playing on the world's biggest stage. His stats and history alone don't even begin to paint a full picture of everything that he's contributed. To us, he wasn't just a skilled forward. He was proof that we belonged in the game. Proof that we could lead, that we could dominate, and that we could inspire. Paul Correa wasn't just playing hockey.

[00:22:14] He was blazing a trail. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, to a Japanese-Canadian father who had survived the Japanese concentration camps, and a Scottish-Canadian mother, Paul grew up in a household that valued discipline, perseverance, and integrity. Qualities that would define his entire career. He was a standout from the start. But, excelling in junior hockey and going on to play for the University of Maine, where he led the Black Bears to an NCAA championship in 1993,

[00:22:44] and won the Hobie Baker Award as the top college player in the nation. He also happened to be the very first freshman to ever receive that honor. That same year, he was drafted fourth overall by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, a brand new team looking for a star to build around. And, oh boy, did they find one. In Anaheim, Correa quickly became the team's identity.

[00:23:10] A dazzling combination of speed, skill, and intelligence. He was one of the best skaters the league had ever seen. Razor-sharp vision, a release that made goalies freeze, and the humility of someone who never acted like a star, even though he played like one every single night. Between 1994 and 2003, he racked up 669 points in 606 games for the Ducks.

[00:23:40] He was a six-time All-Star during that span, captaining Anaheim for seven seasons. But it wasn't just about points. It was about how he played. He played. Elegant. Clean. Electric. And then, there was 2003. In 2003, the Ducks made a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup final.

[00:24:09] They lost the first two games of the series in New Jersey, and then they won the next two games in Anaheim. Correa didn't record a point in any of the first four games, but in Game 5, he got an assist in their 3-6 loss. So Game 6 was a must-win. With 13 minutes and 45 seconds left in the second period of Game 6, and the Ducks leading 3-1,

[00:24:37] Correa took a brutal, blindsiding, open ice late hit from Scott Stevens, one of the most devastating body checks in NHL history. He lay motionless on the ice. For several moments, the entire arena held its breath. Correa was able to skate off the ice,

[00:25:04] stumbling under the help of his teammates and the medical staff, and was brought away from the rink and into the Ducks dressing room. But then, miraculously, he returned. Not just to the bench, but to the ice, and then to the score sheet. He came back that same game

[00:25:33] and ripped a slap shot goal that froze devil's goalie Martin Brodeur and lit the building on fire. It was one of the most iconic moments in Stanley Cup final history. But behind the drama was a much more complicated truth. That hit, and the cumulative toll of multiple concussions, would change Paul's career forever. That iconic night in hockey,

[00:26:03] when he was the center of attention in the city of Anaheim and in the entirety of the hockey world, he doesn't even have a memory of it. It was one of the greatest moments in hockey history, repeatedly shown in highlight reels and replayed over and over among Asian hockey fans. And due to the trauma Correa suffered to his head, he can't even remember just a little bit of it.

[00:26:32] That was also the last night he played in a Ducks jersey. He did play a few more seasons, one in Colorado, two in Nashville, and three in St. Louis, but the head injuries piled up. And in 2010, at the age of 35, he officially retired. Eleven games short of the thousand-game mark. He retired not with a farewell tour, not with fanfare,

[00:27:01] just a quiet goodbye from a man who loved the game too much to continue damaging himself for it. Years later, in a rare interview, Correa opened up about his choice to walk away and his decision to completely sever ties with the NHL for a while. He spoke about the lack of support players like him received in dealing with brain injuries. And yet, through it all, he remained gracious, grounded,

[00:27:31] determined to live a full life beyond the rink. Paul Correa was so much more than a hockey player to the Asian American community. He represented the breaking of several long-held stereotypes about Asians. Chris Wu shares his reflections on Paul's legacy. You ask any Asian hockey player who grew up in the late 90s and 2000s, and he or she will always list Paul Correa as their favorite player. As something that doesn't fully resonate with the current generation,

[00:28:00] as back in the day, Paul shattered the cultural Asian stereotypes we saw on screen, such as the waiter, the martial artist, the dry cleaner, or the comic relief. He was also a really handsome guy that a lot of girls flocked to. But this was really important for us in the Asian hockey community to finally see someone who looked like us make it in the NHL. And as my stories will show, I think Paul also understands this. Paul Correa's legacy was finally honored in 2017

[00:28:29] when he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In his speech, he mentioned longtime friend and teammate, T. Musilani. Together, they were one of the most iconic duos in hockey history. That night, the hockey world finally gave Paul the recognition he deserved. But for some of us, the Hockey Hall of Fame wasn't the moment that made Paul Correa a legend. Back when Paul Correa was drafted by the Ducks in 1993,

[00:28:59] probably when I was in high school around 1994, I actually wrote a letter to Paul telling him about myself as a hockey player and how cool it was to see a player of Japanese descent drafted in the NHL. Paul wasn't even playing for the Ducks at the time, but I sent the letter to the Ducks organization. And months later, I received an envelope. And inside, this envelope was a 1993-1994 Fleer Ultra Team Canada card of Paul's. What was cool about this is he took the time to sign it with a gold pen that kind of matched the gold design of the card.

[00:29:30] There was no letter or anything else from him. Now, what's cool about this story is it's well known in the card community that Paul doesn't sign many autographs. One collector told a story about meeting Paul with a stack of cards, and Paul refused to sign them because he believed the collector was just going to turn around and sell them on eBay. There's another Instagram story where a collector actually sent a stack of cards to Paul at an address here in Southern California to sign. And again, months later, Paul returned his cards unsigned.

[00:29:59] And the crazy thing was that the cards came back in a return envelope from an address in Vancouver, meaning that Paul actually opened the original envelope, took the cards out, and returned them through another envelope and sent them across the border. If you look online, there are some, but not nearly as many officially authenticated autographed cards of Paul's when comparing him to other superstars. I think it's just something he refuses to do if there's a potential profit in it, and it makes it cooler

[00:30:28] that he sent me a card from his own collection and took the time to sign it in a gold pen. It's a card I'll forever cherish. It was the little things. A fan letter answered with a signed card, a kind gesture in a crowded hotel. Chris remembers a moment like that vividly. It was a photo op. Quick, casual. But for Chris, it meant everything. When I was a kid, my parents used to take me to the Frozen Fury in Las Vegas every year.

[00:30:58] And those were the annual exhibition games held in the MGM Grand Hotel between the Kings and Avalanche. And they don't exist anymore ever since the Knights started a franchise in Vegas. But my mom was a huge gambler, and we always received comp suites at the MGM Grand Hotel, which was the biggest hotel at the time. And probably around 2004, after Paul signed with the Colorado Avalanche, I was walking through the lobby for the Frozen Fury to check into our hotel and was with my parents. And I saw walking

[00:31:28] through the entrance a trio of hockey gods. I saw Peter Forsberg, Joe Sackick, and Paul Correa all walking in shoulder to shoulder wearing polo shirts and shorts. Now, Forsberg was another favorite of mine, and my brother loved Sackick. And my brother was lagging behind with the luggage, so I ran to find my brother first to tell him about it, and then we sprinted through the lobby to catch them. Now, right before the guest room elevators, there was always a gift shop,

[00:31:57] and we caught Paul as he was finishing up buying something, and he was just ignoring everybody else. And my brother and I began to yell, Mr. Correa, Mr. Correa. I mean, without even acknowledging us, he just turned his back to us and began to quickly walk towards elevators. Now, as an elevator door opened, he turned around, saw us, made eye contact with us, and then stepped back into the lobby, and I quickly asked if my brother could take a photo with him, and he nodded. And these were the days of flip phones, so I pulled out my flip phone,

[00:32:27] and it was a grainy old photo that I no longer have. But after taking the photo, we thanked him, and he just went in the elevator without saying much, and the elevator door closed. Now, looking back at it, I mean, it was clear he was trying to avoid fans, and he didn't want to talk to anybody. And I always hear about these crazy game day rituals he had. But it's my belief that when he saw that we were a couple of Asian kids chasing after him, there's a part of him that felt compelled to stop for us,

[00:32:56] because he certainly didn't stop for anyone else that was known to avoid the limelight. But it was still pretty cool that he took those few seconds that I'll always remember just to hang out with us. So it'll always be my favorite celebrity encounter that I'll always remember. Paul Correa is more than his 989 career points. more than his Olympic gold medal, more than the Captain's Sea or the Hall of Fame plaque.

[00:33:25] He's a symbol of grace under pressure, of brilliance in motion, of what it means to lead quietly, fiercely, and with dedication and honor. And for Asian hockey fans around the world, he'll always be something greater. where Larry Kwong opened the door to Asians in hockey, and Robin Bawa and Jim Pack stepped through and gave us a glimpse of what we're capable of,

[00:33:54] Paul Correa marched in and announced our arrival. Okay, that does it for this episode. Next week, we'll of course talk more about Asians being represented in hockey, but we'll also have a conversation about LGBTQIA plus folks being represented in the sport. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out. Thank you so much for listening.

[00:34:23] Asians in hockey is part of the Potluck Podcast Collective and is hosted and produced by me, Nate Nacow. Contributing producers are Chad Soon and Chris Wu. If you like what you've heard, leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with your friends. To keep up with us on socials, follow us on Instagram and threads at Asians in Hockey and on Blue Sky at AsiansinHockey.com. We also have a Facebook page now,

[00:34:52] facebook.com slash Asians in Hockey. And please feel free to shoot me an email at AsiansinHockey at gmail.com. See you next time on the Asians in Hockey Podcast.