Larson Brings Winning Ways To Seals' Roster
October 5, 2006 - SPHL (SPHL)
Florida Seals News Release
CELEBRATION, Fla. - Playing professional hockey is a physically and mentally thing to do for a full time job. Imagine trying to balance being a top notch defenseman while holding down a 40 hour-a-week job.
Brett Larson doesn't have to imagine. He's living it.
Florida Seals Head Coach/ V.P. of Hockey Operations Tommy Stewart and General Manager Bryan Elliott announced today that they have agreed to terms with the veteran defenseman, bringing his talents and winning attitude to the Silver Spurs Arena this season.
"It's going to be a challenge. I didn't plan on playing hockey this year. I was planning on the full time job," Larson said. "I just wasn't ready to quit. I love the game too much."
The 34 year old native of Duluth, Minnesota has a resume that most players would sell their souls to the devil for. Two championships in the WCHL, a collegiate league championship, a championship in Europe and a regular season title and international medals in roller hockey dot the pages of Larson's portfolio. He's played with future NHL stars, played for a former U.S. Olympic hero and was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings (round 11 of the 1990 Entry Draft).
Following a stellar career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth which included a WCHA championship and being named captain during his senior year, Larson struck out for the pro ranks. After a very brief stint in Sweden, he returned to the States and ended up with the Madison Monsters of the Colonial Hockey League where he was coached by former U.S. Olympian Mark Johnson.
His play in Madison led to an opportunity to play in the ECHL with the Louisville Riverfrogs. Then he hit pay dirt when Coach Steve Martinson of the San Diego Gulls called and offered a chance to play out west. Larson's first full season was a championship year for the Gulls.
"Steve is a great recruiter. He knew how to find the right players to fit the right roles," he said when asked what made the Gulls such a success. "He had a knack of being able to find the guys that would fit the roles and were committed to the team winning above their own personal stats. I think we had a team that blended really well that way."
With success in San Diego came more calls. Between 1997 and 2000, Larson spent time with three IHL teams - Utah (twice), Long Beach (twice) and Las Vegas. The experience was great but he didn't really have a full opportunity to shine, playing in a total of seventeen IHL contests during the span.
So back to San Diego Larson went. Coach Martinson was more than happy to have the big defenseman back patrolling the blue lines. In 1999-2000, he had a career best 55 points in 69 games followed by 41 more points in 2000-2001. That led to yet another chance to play in Europe.
After spending the 2001-2002 season in Germany, Larson found a home in Denmark, where he played for three seasons. Then in 2005, he went back to Germany only to have the team fall upon hard financial times. When the team went under, Larson headed to England where he finished the 2005-2006 season with the Basingstoke Bison of the EIHL.
The trials in Germany caused Larson along with his wife Kelly to rethink their plans and they decided to head back to the U.S.
"It was a few different things," Larson said about the decision process. "One was I knew that my hockey career only had a brief time left. We kind of wanted to get focused on settling down and we knew we had to start some careers. We just wanted to get settled down and start focusing on life after hockey."
Larson knew exactly where he wanted to set up shop - in Central Florida - and he had hockey to thank for that. Well, roller hockey that is.
Back in 1996, Larson's teammate Duane Derksen talked him into giving roller hockey a try. The pair played for the Minnesota Arctic Blast in the RHL.
"At the time, I just looked at it as a great summer job," Larson said. "A lot of the East Coast level league guys - ECHL, CHL, UHL - were all playing roller hockey in the summer if they could. You got to play in some nice cities and you got to stay in shape."
When the Minnesota team went bankrupt, Larson's name went into the dispersal draft and he was snapped up by none other than Steve Martinson, who was coaching the Orlando Jackals at the time.
"We had a great team that year (1997). We finished first in the regular season but we ended up choking in the semifinals," Larson said. "I had just a great experience in Orlando. I loved the city and it really planted a seed in my mind about wanting to come back here someday."
So Larson and his wife, with the help of some friends from Minnesota, found a home in Longwood just north of Orlando and began to settle in. Brett signed on with Deltek, a company that works with colleges and universities to develop on-line education programs. Still, the hockey bug was in his blood and there was only one way to cure it.
"A guy I played with in Germany last year, Brian Stacey, played with Tommy earlier in their careers. He had mentioned to me that he knew Tommy so I knew I had that connection when I came down," Larson said about the phone call to the Seals' coach. "Tommy also knows a good friend of mine, Brad Federenko. We played together at Minnesota-Duluth."
"When I got down here, I just knew I missed hockey too much," he continued. "So I figured I've got these connections to Tommy, I'll give him a call and I did."
Stewart was impressed enough by what he heard to make Larson a deal.
"I would say that at this point I've got a lot of experience and I come to play hard every night. I've always been a very consistent player," Larson said when asked what Stacey and Federenko might have told Stewart. "I'm just a smart, steady player that he can count on."
"I've never been extremely flashy or overly exciting or anything like that," he added. "I'm just a defenseman you can count on every night who moves the puck well, gets it to the forwards and is also good in the locker room. They've told him I'm a winner."
Larson's schedule with Deltek is flexible enough to allow him to take time for practices and he will be available for every home game. The road games are another matter. Larson said he will be able to make about half of the away contests.
"It's definitely going to be tough because I'm too competitive to not be there," he said. "I know I'll certainly want to be at those games but on the other hand it's the agreement we've come to. This is only way I can really play at all so it's better to make 75% of the games than none."
Larson is very much looking forward to playing for the Seals and feels that the SPHL is a great place for veteran players to teach the younger ones.
"That's kind of why I like it," Larson said. "I do have that experience as a player/assistant coach. I know the guys have, from what I've heard, a lot of respect for Tommy but I also think that it's always nice to have some older guys who can help the younger guys develop."
"Being there for them when they're going through their struggles in their first year of professional hockey or maybe even their second," he continued. "Just letting them know what I've been through, things like that. That was kind of a draw for me actually to come to a league like this because I can definitely help with their development."
Larson is also looking forward to helping the Seals grow within the community.
"I've actually talked to Bryan (Elliott) the general manager and Tommy about volunteering. I'd love to help in any way," he said. "I'm somewhat active in the community already. To me, it's important to help the team succeed. I definitely want to be a part of the community side of it."
"For me, it's a little bit more important," he added. "I'm living here full time."
The Florida Seals are currently in preparation for the 2006-2007 SPHL season. The Seals return to the Silver Spurs Arena is only days away. Florida Seals will begin their season at home on October 27th vs. Huntsville at 7:35pm. Season ticket packages and corporate sponsorship opportunities are currently available. For more information please call the Seals at (407) 343-7825 or log on to www.floridaseals.com.
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SPHL Stories from October 5, 2006
- Larson Brings Winning Ways To Seals' Roster - Florida Seals
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