Original 6 with Mac Bennett
10/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Oct. 20, 2010
Freshman defenseman Mac Bennett is the first Wolverine to ever wear the No. 37 jersey, though he's not the first to hail from Rhode Island -- Jeff Jillson took that honor in 1998-99. An avid surfer, Bennett is a rink rat first and foremost. His grandfather, father and two uncles all played professional hockey and Mac was chosen by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft (79th overall). Bennett has played in three of U-M's first four games this season, posting an assist in his career debut against Mercyhurst on Oct. 2.
On the best advice he's ever received ... "I played in the USHL last year and they allowed fighting in the league. My uncle was one of the first Americans into the NHL and he was a fighter; he had to pay the price to get there. I asked him when I square off with a guy what should I do and he responded, 'Don't even square off with him. When you get into range just sucker him. Make sure to get the first one and then go from there.'"
On the origins of your name, McKinley ... "Well, my parents saw it in a movie, one with Gene Hackman where he plays a lawyer in somewhere around 1991. Literally, three weeks before I was born they saw the movie and liked it. It was his last name. I know he played a lawyer but don't remember the name of the movie."
On meeting Bobby Orr ... "It was kind of wild. When you meet Bobby Orr for the first time, you're like 'oh my God what am I going to say, how am I going to act?' because he's such an historical hockey guy. But he makes you feel so calm. He's such a neat guy to talk to and really funny also."
On his favorite food ... "Philly Cheesesteaks. I love them. Mr. Spots is the place around here to have them. I love that place. My number one guilty pleasure and it really stinks that I have to walk by that place every day when I get done with the academic center. It's awful."
On playing with fellow freshman Derek DeBlois growing up and his favorite TV show, Rocket Power ... "We grew up about five minutes from each other. We've played together every year of our lives except two, my freshman year at Hotchkiss and there was one year when a new team started in the local chapter of Rhode Island hockey so he played there and I played somewhere else. When we were growing up we were really into skateboarding. We still surf. The area had it all. (Rocket Power) is an awesome show. I'd still watch it if it was on."
On his first job ... "I taught kids how to skate. It was pretty easy for me. Last year when we were in the USHL, we had to go to school or get a job. So I was in school into Thanksgiving and then I graduated and taught little kids how to skate, for around two hours a day after practice. We would go out with the mite team and even the mini mites and would go through drills. We would explain to them to keep their head up or crossover -- very easy stuff to teach. After that they would scrimmage, so I would just open or shut doors."
