Inferno Interview - Chris Culligan

Another new face to the Devils this season is Chris Culligan. Hailing from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Culligan is only in his second year pro and has already earned himself an AHL call-up with the Texas Stars. We caught up with Chris and asked him about his hockey and the season ahead.

The-Inferno - How and when did you get involved in Ice Hockey?

Chris Culligan - My parents always told me that for as long as I could walk, I had a hockey stick in my hand but I think I started skating at 3 years old. I was lucky enough to have a pond behind my house so I logged a lot of hours back there. Getting involved in hockey seemed to happen naturally for me. My parents were both athletic people … in their prime at least. My dad was a pretty good hockey player and all my siblings played, so it was sort of a family tradition in some ways. 

The-Inferno - What attracted you to the UK? Did you know much about the league and UK Hockey in general before you were approached by the Devils?

Chris Culligan - If I was coming out of junior my decision would probably be different. I’m fresh off of 5 years of university hockey, which followed 5 years of junior hockey. At this point in my life, it’s more enticing for me to go play in the same city for a full season as opposed to trying to get to the next level in North America and potentially adopting the “suitcase” lifestyle that comes with that.

I didn’t know much at all about the league in general to be honest. I’m not a real big planner because things can always change so quickly so I usually wait until things are final to look into the details too much. I know a couple of guys that played in Cardiff before and had good things to say about it so that was good enough for me.

The-Inferno - You went straight from college hockey to the AHL and the ECHL, how was that as an introduction to pro hockey?

Chris Culligan - The jump to the AHL was definitely a big change. The quicker pace was a good challenge for me, and something that I enjoyed. The more drastic change was probably life away from the rink. That part of the lifestyle was something I struggled with a bit. I simply wasn’t having fun and being able to enjoy what I do still remains important to me.

I had a chance to play in Gwinnett after that and things went a little more smoothly. I enjoyed my time there and would highly recommend it for anyone looking to play in the East Coast league. 

The-Inferno - Have you had a chance to look at the league and the rivalries that the Devils have in the Elite League as yet ? If so do you have any thoughts?

Chris Culligan - To be honest, I haven’t looked too far into that stuff. As a player, I don’t approach one game any different than another. Even if it is against a big rival, my job remains the same. With that being said, it’s hard not to feel the extra energy given off by the crowd when they know it’s a big game. So it’s more of an “in the moment” thing for me…. If that makes sense. With all I’ve heard about the fans and the rink, I’m sure the place will be rocking during those games and I can’t wait to experience it. 

The-Inferno - Can you give us an insight into what Devils fans can expect from yourself?

Chris Culligan - I really do hate talking about myself but I’ll give it a shot. I’ve always been told that I’m a smart player so we’ll go with that. I try to play a good two-way game and, more than anything, help out the team in any way I can. As corny as it sounds, I’ve always enjoyed denying a goal as much as scoring a goal.

As a person, I’m a pretty quiet guy. I’m definitely not the most outgoing person in the world but that doesn’t mean I’ll shoot down a conversation. I’m very easy going and, I like to think, easy to get along with. 

The-Inferno - What have you been told about the Big Blue Tent (The rink we currently have)? Was the proposed new venue an incentive to signing for the Devils?

Chris Culligan - I was told quite a few times how loud the rink gets and how fun it can be to play there. I know the rink itself isn’t exactly a 5 star venue but in a lot of cases like that, the home team actually ends up with the advantage in a game. Hotham knows a little something about that.

I didn’t factor in the new rink too much in my decision. In a perfect world, I have a good year and we can agree on something that works for both sides for another year. But in life, and hockey especially, things can change so quickly. I’ve always done my best to live in the moment and not dwell too much on the past or the future. I haven taken a peak at the website though and can understand the excitement there must be within the city about the new venue. 

The-Inferno - At the meet the owners event where you were announced, Todd said that you were recommended by Dan LaCosta! What has he told you about the city and the venue?

Chris Culligan - I’ve heard nothing but great things about Cardiff. I’ve heard from both Dan and Stu that it’s a great place to play. Hearing that stuff just makes it that much more exciting to be a part of.

It’s kind of funny though. I had a talk with Lacky before the ownership change and after. Let’s just say the conversation didn’t have the same feel by any means. He’s a great guy and somebody I can trust so I’m confident in taking his word. 

The-Inferno - Is there anyone on the Devils roster that you've played with or against before? How about in the rest of the league?

Chris Culligan - I’m pretty awful with names. I know for sure that I’ve play with and against Joey. And from my experience, I’d much rather have him on my team. We’ve played together in midget, junior, and then again in Gwinnett at the end of last year. More than that we’ve become close friends and I’m extremely happy to be heading over to Cardiff with Joe.

Another one I know for sure is Andrew Hotham. I played against him in university for two years I think. Again, I’m awful at remembering this stuff. He had the ability to dictate the pace of the games and he was a threat every time he was on the ice so I’m looking forward to having him on my side for a change. 

The-Inferno - We like to ask players if they have set themselves goals for the season to come and what expectations they have of their own and the team’s performance. Have you set yourself any goals for the season?

Chris Culligan - I actually don’t set statistical goals for myself. I’ve never been comfortable with it. The fact is I’m not going to all of a sudden try harder because I wrote down that I want so many points or whatever. I know there are a lot of people that swear by it but it’s simply not for me.

I’ll set more simple goals for myself. Things like telling myself to shoot more or a few key things that help keep my game effective without worrying about any numbers.

The-Inferno - Can you tell us what your proudest achievement to date as a pro hockey player?

Chris Culligan - Well, this year coming up will be my first full year as a pro so I don’t have a lot to work with there. I will say, that for me, my proudest accomplishment was playing for my home team in junior. Players always talk about how they grew up dreaming of playing in the NHL but it was different for me. I grew up, playing mini-sticks, and pretending to play for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. That was my ultimate goal and I feel pretty fortunate that things just worked out that way and that I had the chance to represent Cape Breton on a bigger scale. I met a lot of great people during my time as an Eagle that I still remain close with today. 

The-Inferno - The BBT has the fans sitting quite high above the ice and it really does rock when the fans see an opposition player turned over. What's the best venue you've played in so far?

Chris Culligan - Just based on atmosphere alone, I would have to say that the best place I played in was a small town in Northern Quebec called Val D’or. We had a real good playoff series against them in junior during my 18-year-old year. It was a small, old rink where the fans are basically right on top of you. I remember standing on the blue line for the national anthem before the start of the game. The fans were so loud that I didn’t hear one word of the anthem. I’m sure they were trying to get their guys fired up and maybe intimidate us at the same time but I couldn’t help but crack a smile. I just knew at the time that it was a moment I wouldn’t forget for the rest of my life. 

The-Inferno - What do you consider the strongest part of your game and what 1 thing would you improve - and why?

Chris Culligan - I think I’m pretty fortunate to have received some good DNA from my parents. They were both varsity athletes and my dad was a good hockey player in his own right. I think their genes have given me the ability to read the game well. Simple things like being in the right place at the right time or reading plays as they happen have been a big part of me getting to where I am today.

One thing I need to work on is shooting more. I’m definitely a pass first player. I tried to make a point of it to throw more pucks at the net last year and I saw a big jump in my goal production so I’ll try to keep that in mind this year as well.

The-Inferno - Anything else you would like to add?

Chris Culligan - I’ve heard a lot of good things about playing for the Devils. From the city and the support to the fans and the people within the organization, I think it’s all going to come together to make for a great year. I look forward to representing everybody involved and I don’t think I could be more excited for my first year as a pro.