Walleye’s Emmerson adjusting to trade

Riley Emmerson knows how to pack light for traveling.

Enlarge

Now in his sixth season as a professional hockey player, the 26-year-old has seen his share of bus and plane rides, playing for four ECHL clubs while also being a part of three American Hockey League teams.

This season, the 6-foot-8, 248-pound Vancouver native learned something new of the pro hockey world — what it felt like to be traded midseason.

At least with a call up, you hope the move comes, and you anticipate it. You wait for it like a child waits for their birthday — just wanting the day to come sooner rather than later.

It was a shock to the system, especially when Emmerson awoke on Jan. 18 to find out he had 24 hours to move from his 3-bedroom home shared with two roommates and his fiancée Jennifer near West Valley City, Utah, to Toledo.

“I was kind of nervous, but excited for a new opportunity,” he said. “Even though I enjoyed my time in Utah and I had a good relationship with the coach there [Kevin Colley] and I know that this is a business. I was just excited because I have heard nothing but good things about Toledo.

“It’s a huge hockey town, and I was definitely very excited to come.”

The countdown to aJan. 19 morning flight to send him to a new group of teammates awaited him.

In that time frame, he had to plan how to move his belongings, his truck, his fiancée … his whole world 1,600 miles east.

Luckily, even though he had not been traded before, Emmerson had seen his share of the road before.

“For me, it was grab a couple changes of clothes, stuff like that. You don’t need much to start,” he said. “My fiancée and my dad drove my truck from Utah to Toledo with the rest of my stuff.”

He stayed the first night in a hotel when he got to Toledo and then joined the team for a three-games-in-three-nights road trip before settling in to his new digs in Toledo on Jan. 23.

“When I got here, they had a really nice apartment set up for us with really nice furniture,” he said. “They do a great job getting you settled in, so it’s real good.”

Emmerson said he didn’t know much about Toledo before he got to town. He was able to pick up some pointers from fellow Walleye Adam Estoclet, who was a common friend with one of Emmerson’s teammates in Utah.

There were not a lot of familiar faces when he walked into the locker room on the first day, but one did stick out. In fact, his fist knew the face well: defenseman Joey Ryan.

“I fought Joey when he was in Bakersfield and I was in Utah,” Emmerson said. “When we saw each other we both just giggled and thought it was pretty funny.”

After formalities with the rest of the squad, he was ready to hit the ice.

Walleye coach Nick Vitucci has seen a multitude of player interaction when it comes to new guys in the locker room.

“Being traded and being moved is sort of a disappointing day, but once you step into that new locker room, you have 20 new buddies,” he said. “It’s just a new life and a new start and you can make the most out of that.”

Emmerson compares playing at the Huntington Center to playing in an NHL venue.

Vitucci and team captain Kyle Rogers describe Emmerson in almost the same tone — a vocal leader.

“Emmerson came in with a smile on his face. He is never down, and he is the guy to pick us up if we are down,” Rogers said.

Emmerson agreed.

“I am not quiet, but for me to be in a game, I have to be talking,” he said. “On the bench I am always chatting up the guys and keeping guys up. It’s just my personality, it’s how I am.

“If I am quiet, that means I am zoned out. I need to be talking.”

Added Vitucci, “Just the little things he says in the locker room and on the bench, ‘Nice shift, way to get the puck deep, nice hit,’ just whatever needs to be said, he will say it if it needs to be said to get the guys positive.”

Being a power forward for the Walleye, Emmerson is a physical force that uses his size and strength to his advantage, and Vitucci said he knows his role and accepts it.

In moving from the Western Conference, where play is a little more “controlled,” according to Emmerson, to the East has been a nice change for the left winger.

“The East seems to be a bit more rougher with more physical play and that is something that has helped me out,” he said. “I have been focusing on playing my role in the game and the last couple of games I feel that I have been playing stronger and it’s been good.

“I’ve been happier with my game.”

Richards awarded: Walleye goalie Alec Richards was named the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week.

The 24-year-old was 4-0-0 with a goals-against average of 1.93 and a save percentage of .941 last week as the Walleye moved to within four points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a season-high four-game winning streak.

He bested Matt Keetley of Bakersfield (3-0-0, 1.26 GAA, .961) and Kyle Jones of Colorado (2-0-0, 1.64 GAA, .956).

Jon Sicotte can reached at jsicotte@theblade.com