Center Ice: Q & A with Psycho Lady Hockey

By MATT WILSON

Katrina Cady is best known as Psycho Lady Hockey on her blog. In her years of traveling the U.S. and Canada to different NHL, AHL and major junior hockey arena, her latest adventure brings her to Japan. Center Ice Chat had the opportunity to catch up with Cady about hockey in Japan, and her take on the offseason, from the NHL and OHL.

Matt Wilson: Is the Asia League Ice Hockey the main league for hockey there in Japan? Have you been able to familiarize yourself with the league or players a bit? How many games have you been to, if any? And if so, what are the main differences of how the game is played compared to North America?

Katrina Cady: The ALH is the main hockey league in Japan. There are only seven teams across Japan, South Korea, and China competing again this season. There were rumours floating around Anyang last season about Busan possibly being the third Korean team in the League, so I’ll guess we’ll have to wait and see for another year with that.  I haven’t been to many Asia League games, but I did make sure to make the trek up to Seoul and check it out while I was living in South Korea last season. If there had been a team in Busan I would have been there all the time. I was a short 45 minutes up the coast from there! I’m really looking forward to being very active this season. I have a car this time around, so Japan is a lot easier to navigate.

The differences between the “Asian” style of play and the “North American” style are similar to the historic differences between Canadian junior hockey and the style of play in the NCAA. An ALH game kind of feels like watching an OHL game but with no fighting, which is obviously a -1 in my books.  However, even with the lack of fisticuffs, an Asia League game is still exciting hockey to watch.

MW: Have you been keeping up with the NHL while you’ve been overseas? What has been the biggest offseason move in your opinion that you’re waiting to see how it shakes up?

KC: It’s quite the effort to keep up with NHL while living abroad I’ve found, or perhaps I just haven’t adjusted properly in Japan. It was a lot easier in Korea. I worked strange hours, so I was able to watch NHL games live if I wasn’t still in bed “sleeping it off” as they say. I’m not as fortunate here in Japan, so I worry about how much I’m going to miss this season. As for the offseason, I suppose Jagr was the talk of the town. I wasn’t overly impressed by any transactions really. It was a pretty weak UFA market this year.

MW: Overall, your Phoenix Coyotes look a bit downgraded, while the Leafs have made some interesting moves. You think the Leafs will be able to hang in there to compete for a playoffs spot?

KC: As a fan, I’ll say yes, but I’m not very confident. It would be nice to see the Leafs finally crack the post season, though. Plus it would give me a chance to actually see some local hockey when I get home. Not looking forward to those Toronto playoff prices, though!

MW: As for the OHL, there’s also quite a bit happening there. I believe you’ve shown some love towards the Ice Dogs, as the former Toronto/Mississauga team. What’s it been like seeing a great class of players drafted to the NHL, and then possibly going to play for Team Canada in the 2012 national junior team?

KC: Yeah, I’ve shown some love alright. It was a privilege to see such elite players all over the OHL this season. The Majors were scary good this year, and Niagara and Owen Sound were really fun to watch, and, obviously, my hometown Kitchener Rangers are always a pleasure, too. It will definitely be interesting to see how the careers of some of these young bucks unfold.

MW: As far as puck bunnies are concerned, what was your initial reaction to the Henrik Sedin jersey-wearing flasher at the Vancouver Canucks vs. San Jose Sharks game during the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Obviously it stemmed off penalty box antics encouraged by The Green Men, but do you think it raised punk bunny awareness?

KC: I don’t think it raised puck bunny awareness. I didn’t personally get the impression that Tits was a puck bunny in the first place. From what I know of puck bunnies, a fierce one probably wouldn’t stoop to that level to get attention. It’s too risky, and would likely result in being ejected and possibly banned from the arena, which would pretty much end the life/career of any puck bunny.

MW: And finally, when you make your triumphant return in April, what’s the first arena you’re going back to? Do you have a game in mind yet? Or an amount of games you want to get in before the season’s over?

KC: I originally wanted to head straight for Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. They are the only arenas that I have left to visit. However, the 2011-12 doesn’t work in my favour, so I need at least two of those teams to make the second season for me to be successful in my mission.

You can follow Cady on all her adventures as Psycho Hockey Lady on her website at www.psycholadyhockey.com. She can also be followed on Twitter @PsychoPuckLady.

Matt Wilson is co-editor of Center Ice Chat. He can be followed on Twitter @Mattjw24.

Matthew Wilson is editor of Center Ice Chat. Follow him on Twitter @Mattjw24. Be sure to also Like us on Facebook and to Follow our Tumblr page. If you'd like to contribute, or appear as a guest columnist, please email us at CenterIceChat@gmail.com.

Tags: Niagara Ice Dogs, Phoenix Coyotes, Psycho Lady Hockey, Toronto Maple Leafs