#beniersmith

[note- on spotify the description says the interview starts at 1:01:18 but it actually starts at 1:05:08, and ends at 2:02:42 instead of 2:04:03]

• "i love being home" (like a lot, cute)

• trains at bu (confirms further that will's been training at bu in the summers re stickgate part 1)

• notably no added details when asked about the willmatty apartment (👀)

• (side note will and matty playing softball is literally so huge for me, they're my fav players and i played softball for 12 years like hello)

• "kids in hingham" (just thought that was cute, bc yeah he's only just past undergrad college age, and it's very nice to picture a bunch of neighborhood friends meting up in the summers to play)

• "it was just one summer... [when we got close]" (matty talking about how him and will got to be friends, one summer is so movie romance to me)

• matty and will just missed each other at the program age-wise

• their parents know each other kinda

• his mom did the same thing colleen did (BDKKGSLJSKHWOGSK like i can't get into this)

• started skating together 2-3 years ago (that's a longer time ago than i thought)

• "i like living with someone" (sounds like someone else i know..."

• "smitty needed someone to live with" (this i also cannot get into rn)

• matty is also trying to getting bigger this summer

• practices with other guys, names notable to me than i recognize are cutter gaultier and frank nazar (someone can connect that to bedard and mack)

• definitely an ED trigger on this ep esp for a section here, like the concept of weighing yourself before and after a practice/game... jesus christ

• sweet about the city of seattle's relationship to sports, an anecdote about the first couple seasons the crowd didn't exactly know the rules (aw 😭)

• good to know that climate pledge is a great arena/facility ! matty really goes on about it

• re the team "great group" <3

• says there's some eberle stories... goes on about how much he loves hockey, and stuff about his gap tooth haha

• berkly catton mention ! and lots of compliments about him :)

• him and matty might move in togther next year !

• 40 guy memorial day trip (#scary)

• strong bond at university of michigan

• lots of parties during covid (major side eye at that, but also didn't peg matty as a party animal so it's kinda interesting to hear about all that) and some shit about never wearing masks while also being scared of getting sick (oh my fucking god bruh)

• a hockey team at university of washington would be cool (agreed)

• college vs nhl was tough, loves home (reiterating earlier sentiment)

• nhl life is hard/weird bc family is far away, and friends now have family, and you're kinda just on your own

• has a house in seattle now

• lots of youth organizations (want to start up stuff in seattle area) and community things with the team

• game schedule last year was hard (always interesting to hear the players perspectives on schedules etc)

• got a bmw x6, will bought one right after matty but in a diff color (ok)

• loves playoff games, "addictive"

• "i love watching marner", chirping each other at center (that's fun)

• no rivalries with other players, "stays out of it" "no extra attention", one fight (i remember watching that ! he wasn't terrible at it esp for someone who almost never fights)