#johnleno

Ryan: "I talked to him before the year, before I left, because that was the last time, I was going to see him before the circus kind of took off a little bit, if you will. He said, 'Have fun with it. You know you're going to be a top pick and not a lot of people get to go through it. So, have fun with it and make the most of your opportunity.'"

TSN: It was different for him. He ended up as a sixth round pick in 2018. Could he give you any advice on the draft process?

Ryan: "Not really. John didn't really have all the interviews like this or with NHL teams throughout the year. He was just playing hockey and if he got drafted it was just something to check off his bucket list. He knew he wasn't going to be a top pick. Even on the day of the draft, I was at a summer tournament with my family, and he was golfing with buddies and got a call from San Jose on the sixth hole and that just kind of happened. He wasn't in this position, but he gives me insider stuff on how to be a pro."

TSN: Can you draw inspiration from how he (John) grinds?

Ryan: "That guy has not been handed anything. His first year in Green Bay [in the USHL], he barely played. We go out for a weekend and we couldn't see him that much. Going out to Wisconsin for the weekend, you hope he plays. He played one game that weekend and maybe played 10 minutes if that. It's tough to see a loved one struggle like that. Even right now, he's not really playing in the [American Hockey League] playoffs. Their team is the conference final and he's watching after all the guys came down with Nashville. I mean, he's rooting for the team and all that, but it's tough to see him go through that after how good a season he had."