After practice on a sunny Saturday morning, and while on a professional try-out contract, Inside The Rink sat down with David Drake, a defenseman currently assigned to the Wheeling Nailers. Drake was drafted in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. He was chosen in round 7, 192nd overall.
Before turning professional, Drake completed four years at the University of Connecticut. He dressed for 124 games and tallied four goals and 21 assists. He held a leadership position in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons by being Assistant Captain. At the end of the 2017-2018 season, he signed an AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Drake dressed in seven games that season and notched two assists. During the 2018-2019 season, he played 64 games for the Reading Royals, with one game spent with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He tallied one goal and seven assists during that season. In the 2019-2020 season, he played 54 games for the Royals and notched one goal and 13 assists.
Drake did not play during the 2020-2021 season. He returned in the 2021-2022 season and played for the Royals for 18 games, gathering two assists. In December of 2021, Drake was traded to the Wheeling Nailers. Drake signed two professional try-out contracts with the Providence Bruins and Rochester Americans. Since joining Wheeling, he has played in 202 games and tallied six goals and 48 assists.
Being on three teams in that many years can teach players about new coaches and teammates. “At the end of the day, it’s the same game, but you are coming into new systems, new coaches, new faces, so I think for the most part, the game is the same, maybe systems a little bit. It’s more getting used to the personalities and how you mesh with the team.“
After playing two and half seasons under the direction of current Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Head Coach Kirk MacDonald, life came full circle when Drake was signed to a PTO in late December 2024. “It’s cool, it’s been a while, and it’s nice to see some familiar faces. He was my first pro coach; it’s crazy how small the hockey community is. I could have never imagined coming back here and seeing them in this situation, so definitely very cool.”
Drake had a career season for the first time in his professional career last year with two goals notched and 18 assists in Wheeling. Drake wants to work on his game continually, day in and day out. “You always want to expand your game. That’s what the East Coast is for, and even the American League. Everyone is working on their game, so it definitely gives you some confidence. Just coming to the rink every day, you’re always trying to work on little things; it definitely helps with confidence.”
Throughout a player’s career and even in their college days, they form bonds that last. In the past, Drake has played with the likes of Shaw Boomhower, Tyler Drevitch, and Cédric Desruisseaux. “Absolute legends. Definitely, some stories I can’t say can’t tell you, but great personalities. Each their own. Especially Tyler Drevitch; you’ll never meet another guy like that guy. Good guys, great players, and a lot of good memories with those guys.”
Being a veteran in the room, older players can bring insight to those players who are younger and getting used to the rigors of the season ahead. “Well, I think with my personality, just try to stay calm and even keel. I mean, everyone can kinda blow up sometimes. I think just being someone guys can look at on their dog days, going through the three and threes, and a lot of these guys aren’t used to, I know, Wheeling now it’s a four and five and a like seven and ten. Just being someone they can look at and kind of follow the grind with.”
For a defenseman, there are a few important things. Mobility and patience come to mind due to the nature of being a defenseman. “Well, mobility definitely still working on that, so I’ll let you know when I figure that out. Patience, for sure. I think being a defenseman, you see a lot of the ice. Your eyes are always up seeing most of the play, so visions obviously very important, and kind of quarterbacking in a way.”
A defenseman can do both, staying in the back and joining the rush. It is still important to stay in position and play the part to keep the puck out of the back of the net. “Stay in the back, but I like to to join more now. I think with how we are coached in Wheeling, he [Head Coach Derek Army] wants the D up in the rush if you’re to be that fourth guy and an extra layer coming to play. So I think more and more, I’m working on that because naturally stay back more, so always definitely working on that.”
Every position has its pressures, and every position is different with the pressure. Drake touches on what position has the most pressure and how he feels about the pressure of being a defenseman. “I mean, of course, there’s the pressure you don’t think about it at the moment. “I’m just glad I’m not a goalie; I think those guys are insane. In that position, you get a good amount of credit, but you’re also getting a lot of blame from fans. Everyone. So I wouldn’t say there’s too much pressure, I think, especially with experience, and I don’t really think about that stuff too much.”
Players train in the off-season to strengthen skills and work on what they feel is needed to help prepare for the upcoming season. “Summer training is a little different now; the family has moved around. Finding ice to skate on is a little different, but when I was back home in Illinois, I had the same skill skating coach, Scott Herbster; he’s great. Now, it’s more like moving around, just finding ice wherever I can.”
For defensemen, the position is both physical and positional. Some players focus on being positional, while others are thinking about the physical nature that is an attribute of being a defenseman. “I think the main focus is positional. I’m so big; my stick helps a lot with both of those. I think just having a long stick as a defenseman; you can take away a lot of time and space, even without your body, just using your stick. The physical game doesn’t come as naturally, but obviously, it’s something I need to do, being as big as I am.”
When Drake was asked who his ideal defense partner would be, he paused for a few seconds and touched on two defensemen that would be ideal for him. “I mean, to make it easy, maybe like Cale Makar, I can just let watch him do whatever he does, and I will maybe get some glory; I mean, that sounds easier than it is. I played with a Thimo Nickl last year. He’s in Austria. He’s probably one of my favorite D pairs I’ve ever been with. He’s a great guy, a great player, and off the ice as well.”
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