SEASON REFLECTIONS: JAKE ELMER

Q: Overall how do you feel the season went?

A:  I think we had a great year. I think we did great job at coming back out of adverse situations. I think we did a good job at founding our click with the team. Too bad it ended short. I think we could have made a good run.

Q: What was your favorite moment during this season?

A: I think the biggest one for me personally was getting my foot in the door, playing better, and kind of finding my role within the team and the [New York Rangers] organization. Off the ice for myself personal, it was when we all got together and had Thanksgiving dinner. Guys were pitching in where they can, and we really bonded. That was a really awesome moment for me to experience that with my brothers.

Q: What was your favorite promotional night?

A: I liked the teddy bear toss! That is always my favorite. It’s for a good cause and it is exciting. Everyone wants to get that goal. It’s always cool having everyone pushing to get that one goal to get the fans throwing the teddy bears on the ice. That’s my favorite promotional night in hockey really. It’s a cool night! Anytime the fans can be interactive with the players, I think it’s always in good fun when that can happen for sure.

Q: Which of your teammates were you most impressed with?

A: Can I say all of them? Every guy comes in from different areas. We’ve got guys from college, junior, Europe, Canada, the United States, everyone is coming from different backgrounds to fit under one giant umbrella. I think a lot of the guys had a lot of really good things going for them. Every guy has something, and everybody has something going for them. Pushing through the levels to make it to the next level. If I could go down the list, you look at guys like Lewis Zerter-Gossage. He was in Maine and then he made his name for himself up in Hartford. The guy that opened my eyes a lot that I had seen playing juniors was Ty Ronning. He had a hell of a season this year. He works hard every single day on the ice, off the ice. He is just a good, joyous guy to be around. He’s always got a smile on his face. I think that’s the guy where I kind of open my eyes up and say “wow, that’s a very impressive guy out there!” He’s got the professional mentality.

Q: Is there anything that you want to say to the fan base?

A: Their continued support of the team and the players goes a long way. You go to some places and you don’t have the fan base that we have and it’s definitely an advantage coming to the rink every day hearing the same crowd. They’re cheering loud every single day, whether we’re losing 6-0 or winning 6-0. It’s definitely a confidence booster and it makes it way more enjoyable to play. The fans in Portland are some of the best I’ve ever had. They’re loud, they’re proud, and it’s super awesome to play in front of those guys.