Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

Leslie wants to be more than an enforcer for Cottonmouths

Dan Leslie had no doubt he’d be fighting to make a living. The Columbus Cottonmouths enforcer just didn’t know where.

After two seasons with the Snakes, Leslie tested the waters in the ECHL, signing with the Ontario (Calif.) Reign.

“I got the call at the end of August,” Leslie said. “Camp was unbelievable. The team treated me well, and the facility was great.”

The ECHL camps open before their SPHL counterparts, so Leslie was already in California, sunning on the beach, when the Snakes started. Then the chance came to showcase his abilities.

“I only played in one exhibition game and then only about five shifts,” Leslie said. “You can’t fight in camp, so I never really had the opportunity to show them what I could do. The coach had watched a lot of videos of my fighting, though.”

Leslie was beaten out by a more experienced player.

“A couple of days earlier, they signed another guy with similar numbers,” he said. “They kept him because he had a year’s experience in the league.”

When he realized the ECHL option might not pan out, Leslie called Cottonmouths coach Jerome Bechard.

“I wasn’t too sure how things were going work out and asked him if I had a spot back there,” Leslie said. “Columbus was a great second option. It seems like home.”

Leslie began his role as a tough guy in junior hockey back home in Manitoba, Canada. Playing for the Portage Terriers in the MJHL, he had 273 penalty minutes in 54 games.

“I wasn’t scoring too many points,” he said. “I wanted to play at the next level, so it was a step I had to take.”

Leslie continued his enforcer role in his two Snakes seasons. In his rookie year, Leslie racked up 230 penalty minutes in 51 games and last season added 222 penalty minutes in 56 regular-season games.

The season ended on a sour note for Leslie when Bechard left him off the playoff roster. The experience made Leslie even more determined to sharpen his skills.

“I didn’t get to play in the playoffs last year, and it was disappointing to just watch,” he said. “I understand it was Jerome’s decision. I could have worked harder. This year, I want to try harder. I’ll work on my decision making and my reaction time. I want to get off to a quicker start, so I’ve been working on my skating.”

With his resolution to come back a better all-around player, Leslie dedicated the offseason to conditioning, beginning with his summer job as a roofer.

“It kept me in really good shape,” he said. “Also, I skated a couple of times a week. I feel totally prepared for the season.”

When he was released by Ontario and given the go-ahead to come to Columbus, Leslie didn’t have a simple trip to Georgia.

“Ontario had applied for my visa ,but it wasn’t due to arrive until Friday,” he said. “I was released on Monday. I had to stay in the states, since I didn’t have my visa to provide at the border.”

Leslie’s parents helped him and his car get to Columbus.

“They drove the car to North Dakota, about three hours from home,” Leslie said. “I flew there, got the car and headed to Columbus. It was snowing in North Dakota when I got there, and it rained most of the way here.”