About the Author

Graham & Cristina Mink

Graham Mink is in his 11th season of pro hockey and his third stint with the Hershey Bears. He and his wife, Cristina, have been married since 2008 and have a son, Gunnar. The Minks will check in all season with Pennsylvania Puck's Dave Sottile.

As much as fans are looking forward to Friday's Outdoor Classic, the players who will compete in it might be even more excited for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In this special edition of the "Home & Road" blog, Hershey's Graham Mink offers his take. 

Dave Sottile: So how excited are you to play against the Adirondack Phantoms on Friday night outdoors at Citizens Bank Park?

Graham: It looks like a great venue. Our first two days of practice this week might have been the best we’ve had all year from an energy standpoint. We’re getting ready to go. The outdoor practice should get us acclimated a little bit to playing outside, and we’ll be very excited to go play this game.

Dave: How much experience do you have playing hockey outside?



Graham: I grew up on an outdoor rink that had a roof over it, but it was a seasonal rink, and it got pretty cold. We practiced at 5 in the morning before school. Our cutoff was 18-below zero. Only if it was colder than 18-below would they cancel practice. Otherwise we’d be out there.

Dave: How long has it been since you skated outdoors?

Graham: When I went home for Christmas, I actually went out and skated on the rink with some friends of mine and the ice was great. It was good. I looked at it as sort of a dry run for the Outdoor Classic.
 
Dave: What, if any, special clothing will you wear to combat the cold? It seems as if the game will be played with temperatures in the mid-to-upper-30s.

Graham: I’ve got some long underwear I got when I was in college that’s really great for outdoor stuff. It’s kind of Spandex-type stuff to help me stay warm. I think as long as you keep moving you’ll be all right. Mid-30s? That’s balmy compared to Stowe, Vt., in the middle of February.

Dave: If it were colder than expected, would you consider wearing a ski cap or some sort of winter hat under your helmet?

Graham: Maybe some guys will wear them, maybe some guys won’t. The thing that sucks about playing pro hockey is that everything is 60 degrees when you’re playing. If anything, we’ve become too acclimated to warm weather, so when you go back to cold it’s a lot harder. But if it’s in the 30s, we’ll be all right. I won’t wear anything under my helmet, because I want it to fit. I don’t like stuff getting in the way.

Dave: What struck you about the Citizens Bank Park rink while you watched Monday’s NHL Winter Classic?

Graham: It looked like there were a lot of shadows on the ice during the Flyers-Rangers game from the lights, especially around the boards. I’m hoping to creep in the shadows a little bit and maybe get a couple of backdoor greasy goals.”