Building An Effective Team With Wade Redden (#61) — Transcript
Updated: Oct 26
THE PICTURE OF WEALTH · EPISODE 61
Dustin Serviss speaks with former NHL player Wade Redden about teamwork, culture and high performance. They explore lessons from professional hockey that can apply to leading people and building a stronger business.
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This transcript was generated from the episode audio and lightly edited for readability. It may contain transcription or speaker-attribution errors. Refer to the recording for exact wording.
Chapters
[00:00:01] Introducing the Picture of Wealth
[00:05:11] Growing up in minor hockey
[00:11:05] Unselfish teammates and team chemistry
[00:16:51] Work ethic and family examples
[00:21:56] The identity shift after a career ends
[00:28:16] Staying active and pursuing a new challenge
[00:34:25] The influence of a veteran teammate
[00:38:32] Getting back on track
[00:43:16] Athletes, media and personality
Guest & resources
Related episodes
Transcript
[00:00:01] Show announcer: Welcome to the Picture of Wealth, a podcast all about living more of your life now yet being responsible for your future. Lifestyle experimenter, wealth scientist, and financial coach, Dustin Service, shares life hacks, wealth tips, and interviews successful entrepreneurs on how they're thriving in happiness, purpose, and prosperity.
[00:00:22] Dustin Serviss: From two handers across the top of the head to skates on, climbing in the bleachers, having a fist fight. This was a podcast that I truly enjoyed and getting right back to some of my old childhood memories. And Wade Redden, former NHL pro and, NHL all star, played over a thousand games, won a number of awards, and, played alongside some of the great hockey players of the two thousands era. And we covered all sorts of things from what it takes to run a effective team, to creating team culture, to get the leverage to win, and I think that's very applicable to business owners listening
[00:01:02] Dustin Serviss: to this podcast or people running teams to use that leverage and utilize that team effort to live your ultimate lifestyle. Because if you can get your team really cranking on it, understanding while they're there, and working hard to grow the business, that can give you the freedom to, again, make a healthy living and not have to be in the office as or your business as much as maybe you have been in the past. And Wade really does a great job of sharing what it takes in the NHL and how great teams are made and even how to train and beside... You know, training and weightlifting besides some of the great hockey players of the NHL. NHL.
[00:01:39] Dustin Serviss: So let's dive right in. Thanks a lot for being on the podcast this morning, Wade.
[00:01:43] Wade Redden: Well, it's a pleasure, Dustin. Thanks for having me on. Oh, you're welcome. To it.
[00:01:48] Dustin Serviss: We, we do have... We share a bit of Lloydminster his... History. So, Wade, you grew up Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, playing minor hockey. I did used to work in the oil field and, I was in Lloydminster that I made a decision I would never work in the oil field again. It was Valentine's Day, Feb fourteenth, minus forty. I was in a hotel room two weeks, and I just said, I'm not coming back here. So, I think we should send a tribute out to Lloydminster Saskatchewan, and, that's your home stomping grounds.
[00:02:24] Wade Redden: Oh, yeah. It's, you probably look in the way you've gone since then. I'm sure you made the right decision. So it's, not an easy time minus forty going out, slugging it in the oil patch. So I'm sure that was a wise wise choice for you.
[00:02:40] Dustin Serviss: In Lloydminster, it's, it's a lot of oil, and so there's lots of pump jacks. I remember that. And is your family farm a pump jack farm, or is it a... Just a farming farm?
[00:02:52] Wade Redden: No. No. We're agriculture. So I grew up just northeast of Lloyd, fifteen miles out of town, and actually a little town called Hillmont, Saskatchewan. So that's where I went to school up until grade ten is when I... Then we went into Lloyd to the bigger high school. But, yeah, I know cattle and grain. Dad's still giving her out there. He's seventy two now and still farming. And, yeah, roots are are all back there. So my brother's still... He's working in Lloyd. He's kind of an engineer, so a lot of oil work stuff. Obviously, that's what drives the economy around there. And, but, yeah, it's a great town.
[00:03:31] Dustin Serviss: Is is the sentiment what you see in the media? Like, if your your your family works in that field, are they still working and busy and, you know, making money? Is... You know, it just seems like it's doom and gloom, oil field that's kinda all
[00:03:44] Wade Redden: I know. I know. Obviously, I follow it, and I get... It's it's doing... I think it's gotten back up a bit now. Obviously, there's been highs and lows every time I go back home. If it's a booming time, you just notice how busy the town is. If it's, you know, things are slow in Lloyd, then it's just dead. Kind of a ghost town. The contrast of it, but certainly drives that that town. And it's it's had some really good years. It's had some some trying times too. So I hope it can level off, and there's a lot of great people there that depend on it, and, and they do a great job of of providing that.
[00:04:23] Wade Redden: So it's, yeah, I don't think it's going anywhere, but it's obviously a hot topic nowadays. That's for sure.
[00:04:30] Dustin Serviss: Yeah. And this... The small town, is there is there, like, a a a story you remember about Lloyd, in your hockey days that you can remember where it was like you knew you were going to the NHL and you were gonna be successful? Or was there, you know, my father played pro hockey, and and he chills me sometimes. He's seventy... Mid seventies. He remembers stories from sixty years ago. I was in the corner and, you know, he he knows everyone's last names. And and this guy came out and the puck came out funny and I scored. And, you know, is there any stories that you remember from those old long time ago hockey days?
[00:05:05] Dustin Serviss: And you're not that old, but at the same time, it is, you know, thirty years ago if you're in your team. Thirty.
[00:05:11] Wade Redden: Oh, man. Yeah. Well, yeah, like I said, I grew up just out of town, so we didn't play minor hockey in Lloyd, but a little town hillmont. And then we'd join up, as we got older and kind of getting better teams put together. We had a few players from little towns in the surrounding area, but I mean, yeah, there's lots of stories looking back. I look back with with a lot of fond memories of of playing those days, and we actually played. There's a couple other guys that went on to play NHL hockey too that I grew up playing against Jeffries and was in Meadowlake. Some names that some people might recognize.
[00:05:46] Wade Redden: Curtis Brown was from Unity, Saskatchewan, a little town just south. And he had a long career as well. But yeah, big battles. I mean, once we got to Bantam, AA, we'd played North Battleford and Prince Albert and, Saskatoon teams. We'd always be playing those big cities, so I think we got the farm hockey started coming out and it was always rough and tough. And that's kind of the way we were taught how to play. And, you know, yeah, it was great times. Those those early days, we had a group of kids that played together. We'd play fast ball all summer, and then we'd play hockey all winter. And it was...
[00:06:24] Wade Redden: I still get to see those guys, and it's, it's a lifelong friendship you have with those homeboys.
[00:06:30] Dustin Serviss: How how young do you remember being when you first got sort of tapped on the shoulder and said, you know, hey. Keep it up, and and you're gonna go places. Does that that moment ever happen? Or
[00:06:42] Wade Redden: you know what? I was... I don't know if there's as much notice of what was going on. I mean, even... So when I was fourteen is when the Bantam kids get drafted to the Western Hockey League, and I got taken second overall. But to be honest, I didn't really ever... I've never seen a Western Hockey League game at that point. You don't get highlights. No one really talks about it. So you don't get the video feed you do nowadays. You can follow pretty much anything you want. But, but I was always a top player growing up. And, so whether... I mean, that was kind of my goal all along. I followed hockey. That's all I wanted to do.
[00:07:21] Wade Redden: That's all I really... No. I shouldn't say all I strive for. I mean, but that was that was definitely a passion of mine from from probably the moment I could hold a hockey stick. So, it was, yeah, I don't know if there's a defining moment that I I just kinda always had in my head that's what I was gonna do. And I had I had some talent. I was lucky that that, like, I... And we talked about before my dad played... We gotta find out if he played against your dad, but they are kinda in the same era in the seventies down in the IHL and NHL. So he was a hockey guy and coached me all the way growing up. My brother was a year older.
[00:07:56] Wade Redden: We played together every year all through minor hockey. So it was, yeah, hockey was in my blood right from day one.
[00:08:03] Dustin Serviss: Well, I'm sure they got stories. I I know that the, no no helmets and, you know, if a fan dumps... You know, when they lose a game, fan dumps a beer on somebody, and they said the whole team stormed the crowd in their states, went right up in the thing, and they had a huge fight. So, you know, all that stuff where the two the two hander stick over the head, you know, that happened, at at some point. Like
[00:08:28] Wade Redden: I've heard those same stories too.
[00:08:30] Dustin Serviss: It's like, yeah,
[00:08:31] Wade Redden: it was sounds like a jungle. Those guys are playing like it was there's some old articles too that my mom had cut out from dad played in Fort Worth or Port Huron where his towns that he was for, like, five, six years. And dad was he was a tough guy, too. Like, he could skate and play, but, I think he, you know, everyone had to kind of defend themselves in those situations. So there's a few pictures of him in battle that that stand out too. Like, those guys are tough. And that... Even I joke about it now, my dad's seventy two. I don't think I'd wanna take a swing at him now. I don't know who'd come out on top. So... It's
[00:09:10] Dustin Serviss: called it's called man strength.
[00:09:11] Wade Redden: You know? I know. That's what they have. For sure.
[00:09:15] Dustin Serviss: I remember my my dad telling me about it. They line brawl, so they all fight. And, you know, my dad, you know, is five nine, you know, and he got his nose broken in the first... So the first fight in the first period, goes back to the dressing room, gets it all straightened out, stitched, everything. And in the third period, it happens again, and he gets the same guy. Jesus. So things didn't go very well, that night. And I just think, like, you know, that's their job. That was, you know, that was your job. And, you know, it kinda... I've gotta pivot it. I just had a a flash thought of, like, you're you're you're in you're
[00:09:50] Dustin Serviss: in your teams, like, to... Do you remember in, like... Let's go to world, you know, world... Because you went to World Drutors and World Cup. Right?
[00:10:00] Wade Redden: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:10:02] Dustin Serviss: And so, do you remember any specific teams where it... Like, the teamwork stood out and maybe unpack why after looking back it worked? Or is there so many... You've played so many games that you just...
[00:10:19] Wade Redden: Well, yeah. I mean, looking at what... Yeah. I mean, looking... I guess when I get to junior hockey, that's kind of when I talk about when you really think about it becoming a job almost even at sixteen years old. So the focus is on winning and and performance and, you know, just that commitment and consistency. So my teams in Brandon, I was so lucky to go to a town like Brandon and Kelly McCrimmon, who's now GM with Las Vegas, Golden Knights. He was my GM and he actually owned the team and Bobby Lowes was my coach. But just the the mentality that they instilled in us to work together, to be together, to all about team, you know what I mean?
[00:11:05] Wade Redden: And that that's what I've always had. And I think I probably grew up with that even my dad instilling that, like, it's unselfish. It's being there for your teammate and going to battle with them and then going to team Canada. I mean, that's that's what it's all about. You go to World Juniors, you're together for two weeks before you got to play in this tournament. And it's all about getting the right chemistry of guys, the right cohesion, check the egos out the door. Like, that's kind of what always was because you got these top players, everyone's coming to this team and they're the top player in their home team, but
[00:11:38] Wade Redden: not everyone's gonna be the star on this team. So you gotta kinda take your role and accept it and then do everything you can. So, yeah, that's... To have success in hockey, that's... That is paramount for sure. I mean, even the years in Ottawa where we had success when we did, and you can look back and and just see kind of, the years we didn't have success, there's just a crumbling and guys kinda... There wasn't that tight bond. You know, not that guys didn't get along, but just when push comes to shove, who's gonna be there doing what needs to be done? So that's that's really what it takes at the end of the day. I just had a thought of...
[00:12:19] Wade Redden: Been watching TV now and football starting. Everyone's talking about Tom Brady. What makes him so successful? Like, he's he's a grinder like anyone. He's the most talented guy, but he's the one doing the extra work, and he's the guy so committed and so dedicated to his craft that it, it's obviously paid off for him. But that's that's really what it... I guess, looking back at my career, the high... Highlight moments, it's those, went to the final with Ottawa and just the effort it took to to win those big games and what it... You know, everyone coming together, that's that's really what stands out to me as a special special thing.
[00:12:59] Dustin Serviss: Right. And and a lot of the listeners are are business owners or or, you know, managers or successful people running teams. And so that... You know, part of the reason I'm excited about this episode is is getting that out of, like, you know, how does an owner leverage a team to to live the life... The the best life they can. And so their their team can. And is there something that, like, coaches... You know, you go to t... You know, team Canada. You said check your egos at the door. Is there something the coach says, or is it just natural manliness selection that just sort of the egos get squashed down or leveled?
[00:13:39] Wade Redden: Yeah. Well, I think you get to know people. Right? So there's certain... Yeah. I don't know. I mean, I've I've never picked those teams, but when you look at around the room and you see these players, and I guess they've done their homework on these guys or, you know, any team you... And even, I guess, changing it up a bit too. I had a chance to work with Nashville for three years, and that was player development. And I kind of saw behind the scenes of what the GM talks about, what the coaches talk about. And they get to know these players and how they handle themselves in certain situations.
[00:14:13] Wade Redden: And it's the same thing with, you know, when I went to Team Canada, they they know what these players do. Like, they scout them, obviously, leading up to it. They know what their personality or character is. And and I think at the end of the day, they've always chosen character over. I mean, you have to have the skill, but that's what's going to win out is is having the right person, the right team guy, the right attitude. I think, I think that's really what what the difference is between win and losing because even in any sport, I mean, team sport, if you have the right group of people together
[00:14:50] Wade Redden: that that just find a way to get it done, like, sometimes you can have the most talent in the world, but if they're not fair when it, you know, the chips are on the table, that's that's really... You want people that are gonna, you know, go that extra mile, I guess.
[00:15:08] Dustin Serviss: You you have younger children. Is there anything that you sort of take away from your your career? And just side note, how many games, did you play? Do you know that?
[00:15:19] Wade Redden: I played over a thousand games, NHL.
[00:15:21] Dustin Serviss: Yeah.
[00:15:22] Wade Redden: And, as far as with the kids, I guess, yeah. I don't know. I mean, I I try to Well,
[00:15:30] Dustin Serviss: I was... Where I was going was, is there anything you instill in them, you know, that are kind of core mantras for... Because, again, lots of people have children, I mean, listeners. So the things that, you know, I'll say life hacks or, consistent little reminders or, you know, little tips or tricks that you use with them that you learned about, you know, that a family is a team. And Yeah. You know, your your sister, your brother, your mom, me, you know, we all have to work together. And so is there anything that you teach them on a regular basis about...
[00:16:06] Wade Redden: Yeah. What... Oh, for sure. I mean, I guess... And it all comes back to the way I was raised and and how it was. I mean, it was kinda hard work. It was honesty. It was, doing the right things. I mean, all those things. That's, I guess, foundation I've tried to instill or tried to live my life with and tried to instill that in my kids. I think, you know, obviously been very blessed and stuff and and had a career that I did. But I think the foundation of it is is what's... What really drove me there. And and my family was a huge part of of me getting more to where I was. So just my... Like I said, my dad's still farming at seventy two.
[00:16:51] Wade Redden: Like, he's he's he's a working man and he doesn't take days off. He doesn't complain about anything. He just he just grinds through whatever needs to be done. And that's... I think that's a great trait to have. And probably he does it better than I do. But, I try to live to those standards too. And I I sure hope my kids are that way. I know my wife is that same mentality. She grew up from a great family and had great parents. And and that's really at the end of the day, the most important thing we're trying to teach our kids is you're going to have to go out and get what you deserve, you know, earn what you get.
[00:17:27] Dustin Serviss: Yeah.
[00:17:27] Wade Redden: And and that's, you know, I think by doing it the right way, by being honest, by working by, helping others. And I mean, those are all things that we try to, I think, try to teach
[00:17:43] Dustin Serviss: them. It's it's important to to remind ourselves because if we're, you know, as... I have have small children too. Life goes on school, pick up, drop off, trying to have a social life, you know, each other doing their own activities. Life's busy and days to the weeks to turn to months. And if you're not kinda rechecking back in with those values and even maybe having a, you know, you know, sit down with your family and say, hey. These are the kinda three things we're gonna live by, and that's how we make decisions kinda like a business is... You know, a well run business has good values, which leads to good culture,
[00:18:13] Dustin Serviss: which comes back to having, you know, great team camaraderie to get results. Yeah, again, I I had a a couple key questions, but I'm totally going off them because No. Well, I think you
[00:18:25] Wade Redden: hit it. I'm in the head there. I think you hit it on the head. I mean, what? Yeah, I read this book. I'll actually throw it out there. When I was nineteen years old, I was living with one of my teammates for the first summer before I went to Ottawa. And I got this book given to me. It's called Zen and the Martial Arts. And I still have it with me today. And it's... I can't think it... Think of the author right now, but it's just a short paperback book, but it's... Goes through this journalist writes his book about all the lessons he learned, and he learned how to...
[00:19:02] Wade Redden: Different martial arts, and he was associated with Bruce Lee and all this stuff. But... And there's all these little headings, but the one I was just talking about the other day, it's called process, not product. So it's like, how do you get to where you wanna go? It's not about the end goal. It's about the process of getting there. And there's there's, like, ten different chapters with, just little things I think about all the time. And it was a great book that I still kinda relate to today, but just little reminders of, yeah, what, what's important. I think you hit it on the head there, like, because you can get lost with life gets busy.
[00:19:40] Wade Redden: You're doing this, doing that, socializing, you know, busy with running around, doing all these different things. But if you don't take time to kind of slow down and and readjust your course or, you know, think about those things, I think you can get lost. So that's a very important thing, I think, to to always circle back and realize in any situation, whether it's relationships with friends or in your work or your family, you know, go back and look at what what are you trying to do here? What's what's important? And and hopefully, you can make decisions based on that.
[00:20:18] Dustin Serviss: Well, it's it's circling back to intent. And I think in this current state of the world, it's very easy if you're not intentional to get sucked up in the media and be on a... On somebody else's course.
[00:20:31] Wade Redden: Exactly. Right.
[00:20:32] Dustin Serviss: All the specifics of what's going on, but it's, you know, that becomes your thoughts and your thoughts become reality. And
[00:20:39] Wade Redden: Mhmm.
[00:20:39] Dustin Serviss: If you actually peel back the layers and say, this is what I'm intentionally doing. This is where we're going. Then you you... That's your your, like you said, a guiding sort of north Yeah. Yeah. North Star. So you... Again, with with being famous and being good at hockey, a lot of your stats and figures are on the Internet so people can go look it all up. But it's safe to say that you probably don't have to ever work, after your career. Now in in this podcast, I always say it in every episode. It's, you know, we're helping people live more of their life now yet being responsible for the future. And in your case,
[00:21:15] Dustin Serviss: you you have still maintained after being retired, very diligent and, you know, you know, have fitness goals and, you know, maintain a a habits and rituals, for success. You might not be playing hockey anymore, but you still have these things. So how does that transition go from you're you're in the game, you're, you know, that's your work is playing, you're making money, and then all of a sudden that tap is off. You've got a bank account that's healthy. And now what? And I I draw parallel with the retiree clients that I work with that I... I've just helped them sell their business. Now all of a sudden, they've got millions of dollars.
[00:21:54] Dustin Serviss: And now what?
[00:21:55] Wade Redden: You know, they've They're not.
[00:21:56] Dustin Serviss: Always gone to that same office every day. They've driven to that same farm, the same shop, and that's just what they do. But now someone else is sitting in that desk.
[00:22:05] Wade Redden: And
[00:22:05] Dustin Serviss: so in your case, someone else is wearing those skates and playing that that wing
[00:22:09] Wade Redden: Yeah.
[00:22:10] Dustin Serviss: Yeah. Fence. How was that transition zone?
[00:22:15] Wade Redden: Well, so it went pretty smooth. So, I mean, I shouldn't say smooth, but I'm in a good place when I was at the end. I feel like I kind of ran my course at the end, and I was almost... It was spelled out for me that it was over. You know what I mean? I wasn't like I was, I just felt, yeah, it wasn't the same player who could come with age, whatever, and that kind of thing. So I kind of bounced around the last few years as down in the minors a bit. I was on that last lockout half season. I kind of jumped between two teams. I was kind of in and out of the lineup kind of guy, kind of a depth guy.
[00:22:54] Wade Redden: And and, yeah, it just wasn't that same player that I was. So for me, I guess playing all those years, like you said, I have independence financially and I guess transitioning into the next stage of my life as I was kind of ready for it. I was fortunate as my kids were young. My daughters were two, I guess, one and three at the time and just kind of dove right in there and enjoyed life. I think a few years later, I ended up getting a job with Nashville. I worked three years in player development. One of my buddies has brought me in to help him in that department. And that was a great experience to kind of being back in the game
[00:23:38] Wade Redden: and working with young guys and remembering those days myself and what it took and kind of helping them along as much as I could. That was a great experience. But yeah, I mean, I still think that maybe I will get into things or want. And probably the one thing I'd comes to mind would be hockey. I mean, that's what I grew up playing. That's what I know. So if I get back in the game someday, that might be something that I'll strive to do. But, right now I'm enjoying life. And like like you said, I do have... It's almost like an extended off season for me. Like, I still work out and I like to like to keep in shape, and I still skate a bit.
[00:24:18] Wade Redden: I golf and I play tennis. And so I get... I'm enjoying life, and I'm so lucky that I'm able to do this. And I'm around. I'm driving my kids where they need to go. They're all playing hockey now too and keeping busy with that. And there's different activities they're always always doing. So so lucky to be able to... Yeah. I feel feel very fortunate to to do what I'm doing. Sometimes I think, maybe I should be doing more and then kinda content where I am too. So pretty fortunate.
[00:24:47] Dustin Serviss: Is there any, any financial mentors you had in the... When you were in the in the show that said, hey. You know what? Don't buy Lamborghinis and Ferraris. You know? This is your first season. You know? Or were there any sort of key books or resources that you tapped into early on that you said, you know, I gotta save this much and I gotta do this? Or did you buy, you know, Tesla at ten bucks and went way up?
[00:25:16] Wade Redden: No. To be honest, I I mean, I have people help me with that and straight since I was probably twenty... Yeah. When I started, I was nineteen years old and didn't really know the value of a dollar, to be honest. I mean, as junior hockey player and, lived at the rink and started making money at that age and obviously needed help with investing. And I ended up getting I had a my agent one helped me a lot who was was very good at a financial advisor to all those years that helped me through through everything and taught me a lot and walked me through budgets and seeing where my money was and different,
[00:25:59] Wade Redden: you know, money managers that that you invest with and stuff like that. So help me get down that path and and put my money in a good place. I was pretty not... I didn't spend a lot of money. I mean, as a single guy all those years, I had my house. I was living in Ottawa, so there wasn't a lot of money to spend it on compared to some other cities. So Right. My wardrobe was pretty... Wasn't too extravagant by any means. I mean, stuff like that. I just didn't didn't spend a lot of money, so I saved it, I guess. And,
[00:26:33] Dustin Serviss: The farmer. That's the farmer in
[00:26:34] Wade Redden: The farmer mentality. Make do with what you
[00:26:36] Dustin Serviss: got. Yeah.
[00:26:38] Wade Redden: But, probably still kinda cheap that way maybe at certain things, but, yeah. I learned... Yeah. Had a lot of people teach me that stuff.
[00:26:48] Dustin Serviss: Are you buying it because you need it or because you can? Yeah. Exactly. Usually...
[00:26:55] Wade Redden: Well, there's certainly been those purchases, but can't say there's not, but I try to limit it.
[00:27:01] Dustin Serviss: Yeah. So, so now you're back. What what is sort of the balance of, you know, the the different sports you still hang on to now? Tennis and hockey, I could see the parallel in golf. Is there a routine you follow or, like, you you mentioned the book you love is about process. So it's it's... Is there a systematic social life or is it, you know, what is sort of this, you know, euphoria of of balance and happiness that you got going on right now?
[00:27:31] Wade Redden: Yeah. Well, I think I... Yeah. With, like, tennis is something I've just taken up kinda since I retired from hockey, probably more so even the last three, four years. So that just the challenge of it, I think that with that and golf are similar to kind of have goals like, just to get better at them and playing different guys and, you know, trying to compete at it. That's that's the beauty of it. And and the self, it's a it's a obviously, individual sport. So something I never really did growing up either. So it's it's a good challenge. And tennis is something that, you know, to to be on the court, I've had different matches now and and stuff
[00:28:16] Wade Redden: like that. And that's a super good challenge just with yourself to kinda stay in that. I'm still not good enough where I wanna get to a point where, you know, there's a certain level I'd like to get to. But, it's it's a work in progress and it's it's a great challenge. So that's kind of the way I view it. And then and then even just, you know, staying healthy and staying active, that's kind of my goal that way. You know, I was super lucky. I played a lot of hockey and my body was one of the lucky ones to get out of it healthy with with everything intact and stuff. But still, if I don't do anything, I feel like I feel worse and
[00:28:54] Wade Redden: my body feels more, you know, just aches and pains, like, stuff like that. That's that's kinda my motivation now is just to keep moving and and feel good.
[00:29:05] Dustin Serviss: Well, I I think as business owners, you you sort of get in this treadmill of, like, well, I'm behind. I need to work more. I need to put more hours. I need to get up earlier and just do more emails because I'm never gonna get it. So the thought of, you know, going for a workout is, you know, you're not as productive after that eleventh hour. And, you know, but, you know, kind of reframing your brain. So do you remember any hockey stories of, like, being battered and bruised after playing hard games, but still going and doing that five mile run? And, you know, what what pushed you to to keep sort of on that discipline? Because, obviously...
[00:29:42] Dustin Serviss: Again, people can look up your stats, which I have. You know, there's obviously consistency there. So there had to be... You're not Ironman. You... You're not invincible. So you would have had to push through some some stuff or, you know, if you noticed that that, you weren't getting where you want, you had to make some changes. So is there is there is there anything that you could could comment on on sort of that?
[00:30:04] Wade Redden: Well well, I mean, business and hockey, there's lots of correlation, and there's a a process. Right? Like we... Like I said and you just mentioned, obviously, for hockey, you have to train. Like, it's a twelve month thing now. Like, it's year round where you gotta be ready. You gotta show up ready to go. And I learned learned that the hard way after my first year in junior coming back and having to do a two mile run. And I always think about this and I even, you know, conditioning was something that, you know, I had natural ability and stuff. And I guess in the nineties is when things really started taking off with
[00:30:42] Wade Redden: the NHL and there's more money to be had. And, you know, look at the eighties. I think guys would change from just go to light beer. Basically, light beer in August was their training routine in a lot of ways. But, I remember showing up for my two mile run. I was dead last. I was like, barely crawled across the finish line and and my coaches were so disappointed in me and I was embarrassed for myself. Like, it was just an awful feeling to to show up to camp like that. And just imagine any work you show up for a big presentation and you you don't have anything prepared. Like, it's that same kind of feeling where you're just, like, totally
[00:31:23] Wade Redden: screwed up for yourself. It's like controlling the things you can control. So I learned that for me to be successful, you're gonna have to show up. You're gonna have to work year round and and dedicate yourself to to fitness and to to keeping yourself ready and healthy. And that was really a big learning thing for me. And then, yeah, it was, I don't know where I was going with it from there, but, yeah, it's just a constant thing, like, being ready and being prepared. Like, that's that's really what what it's all about.
[00:31:54] Dustin Serviss: Well, I, I... The the training camp... So in your business, you know, we think of of, December as our training camp. And, you know, it's traditionally slower around the holidays, so that's when we do our business plans. That's when we rewrite our goals, and and so we come into January, ready to rock. But random question. So you played with, Zdeno... Zdeno Chara, in Boston. What was he like in the gym, like, in training?
[00:32:20] Wade Redden: Yeah. That's the perfect perfect guy to bring up because he was in Ottawa too. So I finished my career with him in Boston, but he was in Ottawa. I think he would have been five years, probably five or six years we played together in Ottawa too. So that was really when he started turning the corner and becoming the player he was. He's come to us from New York Islanders where he kind of started his career. He was in the gym every day and just so dedicated to himself, to fitness, to I think at the end of the day, probably wanted to end up where he did. Like, that's he's going to be a Hall of Fame guy, obviously.
[00:33:02] Wade Redden: And and with his physical stature and his natural ability, like he he worked as he had all that, but then he had the work ethic to go with it. Like he he was so dedicated with everything he ate, everything he put in his body, every workout. I think I think he has actually read this in an article here in the last couple of years, but he's since like the mid nineties, he's he's got every workout he's ever done. He's like cataloged it all and has it all. His dad was a was a Greco Roman wrestler, like, and then seventy six Olympics that was in Montreal. So he competed in that. So his dad, he comes from those wrestlers are no joke either.
[00:33:45] Wade Redden: So like doing I remember I remember doing workouts with him and and he had some of these wrestling things you do, like roll around on your head just for your neck strength and stuff like that. And, but, yeah, he he was a great, great teammate and great competitor. And it's still so... Such impressive even to see him last year with that fire in his eyes. Like, he's he's just got... I kinda... He'd probably be a kind of an old school kind of mentality, like, growing up in Slovakia and, just that mentality of work, work, work, work, work. That's almost the generation before us. Like, we're talking about our dads. Like, that's...
[00:34:24] Dustin Serviss: Yeah.
[00:34:25] Wade Redden: He kinda is a father figure. I know as a teammate, he was such an influence. Just just his attitude and, his his approach was was good for everyone around him. So, you know, great great player.
[00:34:38] Dustin Serviss: Gym was, is is was he a big bencher? Or what... Like, what was it was in in hockey? What is in the gym like a legit respect move? Like, and and weight. So is it squats? Is it
[00:34:52] Wade Redden: Yeah. Squats is probably the big one. And, nowadays, like, in those days, we'd actually do... For testing, they'd have us load up the bars and, like, do as much squatting as you can, which they don't do now, which is smart because guys would be having missing the next three days of skating because they hurt their back trying to squat a three fifty pounds or whatever. Like, yeah. But Chara, like, he, he was six nine, two hundred and sixty pounds and he was doing... He did, like, thirty three chin ups or pull ups. And it's like, oh my God, I couldn't get ten. And he's
[00:35:31] Dustin Serviss: The power to weight ratio. That's
[00:35:33] Wade Redden: Oh my god. But he was just like... Yeah. When you saw him with, like, with his shirt off, like, you think a big guy like that wouldn't be as jacked as he is, but he was just put together and kind of a freak that way. And, Yeah. And super, super strong and...
[00:35:50] Dustin Serviss: But So that that Boston was near the end. You played for the Rangers. At some point, it's... We could do a whole another podcast side story. My dad just did a Alberta trip, and him and Glenn Sather are are good friends from from way back. So they just had a visit. And,
[00:36:06] Wade Redden: Oh, good.
[00:36:08] Dustin Serviss: So I have old pictures of, like, me when I was five with Bill Radford, you know, in in the Oilers' dressing room, hockey cards, drinking the Gatorade and all the candy off the, you know, and the... You know, all the food stuff.
[00:36:20] Wade Redden: Yeah. Yeah. But, well, I was a big Oilers fan, obviously, growing up. Oh, yeah. And, I was a t t t t t t t.
[00:36:27] Dustin Serviss: And, Oh. Kevin Lowe and
[00:36:30] Wade Redden: Lowe, grads, Matt. Not to mention all the big guys. But, yeah, man, that was a day for fear. No. Yeah. I don't know. I just seen Glenn was, so I got a buddy back home who's been doing podcasts, and he just had Glenn on there. It was his two hundredth episode. So they somehow he found got Glenn Sather on there. And I don't know if you wanna bring my name up with him because that was a big sign of his, and it didn't work out so well. But Glenn was good. I... Yeah. When you talk about, being through it all, there's a guy that's seen it all. And some of the messages he had were were great and still stand out for me now.
[00:37:09] Wade Redden: And, actually, John McClure was,
[00:37:12] Dustin Serviss: yeah,
[00:37:12] Wade Redden: who was also a a long time oiler coach, and he was my GM in Ottawa for years. So, yeah, there's... When I think back to mentorship and and people that kinda help you along the way, there's a lot of great stories to be thought.
[00:37:26] Dustin Serviss: Well, so you... And we're kinda like, you know, we've now kind of established some rapport in this podcast that I think you know, you're ready for sort of, you know, this if if... Like, how how do you stick handle that situation of, you know, is it disappointment in the rangers? Is it... You know, you're like, that... That's gonna be a whole lot of fucking pressure.
[00:37:47] Wade Redden: Yeah. Well... Yeah. I mean, I mean, there's no hiding the fact that I got signed to a big contract, and it didn't work out. I mean, it was... Yeah. There's a lot of things going on when I look back at it now. Just life was was, kinda overwhelming. Just actually my mom had passed. I think that was a big effect on me couple years prior and, go to New York and, yeah, it was just kind of a whirlwind and going to a place like that and being in that position and kind of having the spotlight on you and then not performing as well. And then things get negative and then they sure keep it on you. And it's tough to to get out of that rut.
[00:38:32] Wade Redden: And that's right where it was. And looking back, I mean, I don't know. It's, I don't, you know, I'm not ashamed or anything like that. It's just, you know, it was a tough situation and I'm glad. And when I look back to it now and and talking about when you tie up a North Star and and having things that you want to kind of live your life by, obviously, I got off track a bit and performance went down and my game faltered, but I am proud of how I handled it and and the approach I took as far as is, getting through it. And as lucky with my family and my wife and everyone helping me along the way. So that was a huge part.
[00:39:13] Wade Redden: I mean, yeah, there were some some tough times. I I remember getting ready to go to games and stuff and knowing what, you know, it was wasn't a great atmosphere there in in my home rink. So it was like I was like, man,
[00:39:29] Dustin Serviss: I can't imagine, man.
[00:39:30] Wade Redden: Oh, it's tough. It was tough, man. I did not was not excited to go to the hockey rink, which is the saddest part of it all. So, right. But, yeah, you learn a lot. And, yeah, at the end of the day, it's it's part of it all, and you learn and move forward.
[00:39:46] Dustin Serviss: You bring up, interesting point. In the NHL or in your career, mental health and then... And sort of, I say, mental performance because it's... That's a big thing, and that's the big thing in business. It's, you know, my home life is is... Me and the old lady are not doing very good. This is... My business is failing, and so which one comes first? It's like Yeah. What... Everyone, you're pointing the finger at each other where... You know, how do you, you know, manage that... The mental stress of that? Or now that you're older, a little more mature looking back, is there
[00:40:19] Dustin Serviss: anything that you'd you'd tell someone else, you know, that's maybe in that spot where they're they're they're in a in a bit of a trough or a dip. And it's like, okay. If you only just do these two things, it might help.
[00:40:31] Wade Redden: Mhmm. Well, looking back... Yeah. I mean, there was, what would I have done different? I mean, I think part of it was just Yeah. Yeah. Taking more time for myself probably to kind of work through some of the things that were going on in my life. Like it just like you said, I was a perfect example of like being in a whirlwind in your life and not really getting back to focusing on what the foundation of your success or what what it takes to, you know, to have that success. When when I have in my best years in my career as, you know, I was just kind of had that one one goal in mind. And, you know, as I grew older, I got married and my
[00:41:20] Wade Redden: life was changing. And, my family was going through a hard time with my mom's passing and stuff like that. And I think looking back now, I I should have taken more time for myself to kind of figure out what's what was going on inside me and what I needed to kind of to do to to get to the right place. I think I just kind of, you know, didn't do that well enough probably when I look back at it and over time I did and then in process. But at the moment, it was, you know, I thought I thought I was doing all the right things. I thought I was doing what I needed to do. But was I really looking deep enough?
[00:41:59] Wade Redden: So it was, you know, like I said, it was a learning process. And, and I did have lots of support around me and people helping me and and stuff like that is just, Yeah. I should have taken a little more time to really follow what was going on inside me.
[00:42:17] Dustin Serviss: Yeah. We... It'd be... I assume it'd be hard because literally from the the reporters to social media, to the management of the team, to, you know, you know, in in in having a business or I'm in a commission business where it's like, I know what I'm doing bad. I don't need... Anyways, like, the revenue tells me I'm doing bad. So even that pressure on yourself, it's like, I used to be here. It used to be there. But, here's a side question. Whenever a hockey player, you know, in between periods walks down the chute, you just have a towel around his neck, and the reporter's like, okay.
[00:42:52] Dustin Serviss: We're gonna get, you know, so and so to comment on, you know, whatever. They always seem like they know what to say. Is that something you guys are coached, or is it specific teammates always get picked to do interviews because they're good speakers? But, you know, I really impressed how, you know, Wade, you know, really worked the wing and pushed up the pressure and Blah
[00:43:12] Wade Redden: blah blah.
[00:43:12] Dustin Serviss: Yeah. So
[00:43:14] Wade Redden: So a lot of...
[00:43:14] Dustin Serviss: Is that a script or is that how...
[00:43:16] Wade Redden: Well, basically... Wow. I mean, I'm... Yeah. People... I guess there is training involved. I know that teams kinda help guys in that, you know, public speaking or works speaking with media. Yeah. It's kinda gets bland after a while too, some of those answers. There's certain characters that you see it more nowadays where you see personalities of guys coming out more and certainly more probably in other sports even in hockey. But, yeah. It's, yeah, it's something that, obviously a big part of it. And you have to deal with the media and you have to be able to to get through all that. And I think at the end of the day, yeah, it's just
[00:43:57] Wade Redden: having your mind in the right place to just shelter all the BS that's out there and just show up and play. Like, that's... I know it was easy for me at the start of my career as just oblivious, kinda. You just didn't think about any of that. There's... You didn't let that negative stuff affect you as much. And then once you let that kind of crack you or get into, you know, it can be detrimental. So I think the key is to, you know, build like those foundations in your life, in your career that's... That make you strong. Just keep focusing on those because I think that's... In hard times, that's kinda what gets you through those things.
[00:44:39] Dustin Serviss: Yeah. Right. That's, wise words. And I ask everybody, this question is, you know, what what is your ultimate picture of wealth?
[00:44:50] Wade Redden: Well, yeah, financial independence is a big part of it for sure. But, and I'm very lucky that way. But do you know what I mean? I I mean, the way I grew up and stuff, and I'm sure a lot of us can say the same. Like, we didn't have money. We didn't have a lot, but we had everything we needed. We had strong family, lots of love, just being, you know, what what makes a person happy? I think that commitment to each other and and, I mean, that that's what I consider wealth being healthy, being being, there for each other, being good people. Like, that's kind of what's...
[00:45:33] Dustin Serviss: Yeah. You
[00:45:33] Wade Redden: know, I guess it's easy for me to say because here I'm retired and I've made a bunch of money playing hockey, but I think even if I hadn't, I I think I'd still have that same mindset of of that. I know my brother and I are super close still and, he works hard and does well, but he, he says too, he says he works, he doesn't live to work. He works to live. So like, do you want to spend forty years? Right. Like there's a balance, right? Like you don't want to just work, work, work, work the whole time and, and come to the end, and then you're missing work anyway. So it's, yeah, it's about enjoying life and,
[00:46:13] Wade Redden: you know, trying to find those things that make you happy.
[00:46:16] Dustin Serviss: Do you take, life more serious now or less serious than when you were in the show? I
[00:46:25] Wade Redden: I don't know. I... I'm a serious guy. I I I know you were probably internalized more than I should, but I don't get too worked up about things. Like, it's, try to take it take it a day at a time. I mean, for real, it's,
[00:46:44] Dustin Serviss: I just asked a question because I I I... We were recently camping with my my father-in-law and mother-in-law, and, you know, they're, I'll say, twenty five years older than us. And so, you know, you just listen to them, and they've been married for thirty, you know, two years. And, you know, we were just talking about... Laughing about Gary and my father-in-law house. You know, stressed out, he used to be. Like, the kids weren't allowed to use the towels on the boat if it was warmer than thirty degrees because, like, you use the towels at the end of the day when you wanna dry off, not... You know, like, just dumb shit like that.
[00:47:15] Dustin Serviss: And and we were howling laughing and, you know, a lot of things I was kinda thinking about myself. I'm like, oh, man. With my kids,
[00:47:22] Wade Redden: I get
[00:47:22] Dustin Serviss: so stressed out about... And, you know, and with your wife and, you know, your spouse.
[00:47:27] Wade Redden: No. Well, now that you... Yeah. There's certain things. Yeah. You just get anal about too much so at times, but that's part of it, too. I don't know. Like, we're always harping on our kids for probably silly little things, but it's like they drive you nuts too, and they're kind of doing whatever they want or they're hyper at, you know, it's so... Yeah. Oh, for sure. Life gets stressful and, kids can certainly add to that. But the flip side of it, when those moments together too, or it wouldn't change it for anything. You know what I mean? So it's, but... Yeah. Oh, yeah. I've teased my wife probably.
[00:48:06] Wade Redden: I mean, she's probably more so on him about things. I'm a little laissez faire at times. I still like to think I tough on him, but, not as probably as much as her. So, yeah, I mean, you're not there to. Yeah, with the kids. It's funny. Even my dad, we're either just things, yeah, from your childhood that, I mean, everyone does the best they can and you just kind of laugh about it now. And there's silly stuff you do and you look back, it's like, oh, was that really worth yelling at them about that? But, in the moment, you just... You can't help yourself.
[00:48:43] Dustin Serviss: It's a... Some of the shittiest moments, like, later become, like, actually great memories, but... Because it's a story or it's a
[00:48:49] Wade Redden: Yeah. Yeah. Laugh at yourself. Right?
[00:48:51] Dustin Serviss: I can't I can't believe we we got through that or, you know, you... Something comes out of your mouth, and Jody will look over at me and be like, okay, Tom. What's with... That's my dad's name. Yeah. That's just like
[00:49:02] Wade Redden: Oh, I know.
[00:49:03] Dustin Serviss: He is my dad, so I guess that's, you know, that's part of it.
[00:49:06] Wade Redden: We all morph into certain characteristics for sure of our old... Of our parents.
[00:49:13] Dustin Serviss: Well, thanks
[00:49:13] Wade Redden: for your...... Question. Yeah, man. It was... I'm certainly looking back as probably pretty serious guy in my career, but as you get older and mature a bit, you you realize some things just aren't aren't as important as you thought they were. Probably yourself, you're not as important as I thought I was back in those days. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Well, I Take yourself a little less serious.
[00:49:35] Dustin Serviss: Used to be a lot cooler. That's what I Yeah. Like Or the cool looks different now. It just looks different.
[00:49:42] Wade Redden: Exactly.
[00:49:43] Dustin Serviss: Thanks a lot, Weta. I I had fun. I, I really
[00:49:47] Wade Redden: appreciate it. Good.
[00:49:48] Dustin Serviss: And That
[00:49:49] Wade Redden: was really good. Thanks, Dust.
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