On the Other Side with J.T. Brown
Welcome to another edition of On The Other Side! For this week’s edition, we interviewed the very fabulous J.T. Brown!
J.T. Brown is a former NHL player who played for the NHL and in Sweden (HockeyAllsvenskan). After retiring in August 2021, he became a color analyst for the Seattle Kraken, working with a formidable team including John Forlund and Eddie Olzyck. As part of our intros, we usually include a zodiac sign prediction, but lol, he has a whole Wiki page, so let’s jump straight into it!
N.B.: Some questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.
You retired in 2021 and hopped into broadcasting. How did you decide to hop into broadcasting? How did you prepare for that transition?
It was twofold when thinking about whether or not I wanted to retire. The opportunity had to be there, and thankfully the Seattle Kraken reached out and asked if this would interest me. I was still in Sweden playing at the time, and it wasn't easy to get the timezones all lined up with John (Forslund) on the east coast, me over in Sweden, and then Seattle on the West Coast. John and I did a mock game call, and I enjoyed it. We had a good time on the first call and continue to do so.
Obviously, I'd never done sports broadcasting. It wasn't in my background, but I know the game of hockey. For me, it was just, did I like it? Was it something that I could do? I also talked with my wife and agent, trying to figure out the best option for me. We all came to the conclusion that this was something that I enjoyed doing, even though I had never called a full game, but I definitely wanted to see where this went.
It was an interesting decision, a little back and forth, but ultimately, it came down to the organization and wanting to work with Seattle and what they stand for.
Retiring from something you've done for your entire life is a tough thing to do. It's the only thing I know, but in the end, I'm still in the game of hockey, just in a different way, and that's the most important. I can bring something different because I'm recently retired and have played against many of the guys who are still on the ice.
How do you get your notes ready?
It was important to create my own process because what the others do won't automatically be what's best for me. After talking to different people in the industry, I had to find my way to bridge all the versions of things. You know, that's the beauty, because you get to find your own way, but you also have a lot of help along the way.
I didn't really watch hockey when I played, so that was different for me because a lot of the preparation is watching the sport itself and the teams you're going to play against or are in your division.
The actual notes part usually starts the night with the rosters and lines. You have to get yourself familiar with each player's bio again if something changes from the last time. It takes me about 1 1/2 to 2h the night before the game; then you go to the pre-game skate to find out a little bit more like "Who's in? Who's out?". Refining those notes takes another 1 1/2 on the game day. I can't say what the power play will be the night before the game because there are still games happening. The standings, especially before the playoffs, are constantly moving, so you still have work to do on the day off, but I try to get as much prep as I can the night before the game.
I try to have the same mentality as when I was playing - the more prepared you are, the better you'll feel and the more confident you feel going into the game.
In 2017, you raised your fist in protest of police brutality, and afterward, there were a lot of talks about you being blackballed. Looking back, what did you draw from that experience? How did you perceive the aftermath? Would you do anything different today?
It was important for me to stick to what I believe in, regardless of the outcome. I thought that this moment was bigger than myself. It wasn't the easiest decision then, but I knew it was right.
I think for me, it just constantly reminds me that "Hey? Doing things matters." And you know, that's something that I've always tried to stand by. You know, that mantra also goes back to how you were raised and grew up as well. But although it was a difficult moment at times, at the same time, I wouldn't change it. I won't change anything.
You’ve talked about the only Black player in the room a few times. From your perspective as a hockey player, what would be your strategy to diversify the game?
The first thing for diversifying the game from a playing standpoint is continuing the efforts at the grassroots levels and getting more kids involved. That's one thing I've seen in Seattle so far. They built their new practice complex, and on the weekends, it's packed. There are a ton of kids playing, and when you look around, it's very representative of what you can see in the community. I think that's the starting point because those kids are the future of the game.
Afterwards, from a fan's perspective and how we can make it more inclusive for them, hosting nights such as Hockey Is For Everyone is a start. The different initiatives we have around the league, such as Black History or an Asian Heritage Night, are a great way to show these various communities that they are still welcome within this game. We can grow as a community, but it's a long process. It does not happen overnight, but I think we are taking steps in the right direction.
So last year, we did the Definitive Hockey Hotties list - a fundamental part of THWL lore - At the time, you ranked 9th. His wife made mention of it in their anniversary post last year.
Who is number one on your definitive hockey hotties list?
I'd say, (Auston) Matthews. He's got some good style.
Fire Round
What would be your goal song?
Honestly, I don't know if I have a song because I never actually thought about what it would be. However, I will give you the best goal song I've ever heard. Andrej Sustr, when he was with the Tampa Bay Lightning, had his goal song as Oops!… I Did It Again by Britney Spears.
He didn’t score many times, but I thought that was very clever, so I don't know if I'd ever be able to top that. That's a pretty darn good goal song.What is one rule you would change in the league?
This is why I can't do these things because then I start overthinking things, but I don't know if I would necessarily call it a change, but they should be more definitive on what goaltender interference is and not have a gray area around it.
What's the one stadium every hockey fan should try to visit?
Montreal (shoutout to the Bell Centre for being 3 for 3)
Faves
Fave Beyonce song
Drunk in Love
Fave current video game?
Fave self-care activity? (No fishing, no golfing per THWL rules)
That's easy. Go get a massage.
Fave (non-serious) hockey scandal?
The Too many men call during the Tampa Bay Lightning vs Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup Final last year.
Fave sports show or movie?
J.T. Brown Settles An Argument
And then Gaby had a final question - You're from Minnesota, right? Perrye, the Canadian, does not believe that the movie Miracle is famous among hockey players. Am I wrong in that, or is it pretty renowned?
J.T. Brown: Yeah, like it's a relatively popular movie amongst hockey players. I would say every player has seen that movie.
Gaby: Thank you. Thank You. See, I got the validation!
J.T. Brown: Oh, yes - at least stateside, I would say yes. I don't know if all Canadians watched it, but I can tell you that American hockey players have definitely seen that movie.
Gaby has been a lil smug ever since, although the answer still doesn’t entirely prove her point. Thank you so much to J.T. Brown for taking the time to talk with us. It was fun to hear about the transition from playing to broadcasting.
Remember to tell us in the comments who you want us to interview next!
With Love,
Perrye and Gaby
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