It has been 13 years since I graduated Solomon Schechter. There were many interesting people in my class. We had up and coming filmmaker Josh “Jish” Freed, business mogul Marc Fiedler, and the future Mr. Sarah Hoffman, Nat Sager. But the most famous of us all was Dov Grumet-Morris. And even back in our Saved By The Bell watching days we knew Dov had a special talent. While I was doing the funky chicken at bar mitzvahs, Dov was off with Team Illinois hockey protecting his goal from the rest of the country. I remember when we all found out Dov got drafted to the NHL and many of us ran to ESPN or Sportsline to check it out. Today we catch up with the greatest athlete the Solomon Schechter school system has ever produced (my apologies to Eric Kirschenbaum who is a close second).

INTERVIEW:
The Great Rabbino: Hey Dov so glad you agreed to have TGR to interview you. Can you believe it has been 13 years since we graduated Schechter?

Dov: It feels like yesterday that we were out at Northbrook in Mr. Arava’s class.

TGR: So you have been playing serious Hockey since I have known you. How did you get your start?

Dov: I started hockey when my father took me to the local ice rinks to go to open skating. I just kinda of learned to work my way around the rink by holding on to the boards.

TGR: You were a stud goalie at Harvard, what was it like playing hockey and going to an Ivy League school?

Dov: I loved playing Division One. I think that college athletics is the best part of an athlete’s career.

TGR: What was in like getting drafted to the NHL? Who was around you when you got the call and who was on the phone telling you the good news?

Dov: I was actually at the draft in Toronto in 2002 with one of my roommates from college. We had a great time that weekend and it was definitely an experience that I will never forget.

TGR: What has it been like since you got drafted? Is your goal to still play in the NHL?

Dov: Pro hockey is a very fun but competitive industry. At the top of the pyramid, there is very little room for error and the demand for performance put on players is extreme. But the quality of life is great.

TGR: You are playing in Europe these days, how is that different than the States? Are you enjoying it?

Dov: I played in Austria last season and I very much enjoyed myself. Europe has been a great experience for me both on and off the ice.

TGR: Is it true that you were supposed to play GOLDBERG in the Might Ducks? Follow up question…do you watch that movie for motivation?

Dov: I was never supposed to play in the Mighty Ducks although my wife enjoys watching that movie.

TGR: Just so you know I saved our 8th grade picture with your autograph on it. But really how can Schechter students (and maybe me) buy your jersey?

Dov: I’m sure that if you contact any of the teams that I’ve played for over the years they can sell you a Grumet-Morris jersey. Fortunately it won’t cost that much!

TGR: We want to thank you for your time. Congrats on the marriage. Can’t wait for our Schechter reunion someday.