ANTHONY VINCENT - ALWAYS BACK TO HOCKEY
Lizz Child
Jun 20, 2023Showing up to support a friend can change your future.
That’s something that San Jose Barracuda defenseman Anthony Vincent learned after going to watch a good friend play hockey when he was about five years old. While he doesn’t remember exactly why he ended up going to watch, he knows that it looked so fun, he asked his parents if he could try hockey himself. While Vincent says his dad wanted him to play baseball, as he was a baseball player himself, his parents agreed to let him get on the ice, thinking it would only be a once-a-week thing.
"Little did we know, I’d be playing for the next 20+ years.”
Of course, hockey wasn’t the only sport Vincent grew up playing. Baseball, soccer and lacrosse are the three other sports he says he spent time in. Though, he says those were just for fun and to “give the body a break sometimes.” That’s how you know Anthony Vincent was meant to be a hockey player, he viewed other sports as a break for his body. The other sports were also a way to meet new friends, but Vincent says he always knew he’d be going back to hockey. That was his passion.
A passion that took him from Wilton, Connecticut to Chilliwack, British Columbia when he was 19, after finishing his high school hockey career with Salisbury School. The Chilliwack Chiefs, a team that plays in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), previously had some other guys on their roster who had played for Salisbury and Vincent says he thinks that is where the connection came from when he got the opportunity. Noting that his coach felt comfortable with him heading out to BC while Vincent continued to look for a Division I commitment to play college hockey in the states. Turns out, it was a decision that worked out very well because after two seasons with Chilliwack, winning the RBC Cup in the first year, Vincent committed to play DI hockey at Holy Cross. The newly-signed Barracuda forward looks back on the decision to play in the BCHL the best one he could have made.
(Fun fact: Former Barracuda head coach Roy Sommer’s son, Castan Sommer, is an assistant coach for Holy Cross. Also, the younger Sommer has previously coached alongside current Baracuda assistant coach Kyle Hagel with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.)
Of course, going from high school prep hockey on the east coast to Junior A hockey on the west coast comes with changes.
“It was definitely a little bit faster,” said Vincent on making the adjustment, noting that every time you move up a level, the hockey is always a little bit faster. “You’ve got to make decisions a little bit quicker. [The BCHL] was a little more run and gun hockey, a little more offensive style, whereas the prep school where I was had been a little bit more defensively minded.” Though, he says the players and coaches helped him ease into the game and be ready for the season.
Speaking of playing a little more of a defensive game, Vincent says he started his positional hockey playing as a defenseman. The coaches would say they were going to move him to forward because he was rushing the puck and hopping into the play so much and after a few years, they finally did it.
After two years with Chilliwack and his juniors eligibility over, Vincent took the next step in both his hockey and educational future.
“It was always my dream to play Division I hockey and it was the best five years of my life,” he says about his time in college hockey. “I ended up at two schools. I did four years at Holy Cross and then one year at Long Island University, but the pace of play was definitely a step up.”
While the BCHL features players ages 16-21, college hockey ages vary drastically. That was both a positive and a big change for the then-20-year-old Vincent.
“There were guys that are bigger, older, stronger, but you sort of look to seniors and older guys, and they sort of help you get ready for the season. So that was a big thing, just looking up to the older guys for advice and basically following in their footsteps to help me out and feel more comfortable coming into the season.”
In his fifth and final season of college hockey, Vincent left Holy Cross and headed to Long Island University as a 25-year-old grad transfer, taking advantage of his extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.
The extra experience helped Vincent be more comfortable heading into his final season where, in 36 games, he put up 37 points (17G, 2A) and 78 penalty minutes and found himself LIU’s nominee for the Hobey Baker Award.
“I just sort of knew the game and knew the style that I had to play to be successful and going to Long Island University really helped me out. Gave me some success and it’s because of the coaches and players around me that helped me grow as a player.”
That growth paid off because as the Long Island University Sharks (yes, the Sharks) were heading into their last two games of the season, the Barracuda were in need of some additional help up front.
“We traveled to Arizona State for my final two college games on Wednesday or Thursday and [the Barracuda] called my coach and asked if Anthony Vincent would be willing to come out to San Jose. He told me within 30 minutes later and I said absolutely, 100%.”
Vincent scored in each of those final two games with LIU on Friday and Saturday before he joined Barracuda in San Jose for the remainder of the season.
“It was a quick turnaround but a surreal moment to get that call and just hear that news. It was awesome.”
Once he got to San Jose, the learning and adjusting started all over again as Vincent says he didn’t know too much about San Jose.
“The only person I really knew there was Strauss Mann, because he’s from my area growing up and played prep school around me as well. That’s the only person I really knew. I’ve been to San Jose one other time for hockey, but I didn’t know much about it, if anything at all, about the program. So, it was a new experience, but it was unbelievable.”
So unbelievable, he agreed to come back, signing with San Jose for the 2023-24 season following the short stint he had to finish the year. But what has been the best part about San Jose for Vincent?
“Honestly, just being able to live my dream playing pro hockey. That’s the biggest thing. The team trusted me by offering me a contract, so I want to do my part as well and work hard during that contract. Honestly, just that trust and that comfortability. I know what to expect. I know what the coaching staff and the team want out of me, so that’s my goal. To work this summer to prepare for that and head out there in September. I’m excited.”
When talking to San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy throughout the season, a common theme has been players having roles to fill and knowing what they are.
Anthony Vincent knows what role San Jose wants for him and he is willing to play it.
“I think I’m a 200-foot player. Obviously, the role that I came into was more of a fourth-line player that finishes checks, creates energy and plays a sound, trustworthy hockey game. That’s the role that I came out to play and I just want to do that to the best of my ability.”
While the first test on his new contract won’t come for a couple of months, Vincent knows the preparation starts now.
Well… maybe it started on a rink in Connecticut where a five-year-old Anthony Vincent showed up to support a friend.
Get to know Anthony Vincent
Walk us through your game-day routine.
AV: It’s a little different for pros, because in college we had optional pregame skates, and I didn’t actually do those, just giving my body, as an older guy, a little bit of rest for college. But wake up, have breakfast and then head to the rink for pregame skate where I do some stretches or warm up to prepare myself for the day ahead. Then, nothing too crazy. I usually take an hour-and-a-half nap. I’m a big nap guy on game days, just to reset the mind and the body a little bit. [In San Jose] I was at the hotel, so I’d always grab a Starbucks and some food around the area and get to the rink early, three hours before or so. That’s the time I like to focus on myself. Do a lot of stretching, warming up and just getting ready for the game.
What’s your Starbucks order?
AV: Starbucks order is a nitro cold brew black. No cream, no sugar. You’ve got to enjoy the coffee for how it’s done. That’s my favorite. I get that every weekend. That’s my treat.
(This is 100% an elite order.)
Okay, stretching and warming up before a game, are you listening to music through headphones or listening to whatever’s on in the room?
AV: It depends. I’ll do my own warm up and listen to my own music when I’m not in the locker room, but when I’m in the locker room, I definitely listen to the guys’ music because it’s way better than mine.
We heard that Tristen Robins was the guy on aux a lot this season. Was that who it was while you were here that last month?
AV: Yeah, that’s correct. He was on the aux. He’s got fantastic music, so he can play whatever he wants. I don’t have any say. It’s definitely an older guy’s spot to say something. I just listen to whatever the guys are listening to.
(“Older guy” as in “has been around the team longer)
Well, the last two seasons it’s been a rookie running the tunes. Nick Cicek was the guy in 2021-22 and then Robins last year so maybe it’s your turn next year?
AV, laughing: Hopefully, it’s not me.
Okay, but what are you listening to?
AV: A lot of times, I’m keeping it simple because I have Spotify free, so I’m not really into the music world very much, but Big Booty Mix or, honestly, I’m a big country guy. I sort of save that for times away from the rink and not really before games, but yeah, big country guy.
Hm, a big country guy… okay… Anyway, if you were a fruit, what fruit would you be AND why?
AV: I’ll probably be an apple. I’m a big Honeycrisp apple, hard on the outside but sweet and savory on the inside.
Alright, you have a day off, how are you spending it?
AV: I guess in San Jose, now that I know there’s golf there, a day off would probably be going to the course and just playing a round. I haven’t explored too much of the area, so I would like to do that as well. Maybe go down to San Francisco for a day and check it out, something like that. Nothing too crazy. Or just sit by the pool and hang out. Those are my three options.
Who do you think would be the best actor from last year’s Barracuda team?
AV: I’ll go with Ozzy [Wiesblatt]. I have no idea.
(This may be a default answer. He also said Ozzy would be the best golfer on the team when asked at the end of the season… Will dig more and report back… someday)
Who would be the worst actor?
AV: I’ll say myself. I can’t throw anyone under the bus.
(Yet.)
What is on your perfect pizza?
AV: This is going to be an interesting one, but I’m a big penne alla vodka with chicken pizza. I don’t know if a lot of people eat this, but there’s a pizza place by my school that had it, so have to go with that one.
What are you most looking forward to about next season?
AV: I’m just looking forward to getting the season going and starting to play competitively again. Obviously, you train and work out over the summer, but it’s nothing like being back with the guys. I’m just looking forward to getting back there, getting to work and just continuing what I started out there. Hopefully building off of what I did in the 14 games try and create some energy and excitement for the fans.