PODCAST: Kevin Bahl and Friends Ready for the Pros

New Jersey Devils Official Podcast
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Kevin Bahl | Speak of the Devils
When the Ontario Hockey League cancelled their season because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ottawa 67s were at the top of the food chain. The 67s were comfortable atop the entire league with 50 wins, having clinched a playoff spot, their division, and the regular-season championship.
What would have become of their playoff run, we'll never know.

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The Devils had several prospects on the 67 team, including 6'6 defenseman Kevin Bahl.
"It was pretty tough," Bahl shared on the Speak of the Devils Podcast, "It is very disappointing honestly, and we all had to go home within a couple of days, you can't really hang out. A lot of the guys we're all good buddies over there too. It was just, it was definitely crushing. It was definitely crushing."
It was also the end of Bahl's junior hockey career. After four years of junior, 237 games played, and at 20-years-old, he'll move on to a pro-career next, whether it is in the American Hockey League or the National Hockey League.
"That's definitely the goal, but you can't, I don't like to talk about stuff like that," Bahl admitted, "it's more of You got to go out there. And you just got to show [what you can do] I mean you can't just talk, you got to perform. And that's what it's really about. I could just sit up here and say a bunch of stuff and then be horrible. And that wouldn't look very good."
Bahl has looked good, better, and better as he made his way through his junior hockey career. In his first two seasons, he went from four, and 18 points respectively to his final two years putting up 34 and 31 points. Experience is a big part of it all, but also the dedication to honing his craft, figuring out how to properly adapt his game to become stronger and contribute more on the offensive side of the game.
"It was just like finding opportunities to jump up in the rush," he said, "Like being a younger guy, and the type of team we had in those first few years, we weren't scoring a lot. It was more Get a deep grind out the opponent. That was more the environment and mentality and just being a young guy as well. You've got to be pretty strict on defense if you want to play, so that was another thing. But you know, you get older, you get a bit more experienced, and we had a really deep forward core, so it definitely made it a bit easier to find opportunities to just pitch in."
While his career with the 67s is over, there are several of his junior teammates who may eventually become his AHL/NHL teammates as well. The Devils have several prospects on the Ottawa OHL team, making any move from juniors to pros one he won't go through alone. With the chance at his first Devils training camp hopefully on the close horizon, he'll have the instant company of some of his friends.
"I know a lot of these younger guys, so it's pretty cool just knowing a lot, a bunch of the guys," Bahl said, "I only knew a couple on Arizona, and I made some good friends there, but it's definitely cool, to come to an organization and you know a lot of these younger guys."
Bahl was the major piece in the trade with the Coyotes in exchange for Taylor Hall and Devils fans have been excited ever since to see him step onto the ice with the club, anxious to get a glimpse of the hulking defenseman. For Bahl, he'll just go out there, once training camp opens, and do what he can. Ask him about a potential jump right to the NHL, he won't bite. He has just one thing on his mind.
"It's more about performance. And I don't know, I don't like to talk about stuff like that. It's more about just going out there and performing."
And certainly, if he does, the rest should take care of itself.
This week's community podcast guest is someone who has shown tremendous talent at a young age just like Bahl. U.S. National Sled Hockey team member Jack Wallace joins Catherine Bogart to discuss his career.
Wallace is New Jersey native who has seen success on all levels of the sport including winning Gold at the 2018 Paralympic Games. A huge supporter and resource for him in his career is fellow New Jersey native, and Captain of the U.S. National Sled Hockey team Josh Pauls.
"It's transitioned all the way from mentor to teammate to really good friend. He's been a mentor the whole way, he's been a role model even before I was on the national team," said Wallace on his friendship with Pauls.
Wallace started playing sled hockey after losing a limb when he was ten years old. Since that accident, he has focused on pushing through the adversity he's faced to succeed in hockey.
"It's really about how you react. It's all up to you where your life takes you," said Wallace. "You should just keep on striving. My biggest motto is ;you get out what you put in.' If you want to get somewhere you can, there is a level of work that you can put in to get there."