People in or around warm and sunny Brentwood, Calif., would most likely chuckle at the idea of their city being the training ground for a professional hockey player, but that's exactly what it is.
Casey Wellman, who is a speedy forward for the Minnesota Wild and Houston Aeros, grew up in Brentwood before moving to Michigan to play his high school hockey. After two solid years at the University of Mass-Amherst, he was plucked by Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher back in 2010 and signed to a two-year entry level contract for college free agents.
Wellman has rotated between Houston and Minnesota throughout his tenure with the organization, but many believe his best days are in front of him. He scored 20 goals last season for Mike Yeo in Houston, including six in the postseason as Yeo and the Aeros reached the Calder Cup Finals. Now back up with the Wild and once again playing for Yeo, there should be plenty of opportunities for Wellman – the subject of this edition of 5 Questions -- to strut his stuff.
1. KG: Who is your closest friend on the Wild or Aeros?
WELLMAN: My roommate in Houston is Kris Fredheim, and we are really good friends. Nate Prosser is another player that I am very close with, and I was lucky enough to be able to be in his wedding last year. The cool thing is all three of us are in similar positions with this organization, so we support each other every day. It's always tough when you are bouncing back and forth, but we all understand what the situation is and we are all pulling for one another.
2. KG: What is your favorite arena to play in when you're not in Houston or Minnesota?
WELLMAN: Well, being a California boy, I have to say playing in San Jose. First off, I was able to play in front of plenty of family and friends. Secondly, that building is super exciting to play in because it's always full and the fans there are crazy. Finally, the Sharks are a great team, so it's always a big challenge when you play against all that skill.
3. KG: What is your favorite doing when you are not playing hockey?
WELLMAN: In the summertime I really enjoy playing golf. It's a great game to get out there and be away from it all. I also like to get out on the lake and relax. The sunshine is a must in everything I do in the offseason. Windsurfing and hitting the jetski are my two favorite things to do on the water. In the winter, if I'm not playing hockey I love to hang out and watch movies.
4: KG: Who was your favorite NHL player to watch when you were growing up?
WELLMAN: Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr were by far my two favorites to watch when I was a little guy. They were a fantastic duo with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and I used to love watching them make those amazing plays when I would watch the NHL highlights. Obviously, every young hockey player dreamed about making plays like they did, and sometimes we would try and duplicate their moves, but they rarely worked.
5: KG: What is your favorite meal on game day to get you ready to play?
WELLMAN: In Houston, my roommate and I will always cook up some spaghetti the night before our games to get us ready. Then on the day of the game we always go to The Cheesecake Factory to have the crusted chicken romano; it is delicious! Up here with the Wild, we always have meals together and it is most often pasta, but if it's a game day I will always mix in a bowl of soup for good luck.
