Name: Drake Wyman
Age:18
Height: 5-foot-7
Weight: 145 lbs.
High school: Marblehead High
Year: Senior
Position: Center
What type of skates, stick and helmet do you use?: I basically use all Bauer for my equipment. My helmet is a Bauer Re-Akt 150. My skates are Bauer Supreme s29, and my stick is a Bauer Vapor HyperLite with a p28 curve. This probably sounds like a Bauer advertisement, but it’s just the brand I’ve grown up using — and the stick is the only one that probably actually matters. I use the HyperLite because of the low kick point, which allows me to get off hard shots with a quicker release.
Who’s hands down the funniest guy among your teammates?: James Caeran. He might be the most energetic person I’ve ever met and could make you laugh literally every time he speaks. He’s one of those people where it’s kind of hard to explain why he’s so funny, but if you were to talk to him you’d understand within one minute of meeting him. His energy and presence are unmatched by anyone I’ve ever played with, and I’m grateful for all he’s done for our team both with his personality and with his play on the ice.
How much care do you take in taping up your stick?: I’m actually very particular with it. I have a custom where if in a game I get a point, I will not re-tape my stick for the next game, and continue to use the same tape job until a game where I don’t get a point. I just feel like it’s unlucky to change a tape job that’s been working for me. When I tape my stick, I always go heel to toe and will always tape all the way to the toe. I generally use black tape, but will switch it up to white occasionally.
Tell us about the chemistry you have with your two linemates: On my left wing is Jacob Aizanman, and on my right is Crew Monaco. I’m very lucky that I get to play with these two guys. Most lines will generally have guys who have different styles of play; that’s not the case for our line, however. All three of us are very physical players who like to keep the game simple. It’s so awesome playing with guys who are willing to get into battles and forecheck, and all three of us try to bring an energy that the other team can’t match. We aren’t the biggest skill guys, but we still get our chances and goals because we will continuously outwork the other team, and Crew and Jacob deserve all the credit in the world for the amount of effort they put in every shift.
Where is your favorite place to eat in Marblehead?: Probably Minos Roast Beef downtown. I’m not really a big fan of super fancy restaurants, and you can rely on Minos for a quick and good meal any day of the week.
If you could possess one superpower, what would you want it to be?: I’d probably choose the ability to fly. I think it’d be so cool to see the world from a completely different point of view. It would also make getting places so much easier and could let me travel wherever I wanted.
What’s the best play you’ve ever made in a hockey game?: It was a hat trick I scored in Saint-Lambert (Quebec) when I was little. Marblehead Youth Hockey teams went to play in Canada every year when we were younger, and I scored a hat trick in one of our games, which was a super cool experience. In terms of this year, it was definitely the OT winner I scored against Shawsheen (last Thursday night). I had never scored in overtime before, so that was for sure a feeling I’ll never forget.
What concert would you love to see this summer?: I’ve actually never been to a real concert, so I’d like to experience one this summer. I think a Zach Bryan concert or a Zac Brown Band concert would be really cool. For another genre, our team listens to Lil Baby before every game to get fired up, so one of his concerts would also be awesome to see.
You’ve been given enough cash to buy any three hockey jerseys you want. What are you getting?: I really like retro or older-looking jerseys, so I’d for sure be picking some throwback jerseys. My first one would be a Bobby Orr jersey, because he’s a legend and the Bruins are my favorite team. Secondly, I’d get a blue Wayne Gretzky jersey, because that version of the Oilers’ jersey is one of the best-looking jerseys ever in my opinion. Lastly, I’d get a Tyler Seguin jersey from 2011 when he was on the Bruins. That Cup run and Tyler Seguin are the reason I play and love hockey so much today, so that would be a special one.
What’s the best TikTok video or Instagram reel you’ve watched lately?: I see a bunch of really cool reels of people just traveling the world and visiting awesome places. Traveling is something I want to do more when I graduate; I want to see what the rest of the world has to offer and experience many different cultures. Seeing people go to other countries online makes me want to go there very badly. I particularly want to go to Europe.
Can you explain why your team has been playing so well in the second half of the season?: I think it’s that we’re all working within the system Coach (Mark) Marfione has laid out for us. He emphasizes that it’s not a complex system, but one that’s incredibly hard to stop if we all buy in. We pride ourselves on being the hardest-working unit in our division, and our system wouldn’t work without the effort we all put in.
My teammates are the hardest-working group of guys I’ve ever been a part of. Also, our new coaching staff has been awesome to work with and has led us to what we’ve accomplished so far. Without coach Marfione, coach Tim (Kalinowski), coach Liam (Gillis), and Coach Kyle (Koopman), we wouldn’t be where we are right now. We’re all so grateful to have them help lead and instruct us every day. As far as my teammates, there isn’t another group of guys in the world I’d rather play with — and I think that is a testament to the character of our team as a whole.
What’s your favorite thing about being a student at Marblehead High?: I love watching other sporting events from our school. I have many friends who play other sports who come and support the hockey team, and being a part of our fan section at other events is an awesome experience. It’s awesome being a part of a community that supports and cheers for each other.
What will it take for Marblehead to win the Division 2 state hockey title?: Honestly, I think as a team we all know what needs to happen. We just need to be as committed as we have been so far and continue to work as hard as we can for the rest of the season. The Garden has been our goal from Day 1, and I know this group has what it takes to win.
— As told to Phil Stacey