BULMER TAKING GAME TO NEXT LEVEL

Dec 31, 2013

BULMER CONTINUES IMPROVING

By Tom Witosky - Iowawild.com

Follow Tom @toskyAHLWild

When Brett Bulmer became the first Iowa Wild hockey player to score a goal back in October, few understood that the goal meant something more than just becoming a permanent part of the franchise’s record book.

It was a clear sign that the Minnesota Wild’s 2010 second-round draft choice was on his way back after a disappointing and injury-plagued 2012-13.  Bulmer, a 6’3’’, 210-pound forward, had scored only four goals and registered three assists in 43 American Hockey League games compared to 34 goals and 28 assists the year before in his final junior season.

“I knew he was disappointed last year in how he played,” Zach Phillips, another Iowa Wild forward and close friend, said. “He’d had a great start and even got nine games with the Wild that first year out. He was disappointed in that he couldn’t play to the level he wanted last year.”

But Bulmer’s goal in the Wild’s inaugural game in Iowa hopefully marked the start of a much more positive year for Bulmer, a 21-year-old British Columbia native.

A new venue, new teammates and matching Bulmer up on a scoring line with top Wild prospects Jason Zucker and Tyler Graovac has resulted in Bulmer becoming the club’s leading goal scorer at nine goals as well as adding five assists.

That early season performance earned Bulmer a quick, but invigorating four games with Minnesota before returning to Des Moines.  At the same time, Bulmer’s return to Iowa is expected to help the AHL club claw its way back into playoff contention after a near disastrous month of November.

“I‘m shooting the puck well and skating well,” Bulmer said in a recent interview.   “I need to work on my all-around game, like making sure I am getting into the defensive zone where I have to be strong, particularly along the wall.”

Coach Kurt Kleinendorst contends that Bulmer, like Zucker and Graovac, has the potential of becoming a permanent fixture in the NHL. It just is going to take a little more time to hone the details of his game.

“He‘s got everything he needs to play at the next level. He has just has to continue to develop it,” Kleinendorst said.

Kleinendorst also said that Bulmer has “has done everything I have asked and I certainly trust him out there.”

“Right now, it is details,” the coach said. “We are talking about the little details of being a hockey player. He can continue to get better with his skating. He has a great shot and he uses it. He thinks the game well.”

Bulmer said that he likes being paired with Graovac and Zucker on a line that is expected to score for Iowa.

“We are all about speed and we feed off each other,” Bulmer said.  “We know if we help each other out we’re going to have a successful night. “

Bulmer said that the line had not played together until recently, but that the chemistry developed pretty quickly once they were.

“When the three of us get together, we really want to be the go-to line,” Bulmer said. “We all like to play off each other and we all like to shoot.  It is just a matter of coming together and taking advantage of it.”

Most Canadian boys grow up hoping to become a professional hockey player.  And Bulmer, the middle son of three boys, said that he also knew at a young age. His favorite player was Jarome Iginla and his favorite team, the Edmonton Oilers.

“My older brother was for the Canucks, so I was against that,” Bulmer said with a smile.

Bulmer said that he told his parents from the beginning that he knew he could play professional hockey even before he entered Midgets hockey.  “I just told myself when I was very young that I wanted to be a professional hockey player. I knew even then that I was going to do it,” he said.

Bulmer began his climb with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League at the age of 17. The strapping forward caught NHL scouts attention quickly with 31 goals and 58 assists in his first two years. Drafted in the second round by Minnesota, he finished his junior career by scoring more goals in one season – 34 – than the two previous seasons combined.

That solidified Bulmer’s belief that he can make it to the NHL. “It happened in juniors.  Junior hockey is when you hope you are about to turn pro. That’s when the game got slower for me. It’s been that way every year now while I know that the game is actually getting faster.”

Wild scouts apparently agreed, drafting Bulmer 39th overall in the 2010 entry draft and signing him in 2011 to a three-year NHL contract.

Zach Phillips, Bulmer’s roommate, said that the two of them became good friends during their first season together in Houston, as well rooming together during their first development camp with Minnesota. That is also where Phillips learned Bulmer is a wicked prankster.

“He is funny and is definitely one of the pranksters of the group,” Phillips said.  He likes to get under a guy’s skin every now and then. He is a fun guy to be around.”

Two of Bulmer’s most recent pranks took place after Iowa scored three second period goals and defeated Rockford 5-2.  Bulmer picked up an assist when line-mate Tyler Graovac scored, but that wasn’t the only assist Bulmer provided that night, according to Phillips.

“Graovac still doesn’t know who did it, but Brett put a couple of oranges slices inside his suit because “Grao” is always saying his suit smelled,” Phillips said. “It was pretty funny because “Grao” said he couldn’t figure out why he smelled so good as he walked out of the rink.”

Phillips said that Bulmer also sprayed most of a can of shaving cream into a towel that an unsuspecting Wild player used after showering. “He does those things and hardly anyone ever knows who it is,” Phillips said.

Bulmer doesn’t deny his mischievous side, but only smiles about it, Kleinendorst said.

“I didn’t know about that, but I am not surprised,” Kleinendorst said. “He is pretty quiet, but he has got that grin.” 

Bulmer said that he is focused solely on his hockey today and doesn’t give much thought to life after the game. He is doing what he has always wanted to do and intends to focus solely on that.

“It doesn’t feel like a job. It is something I love to do. It can be hard on you, but it is a great way to live I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” Bulmer said. 

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