The Swiss-born defenseman embraced the SoCal lifestyle, even picking up surfing when he was with the Ducks. Sbisa said he, Matt Beleskey and Brad Staubitz all bought surfboards attempted to teach themselves after the 2012-13 season. It didn't go so well.
"We got absolutely destroyed by the waves," Sbisa said.
Fate intervened, as some of the regulars on the water - Hawaiians as Sbisa recalled - took them to the shore to teach them the basics like how to properly stand up, a la Kunu in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
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Sbisa figured he surfed once or twice a week for a few summers, but said standing on a board for long periods of time isn't great for his back, so he doesn't do it much anymore. He's also wary of sharks.
"Every surfer will tell you it's more dangerous walking down the stairs," Sbisa said of the likelihood of encountering a shark, but he's taking precautions anyways. "I've been here for 10 years or so and just recently the last few years there's been more shark sightings."
Sbisa's been in his element for the past three days and being back at Honda Center conjures good memories. He said he still keeps in contact with Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Andrew Cogliano and Cam Fowler and said he learned a lot playing with vets like Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu.
He's also a fan of the Ducks wearing the Mighty Ducks throwbacks this season.
"When I was here, I always wished we had them," Sbisa said.
All in all, SoCal's been pretty good to Sbisa, as he rides another wave of his NHL career.
