MAILBAG: Burish on equipment, Kane and Toews

On select Mondays throughout the 2018-19 season, blackhawks.com will have answers to some fan-submitted questions. This week, Stanley Cup champion turned broadcaster Adam Burish answers questions on pickiness with equipment and more.
1. Who was the most obsessed with their equipment or most picky? Did you have any preferred equipment brands? - Dylan from California

Duncan Keith, no question about it!
In his defense, during my time in the league, it was always the best players that were the most obsessive with their sticks and/or skates. I probably should have paid more attention to my skates and sticks and maybe I would have scored more goals... Duncan is always tweaking his sticks, and loves super stiff skates. I think one time we counted 12 pairs of skates under his stall in the locker room and he would keep wearing all the different pairs because some were "not right."
He would always be at the rink early working on his sticks getting them just right. I still have no idea what he was doing with his sticks but whatever it was, it worked! Brent Seabrook always had the exact same knob on his sticks. If his stick broke in a game, he would make sure they got the knob out of his stick before they threw it away. Patrick Kane always had special custom grips on his sticks. Patrick Sharp was pretty detailed with his sticks also. And Marian Hossa took a lot of his time with sticks.
But to answer your question, Duncan Keith wins the prize for most obsessive about his skates and sticks!
2. What age did you realize your passion for hockey and after you did how often did you practice? - Tara from Wisconsin
Tara from Wisconsin... I have to pick your question since you are from Wisconsin! I always loved playing hockey. My sister Nikki loved it also, so we played together all the time and that was probably the biggest reason I was so into it.
Because my sister loved it also, I always had someone to play with growing up. But I played every other sport growing up also. I didn't decide I wanted to play hockey seriously until the last couple years of high school and I set a goal for myself that I wanted to play college hockey at Wisconsin.
3. What's your favorite food? - Melody from Illinois
I could eat steak and hash browns every day of the week! I have three steakhouses called Rare Steakhouse in Madison, Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Washington, DC. If you are ever there let me know and I'll buy you a steak, Melody!
4. I love watching you as a commentator and hope you continue for years to come! You're so smart, witty and hilarious! My question: I'm curious, how are you guys able to rattle off stat history about players so quickly after they add to their stats during the game? - Carolyn from Illinois
Thanks, Carolyn.
I have a lot of fun doing it! It's a treat for me to get to talk about the Blackhawks and my buddies that are still playing here! It's fun to work with Sharp and Jamal and Steve, but Pat Boyle is the one that really makes it easy for us. He's a pro. We'd be lost without him! We have all the stats in front of us at the desk from the pre-scout work that we do before the games and the Blackhawks public relations staff gets us all the information we need beforehand. It gets a little tough when Kane goes off and scores five points in a night and keeps putting up such big numbers, but my math is just good enough that I can add those numbers up and sound smart on TV. Trust me, if I can do it, you could do it!
5. As fans, we only get to see a little bit of the personal side of players. Jonathan Toews is portrayed as a serious leader figure 100% of the time, however my question is who has a more serious personality, Kane or Toews? - Toby from Australia
They are both equally very serious when it comes to hockey. I always judged or compared superstars in the league by how they were when nobody was watching. That's the stuff people don't get to see. In my 10 years of professional hockey, and all the superstars I was lucky enough to play with, I don't think I ever saw them have a terrible practice. They are both fun guys. I love hanging out with them away from the rink, but once the helmet goes on and a game or practice starts, they lock in at a different level than I saw from other guys around the league.
That's probably why they have achieved so much more than all the other guys I played with. It's not normal. Most guys have some practices where they just don't have it, or don't want to turn it on that day. I never saw that from those two guys.
If you ever want to get away from the beach and sunshine in Australia sometime and come to Chicago, go watch a Blackhawks practice. I can guarantee you Kane or Toews will be the best players on the ice any day you show up at practice… just like when you go to a game under the bright lights or watch on TV. They really are incredible players, teammates and leaders.
6. If you were in an overtime game, which two players would you want on the ice with you? (Past or present) - Carlos from Illinois
Wow, that's tough, Carlos.
From the recent teams, I'd say any combination of Kane, Toews, Keith, Seabrook, DeBrincat, Gustafsson, Sharp (don't tell him I said that), Hossa, and Burish… I'd make sure to have Burish out there right away for some excitement. It's 3 on 3... don't you want some unpredictability? Who knows what would happen!?
From the past, I'd say Savard, Hull or Chelios.