After getting drafted by the Nashville Predators in the fifth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Spencer Stastney went to the University of Notre Dame for four years before turning pro.
The Wisconsin native was lucky enough to be close to home when he debuted for the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL in 2021-22.
“It was really nice in that transition from college to pro,” Stastney said. “My first year, I lived at home, I had family there, and I just knew where to go. Of course, I wanted to be in the NHL with Nashville, but I loved Milwaukee so much. It’s home.”
It was a surreal experience for Stastney to play for the Admirals after going to so many of their games with his family growing up.
“All of a sudden, I’m on that team. It’s wild,” he said.
Stastney spent parts of three seasons with the Predators organization, which included 81 regular-season games and three playoff games with Nashville. He then spent last season with Edmonton before the Penguins acquired him on Oct. 7.
“(Pittsburgh) feels familiar,” Stastney said. “It feels sort of like Milwaukee, which I love. It’s so pretty, the people have been awesome, and it’s been a great transition.”
Since joining the Penguins, Stastney has done everything that the coaching staff has asked of him, whether it’s playing alongside Erik Karlsson on the top pair or killing penalties.
“I think he's done a great job,” Head Coach Dan Muse said. “Right from Day One, hopping in there, just a really steady, smart, defensive game. Moves pucks well. Good positionally. He’s one of those types of defensemen who’s got the ability to kind of just quiet the game down in a good way. He’s jumping up in the play a little bit more as he's gotten more comfortable kind of finding some of those spots to be involved offensively.
"It's been good. Opportunity ended up being there pretty early on. From there, he took advantage of it.”
Learn more about the 26-year-old Penguins defenseman in this Q&A.
What is your hockey nickname?
Stas.
Who were your favorite hockey players growing up?
Brandon Saad and Viktor Stålberg.
How did your journey in the sport begin?
Growing up in Milwaukee, I played every sport that I could. Starting out at 3, 4, 5, and 6 years old, I was just trying out new sports like soccer, baseball, football, hockey, lacrosse, gymnastics - everything. Year by year, I’d take one out, take another out, just because you don’t have enough time to do everything. Then it came down to baseball and hockey, and I was getting into lacrosse. I think hockey was the one that stuck because my brother and I played together. He’s a year younger than me, and he loved it growing up. We both did. I think it’s also a sport where you take it seriously far before other sports. Like, you have to really commit to it at a young age. So, we took that step to play at a higher level for hockey when we were younger, and we just stuck with it. We saw that better hockey was in Chicago. My mom would drive us to and from practice in Chicago, about an hour and 40 minutes each way. We started doing that, and then a hockey school opened up in Illinois. My mom, my brother, and I moved down there to take another step, and take it more seriously. I played down there for a few more years and was fortunate enough to make the U.S. National Team Development Program. So, I played in Michigan for two years, and I found myself at Notre Dame.
Is it true that you still use your Notre Dame backpack to this day?
We would get backpacks every single year, and that was my senior year one. When I started playing pro, I was like, “I don’t need to buy one, I have a backpack.” It was still new, so I didn’t need to get a new one.
What made your time in South Bend special?
It’s probably cliché, but the community there. And the fact that it’s such a small campus and it’s secluded from the city, downtown South Bend, stuff like that. When you’re there, you don’t even have a car freshman year, sophomore year. Like, you don’t really leave. They have everything that you need. Especially being with a good group and a good class at Notre Dame on the hockey team, we were so tight, and we did everything together. Those guys are friends for life. We have a fantasy league, we keep in touch, we go to each other’s weddings, stuff like that.
What intrigued you about majoring in finance?
At Notre Dame, they would pretty much just enter the hockey players from the business school. So, I had the intro classes like finance, management, IT, accounting, stuff like that. The intro to finance class was the most fun. It made the most sense to me, so I just rolled with that. It was a fun major.
And you also studied Film & Television?
I took a film elective where we just watched movies and wrote papers, and I was like, “This is great!” I needed 21 elective credits to graduate, or I could add a second major that focused on film for 30 credits. So, I only needed like three extra classes. I added film because I thought that it was fun. I was a double major with finance and film.
So, what are your favorite movies and TV shows?
For movies, it would probably be Good Will Hunting. It’s just a classic. It’s so good. The soundtrack, the actors, the story - it’s just incredible. For TV, I’m rewatching Game of Thrones right now with my fiancé. It’s her first time watching it. It’s a grind, but it’s so good. And then I like Sherlock, the BBC version, with Benedict Cumberbatch. So good.
What about musical artists?
As a film major, I listen to a lot of soundtracks and scores, so I’m more into instrumental music and stuff like that. But my brother got me into Bob Dylan, and I like him a lot.
Any books you’re currently reading?
I’m listening to the Lord of the Rings audiobook right now. So, I’m going through that, and that is hours and hours. I’m kind of into the teenage youth novels. I did Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, the big ones, and I have some Star Wars books lined up. I also did Unbroken.
What about podcasts?
For podcasts, I go back and forth. I listen to a lot. My sister loves some Disney podcasts, and then my brother loves literature, so I listen to both. I can talk about their interests with them and stuff like that. It’s a fun way to learn.
What do you like to do in your free time when you're away from the rink?
I have a fiancé, a dog, and two cats. So, when I’m home, it’s a lot of taking the dog [Eddie, a 9-month-old Bernedoodle) to the dog park, going for walks. Just finding ways to make the most of the time with my fiancé, whether it’s watching a good show, making a good meal, going out to a nice dinner, stuff like that. On the road, it’s a lot of dinners with the guys, a little bit of gaming, stuff like that to keep it light. It’s a tiring season, so taking the time to rest and enjoy your loved ones and your family while you’re at home.
What do you and your fiancé like to eat at home, and when you go out?
Fortunately, she’s great at cooking. If I’m cooking, it’s chicken, rice, and mac and cheese is probably my favorite. Oh, I love to make pancakes, too. Throw a little protein in there. Favorite meal to go out, my fiancé and I are getting real big into fondue, like the Melting Pot. We love doing that. That’s like two hours, just sit there and have fun.
Is there a fun fact about you or a skill that you have that people might not know about?
Growing up at hockey tournaments, we had a good group of guys who loved to yo-yo. I haven’t done it in a while, but I can do some tricks. There’s ‘walk the dog,’ and there are some other cool ones like the Ferris wheel and spins and stuff. Yeah, it’s a lot of fun.
Tell us about growing up a Brewers fan.
I loved Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Corey Hart. (The mascot), Bernie Brewer. I grew up going down the slide. It was awesome to see just to see how good they were this year, good group of young guys, ‘Miz’ (Jacob Misiorowski) on the mound.
Is baseball a sport you would’ve pursued if you didn’t stick with hockey?
I stuck with baseball longer than I did with other sports. I think just because the schedule worked a little bit better with hockey, but I think soccer probably would’ve been my sport. Baseball was fun, but my anxiety at the plate was horrible. Like, if I struck out, it was like the end of the world. But I was really fast, so I’d lead off, bunt, and outrun the throw. That was my role. If I’d probably worked on my mental game, then I think I would love it more. I love the field, and I love being out there, but I was stressed out at the plate.
What is some advice that has stuck with you to this day?
I think when you’re younger, it’s probably a couple of things. I think just finding a way to make it fun every day. When you’re younger, it is just a sport, and it’s a game. You go to the rink, and you kind of just do what your parents tell you. It’s not going through the motions, but maybe it’s what you want to do, and it’s not hard. You don’t really realize what you’re missing. As you get older, you’re missing out on those college parties, you’re missing out on hanging out with friends, stuff like that. I think it’s all about finding enjoyment in the grind and realizing there are things that you’re gaining from it. For me, it was a scholarship for hockey; it was being able to play professionally and make good money now. It’s a grind, but it’s just keeping it fun. I’ve had parents, family, friends, therapists, everyone say the same thing: it’s hard. It is. It looks great on the outside, but there’s a lot of work that goes into it. But just finding a way to make it fun and look on the bright side.
