Baseball players have been selecting their own walk-up music for decades as a way to showcase a bit of their personalities to the fan base. In hockey you can hear this occasionally in the warm-up music played prior to puck drop or in the locker room post-game but nothing that really showcases a player’s individual personality.
A team’s goal song can be quite the topic of conversation. The Jets began with “Hell Yeah” by Rev Theory during their inaugural season, used the Isley Brothers song “Shout” for the 2015-16 season, Van Halen’s “Jump” for the 2016-17 season and are now using “Gonna Celebrate” by The Phantoms.
Over in the AHL when the Moose returned to Winnipeg in 2015-16 they used “Maria (I Like It Loud)” by Scooter, then went to “The Wave” by Vinai feat harrison for 2016-2019 and used “Funk Soul Brother” by Fat Boy Slim last season.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Kozub (Manitoba Moose)
I recall one night sitting in the press box after hearing a Jets or Moose goal song go off at Bell MTS Place and thinking about this idea of players choosing their own goal songs, ones that they see as fitting their personalities.
With apologies to the logistical nightmare this sort of scenario would impose on the folks in game ops this question was posed to a number of the Manitoba Moose players. Here were their songs and the reasons behind their choices:
Jonathan Kovacevic
Song – I Was Made for Lovin’ You by KISS (listen here)
Reason – “The song has good vibes and would get the fans going.”
Logan Stanley
Song: Jukebox Hero by Foreigner (listen here)
Reason: “I’d choose that song because I grew up listening to 80’s rock and roll with my dad and now I’m a big fan of it. I also like that song because there’s a lot of energy in it and I think the crowd would be into it.”
Jimmy Oligny
Song: Mettre du Tape Su’ma Palette by Bob Bissonnette (listen here)
Reason: “Bob was a former hockey player and musician who passed away after a helicopter crash a couple years ago. When he played hockey, he was a player who would do anything for his team.”
CJ Suess
Song: So Good by B.O.B (listen here)
Reason: “It was my walk-up song in baseball and brings up great memories whenever I listen to it.”
Nelson Nogier
Song: The Hum by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs Ummet Ozcan (listen here)
Reason: “The song is the goal song for the Saskatchewan Rush (NLL team here in Saskatoon), and the fans here are extremely passionate about the team. The song is in the movie The Wolf on Wall Street, and in the scene it plays, Leonardo DiCaprio pounds his chest to the beat of the song. When the Rush score a goal (and there are many during an NLL game as I’m sure you know) the entire crowd at the arena in Saskatoon get on their feet and pound their chests as they do in the movie. Makes for a fun time!”
Cole Maier
Song: Kernkraft 400 – Zombie Nation (listen here)
Reason: “Because that is the song I remember hearing when I would go to NHL games as a kid in New Jersey. I think it’s catchy and like how it’s easy to get everyone to chant along to!”
Brent Pedersen
Song: Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue (listen here)
Reason: “This song has been played in arenas since I started playing hockey, It always brings a lot of energy to the building.”
Photo Credit: Jonathan Kozub (Manitoba Moose)
Leon Gawanke
Song: You’re Gonna Go Far Kid by The Offspring (listen here)
Reason: “Just cause I listen to it before every game and maybe hearing it during the game it would fire me up even more!”
Skyler McKenzie
Song: TNT by ACDC (listen here)
Reason: “It was the goal song when I was in juniors for the Winterhawks. It was so cool to see the fans go nuts when the team would score, that song would come on. The whole crowd would pump their fists and do a chant.”
Kristian Reichel
Song: Hajny Je Lesa Pan (listen here)
Reason: “I like this song, because it’s from one fairy tale when I was younger. The song is really cool and every little kid in Czech knows it. I liked the fairy tale and I like the song even more.”
David Gustafsson
Song: Wake me up by Avicii (listen here)
Reason: “I would have an Avicii song. Probably ‘Wake Me Up’. I listen to him a lot and that is my favourite song with him.”
Big thanks to the Moose front office duo of Daniel Fink (Manager of Hockey Communications & Broadcaster) and Jennifer Redenbach (Coordinator of Hockey Communications) for their help with this post.
