Before I’ve shared ten words with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Zach Redmond, I can tell he’s a patient, laid-back guy. Between the time delay–almost a full second–and the intriguing time zone challenge of finding a middle ground between Michigan and New Zealand, this interview could have been off to an awkward start. There are technical difficulties and hurriedly-thumbed phone emails. But Redmond just laughs it all off. After a year of working hard, he is enjoying his chance to relax.
Redmond came to the Avalanche as a free agent, signed in the summer of 2014. Prior to that, he’d been a reliable call-up for the Winnipeg Jets.