Against ALL ODDS NHL Child Prodigies | Where Are They Now?!

Twitter
/ robtalkshockey
In today's video we go over the then child phenoms Auston Matthews, Nathan Walker, and Daniel Sprong.
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Ryli | / rylimusic
/ @rylimusic1141
Lakey | / lakeyinspired
All of my videos are edited following the "Free Use" Guideline of KZbin as well as the Canadian and United States copyright acts.

[@RobTalksHockey]

Can you name a child prodigy?

[@nighthawk7877]

Would Liam Kirk count in the context of this video?

[@phroggie7626]

Josh Ho-Sang

[@sparrow-we7ip]

me

[@irishhockey2181]

Roman Marcotte

[@pushpindersekhon6221]

Nice vid

[@lukaouimette5773]

I know people might think this is fake but I legitimately live in Australia and hes such a big inspiration for the entire hockey community here

[@spritestuff]

He is the reason I chose to support the Washington Capitals. I made that decision the 2018 preseason. When I saw Ovi lift the cup, I knew I would never EVER cheer for another team. And I became obsessed 😅😅😅 (Fellow hockey loving Aussie)

[@truthman9338]

Mate what hockey community in Sydney I only know of 1 ice rink ?

[@zeitxgeist]

@@truthman9338 Liverpool, Canterbury, Alexandria, Macquarie Park, & Gosford if that counts.

[@CryonicCrusader]

I can imagine. Been keeping an eye on the Aussie national team myself - I like to see the game grow, so why not - and I know the names of the best players, the likes of Lliam Webster, Tony Kimlin, Wehebe Darge, etc. But it's cool that there's an Aussie that plays in the NHL. And to have him hoist the Cup... I wonder if the Cup actually went to Australia that year.

[@TheBigRedOutlaw]

@@spritestuff my man✊. ive lived in dc my whole life go caps‼️🎉🥳🥳🎊🏆

[@salmanhatia9039]

if gretzky wasnt traded to LA then auston matthews would probably be a baseball player right now and leafs fans would still be in pain.

[@Digital_PeterGriffin]

Goes back in time to prevent the trade

[@therealmcromano319]

It would be Laine vs Duboius

[@salmanhatia9039]

@@therealmcromano319 or puljujarvi

[@salmanhatia9039]

@President Trump better than not making the playoffs 🤷

[@juicewrld5916]

were still in pain

[@maniac2323]

As an Italian, this video is inspirational.

[@excesssum]

You guys have a lot going for you. Playing in the elite division of IIHF WC, with so much heart in every game. And Andreas Bernard is a monster, giving 120% in every game. I always root for Italy, unless you are playing against Latvia for obvious reasons :D

[@LivRogers-tw6oe]

Ice hockey is pretty big here in Australia and we all look up to Nathan Walker.

[@cameronryan9709]

itś kinda creepy how much Auston Matthews mom looks like him

[@dimitrosg]

Cameron Ryan Yeah well, that's how genes work...

[@keir13]

Oh my god, my son and I watched this video together and both of our jaws dropped when you mentioned the Daniel Sprong age gap when he was a kid. Holy!

[@MrSharkFIN]

He was barely even a kid lol

[@Ali_Abdurahman]

Damn Matthews went from living in a place where hockey wasn't known -> to playing for one of the biggest NHL franchise.

[@jasonmortimer4365]

The Biggest

[@Ali_Abdurahman]

Jason Mortimer yes the biggest

[@joer8854]

It's crazy, but he's without a doubt the best 5 on 5 player in the sport. He's led the league 5 on 5 since his rookie year.

[@D34dlyAssassin9]

@@joer8854yeah yeah 1st round exits tho Lolol

[@Aditya-fn3pn]

I thought Nathan Walker was a cricket player the first time I searched him up. ( Cricket Australians fav sport)

[@sangitk23]

The most popular sport in Australia is actually aussie rules football

[@hmwpyro18]

Nah mate. AFL Footy is our fav sport.

[@pseudonymous9153]

Meanwhile I'm a Canadian cricket fan

[@willmonty2905]

One of the rinks matthews is seen playing at here is the ice cube in Ann Arbor michigan. That’s where I currently play on my high school team and our current locker room is the old USA hockey locker room. Auston Matthews sat in one of the stalls in my locker room which is pretty dope to think about

[@KodyCaron]

Great vid! Love the enthusiasm. Awesome work

[@ryanslabowski471]

Easily my favorite hockey channel on KZbin man! So much respect!! Please keep em coming, maybe goalies drafted in late rounds?

[@MrSharkFIN]

The thing is Nathan Walker is British-Australian, both really small hockey countries.

[@lb_75]

Think us brits need to step up our youth development we’ve literally got some of the best rinks in Europe

[@shif06]

Sorry, not even close. The rings are really bad to be honest. Most are not even ice hockey standard. There is a massive potential tho.

[@rhysparry5647]

Have you seen some of the rinks there isn’t one anymore in Edinburgh and Manchester rink is rubbish for a city that size

[@Lennaick]

I don't know the quality of rink in UK but it seems that UK like too many country in Europe did not do anything for ice hockey. We have good ice rink in every town were is there a Magnus team but elsewhere... rink suck if there any... Program for kids is super low, only the passion of the trainer is very high and give faith to the kids and some parents. Apart football nothing is done for sport in France even in sports we have pretty good performances like handball were French ( man and woman ) won many world cup... It's a shame. It seems to me that UK face the same nonsense.

[@Rptvrr]

I would love to talk more about this, my friend Brandon barber who i played ball hockey with for a decade with or pavel barber as most know him as now lol. He is big on devolping the game in countries that don't have a lot of oppurtunity to do so! I don't know how to private message on here. 🤷‍♂️

[@tyha7818]

That intro was very weird, in a good way of course lol Loving the videos Rob, keep it up dude!

[@nicklariviere4101]

I often forget Daniel Sprong actually played hockey in the Netherlands. Growing up, we had mutual friends and see was moving up the ranks fast.

[@scooterelway9191]

50k coming rob i cant belive it ! your video quality improved so much thanks for the awesome content !

[@BM_2002]

Moving the Jets to Phoenix was a big mistake but I kinda like that it grew the game

[@jamesmiller9136]

Nathan Walker inspires me since i'm from Australia.

[@chrisdavis273]

Best video I’ve seen in a bit. Nice job Rob

[@billnyethesciencedenier6701]

I grew up playing hockey in Houston Texas in the 90s. City of 3 million. We had 2 ice rinks when I started, and 1 was in a mall. Now there are 4, and one of them is still in a mall.

[@holoholopainen1627]

Playing hockey in a Mall ?

[@ryanmccrea5264]

My daughter plays and it’s directly related to watching The Mighty Ducks! So I thank Disney for where I now spend my weekends. As a lifetime hockey fan I love your channel. Thank You

[@romanmckechnie679]

being from scotland, this video is so inspiring

[@heebhillier7970]

Actually laughed out loud when I seen the whit comment about the peewee tourney hahah

[@bison8745]

Matthews grew up in a chocolate pie. True story.

[@thesoundwraith1435]

I'm from Phoenix, would love to visit a Canadian city someday with my gear. Dream is to experience pond hockey.

[@Darthoil]

Nothing like skating on a pond and looking at the cracks in the ice being around 2 feet thick. One of my friends neighbor made sure to snowplow the ice for us to play on. And even provide flood lights for us to play. Even playing on outdoor rinks in -30 Celsius.

[@Rewiindz]

Pond hockey is the best feeling on earth, you don’t even have to go all the way to canada! Just go up north

[@maroonbadger5634]

Nathan Walker got like 2 goals called back with the Blues.

[@ariccua6101]

He had a hat trick this season!

[@bradysynyard9047]

I just subscribed my guy been enjoying the content keep it up

[@AnHourOfWolves]

Excellent video! I want to see female phenom stories! 😁

[@martyboddy5965]

Inline hockey had a huge boom in the 90's in New Zealand because of the Mighty Ducks movies (the first one was called Champions in this part of the world). We don't have a Nathan Walker to show for it though.

[@cdefcdef1816]

Such an underrated channel.

[@xkrungiex]

Walker's name isn't on the Cup. He was ineligible due to not enough games played. Or something like that. Technically, we Aussies also have Kings prospect Jordan Spence, too. Born in Manly (Sydney Northern Beaches) but grew up in Japan (I believe) and Canada. To my knowledge if he plays he will be the first Aussie-born player. Even though he is only eligible to represent Japan or Canada though.

[@sammieboy88]

Hey man. I'm from Holland. Hockey is bad here, but it isn't that bad! Dale Weise came to play in our top league during the 2012/2013 lockout. He put up 48 points in 19 games, which sounds like a lot, but the league had two dominating teams at the time on one of which he played of course. I've seen him on a Dutch rink! Anyway, loving the videos!

[@Boots2Bike]

Long time good friend growing up Randy Hernandez, also played for the USNTDP. And was also from a very unlikely place, we grew up playing down in Miami Florida for the Miami Toros. Known as "Cuban missile" "el cubano"

[@noahbarrett8002]

Can’t believe I grew up in Youngstown and saw don’t know how many phantoms games, I never noticed walker but seeing this, the 330 is proud

[@johnnygazzola7593]

I played for the team Matthews was playing against but I played for them last year in the Pee Wee Quebec Tournament. If that makes sense

[@cadena2855]

Now if that’s not inspiration by those child prodigies idk what is, that’s insane. Learn something everyday! :)

[@brooksbeach8148]

I played in brick this year but it was in Vegas because of dumb COVID. 😢. I played defense for PA brick and pulled of a backhand toey

[@camdotcoms]

would LOVE an update on nathan walker since he's been playing with the blues for the past couple years and has gotten quite a few firsts since then!!

[@RelaxingGhost]

20-30 outdoor rinks. Man I think we only have one here in Windsor. I wish things were open to go shoot around. We have a few indoor rinks

[@Tommyboy13100]

Great video, however I would have put Liam Kirk and Andong Song on this list. Kirk is the first British-trained hockey player to be drafted, and Song is the first Chinese player to be drafted.

[@toddgriffiths209]

I live in hershey so watching walker play with us for a few years and it was great to see him go up to the capitals and get his name on the cup after his acl tear

[@ashter_7266]

It’s funny how both sprong and walker both played for the caps at one point (and sprongs still there)

[@yernotthebossofme1062]

What I can't figure out about the Netherlands and ice hockey, is how popular skating, including speed skating has always been in Holland/Netherlands. This was a very good video, though, I think Dessert is spelled with two z's. Dezzert... or maybe just one s.😉

[@millsy5094]

I guess I cant use "my mom couldn't afford to put me in hockey" as an excuse when I live in Ontario. I was really good when I was younger, but whenever I asked if I could start hockey the answer was "NO!"... Should have just kept practicing anyways and maybe it would have worked itself out.. I feel like it was my gift.

[@ricecrispy7951]

2out of 3 are Caps players. Love the way Spring plays and love that Walker made NHL history with the Caps. Oh, and that Matthews kid is okay too 😉

[@michaelluong6484]

*were. I missed Marcus Johansson, but not enough to send Sprong away!

[@dominiktremblay411]

omg the yoshi lick got me good

[@nicklutu]

Yeah, growing up in San Diego in the 70/80’s. Only 2 rinks and maybe enough kids to make 3 teams with only 2 lines on each team. LOL, lets say you got a lot of ice time even if you didn’t skate well.

[@noahwoolgar848]

Watching during online school anybody else?

[@CCD_Prods]

Yeh

[@jebisthegoat2772]

me

[@Manugarnacho17]

I don’t have school on fridays

[@noahwoolgar848]

@@Manugarnacho17 bro u lucky

[@jebisthegoat2772]

@@Manugarnacho17 WHAT wait so do you have school on Sunday and not Friday or is it just 4 days of school

[@everythingallthetime8644]

Joe Thornton plays over 1700 games in the NHL with no cup to show for it, while Nathan Walker only plays a mere 17 games and has a cup to his name. Hockey is one hell of a game.

[@eastsidetactown]

To think Sprong was on his way out of the league in the offseason last year, and this year he is absolutely killing it on the 4th line in Seattle. Also proves that even 4th liners are magnitudes better than any amateur could ever dream to be

[@pseudonymous9153]

I knew a Kuwaiti girl on Twitter who was a recent NHL fan. She didn't know professional or any kind of elite ice hockey existed until she became a fan. You're right it is so fuckin weird for us 🇨🇦 to imagine places where hockey isn't the most popular sport

[@pushpindersekhon6221]

Nice vid

[@BakisCR]

Your at 51k congrats

[@tyha7818]

I'm about to use my school laptop account to sub😎

[@ChristineDeyell]

Hey rob could you do a 6th pick tier list, and make sure to add scott hartnell who was drafted in 2000, he's my uncle.

[@cousinjimmy2638]

Scott Hartnell is a 1st round person. When my youngest was 3 or 4, she'd watch the Flyers with me. It was to the point where she knew most of the players. I had to take her to work downtown with me on a snow day and who is on line at Starbucks but Hartnell. My daughter pulls off my hand and races over, I'm nervous, and then she hugs his leg. He was such a gracious guy, took pictures and signed a Starbucks sleeve for her. She doesn't remember the day anymore, but I'll never forget how he made my little girl's day.

[@sethfeiel8575]

4:23 that one timer tho

[@gunnerchristian5936]

did he grow up in a batch of cookies or a double chocolate cake?😆 nice thumbnail but besides that great vid

[@colenakrayko1788]

I might play in the brick tournament next year

[@Solaris501]

Takes incredible parents for dedicating their entire life (uprooting) to a kid’s talent.

[@pseudonymous9153]

I wonder how their siblings feel...

[@jamesfarnarkler]

Not all of Australia couldn't care less about hockey. There's a vibrant community of players and fans. If by some miracle, we were able to get decent rinks, Australia would be knocking on the door of the top 20 in a decade.

[@nickpapageorgio8529]

I played hockey for 15 years, and I’m from Louisiana. Played on team Louisiana lmao but we weren’t bad.

[@JoyKAnthony]

Met Nate Walker in Whistler at Coast Mountain Brewing when the caps were there, doing an axe-throwing following a game vs the Canucks. Got to shake hands with Ovi that day will never forget it. (I immediately turned into a little boy and said “Alexander Oveckin How’s it’s going ?” He proceeded to crush my hand and say “GOOD YOU?” Not stopping and disappeared just as fast…. Nate on the other hand hung out and (I’m Australian and knew who he was so he was pretty stoked) told me about getting a call from the Aussie Prime Minister after scoring his first goal (funnily enough against my team the habs) and even more funny it was a deflection off of his buttocks 😂… such a good memory, making fun of Malcolm Turnball (former PM) together, Nate was chirping him because he asked the kid how fast he skates and was adamant about know ing the speed… anyways I just hit a blunt so you’re all welcome for the Yarn.

[@scottbowen4505]

Played w Matthews when we were kids. Actually won state w him in squirts got our name on a trophy together.

[@fabianjury1329]

Meanwhile here in Chile, I’m like, the next guys to be in the NHL draft are my age, just pain.

[@holoholopainen1627]

Nobody from Chile yet - at NHL ?

[@ryanmccarney1528]

My dad had a beer with Wayne Gretzky yesterday in Florida

[@lochrockwood9621]

Doubt

[@marnerfan731]

It’s so cool that we live in the same city!

[@holoholopainen1627]

Which City ? London Ont ?

[@Rewiindz]

Canada must be so nice, i live in Delaware and we have 3 ice rinks for a state of 100k ish people. Pennsylvania isn’t too far away and there’s a good amount of rinks there but my whole childhood growing up i had to drive an hour there and back to every practice and game if not farther

[@holoholopainen1627]

Delaware IS at Pa ?

[@peteheeringa23]

I’m playing in the brick invatoinal ternament on the jr red wings

[@curtisc6429]

Really enjoying your videos! Can you please think about doing a potential Team Canada 2022 for the olympics if it happens? Would LOVE to see your take, thanks!

[@freesysports7050]

8 rinks in a City of 60k people? I wish I would live in Canada. The next ice rink is in a city of almost 160k people and they only have 1 rink.

[@jackblaze2015]

I live in Coventry, England. 300k people, one rink. Closest rink elsewhere is local in Solihull, otherwise they are all scattered miles and miles away

[@freesysports7050]

@@jackblaze2015 I fell ya bud

[@melgreier1630]

Yep come to Canada ... small town Canada that is... I live and grew up in a village of 250ppl but every town, village and even some hamlets had an indoor rink and a few had outdoor rinks as well ...

[@christopherrobinmarriott7218]

I find it amazing Matthew grew up in a DESSERT!!! Was he born in an apple pie?! Or did he hail from a bin of chocolate ice cream?!...ohhh DESERT?!?! Well thats still pretty cool

[@firstnamelastname9044]

Why do I think that Austin mathews as a kid has that mustache

[@dylanharrington6661]

So I actually worked with team druzbuh it’s a really amazing story behind possibly one of the greatest coach’s and pewee teams of all time. If you ever want to talk about it lmk

[@RoyalMela]

Anze Kopitar had also a career almost like this. Slovenia has had some international success and six players from Slovenia have been drafted, and alongside Kopitar only Jan Murzak has played in NHL. Whole country of Slovenia has less that 1000 players. Marius Czerkawski came from Poland, which is not that unfamiliar hockey nation, but it also suffered from the Iron Curtain. Czerkawski is by far the greatest player from Poland, and alongside tough guy Krzysztof Oliwa the only players from Poland to make it into NHL.

[@holoholopainen1627]

Howabout Tomek Valtonen ? - or Stefan Liv ?.

[@vernal2322]

10:40 is St. Louis blues Sammy blais

[@travismcguirk9725]

i had a sprong signature before but idk where it is

[@ry-flix]

Desert has 1 S, unless Auston was born in a hot fudge sunday

[@jeeplivion]

The parents are the real MVPs

[@jacepursell4450]

Who is that Vegas fan behind walker at 8:16

[@sportsfan3236]

Rank every 6th overall pick from the 2000s

[@dukestorm8813]

Yeah do this please, I miss those types of videos

[@alyssinwilliams4570]

I hope, when Nathan Walker decides to retire from the NHL, he goes and plays in the Australian League; he seems like he'd be a good face of the league

[@af4237]

your thumbnail misspelled desert

[@pseudonymous9153]

Drop the childhood Pokémon videos

[@Mworobitz]

So what kind of dessert was Matthews living in? Like a chocolate lava cake or a strawberry arnaud?

[@shoheresjacobs8172]

Pause the video at 11:00 and look the teams I play for the grenadiers

[@dougie-thugie]

This really comes down to who's a rich kid that can afford ice time. Guarentee 9 out of 10 went to prep schools

[@pseudonymous9153]

Only rich kids can play hockey in Canada too

[@jimbodangle178]

Hes got the ring, but he doesnt have his name on it unfortunately (walker)

[@ridingwithdavid739]

Sorry...but Matthew Tkachuk ,Sean Couturier and Ty Conklin were also born in Arizona,and played in the NHL before Matthews.

[@wadec43]

Only got to see bc of a 2 hour late start

[@tgoodjenkins]

Matthews growing up around the rink and going to NHL games..... yeah real shocker there...... being born somewhere shouldn't determine whether or not you can have talent. Watching soccer you see people from all over do good. Lots of nations with 1 world class player and not much else. But it's not really a surprise. They have to come from somewhere.

[@tgoodjenkins]

To me "against all odds" describes players more like Ferland who's family couldn't afford to put him in hockey.

[@kajavycudilik3887]

Wtf i'm from Germany and here are 3 rinks in a circle of 200 km wtfffffff, i'm envious

[@pseudonymous9153]

Imagine being a teenager and checking a four year old. Or getting checked by a four year old.

[@joetorok-dp2kc]

Matthew knies from the university of Minnesota

[@frogfire3036]

My brother's friend made the brick team

[@chrisstaples182]

Im trying to think of a small town that would have out door rinks and have canucks fans. Help us out bud. Cant be in BC unless its northern BC.

[@RobTalksHockey]

I moved to Alberta haha

[@chrisstaples182]

@@RobTalksHockey ah yes. I moved to Winnipeg. Hockey culture is unreal here. So many hockey resources. But almost no Canucks fans. Considering the connection to the Manitoba Moose, i was expecting a little more blue and green walking around haha. I get lonely.

[@RobTalksHockey]

I definitely feel you haha! I lived in between Edmonton and Calgary. So as you can imagine I have basically never met a Canucks fan here

[@MYFAVORITES5]

Desert

[@jbthestoner5504]

Mmm... dessert 🍰

[@importednascar]

Matthews should have the Rocket Richard trophy...

[@21cup]

So is walker Aussie or Welsh?

[@gordeassson9056]

6:08 born in Cardiff GB 8:18 Australian-born. Pretty amazing guy to be born in two different places on opposite sides of the world. Who cares that he can play hockey!