A couple weeks back, NFL star Jalen Ramsey made headlines in the hockey world for saying he’d only need six months to make the NHL if he trained hard enough. A noted trash talker that’s not afraid to speak his mind whatsoever, Ramsey explained his outlandish claim to ESPN’s Mina Kimes that since he’s since he’s so confident in his athletic abilities, while also taking shots at NFL quarterbacks.
NHLers from the past and present spoke out on the claim, saying what you could likely imagine.
Kimes’ co-worker, ESPN Hockey writer Emily Kaplan, reached out to a number of NHL superstars to get their thoughts on Ramsey’s comments.
"I think it's insulting to our league," said Sabres centre Jack Eichel.
"For us as players, we've dedicated our lives to be playing in the NHL. To think after six months you could come play arguably one of the hardest sports in the world? I mean, I think it's ridiculous he would say that. It's ignorant."
One of Ramsey’s biggest challenges he’d face if he hypothetically tried to learn the game would be skating. Hockey, unlike football, or any of the major sports around the world, requires a player to learn how to maneuver out on the ice before even learning how to shoot, stick-handle or even check. That is one of the reasons why you never see MLB, NBA or NFL players make the jump to the NHL like you do with other North American sports, as it takes years on years for one to master balancing out on the slippery surface.
"He's said he's never skated before," said Red Wings centreman Dylan Larkin.
Seth Jones shot down the notion that Ramsay wouldn’t even be able to learn how to skate in six months’ time, let alone make the NHL.
"You can't even learn to skate in six months."
Rangers forward Chris Kreider went expanded on why the mechanics of skating alone would be such a challenge.
"It's so funny to me."
"I think he's an unbelievable athlete, but skating is a skill set unto itself -- just like running is, just like swimming is. Think of someone who has never swam before. If you've never been in the water before, no matter how good of an athlete you are, chances are, you're not going to be an Olympic-caliber swimmer in six months.”
Kreider did leave the door open for Ramsay potentially making it from his athleticism alone.
"I'm sure with his pedigree and his athleticism he could play in the NHL, but it would take a lot longer than six months."
Vladimir Tarasenko would even wager on it and shot down the notion if he were to reverse the roles and try his hand at football.
"I can bet any money in the world and there's no chance he can play in the NHL in six months. It's impossible. Him saying that ... it de-classes our sport."
"If I practiced for six months, I could not make the NFL. I don't even know the rules."
Evander Kane believes he’d be a much better football player than Ramsey would be at hockey, which is hard to disagree with.
"I think I'd be about 1,000 percent times better at his position in six months than he'll be at mine.”
Ryan Johansen, who’s never been shy to share his thoughts on certain situations like what he thinks of Ryan Kesler, believes he wouldn’t look completely foolish.
"I don't think I'd look like an idiot," he said. "But I definitely wouldn't be pro-ready."
Not everyone shared the same general stance, though. Evgeny Kuznetsov was much more positive than most.
"I would like to see that, for sure. He can come; we can help him. It's cool if an athlete wants to try something new."
Whatever you think of Ramsey’s comments, which very well could’ve been facetious and done to rattle the NHL community as a mere publicity sunt, it’s certainly generated some buzz and put hockey in the spotlight down in the United States, which Nathan MacKinnon explained is a good thing for tboth sports.
"It's good for the NFL, for someone to go out and talk like that. It brings a lot of attention. "If it happened in hockey, it would make the sport a little more popular, too, and we'd take it."
John Tavares extended his best wishes to Ramsey if he ever does try to lace the skates up.
"Well, I'd tell him good luck, then."
