Breaking The ice

Patrick Mullen, a member of Team Mullen, has travelled all over the world for his hockey career. He’s made his mark with the Pittsburgh Hornets (18U AAA), the University of Denver (NCAA), the Binghamton Senators (AHL) and even overseas in Belfast (EIHL). But where did his desire to play the sport come from? The answer: his dad, Joe Mullen. 

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When the Mullen’s lived in Calgary and his dad was a member of the Flames, Patrick remembers always going down to the rink in Calgary to watch his dad play. 

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“It was before I even had memories that I got into it,” Patrick Mullen said. “I was probably always walking around the rink with a stick just shooting tape balls around the locker room, and then it just went from there.” 

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Patrick had a stick in hands from a young age and the influence from his dad was apparent from the very beginning. As the son of an NHL player, fond memories of growing up in a hockey family include practicing in the backyard and playing street hockey, as well as some of the first times he laced up his skates and stepped onto the ice. 

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“I'd go out on the ice before practice with my dad where he would pass me pucks and skate around with me before he had to practice, mostly when he was with the Penguins,” Mullen said. “Then when whole team would come out, I got to skate around with them while they were warming up before their drills started.” 

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Before Patrick knew it, he was taking part in drills with his own teammates. Now he’s ready to be a part of 3ICE on Team Mullen, where he, along with the rest of his team, will be led by his dad. 

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“When I first started, it didn't seem like players without NHL experience would get a chance to play and then getting the opportunity to do so is awesome,” Mullen said.  

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Once the opportunity was there and it was time for the 3ICE Draft, Patrick feels that his dad always had it in the back of his mind that he wanted his son on his team. Fortunate enough, it worked out in Joe’s favor and the Mullen’s are heading into the 3ICE season on the same team. 

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“He wasn’t making any side deals or anything, but he was making sure that if he thought that I was worthy of playing that he would pick me,” Mullen said. “I just think it's going to be a great time, especially to experience it with my dad. The tryouts were awesome and so much fun, so I’m really excited for it to start.” 

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