Part two of our extended chat with Kansas City Mavericks forward Rob Bordson. Go here to check out part one. 

FLOHOCKEY: So, when you went to Europe for the first time for the 2016-17 season, was that trying to spend some time there to sort of reset yourself for another run over here? Is that perhaps fearing at the time that big opportunity may never come? I’m curious what the mindset is like for a player who gets that close at breaking through at the next level, but makes the decision to go overseas.

BORDSON: “Good question. At that point in my career, I think I was 27 years old. And I was like, ‘Well, you know, it’s not really panning out over here.’ I think I had an opportunity to re-sign with Iowa that year, but I wanted to go try my game over in Europe. My whole career, coaches, scouts and agents would always tell me that they thought my game would do really well there. And you can make a really good living over there. I finally took it upon myself to go over there, and I got a really opportunity in the DEL, which is a pretty high league over there, the German League. It really wasn’t one of those things where I’m like, ‘I’m going to go over there and come back.’ I think it was more of that me wanting to prolong my pro career, that type of thing. There are instances where guys will go over to leagues over there and come back, but that wasn’t really my mindset. I was just trying a new thing out.”

FLOHOCKEY: So, what was the European experience like for you over the four seasons you spent over there, especially getting to see so many different, new places?

BORDSON: “I saw a lot of places, saw a lot of countries. I think I’ve lived in four over there now; Germany for a couple years, Austria, and then last year I got to do Sweden and Finland. That was cool to see the Scandinavian countries. The hockey is good over there, and the fans are amazing. We really loved living in Sweden, it was a fun country to live in, very easygoing. There was parts of each place we really liked, though. It was fun. It was fun to live in different cultures for seven or eight months at a time. The only bummer was being away from family and friends so much, but you kind of are when you play pro hockey over here besides like relatives that come for a week to watch you play or something like that. But, it was a great four years over there.”

FLOHOCKEY: I hear you finished your college degree up semi-recently as well? Did you do a lot of that online when you were in Europe?

BORDSON: “Yes. I took six years off after my last year in school, but I took some summer classes one year, and then I took a couple online over in Europe. Actually, the year I got hurt in Austria, I was able to come home for the second semester and I took a full load of classes. So, I was on campus with some 20 and 21-year-olds, and I think I was 30 at the time. It was kind of funny. It took me 12 years, but I got my degree, and that was a pretty cool accomplishment for me for sure.”

FLOHOCKEY: Why was it so important for you to get that done?

BORDSON: “I always knew I wanted to finish and I needed to finish something that I started. School was always important to me growing up, too. I knew that once I had signed early after my junior year in college that I was going to finish, I just didn’t know when. I kind of slowly started chipping away, and it was actually kind of nice to take a class or two at a time. It gave me something to do and keeps the mind fresh. It was rewarding to finish something you started, and it’s a pretty big deal to get your degree.”

FLOHOCKEY: Talk to me about coming back to the ECHL this year with Kansas City. I’d been reading a little bit about what the process was like for you, and wanting to stay in Europe if at all possible, but I’m curious as to how it all went down that the Mavericks were the team you ended up picking.

BORDSON: “The initial plan was, back in May or June, to go back to Europe. But the pandemic never really slowed down. I finally realized that I needed to play somewhere, and I didn’t want to hang them up quite yet. My wife and I were expecting, so we didn’t want to take a chance of going over to Europe and being stuck over there and delivering a baby over there. So, actually it was Kohl Schultz called me out of the blue. At that point, I wasn’t really considering playing in North America, but a player I played with last year, Darren Nowick, put in a good word. We had a good conversation, even though I was still leaning towards Europe, and I actually called him back the next day, because I’d thought about it that night and was like, ‘Actually, this sounds really good.’ Darren had said good things about Kansas City, and I really liked the vibe with the coaches. I’d gotten in touch with Tad (O’Had) and I liked our conversations. I liked the idea of being in the Midwest too, I’m from Minnesota. It’s closer to home. And I did my homework, they’re a very professional organization here. It just seemed like a good fit. I wanted to come down here and help them get this program where they want to be.”

FLOHOCKEY: This is your third run in the E now, with Trenton of course and then a short stay in Adirondack a few years ago. Does the league today, especially now with the talent being so condensed with the smaller amount of teams for this season, feel any different to you compared to years past?

BORDSON: “I think so. I would say it’s definitely faster than it was when I played here I think five or six years ago in that stint with the Thunder. Hockey in general is getting faster and stronger in general. If you watch the NHL, it’s faster than it was ten years ago as well, so every league below it is getting faster too. Before, people would look at this league and go, ‘(ECHL), it’s not much,’ but it’s a really good league. I knew that from game one this year. I was like, ‘Wow, this is good hockey, there’s a lot of good players down here from the American League and guys on loans.’ There’s only 14 teams playing now too, so all those quality players that weren’t playing on teams like Norfolk and Worcester, those players are signing with other teams. So, the quality of play is, I think, probably the best it’s ever been. Maybe the best it ever will be.”

FLOHOCKEY: What’s your year been like from an individual standpoint? I’m used to seeing as you as a point-per-game guy, and it looks like that’s the case again this year…

BORDSON: “I had a little bit of a slow start, and it took me a bit to get used to the smaller rink. Being on the big sheet, you have a lot more time and space. So, there’s a little bit of an adjustment. Also, in Europe, you’re used to eight- or nine-game training camps, where we didn’t have any here and we just went right into games. I think my game is coming along. Would I like to be scoring more? Yes. Every player would. But, just trying to grind it out and get back to where I need to be. We need to score more goals as a team, and I think that’ll help everyone else.”

FLOHOCKEY: I think the last thing I’d have for you is just asking if you’ve been able to think far enough ahead to what the plan might be for you as your career progresses…are you looking to get back to Europe? Is KC maybe somewhere you’d consider staying?

BORDSON: “I have started to think in those terms, just because I am getting older. I know my years are definitely numbered, I’d like to play forever, but we know that’s not realistic. So yeah, I’m not sure if I want to go back to Europe or not. I’ve had conversations with this organization about possibly being able to be here past this year, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens. I don’t want to make too many decisions now, we’re only a third of the way through the season, but I do like it here in KC. Whether or not I wind up back in Europe, I’m not sure. It’s tough to say with the pandemic, but I don’t want to close any doors.”

Mike Ashmore has 17 years of experience covering professional and college sports. You can follow him on all social media channels at @mashmore98.