Iowa Wild tough guy is a hit with school kids

The wide-eyed grade-schoolers saw Kurtis Gabriel as a likable guy, a hockey ambassador.

Those who confront the Iowa Wild's hulking forward at Wells Fargo Arena see something entirely different.

"He's a big bruiser on the ice," teammate Tyler Graovac said, "but kind of a softie off it."

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Gabriel was among four Wild players who visited Western Hills Elementary this week.

It's part of a franchise initiative — the Healthy Living Floor Hockey Program — that has reached more than 100 schools in central Iowa and introduced more than 35,000 children to the sport.

Those kids, however, never see Gabriel's ornery side.

Last Saturday, the native of Calgary, Alberta, went one-on-one with Daniel Maggio of the Lake Erie Monsters, trading haymakers.

Fisticuffs are fairly common in hockey. But this took place just 2 minutes, 6 seconds into the game.

"I'm a guy who will step up and do that for the team," Gabriel said. "It's not something I joined hockey to do, it just ended up how I play."

Gabriel's path to the AHL was peppered with rough patches.

He came through the junior ranks undrafted and signed a three-year entry level contract with the Minnesota Wild last March.

While playing for the Owen Sound, Gabriel led the team in penalty minutes.

"No kid's role starts out as being that guy," he said. "Once you get to junior hockey and it's allowed, being a bigger guy and being told to be physical, fights are just a byproduct."

Gabriel incurred 69 penalty minutes in his first 31 games with the Iowa Wild.

And he's becoming a fan favorite.

"He's probably one of the most genuine, honest (people) on the team," Graovac said. "It's pretty amazing how he can turn that act on when he hits the ice.

"He's just a complete rebel."

How do you explain such malice to the youthful masses?

"Usually, there's always a kid who is going to ask that question," Gabriel said of hockey fighting. "Over the years, I've kind of worked up a good response: 'We sign up for it. It's a professional sport. I know the sacrifices going in.'

"It's like you want a firefighter going into a burning building, not a regular person. They're trained to do it."

Don't roll your eyes. There are times when the Wild need someone to cool off an opposing defender.

"Kurtis is the prime example of that," Graovac said. "I feel a little more safe out there. If anyone is going to mess with me, they're going to have to go through him first."

With the bullies kept at bay, Graovac scored 13 goals and made 14 assists in 37 games.

"That's what I respect about Kurtis, he does his job," Graovac said. "And he does it very well. So it allows me to do my job."

So, maybe, it's fitting that Gabriel is serving as a role model.

"If a kid listens to what we say, picks up (hockey) and plays," Gabriel explained, "Why not?"