Seth Helgeson made his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils this season, playing 22 games and registering two assists and 18 penalty minutes. Here's his story, from Gophers to on-ice gaffes.

The Hockey News

Status: New Jersey Devils defenseman

HT: 6-foot-4 WT: 215 pounds

DOB: Oct. 8, 1990 In: Faribault, Minn.

First Hockey Memory:"My dad bringing me me and my brother to the rinks. Those winters in Minnesota – hockey was the thing to do. We just went out and played all day."

Hockey Inspirations: "As a kid, I always wanted to play a sport where I could bond with my brother. We had to pick what we wanted to do as we grew older. For me it was to play hockey. I was inspired by my younger brother and role models I looked up to."

Last Book Read: "Lone Survivor."

Current Car: "Chevy Malibu (gold)."

Greatest Sports Moment: "Making my NHL debut was one. Probably playing for my childhood team the Minnesota Gophers, that was another. There's been a lot of them."

Most Painful Moment: "Anytime you lose. That's the most painful. Lose a game. Lose a big game. There's been a lot of them."

Favorite Uniforms: "In the NHL? Probably ours. Gotta say ours. And the Minnesota Wild."

Favorite Rink To Play: "I enjoyed Winnipeg."

Funniest Player Encountered: "Scott Gomez is a pretty funny character. Guys like that. There's many that you encounter."

Fiercest Competitors Encountered: "Individual or team? Down in the American League you're facing a team every night that's wanting to win. Down there – the defensive game – they're all fierce. We played a team like Syracuse; they're as fierce as they come, when it comes to competing. In college, when we played our rival North Dakota, it was fierce competition."

Most Memorable Goal: "They don't come often. Probably in college my junior year (2011-12), I scored in the mid-west regional to help the team go to the final."

Embarrassing Hockey Memory: "When I was younger, whenever I would step out with my skate-guards on. That's probably the most embarrassing thing I've gone though."

Favorite Sport Outside Hockey: "Either golf or baseball."

First Famous Hockey Player You Met Or Encountered: "When I was younger, it was one of the first years of the Minnesota Wild. I met a lot of Wild and one was Marian Gaborik. That was pretty cool."

Strangest Game:"I've been involved in a couple games in college when one of the panes of glass broke in warm-ups. So warm-ups was kind of screwed up."

Three Athletes You Like To Watch & Follow: "Well, Tiger Woods, but lately that hasn't been much fun. Jason Dufner. I watch a lot of golf. I enjoy watching baseball. Minnesota Twins. Probably one of the Twins as well."

Why Do You Love Playing Hockey: "It's the greatest sport out there. You get to compete. You have fun. It's all mashed into one. You gain friends. It's a great time."

Personality Qualities Most Admired: "Just being down to earth. Caring. That's what you want to see. That's what I try to envision myself as. Seeing down to earth people makes you pretty happy."

Mark 'Scoop' Malinowski's latest book "Facing Nadal: Symposium Of A Champion" is available on Amazon.