Photography courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, FrenchKheldar
What does it take to become a top winter athlete? Apparently, Imo’s Pizza and toasted ravioli are the go-to foods (or at least guilty pleasures) of champions.
When we spoke with speedskater Patrick Meek, a St. Louisan who will be competing at the Sochi Olympics, he listed Imo’s and T-ravs as his preferred local treats. When asked for his favorites, Colorado Avalanche center Paul Stastny, another St. Louisan headed to the Olympics, gave the same answer.
Stastny also mentioned another less-than-healthy St. Louis original, Carl’s Drive In. “That place is dynamite,” he says.
And that’s not all that the pair of world-class athletes have in common—they’re both big Cardinals fans, too. When he’s in Denver during the hockey season, Stastny orders the baseball package on TV, so he can watch all the games. When he’s back in St. Louis during the summer, he occasionally goes to a game. “It’s too humid for me,” he says. “I would rather watch at a house or watch at a bar.”
Stastny’s aversion to heat probably isn’t a surprise. Ice hockey runs in his veins. His father, Peter, defected from Czechoslovakia in 1980 to play in the NHL, becoming one of the first great European players to do so. He made six All-Star games, played in three Olympics, and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Two of Paul’s uncles, Anton and Marian, also played in the NHL, as did his brother Yan.
Paul, who was born in Canada, honed his skills at Chaminade College Preparatory School, while his dad was playing for the Blues. The family settled in St. Louis after Peter retired. When it came time for international competition, picking which country to skate for was an easy choice for Paul. “I decided that I wanted to play for America,” he says. “That’s where I was raised. That’s where I grew up. That’s where I learned to play hockey. I was born in Canada, but I am 100 percent American.”
Stastny was a member of the Olympic team in 2010, contributing a goal and two assists to a young U.S. squad that surprised everyone by winning a silver medal, losing a tense gold medal game to Canada in overtime. “We had no expectations,” he says. “I think we kind of played loose, just had fun.”
Other teams had bigger stars, but the Americans played better together. “Russia obviously was super hyped up, because they probably had the best couple of players, but as a team, they weren’t as good as the individuals,” Stastny says. “I think we came to realize in an international tournament like that, it’s all about playing as a team and playing for the pride.”
The Avalanche had a tough 2012-13 season, finishing dead last in the Western Conference. But since then, things have been trending up for Stastny. At the 2013 World Championship, he was one of the few NHL players to suit up for Team USA. As captain, he tallied 15 points in 10 games, making the tournament all-star team and helping the Americans capture their first medal at the Championships since 2004. “Sometimes people put too much pressure on themselves and overthink the situation, in sports or life,” he says. “Sometimes, you need to take a step back and enjoy what you’re doing. That’s when you’re at your best. That’s what we did.”
This year, under the direction of new coach and goaltending legend Patrick Roy, the Avalanche are playing much better hockey, currently sitting in fifth place in the hotly contested Western Conference. (The Blues are third, behind Anaheim and Chicago.) “If you win 10 in a row, it doesn’t even matter,” Stastny observes, “because the next top five teams win 10 in a row as well.”
Given the country’s hockey successes over the past few years, Stastny says that unlike 2010, the U.S. team has high expectations for Sochi. “We’re shooting for gold,” he says. “Our expectations are raised. Since it’s been four years, a lot of guys have gotten better, have matured. We know we have the team to do it. It’s nothing short of gold.”
