He grew up in the town of Rankin Inlet, about 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. He used to train his legs by lifting his 3-year-old niece and 6-year-old nephew.
Now Jordin Tootoo is living the high life in Nashville as the NHL's first Inuit player.
"I'm just trying to pave the way for the young kids out there trying to set goals," he told the Associated Press. "Hopefully, one day, kids can say, "If he can do it, I can do it.' "
Tootoo, 20, is a scrappy 5-foot-9, 195-pound right wing who was the 68th overall pick of the 2001 draft. He plays on a checking line.
He eats often at Nashville's sushi restaurants to remind him of home, where raw fish is a daily meal.
"I'm just taking it one day at a time and trying to use every day to its fullest advantage," said Tootoo, who played 13:34 in his first game. "I have a big heart and play with fire beneath my legs. That's what's getting me going."
Dominating presence
If there was any question which way the Red Wings' loyalty swayed in one of the most awkward goalie controversies in recent memory, it was put to rest by defenseman Chris Chelios.
After Dominik Hasek beat the Kings 3-2 Thursday in his first regular-season game after a year off, Chelios brought the curtain down on Curtis Joseph.
"Nothing against Cujo," Chelios said. "But just having Dom on the ice gives the team more confidence. It takes time, but in training camp, he looked great, like the old Dom."
Five Questions
With Bruins center P.J. Stock:
Q : Explain your online journal (at bostonbruins.com). A: Hockey is not one of my main interests other than playing it. I started writing about everything else except for hockey. I started writing about other stuff and got some good feedback.
Q : Any censorship by the team?
A: Sometimes I write something they might edit it out a little. But it has nothing to do with management.
Q : What's your take on the war in Iraq?
A: I'm really antiwar. The people in charge are supposed to make the right decisions, and we trust that they do, but no one ever likes to see people die, especially people who are not involved in the dispute.
Q : How about Arnold?
A: That's California for you. It's perfect. Whether he leads the state or the country, maybe it takes a little attention from what's going on everywhere else.
Q : The Madonna-Britney kiss?
A: It's beautiful. Britney Spears hasn't been in the headlines all that much and Madonna was dying a little bit as of late. I think Britney Spears is going to take over that whole role. It was almost like the passing of the torch.
Around the league
Dallas' Bill Guerin proved he is 100 percent after last season's scary thigh injury limited him to four games after Feb. 27. He got into a fight less than 30 seconds into Wednesday's opener against the Mighty Ducks. ... The Stars' 238-game home sellout streak is expected to end Wednesday against the Bruins. ... Wild holdout Marian Gaborik just finished an eight-game tour in the Slovakian elite league. ... Jeff Hackett is the first Flyers goalie to debut with a shutout since John Vanbiesbrouck in 1998. "My mom was here," Hackett said. "I didn't want her to come in case the crowd started booing me. I made it easier on her." ... Hurricanes rookie center Eric Staal is so good, he has taken a position from Ron Francis, who is playing left wing after 22 seasons in the middle. ... The Boston Herald reported that defenseman Bryan Berard, whom the Bruins allowed to become and unrestricted free agent and had hoped for a contract that paid $2-million a season, contacted Boston about its one-year, $1.8-million offer. Too late, the team said, it's off the table. ... The Blues, who because of injury did not have a full lineup in any game last season, started this season with five regulars hurt. Still defenseman Chris Pronger is back from last season's wrist surgery. What is at stake? "Pretty much my entire career," he told St. Louis' Post-Dispatch. "I know I have to prove myself."
Quotable
"If this kid stays healthy, by the end of his career, he will be looked at as one of the good defensemen in history. I don't like making comparisons, but Larry Robinson. Big, could skate, was tough and could score. That's what this kid is." - Hall of Famer Bobby Orr on Florida's Jay Bouwmeester.
- Compiled by Times staff writer Damian Cristodero from personal interviews and information from other news organizations.
