Ronning

Cliff Ronning, who stands at 5-foot-8 and is a great skater, plays center for the Nashville Predators. Ronning is the poster boy for the fleet-footed style Nashville employs. He leads the team with 26 points and has 56 career goals in a Predators uniform.

Through the years, I've played a lot of hockey -- in Europe, Olympics, the NHL -- and in different eras as well. I'm 5-foot-8 and after 14 years in pro hockey, I've pretty much heard it all. You know, stuff like "Hey, who sawed your legs off?" I don't even hear it anymore. I just tune it out. But there's a fan in L.A. who is pretty humorous about the whole thing.

Of course, over the years, that kind of stuff has definitely helped me. Everyone always said I was too small to play one game in the NHL or score a goal or be on a team that made the finals. I've done those things. It pushes you because they're always looking for bigger guys who can do what you're doing.

To make up for my size, I try to be a quick player and try to be smart and arrive at the right spot at the right time. I'm not going to do too well in front of the net with a guy 100 pounds heavier than me, but I don't really have to conserve my energy, either. As an athlete, I just have to be very focused and be fully prepared for each game.

I'm quicker than most guys -- not necessarily faster in a full-length sprint. In the NHL, it's very seldom end-to-end skating with the puck. There are lots of stops and starts and quick little plays. Sometimes, because of my size, I can get behind the net easier with the puck and move back and forth, but in the defensive zone, it's the opposite. A lot of times we have a winger down low instead of me.

When playing a team like Philadelphia, it's more or less a dump-and-chase style. You don't want to fool around with the puck in the neutral zone. Their defensemen stand up very well at the blue line. And in our end, players like John LeClair -- the big, strong guys -- are very dangerous. Sometimes, I won't face a line like that or maybe I'll play left wing, so we have a big guy in there.

It's a rough game, and always have your head up, no matter what size you are. That's just the way the game is, and you have to play as hard as you can every night. But I often have to go into a corner at a different angle because I can't just go head-to-head with Eric Lindros or someone like that. If I take that hit at a certain angle, it can actually push me forward and even give me a boost.

It's always an uphill battle. But I'm still having lots of fun -- if we win, it will be more fun. The biggest thing is that I enjoy a challenge because when you challenge yourself -- and meet that challenge -- you are a better person for it.

Cliff Ronning plays center for the Nashville Predators and has 56 goals in a Predators uniform.