Rob Madore recently signed a two-way AHL/ECHL contract with the Toronto Marlies and Orlando Solar Bears after spending the last two seasons with the Cincinatti Cyclones. His time in Cincinatti was highlighted by an ECHL Playoff MVP nod in 2014, where he guided the Cyclones to an appearance in the Kelly Cup Finals.

After a successful college career at the University of Vermont, Madore broke into the pro ranks with the Chicago Express in the ECHL, and has played with the South Carolina Stingrays, Evansville Icemen, Florida Everblades, along with stints in the American Hockey League with Charlotte and San Antonio.

The 27-year old Pittsburgh native recently attended the PHPA Annual Meeting of Player Representatives in Orlando, Florida and sat down with us to answer these ’10 Questions’:

1. What factored in your decision to sign with Toronto and what are your goals heading into this season?

Signing with any organization is an awesome feeling, especially as a free agent when you don’t always know what is going to happen. The most exciting thing for me about joining Toronto is they are kind of a whole new organization at this point. They want to win. From the NHL level down, they’re commitment to changing a culture that wasn’t part of that organization the past few years.

I think they know I’m going to work hard. I’ve always been a worker, and a consistent producer.  Whether I’m in the ECHL, AHL, or NHL, they are going to get the same out of me.  I try to be a good teammate and push for a championship at every level. I think that’s the kind of guys they are trying to bring in now; guys that want to compete and earn everything they get. That’s what I intend on bringing there, and that’s the atmosphere Mike Babcock and the rest of their new staff are trying to cultivate.

2. What did it mean to win the ECHL Playoff MVP Award in 2014?

It was a great experience. We had a really good team and a great group of guys, who were all committed to making the run. There are a lot of things that go into it. No goalie can have good numbers or have good performances without full commitment from the team in front of you.  It was unfortunate to not win, but it was a season of hard work and an all around team effort, and I just benefitted from it in a personal way.

3. Describe your experience attending the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes training camps. What did you take most out of those experiences?

You go into any training camp and realize there are some really, really good hockey players at every level in the North American professional system. It’s nice to be able to go out there, play with them and play against them. With a lot of guys, all it takes is a little bridge. It can be a big confidence boost for you, and encourage you to keep pushing through those workouts and long road trips in the minors towards the ultimate goal of playing in the NHL.

4. Who was your favorite hockey player growing up?

I was always a huge fan of Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. Roy was such a competitor, always fun to watch him. He had a little bit of showboat to him. Brodeur was always incredible to watch because he was so athletic. It was always interesting to watch games back then because you never knew what you were going to see from each goalie.

5. Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside of hockey?

I’ve always loved cooking. It stems mostly from the fact I like to eat. The last few years, from working with my trainer, we’ve really tried to focus on the nutrition side. It’s always kind of an adventure trying to make the things that I like, while making sure they are also healthy.

6. Do you have any game-day rituals or superstitions?

For the most part, goalies are a little crazier than the players with their superstitions. I’ve seen some skaters that are pretty nuts, so we can’t just say that the psychosis is limited to goalies. Personally, I don’t have a ton. I like to make sure my equipment is all set in a certain way, as well as the way I tape my sticks. I try to keep it lose and try not to be too serious. There’s a lot of uncontrollable things before a game, like changing up meeting times. I don’t really worry about a lot of that stuff.

7. As a PHPA Player Rep, what are some of your roles and responsibilities and did you enjoy attending the Player Rep meetings this past June?

Yeah, I absolutely loved it. The main thing I took out of it is that our union, including the reps, care about the players, and the staff work extremely hard for us. I love seeing the business side of the game because you can understand different decisions that are made. It was a great experience and met some pretty great people.

8. What are your favorite TV shows?

True Detective. It’s absolutely blowing my mind. I’m really devastated with one of the characters making their way out of the show, and I’m pretty excited to see the next episode. I also like watching The Food Network, specifically Chopped.  They make some crazy stuff.  Growing up with 20 straight losing seasons, I’m trying to catch as many Pittsburgh Pirates games on TV as well.

9. Can you discuss your entrepreneurial ventures?

One of my college teammates, a really smart guy named Brett Bruneteau, started a website called GimmeHockey.com.  The goal is to create a destination for anything related to hockey training camps, personal lessons, private instruction, and personal training all under one roof. It’s been nice to spend some time doing that. In the summer, as a player, you have a lot of free time on your hands. With training, I start at 7am and finish up at 1 or 2pm, so I still have the rest of the day and it’s nice to have something else to work on.

10. Who has been the most fun teammate you have ever played with throughout your career (and why)?

If I had to go way back, I’d say probably Kevan Miller, my former college teammate. He was our captain in college at the University of Vermont. I always looked up to him. He really works his tail off and he’s earned everything he’s gotten. He was undrafted, signed as a free agent and played a couple years with the Providence Bruins before making the jump to the NHL with Boston. He’s a tough guy, works hard in the weight room and on the ice. Around the guys in the room, he had a good time and was just a jokester. You always had to be on your guard around him, but he was definitely one of my most fun teammates.