Player Rep Spotlight: Alex Wideman (Indy Fuel)

Alex Wideman is the PHPA Player Representative for the Indy Fuel of the ECHL.  Wideman played four years at Miami University where he won an NCHC Championship in 2015.  Following his senior season, he turned pro with the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League and would split the next four seasons between the AHL and ECHL.  In 2019 Wideman left North America to play professional hockey in Europe, winning the Danish Championship in 2021. This season he has returned to the ECHL for a second stint with the Indy Fuel and is having a career year!

How did you become a PHPA Player Representative and what are some of your roles and responsibilities?

I became the PHPA Rep for the Indy Fuel by way of Seamus Malone.  He had signed a 2-way contract with Rockford and wanted to give up his role to someone who planned to be here throughout the entire season.  I had been an Alternate Rep in the past before I went to Europe so I had no problem with taking over for the Fuel this year. 

What is your favourite memory from your time at Miami University?

My Senior year in 2015 we won the NCHC Playoff Championship which was held in Minneapolis. We had some really good teams while I was there, and a lot of my former teammates played or still play in the NHL. 

You played professional hockey in Germany, Denmark, and France for three seasons.  Which country was your favourite to play in and what was it like to adjust to a new culture at the start of each season?

Germany was by far my favorite place to play while over in Europe.  They were all different and unique in their own way. As far as atmosphere during the games, I think Germany was the craziest. It reminded me a lot of England Soccer leagues where the fans stand the whole game and cheer the entire time. 

Everyday life was a lot different. I learned early on that if I just accepted the fact that it is very different than the US it made the transition easier. Those leagues don’t have something like a PHPA so you could only go to your team if you had problems and either they could help and fix it, or you were out of luck. For the most part I had really good experiences there and was able to see so many parts of the world I probably would never have gone to. 

This is your second stint with the Indy Fuel.  What attracted you to come back?

I have some deep roots with Indianapolis. I played 2 years in the USHL here for the Indiana Ice which doesn’t exist anymore. My first year I was still in high school and graduated from a local school. Then came here for 2 years with the Fuel from 2016 to 2018 before going other places for 4 seasons. Indy is a lot like my hometown of St. Louis, MO.  Mid-sized Midwest city that has a lot of stuff going on but not crazy to where there is a ton of traffic. I’ve pretty much played my whole career in the Midwest except for my 3 years in Europe. Our Owner here in Indy is very passionate and will do anything for his players to make them feel comfortable here. He called me during the summer when I realized I wasn’t ready to retire, and we talked for about 45 minutes. For someone like him who is extremely busy and successful to take time out of his day to call me and chat with me about going back there really meant a lot. 

While playing in Denmark your team won the Danish Championship.  What was the atmosphere there like compared to North America? 

Unfortunately, the year we won in Denmark was the 2020-21 season and fans weren’t able to attend any of the games the whole year due to COVID.  The team I played for had won it 2 years prior and said it was incredible, so I can only imagine that it would’ve been the same for us that year. 

You and your older brother Chris (Montreal Canadiens) are close in age.  How did growing up with him and sometimes even playing on the same team help your development? 

It helped me a ton. He is a defenseman so he would always help me by letting me know what D are doing in certain situations and what they’re thinking. I was able to get an upper hand on people that way because we would practice those kinds of things. We would play 1 on 1 on roller blades in the back yard and every sport we felt like playing against each other. It was a lot of fun growing up 23 months apart. 

What do you enjoy most about running the Wideman Brothers Hockey School?

I really enjoy watching the development of the kids each year. We work on a lot of edge work and puck control and then the kids get another year older and a lot more practice under their belt during the season. It’s amazing coming back and watching kids who couldn’t do certain things really get the hang of it. 

You and your wife recently had your first child.  How have you enjoyed the first few months of Fatherhood and has your routine changed at all? 

It has been amazing being a father. I cannot thank our team enough for allowing me proper time with my family during the whole process. My routine has changed a bit but obviously for the better. I used to go to lunch all the time after practices with guys on the team or hang out in someone’s room. That kind of stuff doesn’t happen as much anymore but no matter how bad of a day I am having or if I had a bad game, I can always come home to my family and they are happy to see me. 

At 31, you are having perhaps your most productive season in terms of points throughout your 9-year pro career.  What do you attribute your offense production to this season?  

I think I have shown that I can put up offensive numbers throughout my pro career whether I’m in North American or Europe. As far as this season goes, I think it’s a combination of playing with some really good young and hungry players that make me keep up with their pace of play, and just being older and knowing when to pick and choose my battles. When you know it’s your last season before retiring, I think it also helps not having to put a ton of pressure on yourself as far as trying to get a contract for the following season. I think any player would tell you that they play better when their mind is free and clear of distractions like that. 

Favourite thing to do or place to visit in Indianapolis on a night off?

There is a bar that our team likes to go to on nights off or after games when we don’t play the next day called Tin Roof. They have them in other cities as well. It’s a smaller sized bar that plays live music. 

What are some of your favorite golf courses that you have golfed?

I was fortunate enough to play some cool courses out in California. When my dad turned 60 our whole family flew out to Pebble Beach. We played Spy Glass, Spanish Bay, and then Pebble Beach. Pebble Beach was my favorite because of the ocean views and the fact that they have played Majors on the course before. 

What are some of your interests/hobbies outside of hockey? 

I am a huge college football fan that watches “Game Day” every Saturday morning and knows too much about each program and their Head Coaches. I guess you could say I’m a college football nerd.