Michael Del Zotto realized he needed a hobby.

One of the only single players on the Philadelphia Flyers a couple of seasons ago, the defenceman would usually head home following practice, watch TV all afternoon and have dinner before returning to the couch.

B次元官网网址淚 said to myself, B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檝e got to do something a little more productive with my down time,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Del Zotto recalled.

So he got back into the saxophone B次元官网网址� an instrument he gave up after leaving home as a teenager to play junior hockey B次元官网网址� and bought some disc jockey turntables to mix electronic music.

B次元官网网址淟ike anything now you can go on YouTube and teach yourself,B次元官网网址� said Del Zotto, who signed with the Vancouver Canucks this summer. B次元官网网址滻 got to the point where I was playing music in the locker-room and making mixes for warmups.

B次元官网网址淭he boys started loving it and it just took off from there.B次元官网网址�

With players from a wide range of backgrounds and countries, itB次元官网网址檚 not surprising musical tastes tend to vary in NHL locker-rooms. Some like country, while others prefer electronic, rock or hip hop to help get in the right frame of mind.

B次元官网网址淲hen you make stuff for in the room itB次元官网网址檚 understanding what guys like or throwing in some random stuff they wonB次元官网网址檛 know that they may like,B次元官网网址� said Del Zotto. B次元官网网址滻tB次元官网网址檚 tough when you have guys that like different genres to keep everyone happy.

B次元官网网址淚 like to personalize it a little bit.B次元官网网址�

Despite being new to the Canucks, Del Zotto already rules the roost when it comes to music selection heading into his ninth NHL season.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 his job now,B次元官网网址� said Vancouver centre Bo Horvat. B次元官网网址滺e swooped into that role and heB次元官网网址檚 taken it over.

B次元官网网址淗e does a good job of getting the boys going.B次元官网网址�

Meanwhile in Winnipeg, forward Bryan Little said the gatekeepers are Jets captain Blake Wheeler and centre Mathieu Perreault.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 only one real rule B次元官网网址� rookies need not apply for the job of team DJ.

B次元官网网址淚t kind of goes a bit by seniority,B次元官网网址� said Little. B次元官网网址漌e donB次元官网网址檛 want the young guys getting their hands on it or we might be listening to B次元官网网址楬igh School MusicalB次元官网网址� soundtracks.B次元官网网址�

Entering his fourth season, Horvat said he knows that music remains a veteranB次元官网网址檚 domain.

B次元官网网址淒o not touch the music,B次元官网网址� said Horvat, 22, who led the Canucks in scoring last season. B次元官网网址滻B次元官网网址檓 four years in and still donB次元官网网址檛 touch the music.B次元官网网址�

Senators captain Erik Karlsson and forward Zack Smith usually get dibs on the tunes in Ottawa.

B次元官网网址淶ack is more an alternative rock kind of guy, some old school stuff and thatB次元官网网址檚 more the stuff I like,B次元官网网址� said winger Bobby Ryan. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e heard a lot of (KarlssonB次元官网网址檚) Swedish music B次元官网网址� and thereB次元官网网址檚 only four guys who can relate to it.B次元官网网址�

Maple Leafs defenceman Connor Carrick said fellow blue liner Jake Gardiner and centre Nazem Kadri are the music maestros in Toronto.

B次元官网网址淕ards, usually heB次元官网网址檚 the morning (guy), a little more country, a little more laid back,B次元官网网址� said Carrick. B次元官网网址漀az will pick it up for the afternoon.

B次元官网网址淭he beats per minute on his songs are a little higher, so it gets you going pre-game.B次元官网网址�

Del Zotto said age and where players are from often has a big impact on what they want to hear.

B次元官网网址淚n New York, (former Rangers forward) Brad Richards used to like his old school rock,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址滻n Philly, (Jakub) Voracek loved AC/DC and Bruce Springsteen.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how that gets him pumped up. The odd time heB次元官网网址檇 toss some of that on, and I know for sure I wasnB次元官网网址檛 the only guy complaining.B次元官网网址�

While most NHLers might playfully argue over music, Del Zotto has a unique perspective. He performs his own shows in the off-season and has gotten to know a number of big-name DJs, including Dutch superstar Tiesto.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been able to watch them in the studio, watch them perform live and learn a little bit,B次元官网网址� said Del Zotto. B次元官网网址滻tB次元官网网址檚 something IB次元官网网址檝e really enjoyed doing.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 went to his apartment a couple days after he got to Vancouver,B次元官网网址� added Canucks forward Jake Virtanen. B次元官网网址滺e was spinning with his DJ set for me and (defenceman Ben Hutton) for a solid hour.

B次元官网网址淚t was cool for me to see how he did it.B次元官网网址�

But veteran Vancouver winger Daniel Sedin is less enthused about Del ZottoB次元官网网址檚 musical tastes.

B次元官网网址淚 hope itB次元官网网址檚 not him because itB次元官网网址檚 been pretty horrible,B次元官网网址� the 37-year-old joked. B次元官网网址�(Hutton) was doing it last year for a bit, but it didnB次元官网网址檛 really work out so heB次元官网网址檚 fired.B次元官网网址�

A country fan, Canucks forward Brandon Sutter said he doesnB次元官网网址檛 mind electronic music for pre-game, adding that he respects Del Zotto for putting himself out there.

B次元官网网址淭he younger guys seem to love it,B次元官网网址� said Sutter. B次元官网网址淚f you donB次元官网网址檛 have the (guts) to put the music on yourself, you canB次元官网网址檛 make fun of the person who does.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� With files from Neil Davidson in Toronto, Judy Owen in Winnipeg and Lisa Wallace in Ottawa

B次元官网网址�-

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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press