LOWELL — Jeff Frazee was relaxing on the Lowell Devils bench after the 90-minute practice on Tuesday when it hit him that tomorrow night was going to be a big night.
And it wasn't simply the fact that the Providence Bruins, always a big draw in Lowell, were coming to Tsongas Arena.
Friday night is "Jeff Frazee Bobblehead Night."
"Wow, I've never had a bobblehead of me before," said Frazee, admiring the replica of himself, flicking "his" head a few times.
The poor guy. He had to wait 22 long years for his first bobblehead. What a tough life?
Frazee, in his second season with the Devis, hasn't had it easy. Few in the minor leagues do.
It's easy for a minor leaguer like Frazee to slide under the radar, particularly around here where the Fab Four — Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins — and their Hall of Fame lineups running the show on the Boston sports scene.
But Frazee has some history that might be of interest to local fans, beyond this being his second season living in the Merrimack Valley as a member of the Baby Devils.
One, Frazee was the goalie in a Youtube video favorite (941,000 views) headlined "The Longest Goal in Hockey History?" The three-year old incident saw a North Dakota State defenseman attempt to clear the puck from near his own goal to kill a penalty, only to see the "clear" bounce twice before squirting past Frazee, then the University of Minnesota goalie.
It's not an incident he likes to bring up.
"I've seen it a few times," said Frazee, of the video. "I get razzed about it a little bit. But it's happened to others before."
And two, Frazee played nearly eight years with former Boston Bruin Phil Kessel, from youth to high school to the US Under-18 National Team to one year at the University of Minnesota.
"We first played together on the Minnesota Blades," said Frazee. "He was from Wisconsin but came to play for us. He was incredible from Day 1. I remember my father saying, even when Phil was 10. 'Some day, he's going to be in the NHL.' He was right."
Frazee says he has too many "Kessel moments" to mention, but a few stand out.
"When we were in youth hockey and another team would score, Phil would come up to me and say, 'No problem. I'll get it back on this shift,'" said recalled Frazee. "And he almost always did. Phil has had so many big goals. One of the biggest was the one he scored against the Czech Republic when we were on the US Under-18 team. The score was tied 3-3 and he won the game."
Frazee said he has heard rumblings about Kessel's attitude and his demands for more money, but he says that's not the Phil Kessel he knows.
"Phil is very good kid," said Frazee, who is 13-14 with a 2.66 goals against average. "You have to know him and get to understand him. He's a light-hearted guy. He's also very funny. For me, he was always a guy I could depend on."
Speaking of depending on someone, Frazee fits that bill with the Devils. He is currently sharing the goaltending duties with soon-to-be 27-year-old Mike McKenna, who is 20-13 with a 2.31 GAA.
The Devils have 12 regular season games remaining and are currently fifth overall in the Eastern Conference at 34-24-8 (76 points).
"Any time with organization like the Devils, it is black and white," said Frazee, of the New Jersey franchise which has copped three Stanley Cups over the last 15 years. "You are expected to win here. This organization does its best to take away any distractions."
Whether Frazee plays or not tomorrow night against the Bruins, he will be the start of the evening.
The first 2,000 fans will receive a bobblehead doll, with his likeness.
"I like it," said Frazee. "The full pads look good. So does the mask. I have to admit, it's pretty cool."
E-mail Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.
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