BECK WARM - CALM, COOL, AND COLLECTED
Lizz Child
Aug 23, 2023
Being the youngest sibling in a hockey family often means you’re the one who ends up in net. For Barracuda goaltender Beck Warm, this worked out quite well. Of course, it takes a certain kind of person to be a goaltender and one question that may not come up enough is whether or not those in net have ever had a “what on earth am I doing” moment.
For Warm, the only moment he says was the closest to that in his hockey career was when he got his first start in the Western Hockey League in net for the Tri-City Americans when he was 15. In front of a crowd of 9120 at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena against the Americans' biggest rival in the Spokane Chiefs, a 15-year-old Beck Warm saw his first game at the major-junior level. Facing 39 shots, Warm remained in net for the entire game. While the Americans would go on to fall 8-1, it didn’t deter the young netminder from coming back to the WHL with a vengeance two seasons later.
“It was one of those games where I was probably in before I was ready,” said Warm on that game he can look back on over eight years after the fact, “but there were a bunch of injuries so I got the start.”
In the 68-game WHL regular season, Warm appeared in 61 games for the Americans, leading the league in both saves (1925) and shots faced (2102) in the 2018-19 season, Finishing his WHL career with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2020, Warm grew to be one of the league’s intriguing goaltenders.
With his final season of junior hockey cut short and his first season as a pro with the Chicago Wolves delayed for months and shortened, both due to COVID, Warm was part of a class of rookies in 2020-21 who had a unique introduction to professional hockey.
If he could go back to the day of his first game in the AHL and offer himself a word of advice, it would be to trust himself.
“It’s the same you’ve been playing your whole life. Same puck, same size net, nothing really changes so just trust yourself and enjoy it.”
Following a season-ending injury in February 2022, the 2022-23 season was Warm’s first complete campaign in the pros. While he has seen highs and lows in his time in the AHL and ECHL, Warm is coming to San Jose with a blank slate ahead of him and an opportunity to work his way into a consistent role in the Barracuda net.
He describes himself as a competitive and athletic goalie who moves well and quickly. “Calm, cool, and collected. Just try and focus on my job and what I have to do.”
His plan for the season? “Go in there, work hard and try to win some hockey games.”
Looking back on his first three seasons as a pro, Warm says the biggest lesson he’s learned is that you always have to be ready.
“No matter where you are, things can change quickly and it’s kind of just about being consistent, staying healthy, and always being available for that call. Things can change so quickly and a lot can happen in a season.”
Another San Jose goaltender who knows quite a bit about how fast a season can change is someone Warm knows pretty well. Eetu Mäkiniemi and Warm spent time in the Carolina Hurricanes system and the pair roomed together for a bit while with the Chicago Wolves.
“We actually drove from Carolina to Chicago after [Hurricanes] main camp, one year,” noted Warm. A drive he says took 11 or 12 hours.
Get to know Beck Warm
What was the draw to signing with San Jose?
BW: A bunch of different things, but I think just the fact that one, it's on the West Coast is nice. It'll be nice to kind of be in the same time zone as family and everything. And two, I think the organization does have a lot going for it right now, especially at the American League level. There's obviously the new rink and I think from what I've heard, things are looking good. Everything is kind of looking up and things look good. There are definitely a lot of draws.
Have you ever been down to San Jose or the Bay Area?
BW: No, never.
(Alright, Cuda Country. Time to drop your suggestions for what he needs to check out first!)
If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be and why?
BW: Maybe a grape. They are really good, but they can also turn into raisins, which some people enjoy. I don’t really, but they can also turn into wine, which people enjoy.
If you could make your perfect pizza, what would be on it?
BW: Nothing too crazy. Probably a classic kind of meat lovers. Made a little bit of spicy pepperoni or sausage or something like that.
Thin crust.
Who are your top three music artists?
BW: Probably Red Hot Chili Peppers, Whiskey Myers, and Zach Bryan.
For the fans
BW: Just know that I’m going to come in and do everything I can to win some hockey games when I get the chance. I can't wait to get down there and look forward to getting things started.