RS: Coming off of a busy year, going from Toronto to Springfield, it also was the most prolific season of your career with 27 goals. Now that you’re under contract with the Blues organization, what would you classify as your biggest personal goal for the upcoming season as you try to get yourself back to playing in meaningful NHL games once again?

AG: That’s exactly the goal - to make the Blues lineup out of training camp, and not just to make the lineup but to be an impact player scoring goals at the NHL level. Last year for me was great, and I really got that confidence and scoring touch back. I think, with how I matured and developed, I should have no problem translating that game into the NHL. I’m really excited with this organization, and I was glad I got to make a good impression and get to know the staff in Springfield. I think that’s what enticed them to bring me back and I’m looking forward to getting started again in September.

RS: After your previous NHL stops, most recently in Ottawa, last year was the first time in a long time you spent a season primarily in the American Hockey League. What did you learn about yourself and your game, and how did you take your career situation as a building block back to the NHL?

AG: When you think about it, a lot of the top players in the NHL had experience and lots of games in the AHL. I think that’s where you develop and gain confidence at the pro level. I never really had that in my rookie and second years. This year was really good for me; I played a lot of meaningful minutes in different situations, I produced and I was a plus player, all of which are goals of mine at the NHL level. I was able to do all of that successfully at the AHL level, and that’s going to give me the confidence to do that in the NHL. It was fun to play so many meaningful minutes and find the back of the net consistently, winning games and playing in the playoffs. I hadn’t been in the playoffs since the (2020 Stanley Cup Playoff) bubble, and the intensity was different. It was good to experience that.

RS: Being a Boston-area native, and now that you’re a father and you’re back closer to your family, how exciting has this past 6-8 month stretch been for you to have that proximity with them after playing predominantly in Canada previously?

AG: I love being close to home. I played college hockey in Boston (at Northeastern) and was 25 minutes away from my parents’ house. That is something that’s special, to be able to play close to home. We’re family-oriented and try to see everybody as much as possible. To have family come and watch, especially those who haven’t seen me play in a couple of years, was really meaningful. With (my son Micah), we have the first grandchild in both mine and (my wife Micaela’s) families, so he gets extra special attention, and everyone wants to be around him. It’s good to wind down in the summertime and see people you haven’t seen in a while. We’re having so much fun.

RS: As a new father, normally I’d ask are you a Cape (Cod) guy, are you a golf guy, are you a boat guy, but I have to think this summer you’re just Dad. Is that a fair assumption?

AG: Oh no, I’ve got plenty of time for golf, don’t worry! 

RS: Any bucket list golf trip destination?

AG: I’ve never really had an opportunity to do a golf trip, but I would like to go to Arizona and play courses out there. But we’re spending the summer in New York, and we joined a country club here. We’re able to bring Micah down there, he plays in the pool, and I took him out for nine holes. He loves sports, and he loves watching the action. We take him to play pickleball with us, and he’ll be sitting in the corner, and his head will be going back and forth. He was at the rink with me and (Micaela) this morning just watching the hockey and having a blast. He’s very easily entertained by sports, so I can take him to the driving range, and I can take him on the course, so I still get my golf reps in!

RS: As a pro athlete, there’s so much noise you have to deal with, both positive and negative. How much perspective do you gain in your profession now that you’re a father?

AG: I think it gives a lot of perspective. It makes you realize that the outside noise doesn’t mean anything. Nothing matters as much as your family, and you’re going to do everything you can to protect and support your family. All you have to do is love them, work hard, and there’s really no wrongdoing there. Having a son makes me appreciate my life and my job more, and how lucky I am to get to do this and have him watch me as he’s growing up. He may only be 10 months old, but he loves the action. It makes it more fun for me, and I’m very thankful for that.

RS: When you’re not stuck watching what the little one is watching…

AG: Ms. Rachel?! All the kids watch Ms. Rachel!

RS: I don’t even know who she is! But when you’re not watching Ms. Rachel with Micah, what’s next on the binge-watching list?

AG: I’m watching Game of Thrones again for like the third time in six months. I just love the show, and I’m reading the book now, too. We just finished House of the Dragon, so those are my go-to shows. Actually, I’m also watching the Jersey Shore as part of a class I’m taking through Northeastern. It is a writing-intensive course on interpersonal communications inside a reality TV show, and the only reality TV show I ever watched was Jersey Shore when I was in high school. I said, hey (Micaela), I got to watch the show! She grew up going to the Jersey shore, so she said “Okay, I guess we’re watching it for the next seven weeks.”

RS: So, did she go to the actual Jersey Shore in Seaside Heights?

AG: We were just on vacation in Lavallette, which is Ocean Beach 3 area, maybe 15 minutes north of Seaside Heights, so we don’t actually stay close to (the Jersey Shore house). We have made the trip down to their boardwalk though and checked out the house! We love it down there, the waves are fun; you don’t get waves like that down at the Cape!