Everyone who met Keith Magnuson, even just once, seems to have a story to tell.

Kevin Magnuson, Keith’s son, has heard a lot of those stories and continues to hear new ones. Kevin never gets sick of them. While his father has now been gone for nearly 14 years, it’s those stories, plus the ones about his Blackhawks playing days and his charity work, that continue to keep his spirit alive.

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Kevin has many of his own stories and doesn’t mind sharing those either. From Kevin’s own playing career to becoming a hockey agent to his own charitable work to just who he is as a person and family man, he’s been influenced in so many ways by his father.

Kevin, 40, shared some stories about his father, discussed growing up playing hockey in the Chicago area, being a part of the Blackhawks family, being a hockey agent and much more during a recent sit-down interview.

Scott Powers: Did you grow up loving hockey? Was it easy for you to embrace?

Kevin Magnuson: My dad encouraged my sister and I to play every sport. I swear. He was very athletic himself. It was back when young people can play a lot of sports as opposed to specialization that everyone has now. So, hockey, golf, baseball, lacrosse, tennis, literally played every sport, and then high school I played golf in the fall, hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the spring. Those were my three. Then my junior year, I just played golf and hockey just to save my body kind of for the spring to train. But my sister was an all-state tennis player. It just so happened hockey ended up being my best sport. But it also helped to have an in-house tutor, that my dad provided a lot of feedback, was involved, wasn’t over the top, but knew I liked the feedback. Once I started to get results on the ice, it’s just one of those things, human nature, you tend to do what you’re best at and hockey ended up being that.

SP: What are your early memories of him in hockey?

KM: I don’t remember him playing. I remember him coaching for the year and a half. I remember him being in the locker room. Didn’t really understand the whole thing. I was five or six years old. Terry Ruskowski was the captain at the time, loved to mess with me, but I knew it was all in good fun. But everyone was so great. It’s amazing to look back when my dad was coach how many players and former teammates have moved onto management positions. Doug Wilson in San Jose was a real close friend and teammate of my dad’s, Bob Murray in Anaheim, Dale Tallon in Florida, Darryl Sutter, you know he’s going to find a new job. It just seems like the Blackhawk family has just spread around the NHL, which is really cool for me now in what I’m doing. Just to deal with them business-wise – trust me, they don’t do me any favors because they have a job to do – but if I ever have any questions, they’re a great sounding board to bounce things off.

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SP: I came across a story where the Blackhawks had simply congratulated you on passing the bar. Obviously, your father meant a lot to the whole organization, but it went beyond that, yeah?

KM: I love the fact that you’re bringing it up. That was from Bill Wirtz. So, I ran into Mr. Wirtz on the street just randomly. I just stopped in my tracks and said, ‘Hey, Mr. Wirtz.’ ‘Oh, Kevin good to see you.’ This was about less than a year from when he passed away. I told him I just want to let you know that I just passed the bar – I was still floating around, super excited – I just passed the bar exam. He said, that’s excellent news, just really excited for me. And then the next day, across the top of the Blackhawks’ website was that message.

He was an amazing man. People give him a lot of grief for his ownership decisions, and, sure, there were some questionable ones. But as a man, I hope you’ve heard this before, not a more generous and caring human being really in the history of Chicago sports and ownership. He took care of our family in a huge way when my dad passed away. We owe a debt of gratitude to him and their family. The family atmosphere with the Wirtzes, with my dad to be employed as a player for 11 years and then a coach for a year and a half, the Wirtz family, we have so much respect for them to today.

SP: Was there a point in your childhood where you realized who your dad was, what type of player he was?

KM: I think sixth or seventh grade I started to grasp what my dad had accomplished. I guess not until I walked into Lake Forest High School where I started playing varsity as a freshman that I really understood what a big impact he had one the city, how much people looked up to him. Don’t get me wrong, I had been hearing things my entire life, but it didn’t really click for me until I got in high school. I always found it annoying to go to Blackhawks games with my dad because we could never get to our seats quick enough because he’d always stop and sign autographs. That’s just being a kid, being annoyed and taking his fame and popularity for granted.

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So, Lake Forest High School, being there definitely understood. It’s hard to understand his impact on people’s lives as a player. Obviously what he did outside of hockey with charities and everything, really saw that even at an earlier age. He did so much work for Special Olympics. I remember him coming home from being with athletes during the day, and he would be in such a different mood, just a big smile on his face, literally floating on air, just the experience he had with the athletes. I remember that. That kind of clicks with me more than realizing the hockey stuff.

But WGN was nice enough to put together a Beta tape, an old-school Beta tape, of him playing that we got as a family. I think it had just become our freshman year. And so once we got that and I started playing it, I realized what an awesome career he had and what an impact he made when on the ice. He was one of those players when he was on the ice you definitely were aware of where he was because he was so physical and played with such passion.

SP: I came across another story where you thought some player was coming after you on the ice and he just wanted to let you know he was named after your father. That true?

KM: So, after I played at the University of Michigan, I played two years of minor pro. My first year I finally settled in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the East Coast League. And this is big, burly-looking guy, missing three front teeth skates up to me in a weird way. I was just like, oh, boy, here we go. This was in training camp. I’m bracing myself for a fight. He just looked like that kind of guy. He said, ‘Relax, man, I just wanted to tell you that I’m Keith Bland and I was named after your dad. It’s really good to meet you and I hope you make the team.’ I ended up making the team. He ended up being a really good buddy of mine, taught me some fighting maneuvers. He was a tough guy. That wasn’t the first and that definitely wasn’t the last I heard people named after my dad, because he just influenced so many different people.

SP: It’s rarer now to play high school hockey and still have a college and pro career. Was that by design?

KM: So, I was Lake Forest from ’92 to ’95. At that time, Illinois high school hockey was pretty good. Like AAA, there’s only two AAA teams. My dad basically said, if you’re good enough, they’ll find you. He wanted me to have some sort of normalcy with the high school team. We battled Loyola every single year. It was Loyola, New Trier, Lake Forest, Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South and then even South Side Catholic teams – St. Viator, St. Rita, Fenwick. There was about 12-15 teams every year that were in the mix. Highland Park really stepped up during my four years.

But anyway, the hockey was good. A lot of players were in AAA and high school. It was a good mix of that. The hockey was good, way better than it is today, unfortunately for high school hockey in general. So, it was by design. I knew I’d have to play junior hockey after high school. It was basically, do the best I could the four years at Lake Forest High School, see what junior hockey brought and then I was drafted by Dubuque. I was actually drafted by two other teams, one in Ontario and then a place in the Western junior hockey league. It wasn’t the WHL. It was a league that was a college feeder. I had these three different options. I was lucky enough that I made all three teams, but Dubuque seemed like the perfect fit. The USHL now is just a major unstoppable force with college commitments, the players they produce. It was great hockey back then, so I was really lucky to play for Dubuque for a year. And Michigan had started to look at me as a senior at Lake Forest High School, but I definitely needed that year of junior hockey to get ready for Michigan.

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SP: Is there any hope Illinois high school hockey can become something like they have in Minnesota or do the AAA teams have too much of a stranglehold on the competition?

KM: Yeah, I think they have too much of a stranglehold of competition. The four AAA teams, they’re such well-oiled machines and that process. If when I graduate in ’95 from high school and it kept taking steps from there, it was a possibility that it could have been a Minnesota. But it’s such a long history of Minnesota. It just really probably never had a chance to survive in terms of that level. My senior year at Lake Forest out of all the high school hockey players, eight ended up playing Division I eventually on scholarship. It kind of shows the level. It’s pretty good stuff, right? Now Chicago hockey is booming and it’s amazing. It’s too bad that the high school hockey couldn’t get some traction because you get to play in front of your friends and your family all the time, there’s more camaraderie. But there’s great friendships made on the AAA teams. I’m not downplaying that by any means. But to play for your school, that’s cool.

SP: You’ve had a unique experience growing up here and now being an agent and representing kids from Chicago and seeing the emergence of the Blackhawks and the surge of Chicago-area players making the NHL. I imagine there weren’t as many when you were coming up?

KM: So, yeah, it was Eddie Olczyk, Mark LaVare, those are the first two that pop in my head as the Chicago boys that made it with the Blackhawks. Personally, myself last year saw Christian Dvorak, JT Compher and Robbie Russo all play significant games in the NHL. Those are three Chicago guys I represent. How cool is that? All in the same year, all were rookies. Dvorak had the longest tenured and most successful year as a rookie, but those other two, Russo and Compher, have awesome futures ahead of them. The Chicago connection, the quality of Chicago players keeps getting better and better every year. So, I’m so fortunate they’re in my backyard. It’s my job to get them all early and hopefully represent them when they turn pro.

SP: How competitive is that market for getting new clients in the Chicago area?

KM: The agent business has definitely gotten more competitive in this area. It’s typically me versus seven or eight other guys for players in the Chicago area. Because of the seven or eight other guys are typically from smaller firms, gentleman’s agreement that may the best man win. When they win, that’s their guy. There’s enough players in the area that we don’t need to be stealing and calling guys’ parents behind each other’s back, because there just is. It’s not because we’re not competitive and we’re not going for it, but if someone chooses someone other than me I always said you got a good guy, if anything changes I’m here for you, but best of luck. That’s all you can do.

SP: Do you consider it a clean business?

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KM: It’s cleaner in the Chicagoland business, but no, it’s not a clean business. Because big firms are always looking to pluck off your players if they get wind of someone being unhappy. But that’s my job to make sure my guys are never unhappy. That’s what I pride myself on doing.

SP: Did you have any apprehensions jumping into this? Did you know this is what you wanted to do for a career?

KM: So, I went to law school with the purpose of becoming an agent. That was my goal, and I went full on and immersed myself into the sports law business, entertainment law very similar. When I graduated, I had a job offer from KO Sports. I had interned with them through law school and then I was a clerk at a law firm, Lyman Law. So, I took on both jobs because the agent stuff wasn’t going to pay for my living. The law was going to be more steady and something I wanted to do after passing the bar and working my butt off to just get there. As the agent business grew and the law business got better with my practice of law, it just came to a head after five years that I needed to make a decision. My passion was with the agent business, but what I learned and the mentorship I had at the law firm was unbelievable. So, I use that every single day, I really do in my practice. I’m so glad I practiced law and didn’t just go right to being an agent. It’s really a hard path, but a path I wouldn’t do any differently.

SP: What interested you in being an agent?

KM: Just being surrounded by hockey, it’s in my blood, it’s what I know. The people I deal with from general managers to players, just the different teams and dynamics, negotiating is just awesome. It’s really intense to set expectations for players, reasonable expectations and hopefully exceed those expectations, just an awesome part of the business in general. Not to be cliché, to see young men, start working with them at the age 15 or 16 and when they sign their first NHL contract at whatever age it is, it’s so cool to see their growth from these little pip-squeaks barely talking to me to now we’re having phone conversations, adult conversations about their careers. So, it’s really satisfying.

SP: When you’re trying to satisfy a client, what do you need to win someone over and then keep them? I imagine it develops through the parents at an early age and goes through the player later?

KM: Exactly. Yes, it’s really recruiting the parents at first and gaining that trust level, having good references that they can call on. It’s being there for them in whatever facet during the season and when they have training questions in the offseason. It’s just being present. When someone calls you, you call them back. It’s really a simple rule, but sometimes people don’t follow that rule. If a family makes a commitment to me, that’s a full-on commitment. I take that very personally and just want to do a bang-up job for that player and family.

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SP: Was that easy at first?

KM: I think it’s just kind of an innate thing when you grow up. My dad was just a conscious person, so just being conscious of other people’s time and the worry they go through for their own children to succeed. I saw that from my dad and my mom to instill that into my sister and myself to treat people the right way, treat people how you want to be treated. So, if someone calls you, you may not get back to them the next day, but the day after, within reason get back to them. Just being accountable and again there for them is the biggest thing.

SP: Was there a specific point you realized you weren’t going to be an NHL player?

KM: I realized that I think the first day of practice at the University of Michigan. Mike Legg, who is famous for the lacrosse goal against Michigan State in NCAAs, the first practice came across the blue line basically did the same move, but at the blue line and whipped it over his shoulder and beat Marty Turco over Marty Turco’s glove. And I just said myself, I’m a good hockey player, but I don’t know. I was surrounded in my four years at Michigan I played with 14 guys who played in the NHL. It’s unbelievable. So, I was surrounded by these NHL-caliber players every single day. I was good and could hang for sure, but my production on the ice was nowhere near what they were doing on the ice, so I knew that was not going to be most likely a reality for me. But I definitely wanted to play pro and at least say I gave it a shot afterwards. I’m so happy I played those two years in the East Coast League. I learned a lot about myself. I learned a ton about the hockey business and can relate so much better to my players now having gone through those two years.

SP: Did you ever feel like you had to live up to certain hockey expectations because of who your dad was or did you ever consider not going the hockey path because of your dad?

KM: No question whatsoever about my dad, he just said work your butt off and do the best you can. That’s all I can ask of you. The fact that I got a scholarship to Michigan he was so proud of. The fact we won a national championship my sophomore year that was his happiest day of my career I think. It still is one of my happiest days. Just the accomplishments, small, but significant to me and my dad, were amazing. But the pressure was never put on by him whatsoever. Sure, sometimes when I walked in the locker room and look at my name and realize what my dad had accomplished, I think internally I put pressure on myself, but there was never external pressure.

SP: When your career didn’t pan out as you hoped was that tough?

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KM: I was lucky I was playing at a really good level when I stopped playing. I actually had dinner with my dad after my last game of second year minor pro. It was probably a week later. I’m like yep I’m going come back and play that third year. He was like it’s time for you to get a real job. I was like what, I’m playing so well. He said, ‘Kevin, you’re playing in the East Coast Hockey League, you’re making $30,000 a year, it’s time to get a real job. The longer you’re not in the workforce, the more you get behind the eight ball. You just want to get in the mix.’ I was real mad for about a week. And then looking back, it made sense and he made sense. It was just him being a dad. He gave me sound advice. You had such an awesome career, probably exceeded expectations given the fact I played at Lake Forest High School hockey, everything I did. So, looking back, it’s the best advice he ever gave me and I’m very happy he did.

SP: How do you feel he lives on with you and what you do now?

KM: It’s crazy how many little things throughout each day he pops up in a lot of different ways. When I have a tough decision, I will call my mom and then I will think deeply about what my dad would do and how he would think about things. So, that’s really how I handle any adversity or tough times that come my way, that’s how I handle it.

SP: Do you find yourself thinking about him a lot?

KM: I really do, every single day, especially since my son was born. Gunnar is 2 ½. You know that’s the hardest thing that he’s not around to be a grandpa because he would have been an unbelievable grandpa. That’s really sad and something that makes me emotional, but I know he’s really watching over him. I’m just so lucky to have had him for a dad and all the stories I can pass on and tell to Gunnar, which will be great going forward. I’m looking forward to that.

I did kind of choose his path. I gave it my all. And then to be involved with the sport, his spirit. If people had met him, they always tell me about the story that they met him. I always love that. That is really what keeps him alive. Rarely does a week go by that I meet someone for the first time, ‘Is your dad Keith Magnuson? What a great guy. I met him once, but he was really down to earth.’ Because he was. He was just a good guy and he felt so fortunate to come from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, go the University of Denver and become a Blackhawk and a captain. He was like, how was I given this? He always gave back whenever he could and always had time for people. Just a great dad, a guy you look up to because everyone else looked up to him and there was a reason why that was. It wasn’t just because he was important or famous, but because he was a good person. There are a lot of important and famous people who aren’t good people.

SP: Were you at the United Center for the University of Denver winning the national championship?

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KM: So, here’s another awesome story. So, the Chicago Sports Commission asked four people to be host teams of whomever reached the Frozen Four. This is before the regionals or anything was set up. I got the email that I was going to handle the winner of the Midwest regional. It ended up being Denver. Denver ends up winning. For the first time the Frozen Four ever being in Chicago, my dad’s alma mater wins, the banner’s up there, I’m on the ice celebrating with the guys. Our firm has three clients on Denver. Can you even write that? That’s insane. I feel like my dad was definitely floating around that weekend. In his spirit, everyone was jacked up for DU and excited to see me and it was cool.

SP: Was your involvement with the Special Olympics brought on by your father?

KM: Again, going back to the Special Olympics story, I just remember that so well. They asked me to be on the board 13 years ago. It was such an easy yes for me. I had not done a lot of work with special needs athletes before. We joke there’s only one door into Special Olympics; that’s the in-door. Because once you do it, it’s really hard to not do it again because they’re just amazing people. I’ve been on the board for 13 years and been the president of the board the last year. It’s a two-year term. It has become easier as I’ve put more time into it, especially the last five years. I’ve always been on the board, but I’ve really dedicated myself more the last five years. I feel so blessed to be there. I’m just proud to be carry on that legacy for my dad.

SP: You mentioned your dad’s banner being up at the United Center. What do you remember about your father’s ceremony?

KM: To be asked to speak in front of 20,000 people, for some reason preparing for it … So I wrote my speech, ran it past my mom and sister, we made tweaks and blah, blah, blah. I prepared a good three weeks beforehand at least 50 times. So, when we walked out as a family, I wasn’t very nervous. When I stepped up to the mic, I took a deep breath and there was just a warmth in the United Center because I knew maybe not everyone in the stadium, but probably 99 percent of them were pulling for me to do well. I just felt a lot of love. I just felt like I was talking to you or talking in my living room. It was amazing. Once it was done, I broke down a little bit, but I got a ton of strength from the crowd that night. It was amazing.

SP: Do you keep in touch with a lot of the Blackhawks alumni?

KM: Big time. Cliff Koroll is very present in our lives. I see Troy Murray a bunch, Grant Mulvey, Peter Marsh, Reggie Kerr, Dale Tallon. Pat Foley, he’s a big part of the alumni. Those guys, they always ask how everyone is doing. My mom is doing pretty well. My sister is doing great. She has two little boys herself, so my mom has three grandsons, which is awesome, all under the age of four, which is insane, but awesome. So, we stay in good contact with alumni, for sure.

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SP: What sort of aspirations do you have going forward?

KM: I love where I am right now with the agent business. My clients are just starting to hit their stride. I’m kind of in my prime I feel like of my agent life. The next 10 years should be really great with all the guys I represent and are coming up. Hopefully, I just keep adding to those. I’ve thought about possibly moving to the team side one day and trying to get my name on the Stanley Cup, but I’m not thinking about that right now. I’m just really enjoying – Ian Cole is one of my clients, celebrating with him last summer was just fantastic. He is my oldest client. For him to have his name on the Cup, I felt like I had a small part of that, a very small part of that, but that’s the cool stuff that I love. Just to continue to represent the best players possible and best people possible because life is too short to work with people who don’t have the same values or ethics that we do.

SP: Is there anything you’d like to add?

KM: If you can put in a plug for my wife, Mary Clare. To have a supportive wife with the travel that I do really makes my job so much easier, especially with Gunnar being 2 1/2. Family is so important to me. Without them, it’s really difficult.

(Top photo provided by Kevin Magnuson)