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AUGUST 2017 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 29 While the team fell one game short of the national championship, it was still a memora- ble experience for the family. "It was great to watch them play together," dad said. "They got to hang out together and experience the fun things that come along with being teammates." After one year together in Grand Forks, J o r d a n m a d e h i s w a y t o t h e A m e r i c a n Hockey League. Meanwhile, his younger brother helped lead North Dakota to its first national championship in more than a decade. I n t h e m o n t h s t h a t f o l l o w e d , N i c k 's strong run continued. At only 20 years of age, the young center made Chicago's roster out of training camp. Meanwhile, Jordan patiently waited for his chance to crack the Blues' lineup. After bat- tling injury for part of the 2016-17 season, the elder Schmaltz brother finally got his shot during the team's drive for the postseason. After the Blues traded away top-line defense- man Kevin Shattenkirk, a right-defenseman spot opened up and Schmaltz was one of the players elected to fill that hole. He made his debut with St. Louis on March 5. "This is something I haven't experienced before," Jordan said of his brief time in The Show. "I tried to take it as a learning tool and use it to do better. When [Shattenkirk] was traded, it was kind of a next man up mentality. You just have to try to not sink and make an impact." Despite the fact that they are embarking on their own professional journeys, Nick and Jordan continue to stay in touch. "We usually like to check in and see how each other is doing," Nick said. " We d o n 't r e a l l y t a l k a b o u t hockey too much. It's more about what life is like for each of us." M i k e S c h m a l t z s a i d the entire family tends to keep the hockey talk to a minimum. "They get enough hock- e y t a l k a t t h e r i n k ," h e said. "These boys are pret- ty humble. They don't go out of their way to attract attention or tell anyone what they do. They do their own thing and try to blend in." While the two made their way from game to game, dad and his wife, Linda, have followed along their sons' journeys. They've also kept up with Kylie, who plays for the University of Kentucky volleyball team. "They're busy for sure. But they seem like they enjoy it," Jordan said. "It seems like my mom and dad are somewhere every weekend." Thus far, the boys have yet to take the ice against each other as NHL players. This is likely to change when the 2017-18 season begins. No matter when that happens, it will be too soon for the Schmaltz parents. "I don't know what we'll do," dad said. "It's stressful. You want both of them to do well. Thankfully, them playing two dif- ferent positions makes it's a little bit easier. However, it still is one big conflict. "Thankfully, these two always support each other. They're each other's biggest fans." P FAMILY These boys are pretty humble. They don't go out of their way to attract attention or tell anyone what they do.