Latest / Inside Cyclones Hockey / First Two Game Homestand THIS WEEKEND + Max Cothern Joins the Podcast

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First Two Game Homestand THIS WEEKEND + Max Cothern Joins the Podcast · Inside Cyclones Hockey

• 0:00
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  SPEAKER_01: This episode of the Wassa Cyclones Podcast is brought to you by AA Seamless.
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• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: Enjoy the excitement of Cyclones hockey in the Bushlight Clone Zone.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: Your ticket in the Clone Zone includes a limited edition Bushlight Clone Zone beer mug and complimentary Bushlight and Micelobe Ultra from doors opening through 10 minutes remaining in the third period.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: Complimentary snacks include assortments of pub mix, pretzels, and chips.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Ice level seating with pub tables and general admission bar height chairs with an excellent view of all the action.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: Visit wasacyclones.com slash bushlight clone zone to learn more today.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome into season six, episode twelve of the Inside Cyclones Hockey Podcast.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_01: We got a great Thursday episode for ya.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_01: Briefly touching on uh some promotional stuff, some schedule stuff, make sure all the Cyclones fans are in the loop about what's to come in the future.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: But the main act for this week's episode, first year as the assistant coach of the Wassa Cyclones, we're joined by Max Cothern.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: Unbelievable interview with Max talking about how he ended up with the Cyclones, what his thoughts are on the team at this point in the year, and lots of other fun conversations and stuff.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_01: Unbelievable interview.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: So make sure that you listen, make sure that you check it out, and most importantly, get ready because it's time to enter the storm.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for listening.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for tuning in.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: So happy to be here.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: So happy to give you guys another episode.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so like I mentioned in the intro, uh, in this first segment here, just going over uh a few housekeeping items.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, not gonna spend too much time here.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: Just gonna go over the schedule, what the cyclones did uh last weekend, uh what to expect in the coming weeks, both from a hockey standpoint and from a promotional standpoint, with uh with some home games coming up very, very shortly.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: So last we talked about the Cyclones and what they had going on schedule-wise.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: Uh the Cyclones went to the Wisconsin Woodsman uh for a one-game weekend series.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: This was back on October 3rd, and they got an 8-2 win there.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: Since then, they took another trip down to the Owen Center to play the Peoria Mustangs in Peoria, Illinois.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna really really quickly, excuse me, run through those games and how they unfolded.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: So if you don't remember, Cyclones had their first two games of the 2026-27 season against the Peoria Mustangs, and they could have gone a little bit better.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_01: We're not able to take away wins in either one of those games to start the year.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: But now that they've played games three and four versus Peoria, much better result uh than the first two games.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: So let's start with the Friday game, October 9th, 2026.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: Cyclones head down to Peoria to face the Mustangs.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: First thing that sticks out to me on the box score sheet here, 42 shots on goal for the Cyclones.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: It's something I've discussed on this pod a few times.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: It's something I feel very strongly about with this team.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_01: If you can get shots on net, if you can pepper the absolute crap out of the opposing goaltender, I think it really gives this team an edge in terms of being able to win games.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_01: 42 shots on goal, that's an impressive number.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: What makes it even more possible to get a win when you pepper 42 shots on goal is when you play shut down defense in your own zone, you close out the middle, you don't allow pucks to get in high danger zones, and you don't allow as many shots on net.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_01: And guess what?
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: Only 28 shots on goal for the Peoria Mustang.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_01: So a significantly smaller number for Peoria in this game.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: And like I just mentioned, in all these facets, more shots on goal for the Cyclones, less for the Mustangs, hoping that that leads to a win.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's exactly what happened.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: Friday game, Cyclones come away with a narrow 3-2 victory, their first victory of the season against the Peoria Mustangs in Peoria, Illinois.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: Let's go through the period-by-period box score, talk about how it all unfolded.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, no score in the first period, despite a power play for each team.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: Nobody was able to come away with either power play opportunity with a goal.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: But second period, Peoria strikes first with a goal at the 10-34 minute mark.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_01: Brendan Miller of the Peoria Mustangs nets a goal and makes it one-nothing Mustangs.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh shortly after, Grant Hubert for the Mustangs gets called for a hooking minor.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: And the Cyclones capitalize on the power play.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_01: Gabe Field scores to tie it up Lucas Mankoff and Nate Spencer on the assist for that goal.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: And then we go to the third period.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: Just three minutes in, about three minutes in, Peoria makes it 2-1.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_01: Colin Woods of the Mustangs grabs a tuck.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_01: It was his first of the year.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: And then not even a minute later, or just about a minute later, Owen Renslow from Joel Anderson and Frank Goodman ties it up.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: Renz, my guy, absolutely fire me up.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_01: What an awesome way to get this game going, to get this game rolling.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_01: That is amazing stuff coming from Owen Renslow.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: Then the only penalty in the entire third period, Corbin Caddy gets a tripping slash clipping minor.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: Maxim Salianko capitalizes on the power play.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's the game-winning goal.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: Cyclones get a 3-2 win in that Friday game versus the Peoria Mustangs.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: Shout out Parker Nevin Honan of the Cyclones.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_01: 60 minutes time on ice, 26 saves on 28 shot attempts.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: 9-2-9 save percentage.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: I do want to tip my cap to Chase Vaughn.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_01: Played almost the entire game, despite the fact that the Mustangs pulled their goalie toward the end.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: 39 saves on 42 shots, put up the same save percentage as Parker and Honan for the Mustangs, but they weren't able to come away with a win.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_01: Always want to tip a cap to a performance like that, but the main excitement here, Cyclones come away with a win.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely electric stuff.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: Now we move to the Saturday game.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_01: And unfortunately, in this game, the Mustangs are able to respond and bounce back.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: Which makes things very unfortunate for the Cyclones.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_01: Like I mentioned, this was the Saturday game.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: So a day after the Cyclones 3-2 win.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_01: Let's talk about how it all unfolded.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: 27 shots on goal for the Cyclones and 41 for the Mustangs.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: If you remember the numbers from last night, or the night before, 42 for the Cyclones, 28 for the Mustangs.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's almost an identical swap.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: You almost see both of these teams basically swap places in terms of their shot production.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I just talked about it in the last game we were talking about.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: That is a recipe to win a hockey game.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_01: And that's exactly what the Mustangs did in this game.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Although it was by a little bit larger of a margin.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: So in the first period, Joel Anderson scores for the Cyclones, gets the first goal of the game.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: Braden Myers and Jackson Schrader grabbing the assists on that goal.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: Second period at the 16 and the 13-minute mark, Peoria strikes twice to make it a 2-1 game, and then three unanswered goals in the third, five unanswered goals total.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: Cyclones had a 1-0 lead, ended up losing the game 5-1.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: They get three more goals in the third for a 5-1 win.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: So Cyclones have now only won one game and lost three over the Peoria Mustangs.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: Goaltending Dravenworth had an 8-7-8 save percentage, 36 saves on 41 shot attempts that he saw.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: Pretty solid numbers from Dravenworth considering that he had 40 plus shots put on him.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: And then when he lets that one goal in, he must have decided, you know, I don't want to let any more in because he went 26 for 27.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: 963 save percentage for Nolan Sanderson of the Peoria Mustangs.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: So Cyclones last weekend split that series versus Peoria.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_01: They now have a 5'5-1 record.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: They got an OT shootout loss attached to their record as it stands right now.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: All right, let's talk a little bit about what the Cyclones have coming up.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_01: Back-to-back home games this coming weekend, the 16th and the 17th of October, Fox Cities Forge coming into Wasa for a two-game series.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_01: Both games at Marathon Park Ice Arena.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: If you remember from the previous weeks, we've seen the Fox Cities Forge twice.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_01: We've beaten them twice.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_01: One of the times was down at Appleton, their home at Appleton Family Ice Center, and one of the other times at Marathon Park.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_01: So hopefully we can get another big win at Marathon Park Ice Arena.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: Cyclones are currently undefeated at home.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_01: Knock on wood.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: I'm knocking on wood right now because we want to keep it that way.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: But Cyclones undefeated at home.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: And we're going to see if they can keep it that way this coming weekend.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: Fox City's Forge coming into Marathon Park Ice Arena.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_01: Fox City's Forge, not off to the greatest start this season.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh 0-6.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_01: They have yet to win a game.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_01: But that's something you want to look out for.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_01: They're going to be hungry to win a game.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: They're going to want to get in the win calling for the first time this year.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: Something cyclones have to be aware of.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_01: You always have to look out for those teams who are hungry for a win.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, the Fox Cities Forge need a win more than anybody in the division and almost more than anybody in the entire NA3.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: They're only, you know, I think they're like one of four or five teams that are winless through this point in the season.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_01: So make sure you get dialed in.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: You can go to waspcyclines.com/slash tickets to get those tickets for the game.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: Uh puck drop will be at 7.10 p.m.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_01: Both night stores at 6.10 as usual.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: You guys know the drill when it comes to games at Marathon Park Ice Arena.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_01: Now, let's keep things pointed towards this weekend, but instead of hockey, we're going to talk about promotional schedule.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_01: What you guys have to look forward to this coming weekend.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: Friday, 16th of October.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_01: It's the best promotion that the world of hockey has ever seen.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: And you've got it right here in Wassa.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_01: $2 beer night presented by Bushlight Friday, the 16th of October.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: You can get any of our beers in the building.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: Bushlight, Mickelob Ultra, all that good stuff for$2.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_01: $2 a beer.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you gotta be kidding me.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_01: That's an unbelievable deal.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: And that is presented by Bushlight as always.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: So come out Friday, the 16th of October, to get your beers for$2.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_01: And then Saturday, the 17th of October, it's the Halloween costume contest and trick-or-treat game presented by Goodwill NCW.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: We've got the costume contest out on the ice, which is awesome.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_01: We've seen some great cont costumes, excuse me, over the last few years.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: Myself and our business ops director, Zach Saraway, we've got our personal favorite.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: It's the blind referees, the referees with the with the blind sticks, because usually the refs can't see the calls that well.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just kidding, all jokes.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: But a great costume like that.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_01: We've seen some hockey players, we've seen some Green Bay Packers players, we've seen all sorts of great stuff.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: So wear your best Halloween costume.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: As Zach Saraway likes to say, it's a great way to trial out your costume for the first time.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: If you haven't worn it yet, get it all dialed in, make sure it's all ready to go for Halloween.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_01: One more time, Friday, 16th of October,$2 beer night presented by Bush Light.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: Saturday, 17th of October, Halloween Costume Contest and Trick-or-Treat game presented by Goodwill NCW.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_01: Both games against the Fox Cities Forge, both games with a 7.10 p.m.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_01: puck drop.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: You can get your tickets at wastacyclones.com slash tickets, or you can get them at the door.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: But just remember, there is always a small but relevant chance.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: If we are sold out, we have a no questions asked policy.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: Once we are sold out at capacity, we cannot let anybody in the building.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_01: So if you want to just ease that stress away, get your tickets ahead of time at wastacyclones.com.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: All right, that's everything you need to know about this coming weekend for the Cyclones.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: Let's kick it to an ad break.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_01: But when we come back, we've got an awesome interview with Cyclones assistant coach Max Cother.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_01: He's in his first year with the team, and this was just an unbelievable conversation.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: Max was an absolute beauty.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: He was so fun to talk to, such a such a fun, just happy guy.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I had a really good time interviewing him.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_01: Let's kick it to break.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: And when we return, Max Cothern joins us on the Inside Cyclones hockey podcast.
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• 16:11
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome back to the Inside Cyclones Hockey Podcast, everybody.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_01: As usual, thank you so much to all of our wonderful partners, wonderful sponsors who make this podcast possible.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_01: We could not do the Inside Cyclones Hockey Podcast if it weren't for all the amazing local brands and businesses that work with us.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you for letting us take some time to hear messages from those businesses.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_01: Let's get back to the show.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: Got an unbelievable interview for you guys this week.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_01: We're chatting it up with the newest member of the coaching staff for the Wasta Cyclones in his first year with the organization.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_01: Assistant coach of the Wassa Cyclones, Max Cawthorn joins us on the show.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_01: Max, welcome to the pod.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: So happy to have you.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: How are you, man?
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_02: I'm doing great.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for having me.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we're uh we're stoked to get to chat with you.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_01: It was uh it was kind of a sudden coaching change that all happened with uh with head coach, former head coach, I should say, uh Nathan Oystrick leaving.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Isay getting the call-up, getting to step into that head coaching role.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: And then, you know, with a new uh with a new head coach and a vacant assistant coaching role, we were all uh we were all excited to see who got to step into step into that new role.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: So very, very excited to have you and uh yeah, we're excited to catch up with you.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I guess uh before we get into all the all the nitty-gritty about the cyclones and about the season so far and all that good stuff, uh I kind of just want to give you the chance to tell the listeners a little bit about yourself.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh what's your hockey background, where are you from, and just kind of whatever, whatever information you want to share about uh about yourself.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um like I said, excited to be here.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so born and raised in Rochester, Minnesota.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: So already pretty familiar with one of our uh division rivals there and um played youth high school, youth and high school there, uh, then played a year of junior hockey in Oregon, the state.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_02: And uh and so that was all kind of during COVID, and just how kind of how I got started with coaching is uh that that year got cut short, so I came back home.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_02: Still wanted to be involved in the game somehow, and uh it was actually my dad that recommended I uh go and coach one of my my brother's youth team.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm the oldest of four boys, so me and my youngest brother have a nine-year age gap.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: So I I went and started coaching his team, and um, yeah, the rest is history.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_02: I coached in Rochester for five years, two of those years as a head coach, and now I'm here and I uh couldn't be more excited to be in Wasa.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's cool that you uh and we'll maybe get get into this a little more later in the episode, but you're you've got a you've got a divisional opponent in your in your division, right in your hometown.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_01: So you get to you get to take a few a few trips up to roch, which is awesome.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_01: But uh, but that's cool, man.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and it looks like you it looks like you played goalie uh for the I I did.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_02: I did, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_02: So it's uh it's a different view behind the bench.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it was a little bit of an adjustment when I first started, just you know, kind of you kind of have to see the game from a different perspective.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, but I feel like I I've adjusted well.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, you know, this is years and years ago, but but yeah, definitely when you're first starting out, it's a bit of a bit of an adjustment, just seeing the game.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, from where you're from in the in the crease, you you're you're kind of watching the whole thing develop.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_02: And now that I've been in coaching, you know, sometimes when you're watching a game, you're kind of just honed in on one aspect and you kind of got to zoom out and and see the game from a different perspective.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_02: But I feel like it's it's benefited me in in most ways, so yeah.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: So I always ask every goalie that I interview this question, just because I'm always so curious.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, how how did you end up as a goalie?
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like, was that something you wanted to do, or was it one of those things where like I've heard stories where people were on like peewee teams before they were in double digit age groups, and the coaches are like, somebody's gotta do it, like somebody has to, and I just I'm always so curious how that happens.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_02: You know, that honestly probably be a better question for my parents.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, I I I literally all I remember is playing goalie.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_02: So I I like started playing goalie when I was, oh my gosh, I don't know, five, six, seven, eight, somewhere around there.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's literally all I remember is probably had something to do with the gear looking cool, and so that's what I wanted to do.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_02: But I mean, yeah, I maybe played like one year of player, but then was just a goalie for the rest of it.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_02: So I honestly couldn't even really give you a concrete answer of how I got started with that.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's that's super cool.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's nice when the parents have a have a little influence there, and I mean it's such a it's such a unique goalie.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_02: Well, so my my one of my younger brothers, the one that I'm closest in age with, actually is a goalie too.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_02: He started playing goalie as well, so back to back goalies for him.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_01: Back to back goalies.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um cool, man.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's uh that's cool that you were able to um find your find your hockey passion in that position.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_01: Like I said, it's I mean it's pretty unique.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um you you just kind of spoke to it a little bit, but I was also gonna ask too, what's the uh what's kind of the different viewpoint of the way you're kind of seeing the game and coaching the game, you know, as as someone who's not just a goalie coach, you know, you're focusing on all the aspects of the game and you know you're working closely with Meisy.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_01: What do you see differently, just generally speaking, doesn't have to be specifically with the cyclones, but what what kind of things do you notice that you you know see differently, coach differently from from the goalie.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: Perspective.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, you know, I I mean quite quite a bit, honestly.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, when you're playing and you're in the crease, you're I I mean, just taking it Ozone, D zone, neutral zone.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, when the puck's in in our ozone, you know, that's when I'm playing, that's kind of the time where, you know, you can take a breath, reassess things.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_02: But when I'm behind the bench, I'm still worried about, you know, where our F1, F2, F3 is, how we're positioned, you know, how the fore check is looking.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_02: And then the D zone, you know, when I was playing, that's when you got to be hyper focused, angles, you know, worried about incoming shots and all that.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_02: And now I now when I'm coaching, it's you know, I'm kind of just relying on our goalies to be able to make the save because I'm more worried about how we're how we're doing positionally and you know how the D zone coverage is looking.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, it's just little stuff like that where there's a difference in how you played the position as a goaltender versus now how I'm coaching behind the bench.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I feel like that's such a unique to have the goalie experience, and I feel like goalies see the game from such a different perspective because you know you're not just there to make the save, like you're watching so many things unfold in front of you, like you're always watching, you know, a team's power play and how that develops, you know, you're watching it heavily.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_02: It's kind of like a catcher in baseball.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_02: Like you you just you see everything in front of you.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I think I'm maybe cut losing your audio a little.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, sorry, can you hear me now?
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yep, no, we're good.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_01: We're all good.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, I I I got most of that.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: Like a catcher in baseball.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_01: That's uh that's awesome.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, okay, so I I want to ask what the what the preceding moments were to you accepting the offer to get the job with the Cyclones.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: How did you even find out about the opening?
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh who did you get in contact with?
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: What were the what were the moments leading up to accepting this position for you?
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_02: So I had kind of known since about what that would have been.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, last last the start of last season, so the 25-26 season, that that was kind of the last year that I wanted to be in Rochester, and you know, I wanted to kind of expand my my because that was when I kind of came like I you know, I want to do this coaching thing, I want to pursue it.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like I want to see, I want to see how deep I can get into it, I want to challenge myself.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_02: So I I really committed to you know, just expanding myself as a coach that last year in Rochester.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, and then so when that season ended is when I started, you know, uh doing some interviews, looking for looking for openings, and you know, nothing came about, nothing really stuck.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_02: And then yeah, like you said, it's kind of a late, late opening.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_02: I think it was like early August, late July, early August, something like that.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, it was it was um a a quick process, which you know I'm not gonna complain about because I was definitely, you know, like hovering over my phone, waiting for the phone call.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, I had I think I saw the job post scene on like maybe a Sunday or a Monday.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um had an interview on Tuesday, and then felt like I had a felt like it was a really solid interview, and then got a call from Mysie on that Thursday.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_02: And probably the uh one of the quickest yes of my of my life, uh really was really thankful for the offer and you know was just immediately told the told the family, and and yeah, so one of my one of my uh my 22-year-old brother is actually coaching for Wilmer.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_02: Oh there you go.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_02: So so yeah, so he was excited for me as well.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_02: He was my assistant coach last year, so you know we've kind of gone through this process a little bit together.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, so to to have someone, I mean, we chat every day, so it's good to have he has me and I have him, and we can kind of bounce things off of each other, and you know, I'm always talking with Myze as well, and it's yeah, it's been a good process so far.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, I'm I'm on the same page as you, man.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_01: Quick turnaround, there's nothing to complain about with that.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes with jobs, it's like you know, you interview, you have to wait a few weeks, you might have another interview.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, yeah, no, and Myze has been nothing, nothing short of of awesome and in welcoming me to the town, welcoming me, welcoming me to the team.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, he he's been he's been great.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, well, speaking of welcoming you to the team in the town, uh, what are what are your first impressions of just Wassa, the team, the area, the community, you know, marathon park, all that kind of stuff.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_01: You guys are 11 games in.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_01: What what are your thoughts?
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yeah, 11 games in.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I love Marathon Park.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_02: I'm a guy that I I love a nice old school, it's liter a literal barn.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_02: Like I I love it.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_01: You know, where the name comes from.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_02: So uh the the ice is nice and hard.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, yeah, I I love it.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_02: Love the arena.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um, town's been great.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, you know, I can only get to a handful of spots right now without using my GPS still.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_02: So I I think I can get to the rink quick trip and the Y without having to load up the GPS, but but yeah, the the town has been great.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, the people have been fantastic.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_02: Uh yeah, everything has been really smooth so far.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_02: The team, I I think we have a really, really tight room.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_02: And so, you know, that's something that you know, you always as a coaching staff, you always want the guys to be able to get along.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_02: And I mean, the season is so long that no matter what team you're on, there's gonna be some some bumps and bruises.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_02: So to be able to have a locker room that's so tight and close, you know, you can really rely on that.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's that's awesome.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I I'm with you on the marathon park stuff.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_01: That place is that place is electric.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, yeah.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_02: The f we've all so yeah, like you said, we've had 11 games and only one of them has been a home game.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_02: And that that home opener was was electric.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it was great, such a great atmosphere.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_02: And we have two two home games this weekend.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I'm excited to get back and have a couple more in front of the home fans.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_01: And you and you got a you got a pretty good home opener.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_01: I think the attendance I'm actually looking at it right now is like 720-something people.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_01: That's for a home opener and just for marathon park in general, like that's a that's a packed house.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, yeah, I was in it was insane.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, the and the adrenaline was definitely there, I think, for everybody.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, what I liked about this the schedule last year, which it's very similar this year, uh, if not the same.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the latter half of the schedule is so home heavy.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_01: Like once you get January, like you're barely going on the road.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so someone someone told me that we don't leave the state of Wisconsin after the showcase.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_02: So so that's pretty nice.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah, I think we have like 12 home games in February.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it's insane.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, awesome, dude.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_01: That's uh that's unreal.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm with you on the on the navigation as well.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_01: I I had to figure out where everything was.
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_01: I I could only get to I could only get to Marathon Park.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_01: That was about it.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, all right, so I want to talk to you a little bit about Myzee.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so you you obviously get here, you know, you start working with the team for camp and then you guys get into games.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_01: Uh what kind of stuff have you uh have you learned about uh Myze as a head coach?
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, what kind of things have you uh have have you seen he's been doing for the team?
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, what what what are your kind of your thoughts as as being able to watch him operate as the head coach?
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, just in the what two months that we've been here, I mean, I've already learned so so much.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, whether it's like game planning or I I think I've already been introduced to like 200 new drills.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_02: So just to have those, and you know, we get it printed off every morning, and so just to have those in the back of the head and practice planning, game planning, all of that.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, he is so unbelievably dialed in.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_02: It is so crazy to see it.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's exactly what you want from a head coach.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, whether whether I get a get a head coach position anytime in the future, you know, that's that's exactly the kind of guy that I want to be.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_02: You know, he is always there for the guys, whether they need anything.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, any question that I've had in the two months that I've been here, I've ripped him a text and he's gotten back to me, you know, so fast.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, he's always there with whatever answer you could have.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_02: And and yeah, it's it's been really, really great so far.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, from the from the conversations I had with Myzee last year, you know, they were they were brief, but they were they were notable.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_01: He's just he has such a solid impact.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and he's yeah, such a good guy.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_02: He's he's so he's so on top of everything.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he's he's just a passionate guy who who loves the game and he you know he wants to he wants to pay that forward to all these guys that he's coaching.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_01: And I I've only had the chance to chat with a handful of the guys on the team because I try to interview a player every week, but um, everybody, you know, either returners who are working with him for the first time this year, or some of the vets who knew him as the assistant coach and are now seeing him step into the uh step into the head coaching role.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: They've had they've had nothing but good things to say.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_01: So uh yeah, you know.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_01: If you're listening to this, Myzy, you're doing a good job.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you're doing what you're doing.
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_02: That only makes me want to be better myself as well.
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I see him giving 110%, and you know, that makes me want to match him in that 110.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, as as much as he's gonna give, I'm gonna be right there with him for whatever he needs as well.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm sure he knows that too.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_02: So I think we've been we've been really great together so far.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, all right, let's get into a little more hockey central talk.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, so I talked about it already, not too far in the season.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_01: You guys are 11 games in.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna leave this pretty open-ended for you.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_01: What do you think about this team 11 games in?
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_01: You can answer this however you want.
• 32:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, what are you what are your thoughts on the 2026-27 WASSA Cyclones at this point in the season?
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_02: You know, there is a lot, a lot, a lot of skill in that room.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_02: No doubt in my mind that there we have we have division three guys, gnaw guys in that room.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_02: It is it is a very, very skilled group, you know.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_02: I think something you're gonna run into with any team, whatever level early in the year, is trying to get guys to buy into an identity, buy into a role, um, you know, get the get the team team chemistry flowing.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, and I think they've done a great job job of that.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_02: I've I've heard that they've done some hiking at at Red Mountain or lifting together, coming to the Y together.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, so you know, the team chemistry is gonna be there.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_02: Now we just need need to help them build on that.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_02: And so, so yeah, it's getting guys to to buy into their role.
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, not everyone can be a first-line guy, not everyone can be on the power play, and it's you know, are are you gonna be able to accept that?
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_02: I I think some some guys might come into the league thinking they're gonna tear it up.
• 34:06
  SPEAKER_02: And when it when that's not the case, I mean, are you gonna are you gonna sit back and and not try anymore?
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_02: Or are you gonna be the guy that's going to accept his third, fourth line role, you know, go out there and give everything they have?
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_02: Or like like what kind of person are you gonna be?
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_02: And I and I think we're kind of that kind of to that point where we're finding out who these guys are gonna be, what kind of team we're gonna be.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_02: So there's still so much more room for growth for for everyone.
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, once we can unlock that full potential, I think it's gonna be a pretty dangerous squad.
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_01: And you've got so much time to do it still.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you can't.
• 34:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_02: We're on yeah, we're in the middle of October.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's awesome.
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, I mean, I you know, I've been glancing at the roster and you know, moves and changes and all that stuff.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_01: I obviously am, you know, super familiar with and super close with all the boys that are that are in their second year that are returners.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and you know, the few guys that I've been keeping an eye on uh that are first years in terms of their production, you know, it seems like not only are there just a lot of guys who are you know are very skilled and you know very confident in their game and you know their poise out on the ice and stuff like that, uh, but it's all about the buy-in too.
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like you 100%, yeah.
• 35:28
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like you mentioned a lot of that as well.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, it doesn't matter if you're you know skating top line minutes or if you're you know a glue guy on the fourth line and you're coming in.
• 35:37
  SPEAKER_01: 100%.
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you're making plays when they need to be made, but you're maybe not getting as many minutes.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's all about knowing your role.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like one of my biggest takeaways from watching from afar, because I was never you know in the room or anything like that.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody knows their role and everybody buys in, and that's the most important thing, and that's why this team is that's why this team is so dangerous.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_02: I mean Carolina Hurricanes just won the Stanley Cup, and I mean their their captain was like a third, fourth line center.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I mean it's Conn Spyth winner.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's right there.
• 36:11
  SPEAKER_02: Like, like, dude, if I mean it's it's really easy to show up and say you want to make the playoffs, you know, you want to go to the Fraser Cup, you want to win a Fraser Cup, but like okay, are are you gonna but are we gonna buy in then?
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_02: Are are we are we gonna have have a team full of like you said, some glue guys?
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_02: Like every team needs those guys.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like you can't be a team that has 16 studs.
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_02: Like you like every team needs to have some guys that you know you're gonna get put into the lineup and you're gonna go out there and go even and lay it, lay your body around, and you know, that's a great night.
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if this is I mean, this isn't this isn't the the most crazy saying, but I don't know if you've ever heard the people say top lines get you the get you the seed you need, bottom lines win you the cup.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_01: And like in this case, it's like your top lines get you where you need to be for the Fraser Cup playoffs, and then it's like it's your it's your depth that's gonna get you all the way.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah, yeah.
• 37:11
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if the Fraser is in St.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_01: Louis again this year, is it?
• 37:14
  SPEAKER_02: I'm pretty pretty sure it is, yeah.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so I can say bottom lines, your depth gets you to St.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_01: Louis.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_01: So that's awesome.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 37:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I and you know, speaking of our depth, I mean, I think I I would put our depth up with anybody's.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I'm so confident in the guys that we have in that locker room, and so confident in in the depth we have and being able to provide that game in and gay, gate, game in and game out is gonna be crucial for us.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely, man.
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it's been you know, it's been cool to see how things have started out.
• 37:48
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and I know the uh the start of the year was a little was a little weird with uh being down some guys and and having an abrupt schedule change.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 37:57
  SPEAKER_01: And that's a hard adjustment to make.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, the the season, the start of the season, you know, wasn't ideal uh with you know how things panned out, but you're in a good spot now.
• 38:09
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, you know, if you don't account for the uh the overtime loss, you guys are basically a you know a 500 team, 500 standings, and yeah, yeah, we took ourselves a little bit of a hole, but you know, we're we we battled back, so you know now we can really start grinding here.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 38:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um all right.
• 38:27
  SPEAKER_01: I hate to I hate to single guys out because you know we just talked about it.
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody on this team is so significant, everybody knows their role, uh, and everybody plays a part in the overall success that this team has had in past years, you know, consecutive playoff berths and all that kind of stuff.
• 38:42
  SPEAKER_01: But I do want to ask you about two specific guys, uh Jackson Schrader and Maxim Salianko, two really star-studded forwards uh who had really great seasons last year.
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_01: And they don't start with the team that both of them are kind of elsewhere.
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, Jackson Schrader's actually with the Bulls, training with his old coach Oisty, uh, and I don't know off the top of my head know where uh know where Sally was, but uh she was in uh Philadelphia.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, gotcha.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_01: Uh well either way, both of those guys are doing other things, but they end up coming back to the Cyclones.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_01: How big is that to bring such bolstered forward depth and such leadership back into this room?
• 39:21
  SPEAKER_01: How much is that gonna help you guys uh you know later down the road?
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, it's been huge.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, I mean, Sal got the uh overtime winner for our our very first win of the year.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_02: So, I mean, speaks to the importance right there, but I I mean, just going back to to depth, I mean, being able to plug those guys in, and you know, they provide us with more scoring and more top-end oper grade A chances, and you know, we get some more guys that are willing to accept their roles a little bit, a little bit down the lineup, and you know, that provides us with a little bit more depth.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_02: But I mean, you know, those guys have been great.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, from what I've a lot, you know, the conversations I've had with Sal, I mean, he's just a a funny guy.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, uh Jackson Trader, I've had a couple conversations with him, but you know, you can definitely tell that the presence that he has, that both guys have in the locker room.
• 40:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, I think a couple of the rookies, you know, see that, you know, you come, you come to Wassaw, you have a good year, and the opportunities are there for you.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_02: The opportunities are there for advancement.
• 40:33
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's it's our end goal to advance these guys, right?
• 40:36
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm, you know, it whether they're with us for the year or not, it's it's our jobs to try and get shreds and sal back up back up to the knall or or to get uh college commitment, you know, whatever whatever they may want in their hockey careers.
• 40:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 40:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it's it's all about it's all about growth, you know.
• 41:00
  SPEAKER_01: It's all about um the the the NA3 and the knall too, but you know, in this case the NA3, it's such a stepping stone league, you know, for everybody.
• 41:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_01: For um for players.
• 41:10
  SPEAKER_02: We want those guys to go out and and get the opportunity they deserve, but that's not saying that it's just gonna come to them.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_02: Like they still have to come back here and they have to put in the work here.
• 41:20
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, if if if if both of them want to get if they want to get back to to where they were, you gotta you gotta put in the work, you know, it's not gonna come for free.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, man.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that's you know, that's cool to it's cool to see and it's cool to observe.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_01: And it'll be it'll be awesome to kind of watch both of those storylines unfold with not just those two guys, but yeah, everybody everybody on the team.
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_01: Cause because the league, like I just said, it's such a stepping stone league.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_01: It leads to other opportunities, it leads to growing your game, it leads to all sorts of different stuff.
• 41:52
  SPEAKER_01: So that's uh that's a very exciting thing to think about.
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, 100%.
• 41:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, all right, man.
• 41:57
  SPEAKER_01: I got a few uh I got a few personal questions for you, just so the listeners can get to know you a little better.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_01: But before I ask that, is there anything else you want to say about about the team, about where you guys are at right now, about what lies ahead?
• 42:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh anything you want to anything you want to touch on there?
• 42:11
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, I'm just I I'm excited for for the grind.
• 42:15
  SPEAKER_02: You know, this is uh this is we're kind of hitting that point right now.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_02: Well, not really, but it's more like November, December, January, February.
• 42:25
  SPEAKER_02: Those are the four months where you really got to put your head head down and you know, you really find what find what you're made of.
• 42:32
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm I'm really excited to get to that point of the year, find out what this team is made of, find out, you know, what kind of team we're gonna be.
• 42:39
  SPEAKER_02: So excited to get rolling in those months.
• 42:42
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_01: Very exciting stuff.
• 42:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, all right, man.
• 42:46
  SPEAKER_01: Gonna get into a few uh few personal questions, just some stuff to, you know, let the listeners and myself get to know you a little better.
• 42:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I always ask everybody I interview, you know, on the cyclones, whether it's a player, coach, whatever, you know, are you uh are you as much of a hockey fan as you are a coach player?
• 43:03
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, you mentioned the canes winning the Stanley Cup, so I feel like you have to at least follow the NHL a little bit.
• 43:09
  SPEAKER_01: Are you a hockey fan?
• 43:10
  SPEAKER_01: Do you follow, do you follow the NHL?
• 43:12
  SPEAKER_02: Oh yeah, oh yeah.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_02: I watch as as much wild hockey games as I can.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_02: Die hard die hard wild fan.
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 43:21
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I I try, you know, if I can't watch a whole game, I try and watch at least a little bit of every wild game, but you know, outside of the wild, yeah.
• 43:31
  SPEAKER_02: Huge, huge hockey NHL fan.
• 43:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 43:34
  SPEAKER_01: I know there's a few, uh, I know there's a few wild fans on the roster um this year.
• 43:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_02: There we go I I think there are, you know, there's I think there are a couple Aves fans, a couple Hawks fans.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_01: We have a lot of Michigan guys, so I'm seeing some Megas Cold of the Knights fan, which is ridiculous.
• 43:55
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my god.
• 43:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'm gonna have to give them some crap about that.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, no, they uh there's a uh there was uh there was a guy last year, Davis Polifka, who uh he was I've heard the name.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_01: He was a big wild fan, and we would uh we would always we would always we would always chirp each other because I cover the abs.
• 44:14
  SPEAKER_01: So I follow the Aves very closely.
• 44:16
  SPEAKER_01: That's my that's my job out here in that's my job out here in Denver now.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_01: So uh yeah, we had a we had a good little tilt in the second round of the playoffs last year.
• 44:24
  SPEAKER_01: That was a fun one.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_02: Sure did, sure.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know if I'd call it a good tilt.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_02: I mean it kind of got our butts kicked, but yeah.
• 44:29
  SPEAKER_01: I think that series was closer than uh what was it, four one?
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_02: Well, yeah, I mean what is five games lost in an overtime.
• 44:36
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, yeah, what are you gonna do?
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_02: It's yeah.
• 44:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_01: Uh that that game five, I mean, you you don't see teams come back from 3-0 very often.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_01: That was an anomaly for sure.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_02: No, yeah, yeah.
• 44:47
  SPEAKER_02: It's but I mean we'll we'll see what happens.
• 44:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and we got our payback too.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_01: We got we got dummied by Vegas.
• 44:54
  SPEAKER_01: That was embarrassing.
• 44:55
  SPEAKER_01: There's no there's no excuse for what happened.
• 44:57
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, they went on a run last year, so hats off to them, I guess.
• 45:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 45:01
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's cool, man.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_01: Hopefully, uh, hopefully Quinn Quinny Hughes gets a gets a long-term deal in Minnesota and hopefully why.
• 45:07
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, we'll we'll see what happens with all that.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I'm I'm kind of neutral right now.
• 45:12
  SPEAKER_02: I don't really know how I how I feel about it.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_02: So whether whether we resign them or send him off for a haul, I guess we'll see.
• 45:20
  SPEAKER_02: That's thankfully that's Bel Guerin's job, not mine.
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, all right.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh when you're not coaching, when you're not watching hockey, what other kind of stuff do you like to do for fun?
• 45:32
  SPEAKER_01: What are your hobbies?
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_01: What other stuff are you into uh that isn't hockey?
• 45:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um I you know, in the summer you can usually find me on the golf course.
• 45:44
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, there we go.
• 45:45
  SPEAKER_02: In the winter, I'm usually hitting the slopes out skiing.
• 45:50
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, you know, I'd say on a day-to-day basis, my biggest hobby is probably going to the gym.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I kind of picked up going to the gym a little bit in uh junior hockey, and then when I came back home, I just couldn't stop going.
• 46:02
  SPEAKER_02: And so I've been, you know, I gym rat, I would say, but but yeah, I'd you know, outside of that, I mean, I love to golf, spend way too much money on it.
• 46:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um, love to ski in the in the winters.
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I actually didn't start skiing until I was done with hockey because I was always afraid of getting an injury because that's so common.
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, with being able to skate, I kind of picked it up a little easily.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_02: So I've been doing that for two, three winters now and and love it.
• 46:31
  SPEAKER_01: In high school, I always used to have to tell, I always used to have to tell my lacrosse coach I was going camping during during the winters when it was skiing.
• 46:38
  SPEAKER_01: Like he he just he just told us like just tell us tell me you're going camping.
• 46:42
  SPEAKER_01: I don't even want to know.
• 46:43
  SPEAKER_01: I don't even want to think about injury.
• 46:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 46:46
  SPEAKER_01: What uh what's the best and the worst club in your golf bag?
• 46:50
  SPEAKER_01: Like what what do you hit the best and what's what do you struggle with?
• 46:54
  SPEAKER_02: Best probably my eight iron.
• 46:56
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, that's a nice that's a that's a club that whenever I pull out, I'm feeling pretty confident with the shot I have.
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_02: There you go.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_02: You know, worst club, you really depends on the day, but the the driver is so hit or miss.
• 47:11
  SPEAKER_02: So hit or miss.
• 47:12
  SPEAKER_02: I can tell what kind of day it's gonna be off of the first T shot.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_01: That's unbelievably relatable.
• 47:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, but um, oh gosh.
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I kind of dialed in the putting a little bit this summer.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_02: So there we go.
• 47:27
  SPEAKER_02: So so that that's alright.
• 47:31
  SPEAKER_02: The worst.
• 47:32
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
• 47:33
  SPEAKER_02: Probably my short game chipping.
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_02: My my chipping is it's it's rough, it's a rough go.
• 47:39
  SPEAKER_01: My I was gonna say my worst would either be like my four iron, like a long iron, or anything, anything within a hundred degree, a hundred yards.
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_01: Anything within a hundred yards.
• 47:49
  SPEAKER_01: When I have to have control over the shot, I either I either chunk it five yards in front of me or I skull it over the green.
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_01: There's no in between.
• 47:57
  SPEAKER_02: Well, when I have a 40 to 100 yard shot, I can kind of control those a little bit, but it's like anything sub-40, and it's like if I can get this within 20 feet, that's a that's a win.
• 48:09
  SPEAKER_02: Nice.
• 48:10
  SPEAKER_01: Sweet.
• 48:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then uh what hockey aside, because you know, we talked about what you've thought of marathon park and the wasa community, all that stuff.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_01: What are what have been your favorite parts about Wasa?
• 48:23
  SPEAKER_01: Whether it's you know places that you've gone to eat, things you've checked out around the town, what have you liked about Wasa um in your two months or whatever you've been here?
• 48:33
  SPEAKER_02: Well, uh there was, you know, something when I first got here, I forget what it's called, but they kind of like closed off downtown a little bit and had like a bunch of food vendors and uh like little like pop-up shops downtown.
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_02: So we have something very, very similar to that in Rochester.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_02: That was always pretty fun.
• 48:54
  SPEAKER_02: So went to that.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_02: That was a cool experience.
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, have tried out some different restaurants here in town.
• 49:01
  SPEAKER_02: I've I've never been to a Milwaukee burger until I came to Wassaw, so that's been a good spot to go to.
• 49:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um, oh gosh, I'm trying to think.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_02: Have you been to the talk?
• 49:13
  SPEAKER_02: The what?
• 49:14
  SPEAKER_01: The talkeria.
• 49:16
  SPEAKER_02: I have, yes, great spot.
• 49:18
  SPEAKER_02: Great staple.
• 49:19
  SPEAKER_01: That's a staple.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and uh the raising canes just opened.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I didn't have that last year.
• 49:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 49:28
  SPEAKER_02: So they're about to get to know me real well.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_02: Uh that that might have to be the pregame meal uh tomorrow on Saturday.
• 49:36
  SPEAKER_01: Unreal.
• 49:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 49:39
  SPEAKER_01: Sweet.
• 49:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, cool, man.
• 49:41
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's uh that's kind of all the questions I got for you.
• 49:44
  SPEAKER_01: Uh before we before we wrap things up, do you have uh anything you want to say to the listeners?
• 49:48
  SPEAKER_01: Anything you want to shout out?
• 49:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, I just want to say uh thank you for welcoming not only myself, but all of the boys to uh to town.
• 50:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um and you know, I I couldn't be more excited to to be here.
• 50:04
  SPEAKER_01: Cool, man.
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_01: Well, uh, we really appreciate your time.
• 50:07
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks so much for joining us and chatting up with us.
• 50:09
  SPEAKER_01: Uh good luck in the uh in the in the next few games that you guys have coming.
• 50:13
  SPEAKER_01: And uh I can I can tell you with confidence this won't be the last time we chat here on the pod this season.
• 50:17
  SPEAKER_01: We'll get you on again soon.
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, sir.
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, sir.
• 50:20
  SPEAKER_02: Sounds good.
• 50:20
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 50:21
  SPEAKER_01: All right, thanks so much for joining us, Max.
• 50:23
  SPEAKER_01: And uh we're gonna kick it to break here on the Inside Cyclones Hockey Podcast.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we'll return shortly.
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_01: Hey Cyclones fans.
• 50:30
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• 51:45
  SPEAKER_01: We look forward to meeting you and your canine and feline family members, and we look forward to seeing you at the next Packed Cyclones game.
• 51:53
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for listening to Inside Cyclones Hockey as we give you a behind the scenes look at the team.
• 51:58
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• 52:04
  SPEAKER_01: And as always, go clones.