June 8, 2023 • 42 mins
Without their star player the Trashers’ kid owner turns to a childhood hero for help. But as their new player arrives in downtown Danbury, he’s noticing something strange about his new employer. The Trashers seem to be on a collision course that not even an NHL star can help them avoid.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Novel. It's Monday, June ninth, two thousand and three, and
the trashas aren't even a twinkle in Jimmy gland his eye.
Tonight He's taken AJ to the Continental Airlines Arena in
(00:27):
East Rutherford, New Jersey. AJ's favorite team, the New Jersey Devils,
are up against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. But this isn't
any old game. This is the final game of the
two thousand and two two thousand and three NHL season,
the biggest game and the hockey calendar. The winner will
(00:49):
take home the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Winner takes at all on a series.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
It's a school night, but AJ wouldn't miss this game
for the world. Jimmy and AJ take their seats with
the other Devils fans, all dressed up in team colors red,
black and white. The game starts and the crowd are
up on their feet, straining to see the puck as
it flies up and down the ice. There's a Devil's
(01:19):
player out here tonight who it is never seen before.
Number sixteen, a young gun by the name of Mike Ruck.
He's playing the kind of hockey AJ aspires to, skillful
but tough.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Held in near side by rock Ruck the rookie tag
the playoffs like is quite physically big.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Rup is twenty three years old. He's new to the NHL,
but tonight he's dominating. As the game moves into the
second period, the two teams are still tight zero zero,
but not for long. In the park mid air flex
it past the goalie and into the net. The goal
(02:09):
takes the Devils into the lead. In the stands, AJ
and the other Devil's fans go wild.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
You never know where heroes will come from. It's his
first ever playoff goal.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Ain't time and wonderful?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
You got a lot.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Rub was not nervous in the first parade.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
You can see it for a run rookie unbelievable, he's
like great legs.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Mike has scored the victory clinching goal and helps win
the enormous Stanley Cup for his team. AJ's found a
new hero. Mike Rupp is young, talented, and aggressive, the
kind of player AJ can only dream about becoming. But
little does AJ know a couple of years from now,
his own hockey career will be cut brutally short, and
(02:57):
the logo or Mike RUP's jersey no longer be a Devil.
But a shifty eyed trash can. I'm Claire Crofton from
The Teams, a novel, and iHeartRadio. This is the fighty
Pucks Game five Lockout.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
When I was in high school, I was the only
person that played hockey in any of the grades. So
I felt like, as a kid, you want to be different,
and this was the opportunity for me to be different.
I could be the best because no one else played.
So it's pretty easy to be the best when you're
the only one playing.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Mike Rupp's hockey origin story might sound familiar. He grew
up in Cleveland, which, like Danbury, is not a hockey town,
and like AJ, Mike used hockey as a way to
blow off steam. The sport offered him a kind of
alter ego.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
When you step on the sheet of ice, you could
be a villain, you could be a hero, you can
be anything. It's almost like this fake persona that you
can have. It could be anybody you want to be.
It was like you're living this character out, drawing emotion
out of people. And you know, normally I wasn't like
that in everyday life, Like I wasn't going around trying
(04:29):
to get a rise out of people. But on the ice,
that's what I try to do, whether it's getting cheered
at home or boot on the road.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It was fine in regular life, you're not allowed to
start fights or bash into people. And off the ice,
Mike up comes across as a really sweet guy just
like AJ. But out on the ice the rules are different.
The arena is a stage, the kit a kind of costume.
Players can transform, So just like AJ when he was playing,
(05:00):
Mike could channel his aggression in a way that would
get him arrested outside of the arena. But this is
where the parallels between Mike Rupp and AJ stop because
what AJ might have been the tough guy star of
his high school hockey team, Mike Rupp was playing at
a whole other level. From the moment Mike first picked
(05:23):
up a hockey stick in the mid eighties, age six,
it was clear that this kid had a gift. He
seemed destined for the NHL. At just eighteen years old,
he went pro, committing years of hard graft to honing
his skills in the minor leagues. That commitment paid off.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
My mend up making my NHL debut on my birthday actually,
in January thirteenth, two thousand and three. I ended up
scoring two goals in that game, so it was like,
all right, cool man, I made it.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Mike made hockey headlines scoring that winning goal in the
Stanley Cup final, with AJ and Jimmy cheering on from
the stands. He was living every hockey kids fantasy until
one day.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
It is my somber duty to report that at today's meeting,
the NHL Board of Governors unanimously reconfirmed that NHL teams
will not play until we have a new system which
fixes the economic problems facing our game.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
It's two thousand and four and there's trouble in the NHL.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
There have been too many bankruptcies and too many other
close calls. We need a system that will eliminate the
disparities and payrolls so that a team's ability to compete
depends on its team building skills, not on its ability
to pay.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
The league wants to introduce a salary cup to regulate
how much the players can get paid. They've paused the
season until the players basically agree to have their pay cup,
and unsurprisingly, players are not in a rush to accept
the new term.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
The very future of our game is at stake.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
For the first time since he was six years old.
There's no hockey in Mike's foreseeable future.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I jouped about playing the NHL my whole life. I
finally get a little taste of it, and then it's like,
what happens if this is forever? You know, so you
don't know what's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
It doesn't look like the NHL is going to start
up again anytime soon. What's Mike supposed to do with
his life now? He's just started scratching his head for ideas.
When someone from a small city called Danbury reaches out
with an offer he can't refuse. That's coming up after
the break back in December two thousand and four, when
(07:52):
star player Brad Wingfield was rushed to hospital, sunfeared this
was the beginning of the end for the Trashes, but
over the course of their next few games, the teams
commentator Phil Jubileo saw something else happen.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
The game kind of like galvanized the team, Like they
just started ripping off wins after that, like they had
a real hard time losing games. It felt like this
team couldn't lose, and then they just went on a roll.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
They say that the best form of revenge is success,
and between Brad's injury on December one and Christmas, the
Trash has played nine games. They won seven of them.
This was a team of underdogs picked for their ability
to bite back.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Back getting one far and the Thrashers win it so
slide dominate.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
The final two periods of play, Danbury won the Gambury
wins the game, and.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
The Treashers that beat the Jaggals by a final score
of six to four.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
As two thousand and four turns to two thousand and five,
the Trashes continue to play hard. By February, they've worked
their way from newbies to the top of the league.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Now the role of underdog is played very well to
the Danburriye Treashers this.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Season, but there's a long way to go if Jimmy
and aj want to win the championship. Because the UHL
schedule is relentless. There's the regular season, where teams in
a geographical division play against each other home and away.
Then once the regular season wraps in April, there's the playoffs,
a ruthless elimination tournament where the top two teams in
(09:23):
each division battle it out for the uhl's ultimate prize.
The Colonial Cup, and so if the Trashes are going
to be the ones to parade that trophy around the
Hat city, they have to win and keep on winning.
With the NHL season halted and hundreds of the world's
best players at a loose end, AJ spots a golden
(09:44):
opportunity that could keep the Trashes at the top of
their game.
Speaker 6 (09:50):
I mean, we felt invincible. We felt like we could
just get any player we wanted. If we really wanted them,
we can get them.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And there's one player that AJ really wants.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Mike Rupp. He could be available, he might be interested.
I remember being like, oh my god, that would be
you know crazy. I was a fan. I was a
teenage kid. I was playing with him on video games,
you know what I mean. So it was like a fantasy.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
But for a teenager running a professional ice hockey team,
turning fantasy into reality was not exactly uncharted territory.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
I had a friend reach out to me and he said, hey, uh,
there's a new team in Danbury, Connecticut. They have an owner.
He really wants to win. His name's Jimmy. Do you
mind if I give him your number? I said, no,
I give him my number. I'll hear what the guy.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Has to say before he knows it. Mike Rupp gets
a call and he.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Says that here's a situation. We want to come out
of the gates and win a championship. We want to
do something special. At first, when I heard it, I'm like,
you know, a lot of those leagues are tough, Like
there's fights. It's a lot tougher than the league's above.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Mike's early career has taught him exactly what's waiting for
an NHL player. Down in the minor leagues.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
It was like taking a fish and throwing them into
a pirana tank. Everybody wanted to beat that player, make
him look foolish, wanted to get in his face, wanted
to fight him, wanted to beat him up because there
was an opportunity for them to show scouts and everybody that, hey,
this guy played in the league. Well look I just
showed him up. And so I know that there's going
(11:25):
to be players that are going to target me because
I played in the NHL.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Jimmy's not used to hearing pushback, but he keeps his cool.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
When Jimmy speaks, it's very slow, powerful to the point,
and he goes Michael when we get off this phone call,
I'd like for you to go on our team's website
and look up our roster. Let's just say, nobody will
even look at you out there. I promise you that.
(12:00):
And I kind of was sitting there like what do
you mean? I didn't know anything about his team, So
I'm like, all right, yeah, I'll check it out. So
I get off the phone and I go on the
computer and I look up the roster.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
As Mike starts scrolling, his jaw drops.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Generally speaking in basic terms, if a player has over
one hundred penalty minutes in a year, that's a physical player, Like,
look out for this guy. He might be a little,
a little squirrely out here with his decision making. I
look on the roster. They had four players with over
two hundred minutes and they're halfway through their season, and
I'm like, how is that even possible?
Speaker 1 (12:39):
But as he keeps reading, it starts to make sense.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
I know some of these names because I've ridden the bus.
I've heard the old war stories from guys who've been
in the minor leagues for years. You've got Roman, the
Nigerian Nightmare, Nader, Frank the Animal by A. Lois John
Nasty Morasty. I mean, these guys are legendary, like crazy,
(13:05):
crazy tough dudes.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
And Mike notices something else about these players. They're not
just legendary crazy tough dudes.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
They're really good. They've got guys on their team with
forty goals. Like I know that guy played against in
the American Hockey League. I played against this guy. Oh,
this guy used to play in the NHL. This guy
was a former first round pick in the NHL. They've
got Brent Gretzky, Wayne Gretzky's brother. I'd have to assume
he's pretty good, all right.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Ah, So that's why Jimmy sounds so confident.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Yeah, I think he's right. I not only get a
play with some pretty good players, no one's gonna even
look at me, no one's gonna even bother me, because
we've got guys on that team that they're there to fight.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Mike's no longer worried about getting beaten up if he
joins the Trashes, but it's still a really difficult decision.
He's a rising star in the NHL. He has to
play his cards carefully. So just a few days after
chatting to Jimmy on the phone. Mike finds himself on
a plane touching down in New York on route to Danbury.
(14:15):
When he gets to arrivals, he scans the crowd looking
for a sign with his name on it. Jimmy's promised
someone will be there to pick him up, but no sign.
Just this teenager with a mad grin on his face
trying to catch his attention.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
He's got the big diamond earring. He's dressed like an
eighteen year old, and he's all energetic, and he looked.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
At me and he kind of smiled, and he gave
me a little like one of those little regal waves
and kept walking.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
But AJ stops him.
Speaker 6 (14:47):
Hey, Mike, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I'm your ride.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
And he looked at me and you can just see
like just confusion going on in his head. And I
was like, hey, I'm Ajor, I'm with the trashers, and
he was just like.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Oh okay.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Jimmy has somehow forgotten to mention to Mike that the
tea was run by his kid's son, and AJ isn't
about to explain all this to his hockey idol out here.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Let me get your bag for you. I was holding
his bag and we walked to my car, and you know,
a regular car. It wasn't like a limo or anything.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
It's a ninety minute drive to the Danbury Arena, but
there's not much small talk in the car. AJ's two
starstruck and Mike a little confused.
Speaker 6 (15:30):
He just was looking around the window. He was looking out.
He was like almost like he was being pranked.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Pulling up outside the Danbrie Ice Arena, Mike can see
that it's a lot smaller than the NHL venues he's
used to playing in. But aj usheres him out of
the car and in through the heavy doors to meet
the rest of the crew in the lobby. And that's
when the penny drops.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Hold on a second, Mike, what's going on?
Speaker 7 (15:55):
Like?
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Oh, you're the your this is your team? Hell? Like,
how do you have a kid running a team? Here?
Speaker 1 (16:03):
As Mike tries to wrap his head around this revelation,
a man walks into the lobby dressed in a bomber jacket,
his collars pushed up and his beard is perfectly groomed.
It's Jimmy.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
He was intense. Like his eyes when you just talk
to him, he can tell you about the weather, and
it looks like he's staring into your soul.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
He says he wants to show Mike how things are
run at Trasha's HQ, and leads Mike on a tour
of the arena.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Everything there was done top, you know, first class.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Mike's used to being given the star treatment, but he
didn't expect it from a lower league team.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I mean, they literally treated their team like an NHL team.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Later, Mike gets on the phone to his agent. The
agent has spoken to Jimmy and he's got some good news.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
This guy said to name your price.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Wait, what doesn't this lower league have some kind of
salary cap for players.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Honestly, I go, I don't care. Just tell him to
pay me what he thinks is fair. He could pay
me whatever he wants to pay me.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Mike's already decided he wants to become a trasher, and
not for the money. He's brought into the whole Trash's concept,
the brutal way they play hockey. He could see himself
having a good time here.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
I mean, it was a no brainer for me.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
But before he signs anything, his agent wants to make
him aware of something. Jimmy doesn't pay the normal way.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
She wants to pay you cash. What do you mean
he wants to pay me cash? Like she wants to
give you a duffle bag of cash. We need no,
like honestly, like, I think that's how he wants to
pay you, And I'm like, I don't know about that. Man.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Mike signs the contract anyway, insists on getting paid the
normal way, but little red flags are being raised in
his brain. Who exactly is Jimmy Galante? After the break.
(18:13):
It's the eleventh of February two thousand and five when
the Trashes arrive in Muskegon on the banks of Lake Michigan.
For the past few days, the whole team, AJ included,
have been on tour for a series of UHL away games.
The Trashers are still riding high, but they've just lost
their top place in the league to the Adirondack Frostbite,
(18:35):
and they're no longer putting together long winning streaks. In fact,
they've lost the first game of the tour. The Trashes
need to finish in the top two to make the playoffs,
and with their opponents closing in behind them and twenty
five games left to play in the regular season, nothing
can be taken for granted, especially as the next few
(18:57):
games will be played on enemy ice. That means no
fish stinking out their rivals locker rooms, no sleep deprived opponents.
They're going to have to play these games without t
Bones trick bag, so they're about to find out just
how sharp they are without that pranks to edge. First up,
(19:21):
the Trashes are facing three time UHL Championship winners, the
Muskegan Fury, but they're not too worried. They've got their
new recruit, NHL superstar Stanley Cup winner Mike Rupp, ready
for his first professional game in nine months. Phil Jubileo's
also come on tour. He's commentating all the away games
(19:43):
for the fans back at home in Danbury. So when
they get to the arena, the team's head to the
locker rooms to kit up and Phil gets ready to broadcast.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Hi, everybody, and welcome to the l C Walker Arena
in Misskegan, Michigan. Fild chabalaya with you. I'm Dan Marie
Trasher's hockey. Tonight, the Danbury Treasures will face the Miskegan
Fury and both teams are on the ice.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
AJ looks on from the side of the rink as
Mike ruck and the Trashes race onto the ice.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
It was surreal.
Speaker 6 (20:12):
It was really surreal to see him put the Trasher
jersey on and skiing around.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
His first game on his Danbury team, And I mean geez.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
Our league was very competitive and we had a lot
of good players, but this was an NHL player. I
mean the top of the top.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
This is the stuff of dreams for aj Scrap, his
shifty little eyes staring up at him from the back
of Mike rops jersey. But he snaps out of the
daydream when the puck drops and the game starts.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Rup gets it out of the bar circle. David a
drive in a same ay by slide down Michael Rock
and telting c reads several potential swaring opportunities.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
That same magic that shot Mike into the Hockey Hall
of Fame. It's here tonight.
Speaker 6 (20:57):
You see the difference on the ice.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
The way he moved is different.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Michael Roup streaks up the right wing over the lines faster,
getting one say by days just unreal to watch live.
There's a really good acceleration springing him.
Speaker 6 (21:09):
He's just a step and a half ahead of everybody.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
But there's only so much one player can do, and
as the game progresses, the Trashes are struggling.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
That one comes in why from Nelson right point Dan
June and holds it and shoots in score.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
The Fury score and then score again.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Fury lead by a score of.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Chot and again.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Moving to the slot shooting.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
And score and again.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Watching in the black and newser shot by store.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
The Trash has just got thrushed.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
And misteak and taking for nothing win over the Danbury Thrashers.
You're at the Lthy Walker Arena.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
As the team bus leaves Michigan that night. The players
sit in silence. It's a huge disappointment. Mike tries to
put it out of his mind. He needs to get
some sleep before they arrive at the next game of
the tour. He leans his head against the window and
closes his eyes. As he's drifting off, he overhears someone
(22:23):
on the phone behind his seat. Hey buddy, it's John
Nasty Morasty, a legendary trash is tough guy.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
And he's leaning forward. I think to muffle like his talking,
like speaking into his hand into his cell phone basically
right behind my head. I hear him just say like
what's yeah, and talks to you. I was good, I
was life. Yeah, I'm go playing here in Denburg, just
exchanging pleasantries and then what are you doing that weekend?
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Nasty seems to be talking to another hockey player.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
You want to come out to play a game next week?
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Sounds like he's trying to talk the guy into joining
the team.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Just come out and play the owner. He'll take care
of you. Just come out here and you can do
whatever you want to do.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Mike's curious, but he's also exhausted. He's asleep before he
has time to worry about who Nasty has just recruited.
When Mike wakes up, the team has arrived in Port Huron, Michigan,
(23:35):
and he's got the Trash's next opponents the Port Huron
flags on his mind.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Hello everybody, and welcome to the mcmore and Arena. Here
and poor here on Michigan. Build Gibeleo with.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
You this this next game, Mike scores his first trash as.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Goal particklep comes away with it. They are Michael rup
on the follow up after the additional.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Birthday, but it's not enough. The Trashers get trashed again.
It's a five to two loss. Four nights later, it's
the final game of this cursed tour. The Trashers are
playing their rivals, the Addie Rondack Frostbite in Glenn Falls.
As they paid up in the locker room, there's an
(24:17):
unfamiliar face amongst them. The guy's six foot five and
built like a tank, and he's kitting up in Trash's colors.
Chad Wagner, a man proceeded by an impressive reputation.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Apparently, Wagner has been expelled from a couple of different
leagues in hockey, and he wasn't playing or has been
retired from hockey for a couple of years.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
In the last three seasons he played, Wagner collected one thousand,
five hundred penalty minutes, which, in case you're wondering, has
a lot of penalty minutes. And now all of a sudden,
he's playing for the Trashers. Nearly everyone is confused by
this new arrival, but not John Nasty Morasty. He's the
(25:06):
one who helped recruit this secret weapon so the Trashers
could shake their losing streak, together with Jimmy and aj
who lured him out with go out there and do
whatever you want to do. As the game against the
Adirondack Frostbite begins, Wagner takes the invitation literally. There are scuffles, takedowns,
(25:32):
brawls and fight. Gloves are dropped, shirts are ripped. It's carnage.
I'm talking total hockey mayhem.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Chad Wagner garnered forty three penalty.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Minutes yep, forty three penalty minutes, which, for reference, was
a record for the Trashers. His antics made for quite
the show, but didn't exactly get the results the Trashers
were hoping for.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
They get Hammers it the Danbury Trasher's fall by a
final score of six to one.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
A line of despondent Trashes lumber aboard the team bus
and slumped down in their seats. They're on the road
back to Danbury with nothing to show for their efforts.
They've lost four games in a row. The Trashes are
gutted and Jimmy is raging.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Like visibly upset. And the thing that you learn in
hockey in a long season, I mean, you play eighty
two games, you know, in the NHL, it's like you
can't live and die by every night. You're gonna have
bad nights. But Jimmy wanted to win every day. Like
That's how Jimmy was he was intense.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
And as he spends more time with his new boss,
Mike understands that this is not just Jimmy's approach to
hockey games. Back in Denbury, after their disastrous tour, shows
Mike around the garbage yard. Mike's impressed.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I remember asking him, just kind of small talk, how'd
you grow this? How did you get so big?
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Jimmy tells Mike how it all began, how his grandparents
moved to the US from Italy and set up a
garbage business. How Jimmy founded his own waste enterprise when
he was in his early twenties. How he started small
and grew the business from two trucks to five and
then ten. Now his business is expanding so fast he's
buying out other garbage companies.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
I'm like, what if someone doesn't want to sell you
their business?
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Jimmy turns to Mike and he goes, they.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Will, And I just said, oh okay. I go like,
what if they're successful already and they don't want to
sell it? And he goes, We've had that before. There's
ways they'll always sell though, And I was like, oh, okay,
Oh that's kind of vague.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
It strikes Mike as a little odd. And it's not
just this tour of the trash yard. There are things
the other trashes have mentioned about their new owner that
seem a lettle un orthodox.
Speaker 7 (28:11):
Well, there was certain things that guys got paid for,
like a set of tires, or go down to the
jeweler and if you're looking at something, they would just
give it to you. Stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
We were staying in houses on lakes.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
We were treated like an NHL organization.
Speaker 7 (28:26):
I don't think a normal salary cap would have had
any type of room to allow that. I only made
five hundred dollars a week playing hockey to stay under
the salary cap.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
But I think I made one.
Speaker 8 (28:36):
Hundred and some thousand, one hundred and twenty thousand dollars
for the year.
Speaker 7 (28:40):
It just didn't add up.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Nobody knew the extent of it. You've seen a lot
of movies. It's true. Unless you were from Mars.
Speaker 5 (28:48):
You know how people got established in the waste management business.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Correct, And it wasn't just locker room gossip about Jimmy.
After Addie Roundyck destroyed the Trushes on their own, the
Frostbit owner gave a postgame interview where he made some
allegations about Jimmy.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
He referred to Jimmy as basically just you know, they've
got Tony Soprano running their team.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
As in the fictional New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano
who also owns a waste disposal business and also has
a son called AJ.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
And Jimmy didn't like that.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
And with the Trashes back in Danbury after that disastrous
A Way Tour guests whose scheduled to come to town, Yep,
they're up against the adi Ron Dack Frostbite this time
on home ice.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
So guys were like, oh, Jimmy wants to kill that team,
like he wants us to destroy that team.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
This is their chance at retribution.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
And the players told me, and Jimmy told me, we're
going to get those guys. We're going to get those guys.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Hello everybody, and welcome to the Danbury Ice Arena. I'm
Phil Gibbleo. When this is Danbury Trasher's Hockey.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
The day arrives Wednesday, twenty third of February two thousand
and five, with it being a midweek game, Jimmy and
AJ have come up with a marketing ploy to get
spectators through the door.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
The night w e night here at the DIA. John
Cena is on hand. The United States champion from SmackDown
is here meeting and greeting the fans to open the game.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
They've bought in John Cena, one of the most famous
professional wrestlers of all time, and it's worked. The stands
are packed with rowdy fans.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Danbury will change it up there, Hicky comes on with
John Morasti and Shan Wagner out there.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
Chad Wagner is back, and you know what that means.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
They should be interesting.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
As soon as the puck drops, all hell breaks loose.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
And we've got them pushing and shoming. It's done a
right as the Trashers with their heavy hitters out there,
then it getting shop by Wagner.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Wagner is straight out there instigating fights. Other trashers are
joining in, and the Frostbite aren't playing nice either. Six
game misconducts are issued in the first ten minutes. In
the first period. The teams clock up one hundred and
six penalty minutes between them. So far is violent, sure,
but it's about to get explosive. Without warning or any
(31:27):
obvious reason, Wagoner makes a dash for the edge of
the ice.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Wagoner going after the punch. Wagner is out of the park.
Can you give me out of duck? Tunch?
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Wagner clambers over the boards.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Wagner chopping the pence right now once and helmet off.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
There's more than ten Adirondyck players in there. Some are
waiting for their turn to play, and others are sitting
out their penalty minutes. They may not be trash is tough,
but don't imagine most people would dive into this lot
and start a brawl. So loo, but cha Wagner is
not most people, and he's not trying to start a
(32:04):
fight with a player, and it looks like.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
He's trying to attack coach Bobby Ada ran back bench, also.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Out of the Wagner starts attacking the opposition coach. In
case you're wondering, this is definitely not within the rules
of the game.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Wagner being held off by the linesman right now, Wangner
skating away.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Commentator Phil has seen a lot in his day, but
nothing like this.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
I don't know what's going on here. I have no
idea really what's going on here?
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Personally?
Speaker 7 (32:33):
Take it.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I don't know how to describe it. Kind of fitting
that This occurs on ww E Knight.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Natrashas had given John Cena a game to remember, and
better than that. They finished the game blood soaked and victorious.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
And the Gambury Tracker pick up a big victory eight
with a four to two win over the Frost Fight
Here at the Danbury, I sure enough.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Afterwards, League Commissioner Richard Brissell has his work cut out,
racking up fines and suspensions. The Trash's coach, Todd Stirling
is suspended for three games a punishment for letting his
team get so out of hand. Other Trashes players get
lengthy suspensions, and Chad Wagner he's back into retirement, permanently
(33:25):
suspended from the UHL. It's not the kind of hockey
NHL superstar Mike Rupp is used to.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
I'm seeing guys suspended for life. I'm seeing these numbers
of penalty minutes that around these guys' stat lines for
the season.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
But it's not just the violence that surprises him.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
We're warning hockey games, guys scoring a lot of goals.
Like I'm like, all right, this is fine, this is different.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
I'm sure playing in the NHL is amazing at all,
But the show, the trashes are putting on. Is something
else playing for this team? Mike feels untouchable.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
At that point, everybody knew the team was crazy and nuts.
No one even like no one would make eye contact
with you.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
Jimmy's kept his word. The squad is protecting the prized
NHL asset.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
If anything happened to me on the ice, anybody came
after me, we'd have fifteen guys gonna go jump on
that guy's back in a second, you know what I mean.
And some people could look at it and be like,
how vulgar, how caveman esque this all was, Yeah, okay,
I can understand that. But Jimmy is family. The organization
AJ treated as like gold and the team was a
(34:35):
really good group of guys, Like we went out after
games and have beers and it was an awesome group.
Like there was no clickiness, there was no like it
really really was a close knit group.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
It was like he joined a big extended.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Family and you got a big hug after the game,
almost one of those like fatherly like you know, good job,
that goes a long way. You don't get that in
hockey all the time.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Through the rest of the spring that year, the Trashers
continue to hustle. Eventually they come in second place in
the Eastern Division, an incredible achievement for a team in
their first season. But they're not done yet. They've qualified
for the Colonial Cup playoffs and the intensity is about
to reach a whole new level. Hockey is a little
(35:28):
different to other sports, so here's how the playoffs work.
In the UHL. There are three rounds, quarter finals, semifinals,
and a final. There are seven games in each round,
also known as a series. The first team to win
four games win the round, and the team to win
the final round win the championship. For the first round,
(35:53):
the quarterfinals, the Trashers are up against their old friends,
the Adi Rondack Frostbite.
Speaker 5 (36:00):
Which included probably the most dramatic game in the whole franchise.
Guys are getting carted off because they were so dehydrated
that they had to have like IV bags in between
periods of overtime pushed into them so they would have
enough fluid to keep playing.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
That It was that dramatic, and everybody is on the ice.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
They're hugging the Thrushes win PJ.
Speaker 8 (36:21):
Galanthe out there with team owner Jimmy Galante the Trasher
team hugging everybody happy. If the Danbury Trashers go to
the semifinal round in just their inaugural season.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
The Colonial Cup is within reach.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
This is Danbury Trasher's hockey.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Next, they faced the league's defending champions, the Muskegan Fury.
A tough team and the Trashes need to come out
on top over seven games in this round they're to
make the final. After the first three games of the
semifinal things are not looking good. Muskegan win of them.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Tonight the Trashers really have their backs against the wall.
It is Game four of the Colonial Cup Semifinals and
the Trashers are down three games to nothing.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
But the Trashers fight back.
Speaker 8 (37:13):
The Trashers lift and play another day they win.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
Listen to the crowd here and Trasher down all three
thousand and five standing and clapping. Game five here at
the DIA tom r night at seven.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
As the tie goes into its fifth game, their tails
are up. They have to keep winning. The pressure is intense.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Danbury will look to play discipline hockey, something they have
struggled with all season long.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
But in Game six, no amount of praying to the
hockey gods can swing it for the Trashes, they fall
behind to the Fury early in the game and never
quite recover.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Mistigan win the series in five games over the Trashers.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
The Trashes are eliminated.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Time runs out on the Trasher season. Jimmy Golante, the
team owner, on the ice first shaking the hands of
the Trashers players as they will have the customary handshake
at center Rice Well, I got to say, in my
first season of working in the United Hockey League, obviously
my first season here in Danbury, it has been an
(38:20):
absolute last my most enjoyable year in professional sports. So
this is only going to get bigger and better for
the Danbury Trashers. While the Trashers fell in five games,
it was a pretty exciting series to start to finish.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
That dream of raising that big old Colonial Cup above
their heads is over for this season. Anyway.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
It's stung. It bothered me that we didn't win and
have a chance to win the finals because I knew
how much it meant to those guys. I saw what
they put into that team, how much more they put
into the arena where they did in the community. So
all these things like you're sitting there and you're like
it wasn't like it ended. I'm like, ah, oh, well,
go and go back to the NHL. Like it it
(39:10):
stung like you you you felt like it was a
missed opportunity.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
There is a slight constellation. They set a UHL record
of two thousand, seven hundred and seventy six penalty minutes. Impressive,
but for Mike Rupp, the party's over. The NHL labor
disputes have been resolved, and the Premium League is back
in action. Mike stays in touch with his old teammates
(39:42):
over the summer, but the season he played for the
Glantes is beginning to seem like a weird fever dream.
He starts to question whether he imagined all those red flags.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
For the longest time, it just kind of like felt
like it was just this black hole of existence in
my career, Like no one knew about it, no one
talked about it.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
But then Mike's phone rings, and when he picks up,
it's a trasher on the line.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
Hey, man, I don't know what's going out here. For
something's going down.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
It seems those little red flags have been waving for
a reason. Over in Danbury, shit is kicking off in
Jimmy's trash Yard That's coming up next time on the
Fighty Pucks. The Fighting Fucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio.
(40:46):
For more from Novel, visit novel Dot Audio. The series
is hosted by me Claire Crofton and produced by me
Joe Wheeler and Amalia Sortland. The executive producer is Dave Waters.
Story editing from Max O'Brien, Mitherilee Raul and Austin Mitchell.
(41:07):
Our field producer is Babette Thomas. Our fat checker is
Darnia Suleiman. Our hockey sensitivity reader is Nikhil Desai. Production
management from Scharie Houston and Charlotte Wolfe. Sound design, mixing
and scoring by Nicholas Alexander, Additional engineering by Daniel Kempson.
(41:28):
Music supervision by Nicholas Alexander and David Waters. Original music
composed by Eric Phillips. Willard Foxton is creative director of Development.
Special thanks to Sean Glynn Katrina Novelle, David Vassiman, Sean
ty Tone and beth Anne Macaluso
Speaker 3 (41:59):
Novel
Novel. It's Monday, June ninth, two thousand and three, and
the trashas aren't even a twinkle in Jimmy gland his eye.
Tonight He's taken AJ to the Continental Airlines Arena in
(00:27):
East Rutherford, New Jersey. AJ's favorite team, the New Jersey Devils,
are up against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. But this isn't
any old game. This is the final game of the
two thousand and two two thousand and three NHL season,
the biggest game and the hockey calendar. The winner will
(00:49):
take home the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Winner takes at all on a series.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
It's a school night, but AJ wouldn't miss this game
for the world. Jimmy and AJ take their seats with
the other Devils fans, all dressed up in team colors red,
black and white. The game starts and the crowd are
up on their feet, straining to see the puck as
it flies up and down the ice. There's a Devil's
(01:19):
player out here tonight who it is never seen before.
Number sixteen, a young gun by the name of Mike Ruck.
He's playing the kind of hockey AJ aspires to, skillful
but tough.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Held in near side by rock Ruck the rookie tag
the playoffs like is quite physically big.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Rup is twenty three years old. He's new to the NHL,
but tonight he's dominating. As the game moves into the
second period, the two teams are still tight zero zero,
but not for long. In the park mid air flex
it past the goalie and into the net. The goal
(02:09):
takes the Devils into the lead. In the stands, AJ
and the other Devil's fans go wild.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
You never know where heroes will come from. It's his
first ever playoff goal.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Ain't time and wonderful?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
You got a lot.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Rub was not nervous in the first parade.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
You can see it for a run rookie unbelievable, he's
like great legs.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Mike has scored the victory clinching goal and helps win
the enormous Stanley Cup for his team. AJ's found a
new hero. Mike Rupp is young, talented, and aggressive, the
kind of player AJ can only dream about becoming. But
little does AJ know a couple of years from now,
his own hockey career will be cut brutally short, and
(02:57):
the logo or Mike RUP's jersey no longer be a Devil.
But a shifty eyed trash can. I'm Claire Crofton from
The Teams, a novel, and iHeartRadio. This is the fighty
Pucks Game five Lockout.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
When I was in high school, I was the only
person that played hockey in any of the grades. So
I felt like, as a kid, you want to be different,
and this was the opportunity for me to be different.
I could be the best because no one else played.
So it's pretty easy to be the best when you're
the only one playing.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Mike Rupp's hockey origin story might sound familiar. He grew
up in Cleveland, which, like Danbury, is not a hockey town,
and like AJ, Mike used hockey as a way to
blow off steam. The sport offered him a kind of
alter ego.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
When you step on the sheet of ice, you could
be a villain, you could be a hero, you can
be anything. It's almost like this fake persona that you
can have. It could be anybody you want to be.
It was like you're living this character out, drawing emotion
out of people. And you know, normally I wasn't like
that in everyday life, Like I wasn't going around trying
(04:29):
to get a rise out of people. But on the ice,
that's what I try to do, whether it's getting cheered
at home or boot on the road.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It was fine in regular life, you're not allowed to
start fights or bash into people. And off the ice,
Mike up comes across as a really sweet guy just
like AJ. But out on the ice the rules are different.
The arena is a stage, the kit a kind of costume.
Players can transform, So just like AJ when he was playing,
(05:00):
Mike could channel his aggression in a way that would
get him arrested outside of the arena. But this is
where the parallels between Mike Rupp and AJ stop because
what AJ might have been the tough guy star of
his high school hockey team, Mike Rupp was playing at
a whole other level. From the moment Mike first picked
(05:23):
up a hockey stick in the mid eighties, age six,
it was clear that this kid had a gift. He
seemed destined for the NHL. At just eighteen years old,
he went pro, committing years of hard graft to honing
his skills in the minor leagues. That commitment paid off.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
My mend up making my NHL debut on my birthday actually,
in January thirteenth, two thousand and three. I ended up
scoring two goals in that game, so it was like,
all right, cool man, I made it.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Mike made hockey headlines scoring that winning goal in the
Stanley Cup final, with AJ and Jimmy cheering on from
the stands. He was living every hockey kids fantasy until
one day.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
It is my somber duty to report that at today's meeting,
the NHL Board of Governors unanimously reconfirmed that NHL teams
will not play until we have a new system which
fixes the economic problems facing our game.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
It's two thousand and four and there's trouble in the NHL.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
There have been too many bankruptcies and too many other
close calls. We need a system that will eliminate the
disparities and payrolls so that a team's ability to compete
depends on its team building skills, not on its ability
to pay.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
The league wants to introduce a salary cup to regulate
how much the players can get paid. They've paused the
season until the players basically agree to have their pay cup,
and unsurprisingly, players are not in a rush to accept
the new term.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
The very future of our game is at stake.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
For the first time since he was six years old.
There's no hockey in Mike's foreseeable future.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I jouped about playing the NHL my whole life. I
finally get a little taste of it, and then it's like,
what happens if this is forever? You know, so you
don't know what's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
It doesn't look like the NHL is going to start
up again anytime soon. What's Mike supposed to do with
his life now? He's just started scratching his head for ideas.
When someone from a small city called Danbury reaches out
with an offer he can't refuse. That's coming up after
the break back in December two thousand and four, when
(07:52):
star player Brad Wingfield was rushed to hospital, sunfeared this
was the beginning of the end for the Trashes, but
over the course of their next few games, the teams
commentator Phil Jubileo saw something else happen.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
The game kind of like galvanized the team, Like they
just started ripping off wins after that, like they had
a real hard time losing games. It felt like this
team couldn't lose, and then they just went on a roll.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
They say that the best form of revenge is success,
and between Brad's injury on December one and Christmas, the
Trash has played nine games. They won seven of them.
This was a team of underdogs picked for their ability
to bite back.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Back getting one far and the Thrashers win it so
slide dominate.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
The final two periods of play, Danbury won the Gambury
wins the game, and.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
The Treashers that beat the Jaggals by a final score
of six to four.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
As two thousand and four turns to two thousand and five,
the Trashes continue to play hard. By February, they've worked
their way from newbies to the top of the league.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Now the role of underdog is played very well to
the Danburriye Treashers this.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Season, but there's a long way to go if Jimmy
and aj want to win the championship. Because the UHL
schedule is relentless. There's the regular season, where teams in
a geographical division play against each other home and away.
Then once the regular season wraps in April, there's the playoffs,
a ruthless elimination tournament where the top two teams in
(09:23):
each division battle it out for the uhl's ultimate prize.
The Colonial Cup, and so if the Trashes are going
to be the ones to parade that trophy around the
Hat city, they have to win and keep on winning.
With the NHL season halted and hundreds of the world's
best players at a loose end, AJ spots a golden
(09:44):
opportunity that could keep the Trashes at the top of
their game.
Speaker 6 (09:50):
I mean, we felt invincible. We felt like we could
just get any player we wanted. If we really wanted them,
we can get them.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And there's one player that AJ really wants.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Mike Rupp. He could be available, he might be interested.
I remember being like, oh my god, that would be
you know crazy. I was a fan. I was a
teenage kid. I was playing with him on video games,
you know what I mean. So it was like a fantasy.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
But for a teenager running a professional ice hockey team,
turning fantasy into reality was not exactly uncharted territory.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
I had a friend reach out to me and he said, hey, uh,
there's a new team in Danbury, Connecticut. They have an owner.
He really wants to win. His name's Jimmy. Do you
mind if I give him your number? I said, no,
I give him my number. I'll hear what the guy.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Has to say before he knows it. Mike Rupp gets
a call and he.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Says that here's a situation. We want to come out
of the gates and win a championship. We want to
do something special. At first, when I heard it, I'm like,
you know, a lot of those leagues are tough, Like
there's fights. It's a lot tougher than the league's above.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Mike's early career has taught him exactly what's waiting for
an NHL player. Down in the minor leagues.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
It was like taking a fish and throwing them into
a pirana tank. Everybody wanted to beat that player, make
him look foolish, wanted to get in his face, wanted
to fight him, wanted to beat him up because there
was an opportunity for them to show scouts and everybody that, hey,
this guy played in the league. Well look I just
showed him up. And so I know that there's going
(11:25):
to be players that are going to target me because
I played in the NHL.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Jimmy's not used to hearing pushback, but he keeps his cool.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
When Jimmy speaks, it's very slow, powerful to the point,
and he goes Michael when we get off this phone call,
I'd like for you to go on our team's website
and look up our roster. Let's just say, nobody will
even look at you out there. I promise you that.
(12:00):
And I kind of was sitting there like what do
you mean? I didn't know anything about his team, So
I'm like, all right, yeah, I'll check it out. So
I get off the phone and I go on the
computer and I look up the roster.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
As Mike starts scrolling, his jaw drops.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Generally speaking in basic terms, if a player has over
one hundred penalty minutes in a year, that's a physical player, Like,
look out for this guy. He might be a little,
a little squirrely out here with his decision making. I
look on the roster. They had four players with over
two hundred minutes and they're halfway through their season, and
I'm like, how is that even possible?
Speaker 1 (12:39):
But as he keeps reading, it starts to make sense.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
I know some of these names because I've ridden the bus.
I've heard the old war stories from guys who've been
in the minor leagues for years. You've got Roman, the
Nigerian Nightmare, Nader, Frank the Animal by A. Lois John
Nasty Morasty. I mean, these guys are legendary, like crazy,
(13:05):
crazy tough dudes.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
And Mike notices something else about these players. They're not
just legendary crazy tough dudes.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
They're really good. They've got guys on their team with
forty goals. Like I know that guy played against in
the American Hockey League. I played against this guy. Oh,
this guy used to play in the NHL. This guy
was a former first round pick in the NHL. They've
got Brent Gretzky, Wayne Gretzky's brother. I'd have to assume
he's pretty good, all right.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Ah, So that's why Jimmy sounds so confident.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Yeah, I think he's right. I not only get a
play with some pretty good players, no one's gonna even
look at me, no one's gonna even bother me, because
we've got guys on that team that they're there to fight.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Mike's no longer worried about getting beaten up if he
joins the Trashes, but it's still a really difficult decision.
He's a rising star in the NHL. He has to
play his cards carefully. So just a few days after
chatting to Jimmy on the phone. Mike finds himself on
a plane touching down in New York on route to Danbury.
(14:15):
When he gets to arrivals, he scans the crowd looking
for a sign with his name on it. Jimmy's promised
someone will be there to pick him up, but no sign.
Just this teenager with a mad grin on his face
trying to catch his attention.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
He's got the big diamond earring. He's dressed like an
eighteen year old, and he's all energetic, and he looked.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
At me and he kind of smiled, and he gave
me a little like one of those little regal waves
and kept walking.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
But AJ stops him.
Speaker 6 (14:47):
Hey, Mike, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I'm your ride.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
And he looked at me and you can just see
like just confusion going on in his head. And I
was like, hey, I'm Ajor, I'm with the trashers, and
he was just like.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Oh okay.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Jimmy has somehow forgotten to mention to Mike that the
tea was run by his kid's son, and AJ isn't
about to explain all this to his hockey idol out here.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Let me get your bag for you. I was holding
his bag and we walked to my car, and you know,
a regular car. It wasn't like a limo or anything.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
It's a ninety minute drive to the Danbury Arena, but
there's not much small talk in the car. AJ's two
starstruck and Mike a little confused.
Speaker 6 (15:30):
He just was looking around the window. He was looking out.
He was like almost like he was being pranked.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Pulling up outside the Danbrie Ice Arena, Mike can see
that it's a lot smaller than the NHL venues he's
used to playing in. But aj usheres him out of
the car and in through the heavy doors to meet
the rest of the crew in the lobby. And that's
when the penny drops.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Hold on a second, Mike, what's going on?
Speaker 7 (15:55):
Like?
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Oh, you're the your this is your team? Hell? Like,
how do you have a kid running a team? Here?
Speaker 1 (16:03):
As Mike tries to wrap his head around this revelation,
a man walks into the lobby dressed in a bomber jacket,
his collars pushed up and his beard is perfectly groomed.
It's Jimmy.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
He was intense. Like his eyes when you just talk
to him, he can tell you about the weather, and
it looks like he's staring into your soul.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
He says he wants to show Mike how things are
run at Trasha's HQ, and leads Mike on a tour
of the arena.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Everything there was done top, you know, first class.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Mike's used to being given the star treatment, but he
didn't expect it from a lower league team.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I mean, they literally treated their team like an NHL team.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Later, Mike gets on the phone to his agent. The
agent has spoken to Jimmy and he's got some good news.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
This guy said to name your price.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Wait, what doesn't this lower league have some kind of
salary cap for players.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Honestly, I go, I don't care. Just tell him to
pay me what he thinks is fair. He could pay
me whatever he wants to pay me.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Mike's already decided he wants to become a trasher, and
not for the money. He's brought into the whole Trash's concept,
the brutal way they play hockey. He could see himself
having a good time here.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
I mean, it was a no brainer for me.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
But before he signs anything, his agent wants to make
him aware of something. Jimmy doesn't pay the normal way.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
She wants to pay you cash. What do you mean
he wants to pay me cash? Like she wants to
give you a duffle bag of cash. We need no,
like honestly, like, I think that's how he wants to
pay you, And I'm like, I don't know about that. Man.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Mike signs the contract anyway, insists on getting paid the
normal way, but little red flags are being raised in
his brain. Who exactly is Jimmy Galante? After the break.
(18:13):
It's the eleventh of February two thousand and five when
the Trashes arrive in Muskegon on the banks of Lake Michigan.
For the past few days, the whole team, AJ included,
have been on tour for a series of UHL away games.
The Trashers are still riding high, but they've just lost
their top place in the league to the Adirondack Frostbite,
(18:35):
and they're no longer putting together long winning streaks. In fact,
they've lost the first game of the tour. The Trashes
need to finish in the top two to make the playoffs,
and with their opponents closing in behind them and twenty
five games left to play in the regular season, nothing
can be taken for granted, especially as the next few
(18:57):
games will be played on enemy ice. That means no
fish stinking out their rivals locker rooms, no sleep deprived opponents.
They're going to have to play these games without t
Bones trick bag, so they're about to find out just
how sharp they are without that pranks to edge. First up,
(19:21):
the Trashes are facing three time UHL Championship winners, the
Muskegan Fury, but they're not too worried. They've got their
new recruit, NHL superstar Stanley Cup winner Mike Rupp, ready
for his first professional game in nine months. Phil Jubileo's
also come on tour. He's commentating all the away games
(19:43):
for the fans back at home in Danbury. So when
they get to the arena, the team's head to the
locker rooms to kit up and Phil gets ready to broadcast.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Hi, everybody, and welcome to the l C Walker Arena
in Misskegan, Michigan. Fild chabalaya with you. I'm Dan Marie
Trasher's hockey. Tonight, the Danbury Treasures will face the Miskegan
Fury and both teams are on the ice.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
AJ looks on from the side of the rink as
Mike ruck and the Trashes race onto the ice.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
It was surreal.
Speaker 6 (20:12):
It was really surreal to see him put the Trasher
jersey on and skiing around.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
His first game on his Danbury team, And I mean geez.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
Our league was very competitive and we had a lot
of good players, but this was an NHL player. I
mean the top of the top.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
This is the stuff of dreams for aj Scrap, his
shifty little eyes staring up at him from the back
of Mike rops jersey. But he snaps out of the
daydream when the puck drops and the game starts.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Rup gets it out of the bar circle. David a
drive in a same ay by slide down Michael Rock
and telting c reads several potential swaring opportunities.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
That same magic that shot Mike into the Hockey Hall
of Fame. It's here tonight.
Speaker 6 (20:57):
You see the difference on the ice.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
The way he moved is different.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Michael Roup streaks up the right wing over the lines faster,
getting one say by days just unreal to watch live.
There's a really good acceleration springing him.
Speaker 6 (21:09):
He's just a step and a half ahead of everybody.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
But there's only so much one player can do, and
as the game progresses, the Trashes are struggling.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
That one comes in why from Nelson right point Dan
June and holds it and shoots in score.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
The Fury score and then score again.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Fury lead by a score of.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Chot and again.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Moving to the slot shooting.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
And score and again.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Watching in the black and newser shot by store.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
The Trash has just got thrushed.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
And misteak and taking for nothing win over the Danbury Thrashers.
You're at the Lthy Walker Arena.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
As the team bus leaves Michigan that night. The players
sit in silence. It's a huge disappointment. Mike tries to
put it out of his mind. He needs to get
some sleep before they arrive at the next game of
the tour. He leans his head against the window and
closes his eyes. As he's drifting off, he overhears someone
(22:23):
on the phone behind his seat. Hey buddy, it's John
Nasty Morasty, a legendary trash is tough guy.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
And he's leaning forward. I think to muffle like his talking,
like speaking into his hand into his cell phone basically
right behind my head. I hear him just say like
what's yeah, and talks to you. I was good, I
was life. Yeah, I'm go playing here in Denburg, just
exchanging pleasantries and then what are you doing that weekend?
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Nasty seems to be talking to another hockey player.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
You want to come out to play a game next week?
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Sounds like he's trying to talk the guy into joining
the team.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Just come out and play the owner. He'll take care
of you. Just come out here and you can do
whatever you want to do.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Mike's curious, but he's also exhausted. He's asleep before he
has time to worry about who Nasty has just recruited.
When Mike wakes up, the team has arrived in Port Huron, Michigan,
(23:35):
and he's got the Trash's next opponents the Port Huron
flags on his mind.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Hello everybody, and welcome to the mcmore and Arena. Here
and poor here on Michigan. Build Gibeleo with.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
You this this next game, Mike scores his first trash as.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Goal particklep comes away with it. They are Michael rup
on the follow up after the additional.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Birthday, but it's not enough. The Trashers get trashed again.
It's a five to two loss. Four nights later, it's
the final game of this cursed tour. The Trashers are
playing their rivals, the Addie Rondack Frostbite in Glenn Falls.
As they paid up in the locker room, there's an
(24:17):
unfamiliar face amongst them. The guy's six foot five and
built like a tank, and he's kitting up in Trash's colors.
Chad Wagner, a man proceeded by an impressive reputation.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Apparently, Wagner has been expelled from a couple of different
leagues in hockey, and he wasn't playing or has been
retired from hockey for a couple of years.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
In the last three seasons he played, Wagner collected one thousand,
five hundred penalty minutes, which, in case you're wondering, has
a lot of penalty minutes. And now all of a sudden,
he's playing for the Trashers. Nearly everyone is confused by
this new arrival, but not John Nasty Morasty. He's the
(25:06):
one who helped recruit this secret weapon so the Trashers
could shake their losing streak, together with Jimmy and aj
who lured him out with go out there and do
whatever you want to do. As the game against the
Adirondack Frostbite begins, Wagner takes the invitation literally. There are scuffles, takedowns,
(25:32):
brawls and fight. Gloves are dropped, shirts are ripped. It's carnage.
I'm talking total hockey mayhem.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Chad Wagner garnered forty three penalty.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Minutes yep, forty three penalty minutes, which, for reference, was
a record for the Trashers. His antics made for quite
the show, but didn't exactly get the results the Trashers
were hoping for.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
They get Hammers it the Danbury Trasher's fall by a
final score of six to one.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
A line of despondent Trashes lumber aboard the team bus
and slumped down in their seats. They're on the road
back to Danbury with nothing to show for their efforts.
They've lost four games in a row. The Trashes are
gutted and Jimmy is raging.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Like visibly upset. And the thing that you learn in
hockey in a long season, I mean, you play eighty
two games, you know, in the NHL, it's like you
can't live and die by every night. You're gonna have
bad nights. But Jimmy wanted to win every day. Like
That's how Jimmy was he was intense.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
And as he spends more time with his new boss,
Mike understands that this is not just Jimmy's approach to
hockey games. Back in Denbury, after their disastrous tour, shows
Mike around the garbage yard. Mike's impressed.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I remember asking him, just kind of small talk, how'd
you grow this? How did you get so big?
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Jimmy tells Mike how it all began, how his grandparents
moved to the US from Italy and set up a
garbage business. How Jimmy founded his own waste enterprise when
he was in his early twenties. How he started small
and grew the business from two trucks to five and
then ten. Now his business is expanding so fast he's
buying out other garbage companies.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
I'm like, what if someone doesn't want to sell you
their business?
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Jimmy turns to Mike and he goes, they.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Will, And I just said, oh okay. I go like,
what if they're successful already and they don't want to
sell it? And he goes, We've had that before. There's
ways they'll always sell though, And I was like, oh, okay,
Oh that's kind of vague.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
It strikes Mike as a little odd. And it's not
just this tour of the trash yard. There are things
the other trashes have mentioned about their new owner that
seem a lettle un orthodox.
Speaker 7 (28:11):
Well, there was certain things that guys got paid for,
like a set of tires, or go down to the
jeweler and if you're looking at something, they would just
give it to you. Stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
We were staying in houses on lakes.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
We were treated like an NHL organization.
Speaker 7 (28:26):
I don't think a normal salary cap would have had
any type of room to allow that. I only made
five hundred dollars a week playing hockey to stay under
the salary cap.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
But I think I made one.
Speaker 8 (28:36):
Hundred and some thousand, one hundred and twenty thousand dollars
for the year.
Speaker 7 (28:40):
It just didn't add up.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Nobody knew the extent of it. You've seen a lot
of movies. It's true. Unless you were from Mars.
Speaker 5 (28:48):
You know how people got established in the waste management business.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Correct, And it wasn't just locker room gossip about Jimmy.
After Addie Roundyck destroyed the Trushes on their own, the
Frostbit owner gave a postgame interview where he made some
allegations about Jimmy.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
He referred to Jimmy as basically just you know, they've
got Tony Soprano running their team.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
As in the fictional New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano
who also owns a waste disposal business and also has
a son called AJ.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
And Jimmy didn't like that.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
And with the Trashes back in Danbury after that disastrous
A Way Tour guests whose scheduled to come to town, Yep,
they're up against the adi Ron Dack Frostbite this time
on home ice.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
So guys were like, oh, Jimmy wants to kill that team,
like he wants us to destroy that team.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
This is their chance at retribution.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
And the players told me, and Jimmy told me, we're
going to get those guys. We're going to get those guys.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Hello everybody, and welcome to the Danbury Ice Arena. I'm
Phil Gibbleo. When this is Danbury Trasher's Hockey.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
The day arrives Wednesday, twenty third of February two thousand
and five, with it being a midweek game, Jimmy and
AJ have come up with a marketing ploy to get
spectators through the door.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
The night w e night here at the DIA. John
Cena is on hand. The United States champion from SmackDown
is here meeting and greeting the fans to open the game.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
They've bought in John Cena, one of the most famous
professional wrestlers of all time, and it's worked. The stands
are packed with rowdy fans.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Danbury will change it up there, Hicky comes on with
John Morasti and Shan Wagner out there.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
Chad Wagner is back, and you know what that means.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
They should be interesting.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
As soon as the puck drops, all hell breaks loose.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
And we've got them pushing and shoming. It's done a
right as the Trashers with their heavy hitters out there,
then it getting shop by Wagner.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Wagner is straight out there instigating fights. Other trashers are
joining in, and the Frostbite aren't playing nice either. Six
game misconducts are issued in the first ten minutes. In
the first period. The teams clock up one hundred and
six penalty minutes between them. So far is violent, sure,
but it's about to get explosive. Without warning or any
(31:27):
obvious reason, Wagoner makes a dash for the edge of
the ice.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Wagoner going after the punch. Wagner is out of the park.
Can you give me out of duck? Tunch?
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Wagner clambers over the boards.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Wagner chopping the pence right now once and helmet off.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
There's more than ten Adirondyck players in there. Some are
waiting for their turn to play, and others are sitting
out their penalty minutes. They may not be trash is tough,
but don't imagine most people would dive into this lot
and start a brawl. So loo, but cha Wagner is
not most people, and he's not trying to start a
(32:04):
fight with a player, and it looks like.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
He's trying to attack coach Bobby Ada ran back bench, also.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Out of the Wagner starts attacking the opposition coach. In
case you're wondering, this is definitely not within the rules
of the game.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Wagner being held off by the linesman right now, Wangner
skating away.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Commentator Phil has seen a lot in his day, but
nothing like this.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
I don't know what's going on here. I have no
idea really what's going on here?
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Personally?
Speaker 7 (32:33):
Take it.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I don't know how to describe it. Kind of fitting
that This occurs on ww E Knight.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Natrashas had given John Cena a game to remember, and
better than that. They finished the game blood soaked and victorious.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
And the Gambury Tracker pick up a big victory eight
with a four to two win over the Frost Fight
Here at the Danbury, I sure enough.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Afterwards, League Commissioner Richard Brissell has his work cut out,
racking up fines and suspensions. The Trash's coach, Todd Stirling
is suspended for three games a punishment for letting his
team get so out of hand. Other Trashes players get
lengthy suspensions, and Chad Wagner he's back into retirement, permanently
(33:25):
suspended from the UHL. It's not the kind of hockey
NHL superstar Mike Rupp is used to.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
I'm seeing guys suspended for life. I'm seeing these numbers
of penalty minutes that around these guys' stat lines for
the season.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
But it's not just the violence that surprises him.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
We're warning hockey games, guys scoring a lot of goals.
Like I'm like, all right, this is fine, this is different.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
I'm sure playing in the NHL is amazing at all,
But the show, the trashes are putting on. Is something
else playing for this team? Mike feels untouchable.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
At that point, everybody knew the team was crazy and nuts.
No one even like no one would make eye contact
with you.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
Jimmy's kept his word. The squad is protecting the prized
NHL asset.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
If anything happened to me on the ice, anybody came
after me, we'd have fifteen guys gonna go jump on
that guy's back in a second, you know what I mean.
And some people could look at it and be like,
how vulgar, how caveman esque this all was, Yeah, okay,
I can understand that. But Jimmy is family. The organization
AJ treated as like gold and the team was a
(34:35):
really good group of guys, Like we went out after
games and have beers and it was an awesome group.
Like there was no clickiness, there was no like it
really really was a close knit group.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
It was like he joined a big extended.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Family and you got a big hug after the game,
almost one of those like fatherly like you know, good job,
that goes a long way. You don't get that in
hockey all the time.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Through the rest of the spring that year, the Trashers
continue to hustle. Eventually they come in second place in
the Eastern Division, an incredible achievement for a team in
their first season. But they're not done yet. They've qualified
for the Colonial Cup playoffs and the intensity is about
to reach a whole new level. Hockey is a little
(35:28):
different to other sports, so here's how the playoffs work.
In the UHL. There are three rounds, quarter finals, semifinals,
and a final. There are seven games in each round,
also known as a series. The first team to win
four games win the round, and the team to win
the final round win the championship. For the first round,
(35:53):
the quarterfinals, the Trashers are up against their old friends,
the Adi Rondack Frostbite.
Speaker 5 (36:00):
Which included probably the most dramatic game in the whole franchise.
Guys are getting carted off because they were so dehydrated
that they had to have like IV bags in between
periods of overtime pushed into them so they would have
enough fluid to keep playing.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
That It was that dramatic, and everybody is on the ice.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
They're hugging the Thrushes win PJ.
Speaker 8 (36:21):
Galanthe out there with team owner Jimmy Galante the Trasher
team hugging everybody happy. If the Danbury Trashers go to
the semifinal round in just their inaugural season.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
The Colonial Cup is within reach.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
This is Danbury Trasher's hockey.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Next, they faced the league's defending champions, the Muskegan Fury.
A tough team and the Trashes need to come out
on top over seven games in this round they're to
make the final. After the first three games of the
semifinal things are not looking good. Muskegan win of them.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Tonight the Trashers really have their backs against the wall.
It is Game four of the Colonial Cup Semifinals and
the Trashers are down three games to nothing.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
But the Trashers fight back.
Speaker 8 (37:13):
The Trashers lift and play another day they win.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
Listen to the crowd here and Trasher down all three
thousand and five standing and clapping. Game five here at
the DIA tom r night at seven.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
As the tie goes into its fifth game, their tails
are up. They have to keep winning. The pressure is intense.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Danbury will look to play discipline hockey, something they have
struggled with all season long.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
But in Game six, no amount of praying to the
hockey gods can swing it for the Trashes, they fall
behind to the Fury early in the game and never
quite recover.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Mistigan win the series in five games over the Trashers.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
The Trashes are eliminated.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Time runs out on the Trasher season. Jimmy Golante, the
team owner, on the ice first shaking the hands of
the Trashers players as they will have the customary handshake
at center Rice Well, I got to say, in my
first season of working in the United Hockey League, obviously
my first season here in Danbury, it has been an
(38:20):
absolute last my most enjoyable year in professional sports. So
this is only going to get bigger and better for
the Danbury Trashers. While the Trashers fell in five games,
it was a pretty exciting series to start to finish.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
That dream of raising that big old Colonial Cup above
their heads is over for this season. Anyway.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
It's stung. It bothered me that we didn't win and
have a chance to win the finals because I knew
how much it meant to those guys. I saw what
they put into that team, how much more they put
into the arena where they did in the community. So
all these things like you're sitting there and you're like
it wasn't like it ended. I'm like, ah, oh, well,
go and go back to the NHL. Like it it
(39:10):
stung like you you you felt like it was a
missed opportunity.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
There is a slight constellation. They set a UHL record
of two thousand, seven hundred and seventy six penalty minutes. Impressive,
but for Mike Rupp, the party's over. The NHL labor
disputes have been resolved, and the Premium League is back
in action. Mike stays in touch with his old teammates
(39:42):
over the summer, but the season he played for the
Glantes is beginning to seem like a weird fever dream.
He starts to question whether he imagined all those red flags.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
For the longest time, it just kind of like felt
like it was just this black hole of existence in
my career, Like no one knew about it, no one
talked about it.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
But then Mike's phone rings, and when he picks up,
it's a trasher on the line.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
Hey, man, I don't know what's going out here. For
something's going down.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
It seems those little red flags have been waving for
a reason. Over in Danbury, shit is kicking off in
Jimmy's trash Yard That's coming up next time on the
Fighty Pucks. The Fighting Fucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio.
(40:46):
For more from Novel, visit novel Dot Audio. The series
is hosted by me Claire Crofton and produced by me
Joe Wheeler and Amalia Sortland. The executive producer is Dave Waters.
Story editing from Max O'Brien, Mitherilee Raul and Austin Mitchell.
(41:07):
Our field producer is Babette Thomas. Our fat checker is
Darnia Suleiman. Our hockey sensitivity reader is Nikhil Desai. Production
management from Scharie Houston and Charlotte Wolfe. Sound design, mixing
and scoring by Nicholas Alexander, Additional engineering by Daniel Kempson.
(41:28):
Music supervision by Nicholas Alexander and David Waters. Original music
composed by Eric Phillips. Willard Foxton is creative director of Development.
Special thanks to Sean Glynn Katrina Novelle, David Vassiman, Sean
ty Tone and beth Anne Macaluso
Speaker 3 (41:59):
Novel
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