April 29, 2025 • 47 mins
As the 2024-25 Roadrunners season comes to a close, Voice of the Rosdrunners Jonathon Schaffer and Kim Cota-Robles are joined by Roadrunners Head Coach Steve Potvin as they reflect on the season and look towards building upon the 2025-26 season.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's five o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Got yours hues day done? The two Sun Roadrunners Happy
Out from Fox Sports fourteen fifty Aye, Jonathan, Shit right, Roads.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
We know the story, but you gotta tell the viewers
that starts. It's so funny.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
It's our usual Tuesday night get together.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
So I don't know.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
Maybe we should start implementing some breakdance pregames during the
season and see how that goes.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Right here on Tucson Sports Day yet Fox Sports fourteen
fifty A.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Yea one final time for the twenty twenty four twenty
five season. Roadrunners Happy are our usual Tuesday night get
together podcast version only for this final episode of the
twenty four to twenty five AHL season for the Tucson Roadrunners.
Jonathan Schaffey here with Kim Coder Roeblisz head coach c
(00:49):
Popin will be joining us very surely to talk about
the entire season as a whole. But Kim, before he
gets on, what a season. It was a roller coaster.
It was all over the place, It was hectic. It
really felt like a TV show, and it sucks that
it ended the way it ended. Five Nothing lost to
(01:10):
Abbotsford in game number three last Saturday, and that's it.
We just had our exit interviews. Guys are making their
way out of Tucsons. Some are staying for a few weeks,
just enjoy the weather a bit longer. But it's it
sucks much how quickly things end, how quickly guys leave.
And now you're we're looking onto the twenty five to
twenty six season, and that's it. You know that that's
(01:33):
all there is to it. It's just looking ahead now.
And it was a great year overall, and it was
really fun.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
It was a great year. It was very chaotic at times,
it was melodramatic, it was comedic, it was it was
everything that you could have asked for, I think in
an Ahl season. But it is so difficult when we
get to the postseason and then it just ends and
there's no chance to like say goodbye like the fans.
(02:03):
I mean that the last home game, that last regular
season home game, was kind of the goodbye. And it's
I think that that's difficult in that there's no real
closure to the season for the fans. I had mentioned
to you that we need to do a paint the
ice party, and when we get to the end of
the season, whenever they decide the ice needs to come out.
(02:25):
We need to have fans out too.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
And I think because I think once because the Sugar Skulls,
I think, have a game this weekend and Tucson, and
then once they play, I think that's it. I don't
know how long the ice stays. I have no idea
what the schedule is because everything changed so dramatically, Kim,
we were so close to hosting a playoff game at
two playoff games this year, like we had everything ready,
(02:49):
because you go into a game, you win, you're going
on to the next round. So we were getting stuff
ready to roll. We had, you know, the ticket sales
open to ready to go, press releases, the availability.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
It was also set. We were so ready to execute.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
If it to not happen, as a bummer, But yeah,
I don't know, and it's gonna suck seeing that ice
go too. For the entirety of the summer of Sugar
Skulls are still in their season. So that's that's something
to check out the Tucson Arena and Kim.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
It's also weird too.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
I'm just not used to having this much more time
on my hands now, Like I'm like I'm adjusting as well,
it's an adjustment for everyone. You're so used to the
grind of the season and then all of a sudden,
your your schedule opens up like this is probably gonna
be my first weekend off in what seven months? Probably,
so I need It's an adjust for everyone. I didn't
know what to do. Now I need things to do. Please,
(03:38):
anyone give me recommendations of stuff to do. In two songs,
I'm just so used to working here. Well, definitely need
to go check out the Sugar Skulls.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
And then I don't know if men's baseball is still
men's debait baseball if there's seasons going. But they're the
boys of Summer. So the hard part too, is that
Junior Roadrunners are dependent on how long the season goes,
so they have been kind of things have been kind
of up in the air for them too, waiting to
figure out, you know, exactly how long we're going to
(04:07):
be keeping the ice in. So I'm assuming it's coming.
I know it's in right now, obviously, but it's we're
real close to to saying a final goodbye to the season.
So and I guess just we have to have the
mindset of Okay, let's look forward to the next season,
(04:28):
you know, like this was a this was a fun season.
Take what we can learn from here and push forward
and move on and just really focus on on the
good and the positive and how do we, you know,
make it to the second round next season?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yeah, especially that it's the tenth year anniversary, right, it's
going to be a lot of celebrations for the ten
years of the Roadrunners in Tucson. You know, new we
got jerseys coming soon for the tenth year, a new logo,
Like there's a lot to unveil this summer. We're gonna
be seeing the off season moves. We already got an
off season move today, Kim, did.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You see it?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (05:06):
No, what is it?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
We re signed someone? Okay, so you didn't see it.
So it's it's public now so I can say it.
Jackson Stober a two year to a contract, so stopburd
is back for two years with the affiliation of Utah
and Tucson on the two way. We already have Matthew
Wallalta locked in for next season because he signed a
two year contract this past off season.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
So there you go.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
The Roadrunners and Utah Hockey Club already making moves to
keep that goaltending depth. So already, like what we saw,
we sign a guy from Europe as well on a
one year two way contract. Don't have the name right
in front of me, but another you know, Milosh Kellman,
like player Maximilian Zuber as well, or Julian Latt So
(05:49):
you know, already making moves when the season has just
now ended, so there's still a lot to come.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
It's gonna be exciting off season.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
I'm excited for this twenty five twenty six Roadrunners team.
Young prospects who are really hungry to get out there.
We're gonna have some veterans returning, you know, and then
we'll just see what we do in the off season.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And we've already made moves.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
This is kind of I don't want to how do
I want to say it, like kind of the most
anxious time of the year, just kind of waiting to
see who we get back and what the entire culture
of the team is going to look like going into
next year.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
I know that.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
John Ferguson and Bell Armstrong are incredibly busy year round
scouting talent and sending them our way, and obviously, you know,
right here at the cusp of the summer is no different.
But as you and I both know, you know, just
one locker room change can have such a profound effect
(06:51):
on the entire team. So so it's a little bit
butterflies in the stomach kind of waiting to see how
things shake out and where we end up. And and
I think that that's too, Johnny. Part of the drama
that comes with hockey is that, like anybody that remembers
last season when Devonte Stevens played for US and then
(07:13):
the season ended and he was gone, and then now
he's back with a different team, and so kind of
reconciling that with with you know, your fandom, it can
be a little bit tricky. Try to navigate, you know,
emotionally and psychologically all the moves that are going to
happen over the summer, and just hope, like, I don't
know what would happen to this town if Cameron Hebe
(07:35):
didn't play for US next My.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
God, Yeah, I don't even want to don't even want
to think about that. And you know, it's like, can
we just have no clue? Right, It's just it's opportunities.
He big had a career year, you know, he teams
are going to look at him too. Teams are going
to look at everybody, so at this point we can't.
We know who's going to be back and drag Zino
to your contract, Kevin cannot and Asuba Gansky, Volalta Stobber
(07:58):
now signed today. You know, we have our young prospects
coming in with Owen Allard and Noel Nord, Miko Metika,
Julian Lutz. Like we know the guys who are going
to be back, but we don't know for the free agents,
have no clue, don't have any insight on anything. All
I know is just whatever happens and whatever the Utah
Hockey Club announces as well. Other guy we've made a
(08:19):
move with and this actually happened during our first round,
if I'm pronouncing this right, Mikal kunk or Kuntz. I
don't know for sure. We'll find out out when he
gets here or you know, whenever we see him at
training camp. But he was signed to a one year,
two way contract with the Utah Hockey Club and just
assuming he would play some with us as well. I
mean his recent year with the Czech League got thirty
(08:41):
five points in forty nine games, So that's a nice
solid foard that we're gonna get as well, and a
guy who's gonna be hungry to make a name for
himself in the American Hockey League. So already two moves
that we've made and we're just getting started here. So
this is exciting.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
It is. It's incredibly exciting. And I think too coming
out of last season when there were so many unknown
and having the only professional hockey team in Arizona right now,
I think that there's just you know, there's a lot
of eyes on the team. There's a lot of people
wondering what's gonna happen, how things are gonna look. Yeah,
(09:16):
just a lot. I think that this summer is gonna
be I call it aksy. It's not a word I
made it up. It's like a cross between anxious and anxiety.
It's just what that feeling that you get when you're
just like on the edge of your seat waiting to
see what's gonna happen. That's what I have. I have, Anksy.
I'm gonna have it all summer until puck drop in October.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
What I'm excited for, Kim is to actually have a
whole off season to prepare for this job.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Other than.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
You know, three weeks, right, especially that you know, I
was gone over the summer for a few months, so
it'll be nice to actually have time to prepare. And
there's just it's exciting. Again, it's a tenth year anniversary.
We're gonna you know, revamp a lot of things. I
think we're gonna keep road worners happy, are the same.
This is just a perfect show, right, This doesn't need
much changing, maybe just the outlook of it. But you know,
(10:03):
the Roadrunners Insider podcast maybe might change that name of
Roadrunners TV. Like, there's a lot of things that me
and Chase Clemens are media relations coordinator, have in mind.
We're gonna be working on a lot of cool things
that we are just really excited for. And sure the
guys are excited too. It's gonna be a really fun year,
you know, full of awesome promotions of just the ten
(10:24):
years that we've been in Tucson. And again it's gonna
be a young, really hungry team, especially you know, we
made playoffs. We had a good season, but you know,
it's it's gonna be a huge push for us to
you know, try to get back to the playoffs and
make a deeper run here.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
I think I'm championing the inclusion of a Brett Farrah
type of mind to the Happy Hour. I really miss
His outlook on hockey is so different from mine. I
know mine is different from most people's. I watch it
in a very, very different way than a lot of
(11:00):
people do, and so I always loved getting like Brett's
point of view and kind of his analytical style, and
also like as an outsider because he's not, you know,
he wasn't affiliated with the team, so having somebody like
him was a lot of fun. So I'm throwing I'm
pitching that, I'm throwing it onto the universe. Let's see
where it happens.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
We'll see what happens.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
Well, now we have we have five months to prepare
for it, all right, Head coach Steve Povin is here.
So we returned to head coach of the Tucson Roadrunners.
Joins our show right here on road Runners Happy our
usual Tuesday night get together now joining us Roadrunners head
coach Steve popn Steve, thanks for joining the show. Really
great to see you once again. And uh, what a
great year. It was a great year overall. We went
(11:42):
through so much adversity, so many great things, so many
accolades all throughout the year. It sucks that it has
come to an end. But overall for you, just where
your takeaways from this season and what you're looking forward
to now in the off season to prep for next year.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Well, exactly that.
Speaker 6 (12:00):
I think we went through a lot, and I think
when you're going through a lot in the moment, you
don't really know how it's going to impact.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Or improve your team or improve your players.
Speaker 6 (12:11):
You know, we definitely made a lot of improvements and
I think, you know what, it was a successful season.
Of course, all of us would like to see us,
you know, get past that first round. I think we're
getting closer and closer. But you know, just the importance
of communication and leadership and understanding a plan. You know,
I think is is urgent for for the players in
(12:33):
the and the coaches next season. I think it's it's
important for everybody to be aligned and understand exactly what
the vision is and how we're going to go about
achieving you know, the vision and you know, furthering our mission.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
Is there anything that you learned for yourself as another
year of a head coach of a of American Hockey
League team.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Yeah, I think just exactly that.
Speaker 6 (12:59):
I think we always had valued leadership and communication, but
it has to continue.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
To evolve and broaden.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
And you know what we've got to Our mission has
always been to really sorry, I should say, our vision
has always been to create leaders And you know, going
through the season that we just did and had, it
just reinforces the importance of leadership.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Everybody wants a leader. Everybody you know needs.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
A leader to be able to you know, guide their
their systems, their their companies to higher levels. And so
that's you know, it has to be at the forefront,
is to create good people and leaders.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
See, who is there anybody on the team this season?
I'm not asking you to play favorites or to call
anybody out, but I'm just curious, is there anybody on
the team that maybe reminded you of you or of
your style of play? Anybody like that? Or maybe if
(14:08):
you just hit you don't have to say a name.
We can like we can do the math later.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
But yeah, you know what, that is a tricky question,
ah man, that that I don't I don't think it's fair.
You know, I think I see myself in a lot
of the players, So I love the question. I think
you know, you see yourself in a lot of the
players in different ways.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
They're all unique.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
But you know, I think I was an effort based
player that liked the for check and if I could
contribute offensively then obviously it would impact the team in
a positive way. But you know, I always just saw
myself as a player that would do what was necessary
to try to advance the team. But it's it's stemmed from,
(14:54):
you know, hard work, and a lot of it was
a p K derivative and also, uh, you know, just
to try to narrow the space and play hard.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Okay, So then I'm gonna say a few names because
Sammy Walker and Cameron he Big on the poor check
are absolutely amazing to watch, just so much fun. So
you don't have to say it. I'm just gonna I'm
just gonna throw it out there.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
I appreciate it, but they're they're way better than I was.
But I do appreciate their four checking capabilities.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Steve, As as you know this season winds down, what
does success look like for you? Do you ever reflect
back on that as you get to the end of
every season? Does it look different every season or is
it the same? Is I am assuming the goal is
the Calder Cup every season. But but I don't know,
(15:44):
what does it look like for you?
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Well, that's a really good question.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
I think we always come back to building a team.
I think you start the season as a group and
you always take great pride and trying to build relationships
and build a team. If you build a team, you
always give yourself a chance for success. And I think
that's been our recipe. If you look back at all
the challenges we've had over the last three years and
especially what the American Hockey League actually entails, that is
(16:11):
the greatest challenge is to build a team. And I
feel like, you know, with the right people and the
right leaders in the locker room, we've been able to
accomplish that the last three years.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
So that's what I think.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
You know, success looks like to me, But you know,
a lot of times, you know, it is not a
lot of times.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
It's a result based industry.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
So you know, for us, getting to the next step,
the next you know, winning the first round would feel
good and would provide that, you know, that next step
of success for us.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
If it's one thing that John Ferguson and bom armstrung
up down is has really set up not only Utah
but the Roadrunners as well for success. And we've already
made a big move today signing Jackson Stauber to a
two year, two way contract. What's it like to just
know that Stop will be back next season alongside Matthew
Vilalta to still provide that just amazing goaltender depth that
(17:05):
we really did need this season with just you know,
the movement side on the Utah Hockey Club.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Well, I'm a firm believer that you can't build the
culture without good goaltending. It's hard to build a team
without good goaltending. So yeah, it's great to know that
Stobs will be back and we've got a lot of
depth at goal and you know, that's just a great
way that you know, goalies can contribute to building a
(17:31):
strong environment. You always feel better the next day after
not playing your best with a win. You know, if
you come away with a win because of goaltending at times,
it just boosts the environment and keeps your team kind
of rolling, you know, and gives you a chance for success.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Yeah, we have you know, veterans coming back as well
with Agasino, Cannot and Paganski. But what I'm also excited
for next year. And this is always every you know
season in the AHL. It's just these young, hungry guys,
right with with Miko Metika and Sam Lipkin and you
know Owen Alard and Noel Nord who had tremendous years
in the juniors.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
You know this past season as well.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
You know what you're looking forward to to just seeing
those young guys mess with the with the vets and
then whoever else we bring in this offseason.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Yeah, we're looking forward to the growth. This is a
big summer for them.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
You know, we want to see you know them bring
what they've learned over the season into the summertime and
really attack the summer and try to get as much
growth as they can.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Work on their you know, strength and power.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
You know, if you can have strong legs and be
able to skate, you're going to be able to create
battles and you're going to be able to you know,
win battles, and those are you know what we talk
about at length. You know, you want to be able
to create offense, You've got to be able to win
races and battles. You want to be able to defense, Well,
then you've got to be able to skate fast and
win battles, and so you know, they need to be
(19:01):
able to really take a look inside of what they
learned this winter and really apply it this summer and
really attack it.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
Steve, one of the things that I talked about earlier
in this season, and you probably didn't hear. I can't
even remember who was on the show when I started
learning about this was the gap that exists between knowing
something and not knowing something right, And it kind of
equated to the team first coming and all kind of
trying to get to know each other, and then when
(19:34):
we end up at the end of the season where
you can tell that they are really just here for
each other and just playing for the guy next to them.
But that gap between knowing and not knowing, it's called
the learning the learning bridge something I can't remember, but
it's the most uncomfortable space to be is in this gap.
And so I'm curious, how do you teach emotional mental
(20:00):
resilience when you see guys in that space, especially in
the season when you know we were having some difficulties
winning games, how do you teach, you know them to
get out of that uncomfortable space to the knowing space
or to just be comfortable with the unknown.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
Well, I think you said it, you want to be
you know, we don't want them to to really try
to get out of that discomfort. That discomfort offers a
lot of growth. We want them to actually lean into
it and actually embrace it, you know. And I think
a lot of times it comes from serving. I think
(20:41):
the the season is going to test them and a
lot of times, you know, they're always intrinsically motivated and
they're looking at themselves and they have to be able
to take care of themselves first.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
And be able to, as you say, have that emotional control.
But you know, they have to.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Sometimes get out of their own way and look at
how they can serve and you know, try to find
ways to advance the team, because I think if you're
going to advance yourself, you have to find a way
to render great service to your team. And you know,
I think a lot of times you have to go
(21:18):
through those hard periods and you learn a lot from
yourself and you learn a lot from your team, you know,
going through those those difficult phases.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
Do you ever do you ever read your astrology chart
for the day, or does your wife ever tell you
anything about stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
No, I not really.
Speaker 6 (21:38):
I think she makes me aware of, you know, some
of those I guess intangibles, but not frequently enough to
really share or know enough about it.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
I think more needs to be done in this space
because one of the things that was really interesting to
me this season, because they sat down and did like
figured out who everybody was. This had six capricorns on it,
four Aquarius and six Pisces, and that's pause research and
it's so crazy to me just all those very specific
(22:12):
personalities working together as a team. All those guys were
born between January third and March eighth. That's like what six, twelve,
fifteen guys on the team that were all born in
this really small section of time. Anyway, I think some
(22:32):
work needs to be done on that. But I wanted
to tell you that that's only to lead to my
question about you, because you're a Libra and there's only
other there's only two other Libras on the team, and
I'm curious if you know who they are. When I
tell you that the trademark of a Libra, tell me
if it's you, And tell me if you know who
these other two might be. Okay, So Libras are known
(22:54):
for being charming, social, and artistic, and are often natural peacemakers.
They are also known for being elegant, diplomatic, and having
a strong sense of right and wrong.
Speaker 7 (23:04):
Is that you, I guess on a good day? Yeah, yeah,
I would say, I guess there's.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Some of that in me.
Speaker 8 (23:19):
I'm not sure if that's quite the full scope of it,
but I think there's probably different times for all of
what you came up with there.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
I didn't make it up, just so you know, I
had to google it.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I agree.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
But we you know, we do have personality tests, and
you know, we do try to, you know, find ways
to be able to communicate with the players.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
And a lot of it has to do with, you know,
what personalities.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
Mesh with others and you know how they do it
and how we can improve.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
But no, we haven't got that far.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
But you know what, it might be an interesting It
might be an interesting way to go about it.
Speaker 5 (24:03):
I think it could be. But okay, but so do
you know who the two other libras the players on
the team that are libras are Do you want to
take any guesses based on charming, social, and artistic? These
are not three words that I will either one of
these people.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
I'm gonna guess, Oh goodness, okay, is Kim. What was
it again?
Speaker 5 (24:25):
Uh? Charming, social and artistic natural peacemakers. You're definitely not
going to get it based on that.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
One One of those gotta be Matti v Right, Valalta,
No what I feel like he's a good peacemaker, like.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
He's a summer birthday he's.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Oh, he is charming.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
I'm just trying to think we are all also charmers
on the team, but it's kind of everybody.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Ken, this is too hard to guess.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Okay, I'm so sorry. I will tell you who it is.
Number one is kyler Yamamoto. Okay, okay. Number two, it's
way out of pocket. It is Hunter Drew.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
There you go, Drew the charmer.
Speaker 8 (25:07):
Charmer.
Speaker 5 (25:08):
Is the a national peacemaker though, Johnny, Oh no, no, no,
not the not the strongest diplomatic skills. But but he's
working on it.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Maybe he has that, he has that quality.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Yeah, I'm thinking off the Kim.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
When these guys Kim, when these guys got on the ice,
they are they don't act themselves.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
They they go all out. Oh yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (25:29):
Know, I was Patrick Kotch I called him the Hulk.
The Hulk and Bruce Banner because he could not have
been more desperate on the ice versus off the ice. Steve,
I don't want to keep you forever. But another question,
what do you love about hockey?
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (25:47):
Just the compete and to be able to do it
with all the types of personalities, and to try to
find a way, you know, to get a team and
a group galvanized to go after a common mission.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
But just the having to wake up every day and.
Speaker 6 (26:08):
Knowing that you're going into a locker room with guys
that are driven with the same objective is pretty cool
and it's uncommon. I don't think there are many people
that that know how much skill. You know, it looks
easy from the outside, but you know how much skill
it requires and how much determination and to be able to,
you know, try to.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Play the game with that much. You know, there's there's
a there's a physical.
Speaker 6 (26:37):
Element that you know you don't get every day that
you have to really push your body and push your
mind to limits, and you know you have to find
you know what your limits are. I think those are
the the most fun components you know about the game.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
You get to.
Speaker 6 (26:54):
Find out how much you want to play and how
hard you're willing to to play and how far you
are willing to push yourself. It's not a common thing,
So I think it's it's what separates you know, an
average person to you know, a person that's ready to
to compete every night against players that are going to
come hard against you.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
Yeah, and see these all throughout these months of these
you know, seventy five games that we we hit this year.
You know, there was just so many personal athletes for everybody.
We saw the year that Cameron he Big had mid
season trade of Sammy Walker and he had a great
run with us. And uh, you know Kyler Yawamoto having
that tough you know spot where he put on waivers
(27:35):
and then proved himself and was you know, proved that
he's still a great player out there on the ice
for Walta's first one. There's just so many that I
can continue on to name just what are you most
proud of?
Speaker 5 (27:45):
Of?
Speaker 4 (27:45):
Just our guys to really be able to just come
together and you know, continue their growth and just continue
on everything to build off of from this season and
go into next year.
Speaker 6 (27:56):
Yeah, this I'm proud of all of those accomplishments. I'm
the I'm really proud of the guys that they were
able to build a team and there was a lot
of adversity and there were a lot.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Of things that they needed to go through, and.
Speaker 6 (28:09):
You know, they found a way to learn how to
communicate with each other to get the results. They put
themselves aside and they really just went after one common
objective and they were able to get to the playoffs
and we were able to form.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
A team and an identity.
Speaker 6 (28:25):
You know, it was it was tested, it was shaken,
and it didn't break.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
We were able to get back to, you know, our
way of playing, and you know, it was it was
just really.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
It was really fulfilling seeing them go through that and
be able to build a team you.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Talked about for fulfillment and obviously, you know, clinching the
playoffs with the last game was probably the most the
fun moment for everybody. But what was a moment this
season if you have any of just as you mentioned earlier,
earlier you loved going into locker room and having the
same goals as everybody else, But was there any a
moment where you know, maybe you woke up one morning
(29:05):
or you know after a game and you just said,
I love doing this, I love being a coach of
this league, and I love this team.
Speaker 6 (29:13):
I think there are a lot of those, you know,
I to be honest with you, there's a lot of
those types of self chats almost daily.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
To be honest with you, I know it may sound, you.
Speaker 6 (29:25):
Know, a little bit crazy, but you have a lot
of those types of moments over the course of the season,
you know, where you have to get up and like,
you know, recognize that you get to do this, you know,
through the hard times, and you know, I was there
are a lot of those this year, you know, even
through the tough ones where you know you had to
(29:46):
kind of step away a little bit and kind of
look at it from the outside and you know, recognize
how much you appreciate the battle and the fights. And
then also seeing the guys you know, get rewarded and
push through some some of their their you know.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Their challenges.
Speaker 6 (30:03):
I mean, there are too many to really put a.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
A real pulse on just one of them. You know.
Speaker 6 (30:11):
Of course, winning the last game was fulfilling, but you know,
you win that one, it's immediately to what's next, you know,
So there wasn't a lot of time to really reflect.
But yeah, I would say all of it, to be
honest with you, I just I love it all. Love
the fights, love the times where it's hard, love the
(30:32):
times where it's going great. And there's a lot of
questions that happened during the season, and I love those
types of challenges because it really.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Pushes you as a as a coach and a person.
Speaker 5 (30:45):
I know you're incredibly busy, and I know that you're
very focused on the season. Typically I imagine that you don't
even sleep. I assume somebody plugs you into a wall somewhere.
But I am curious. Have you ever watched Ted Lasso?
Speaker 1 (31:01):
You know what? Every year my wife tries to get
me to watch it.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
She knows, she knows what's up.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
And I think it's to your point. I always end
up falling asleep. I have a few.
Speaker 6 (31:17):
Episodes, and you know what, maybe that should be my
on my list this summer, you know, to start watching
it because I think it's come back again, right.
Speaker 5 (31:24):
Yes, yes, it's it's I don't want to plug it
or anything, but it's on Apple TV if you get
a chance. Because to me, this season was so dramatic,
it very much reminded me of the TV show Tad
Last So I really feel like maybe you could vibe
with this show in a special way after the season.
Speaker 6 (31:42):
Well, yeah, and you know what, I think we can
all appreciate the nature of the show for sure, right
because obviously you're talking about a team with coaches, and
you know that you go through a lot during the season,
you know, and from the exterior, you don't really understand
how much goes into prep and you know, trying to
advance yourself and.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
The team, you know, with a lot of obstacles.
Speaker 6 (32:06):
It's it's always a challenge, but it's it's so rewarding
at this level coaching these types of players and these
types of teams.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
It's it's so rewarding.
Speaker 5 (32:16):
I can't even imagine what that feels like. Quite honestly,
I'm yes, I am very jealous that despite all the
highs and lows, you have an incredibly cool job. So
I agree, I agree. What's one thing that you do
every day that just makes you happy?
Speaker 6 (32:34):
Uh, this sounds again, it sounds like it's crazy.
Speaker 5 (32:40):
Are you going to stay working out? Don't stay working out?
Speaker 6 (32:42):
Well, you know what, I hate to say it, but
I found a routine and I and I know my routines.
If I don't follow my routine in the morning, I'm
not a happy person. I don't I don't have a
great day. I don't have a great start or finish
to the day. It's it's it's actually the most challenging,
but it sounds Listen. I wake up, I have to
(33:03):
read something, listen to something that's that's going to be inspiring,
whether there's a podcast, whether it's a.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Book, audiobook something. It has to be a cold shower
and a workout and that makes me happy.
Speaker 6 (33:17):
And then of course at the end of the day,
when we've had a great day of work, to be
able to come home to missus, POTSI and the kids.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
That's pretty cool.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
I have to share really quick. I don't know if
we had talked about this. We had talked to Cameron
hebig obviously, maybe what like three or four months ago,
Johnny and he told us he was reading one hundred
and one essays that will change the way you think.
Have you read this or listened to it at all?
Speaker 1 (33:44):
I'm that's next on my list now go.
Speaker 5 (33:48):
It's so so good. It popped up on my Spotify
after he was talking about it, and so I started
listening to it. It's so amazing. For anybody out there, that's.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
My summer read. I'll definitely read.
Speaker 5 (34:00):
Uh awesome, perfect, perfect. Okay, are we ready for a
BuzzFeed quiz?
Speaker 3 (34:04):
Let's do it?
Speaker 6 (34:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Okay, Steve, I think we did this with you before
one more time. One time before about pancakes. I think
I gave you a pancakes BuzzFeed and.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
It was like it was like some like the healthier
pancake there was.
Speaker 6 (34:16):
This is when you this is when my my identity
is completely revealed.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
I'm the least I'm the least funny.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
That was our That was our very first happy Hour
episode this season. And now we're gonna end it with
another post BuzzFeed with head coach.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
So perfect. Okay, so this is less about pancakes. This
is gonna tell us which endangered animal shares your personality? Okay,
you're ready?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Ye?
Speaker 5 (34:46):
Okay. What's your favorite way to spend your free time? A?
Reading books? B exploring? See you watching TV or D
talking with friends?
Speaker 1 (34:56):
Exploring?
Speaker 5 (34:57):
Okay, what's your favorite pink? Okay? Okay, where is your
dream vacation spot? Is it a forest somewhere in the snow,
somewhere in the desert, or beach.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Beach.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
Okay, Okay, I'm going to give you six adjectives. How
would you describe yourself using one of these adjectives? Caring, passionate, introverted, loyal, strong,
or adaptable.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
That's a lot passionate.
Speaker 5 (35:30):
Okay. And finally, what are you? What are your future goals?
Obviously some of these don't to play, to start a family, money,
what I'm kidding? Do you say? To work out more?
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Take over the world, take over the world.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
We have a joke in the We have a joke
in the in the room. You know, what are we
doing today? Same as we always do. Try to take
over the.
Speaker 5 (35:52):
World, take over the world, galactic, the universe. That's all,
no big deal.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
That's it, Okay, Jake Wagman joke.
Speaker 5 (36:01):
That makes so much.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
That sounds like something he'd say just out of nowhere.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
It's like, what, Yeah, we're all gonna end up working
for Jake Wagmen at some point, I'm sure. Okay. Future
goals to start a family, to make money, to travel more,
to find myself, oh man, family, money, travel or find yourself?
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Oh man.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
I feel like he's done that.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
There we go.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
I'm gonna pick to find myself for you because you
have done most of the perfect and every day that
you get a chance to find yourself is a good day. Right, Okay,
So your personality is most similar to a mountain gorilla.
That means you are protective, strong, and take care of
the people you love. Mountain gorillas are extremely creative and
love to explore. And then unfortunately there's not that many
(36:59):
of them.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Last that's great.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
How many? How many is a unique?
Speaker 5 (37:04):
About a thousand?
Speaker 4 (37:06):
That's pots of You are a unique man like it gorilla.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
That's what I am, right, mountain gorilla.
Speaker 5 (37:14):
Yep, perfect rilla.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I think that makes not a jame.
Speaker 5 (37:20):
Perfect. Yes, we keep we need to have her on
the show. We talk about it all the time and
it hasn't happened yet. I need to talk to her.
I have questions.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Well then, yeah, I think that would be good.
Speaker 5 (37:33):
We'll have to figure that out for next time.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Johnny on the books, we'll pull some strings.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
Well, we'll see. Thanks so much for joining us again,
really appreciate it. Great season overall. Congratulations again on just everything.
Let us know if you need anything, and have a
great summer and enjoy it.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
That's a real pleasure being on. I love the questions.
They always kind of test you and you always learn
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
It's so good.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
I appreciate it, and honestly, thanks for all the work
you do it you guys for not only us, but
the community and keeping us, keeping us out there and relevant.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
We we sincerely appreciate all of you guys.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
Appreciated Steve, the Roadrunners happy are closing out here, Jonathan
Schaeffer with Kim codobas just having our head coach, Steve
Popman on Kim. It still just sucks. It's just all over.
We have to wait five months for this all happened again.
I know the off season is gonna fly by, it
always does, but we're still.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
Gonna be keeping things up here.
Speaker 4 (38:28):
We'll still be talking through guys, two guys throughout the
year now, keeping up with the drafts, the free agency moves,
the re signs that we've already seen, and just getting
ready for this ten year anniversary.
Speaker 5 (38:40):
It is definitely not gonna be fast enough, but everybody
here knows that, especially because our summers are so hot,
and I know for myself, like when I just wait
for that little bite of cold in the morning time,
because we're there right now, right there's a little bite
in the morning that it's a little bit chilly, and
then we lose that, and then when we get that,
(39:00):
that's how I know that the boys are coming back.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Boys are Yeah, I'm sure they're I'm sure they're enjoying
the golfing at the moment as well. And and but
I mean, at least we have Stanley Cup and American
Hockey League playoffs to, you know, to still watch. There's
still I mean, our season is done, but hockey season
is not over for probably gosh, maybe another month and
(39:24):
a half of playoffs.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
So it's over for us.
Speaker 4 (39:28):
But we'll we'll keep in touch with what's going on
around the leagues, and uh, we'll just continue to just
see what the Roadrunners do to try to build that team.
You know, I like what Steve said. He he has
addressed that we need to get to that second round.
You know, we we've been making playoffs. We've been doing
our due diligence and putting teams together and putting great
teams together. But I think, and I hate to say it,
(39:48):
but the hump is right now, we have got to
get to that second round because you know, you just
keep getting these first round exits. I know it's hard
to do it because you've got to win two of
the next three games, which is harder said than done.
But I think that is the goal right now, to
build a team good enough to you know, make playoffs.
But let's get to that second round and let's see
(40:08):
what we can do after that. We were so close
this year to be getting to that second round. All
we needed was one more win. It didn't happen. We
were playing a good abbots for team. But you know
the fact that we barely squeaked into the playoffs and
to get abbots for an elimination game was a good
accolade to be proud of for this team.
Speaker 3 (40:25):
And I'm just excited.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
It's just five months is gonna be long, but let's go,
let's do this, let's get ready.
Speaker 5 (40:32):
Yeah. I think, like Steve said, I think that there's
a lot that the players are gonna need to do
to train on this summer, and and same for their
coaching staff. That's how many seasons has it been now
where we've made it to the first round of the
postseason and three games is not enough? Could we please
just try five games? First?
Speaker 3 (40:54):
Round.
Speaker 5 (40:54):
Let's just try five because three is so fast it
gives you zero room for We talked about this in
one of the pregames that there's you cannot mess up
you even a little bit, mentally, physically, emotionally, you cannot
take a misstep once you hit the postseason. So there's
(41:16):
does anybody else, does any other professional sport do a
postseason that fast, that chaotic?
Speaker 4 (41:25):
Even the EHL has best a seven first round. You know,
it's just it's not easy. But there's a reason why
a lot of teams make the playoffs. You know, they
want these prospects to be playing in these important games.
I mean, if you know, if the format wasn't the format,
we wouldn't even made it, right, So yeah, it's a
little it's a little chaotic to get in. But obviously,
(41:46):
you know, once everything resets for next season, it's it's
a battle for that first seed because you know, maybe
if the roadbuers get the first seed, then it's an
auto bit to the second round. Then we can say
we made it to the second round. So that as
a goal to kid get to the second round by
the first seed. And you know, there were times this
year in the beginning stages where we're a little closer,
and then we had that rough stretch and Colorado ended
(42:07):
up winning it. But again, can we know this league,
anytime you go into a new season, anyone's it's anyone's game.
Like we saw San Jose have a huge bounce back
year and they're in the playoffs. They're in the second
round now, going up against Colorado and we'll see what
happens there. And then we saw teams dip this season
and miss playoffs. Right, so it doesn't matter you know
(42:28):
what the year that gave you prior. You know whatever,
HL teams turnover all the time, you lose players, you
sign draft picks, you you know, bring guys in. So
it's gonna be a different team for us. Obviously we'll
have our main guys back. We're gonna lose guys who
are gonna be heartbroken to see go. But that's just
how it is in this league. And uh, it's that's
what makes the HL so fun. It doesn't matter what
(42:49):
happened the year prior. You build off of that and
you build a new team together and then you just
go full force because this specific division will continue to
get better every single year. It's gonna be more for
next season, for that fight for the first seat, fight
for playoff positioning as we saw this year. But that's
what makes it so fun, as Seapot visen, it's the unknown.
Speaker 5 (43:09):
I think that as more and more players figure out
how not only how much fun it is to play
out here with the weather, but like how much actually
it is better for their emotional and mental well being
to not live up in the Arctic north during the
winter time, that you are going to see the level
(43:30):
of competitiveness, like you said, continue to rise and rise
or rise like it has. But I have a question
for you, A very important question for you.
Speaker 3 (43:38):
Oh, a question for me.
Speaker 5 (43:39):
Okay, what was your favorite memory of the season? Just one,
give me one memory?
Speaker 4 (43:44):
Favorite memory? Man, that is a good one, because I
don't know. I want to say clinching playoffs is so
cliche because that's like everyone's best memory, right, But man,
that is a good I honestly, I think just calling
a playoff series is my favorite memory.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
I actually got a puck. I got a cool puck.
Let me see if I have I can show you.
Speaker 4 (44:08):
I mean, obviously the fans listening to this won't see it,
but I think just calling Oh yeah, I got it.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
Cool, little perfect.
Speaker 4 (44:18):
Yeah, And I think just calling like my first playoff
series in my first year, winning that game too, and
being in that moment in Game three, knowing.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
Like, Wow, this is do or die for us. Let's go.
Speaker 4 (44:28):
I'd say that's my favorite memory besides clinching. Clinching is
a most favorite, you know, game seventy two. But you know,
it was a really fun first year. I want to
thank everybody for the ongoing supports. You know, it's it's
never easy to take over just a few weeks before
the season starts. But it was a really fun first year.
And I again, I'm just excited to build off from
(44:49):
this season and go for full force for next year.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
What was your favorite memory?
Speaker 5 (44:54):
My favorite memory is seeing Cameron Hebig wear a T
shirt with Cameron Hebig on it because I never in
a million years thought yet, right, Oh yeah, that's a
good one. One of the most low key, like honest,
humble people that you could ever expect to meet, and
he's a professional hockey player. To see him step so
far outside of his comfort box to like really embrace
(45:18):
what he had accomplished, like I just that was just
so much fun to see it like, it just made
me so happy.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
Yeah, especially now we get to know these players, right,
we see them grow, like you know, see Pop and
works so much with these players. He sees the growth,
but we see it too. And we'll just see what
happens in the off season. You know who we bring back,
who leaves, and whose ghost but regardless, we'll be happy
for whoever takes opportunities. And let's just see what happens.
And let's see what this team is capable of. And uh,
(45:46):
let's see what they can build. So, Kim, you have
any last remarks for the fans before we ended. I mean,
it kind of sucks, but we got to close it
out here.
Speaker 5 (45:55):
I just want to take a second to thank the fans,
to thank everybody that comes comes by the booth, to
say hi to my very first fan. His name is Ryan.
I don't know if you've ever seen him, Johnny, because
you don't get to see me pregame because you're up
in the box. But I have a fan named Ryan.
I think he lives down at Sierra Vista and his
(46:16):
family brings him for the game. And when he comes
to the games, he comes to the eye, he comes
down to the glass to say hi to me as
I walk down to the ice. He's amazing and I
absolutely adore him. So yeah, just a big thanks to
the fans for all the support this season. It's it
means so much and you never know, like especially like
(46:38):
on a lot of Tuesday Wednesday games, you never know
what you're gonna walk out into or what it's gonna
be like. And yeah, they just make it so much
fun and I know that the boys very much appreciate them.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
Also.
Speaker 4 (46:52):
Yeah, thanks to the fans, Thanks to hockey coaches or
hockey ups are listening to this, Thanks to you guys
as well, thanks to the players. It was a very
very memorable twenty four to twenty five season and we
now start to look ahead to the twenty five twenty
six year. This has been Roadrunners Happy our usual Tuesday
night get together, unfortunately ending here, but lots to look
(47:13):
ahead for still tune in on the Insider podcast.
Speaker 3 (47:16):
We'll have interviews with players all throughout the year.
Speaker 4 (47:18):
We'll get updates on roster moved draft picks as well,
so we will still continue on that, but for now
Roadrunners Happy Hour. We'll start again when the season starts
for the twenty five to twenty six season. Have a
great rest of your night, everybody. Thanks again to all
the fans who have tuned in for every single episode
this season. Won't be too long till we see you again,
and enjoy your summer in southern Arizona or wherever you
(47:42):
listen from. This has been Roadrunners Happy our Jonathan Schaeffer
and Kim Coderobliz signing off here
It's five o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Got yours hues day done? The two Sun Roadrunners Happy
Out from Fox Sports fourteen fifty Aye, Jonathan, Shit right, Roads.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
We know the story, but you gotta tell the viewers
that starts. It's so funny.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
It's our usual Tuesday night get together.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
So I don't know.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
Maybe we should start implementing some breakdance pregames during the
season and see how that goes.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Right here on Tucson Sports Day yet Fox Sports fourteen
fifty A.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Yea one final time for the twenty twenty four twenty
five season. Roadrunners Happy are our usual Tuesday night get
together podcast version only for this final episode of the
twenty four to twenty five AHL season for the Tucson Roadrunners.
Jonathan Schaffey here with Kim Coder Roeblisz head coach c
(00:49):
Popin will be joining us very surely to talk about
the entire season as a whole. But Kim, before he
gets on, what a season. It was a roller coaster.
It was all over the place, It was hectic. It
really felt like a TV show, and it sucks that
it ended the way it ended. Five Nothing lost to
(01:10):
Abbotsford in game number three last Saturday, and that's it.
We just had our exit interviews. Guys are making their
way out of Tucsons. Some are staying for a few weeks,
just enjoy the weather a bit longer. But it's it
sucks much how quickly things end, how quickly guys leave.
And now you're we're looking onto the twenty five to
twenty six season, and that's it. You know that that's
(01:33):
all there is to it. It's just looking ahead now.
And it was a great year overall, and it was
really fun.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
It was a great year. It was very chaotic at times,
it was melodramatic, it was comedic, it was it was
everything that you could have asked for, I think in
an Ahl season. But it is so difficult when we
get to the postseason and then it just ends and
there's no chance to like say goodbye like the fans.
(02:03):
I mean that the last home game, that last regular
season home game, was kind of the goodbye. And it's
I think that that's difficult in that there's no real
closure to the season for the fans. I had mentioned
to you that we need to do a paint the
ice party, and when we get to the end of
the season, whenever they decide the ice needs to come out.
(02:25):
We need to have fans out too.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
And I think because I think once because the Sugar Skulls,
I think, have a game this weekend and Tucson, and
then once they play, I think that's it. I don't
know how long the ice stays. I have no idea
what the schedule is because everything changed so dramatically, Kim,
we were so close to hosting a playoff game at
two playoff games this year, like we had everything ready,
(02:49):
because you go into a game, you win, you're going
on to the next round. So we were getting stuff
ready to roll. We had, you know, the ticket sales
open to ready to go, press releases, the availability.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
It was also set. We were so ready to execute.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
If it to not happen, as a bummer, But yeah,
I don't know, and it's gonna suck seeing that ice
go too. For the entirety of the summer of Sugar
Skulls are still in their season. So that's that's something
to check out the Tucson Arena and Kim.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
It's also weird too.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
I'm just not used to having this much more time
on my hands now, Like I'm like I'm adjusting as well,
it's an adjustment for everyone. You're so used to the
grind of the season and then all of a sudden,
your your schedule opens up like this is probably gonna
be my first weekend off in what seven months? Probably,
so I need It's an adjust for everyone. I didn't
know what to do. Now I need things to do. Please,
(03:38):
anyone give me recommendations of stuff to do. In two songs,
I'm just so used to working here. Well, definitely need
to go check out the Sugar Skulls.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
And then I don't know if men's baseball is still
men's debait baseball if there's seasons going. But they're the
boys of Summer. So the hard part too, is that
Junior Roadrunners are dependent on how long the season goes,
so they have been kind of things have been kind
of up in the air for them too, waiting to
figure out, you know, exactly how long we're going to
(04:07):
be keeping the ice in. So I'm assuming it's coming.
I know it's in right now, obviously, but it's we're
real close to to saying a final goodbye to the season.
So and I guess just we have to have the
mindset of Okay, let's look forward to the next season,
(04:28):
you know, like this was a this was a fun season.
Take what we can learn from here and push forward
and move on and just really focus on on the
good and the positive and how do we, you know,
make it to the second round next season?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yeah, especially that it's the tenth year anniversary, right, it's
going to be a lot of celebrations for the ten
years of the Roadrunners in Tucson. You know, new we
got jerseys coming soon for the tenth year, a new logo,
Like there's a lot to unveil this summer. We're gonna
be seeing the off season moves. We already got an
off season move today, Kim, did.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You see it?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (05:06):
No, what is it?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
We re signed someone? Okay, so you didn't see it.
So it's it's public now so I can say it.
Jackson Stober a two year to a contract, so stopburd
is back for two years with the affiliation of Utah
and Tucson on the two way. We already have Matthew
Wallalta locked in for next season because he signed a
two year contract this past off season.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
So there you go.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
The Roadrunners and Utah Hockey Club already making moves to
keep that goaltending depth. So already, like what we saw,
we sign a guy from Europe as well on a
one year two way contract. Don't have the name right
in front of me, but another you know, Milosh Kellman,
like player Maximilian Zuber as well, or Julian Latt So
(05:49):
you know, already making moves when the season has just
now ended, so there's still a lot to come.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
It's gonna be exciting off season.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
I'm excited for this twenty five twenty six Roadrunners team.
Young prospects who are really hungry to get out there.
We're gonna have some veterans returning, you know, and then
we'll just see what we do in the off season.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And we've already made moves.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
This is kind of I don't want to how do
I want to say it, like kind of the most
anxious time of the year, just kind of waiting to
see who we get back and what the entire culture
of the team is going to look like going into
next year.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
I know that.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
John Ferguson and Bell Armstrong are incredibly busy year round
scouting talent and sending them our way, and obviously, you know,
right here at the cusp of the summer is no different.
But as you and I both know, you know, just
one locker room change can have such a profound effect
(06:51):
on the entire team. So so it's a little bit
butterflies in the stomach kind of waiting to see how
things shake out and where we end up. And and
I think that that's too, Johnny. Part of the drama
that comes with hockey is that, like anybody that remembers
last season when Devonte Stevens played for US and then
(07:13):
the season ended and he was gone, and then now
he's back with a different team, and so kind of
reconciling that with with you know, your fandom, it can
be a little bit tricky. Try to navigate, you know,
emotionally and psychologically all the moves that are going to
happen over the summer, and just hope, like, I don't
know what would happen to this town if Cameron Hebe
(07:35):
didn't play for US next My.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
God, Yeah, I don't even want to don't even want
to think about that. And you know, it's like, can
we just have no clue? Right, It's just it's opportunities.
He big had a career year, you know, he teams
are going to look at him too. Teams are going
to look at everybody, so at this point we can't.
We know who's going to be back and drag Zino
to your contract, Kevin cannot and Asuba Gansky, Volalta Stobber
(07:58):
now signed today. You know, we have our young prospects
coming in with Owen Allard and Noel Nord, Miko Metika,
Julian Lutz. Like we know the guys who are going
to be back, but we don't know for the free agents,
have no clue, don't have any insight on anything. All
I know is just whatever happens and whatever the Utah
Hockey Club announces as well. Other guy we've made a
(08:19):
move with and this actually happened during our first round,
if I'm pronouncing this right, Mikal kunk or Kuntz. I
don't know for sure. We'll find out out when he
gets here or you know, whenever we see him at
training camp. But he was signed to a one year,
two way contract with the Utah Hockey Club and just
assuming he would play some with us as well. I
mean his recent year with the Czech League got thirty
(08:41):
five points in forty nine games, So that's a nice
solid foard that we're gonna get as well, and a
guy who's gonna be hungry to make a name for
himself in the American Hockey League. So already two moves
that we've made and we're just getting started here. So
this is exciting.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
It is. It's incredibly exciting. And I think too coming
out of last season when there were so many unknown
and having the only professional hockey team in Arizona right now,
I think that there's just you know, there's a lot
of eyes on the team. There's a lot of people
wondering what's gonna happen, how things are gonna look. Yeah,
(09:16):
just a lot. I think that this summer is gonna
be I call it aksy. It's not a word I
made it up. It's like a cross between anxious and anxiety.
It's just what that feeling that you get when you're
just like on the edge of your seat waiting to
see what's gonna happen. That's what I have. I have, Anksy.
I'm gonna have it all summer until puck drop in October.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
What I'm excited for, Kim is to actually have a
whole off season to prepare for this job.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Other than.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
You know, three weeks, right, especially that you know, I
was gone over the summer for a few months, so
it'll be nice to actually have time to prepare. And
there's just it's exciting. Again, it's a tenth year anniversary.
We're gonna you know, revamp a lot of things. I
think we're gonna keep road worners happy, are the same.
This is just a perfect show, right, This doesn't need
much changing, maybe just the outlook of it. But you know,
(10:03):
the Roadrunners Insider podcast maybe might change that name of
Roadrunners TV. Like, there's a lot of things that me
and Chase Clemens are media relations coordinator, have in mind.
We're gonna be working on a lot of cool things
that we are just really excited for. And sure the
guys are excited too. It's gonna be a really fun year,
you know, full of awesome promotions of just the ten
(10:24):
years that we've been in Tucson. And again it's gonna
be a young, really hungry team, especially you know, we
made playoffs. We had a good season, but you know,
it's it's gonna be a huge push for us to
you know, try to get back to the playoffs and
make a deeper run here.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
I think I'm championing the inclusion of a Brett Farrah
type of mind to the Happy Hour. I really miss
His outlook on hockey is so different from mine. I
know mine is different from most people's. I watch it
in a very, very different way than a lot of
(11:00):
people do, and so I always loved getting like Brett's
point of view and kind of his analytical style, and
also like as an outsider because he's not, you know,
he wasn't affiliated with the team, so having somebody like
him was a lot of fun. So I'm throwing I'm
pitching that, I'm throwing it onto the universe. Let's see
where it happens.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
We'll see what happens.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
Well, now we have we have five months to prepare
for it, all right, Head coach Steve Povin is here.
So we returned to head coach of the Tucson Roadrunners.
Joins our show right here on road Runners Happy our
usual Tuesday night get together now joining us Roadrunners head
coach Steve popn Steve, thanks for joining the show. Really
great to see you once again. And uh, what a
great year. It was a great year overall. We went
(11:42):
through so much adversity, so many great things, so many
accolades all throughout the year. It sucks that it has
come to an end. But overall for you, just where
your takeaways from this season and what you're looking forward
to now in the off season to prep for next year.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Well, exactly that.
Speaker 6 (12:00):
I think we went through a lot, and I think
when you're going through a lot in the moment, you
don't really know how it's going to impact.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Or improve your team or improve your players.
Speaker 6 (12:11):
You know, we definitely made a lot of improvements and
I think, you know what, it was a successful season.
Of course, all of us would like to see us,
you know, get past that first round. I think we're
getting closer and closer. But you know, just the importance
of communication and leadership and understanding a plan. You know,
I think is is urgent for for the players in
(12:33):
the and the coaches next season. I think it's it's
important for everybody to be aligned and understand exactly what
the vision is and how we're going to go about
achieving you know, the vision and you know, furthering our mission.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
Is there anything that you learned for yourself as another
year of a head coach of a of American Hockey
League team.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Yeah, I think just exactly that.
Speaker 6 (12:59):
I think we always had valued leadership and communication, but
it has to continue.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
To evolve and broaden.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
And you know what we've got to Our mission has
always been to really sorry, I should say, our vision
has always been to create leaders And you know, going
through the season that we just did and had, it
just reinforces the importance of leadership.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Everybody wants a leader. Everybody you know needs.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
A leader to be able to you know, guide their
their systems, their their companies to higher levels. And so
that's you know, it has to be at the forefront,
is to create good people and leaders.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
See, who is there anybody on the team this season?
I'm not asking you to play favorites or to call
anybody out, but I'm just curious, is there anybody on
the team that maybe reminded you of you or of
your style of play? Anybody like that? Or maybe if
(14:08):
you just hit you don't have to say a name.
We can like we can do the math later.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
But yeah, you know what, that is a tricky question,
ah man, that that I don't I don't think it's fair.
You know, I think I see myself in a lot
of the players, So I love the question. I think
you know, you see yourself in a lot of the
players in different ways.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
They're all unique.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
But you know, I think I was an effort based
player that liked the for check and if I could
contribute offensively then obviously it would impact the team in
a positive way. But you know, I always just saw
myself as a player that would do what was necessary
to try to advance the team. But it's it's stemmed from,
(14:54):
you know, hard work, and a lot of it was
a p K derivative and also, uh, you know, just
to try to narrow the space and play hard.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Okay, So then I'm gonna say a few names because
Sammy Walker and Cameron he Big on the poor check
are absolutely amazing to watch, just so much fun. So
you don't have to say it. I'm just gonna I'm
just gonna throw it out there.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
I appreciate it, but they're they're way better than I was.
But I do appreciate their four checking capabilities.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Steve, As as you know this season winds down, what
does success look like for you? Do you ever reflect
back on that as you get to the end of
every season? Does it look different every season or is
it the same? Is I am assuming the goal is
the Calder Cup every season. But but I don't know,
(15:44):
what does it look like for you?
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Well, that's a really good question.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
I think we always come back to building a team.
I think you start the season as a group and
you always take great pride and trying to build relationships
and build a team. If you build a team, you
always give yourself a chance for success. And I think
that's been our recipe. If you look back at all
the challenges we've had over the last three years and
especially what the American Hockey League actually entails, that is
(16:11):
the greatest challenge is to build a team. And I
feel like, you know, with the right people and the
right leaders in the locker room, we've been able to
accomplish that the last three years.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
So that's what I think.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
You know, success looks like to me, But you know,
a lot of times, you know, it is not a
lot of times.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
It's a result based industry.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
So you know, for us, getting to the next step,
the next you know, winning the first round would feel
good and would provide that, you know, that next step
of success for us.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
If it's one thing that John Ferguson and bom armstrung
up down is has really set up not only Utah
but the Roadrunners as well for success. And we've already
made a big move today signing Jackson Stauber to a
two year, two way contract. What's it like to just
know that Stop will be back next season alongside Matthew
Vilalta to still provide that just amazing goaltender depth that
(17:05):
we really did need this season with just you know,
the movement side on the Utah Hockey Club.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Well, I'm a firm believer that you can't build the
culture without good goaltending. It's hard to build a team
without good goaltending. So yeah, it's great to know that
Stobs will be back and we've got a lot of
depth at goal and you know, that's just a great
way that you know, goalies can contribute to building a
(17:31):
strong environment. You always feel better the next day after
not playing your best with a win. You know, if
you come away with a win because of goaltending at times,
it just boosts the environment and keeps your team kind
of rolling, you know, and gives you a chance for success.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Yeah, we have you know, veterans coming back as well
with Agasino, Cannot and Paganski. But what I'm also excited
for next year. And this is always every you know
season in the AHL. It's just these young, hungry guys,
right with with Miko Metika and Sam Lipkin and you
know Owen Alard and Noel Nord who had tremendous years
in the juniors.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
You know this past season as well.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
You know what you're looking forward to to just seeing
those young guys mess with the with the vets and
then whoever else we bring in this offseason.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Yeah, we're looking forward to the growth. This is a
big summer for them.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
You know, we want to see you know them bring
what they've learned over the season into the summertime and
really attack the summer and try to get as much
growth as they can.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Work on their you know, strength and power.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
You know, if you can have strong legs and be
able to skate, you're going to be able to create
battles and you're going to be able to you know,
win battles, and those are you know what we talk
about at length. You know, you want to be able
to create offense, You've got to be able to win
races and battles. You want to be able to defense, Well,
then you've got to be able to skate fast and
win battles, and so you know, they need to be
(19:01):
able to really take a look inside of what they
learned this winter and really apply it this summer and
really attack it.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
Steve, one of the things that I talked about earlier
in this season, and you probably didn't hear. I can't
even remember who was on the show when I started
learning about this was the gap that exists between knowing
something and not knowing something right, And it kind of
equated to the team first coming and all kind of
trying to get to know each other, and then when
(19:34):
we end up at the end of the season where
you can tell that they are really just here for
each other and just playing for the guy next to them.
But that gap between knowing and not knowing, it's called
the learning the learning bridge something I can't remember, but
it's the most uncomfortable space to be is in this gap.
And so I'm curious, how do you teach emotional mental
(20:00):
resilience when you see guys in that space, especially in
the season when you know we were having some difficulties
winning games, how do you teach, you know them to
get out of that uncomfortable space to the knowing space
or to just be comfortable with the unknown.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
Well, I think you said it, you want to be
you know, we don't want them to to really try
to get out of that discomfort. That discomfort offers a
lot of growth. We want them to actually lean into
it and actually embrace it, you know. And I think
a lot of times it comes from serving. I think
(20:41):
the the season is going to test them and a
lot of times, you know, they're always intrinsically motivated and
they're looking at themselves and they have to be able
to take care of themselves first.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
And be able to, as you say, have that emotional control.
But you know, they have to.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Sometimes get out of their own way and look at
how they can serve and you know, try to find
ways to advance the team, because I think if you're
going to advance yourself, you have to find a way
to render great service to your team. And you know,
I think a lot of times you have to go
(21:18):
through those hard periods and you learn a lot from
yourself and you learn a lot from your team, you know,
going through those those difficult phases.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
Do you ever do you ever read your astrology chart
for the day, or does your wife ever tell you
anything about stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
No, I not really.
Speaker 6 (21:38):
I think she makes me aware of, you know, some
of those I guess intangibles, but not frequently enough to
really share or know enough about it.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
I think more needs to be done in this space
because one of the things that was really interesting to
me this season, because they sat down and did like
figured out who everybody was. This had six capricorns on it,
four Aquarius and six Pisces, and that's pause research and
it's so crazy to me just all those very specific
(22:12):
personalities working together as a team. All those guys were
born between January third and March eighth. That's like what six, twelve,
fifteen guys on the team that were all born in
this really small section of time. Anyway, I think some
(22:32):
work needs to be done on that. But I wanted
to tell you that that's only to lead to my
question about you, because you're a Libra and there's only
other there's only two other Libras on the team, and
I'm curious if you know who they are. When I
tell you that the trademark of a Libra, tell me
if it's you, And tell me if you know who
these other two might be. Okay, So Libras are known
(22:54):
for being charming, social, and artistic, and are often natural peacemakers.
They are also known for being elegant, diplomatic, and having
a strong sense of right and wrong.
Speaker 7 (23:04):
Is that you, I guess on a good day? Yeah, yeah,
I would say, I guess there's.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Some of that in me.
Speaker 8 (23:19):
I'm not sure if that's quite the full scope of it,
but I think there's probably different times for all of
what you came up with there.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
I didn't make it up, just so you know, I
had to google it.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I agree.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
But we you know, we do have personality tests, and
you know, we do try to, you know, find ways
to be able to communicate with the players.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
And a lot of it has to do with, you know,
what personalities.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
Mesh with others and you know how they do it
and how we can improve.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
But no, we haven't got that far.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
But you know what, it might be an interesting It
might be an interesting way to go about it.
Speaker 5 (24:03):
I think it could be. But okay, but so do
you know who the two other libras the players on
the team that are libras are Do you want to
take any guesses based on charming, social, and artistic? These
are not three words that I will either one of
these people.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
I'm gonna guess, Oh goodness, okay, is Kim. What was
it again?
Speaker 5 (24:25):
Uh? Charming, social and artistic natural peacemakers. You're definitely not
going to get it based on that.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
One One of those gotta be Matti v Right, Valalta,
No what I feel like he's a good peacemaker, like.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
He's a summer birthday he's.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Oh, he is charming.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
I'm just trying to think we are all also charmers
on the team, but it's kind of everybody.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Ken, this is too hard to guess.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Okay, I'm so sorry. I will tell you who it is.
Number one is kyler Yamamoto. Okay, okay. Number two, it's
way out of pocket. It is Hunter Drew.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
There you go, Drew the charmer.
Speaker 8 (25:07):
Charmer.
Speaker 5 (25:08):
Is the a national peacemaker though, Johnny, Oh no, no, no,
not the not the strongest diplomatic skills. But but he's
working on it.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Maybe he has that, he has that quality.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Yeah, I'm thinking off the Kim.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
When these guys Kim, when these guys got on the ice,
they are they don't act themselves.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
They they go all out. Oh yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (25:29):
Know, I was Patrick Kotch I called him the Hulk.
The Hulk and Bruce Banner because he could not have
been more desperate on the ice versus off the ice. Steve,
I don't want to keep you forever. But another question,
what do you love about hockey?
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (25:47):
Just the compete and to be able to do it
with all the types of personalities, and to try to
find a way, you know, to get a team and
a group galvanized to go after a common mission.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
But just the having to wake up every day and.
Speaker 6 (26:08):
Knowing that you're going into a locker room with guys
that are driven with the same objective is pretty cool
and it's uncommon. I don't think there are many people
that that know how much skill. You know, it looks
easy from the outside, but you know how much skill
it requires and how much determination and to be able to,
you know, try to.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Play the game with that much. You know, there's there's
a there's a physical.
Speaker 6 (26:37):
Element that you know you don't get every day that
you have to really push your body and push your
mind to limits, and you know you have to find
you know what your limits are. I think those are
the the most fun components you know about the game.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
You get to.
Speaker 6 (26:54):
Find out how much you want to play and how
hard you're willing to to play and how far you
are willing to push yourself. It's not a common thing,
So I think it's it's what separates you know, an
average person to you know, a person that's ready to
to compete every night against players that are going to
come hard against you.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
Yeah, and see these all throughout these months of these
you know, seventy five games that we we hit this year.
You know, there was just so many personal athletes for everybody.
We saw the year that Cameron he Big had mid
season trade of Sammy Walker and he had a great
run with us. And uh, you know Kyler Yawamoto having
that tough you know spot where he put on waivers
(27:35):
and then proved himself and was you know, proved that
he's still a great player out there on the ice
for Walta's first one. There's just so many that I
can continue on to name just what are you most
proud of?
Speaker 5 (27:45):
Of?
Speaker 4 (27:45):
Just our guys to really be able to just come
together and you know, continue their growth and just continue
on everything to build off of from this season and
go into next year.
Speaker 6 (27:56):
Yeah, this I'm proud of all of those accomplishments. I'm
the I'm really proud of the guys that they were
able to build a team and there was a lot
of adversity and there were a lot.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Of things that they needed to go through, and.
Speaker 6 (28:09):
You know, they found a way to learn how to
communicate with each other to get the results. They put
themselves aside and they really just went after one common
objective and they were able to get to the playoffs
and we were able to form.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
A team and an identity.
Speaker 6 (28:25):
You know, it was it was tested, it was shaken,
and it didn't break.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
We were able to get back to, you know, our
way of playing, and you know, it was it was
just really.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
It was really fulfilling seeing them go through that and
be able to build a team you.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Talked about for fulfillment and obviously, you know, clinching the
playoffs with the last game was probably the most the
fun moment for everybody. But what was a moment this
season if you have any of just as you mentioned earlier,
earlier you loved going into locker room and having the
same goals as everybody else, But was there any a
moment where you know, maybe you woke up one morning
(29:05):
or you know after a game and you just said,
I love doing this, I love being a coach of
this league, and I love this team.
Speaker 6 (29:13):
I think there are a lot of those, you know,
I to be honest with you, there's a lot of
those types of self chats almost daily.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
To be honest with you, I know it may sound, you.
Speaker 6 (29:25):
Know, a little bit crazy, but you have a lot
of those types of moments over the course of the season,
you know, where you have to get up and like,
you know, recognize that you get to do this, you know,
through the hard times, and you know, I was there
are a lot of those this year, you know, even
through the tough ones where you know you had to
(29:46):
kind of step away a little bit and kind of
look at it from the outside and you know, recognize
how much you appreciate the battle and the fights. And
then also seeing the guys you know, get rewarded and
push through some some of their their you know.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Their challenges.
Speaker 6 (30:03):
I mean, there are too many to really put a.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
A real pulse on just one of them. You know.
Speaker 6 (30:11):
Of course, winning the last game was fulfilling, but you know,
you win that one, it's immediately to what's next, you know,
So there wasn't a lot of time to really reflect.
But yeah, I would say all of it, to be
honest with you, I just I love it all. Love
the fights, love the times where it's hard, love the
(30:32):
times where it's going great. And there's a lot of
questions that happened during the season, and I love those
types of challenges because it really.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Pushes you as a as a coach and a person.
Speaker 5 (30:45):
I know you're incredibly busy, and I know that you're
very focused on the season. Typically I imagine that you don't
even sleep. I assume somebody plugs you into a wall somewhere.
But I am curious. Have you ever watched Ted Lasso?
Speaker 1 (31:01):
You know what? Every year my wife tries to get
me to watch it.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
She knows, she knows what's up.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
And I think it's to your point. I always end
up falling asleep. I have a few.
Speaker 6 (31:17):
Episodes, and you know what, maybe that should be my
on my list this summer, you know, to start watching
it because I think it's come back again, right.
Speaker 5 (31:24):
Yes, yes, it's it's I don't want to plug it
or anything, but it's on Apple TV if you get
a chance. Because to me, this season was so dramatic,
it very much reminded me of the TV show Tad
Last So I really feel like maybe you could vibe
with this show in a special way after the season.
Speaker 6 (31:42):
Well, yeah, and you know what, I think we can
all appreciate the nature of the show for sure, right
because obviously you're talking about a team with coaches, and
you know that you go through a lot during the season,
you know, and from the exterior, you don't really understand
how much goes into prep and you know, trying to
advance yourself and.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
The team, you know, with a lot of obstacles.
Speaker 6 (32:06):
It's it's always a challenge, but it's it's so rewarding
at this level coaching these types of players and these
types of teams.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
It's it's so rewarding.
Speaker 5 (32:16):
I can't even imagine what that feels like. Quite honestly,
I'm yes, I am very jealous that despite all the
highs and lows, you have an incredibly cool job. So
I agree, I agree. What's one thing that you do
every day that just makes you happy?
Speaker 6 (32:34):
Uh, this sounds again, it sounds like it's crazy.
Speaker 5 (32:40):
Are you going to stay working out? Don't stay working out?
Speaker 6 (32:42):
Well, you know what, I hate to say it, but
I found a routine and I and I know my routines.
If I don't follow my routine in the morning, I'm
not a happy person. I don't I don't have a
great day. I don't have a great start or finish
to the day. It's it's it's actually the most challenging,
but it sounds Listen. I wake up, I have to
(33:03):
read something, listen to something that's that's going to be inspiring,
whether there's a podcast, whether it's a.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Book, audiobook something. It has to be a cold shower
and a workout and that makes me happy.
Speaker 6 (33:17):
And then of course at the end of the day,
when we've had a great day of work, to be
able to come home to missus, POTSI and the kids.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
That's pretty cool.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
I have to share really quick. I don't know if
we had talked about this. We had talked to Cameron
hebig obviously, maybe what like three or four months ago,
Johnny and he told us he was reading one hundred
and one essays that will change the way you think.
Have you read this or listened to it at all?
Speaker 1 (33:44):
I'm that's next on my list now go.
Speaker 5 (33:48):
It's so so good. It popped up on my Spotify
after he was talking about it, and so I started
listening to it. It's so amazing. For anybody out there, that's.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
My summer read. I'll definitely read.
Speaker 5 (34:00):
Uh awesome, perfect, perfect. Okay, are we ready for a
BuzzFeed quiz?
Speaker 3 (34:04):
Let's do it?
Speaker 6 (34:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Okay, Steve, I think we did this with you before
one more time. One time before about pancakes. I think
I gave you a pancakes BuzzFeed and.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
It was like it was like some like the healthier
pancake there was.
Speaker 6 (34:16):
This is when you this is when my my identity
is completely revealed.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
I'm the least I'm the least funny.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
That was our That was our very first happy Hour
episode this season. And now we're gonna end it with
another post BuzzFeed with head coach.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
So perfect. Okay, so this is less about pancakes. This
is gonna tell us which endangered animal shares your personality? Okay,
you're ready?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Ye?
Speaker 5 (34:46):
Okay. What's your favorite way to spend your free time? A?
Reading books? B exploring? See you watching TV or D
talking with friends?
Speaker 1 (34:56):
Exploring?
Speaker 5 (34:57):
Okay, what's your favorite pink? Okay? Okay, where is your
dream vacation spot? Is it a forest somewhere in the snow,
somewhere in the desert, or beach.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Beach.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
Okay, Okay, I'm going to give you six adjectives. How
would you describe yourself using one of these adjectives? Caring, passionate, introverted, loyal, strong,
or adaptable.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
That's a lot passionate.
Speaker 5 (35:30):
Okay. And finally, what are you? What are your future goals?
Obviously some of these don't to play, to start a family, money,
what I'm kidding? Do you say? To work out more?
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Take over the world, take over the world.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
We have a joke in the We have a joke
in the in the room. You know, what are we
doing today? Same as we always do. Try to take
over the.
Speaker 5 (35:52):
World, take over the world, galactic, the universe. That's all,
no big deal.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
That's it, Okay, Jake Wagman joke.
Speaker 5 (36:01):
That makes so much.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
That sounds like something he'd say just out of nowhere.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
It's like, what, Yeah, we're all gonna end up working
for Jake Wagmen at some point, I'm sure. Okay. Future
goals to start a family, to make money, to travel more,
to find myself, oh man, family, money, travel or find yourself?
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Oh man.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
I feel like he's done that.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
There we go.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
I'm gonna pick to find myself for you because you
have done most of the perfect and every day that
you get a chance to find yourself is a good day. Right, Okay,
So your personality is most similar to a mountain gorilla.
That means you are protective, strong, and take care of
the people you love. Mountain gorillas are extremely creative and
love to explore. And then unfortunately there's not that many
(36:59):
of them.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Last that's great.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
How many? How many is a unique?
Speaker 5 (37:04):
About a thousand?
Speaker 4 (37:06):
That's pots of You are a unique man like it gorilla.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
That's what I am, right, mountain gorilla.
Speaker 5 (37:14):
Yep, perfect rilla.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I think that makes not a jame.
Speaker 5 (37:20):
Perfect. Yes, we keep we need to have her on
the show. We talk about it all the time and
it hasn't happened yet. I need to talk to her.
I have questions.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Well then, yeah, I think that would be good.
Speaker 5 (37:33):
We'll have to figure that out for next time.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Johnny on the books, we'll pull some strings.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
Well, we'll see. Thanks so much for joining us again,
really appreciate it. Great season overall. Congratulations again on just everything.
Let us know if you need anything, and have a
great summer and enjoy it.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
That's a real pleasure being on. I love the questions.
They always kind of test you and you always learn
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
It's so good.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
I appreciate it, and honestly, thanks for all the work
you do it you guys for not only us, but
the community and keeping us, keeping us out there and relevant.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
We we sincerely appreciate all of you guys.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
Appreciated Steve, the Roadrunners happy are closing out here, Jonathan
Schaeffer with Kim codobas just having our head coach, Steve
Popman on Kim. It still just sucks. It's just all over.
We have to wait five months for this all happened again.
I know the off season is gonna fly by, it
always does, but we're still.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
Gonna be keeping things up here.
Speaker 4 (38:28):
We'll still be talking through guys, two guys throughout the
year now, keeping up with the drafts, the free agency moves,
the re signs that we've already seen, and just getting
ready for this ten year anniversary.
Speaker 5 (38:40):
It is definitely not gonna be fast enough, but everybody
here knows that, especially because our summers are so hot,
and I know for myself, like when I just wait
for that little bite of cold in the morning time,
because we're there right now, right there's a little bite
in the morning that it's a little bit chilly, and
then we lose that, and then when we get that,
(39:00):
that's how I know that the boys are coming back.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Boys are Yeah, I'm sure they're I'm sure they're enjoying
the golfing at the moment as well. And and but
I mean, at least we have Stanley Cup and American
Hockey League playoffs to, you know, to still watch. There's
still I mean, our season is done, but hockey season
is not over for probably gosh, maybe another month and
(39:24):
a half of playoffs.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
So it's over for us.
Speaker 4 (39:28):
But we'll we'll keep in touch with what's going on
around the leagues, and uh, we'll just continue to just
see what the Roadrunners do to try to build that team.
You know, I like what Steve said. He he has
addressed that we need to get to that second round.
You know, we we've been making playoffs. We've been doing
our due diligence and putting teams together and putting great
teams together. But I think, and I hate to say it,
(39:48):
but the hump is right now, we have got to
get to that second round because you know, you just
keep getting these first round exits. I know it's hard
to do it because you've got to win two of
the next three games, which is harder said than done.
But I think that is the goal right now, to
build a team good enough to you know, make playoffs.
But let's get to that second round and let's see
(40:08):
what we can do after that. We were so close
this year to be getting to that second round. All
we needed was one more win. It didn't happen. We
were playing a good abbots for team. But you know
the fact that we barely squeaked into the playoffs and
to get abbots for an elimination game was a good
accolade to be proud of for this team.
Speaker 3 (40:25):
And I'm just excited.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
It's just five months is gonna be long, but let's go,
let's do this, let's get ready.
Speaker 5 (40:32):
Yeah. I think, like Steve said, I think that there's
a lot that the players are gonna need to do
to train on this summer, and and same for their
coaching staff. That's how many seasons has it been now
where we've made it to the first round of the
postseason and three games is not enough? Could we please
just try five games? First?
Speaker 3 (40:54):
Round.
Speaker 5 (40:54):
Let's just try five because three is so fast it
gives you zero room for We talked about this in
one of the pregames that there's you cannot mess up
you even a little bit, mentally, physically, emotionally, you cannot
take a misstep once you hit the postseason. So there's
(41:16):
does anybody else, does any other professional sport do a
postseason that fast, that chaotic?
Speaker 4 (41:25):
Even the EHL has best a seven first round. You know,
it's just it's not easy. But there's a reason why
a lot of teams make the playoffs. You know, they
want these prospects to be playing in these important games.
I mean, if you know, if the format wasn't the format,
we wouldn't even made it, right, So yeah, it's a
little it's a little chaotic to get in. But obviously,
(41:46):
you know, once everything resets for next season, it's it's
a battle for that first seed because you know, maybe
if the roadbuers get the first seed, then it's an
auto bit to the second round. Then we can say
we made it to the second round. So that as
a goal to kid get to the second round by
the first seed. And you know, there were times this
year in the beginning stages where we're a little closer,
and then we had that rough stretch and Colorado ended
(42:07):
up winning it. But again, can we know this league,
anytime you go into a new season, anyone's it's anyone's game.
Like we saw San Jose have a huge bounce back
year and they're in the playoffs. They're in the second
round now, going up against Colorado and we'll see what
happens there. And then we saw teams dip this season
and miss playoffs. Right, so it doesn't matter you know
(42:28):
what the year that gave you prior. You know whatever,
HL teams turnover all the time, you lose players, you
sign draft picks, you you know, bring guys in. So
it's gonna be a different team for us. Obviously we'll
have our main guys back. We're gonna lose guys who
are gonna be heartbroken to see go. But that's just
how it is in this league. And uh, it's that's
what makes the HL so fun. It doesn't matter what
(42:49):
happened the year prior. You build off of that and
you build a new team together and then you just
go full force because this specific division will continue to
get better every single year. It's gonna be more for
next season, for that fight for the first seat, fight
for playoff positioning as we saw this year. But that's
what makes it so fun, as Seapot visen, it's the unknown.
Speaker 5 (43:09):
I think that as more and more players figure out
how not only how much fun it is to play
out here with the weather, but like how much actually
it is better for their emotional and mental well being
to not live up in the Arctic north during the
winter time, that you are going to see the level
(43:30):
of competitiveness, like you said, continue to rise and rise
or rise like it has. But I have a question
for you, A very important question for you.
Speaker 3 (43:38):
Oh, a question for me.
Speaker 5 (43:39):
Okay, what was your favorite memory of the season? Just one,
give me one memory?
Speaker 4 (43:44):
Favorite memory? Man, that is a good one, because I
don't know. I want to say clinching playoffs is so
cliche because that's like everyone's best memory, right, But man,
that is a good I honestly, I think just calling
a playoff series is my favorite memory.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
I actually got a puck. I got a cool puck.
Let me see if I have I can show you.
Speaker 4 (44:08):
I mean, obviously the fans listening to this won't see it,
but I think just calling Oh yeah, I got it.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
Cool, little perfect.
Speaker 4 (44:18):
Yeah, And I think just calling like my first playoff
series in my first year, winning that game too, and
being in that moment in Game three, knowing.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
Like, Wow, this is do or die for us. Let's go.
Speaker 4 (44:28):
I'd say that's my favorite memory besides clinching. Clinching is
a most favorite, you know, game seventy two. But you know,
it was a really fun first year. I want to
thank everybody for the ongoing supports. You know, it's it's
never easy to take over just a few weeks before
the season starts. But it was a really fun first year.
And I again, I'm just excited to build off from
(44:49):
this season and go for full force for next year.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
What was your favorite memory?
Speaker 5 (44:54):
My favorite memory is seeing Cameron Hebig wear a T
shirt with Cameron Hebig on it because I never in
a million years thought yet, right, Oh yeah, that's a
good one. One of the most low key, like honest,
humble people that you could ever expect to meet, and
he's a professional hockey player. To see him step so
far outside of his comfort box to like really embrace
(45:18):
what he had accomplished, like I just that was just
so much fun to see it like, it just made
me so happy.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
Yeah, especially now we get to know these players, right,
we see them grow, like you know, see Pop and
works so much with these players. He sees the growth,
but we see it too. And we'll just see what
happens in the off season. You know who we bring back,
who leaves, and whose ghost but regardless, we'll be happy
for whoever takes opportunities. And let's just see what happens.
And let's see what this team is capable of. And uh,
(45:46):
let's see what they can build. So, Kim, you have
any last remarks for the fans before we ended. I mean,
it kind of sucks, but we got to close it
out here.
Speaker 5 (45:55):
I just want to take a second to thank the fans,
to thank everybody that comes comes by the booth, to
say hi to my very first fan. His name is Ryan.
I don't know if you've ever seen him, Johnny, because
you don't get to see me pregame because you're up
in the box. But I have a fan named Ryan.
I think he lives down at Sierra Vista and his
(46:16):
family brings him for the game. And when he comes
to the games, he comes to the eye, he comes
down to the glass to say hi to me as
I walk down to the ice. He's amazing and I
absolutely adore him. So yeah, just a big thanks to
the fans for all the support this season. It's it
means so much and you never know, like especially like
(46:38):
on a lot of Tuesday Wednesday games, you never know
what you're gonna walk out into or what it's gonna
be like. And yeah, they just make it so much
fun and I know that the boys very much appreciate them.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
Also.
Speaker 4 (46:52):
Yeah, thanks to the fans, Thanks to hockey coaches or
hockey ups are listening to this, Thanks to you guys
as well, thanks to the players. It was a very
very memorable twenty four to twenty five season and we
now start to look ahead to the twenty five twenty
six year. This has been Roadrunners Happy our usual Tuesday
night get together, unfortunately ending here, but lots to look
(47:13):
ahead for still tune in on the Insider podcast.
Speaker 3 (47:16):
We'll have interviews with players all throughout the year.
Speaker 4 (47:18):
We'll get updates on roster moved draft picks as well,
so we will still continue on that, but for now
Roadrunners Happy Hour. We'll start again when the season starts
for the twenty five to twenty six season. Have a
great rest of your night, everybody. Thanks again to all
the fans who have tuned in for every single episode
this season. Won't be too long till we see you again,
and enjoy your summer in southern Arizona or wherever you
(47:42):
listen from. This has been Roadrunners Happy our Jonathan Schaeffer
and Kim Coderobliz signing off here
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