Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Griffins home for two. Actually got quite a homestand ahead
this week Friday and Saturday against the Rockford ice Hawks.
This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve Kelly, Brett, Pakata,
Laurence Smith, Emil Biro on the liveline with us this
morning with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Emil, thanks for taking
time today.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Hey, of course, thank thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Emil, Thank you so much for the time. Third season
as the Griffins defenseman or one of them, and you
guys have flipped the switch again. Rodden a three game
winning streak. Congrats on that, and the next five are
at home. The next three weeks, you guys are going
to be in grund Rapids. Has that ever happened to me?
What does that feel like?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, but that's unheard of before. Hey, so, so I'm
really oppou to be home on so is everybody else.
So that's that's espresso thing. We're going to take advanges
off and hopefully play well too.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Twelve games left in the regular season, everyone as big
as you know for playoff points, you guys are third
in the Central Division, but right behind Texas, a point
two behind Milwaukee, and you've got some of those games
coming up with those teams. But seven games in home,
And what's it like for you playing at van Anelrita
compared to what you grew up with in Finland, Because
I mean, you guys have had what five sellouts, huge crowds.
(01:11):
I mean people are fired up and love this hockey team.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah yeah, I mean, like I love playing especially, like
the atmosphere, like especially during the weekends are amazing. I
like convert to back home. We usually could like a
full house during the playoffs only, so that's probably the
biggest thing. Like we can we can have a solo,
solo game during the week so that's pretty amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Are you homesick a little bit with your country and
what do you.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Miss most from Finland compared to playing here in the States.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, I'm a little homesick obviously, but like not not
too much. The only thing I missed is society, my
family and friends, so that that's probably the biggest thing.
I'm the dogs we have in my family, so that's
probably the biggest thing.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
You know, Finland's become a power along with Sweden, especially
when it comes to the Red Wings. It's like drafting
players like yourself, you were a third round pick back
in twenty twenty How cool was it for you? And
you've got hockey back in the Olympics in twenty twenty
six to see the four nations face off.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
We talked about it. I thought it was fantastic for
the NHLI.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
I liked it better than the All Star game of
the weekend, but usked, Canada, Finland and Sweden.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Very cool.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I think that that's really really amazing, and first of all,
like getting that tournament together and play the best guys
against the cellar, so that that's pretty amazing. It's all
and obviously including Finland in there, so that's that's pretty awesome.
It's tell something although it's a small country in all Finland,
we can still create and produce a good hockey player,
(02:41):
So that's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
You're still young in your professional career, as I mentioned
third year with the Griffins, you're just twenty two years old.
As a defenseman, did you start as a defenseman when
you were playing hockey or is everyone afford who wants
to score goals? And then how did that turn into
you being a defenseman and do you like playing that position?
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah? I think I always kind of be in defense
from one first, we gotta rule out different positions and
uh yeah, and it started with because I was a
pretty good skater back then too, when I was little,
So I was helping to carry the buck on the
other side of the pool pooline I'm giving to the
to the forwards afterwards so they do care of the scoring. Yeah,
(03:19):
I was just carrying the buck up of the eye.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I'm always impressed with defenceman because it's hard, especially with
these guys. I mean, just rocket shots and you've got
to throw your body in front. But skating backwards, how
difficult that is. You know, how did you become so
good at it?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I don't know. I put a lot of work into
when I was younger off and on the eye. So
that's that's Michael just packed them. So that's pretty much that.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
You're twenty two years old.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
You do have a birthday coming up for those listening
April third, So what does Emil Vira want for his
twenty third birthday?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Good question, that's a good question. I actually I actually
wanted a new sport watch. So that's what I'm gonna
ask from my from my friends.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
You know what, tell Bob Kser, that's what you.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Want, You'll take care of that.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
You know, Bob, Bob makes the big bucks doing games
with the Red Wings.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
I've heard this conversation, so he can surprise me.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Hey real quick before we let you go.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Thank you so much of the time, and best of
luck the rest of the season. Anything into I always
like asking players, this your number with number five.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I don't know, it's just I got it a first
time when I was sixteen or whatsoever, and I've just
been using that since ever since that so and I
like it. I like how it looks too, so that's
probably it.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
I like it Lucky number five a meal vero. You
can watch Mimi Griffin's uniform and that's the luck. Next
game coming up Friday night at home.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Yeah, thank you so much for your ship.
Griffins home for two. Actually got quite a homestand ahead
this week Friday and Saturday against the Rockford ice Hawks.
This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve Kelly, Brett, Pakata,
Laurence Smith, Emil Biro on the liveline with us this
morning with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Emil, thanks for taking
time today.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Hey, of course, thank thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Emil, Thank you so much for the time. Third season
as the Griffins defenseman or one of them, and you
guys have flipped the switch again. Rodden a three game
winning streak. Congrats on that, and the next five are
at home. The next three weeks, you guys are going
to be in grund Rapids. Has that ever happened to me?
What does that feel like?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, but that's unheard of before. Hey, so, so I'm
really oppou to be home on so is everybody else.
So that's that's espresso thing. We're going to take advanges
off and hopefully play well too.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Twelve games left in the regular season, everyone as big
as you know for playoff points, you guys are third
in the Central Division, but right behind Texas, a point
two behind Milwaukee, and you've got some of those games
coming up with those teams. But seven games in home,
And what's it like for you playing at van Anelrita
compared to what you grew up with in Finland, Because
I mean, you guys have had what five sellouts, huge crowds.
(01:11):
I mean people are fired up and love this hockey team.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah yeah, I mean, like I love playing especially, like
the atmosphere, like especially during the weekends are amazing. I
like convert to back home. We usually could like a
full house during the playoffs only, so that's probably the
biggest thing. Like we can we can have a solo,
solo game during the week so that's pretty amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Are you homesick a little bit with your country and
what do you.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Miss most from Finland compared to playing here in the States.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, I'm a little homesick obviously, but like not not
too much. The only thing I missed is society, my
family and friends, so that that's probably the biggest thing.
I'm the dogs we have in my family, so that's
probably the biggest thing.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
You know, Finland's become a power along with Sweden, especially
when it comes to the Red Wings. It's like drafting
players like yourself, you were a third round pick back
in twenty twenty How cool was it for you? And
you've got hockey back in the Olympics in twenty twenty
six to see the four nations face off.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
We talked about it. I thought it was fantastic for
the NHLI.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
I liked it better than the All Star game of
the weekend, but usked, Canada, Finland and Sweden.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Very cool.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I think that that's really really amazing, and first of all,
like getting that tournament together and play the best guys
against the cellar, so that that's pretty amazing. It's all
and obviously including Finland in there, so that's that's pretty awesome.
It's tell something although it's a small country in all Finland,
we can still create and produce a good hockey player,
(02:41):
So that's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
You're still young in your professional career, as I mentioned
third year with the Griffins, you're just twenty two years old.
As a defenseman, did you start as a defenseman when
you were playing hockey or is everyone afford who wants
to score goals? And then how did that turn into
you being a defenseman and do you like playing that position?
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah? I think I always kind of be in defense
from one first, we gotta rule out different positions and
uh yeah, and it started with because I was a
pretty good skater back then too, when I was little,
So I was helping to carry the buck on the
other side of the pool pooline I'm giving to the
to the forwards afterwards so they do care of the scoring. Yeah,
(03:19):
I was just carrying the buck up of the eye.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I'm always impressed with defenceman because it's hard, especially with
these guys. I mean, just rocket shots and you've got
to throw your body in front. But skating backwards, how
difficult that is. You know, how did you become so
good at it?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I don't know. I put a lot of work into
when I was younger off and on the eye. So
that's that's Michael just packed them. So that's pretty much that.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
You're twenty two years old.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
You do have a birthday coming up for those listening
April third, So what does Emil Vira want for his
twenty third birthday?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Good question, that's a good question. I actually I actually
wanted a new sport watch. So that's what I'm gonna
ask from my from my friends.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
You know what, tell Bob Kser, that's what you.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Want, You'll take care of that.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
You know, Bob, Bob makes the big bucks doing games
with the Red Wings.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
I've heard this conversation, so he can surprise me.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Hey real quick before we let you go.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Thank you so much of the time, and best of
luck the rest of the season. Anything into I always
like asking players, this your number with number five.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I don't know, it's just I got it a first
time when I was sixteen or whatsoever, and I've just
been using that since ever since that so and I
like it. I like how it looks too, so that's
probably it.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
I like it Lucky number five a meal vero. You
can watch Mimi Griffin's uniform and that's the luck. Next
game coming up Friday night at home.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Yeah, thank you so much for your ship.
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