December 1, 2025 • 7 mins
The speedy defenseman from Bloomfield, MI has 15 assists in is season and a half in Storrs
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We welcome you back inside the Yukon Men's Ice Hockey
Coaches Show here from Bear's Barbecue in downtown Hartford. Ad
of Giardino with you and we are joined by sophomore
defenseman for the Huskies, Kai jam Veria. Kai. You know,
we just talked to fellow sophomore Ethan Gardula, and so
I give the line of questioning will be the same
and that you know, a successful freshman season individually and
(00:24):
by team standards. So when you approach the op season,
how did you individually approach what you wanted to improve upon.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, well, first off, thanks for having me on and yeah,
last year was a great experience and it was awesome
that my freshman class was able to come in and
help make an impact right away and made the team better.
And then going into the off season, I think it
was just finding things like talking to our coaching staff
(00:54):
and watching games and just filling it out. Obviously, being
a freshman, like you want to get bigger, strong, or faster,
so that's always the focus. Hitting the gym more, eating
more to put on weight. But I think one thing
I really worked on this summer was my shot. I
haven't really seen too much results yet, but I think
(01:14):
I'm getting more pucks to the net just focusing on
that and obviously just building on my strengths like my playmaking,
my skating, and also having fun in the summer. The
summers for fun and it's the time to decompress, so
you know, being able to go out and play three
on three with friends or I like to play a
lot of roller hockey too in the summer, and it's competitive,
(01:34):
it's fun. So I really just like competing in general,
whatever it is in games like that's just that's just
who I am. So I think that's that's how I
look at every off season. Take a couple of things
I want to work on, and then do that and
also do the things I enjoy doing with the time off.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
You're from Bloomfield, Michigan. So the bulk of your summer
was it spent back home?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yep? It was mostly back home. I went to Vancouver
for a week. I visited like Ryan Tattle, Hudson shandor
Tristan Fraser from our team and that was a great time.
I had a great time out there. I trained a
little bit. I skated with Ryan Taddle. They have a
legit skating group out there that was That was fun.
(02:19):
And then I got to go to Minnesota as well
see some old teammates from juniors. Stuff like that. So awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Yeah, that's Vancouver's on the bucket list. Haven't gotten there yet,
but planned to plan to do so soon enough. That's great.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Like the state of the mountains, the water, the ocean
right there, it's awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Again. We're joined by Kayjam Briek here on the Yukon
Coaches Show. Take me back to your first answer when
you talked about getting shots through to goal?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
How do you?
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I guess that's the simplest way to ask it, because
you're the bulk of your shots are as a blue
liner further from goal with a bunch of bodies in
the way.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah. I think I've always worked on it. Obviously, being
in defenseman, you're always going to work on it and
try to improve it. I think using my skating as
the strength of mind, just to get the opposing forwards
who are coming out at me, you know, to go
left to right, skating laterally and creating lanes for myself
when I don't have the puck as well, I think
(03:25):
that's what helps me get shots through.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
You're paired up, if not for the entire season so far,
most of this season with Viking Gustafson Iberg and how
has that pairing really continued to develop over the course
of the year.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah. I love playing with Viking. You know, we played
a bit together last year. We're great friends off the ice,
and I think we see the game very similarly. We're
always doing like extra video with each other, just like
things that we see or like before a weekend, and
like things that we know about the team if we've
played against them before. And in practice we're always like
(04:03):
focusing on a couple of things that we can do
to get better if we didn't like what we did
in the weekend or something like that. So it's been
it's been fun, it's competitive, and you know, we both
want to get better. It's really enjoyable.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Or someone with his size and his reach and all
of that, do you notice, even if it's in practice
when you're paired up with somebody else that you know,
you're so used to having a guy that can maybe
cover more space that playing with a normal sized human
kind of changes things on that front. Yeah, a bit.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
And then a lot of people you know would argue,
like saying like, oh, he's big, Like he doesn't do
as much with the puck. You know, he's just a
good defender. I disagree with him. I think it's unbelievable
how coordinated he is. He's so coordinated for a big
guy his size. It skates so well, handles the puck
(04:56):
so well, and shoots the puck really well too. Honestly,
can he can do it all? And like we played pickleball.
We were playing pickleball in the spring last summer and
he was so good and it was like I was
getting mad just because like he's got the reach, and
he was like, you can anticipate it too. I'm like, dude,
I can't beat this guy. But no, I mean I
(05:19):
think it's I think it's great playing with him and
just how coordinated he is too, it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Was that a team wide competition or were you guys
just broken off and playing by yourself.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
No, it was like we had a bunch of guys
who went in the spring, like once their season was done,
we were still here as students and we'd go play
a couple times a week, like play two on two
or one on one, just have fun with it.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Yeah, yeah, enjoyed by Kay Jamboreek here on the Yukon
Hockey Coaches Show. You came in with a really talented
freshman class. How hard was it? You know, obviously it's
harder for Kevin Fitzgerald, but how was it in your
role as freshman? You know, playing alongside somebody that wanted
to be desperately to be out there, I'm sure, but
(06:05):
didn't have an opportunity until this year due to injury
to actually get out there.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah, he's actually my roommate this year. He handled it
so well. There's so many ways you can go about it.
It's such a tough injury and he didn't even get
to play a game last year. He hurt his knee
in training camp and we all felt for him and
he stepped in. He's done well and it's been great
(06:32):
to see. Excuse me, he has a great work ethic.
He worked his butt off in the gym all year.
He's a great athlete. I'm really happy for him that
he's back and doing well and he's healthy and it's
been fun practicing with him and he's more you know, involved,
compared to last year too.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Last one for you. As we wrap here on the
coaches show. You grew up thirty minutes outside of Detroit
Thanksgiving date football. Did you ever get a chance to
go catch one of those games? No?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
I didn't. I was always traveling for hockey, like from
ages I want to say nine till I was fourteen.
It was we'd always go to this tournament in Toronto.
It was called like the Silverstick Invitational and it was
a huge tournament where like all the best American teams
and the best Canadian teams play tournament in Toronto. So
(07:27):
and usually we made it to Sunday, which was a
good thing. Yes, So no, no Thanksgiving football for.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Me, Aaran, you got plenty of time in your forties
and fifties to catch some of those games. He'll be fine, Yeah,
definitely on hockey. Behind you well, Kai, thanks so much
for the time again, Kay Jamborea here on the coach
and showbig thanks too, Ethan Gardula. Kai, and we'll wrap
with head coach Mike Kavanaugh. When we returned from barbecue
(07:55):
in downtown Hartford. This is Yucon Hockey from Liarfield
We welcome you back inside the Yukon Men's Ice Hockey
Coaches Show here from Bear's Barbecue in downtown Hartford. Ad
of Giardino with you and we are joined by sophomore
defenseman for the Huskies, Kai jam Veria. Kai. You know,
we just talked to fellow sophomore Ethan Gardula, and so
I give the line of questioning will be the same
and that you know, a successful freshman season individually and
(00:24):
by team standards. So when you approach the op season,
how did you individually approach what you wanted to improve upon.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, well, first off, thanks for having me on and yeah,
last year was a great experience and it was awesome
that my freshman class was able to come in and
help make an impact right away and made the team better.
And then going into the off season, I think it
was just finding things like talking to our coaching staff
(00:54):
and watching games and just filling it out. Obviously, being
a freshman, like you want to get bigger, strong, or faster,
so that's always the focus. Hitting the gym more, eating
more to put on weight. But I think one thing
I really worked on this summer was my shot. I
haven't really seen too much results yet, but I think
(01:14):
I'm getting more pucks to the net just focusing on
that and obviously just building on my strengths like my playmaking,
my skating, and also having fun in the summer. The
summers for fun and it's the time to decompress, so
you know, being able to go out and play three
on three with friends or I like to play a
lot of roller hockey too in the summer, and it's competitive,
(01:34):
it's fun. So I really just like competing in general,
whatever it is in games like that's just that's just
who I am. So I think that's that's how I
look at every off season. Take a couple of things
I want to work on, and then do that and
also do the things I enjoy doing with the time off.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
You're from Bloomfield, Michigan. So the bulk of your summer
was it spent back home?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yep? It was mostly back home. I went to Vancouver
for a week. I visited like Ryan Tattle, Hudson shandor
Tristan Fraser from our team and that was a great time.
I had a great time out there. I trained a
little bit. I skated with Ryan Taddle. They have a
legit skating group out there that was That was fun.
(02:19):
And then I got to go to Minnesota as well
see some old teammates from juniors. Stuff like that. So awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Yeah, that's Vancouver's on the bucket list. Haven't gotten there yet,
but planned to plan to do so soon enough. That's great.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Like the state of the mountains, the water, the ocean
right there, it's awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Again. We're joined by Kayjam Briek here on the Yukon
Coaches Show. Take me back to your first answer when
you talked about getting shots through to goal?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
How do you?
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I guess that's the simplest way to ask it, because
you're the bulk of your shots are as a blue
liner further from goal with a bunch of bodies in
the way.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah. I think I've always worked on it. Obviously, being
in defenseman, you're always going to work on it and
try to improve it. I think using my skating as
the strength of mind, just to get the opposing forwards
who are coming out at me, you know, to go
left to right, skating laterally and creating lanes for myself
when I don't have the puck as well, I think
(03:25):
that's what helps me get shots through.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
You're paired up, if not for the entire season so far,
most of this season with Viking Gustafson Iberg and how
has that pairing really continued to develop over the course
of the year.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah. I love playing with Viking. You know, we played
a bit together last year. We're great friends off the ice,
and I think we see the game very similarly. We're
always doing like extra video with each other, just like
things that we see or like before a weekend, and
like things that we know about the team if we've
played against them before. And in practice we're always like
(04:03):
focusing on a couple of things that we can do
to get better if we didn't like what we did
in the weekend or something like that. So it's been
it's been fun, it's competitive, and you know, we both
want to get better. It's really enjoyable.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Or someone with his size and his reach and all
of that, do you notice, even if it's in practice
when you're paired up with somebody else that you know,
you're so used to having a guy that can maybe
cover more space that playing with a normal sized human
kind of changes things on that front. Yeah, a bit.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
And then a lot of people you know would argue,
like saying like, oh, he's big, Like he doesn't do
as much with the puck. You know, he's just a
good defender. I disagree with him. I think it's unbelievable
how coordinated he is. He's so coordinated for a big
guy his size. It skates so well, handles the puck
(04:56):
so well, and shoots the puck really well too. Honestly,
can he can do it all? And like we played pickleball.
We were playing pickleball in the spring last summer and
he was so good and it was like I was
getting mad just because like he's got the reach, and
he was like, you can anticipate it too. I'm like, dude,
I can't beat this guy. But no, I mean I
(05:19):
think it's I think it's great playing with him and
just how coordinated he is too, it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Was that a team wide competition or were you guys
just broken off and playing by yourself.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
No, it was like we had a bunch of guys
who went in the spring, like once their season was done,
we were still here as students and we'd go play
a couple times a week, like play two on two
or one on one, just have fun with it.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Yeah, yeah, enjoyed by Kay Jamboreek here on the Yukon
Hockey Coaches Show. You came in with a really talented
freshman class. How hard was it? You know, obviously it's
harder for Kevin Fitzgerald, but how was it in your
role as freshman? You know, playing alongside somebody that wanted
to be desperately to be out there, I'm sure, but
(06:05):
didn't have an opportunity until this year due to injury
to actually get out there.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah, he's actually my roommate this year. He handled it
so well. There's so many ways you can go about it.
It's such a tough injury and he didn't even get
to play a game last year. He hurt his knee
in training camp and we all felt for him and
he stepped in. He's done well and it's been great
(06:32):
to see. Excuse me, he has a great work ethic.
He worked his butt off in the gym all year.
He's a great athlete. I'm really happy for him that
he's back and doing well and he's healthy and it's
been fun practicing with him and he's more you know, involved,
compared to last year too.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Last one for you. As we wrap here on the
coaches show. You grew up thirty minutes outside of Detroit
Thanksgiving date football. Did you ever get a chance to
go catch one of those games? No?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
I didn't. I was always traveling for hockey, like from
ages I want to say nine till I was fourteen.
It was we'd always go to this tournament in Toronto.
It was called like the Silverstick Invitational and it was
a huge tournament where like all the best American teams
and the best Canadian teams play tournament in Toronto. So
(07:27):
and usually we made it to Sunday, which was a
good thing. Yes, So no, no Thanksgiving football for.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Me, Aaran, you got plenty of time in your forties
and fifties to catch some of those games. He'll be fine, Yeah,
definitely on hockey. Behind you well, Kai, thanks so much
for the time again, Kay Jamborea here on the coach
and showbig thanks too, Ethan Gardula. Kai, and we'll wrap
with head coach Mike Kavanaugh. When we returned from barbecue
(07:55):
in downtown Hartford. This is Yucon Hockey from Liarfield
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.