03/18/24 - Admirals Center Ice

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello and welcome. It's Milwaukee AdmiralsCenter ICE. I'm Aaron Simms. The
Admirals around the road, a fourgame road trip started in San Diego.
We'll move on to Colorado to takeon the Eagles Tuesday and Wednesday night.
There is a watch party Tuesday atMajor Goulsby's. You can go to the
Admirals website find out more about that. The Admirals with a big win on
Saturday night, three to two overColorado. Talk about that and much more.

(00:20):
Assistant coach Greg Raalo joins us,it was a good weekend. I
know you guys wanted four points outof it, but the growth the work
compared to the Tube games prior wasso much better. I mean, there's
so much you want the wins,but there's so much learning going on right
now when you have when you consideryou probably have nine guys out of the

(00:41):
lineup that were part of that nineteengame winning streak. Yeah, for sure.
I think especially the last game anda little bit of the third period
of the game prior in San Diego, we started to see more of like
the style and the way we wantto play coming out of these guys and
kind of meshing with you know,new lines and new guys in the lineup,
like you said, so it's it'spromising for sure. And then we

(01:02):
were really happy with the way theyplayed last game. I said to Scott
Ford, and I'm glad you kindof said that because it I'm not a
scout, I'm not a coach.Things go through me like a ticker tape.
I don't remember anything, but itdid seem that that third period that
refused to lose mentality that was prevalentin that nineteen game winning streak, that
it started to show up in thatgame, that even though it was a

(01:23):
loss, it started to show upin that third period. Yeah, the
bench energy was back. The guyswere, you know, excited for each
other, cheering on saves, cheeringon block shots again, all that that
fun energy that we had that wetalked about prior on one of the other
radio shows. I think just thatgood positive energy on the bench was back
and it was exciting and guys were, you know, eager, and then

(01:44):
it carried over into the second game. You need a lot of chatter on
the bench. Do you expect alot of chatter on the bench. Is
it a good thing to have alot of chatter on the bench. I
think it's really healthy. I thinkyou don't necessarily need it, but it
definitely boosts. Like positive energy isgreat on the bench when when you cheer
on a teammate and boost him up. Nothing better when you come back to
the bench and all the guys arehoop and hollering your name, or is

(02:06):
a great block or you know,good four check or whatnot. But yeah,
for sure, it's great energy feedingoff. I mean we saw I
started to see it the last coupleof games, in particular the block shots
and there, boy boy, therewere some huge block shots in the game.
The saves that Troy gross Nick madeon Saturday Night, those certainly brings
the hoot and holler right there.He was excellent, especially that save late

(02:27):
with the glove save he had onthe penalty kill late. And he's he
was a battler of that game forsure, We as a team, we
all collectively battled. But you couldtell he really wanted to win and really
wanted to help the team, andhe played great. Sure, I've said
it to you, I've said itto so many people like he's to me,
he's just Jack Morris and the WayneGretzky story about grand fear. I'll

(02:47):
give up four guys, but I'mnot giving up five like those kind of
things. And you talk to Troyand and Troy's experienced, and he says
that the only the only stat thatmatters is the win. And I love
that, Like that is that's oldschool. It's not it's not all the
analytics and all of that stuff.It's just who did you Did you win
or did you lose? A hundredpercent? And you saw it like in

(03:09):
the last two or three minutes ofthat game, like we were regardless of
what happened prior. He was notletting a goal in, like he was
going to do everything in his powerand made some really really big saves.
And you know, I love hisconfidence. And now you don't want to
say, yeah, his confidence willgo with that. Where just how grady
when he makes a save and youcan just tell when he's on his game.

(03:30):
You have played with goalies, certainly. I said to somebody the other
day, I remember when Jeremy Smithwas in Milwaukee and you played against Jeremy
Smith when he snapped his glove ona catch, like okay, that that
was a kind of a Ricky Hendersonsnap of the glove. It's like,
Okay, he's he's got a swagger, he's in, he's in game mode.
And Troy kind of has that too. Yarro certainly has that. Like

(03:50):
certainly you've played with goalies like that. When you see that, you're like,
all right, they're they're in.They're in a groove right now.
Yeah, And he shows it,and both of our goalies show it,
and you can tell and I thinkGoose the way he goes about his business
and his his swagger is so likequiet and calm at times, but we
can see it and we just knowwhen when he's feeling it. And you

(04:11):
know that you got to have thatas a goalie because it can be very
lonely back there, and it's contagiousthen, I mean you you played forward
your entire career. That's contagious foreverybody. Right, Like, Okay,
our goalie is on. I don'tknow if it means we can take more
chances, but we know that he'sgot our back tonight. There's nothing better
when you go into a game andyou know you have a solid goaltender back
there that that's going to pick youup. But it's definitely positive and it

(04:34):
boosts your team. The other nightyou went back to seven defenseman. The
injuries, it's it's silly how it'sall happened, and I guess it does
happen during seasons, but for itto happen at this point of the season,
it's just odd. Although that beingsaid, you went through something like
this last year. It wasn't necessarilyinjury related. It was all the moves

(04:57):
Nashville was making. You had towelcome in a bunch of new faces,
new players and get him acclimated quickly. So for you as a coach,
that experience from last season, Iguess has to help immensely with what you're
doing right now with this team.Yeah, for sure. If there's you
know, learned a lot in thelast six years coaching, but one thing
you learn is not every season isgoing to be smooth sailing. And we

(05:19):
had a really really good run withour wins. We had our full lineup,
and now our challenge is here.We have injuries. We got a
couple guys called up and this isjust this is called coaching, as Carl
would tell us in the room,and it's been fun, it's been rewarding.
These are the times where now youknow, we dig in and we
get new guys up to speed toplay the way we would like him to
play. Admiral's assistant coach Greg Raalojoining US. It's Milwaukee Admirals Center ice.

(05:44):
One of the new guys, WadeAllison, gets his first goal last
night, and I mean it's toughfor him. He's been in an organization
for a while and he makes themove and it seems he's excited to be
here. He says he's excited tobe here. For him to get that
goal and to get to break theice in that man in the game on
Saturday night, that's a huge stepfor him, not only professionally, but
certainly personally with how he fits intothe room. Yeah, for sure,

(06:08):
I thought last game was by farhis best game since being here. It's
a whirlwind. I think when youget traded. I never had to go
through it as a player, Soyou know, you all of a sudden,
one day you're in one city andthe next you're playing for a whole
different team, meeting new guys inthe middle of the season. So his
first couple of games, you know, we kind of give those guys a
benefit of the doubt to get upand running, learn our systems, get

(06:28):
to know his teammates. And thenlast game, I thought it showed he
was hitting, he was physical,he scored a great goal, he was
kind of all around the net,And those are the things we need from
him. You need from him.But also he has to show what he
can do and all of that stuff. But he's not only showing his teammates
and proving it to himself. Butyou guys, honestly don't know much about

(06:48):
him coming in. You have totrust the scouts, you have to trust
Scott Nickel, whatever, and tryto fit him in as you see.
So I mean it's it's really aget to know your process from everybody.
Yeah, sure, and that's Ithink Carl has done a great job with
that, kind of not asking toomany questions and giving guys a blank slate
when they come here. He doesn'tgo out and kind of search to ask

(07:10):
his old coach what kind of playerhe is. He kind of just wants
to absorb him, you know,fresh start, clean start, and kind
of see where he's at. Andhe's done a great job of that so
far. Yeah, not about that, the uh, the transaction that came
out adding a player from San Josenow Ozzie Weisblatt, former first round pick.
It seems from everything I've read aboutthis young man is his life is

(07:31):
pretty incredible. First round pick,as I mentioned, but that Covid year,
like a lot of people, thatCovid year stunted some growth with him.
So it seems so again clean slatecoming in first round pick. Certainly
he's got some talent. We'll seehow he fits in. Yeah, we're
excited obviously all the things we've talkedabout, and we're gonna we're gonna coach

(07:51):
him, We're gonna get him readyto play, and we're gonna help him
were you don't go in the firstround for nothing, So there's definitely there's
gonna be potent there and we justgot to get it out of them.
What is it about your coaching staffthat has rehabilitated careers for guys? I
mean, Jared Toanorti was a firstround pick and he kind of he was
middling and he comes here and nowhe's been in the NHL ever since.

(08:16):
Liam Footi, I think, wason that track this season trying to find
his game and get to a spotbefore his injury, Like, what is
it about the way you guys goabout it. I'm not saying others don't,
don't get me wrong, but youguys have done have a proven track
record he over the last six years. I think it's as simple as that.
We just care. Me and Scottas assistant coaches. We get to
know these guys. We care,We ask about them, get to know

(08:37):
their families or where they're from,and I think that goes a long way
to the buy in of them kindof listening to us and trusting us.
And then Carl does an excellent jobas a head coach kind of, you
know, guiding them and telling them, you know, our purpose here as
coaches is to help you achieve yourgoals. So what are your goals?
And we'll ask them and then they'lltell us, and then it's our job

(08:58):
to kind of steer them and helpthem reach those goals. The player plays
better, it's good for him.But as the player plays better, the
team plays better, and vice versa. It's a chicken or the egg thing.
If the team's playing better, youobviously the players are going well one
hundred percent, and we collectively wantto everyone to succeed we want everyone to
reach all their goals, whether thatbe played ten years in the American League

(09:18):
or get to the NHL, whatevertheir goals are, that's our job to
find out and help them and steerthem in that direction. I'm curious,
then, is saying that and CodyHodgson is is such an aberration. You
don't see that story all the time. You don't see basically a thirty four
year old rookie in this league withhim. I mean, he's producing the

(09:39):
numbers are there? Where? Wheredo you see this going? And what
is your role in helping him toget There's you guys are close to the
same age here. I think it'skind of what you said. He is
like a thirty four year old rookieto the aspect of the game has changed
so much in seven years that hehasn't been playing. So he has the
skill, he has a talent toproduce, and he's getting numbers now.

(10:01):
It's our job to kind of gethim to play within our structure and our
systems of the modern game. It'svery fast. Things have changed, the
way you know, teams go onthe offense so much faster now, and
there's the game's a lot quicker defenseof zone, structure has changed to an
extent, and just kind of gettinghim up to speed in the modern game.
And he's done a good job.He's very, very he's a student

(10:24):
of the game. He wants toget better, and he wants to get
back to the NHL. So creditto him. Yeah, Cal O'Riley wants
to get back to the NHL too. He's not currently well, neither of
them are currently on an NHL contract, but they would love to get back
to the National Hockey League. Soas a coach, when you have a
nineteen year old you o Kim Cammellfirst round pick and on everybody's radar and
the fans are excited and all ofthis stuff, and then you get a

(10:46):
thirty four year old, thirty fiveyear old Cody Hodgson cal O'Riley, you
have to as a coach, howdifficult is it to separate the fact that,
Okay, this guy is a longterm prospect. These guys have two
three years maybe at the most.I mean, can you differentiate? Ah,
Honestly, I just I coached theperson. I don't necessarily worry about

(11:07):
age. I was a guy thatwhen I was playing a lot of times.
My age s already get in aquestion as I got older, and
I just pushed through and didn't listento those voices. So if Cody wants
to play in the NHL, thenI'm going to do everything I can to
help them get there. And thenyou'll Kemmel like same thing. Our young
prospects the future of the organization.They're the lifeblood of what's to come in
Nashville, and and it's our jobto make sure when they get that call

(11:28):
they're ready. Went back to seventdy and guys who are have little experience
at at well with the admirals firstoff, but at this level, Jack
Matteer, he's starting to play really, really well, get comfortable. Luke
Procop has assistant back to back games, Griffin Loose made his presence felt and
had an assist in the game onSaturday night. And Griffin has played almost

(11:50):
one hundred games in the American League. But guys coming in and buying in
and like what you said about gettingthat swagger and getting that attitude and getting
that leadership, Guys like mcewa andguys who have been here in all season
long. For those guys to justjump in and assimilate. I mean,
it's a hard thing to do,but it's great to see. Yeah,
it speaks volumes. We've talked allyear about how great our leaderships guys are

(12:13):
and what they do, and howwe bring guys right into the room right
away. It didn't take Wade Alisonvery long to all of a sudden he's
hanging out with guys, going todinner. You see it here on the
road, and our guys do areally good job. It's a great group.
There are a lot of fun tobe around. You can't underestimate the
importance of the road. It's certainlyit's difficult to be away from home and
be away from your bed and beaway from family and all of that stuff.

(12:35):
But at the same time, likeyou said, Wade Alison, ellis
here, Ozzie Weisblat will join youin Colorado, Griffin Loose and Luke Procop
join you on this trip. Likethere's something to be said about spending a
week just stuck with each other.Yeah, it's great, and it helps
that the weather here in San Diegohas been fantastic. I think our guys
have enjoyed their time. You know, it's always nice when you go outside

(12:58):
and you get to walk on thebeach or go to a nice restaurant on
the water, And I think guysare gelling here. And you said they're
a fun group and they want tobe around each other. So that's really
cool to see. Now, Coloradofor the next two they haven't scored a
goal against you this season, butthey're hot right now. But I know
you guys as a coaching staff,and Carl says this to me every game,

(13:20):
we don't care about the other team. It's all it's all about the
Milwaukee Admirals right now. Yeah,it's going to be fun. From what
I remember, this building is areally high energy building. It's going to
be a great experience for some ofour younger guys to play in those buildings
that are loud and energetic, andagainst a team that's going to be coming
and they're playing really well too.So we look to build on what we
did in our last game here andkeep it moving forward to this new group.

(13:43):
What you said just now, itbrings me back to last spring when
you're in Coachella Valley. I meanthey're sold out for the playoffs and that
environment. How much did that helpyour guys do you think coming into this
season, whether they're in the NationalLeague now and evangel used to players like
that, Keith for sure, whatMichael mccaarn or whether it's guys who are
back here playing in Milwaukee. Howmuch did that does that help? That

(14:07):
building was as close I think asyou're going to see to an NHL kind
of experience of loudness and just intimidatingat times on the bench, like it
was awesome. So for our guysto go through it and feel those momentum
changes in a game, you can'tyou can't simulate that, and like you
can't get it anywhere but until youlive it and do it. So those
those lessons and those games are invaluableto our to our prospects. Appreciate you

(14:31):
giving me your time here today andwe'll have some fun in Colorado here too.
Sounds great, Thank you. Admiral'sassistant coach Greg Rawla will take a
break and come back with more.You're listening to Milwaukee Admiral Center Ice.
Welcome back to Milwaukee Admirals Center Ice. The Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey team,
surprise surprise, heading back to anotherFrozen Four. It's taking place out in
New Hampshire to talk about that fromthe Wisconsin State Journal, our friend Todd

(14:54):
Moleski, Todd, thank you somuch for the time. Is this last
year maybe the most surprising championship thatthey've had? But I mean, you
look at the run that Mark Johnsonhas had, that the school has had
since it started the program, Butwhere does this rank in the surprising or
not so surprising effort of the seasonto make it this far? I think

(15:18):
this one is probably more along thelines with the expected side because just of
the the depth that they have interms of quality of players this season.
Last year was kind of a transitionyear, and that's why I was a
little bit more of a surprise.Really, probably the most surprising one of
of Mark Johnson's seven championships. Butthis isn't He's He's got you know,

(15:39):
three or four really world class playersup front. You know, the best
defender in women's hockey, uh,Caroline Harvey, and he's you know,
the question was in goal and thosethe goalies have have answered the questions so
far and haven't had to be great, but they have been good enough to
to get him through this point point. And really it's it's been a season

(16:02):
of and you know, they werestarted started as number one, went twelve
and oero to start, and thenhe hit a bump and lost a couple
of house State. Ohiose it tookover the number one spot has been carrying
it through the rest of the way. But the Bats have always been kind
of right on their heels and kindof setting up everything for a possible rematch

(16:22):
of last season's championship game with OhioState next week in New amsher The You
mentioned the goaltending situation, and thelast time we talked, we talked about
the goaltending situation. It seems likethe freshman is running with the show right
now the last four games, Ithink for Ava McNaughton, right yeah,
and a McNaughton was was in arotation with Ging gervay for the first you

(16:44):
know, basically through the first roundof the playoffs, and that was the
point where Mark Johnson and his staffdecided, now, now's the time we
need to pick someone going into themost difficult games of the season. So
they went with McNaughton, the freshmanwho has better numbers in a lot of
ways and has been The interesting thingwas that she got the second game of

(17:07):
every series, and so she gotto kind of see the result of whatever
the first game was, and theteam I think naturally reacts to a first
game. If you don't have agreat Friday game, you're gonna probably come
out a little harder in the secondgame. And I thought that really benefited
McNaughton. And she's a freshman,she know, you know, is just
seeing things for the first time thisseason, but so seeing that first game

(17:29):
of a weekend probably helped her alot too, and getting comfortable in her
situations, going into new buildings andthings like that. And she, you
know, they put her in forthe semi final of the w c h
A tournament, her first time playingthe first game of weekend. That was
last weekend up in Minneapolis, andshe had a rough start. Gave up

(17:49):
two goals in the first five shots, another one got waved off for after
a challenge and and and so itwasn't a great start. She she's stabilized
from there. And really it's whenI go back to looking at the Saturday
game this last weekend against Saint Lawrencethat got the Badgers to the Frozen four.

(18:10):
She was just a calm presence andthat's really what you want in there,
because the Badgers are a team thatdon't give up a lot of quality
chances. That's how they're they're built. And if they're they're playing the way
they want to, they're gonna behaving the puck most of the time,
but there's gonna be a few andyou need your goalie to to be there
for them otherwise that could be areal crushing blow. If you're you're playing
the almost the entire game in theother end and the other team gets one

(18:33):
chance and then goes in that thatcan hurt. And she hasn't given up
much of us. That's really interestingwhat you said, because I'd never really
considered the Friday and the Saturday rotationin the context that you put it in.
I was wondering, if she playsthe puck better or things like that
to help out the defenders and thingslike that, how is she in that
in that regard. I think she'sfor growing in that. And I've seen

(18:56):
them, uh, the gold CoultureMark Mark green Hall has has worked really
both of them on being being moredecisive with with those with those opportunities,
because you can't half commit to doingthat if you're coming out of the net.
To play the puck, You've gotto play the puck and play it
well. You can't go halfway andthen turn around and come back. Otherwise

(19:18):
the bad things are going to happen. And I think throughout the season she's
she's grown in that she's she's becomea little bit more uh, you know,
uh decisive and more aggressive with doingthings at times. And I think
that's just coming from that comfort ofyou know, you're playing, you know,
five months in the system and understandingwhat what you're up against and and

(19:41):
what teams are are are bringing youand how they're going to try to beat
you. Before we get into theFrozen four here, I want to talk
about You mentioned Caroline Harvey, butuh, Casey O'Brien and Kirsten Simms.
They're two of the three finalists forthe Patty Kasmar first time, which is
kind of shocking that it's the firsttime that Wisconsin has had two finalists.

(20:02):
And I only say that because they'vebeen such a dominant program for so long.
But is this an award that Imean, Kirsten Simms is a sophomore,
right, is this an award thatgoes to an underclassman? Normally or
is it one that that is seniorlate and like the I mean for years
the Heisman was in football. Isit the same in hockey? It has,
It's gone to some underclassman, butit is traditionally more of a an

(20:27):
award for you know you're gonna givein your fourth year. And last year
Sophia Jakes was there a fifth yearat Ohio saved because of the COVID year,
and so you do see some balancethere. Though dear Old Watts wanted
as a freshman at Boston College backin twenty stretching my numbers, there's sixteen
seventeen that I don't remember exactly whatover, but before she transferred to Wisconsin,

(20:48):
she was the first freshman to winit. There have been a couple
of sophomores, and it's it's reallyI think this year it's about the question
for me, is it about thecareer that Casey O'Brien has had or the
season that Kirsten Simmons has had,Because I think you could argue either one

(21:10):
of them, but also Casey O'Brien'shad a really good season this season too.
They're a little tied together. They'reon the same line and so O'Brien
is the center, Sammoth plays theright wing on the top line, and
they both have their strengths. O'Brienis just an incredible face off person,
wins and I believe she's hovering aroundsixty percent, which over the course of
the season is pretty good. AndSimmons has scored what is she up to

(21:34):
now, thirty two goals, seventyseventy four points, stuffing like that.
It's really impressive. It's the firsttime the Badges had four to twenty goal
scorers in a season since twenty eleventwelve, which is really kind of surprising
considering the players that they've had betweenthen and now. But this is a

(21:56):
team that does have that balance,and that's I think one of the things
that's really been impressive about him.Todd Molesky of the Wisconsin State Journal joining
us It's Milwaukee Admiral Center ice theUniversity of Wisconsin women's hockey team heading to
the Frozen Four in New Hampshire.We talked about some of the players the
matchup now playing out in New Hampshire. Colgate, we obviously you know Ohio

(22:19):
State very well, Colgate and Clarksand the other two teams in this thing.
I mean, do we do weexpect Wisconsin Ohio State for the championship
or where are we at here inthe matchup in the first round. I
think that's what a lot of peoplewent into this expecting. But I think
you have to, uh take takea little pause there because Colgate has has
probably has some revenge in mind.The Badgers got to the Frozen Four last

(22:44):
year by beating Colgate at Colgate inthe regional final, and so that's probably
gonna be on their mind, andthat I'm sure we'll come up with a
lot of the players that were thatwere around for that. They were really
thinking that was going to be theirbreakthrough last season as as a number three
seed and hosting a regional and theBadgers came in and spoiled the party.

(23:04):
And it does also go back totwenty eighteen. The Frozen Four is the
exact same path for the Badgers herethey had they played Colgate in the first
round and lost and I believe doubleovertime, and so that was a point
where you know, and then onthe other side, Clarkson is the only

(23:26):
non WHA team that's ever won thenational championship, So they have some some
some some some things on the linethere on both sides of the bracket.
But yeah, I think the theexpectation going in was that we were going
to most likely see a sixth timebetween Wisconsin and Ohio State this season,
and that was It's been building towardsthat these last couple of weeks. Curious

(23:48):
about the attendance. I look atthis building. It holds about sixty five
hundred. I'm just curious if ifthe NC Double A is going to go
bigger. We see the men's tournamentobviously in NHL as well, we see
that with the women's game. Isthat something coming? We see the success,
the early success of the p WHLright now in the professional ranks,
a lot of former Badgers playing inthere. I have dinner at many hockey

(24:12):
games with Abby Rock's dad, Jim, who's a scout. I'm just curious
what the long term plan. Imean, obviously they'd love to go bigger,
right they would love to. Theyneed to have the backing first,
though. I mean even if they'vebeen in buildings, I mean it was
in Duluth last weekend or last season, sorry, they it was. I
think that's about a five six thousandseed arena, they had about thirty five

(24:33):
hundred maybe, and that's with youknow, Wisconsin being driveable and Minnesota was
in the semi finals and that wasobviously drivable from the Twin Cities and has
a statewide presence there. I thinkthere's still some you know, some building
that has to happen before they getinto larger venue, because I know that

(24:55):
they the people here at Wisconslin didon the tournament for the and four to
have it at the Coal Center,which would be probably one of the biggest
buildings that's ever hosted it, ifnot the biggest fifteen thousand plus for hockey,
and I think that would have beenthis is the last cycle of bids,
and that would have been this yearto host it here, because the

(25:17):
schedules only line up every few yearswhere the Coal Center isn't hosting the state
basketball tournament that weekend, and it'sit didn't get chosen. Obviously. What
I had heard is that they thoughtthe Coal Center was too big. Labon
arena where the women's team plays istoo small, and you're really kind of
caught in the middle there if youwant to have it here in Wisconsin.

(25:38):
But hey, there's some other placesin the state that there would be decent
to have and you could probably drawa pretty big Wisconsin crowd from Yeah,
no doubt about that. We dopeople appreciate Mark Johnson like they should.
You look at at what he hasdone over six hundred wins, all of
this stuff. I mean, it'swe don't. Maybe we're just so used

(26:03):
to it that he doesn't. He'snot talked about like he should be.
I don't think. I think atthis time of the year we start to
get that more appreciation and we youknow, see the numbers that that get
put together. Earlier this season,he went past six hundred wins and was
the first women's coach to reach thatnumber, and that got a pretty good

(26:25):
level of interest in what had cometogether to to win six hundred games,
you know, and including the sevenchampionships and everything like that. But yeah,
when you get around to the FrozenFour in Wisconsin and that, you're
going to hear more about Mark Johnsonand the just the incredible longevity of success.
You know, it's one thing tohave, you know, three or

(26:47):
four good years, but to haveit over twenty and twenty twenty and change
years, going to the Frozen fourfifteen times. It's it's really you know,
it speaks to the to the levelthat he holds his teams to and
that he that he expects from hisplayers and that he's able to get that
out of them consistently. Speaks tothe recurring effort his staff. The players

(27:11):
that he gets are really high qualityplayers and that just kind of continues over
and over and there hasn't been muchof a break along the way. Well,
and I bring it up. Youknow, obviously you look at the
team this year. I think there'swhat thirteen freshmen and sophomores on this team,
so you have it's just this cultureyear in and year route that you're
gonna win seven out of ten,I mean, and and be in the

(27:34):
picture if not win the championship likeevery year. It's just it's it's expected,
almost right. I mean, that'sthat's a tough thing to do,
expect that, but that's what happens. Yeah, And I will say that,
you know, Wisconsin does fun women'shockey very well, and I think
that's that's a big part of it, because you do see the split in
schools between the ones that are thatdo put a lot of resources into it

(27:57):
and the ones that don't and justare kind of there to be there.
And there's a reason why you know, Wisconsin, Minnesota, now Ohio State,
you know they're in this mix everyyear, is because they commit resources
to it. We need to seemore of that at some of the other

(28:17):
schools. But it's such a toughthing right now because we know college athletics
is changing, more money is youknow, the projection is more money is
going towards the big sports and lesstowards the ones that don't produce as much
revenue. So's it's really an interestingtime and these next few years are going
to be kind of critical to wherewomen's hockey go as a whole because,

(28:41):
like you said, we see theadvent of the PWHL and where that's going
and the success that's happening in itsfirst year, and you know, ninety
nine or whatever, some of thoseplayers played NCAA hockey, and so it's
critical for that league to have thefeeder system that is the NCAA. And
but we don't know what that's gonnalook like over the next ten years,
you know what, that's a totallydifferent show. But that's such an interesting

(29:04):
question. All this NIL money andeverything going on. It's yeah, it
is unbelievable. Do the Badgers havethat for for the women's team? For
for I mean they have ni Lmoney, I guess, But where how
how does it real quick? Wegot a couple of minutes, but how
how does it work? And howdoes it compare to the other teams in

(29:26):
the Big ten and all of that? I know you you're in touch obviously
with the athletic department quite a bit. Yeah, it's really on that for
both men's and women's hockey. It'skind of on the small scale compared to
the bigger you know, the footballand basketball. No one's making big money
off of any NIL deals, butthere is some some opportunity for for players
who have uh, you know,a higher profile. Like we're talking about

(29:49):
Caroline Harvey. She's got you know, a deal with Bauer when she's not
playing with Wisconsin because Wisconsin's a CCMschool, so she has some some things
she can do, which is withthe national team and outside the season,
and you know there's there's some more, uh you know, just kind of
you know, you're you're in abrief spot and the commercial kind of things.

(30:11):
Uh. Britta Curl, the captainof this year players, is really
kind of become a face of somethings, and so there there's some some
opportunities, but it's really kind ofin a much more scale than than what
we see in other sports, becausereally it's you know, that's that speaks
to hockey being, you know,especially college hockey being a little bit more

(30:33):
of a niche product and you haveto really target things to be involved with
that. We've gone longer than Ithat I had wanted to, and I
apologize for that, but this isinteresting stuff to me. I want to
finish with the men's team. We'llfind out next week what their fate is.
What is their fate going to be? Do you think, well,
I'll be in the tournament. Weknow that for sure. It'll be somewhere

(30:53):
in the middle, probably a threeseed, maybe a very low two seed.
Uh And as it shakes out rightnow, it lines up for this
is all to be possibly to bechanged. But if it goes by brackt
integrity, they be playing the defendingchampion Quinipiac in a region that has the
number one overall Sea Boston College,and so that's a pretty tough road.

(31:15):
But that's kind of what happens whenyou get bounced on the Big Ten tournament
in the first round. Find outfor sure next week. Todd, thanks
so much for your time. Ireally appreciate it. Good stuff you too,
Aaron. Thanks Todd Maleski from theWisconsin State Journal. We're back in
the moment you're listening to Milwaukee AdmiralsCenter ICE. Welcome back to Milwaukee Admirals
Center ICE. I'm Aaron Simms.The Milwaukee Admirals continuing a four game road
trip Saturday night a big three totwo win over San Diego in San Diego,

(31:38):
snapping a three game losing skid.The Admirals will now try to keep
the wins going as they travel toColorado Tomorrow night, eight o'clock face off,
pregame at seven point thirty, thesame thing for Wednesday. The Admirals
will return home Saturday night, thetwenty third, after the game a postgame
concert with country star Nate Smith.Now, the last few games, obviously,

(32:00):
there have been a lot of playersthat have changed, several injuries to
the Admirals. A couple of players, Spencer Stasney and Mark Jankowski, recalled
Stasney, of course, as ifyou've been paying attention. Is injured in
Nashville currently, but a lot ofnew faces, and over the last couple
of days while we were in SanDiego, I had intermission interviews with a

(32:21):
couple of the newer faces, thenewer contributors, we should say, for
the admirals, and we're going toplay those interviews back for you right now.
First will be Wade Allison spoke tohim before the first game in San
Diego, and then you'll hear fromLuke Procop spoke to him before the second
game in San Diego. Pro Cophas assists now in two straight games from
Milwaukee, and Alison scored his firstgoal as an admiral in the Saturday Night

(32:45):
three two wins. So again inorder Wade Allison and Luke pro Coop coming
up here on Milwaukee Admiral Center Rice. One of the newest admirals. Wade
Allison has been going so far,You've been here about a week. Yeah,
it's been fantastic. I mean,everybody's been so nice to me and
so while so I'm extremely grateful tobe here. First time you've had the
trade situation come up with your life. What was that like? What was

(33:07):
that moving organizations? And all ofthat for the first time. Yeah,
it's weird, right. You gettwo hours to pack up your whole life,
right, and then all of asudden put it all on your car
and I moved half twelve hours,you know. So it's definitely a weird
experience, but something I'm grateful for. Right. It's an opportunity I didn't
expect to have, so I'll capitalizeon that, for sure. Some people

(33:29):
are excited. Some people are disappointedwhen these things go down. But you're
from what you're making it sound likeyou're looking at it, Hey, it's
new eyes looking at me. It'sa new opportunity. Yeah, absolutely,
I mean not too often do youget a new opportunity in the middle of
the season, especially to come toa number one team here. So yeah,
absolutely, very excited to be here. What have you noticed since you've

(33:50):
been here, They've done a lotof winning. Yeah, it's everybody's been
so good to me, right,and I've been here for a couple of
losses, but we're looking forward togetting back on the winning track here and
playing ads hockey. Would you comein? Is the hockey part difficult or
is it hockey hockey? No matterwhere you are. I mean, it's
the same game, right. Obviously, systems are different, so you got
to kind of adjust and learn onthe fly. But uh, it's it's

(34:13):
the same game, right, Soyou just a lot of a lot of
things happen that are similar. Soyou just kind of work and work within
the system and keep learning. Andyeah, it's it's been great. I
look back at your career so far. I'm I'm always curious when a guy
who was born in Canada plays inthe United States place college, plays juniors
in the United States, what wasthe decision there? Obviously you wanted to
go to university opportunity, you knowit just h I can't really tell you.

(34:37):
That's just how it worked out forme. Yeah, and you end
up at Western Michigan playing for afantastic coach NHL coach Andy Murray. I
mean, right there, that's goingto train you for everything you need.
I would think he's good mantob Mantobaboy too, so that definitely helps out.
So yeah, no, it's Iloved it. I loved it.
I want to finish with this.I'm reading that you do rock paper scissors
with the kids before the game.Is that something you always do? I

(34:58):
do. Yeah, absolutely, I'llplay till they win, play untill they
win, and then what is theprize? Usually a puck or whatever they're
asking for, I puck. We'vegot to let people know this, right,
You're new to Milwaukee, so wegot and you only had the one
game in Milwaukee, so we gotto let people know. I'm sure I'll
get plenty of games of rock bapersits in. Thanks for the time,
Wade good Man, Thanks for havingme. Wade Allison with Admirals defenseman Luke
pro Cop. Your first full seasonas a pro. What have you learned

(35:21):
this year? A lot just adjustingto the pro game, a lot of
a lot of different speeds, thestrength of the guys, and just trying
to be consistent every single every singlenight. It's one of the main things
that I really try to work onin Atlanta, and then uh got called

(35:42):
up, you know, last week, and I've been trying to get better
every day here and show off myshow off my skill set to the coaches.
That taste you had last year inNorfolk? Did that help her?
Was that so quick that it didn'treally register? Honestly? I mean it
kind of was really quick. Itwas all only an eight game stint,
and then I had to go backdown to junior and and that season went

(36:02):
on, you know, forever,So I kind of don't remember a whole
ton of it, but it wasit was again still nice just to kind
of get a glimpse into what itwas like, even if I don't vaguely
remember all of it. Last nighthere in San Diego, the team,
the team is starting to come outof the funk whatever it was in.
But I want to get to yourassist. Injuries, you're called up,

(36:28):
you're playing, you're getting time,power play time. That was a huge
goal and I would guess a hugemoment for you getting that first Ahl assist.
Yeah, it was. It wasreally cool. Obviously it is a
great pass by by Tie, andthat spot on the power play I haven't
really played a whole ton of inmy career. Normally I'm on at the
top or on the on the leftside flank for a one time or so,

(36:51):
just trying to be a little bitmore simpler on that side. And
I honestly didn't even see the goalie, uh kind of stumble and fall out
of the night. It was justkind of shooting for Audust stick, and
luckily enough that he tipped in andwent in, and I had my parents
and some of my family friends inthe crowd too, So that was really
nice for them to see that.I didn't realize they were here, so

(37:12):
that is awesome. They probably don'tget many games to see you here.
No, no, not a wholeton especially. I mean they're trying to,
you know, juggle between watching meand my brother back home. But
you know, they're in they snowboardand palm Springs for the winters. So
it was a quick drive for themjust to kind of come down and watch
the games yesterday and then tonight aswell. You mentioned last year finishing in

(37:34):
Seattle, you played in Edmonton winningthe Western late. Just you've had so
much success as a team. I'mcurious what it's been like for you this
year and again what you've learned.Because Atlanta started hot and then it cooled
off a little bit. You cometo Milwaukee at a time where it's in
its coldest stretch of this season,I mean, what you go extremes here?
It seems yeah, for sure.I mean it was interesting in Atlanta.

(38:00):
You know, we we started offreally hot and then I got called
up and from from that moment on, it just seemed like we never got
things back on track. We hadwe had other guys get called up,
we had guys get to go throughinjuries and stuff, and we just couldn't
we couldn't find it back together.And that's I think that was that was

(38:20):
successful for me and something that Ineeded to learn. I hadn't gone through
a whole ton of losing in mycareer yet a whole ton of adversity in
my hockey career, so continuing justto find ways to enjoy coming to the
rink every day, even though youknow you are in an eight game losing
streak and nine game losing streak,but here you can you can kind of
sense. It's a little bit different. With those two teams I played on

(38:45):
in Eminton and Seattle. The bondthat the guys had and the group of
guys that we had in that roomwere extremely close. It's very similar to
in this room, even though I'veonly been here for you know, maybe
less than a week, So thereare some there's some deuff from definitely some
similarities between the two teams, andit's good for a team that's that's kind

(39:07):
of has high expectations to kind ofgo through this little drought. I think
you go through it together and youcome out stronger in the end. Thanks
so much for the time, goodluck tonight. Thank you Luke Procop.
Those are two of the newer contributorsto the Admirals. First you heard from
Wade Allison and then from Luke Procop. We're going to take a break,
we'll come back and wrap things up. You're listening to Milwaukee Admirals Center Ice

(39:29):
one final time tonight at Milwaukee AdmiralsCenter ICE on Aaron Simms. The Admirals
continuing their road trip on Tuesday andWednesday in Colorado and Loveland, Colorado,
taking on the Eagles. There isa watch party for the game on Tuesday
at Major Goulsby's and it's an eighto'clock faceoff Central Time. Pregame coverage will
start at seven thirty on the Bignine to twenty and on your iHeartRadio app
and of course on AHL TV sametimes on Wednesday night when the Admirals visit

(39:53):
Colorado, and then the Admirals areback home coming up on Saturday, the
twenty third, the Admirals hosting Hendersonnext weekend, the twenty third and the
twenty fourth. The Saturday, thetwenty third is six pm faceoff country star
Nate Smith performing a postgame concert onice. Passes are still available. Visit
Milwaukee Admirals dot com for tickets.And then Sunday, it's a three o'clock

(40:14):
game. It's part of the HarleyDavidson Breakaway Ticket package where you can get
a ticket to an Admirals game anda ticket to the Harley Davidson Museum for
just twenty five dollars. Again,ce Milwaukee Admirals dot com for tickets.
We'll have an autograph corner and thefirst one thousand fans fourteen and under will
receive a cube puzzle courtesy of Children'sWisconsin. That's a cool looking souvenir.

(40:37):
So again, visit Milwaukee Admirals dotcom for all of that. We mentioned
this with Greg Rollo a while agothat the Admirals have been loaned for the
rest of the season by the SanJose Sharks, a player by the name
of Ozzi Weisblatt. Ozzi Weisblatt wasthe final pick of the first round in
twenty twenty, the thirty first overallpick. Weisblatt has yet to make his
NHL debut. He was drafted intwenty twenty, the same draft that Yaroslava

(41:00):
Skaroff was selected by the Admirals parentclub Nashville Predators. Now in his AHL
career, he has played eighty fivegames. He has eleven goals and eighteen
assists in those games. This year, three goals and eight assists in thirty
four games playing for San Jose.Last season, he had fifteen points and
forty five games. He's had someinjury issues the last couple of seasons,

(41:22):
but an interesting young man and Iurge you to go check out type in
his name online and look at thereare some wonderful, wonderful stories about his
family. His parents are both deaf. He has three brothers and one sister.
His mother and father were divorced andmom ended up raising all five of

(41:43):
the kids. And the stories thatthey have and these kids have all played
high level junior hockey, the fourboys have anyway. The sister is the
youngest of the five kids. TheWisplatt first round pick in the nineteen twenty
season the twenty draft, he hadseventy points and sixty four games for Prince

(42:04):
Albert that season. He's listed asa center. We'll see where he fits
in with Milwaukee. Of course,the Admirals have had a lot of injury
issues over the last couple of weeks, most recently read Schaefer injured on Friday
night when the Admirals lost at Coloradofive to three. So Ozzie Weisblatt will
join the team. He is expectedto join the club when the Admirals land

(42:25):
in Denver and travel up to Lovelandfor a couple of games against the Eagles
here on Tuesday and Wednesday night.Again, the Admirals visit Colorado Tuesday and
Wednesday eight o'clock Central time faceoffs pregameat seven thirty watch party at Major Goolsby's.
All of that information, including informationabout next weekend against Henderson at Panther
Arena, can be found at MilwaukeeAdmirals dot com. Thanks for listening to

(42:46):
Milwaukee Admirals Center Ice