04/15/24 - Admirals Center Ice

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello, and welcome to Milwaukee AdmiralsCenter Ice with Mike wil Jehowski. I'm

(00:03):
Aaron Simms. The Milwaukee Admirals haveclinched first place in the Central Division,
the seventh division title for the teamsince joining the American League in two thousand
and one. They will be thefirst place team top seed heading into the
Calder Cup playoffs beginning right around thefirst of May. They'll take on the
winner of the three game series betweenWinnipeg and Texas. Manitoba and Texas.
Pardon me, big, big weekendfor the Admirals, taking four of six.

(00:24):
Yeah, that's sure, was itreally was. It was good.
It's great to get the Y.The X next to the name X is
great. You get excited about theX, but you're more excited about the
one. There's no doubt about that. Clinching the top spot in the division.
Did talk about that a much more, Admirals assistant coach Greg Rolo joins
us. Now, Greg, youguys did it, and you did it
on your own right, like youdidn't back into the thing. You had

(00:45):
obviously the big winning streak during thisseason, forty five wins on the year,
like this has been a really reallygood season and now you're gearing up
for the best time of the year. Absolutely, it's been kind of think
thrown at us a little bit thisyear with a new team, new players,
young guys coming in, and thenreally proud of how this team has

(01:06):
kind of geled together and it's beenfun to watch them. Okay, we
you know, we're we're talking aboutroughly at least ten days or whatever,
eleven days, have you guys alreadystarted to formulate a plan for what the
what you guys are going to beup to between the last game of the
regular season and the twentieth and potentiallythe first game of the playoffs and marked
rough Yeah, we had a similarsimilar break like this, I believe last

(01:33):
year. Carl does a really goodjob with this. He's he has a
lot of experience kind of planning andwith these breaks, well, we'll usually
kind of give the guys a coupleof days off, we'll do a team
builder of some sort, we giveyou guys a little bit of insight on
that, and then practice wise,it'll it'll be light at first, and
then we'll probably mix in some likeinn squad scrimmages or some something like that

(01:53):
to kind of mimic a game.It's really hard to ever, you know,
replicate a game speed. But we'lldo our best during practices to keep
the guys fresh and ready to go. And you'll have it, speaking of
fresh and ready to go, apretty decent number of bodies. You've had
to add some bodies here as theseason has gone on. Now some guys
are getting healthy. You'll get someguys from Atlanta in the EHL obviously the

(02:15):
guys who are here on Ato's fromcollege or the juniors. Like, there's
a lot of new phases here overthe last few weeks. Yeah, it's
American Hockey League, gets it happensevery year. It's usually these young guys
come in and kind a little bitof a breath of fresh air and a
little bit more healthy competition, Iwould say, because we tell our guys

(02:37):
every year that there's new guys coming, and there's new guys coming to try
to take your job. So we'reall teammates here, but it's been great
to watch our healthy competition within ourgroup and guys battling. The season's going
to be on that playoffs, youknow that opening day playoff roster. Yeah,
you know, Greg, but Normally, they come in, they practice
a lot, they get some experience, they get to know the city,

(02:58):
but they they're not pressed in theact like they were this year. All
of a sudden, we've got guystaking meaningful minutes late in Thai games and
big goals. Yeah, we havean incredible and we've got Campbell, We've
got up go, We've got Imean, we've got some guys playing some
really really meaningful minutes down the stretch. And it's impressive to see these young
guys play. It is and it'sa credit to them coming in and they

(03:21):
were Obviously they're going to have theirups and downs with being a pro and
over the longevity of things, consistencywill come into play to see how they
handle those types of things. Butone hundred percent they they came in guns
of lazing and off going Campbell especiallyof a kind of taking spots on in
the lineup and play. And they'replaying in big kind of roles in our

(03:42):
team, whether it be on thepower player, penalty kill, and like
you said, scored some big goalsalready for US. Big Ralow Admiral's assistant
coach joining US it's Milwaukee Admirals CenterIce. I was talking with Alex Campbell
and I said, when was thelast time you played center? And he
he first told me it's not thatbig of a deal because defensively, first
one back takes this and all ofthat. But I said, okay,
but when was the last time youtook regular face offs? He says,

(04:04):
I was probably fourteen. And it'slike, that's amazing to me because the
young I mean here against Rockford yesterday. I don't have the numbers in front
of me, but he was roughlyfifty percent. And to say that for
a guy, for anybody really,but for a guy who hasn't taken regular
draws in eight years, like that'spretty impressive, very impressive. And face

(04:27):
off to me, obviously, there'sthere there's the guys that are elite at
it, and they have their own, you know, methods or however you
want to say a goal about things. But it's a mindset and you can
go into a face off of evenif you've never taken it, and be
very aggressive and you know, forwardwith it. And I think he's done
a good job with that kind ofjust embracing this new role speaking a forward

(04:48):
with it. The goal that PhilThomasino scored on Saturday night because of the
play with you so, Parson andis that something that you so called because
there was a conversation before that drawagain and against Zach Sandford, But to
push it through Zach Sandford's legs,sidestep him and then put the pack the
puck on the tape of Phil forthe easy goal was just an incredible play.

(05:11):
Yeah, the amount of things thathave to go right for that to
work is Yes. I won't seeit again for some time, but they
definitely talked about it. You cantell that's not something we called from the
bench by any means that you cansee. I think he had two face
offs right before one where a guygot kicked out and one was a little
bit of a scrump, so maybehe thought he might be able to catch
him sleeping on it a little bit, and apparently they did. You know,

(05:33):
And you know what was funny isI think it was yesterday late in
the game there was a similar situationwhere if USA was taking the draw against
a rookie that Paul Ledwinsky for Rockfordand Ledwinsky was cheating to the inside there
like toward the goal, like youcould see that he was not going to
be beaten by that play here yesterday, like it was in their head.

(05:56):
No, for sure, you're notgoing to flow him twice, at least
you hope not. Well, youhope so, but yeah, if they
certainly don't, yeah, yeah,but I mean, my goodness, And
speaking of Phil, let's continue therebecause the weekend Phil had coming back from
an injury, and the three gameshe's played, they've been really, really
good. Absolutely, there was nodipp in his tone of water. He

(06:17):
jumped right in and he's actually jumpedright in and he's playing his best hockey.
I think I've seen him in awhile. He is very aggressive,
he was physical, he got ina fight, he scored some goals.
He's kind of doing uncharacteristic things forhim, but in the same way,
it's awesome for the team. Theteam sees what he's doing and is buying
a guy that typically doesn't you know, not typically he doesn't fight, but

(06:41):
he gets in a fight, hethrew some body checks, scored some goals.
Like I said, so for himto jump right in after an injury,
that was awesome to see one morething with him. Because you were
a forward and you had over theyears in your career, certainly you've had
guys you've clicked with almost instantly.In Colorado, when Ozzie Wisblad joined the
team, he and Phil clicked andcan you put your can you explain what

(07:06):
it is? Because when I askpeople, they're just like, Ah,
it's kismet, it's you know,it's in the stars, all of this
mystical stuff that there's. Yeah,there's no explanation, it just works.
Can you give us a scientific reasonas to why it works? Between those
two scientific I'm not sure I gotthat, but for sure I can.

(07:26):
There's similar players and in regards theywant to play the same, similar game,
and I think they compliment each otherreally well. What I mean by
that is they both skate really well, they have a lot of speed,
incredible skill with the puck, andthen playmaking ability, so they compliment each
other really well. And usually guysthat play that style game like to have

(07:46):
another guy underlying very similar So Ithink day, like you said, they've
kind of made that match with eachother. And you can see them watching
video with each other and kind ofgoing over the game with each other,
and so such a short time theyhave definitely developed a chemistry. You couldn't
have two different scenarios. Last year, you know, Nashville doesn't make the
playoffs. So you know, allof a sudden, it's Christmas time and

(08:07):
sometime in April when we get nineguys or eleven guys back from from Nashville.
Now you're gonna be getting guys andset of guys back from Nashville.
You're getting guys back from Atlanta.You've got some college kids, You've got
some youth. You know again thatyou know looking at you, you're tight
roping that fine line between you know, playing you know, all the players

(08:30):
getting to build up some chemistry,get ready for the playoffs that way,
or you got to worry about theinjury bug you have. Do you guys
know how you're gonna play this oneway or the other? With three games
coming up and then a long breakafter that, Yeah, I think that.
I mean, the big thing we'refocused on is there's a big break.
So we can't just rest guys forthe next couple of games, because

(08:50):
then that that adds to the lengthof the break and adds to the length
the guys not playing in a game, and it's important to stay in game
shape. And game, get yourbrain in a game. So, uh,
we'll manage the lineup. I knowCarl's got a plan set forth kind
of especially managing our veteran guys.But they're down the stretch. They're not
They're not going to just be sitting. We're gonna we're gonna play our lineup
and then you know, spot guysin here and there as well. Well,

(09:13):
you know the the whole rest isa weapon thing, and and there
is truth in that. But likeyou said, when does rest become rust?
Right that that vowel is is verykey. Yeah, absolutely, like
it's Devil's advocate. I guess youcan say like rest is good, but
at the same time, you don'twant to get rusty, right, absolutely.

(09:35):
Admiral's assistant coach Greg Ralo joining us. It's Milwaukee Admirals Center ice.
So as you look ahead here,you you have three games that you need
to worry about, and and worryis pay attention to I guess is that
a hard thing to do. You'veclinched first place. Mindset of the team
is probably playoff mode. But youdo have these three games against in two

(09:56):
in in two cases here Rockford,well all three actually they're all fighting for
a position for Hoole Ice in thisfirst round of the playoffs. Yeah,
we've talked about that too, evengoing into their game in Rockbourne on Sunday,
they're they're fighting for stuff, sowe have to show up. We
definitely don't want to just go outand go through the motions because at the
end of the day, these areteams we're probably going to see down the

(10:20):
stretch in the playoffs, so wewant to make sure that we're leaving a
good imprint on them and making surethey understand when they come to playoffs that
it's not going to be not aneasy task. We're a hard team to
play against, and regardless of whatthese games mean to our team, because
we're slidified and first, we're definitelygoing to continue to push forward. Have
you I've talked about this with Carl, with Fido, and I don't think

(10:41):
I've talked about it with you,But but have you guys since jan Kowski
was called up and the injuries happenat the end of the winning streak and
with Jordan Gross being gone for solong and play and Phil being out for
a little bit, and have youhad to change the identity of this team.
Would you say or is that amI going too far with it just
because of a few personnel changes.I would say small percentage of change.

(11:07):
We did simplify some of the thingsthe way, just I wouldn't say like
not big changes systematic things. Bran, we played the same way within our
structure all year, but just playinga little bit smarter with the pucket times
with our young, younger team andyounger core, just kind of teaching them
the pro game how important it isto manage the pucket, not fuel other
teams offense. And so there hasbeen a lot of meetings regarding those types

(11:31):
of things, just getting them togrow into their game, because once we
get to the playoffs, it's we'veseen it in our favor last year,
like one bounce against Manitoba and thenthe series is over. So we understand
that those things happen. So we'retrying to instill those things in our guys
right now. You know, Iwant to finish here. Before we finish
here, I want to highlight AdamWillsby. You know, with Stasney recalled,

(11:54):
del Guisa was recalled, Gravell wasout, Adam has had to be
a guy who steps up and Idon't know that he's necessarily stepped up because
I think he's been the same,really really good player since he's been here.
It's just that he's being noticed inthe absence of those other three.
But I think back like him steppinginto the Chicago Series in the playoffs a

(12:16):
couple of years ago, and whathe meant to this team playing every game
last season, Like I think alot of people, too many people sleep
on how good Adam Willsby is.Yeah, he's our dark horse, that's
for sure. He doesn't get aton of praise like those other guys do,
but his play speaks for itself andhis character. He's a guy that
is happy when his teammates have beengetting called up and then getting opportunities,

(12:39):
and he hasn't changed the way heplays or how he approaches his work at
the Ring. I got nothing butgood things to say for him, and
then his game just speaks for itself. I think it's only a matter of
time until he gets his opportunity,and I don't see him changing the way
he's playing for us anytime soon becausejust the type of person he is coach
coming out of the nineteen when hesqueak. Everybody had a tendency to play

(13:03):
a little bit more physical against usthan they had earlier in the year,
and and it almost looked like theword kind of got out that you know,
if you're physical with Milwaukee, youknow you have a chance to beat
him. I'm after some of thetrials and tribulations over the last after the
last six weeks or so, doyou think we're a better team to handle
a physical play than we were maybemaybe six weeks ago. Yeah, I

(13:26):
think our guys have gained a tonof confidence. You can just see not
only in the physical play, justguys scoring goals in front of the net.
Cal had a good tip the othernight, and guys are going into
the hard areas of the game.And then we got Ozzie throwing body the
biggest body check I've seen in thegame in a long he had two.
He had to I haven't seen ithit that big in the modern game in

(13:48):
a while. So and then notto mention, like you don't want to
keep on talking about fighting, butour guys are standing up for each other,
and it doesn't matter size or anything. They're they're they're building a bond
and that's that's pretty powerful and thatthat's the guy too. Like Ty Felliber
he scored his tenth here the othernight. He's he's forming some glue out

(14:09):
there for this team. Right there'sa guy that five ten and he's throwing
hands with it. He doesn't care. No, we talk a lot.
We talk a lot about guys aboutgrabbing opportunities and what are you going to
do about it, and how you'regoing to grab an opportunity. Some guys
do it and some guys don't.What Tie's doing right now is he's been

(14:31):
in and out of the lineup,and he knows playoffs are coming, and
he's going to make it really hardon the coaches to ever take him out
again because now he's scoring, he'shitting, he's playing physical, he's an
agitator, he's doing all those things. He's playing like a guy that doesn't
want to come out of the lineup, So good for him. I was
asked earlier today who would you rathersee Manitoba or Texas? And I don't

(14:52):
think I'm ducking out by saying they'reboth good teams that have had bad stretches
this season, but they're both teamsthat can cause a lot of issues,
and I'm gonna put the question toyou, and I don't think it's ducking
out by saying either one. Doesyou know whoever wins great, but like
it's it's gonna be a tough matchupno matter who what will be Yeah,

(15:13):
I mean you can answer this questionfor half an hour, probably the kind
of TB but we we have ourhistory there, so obviously that would be
another great series. And then youhave Texas, who you know, then
top of the top of our divisionup until right around the Christmas time when
we kind of took it over,so they're not going away. And then

(15:33):
their building also is a difficult buildingto play in, so there's a lot
of factors that come into it.But at the end of the day,
it's we're just gonna sit and watchand kind of see who we have to
play. This will be the lastone here. Carl mentioned this, and
you what you just said about thebuilding in Texas. Carl said it was
so important to get first place inbecause you get home ice for the first

(15:54):
two rounds, and he talked aboutthe importance how he thought the out in
Palm Desert last year Coachla Valley madesuch a difference specifically in those first two
games. You would have to agreewith that, right, Yeah, you
can see just the overall atmosphere ofan arena can change the momentum of a
game, and you know every shoton that is ooh ah, and then

(16:15):
you feel like they're getting a lotand when they're really not. That the
energy in the building kind of weighsdown on and especially young players. So
for us, with our young,younger team than last year, this year,
we really wanted to try to makeit a focus that we gives many
games in front of our fans aswe possibly could. Very good, Greg,
thanks so much for the time.We'll see on Wednesday. Sounds good,

(16:36):
guys, Thank you, Admiral's assistantcoach, Greg Rawalow. The Admirals
host Manitoba on Wednesday night at sevenpm. It's fan appreciation Night. Lots
of stuff going on all night long, right giveaways for all the giveaways,
we got team pictures sponsored by sazIs in the Wisconsin State Fair. Just
a great, just a great night. Fan appreciation Night. Wednesday, Saturday

(16:56):
is against Rockford at six pm andon that night fans will go home with
commemorative cups commemorating the Admirals nineteen gamewinning streak courtesy of Major Goolsby's a whole
bunch of other things. You've got. Everybody that walks in will get a
free Summer Fest ticket. This isn'ta week day ticket, this isn't a
restricted ticket. This is a oneday admission ticket to Summer Fest. That's

(17:18):
awesome, It's incredible. Yeah,that's so. That's on Saturday the twentieth,
and then the playoffs begin right aroundthe beginning of May. The Admirals
will start on the road in thelast games three, four, three and
if necessary four and if necessary fivewill be in Milwaukee May eighth, May
tenth, May twelfth. Those ticketsare are available right now, I believe,
because the announcement was made about thedates. At least the ticket packages,

(17:38):
the playoff ticket packages are available.Ticket packages are available. Plus you
know, yeah, I'm sure youwere to stop by our office and say
I'd like to buy twenty tickets forthe game on May May if nobody's going
to tell you, yeah, yeah, yeah, to get lost and probably
make something happen. Exactly right,We're going to take a break when we
come back. The Admirals Man ofthe Year third time he's had this distinction.

(18:00):
Grossnick will join us. You're listeningto Milwaukee Admiral Center Ice. Welcome
back to Milwaukee Admirals Center Ice withMichael Jahowski. I'm Aaron Simms, joined
now by Admiral's goaltender and once againthe Admiral's Man of the Year. Every
year, the American Hockey League hasits Man of the Year. Each team
selects a Man of the Year fortheir work in the community, and Troy
Grossnick has won it again for theMilwaukee Admirals. He won the league's award

(18:22):
in twenty twenty and Troy's had agreat season obviously. He joins us now.
Troy, thanks so much for thetime and congratulations on the award.
I know you're not one to tootyour own horn, but I guess I'm
going to ask you what it meansto you to earn that distinction once again
this year. Yeah, thanks forhaving me, Cindy. It's you know,

(18:42):
yeah, it's it's good. Imean, you don't get out in
the community and give back for awards, but for me personally, just knowing
how much you know, the greatMilwaukee area has given to me as a
kid growing up here, and allthe things I was afforded, all the

(19:04):
role models I had here. It'sjust it's just important for me to,
uh, to give back in somesort of way to a community that means
so much to me. I wasjust gonna say it, does it make
it that much more special? Andnot that it's not special for Klee,
Kessie and des Moines or whoever elsehas won the award, but Josiah Diddier

(19:29):
and Grand Rapids, but they're notfrom those cities. Does it make it
that much more special for you?Yeah? I think I think it does
it? It just for me.It's it's a two edge. There's just
more than more than one reason togive back to the community. You know,
I think every team in the AmericanLeague does a really good job of

(19:51):
getting out in the community. Andyou know, we most most guys that
play in the league, they wantto support the people that support them.
And for me, so I havethat. Obviously, we have great fans
and and a great community that supportsour team. But so I have that
side of it, and then Ihave the fact that that I grew up

(20:11):
this year and you know, itgave me the childhood that I had and
it's given me the the pro careerthat I've had, so just from both
angles, yeah, I think itdoes. Doesn't mean a little bit more.
You know, you better behave too, because people know your parents.
They where it'll get back. Yeah, I you know, I try to

(20:36):
keep trying to keep my shenanigans insidethe house with our kids and you know,
making sure that the only person madat me is my wife. Right,
I've been doing my best not toyou know, not to get either
one of us find here. Butyou know, from a recent game,
how how long can the opposing playerslay on top of you in the goal
crease and then knock your mask offand then referee not whistle. I just

(21:00):
want to know if there's a newrule that I haven't read or something.
No, I don't think so.I mean, I it's one of those
things. It's you know, Iprobably might have overreacted a little bit in
that situation, but at the sametime, like it's never fun to be
trying to stop a puck and somebodyelse is laying on top of you.
And I think the ref said thathe would have called it no goal,

(21:23):
and I was like, well,that's fine and dandy, but like you
can't run the goalie over either,so that rule has never changed. But
yeah, it is what it is. Battle through it and at least I
was able to get in front ofthe puck. I was going to say,
you made the stop, which wasincredible. It's incredible. Yeah,
it was. It was just abattle one like that's all I was too

(21:45):
is. I mean, it justkind of flailed and it hit me.
I love that though. I absolutelylove the flailing. It's like I grew
up. I'm I'm obviously much olderthan you are, but I grew up
when guys there was zero technique,Like there was just throwing whatever they could
to would get in front of apuck if they could, and I just

(22:07):
I don't know, I just it'sit's romantic to me. It's it's certainly
nostalgic. Like I not. I'mnot saying that you don't have technique,
because obviously you're well schooled and verytalented and have a Goaltender of the Year
award. But I got to admit, I love when it's just desperation.
It just looks so cool to me. Yeah, I don't love when it's
just desperation, right, but sometimessometimes you have to do what you have

(22:33):
to do, and uh yeah,Like honestly, like when I look at
my game, like I wish mytechnique was a little bit more refined at
times. Yeah, but also Ithink kind of that battle athleticism is kind
of what got me to the pointthat I've gotten to, and it's something
that will never you know, goaway. It's uh, you know,

(22:55):
it's just kind of intrinsic in mygame. And when I feel like I
have to press that path button,like I don't know where where my arm's
gonna go or where my leg's gonnago, but it's gonna try to get
in front of a pocket. Andthat's all there is to it. I
told, I told Wojo the saveyou had on on rempit like yesterday.
I don't know if you're old enoughto remember sport Flix trading cards, but
to me that that kicking out thatright leg and that puck bouncing away,

(23:19):
like if you could rotate that cardto make it to make the save on
that card, like that would justbe perfect for me, just be perfect.
Yeah. Yeah, that was good, And unfortunately that he got me
later in the game there on thepower play where I was swiling around again.
But it was just h Yeah,it was just one of those saves.

(23:40):
Like obviously, REM's good player,good hands, fast hands, and
kind of got that release soft quick, so it's just kind of just get
the pad on it. Hey,I wanted to ask you before the game
because Jackson Stauber is a Minnesota kid. Do you guys play against each other
in the summer in that Beauty Leagueor anything like that. Do you have
a do you have a history withhim and from Rockford? I don't think

(24:00):
I've actually ever met Jackson. Obviously, his dad has the goal crease.
I think Rob's his dad is Robis his dad? You have first goalie
to win the Hobyacker Award. Yeah, so Rob has the goal crease and
stuff like that. I've met himonce or twice, but I don't think
I've ever met Jackson. I don'tthink. I don't know if he played

(24:22):
in the Beauty League or not,but I don't think I played against him
at all. Could be rock butI don't really know him very well.
Okay, you mentioned earlier how greatour fans are. But the one thing
that doesn't get old and they theygive a great amount of applause for every
player as introductions. But when whenWhen when Matt and Moore fires up from
Brookfield, Wisconsin in goal from Brookfield, Wisconsin. There's a little extra something

(24:47):
something out of the crowd and itjust never gets old. And what does
it meant for you to play inyour hometown for as long, you know,
for a few seasons here, Yeah, it means so much. Like
I mean, I always went toAdmirals games as a kid, and there's
always a dream to play for theAdmirals, and so it means a lot,
Like I really can't put it inthe words. And you know,

(25:10):
it's it's kind of the place,like I've said before, like obviously we
all want to play in the NHL, but there's thirty two cities to do
that in. But you know,if there's a thirty third city, I
want to play pro hockey, andMilwaukee's it. You know, it's good
to be home, to be closeto family, it's good to be play
in front of you know, passionateWisconsin sports fans, and it's it's just

(25:34):
an awesome place for me and myfamily to be and and we love it.
You know. You speaking of playingin the NHL and Troy Grossnick joining
us, you had you were calledup a couple of days ago to go
serve as the backup in in Chicagowith Nashville playing. You get close,
right, like it's the goal isto play, And I thought, boy,

(25:57):
boy, that the way the scoreis put him in get a you
know, let him, let himhave Nashville on his resume as well,
right, why not? Yeah,I mean, I obviously you always want
to be called up. I don't. I mean, I think it's one
thing I I didn't want to getjust put in as like a like a

(26:17):
yeah, you know, like that'sI don't think any hockey player wants that
plus sitting there cold for you know, fifty eight minutes of game time probably
two hours fifteen minutes. You know, you're sitting on the bench, and
you know that's not it's not alwayslike the best way to have to go
into a hockey game. But Ithink it's one of those things that most

(26:41):
of I think maybe it's like,you know, at the very end of
a career or something like, Icould see something like that happening or when
it's like the I don't even knowthe rules on it, but you know,
maybe there's a uh emergency backup gamesout of hand, and you know,
the starting goalie said something, ohyeah, I have cramping off or

(27:04):
something. Put him in for thelast thirty seconds or whatever. But I
think, I think, at thisstage in my career, like it's one
of those like I don't want itto be, you know, a gimmicky
type type way to get into agame, Like I want to want it
to be a real way. Idon't want anyone to get hurt or anything
by any stretch of the imagination,but you know, you want it to

(27:27):
be feel more real than kind ofthe pity one. So every the way
everything happened was was awesome, andyou know, I think it just it
shows the class of you know,the national organization and you know, everyone
involved. Because I wasn't planning onanyone coming down. And then we had

(27:53):
a small morning skate and Benny benvander Clock, a goalie coach, asked
if my family was coming down.I said, oh, no, like
it's pretty late and kids have tobe in bed. He's like, you
got to get at least backet downhere somehow, and I was like,
okay, Like his ticket's gonna beHe's like, I'll handle the tickets.
And it's funny. I texted Maggieand I was like, well, it's

(28:15):
a seven thirty games, so he'sgonna be up really late. I was
trying to see if my folks couldbring them down because Megie obviously would have
the girls too, and girls area little bit younger, so don't want
to get done off schedule. SoMegie's going to stay here with the girls.
They're texting my parents. They hadstuff going on. But my brother
was able to bring his son who'salmost two, and Becket down to the

(28:41):
game, so we got them tickets. And then Benny and Brendan Walker and
Bruno did me one further and theylike, I was looking for my brother
and the boys on the glass duringwarm up to give them nuts or something.
They surprised me and brought them outto the bench and then oh wow,
obviously into the locker room for that. It got to come in the

(29:06):
locker room for me reading the lineup. So it was just a really cool
experience, and it's just kind ofone of those things that shows you,
you know, the class that thisorganization, top to bottom has, So
it ended up being a really specialexperience. You know, last year and
Tory Grossnik joining us last year.We talked, you know, we had
guys like Cole Schneider and a fewguys that were around in twenty twenty when

(29:30):
COVID shut down the season, andobviously the coaching staff and I asked them
if last year was kind of anunfinished business type of year making it to
the Western Conference final for you,you were a member of that nineteen twenty
team that was in first place whenthe season was shut down. This season,
for you, do you view itas an unfinished business type of season?
Yeah, for sure, Like personally, that sense is there. The

(29:53):
team is so different now though thatI think we've you know, I think
when I signed that was part ofyou know, there was unfinished business,
but that was all part of it. Now, you know, this is
a different team. It's it's adifferent group of guys who've got our own

(30:14):
It's our character is a little bitdifferent, you know, like just that
that bond that's grown. And soI think in the you know, since
the season started, like that's separateda little and this team has business to
finish too, right, Like,yes, it is a different team.
We're and we're going and and youknow, we think we can win a

(30:38):
Calder Cup, and we're focused ondoing that, and you know it will
be for this team. But youknow, it comes up once in a
while when we talk about that COVIDyear and what what it meant. Especially
I know all those guys on thatteam. They you know, even I
saw when I saw cart when Igot hauled up. Uh, and we

(31:00):
just got to talking cars like freakingCOVID man, like we had a chance
to stuff and Eric Special, AlexCarrey we're talking about right now. We're
talking Alex Carrey, not Daniel Carr. Yes, right, Alex Carrier.
So you know, it still comesup when you talk to those guys.
It's still cool to see, youknow, some of those guys still in
the organization and other guys playing inthe NHL and doing really well. And

(31:26):
but I think this team has itsown identity and his own character, and
uh, we're gonna make a pushand and we're going to go win,
try to win and call the Cup. It looks it's I can't wait for
it. It sounds so fun.Troy, thanks so much for your time.
I really appreciate it all this.Yeah, thanks guys. Admiral's goaltender
Troy Grossnick the team's Man of theYear. And uh, I had to
turn in my ballot by the way, uh it was due today for all

(31:48):
the postseason honors and stuff. Sothose should be coming out very soon,
but probably later this week that theystart handing things out. They staggered every
day we got something. It's comingout very very soon. We're gonna take
a break. Ken Saburn, formeradmiral and now working for the Washington Capitals,
and they're boy a couple of gamesleft. They're right in the thick
of it here. We talk abouta dog fight out east. They need

(32:10):
they need a little bit of help. They need some help. Yes,
you're gonna We're gonna talk with KenSabrin. Next, you're listening to Milwaukee
Admiral Center Ice. Welcome back.It's Milwaukee Admiral Center Ice with Mike wel
Jehowski. I'm Aaron Simms. Ournext guest is broadcaster for the Washington Capitals,
one of the admirals all time greats. Will Joe ask me before we
came on as somebody wearing number fiftyfive? Right now they are not.
I know this is synonymous with thisfella here exactly right. He's Ken sabrin

(32:35):
Ken, Thanks so much for thetime before before we get into what the
capitals are doing, because they arein a dog fight right now for that
final wildcard spot out east. Youplayed professionally in Salt Lake Want a Turner
Cup in Salt Lake City? I'mcurious your take on all of this stuff
going on with Arizona and Salt LakeCity. Well, I'll tell you what
I mean. I love Salt LakeCity. It was a great spot,

(32:58):
beautiful place on by mountains. Theywe had great fans support way back in
the I back then, and itwas a great place to live. So
I don't see how they could gowrong. I mean, you know,
you look at Arizona right now.In the last X amount of years,
they've been struggling. You know wherethey're going to get a building? And
how long can you play in afive thousand seat building in the NHL.

(33:22):
So to me, I think it'sgonna be if it goes down, I
think the Salt Lake City the peoplewill embrace it. They're a good sports
town and I think it'll be fine. I'm eager to see what happens because,
like you said, to hold onto Phoenix as long as they have.
Obviously, it's a market that everybodywants to be in. I think

(33:44):
everybody loves the idea of the ArizonaCoyotes, except for maybe the fans who
have to drive to the games,but everybody else, everybody else is into
it. I would agree with you. I think if they moved the building
here, they put a building whereit's more convenient for everybody. But then
it's you know, that's a lotof money and the consistency of the of

(34:06):
the of the the area. Iget why there's some hesitation, but I
think something has to be resolved soon. I mean, it's been going on
way too long, and it's just, you know, something has to happen.
Yeah, so now you know we'rewe're down. You got you guys
got two games left. We talkedaround the holidays and then before that and
your young team kind of in alittle bit of a rebuild mode, et

(34:28):
cetera, et cetera. I mean, you've got to be happy to still
be in this thing with two gamesto play. Yeah, you know,
you look at it. Uh,you know, we got, we got
We've finally integrated some young players,which we haven't done over the past probably
what fifteen years or so, andthen uh, you know, they've been
playing well and they've they battle.I mean it's they find a way to

(34:50):
get it done. A minus fortysomething in your you know, in your
in your goals for in the goalsgainst. You wouldn't think you'd be in
this position what they are, andthey just keep battling. And I think
the key part of that too is, yeah, the young guys. And
you know, Veskin has caught firethe last half of the season, but
it's been Charlie Lingren our goaltender.Yeah, without him, I don't think

(35:13):
we're even near the near this.He's been outstanding and he continues to do
it every night. When he loses, he continues to pretty much give him
a chance. So again, withouthim, we're not talking right now about
playoffs. He's the most recent posterboy I think of the whole goalies mature
at a different rate type of thing. Right, he's around thirty years old
and he's finally getting the recognition andthe playing time that you know, people

(35:37):
think a goalie needs to be twentytwo to twenty three or that's what you
have in mind, right, Aguy who's new, a guy you haven't
heard of twenty two to twenty threeyears old. Charlie Lingdren's around thirty,
and he's getting the job done.Yeah, he's been outstanding. I mean,
there's no doubt. He came inand he was the backup. I
mean Darcy Kemper, the Darcy signedthe big ticket, and he knew what

(35:58):
his job was as a backup.He did that, and then Darcy got
hurt and Charlie started playing outstanding.I mean, he's a battler, he's
a he's an athletic guy. Hedoesn't look like he's getting the job done,
but he does. He's not yourtypical you know, Vasilevsky, you
standing there, you know, he'sso big and everything. He's uh,
but he battles and the guys playin front of him too, the guys,

(36:22):
you know, they really play hardin front of him. So it's
been a good it's been a goodthing. Hopefully they can keep it up
for an a couple of games andget get the Caps in the playoffs.
But to me, it's uh,he's just a it's a great story.
And he's such a nice guy too, such a down earth guy. There
is something too playing for a goalie, right like I remember years ago and

(36:43):
the stories I hear. But atthe O four Championship here about Wade Flaherty,
you know, being such an easyguy, you want to play so
hard for him. Not that youdon't, not that you have favorites and
things like that, but there issomething to be said about a personality or
or whatever it is about a goaltenderthat you want to give a little bit
more on certain nights. Well,you know, I think there's something to

(37:07):
that. I don't know what thatis, but I do believe there's something
to that. I mean, it'syou look at it. It's not like
they don't want to play for theother goal. You're darcy. I mean,
they're playing hard too. It's justdifferent. It's just a different.
Uh. You can see when you'reup above watching the games, how the
games are going. And I thinkhe's a very fiery guy. Uh,
just to give you a quick theway he the way he is and the

(37:30):
way he treats the guy. Solast game, the last couple of minutes,
Okin lays out and blocks a shot. Well you don't see that a
whole lot, right, and itgets them, it hurts him a little.
Well, at the end of thegame or at the end of that
Charlie is so excited. Right nowyou have a game. Right at the
whistle, he comes out of hisnet and whacks him on the butt with
his stick, and I think Idon't know which one hurt him more,

(37:50):
either the shot or him hitting him. And that just shows you the energy,
you know what I mean that thatgoes a long way, that kind
of excitement. Yeah it was Ovetchkinwho doesn't block shot, but still,
you know, Charlie comes into hisnet to give him a little tap.
So, yeah, it tells youa little bit about yeah, well you
know Hershey, yeah, you know, you know, top affiliate and they
win the Caleder couple last year.There there's an incredible amount of wins.

(38:14):
This year set the set the leaguerecord for the amount of victories in the
seventy seventy two game season. Youknow, it seems like the pipeline,
there's there's nothing wrong with that pipeline, and it looks like it's going to
be, uh, you're going tobe able to restock a little bit this
upcoming this upcoming last season. Well, you look at it right now,
we're hurt, right, So Jensenwent down. Nick Jensen went down and

(38:36):
he got knocked out. He's onthe ice, so he's gone. They
called Macarraft back up. He's playingtonight. So they're a little depleted right
now on their decore. We gotJohansson here, macro I Oreo. So
but they seem to plug and play, like you said, well, I
mean they find a way to getpeople in there in that system, and
they're such a good hockey club,good goaltending, they can mix and match

(38:57):
until they have to. But there'ssome there. We got our Oreo up
here. He's been down there,he's been playing pretty good. There's guys
that are going to be you know, for the first time, like I
said, about fifteen years, theyhave some guys that are going to be
able to come in and fill positionsin the NHL which they never had for
the longest time. You know,when you look at the way things are
going ken and whether they get inor get get in or get out,

(39:21):
and a lot of things have togo right for the Capitals to get in
with with the logjam that is inthere for the eighth, seventh, and
eighth spots or eighth spots specifically,but all in all, this experience for
that team is only going to helpthem whether they're in or they're out,
because they've had to play playoff hockeyhere for the last month. You know.
I agree with the young guys you'vegot last year, like Michael,

(39:45):
all these guys, it's been greatfor them. I mean it's the grind,
not only and for the coach too, and for the coach too,
right. And the coach, Yeah, yeah, I mean he's done a
great job. He's been outstanding tome. I mean, if he doesn't
get consideration for Coach of the Year, I don't know. I mean they'll
do what he's done with it.With the group he's had here, it's
been outstanding. So but yeah,no, it's I think it's all good,

(40:07):
you know. And you have togo through that. You have to
learn before you win. And Ithink these guys they win the Calder Cup
last year, they come up andthey battle like this in the NHL and
go through it. Uh, it'sit's only gonna help them. It's only
gonna help. And I agree withyou. Whether the cops get in or
get out, they don't make it, it's a positive for all the young
guys. And there is something towinning, right, like I you know,

(40:30):
the old and Lula Morello kind oftakes shots here because for years it
seemed like Utica would win nineteen gamesor something, but they'd graduate a couple
of guys and that's what mattered.But there is something to be a winner
in the minor leagues and to translatethat into the major leagues. Yes,
I agree. It's it's the mindset. I mean, you know, you're
look at teams out there that can'tget out of their own way for the

(40:52):
last fifteen years. I mean,and then you're bringing young guys into that
atmosphere. It's just expected, ohwell, we're gonna lose. It will
be done in the mill of Apriland we'll be gone. Right. It's
hard to break that, it reallyis. But winning is hard. Winning
teaches you that, you know,it's not easy to go out through every
night and produce and to win aColder Cup, which is just as hard

(41:13):
as the Stanley Cup. You know, you go go to the rounds and
the battle and all that stuff.I mean, that goes a long way.
I mean, once you get ataste of it too, which I
think is the big thing. Youget a taste of winning, you don't
want to go back to losing.You want to continue to win. It's
a lot more fun to play thegame and do your job when things are
going well, but to try toyou know, being positive over losing,

(41:36):
you know, five to two insteadof six to two. That gets old
after one, no doubt, nodoubt. Ken, We can't thank you
for the time. Best of luck, and we hope to talk to you
soon about a playoff push here forthe Capitals. All right, guys,
good talking to you. It's great, always great to talk to Ken Sabrin,
former Admiral. We're going to takea break. We'll be back and
wrap things up in a moment.You're listening to Milwaukee Admiral Center Ice one

(41:58):
final time tonight Milwaukee Admirals Enter Ice. Thanks to Ken Sabren, Troy Grossnick,
and Greg Raalod for joining us.Two more home games in the regular
season for the Admirals before the playoffsWednesday and Saturday. Absolutely Wednesday, Saturday
Wednesday is says this team picture says. In Wisconsin State fairteam pictures and great
prizes on fan Appreciation Night and Appreciationand in Saturday, all fans will get
a nineteen game winning streak, CommemorativeCup Can courtesy of Major Gooldsby's and Summer

(42:23):
Facet tickets to all fans. That'sawesome, and all these games for the
opposition. The Admirals have first place, but the opposition is fighting, so
it's going to be it's going tobe three three hectic games here for the
Admirals down the stretch, but againthey have clinched first place the playoffs.
The home games will be May eighth, and if necessary, May tenth and
May twelfth. Visit Milwaukee Admirals dotcom for tickets and information and all of

(42:45):
that stuff. Thanks for listening tonightto Milwaukee Admirals Center Ice