Around the A Podcast - Offseason Update - July 15 2021

On our first ATA update this offseason, we break down a busy past month in the AHL that has featured seven head-coaching changes, a new affiliation, a new team name, and plenty of player signings.

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David Foot can be heard on CJBQ 800 in Belleville, the radio home of the Belleville Senators. He is also the voice of the Wellington Dukes and has OHL experience with the Belleville Bulls and the Peterborough Petes. You can find him on Twitter at @FootyOnTheAir.

Patrick Williams covers the NHL's top developmental league for NHL.com and can be heard regularly on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He has nearly a decade of experience at NHL.com, first covering the Winnipeg Jets before shifting to the AHL beat, and also has experience in the ECHL and OHL. You can find him on Twitter at @pwilliamsAHL.

Episode Transcript

(00:06):
This isn't around the A off seasonupdate with David Foote and Patrick Williams on
the Sports Podcasting Network. After afew weeks off, we are back with
our first offseason updates of the year. A boy, you take three weeks
off, pat and it seems likethe whole world kind of explodes. There
has been a pile of news comingout of the American Hockey League to spike

(00:29):
back to the season's been over forquite some time now. We have lots
of coaching swaps to talk about.We've got to the name for Adam Third's
AHL team. Some really really sadand unfortunate news out of the Cleveland and
Columbus after the death of mattis KiLennox. Just a tragic story there,

(00:50):
but a lot of good news totalk about on the show this week as
well. So it's good to beback. Good to see if al,
Yeah, good to see you.May twenty nine, the season ended in
Las Vegas, right off the stripthere the Henderson Golden or Silver Knights and
the Patriotsville Condors, And ever sincethen it's been pretty much a whirlwind of

(01:11):
just news and coaches coming in,going, players coming in and going.
Like you said, a new teamname. You know, we had a
know officially the Habitsford Club approved formembership in the league. So, um,
this really is a, if nota twelve month a year business,
very close to that, where therereally is no offseason any where, I

(01:34):
think, especially coming out of theCOVID season where so much was uh you
know, in a different timeline,a different schedules, so there's a lot
of time that needs to be madeup. Teams are scrambling. I mean
I feel like you did a pressrelease a couple of times a week from
teams staying you know, we've hiredfour or five employees this week and here's

(01:56):
the here's their names. And soif you want a job in hockey,
this is a time to do it, whether you talk about the coaches or
players or front offense people. Becauseum, it's a whirlwin right now.
Yeah, tons of turnover, asyou say, And we'll get into some
of those, uh key changes thathave been announced so far, but let's
start with the Madison Cavalnox news umshocking obviously a tragic incident where he was

(02:23):
essentially hit by a firework uh andand killed twenty four years old. Uh,
you know, a bright prospect indecrease for the Columbus Blue Jackets,
and uh, you know, Idon't know if there's a whole lot really
more that can be said other thanto underscore what a tragic and you know,
Fluke an unfortunate incident it was.But um, you know from people

(02:46):
you spoke to around the league,you know, what's the reaction been like
and what do the Columbus Blue Jacketslose in in a player like that?
Well, um, I think iswhat we all had a shock. It's
not what you what you expected.It was a Monday morning. I got
the news and you're just kind ofyour jaw drops where you're just twenty four

(03:10):
years old, a guy right onthe cusp of the NHL, and then
you hear more about the details ofhow it happened, and it's just,
like you said, a flukey typeof situation where you know, I mean,
I don't think anyone could have expectedthat kind of situation to come out.

(03:31):
And I think the Columbus Blue Jacktorslose a lot of things right now,
far beyond anything on the ice.Just he was a highly respected young
player, very hard working, funloving, That's the word I would heard
multiple times having him described, Yeah, just a young, young kid,

(03:58):
like so many players in the AmericanHawk Link early twenties, on the upswing
of his life, pursuing his ambitions, his goals. Um looking like he's
right on that line between the AmericanHockey League and really breaking through the NHL
and finally realizing those those ambitions,and then yeah, it's all comes to

(04:19):
a to a halt. So Ithink that's just this general reaction where just
you know, dumbfounded. I mean, I just pick your adjective, as
we're all, you know, comingout of the that was the July fourth
holiday in the States, and youknow, it's kind of a quieter time
in the American Hockey League and theNational Hockey League for that matter, then

(04:44):
this situation happens. So yeah,it's I'm not really sure what else to
say. Just twenty four years oldwas so young and just such a sad
story. Yeah it is. Andand the reason I don't think you know
much more that we can say,but important I think to to bring that
up at least and to mention it. And obviously you know, the thoughts

(05:05):
of us here and everyone at SPNand around the air with uh, you
know, Mattisclanics family and friends andteammates, because that is a you know,
an unthinkable thing to have to gothrough. And um boy, you
know, I hope everybody there cancan find a way to find the closure
that that they need to move forward. Uh. It's it's so tragic as

(05:27):
Mattis Cathlanics dies in uh what isa fluke accident at the age of twenty
four, and you know, weI think dedicate this show perhaps to him
and again his friends and family.Is as we look ahead to the future
now and um, there is alot to look forward to. Um around
the league. Will perhaps start withsome headlines and then we'll get to the

(05:47):
Abbotsford stuff in a little bit.Um, maybe let's begin with the Stanley
Cup champion, uh, Tampa BayLightning and so much talk right now about
the way that the Syracuse Crunch helpedto feed a second straight title for the
Lightning. We've talked about it onthis show countless times with Howard Dolgan,

(06:09):
with other members of the staff inSyracuse, and once again we are seeing
firsthand the massive difference that it makesto have, you know, such a
high quality affiliate in the American HockeyLeague eleven players in that lineup. Game
five, the Cup clinching game inTampa came through Syracuse, had Pat Maroon,

(06:35):
who actually was with Syracuse when theywere with Anaheim. You also John
Cooper, the head coach who wonthe Calder Cup in twenty twelve when the
team was in Norfolk, also spenda little bit of time in Syracuse the
following season. I mean, youlook at Julian Breesebaugh, you look at
the assistant coaches on that staff.I mean, the hl's fingerprints are all

(06:57):
over that team, and I meanit's it's when you're when you're trying to
drop a model farm system, andthis is what we want our our plan
to look like. I mean,even if you're in your wildest, best
hopes, best case scenario, youcould probably not ask for as much as

(07:18):
Tampa Bay Lightning have gotten from fromSyracuse and and before that Norfolk U.
But just in terms of obviously theplayers, for the coaching staff, the
management, you have a lot ofthe behind the scenes staff, UM executives,
I mean, and all it reallystarts with what, like you said,

(07:38):
Howard Dolgans puts together in Syracuse.UM when when you're an NHL team
and you send your players off toanother city to play in the American Hockey
League. You want them in goodhands, and they're in good hands.
And in Syracuse, everything there's runtip top professionally, and you give your
players every chance to succeed, um, I mean, and then then it's

(08:01):
on them and you create that thatthat level of competition internally that they have
in Syracuse, and they've had forso many years that uh, yeah,
you can be a first round pick, but you still have to fight for
a job there. Uh, fightfor your your place, you know on
the depth chart you have. AndI think this has been a real knack

(08:22):
the tampas shown over the years,finding these diamonds and the roughed Uh you
know, you're you're yinding gourds,your aux Barry Boulet, you're ross coltons,
guys who don't necessarily get a tonof fanfare, but have gone through
the development uh the right way andput in that time. And then they

(08:46):
never rush players in Syracuse. Theyalways let them stay a little bit even
longer than maybe they need to,um, just because they want them ready
to go so when they come up, they're they're able to step in the
lineup player role and play it well. And really it's I mean, the
investment there is you can't ask formore than what tamp On Syracuse had built.

(09:09):
And really it's just a trend acrossyou know, some of the top
teams in the league. You lookat the Washington Capitals when they won in
twenty eighteen m at fourteen Hershey Bearsalumni, Um, you know on the
roster that you're obviously Tampa. Imean just Saint Louis Blues had Jordan Bennington,
a long time AHL goalie who hadreally gone through that development curve.

(09:31):
So um, you know the AHL. Every year it's somewhere between eighty seven
and ninety percent of players in theNHL have come through American Hockey League at
one point or another. And itjust it really shows why white teams,
especially maybe this past season, we'reso uh set on having the American Hockey

(09:52):
League played despite the financial situation becausethat's how much they value player of But
that's how much that you know theyneed the HL, what the HL brings
to the NHL. So, Imean, I said this the other day
on social media that I don't thinkyou can fully understand the National Hockey League
if you don't understand the American HockeyLeague and what they do on a day

(10:16):
in the day. All basis isnot necessarily, it's not a glamorous part
of the hockey business, but it'sabsolutely necessary. And as much as we
talk about the NHL Draft and that'scoming up next week, and you know
you'll have all this fanfare of thisguy or that guy, you know,
first round pitch and this so onand so forth, that's only one half

(10:37):
of the picture. The other halfis what happens the American Hockeyleague in the
development. Uh. It's it's sure, you can go to the grocery spurned
by the ingredients, but you needto bring them home and you know how
to cook them in the kitchen.And that's where the American Hockey League is
so speaking, um, and that'swhy that's why you're seeing this massive infusion
of investment and effort, you knowon so many NHL clubs parts to really

(11:03):
balk up their American Hockey League operationbecause they see the results. Um.
You know, it's a it's asmall world in a hockey and they see
what Tampa, they see what Washington, they see what Vegas, Uh,
they see what Anaheim some of thoseother teams that have really built through the
system throughout the years. Um theywant they want the same and h you

(11:24):
know, you're just going right upand down the list of some of the
top teams in the NHL. CarolineHurricane is another example with the Charlotte Checkers.
Um you really you can't beat um, what some of these clubs have
done. And so that's why we'reseeing a team like Abbotsford, you know,
come into the American Hockey League withVancouver and um, you know it's

(11:46):
it's obviously it's a significant financial investment, but the Canockas have decided it's worth
it because, um, you reallycan if you do it right, you
can really set your NHL club ontoa pathway for success. Yeah, and
uh, Abbotsford will look to dothat for Vancouver. We'll talk a little
bit more about the new name forAbbotsford's AHL team in a few moments,

(12:09):
but let's talk about another team that'strying to to set itself up for success,
as the Seattle Cracking get set tojoin the National Hockey League this coming
season, but they'll do it withouta true AHL affiliate. Things not set
up in Palm Springs for another yearat least as they get their arena and
things built. But we do havenews on h you know how they will

(12:31):
try to start developing their prospects andthey're gonna take a page out of the
the COVID season book, I think, if you will. They're gonna split
an affiliate with the Charlotte Checkers,and um, we've got some audio from
Ron Francis in a moment just aboutto why they've chosen to partner with Charlotte.
But this is obviously a big keyfor the Seattle Cracking to be able

(12:54):
to at least put their players somewhereto start their development year. With the
NHL club getting going here this season, yeah for sure. I mean you
look at Seattle and Charlotte and youwould think, well, that's far apart,
and obviously it is, but youknow, you did it a little
bit below the surface. And Ialways look at airline schedules, and you

(13:16):
got when I looked it up lastmonth, it was three flights today in
each direction between Charlotte and Seattle.That's one of the big advantages for Charlotte.
It's a major airline hub. It'salways attracted to ten NHL clubs.
Logistically, I get your players backand forth, so sure, you know,
it's it's a little bit further,for sure than the Seattle would probably

(13:39):
like, but it's doable. Andthen the second half of that equation is
Ron Francis the general manager in Seattle, long tenure with the Carolina Hurricanes,
working very closely with the Charlotte Checkers, working with Derek Wilkinson, who heads
up to the hockey operations in Charlotte's, working with Michael Kahn, the owner

(14:00):
in Charlotte. And then obviously,and we've had Tara Black on this show
before, what the team does offthe ice, the operation they have there,
it's very attractive. So for Seattlefrom you're it's a very easy fit.
They can slot in they said,anywhere from eight to twelve players.
They'll have an assistant coach who willcome in to work with Jordi Keneer,
the head coach there, who's aFlorida Panthers employee. So um, it

(14:24):
kind of worked on all sides.Florida needed another partner, Charlotte had a
lot to offer, and the splotthem in there, and it's just an
easy fit. So um, Ithink you know for your years it's doable.
And then from there you'll go intoPalm Strange, a beautiful two hundred
and fifty million dollars building, openingit up in the fall to twenty twenty

(14:45):
two. Really, I mean,as things go, if you're the Seattle
Crack, and I think you haveto be pretty happy with how things have
unfolded with your American League, withyour development. Especially now, this first
season will mostly be players that youneed for recall, there won't be so
much prospects and draft picks, soyou can make it work this year,
and then when those younger draft pickstrees start to cycle into the system and

(15:09):
you'll have them ready to go andpulp screens in a couple of years.
Well, let's hear from the generalmanager of the Seattle Crack and Ron Francis
about the fit in Charlotte, Andgiven where Ron Francis spent the majority of
his career, you'll hear it allkind of makes sense. I think the
biggest thing for us, and welooked at this, was trying to find
a location in an organization we couldwork with. You know, we wanted

(15:33):
to try and reach an agreement wherewe could put all our players kind of
in one spot rather than put threehere and four there and spread it out.
And in conversations with Bill Zito andthe Florida Panthers, you know,
they were willing to work with uson that front, and obviously they're fit
with Charlotte, very familiar with thatownership group there in Michael Kahn and his
staff and the type of work thatthey do. So you know, really

(15:56):
appreciate Bill and Florida working with uson this and excited to be backward with
Michael as well and Charlotte. Andyeah, I think that that familiarity with
you know, what was formerly theCarolina farm System plays a big part in
that relationship working given Ron Francis' timewith the Carolina Hurricanes, and again,

(16:18):
I think they'll be able to learna lot from this past season where there
were multiple split affiliations, just asfar as how to make that work and
you know, how to make thingsbeneficial for both clubs involved. Yeah,
the split affiliations is interesting because theyhad gone out of style for a while,
like probably for a good ten yearsor so, especially as this evolution

(16:41):
toward having geographically friendly affiliations, andobviously investing a lot more into player development
across the NHL. But I thinkthis past year COVID, as with so
many things, forced people through circumstancestoo kind, every damming somethings. And
they saw that it worked. Andif you're the Florida path Ors, they

(17:03):
were with the Tampa Bay Lightning andSurgeries for a year. They saw that
in the right situation, the rightfit, the right partner, you can
make a split affiliation work. It'sprobably not something you want to do for
an extended period of time, butfor a year or so while you're trying
to get your own affairs in order. And that's what Bill Zito, who
came in their last year, he'sonly done a year and in that post

(17:29):
now he can start to put hisown, uh, you know, fingerprints
on that franchise and it will eventuallybuild what he wants. But as you
start to restock that system in Florida, this is a good fit. So,
and I've heard a lot of differentgeneral managers and coaches say that.
You know, there are definitely somedisadvantages to split affiliation, but one thing

(17:52):
you do gain is you get towork closely with another NHL team. See
what they're doing, see what worksfor them, maybe what does work for
them, Uh, and you kindof have a little bit of a collaborative
effort. So um. So obviouslythere's there's some pluses and minuses, but
you know, for a short termfit, um, you can work.
It's almost kind of like you know, a short term relationship. But uh,

(18:17):
if it's everybody, you know interms of what they need, uh,
where their current team is at,you know, given point in time.
Yeah, and like we said onthe show again in the past,
it's just nice to see that kindof cooperation between all of the teams.
It's it really is for you know, the betterment of the league as a
whole, to make sure that playersare developing. And again, for Ron

(18:41):
Francis, the more you look intoit, the more it seems kind of
like a no brainer that that wasgoing to be uh the team that he
would affiliate, uh the NHL clubwith. So again, the Charlotte Checkers
will split an affiliation with the SeattleCracking and the Florida Panthers their new affiliate
here this season, as they returnedto the arcan Hockey League after a year
off due to the COVID nineteen pandemic. Last note in our opening segment here

(19:06):
this week is out of Toronto,where the Marleyes have hired Ryan Hardy as
their general manager. Again. Theydip back into the United States Hockey League
pool and pull up a fairly youngexecutive. He's only thirty five years old.
What does this move mean for theToronto Marley's pat Well, the Marlies
have shown a real liking for whatthe Chicago Steel the USHL are doing.

(19:30):
A really really successful team. Theywon the Cup in that league this past
two seasons. Really, I shouldI should say they were regular season champions
the past two seasons. They wonthe Cup, the Clark Cup this past
season. And Great Moore, thecurrent Marley's head coach, had been with

(19:51):
the Chicago Steel before coming to theToronto And now you're bating Brian Hardy.
So you got to some people whoare familiar with each other for one,
and then two people that have comefrom winning backgrounds and Marley's have had a
little bit of a thin uh situationon the ice the past year or so
hasn't been great in terms of winsand losses. But now they're getting kind

(20:15):
of think re established with what theyhave and Lawrence Gilman is gonna go up.
He's gonna be a you know,senior body spreading the Marley's handle,
so the business operations as well,So a little bit more help for everybody.
I know that Lawrence had a loton his plate the past couple of
years. Um so, um,yeah, it's a good fit. Thirty

(20:37):
five years old, young, cuttingedge kind of executive probably, I would
say, somebody on the fairly fasttrack to the NHL eventually, especially if
all goes well in Toronto with theMarley's here and so it's, uh,
it's a pretty good fit I thinkall around. It's something where you know,
I think they're looking to retool thingsa little bit with the Marley's.

(20:59):
They had that success, that runa success for so many years. And
you know, just as if witheverything in the American Hockey League you run
in cycles and starts to graduate playersthat it can definitely have an effect on
your roster, and it has alittle bit in Toronto. But I think
this is the first step toward gettingthe Marley's back to where they were a
couple of years ago and really atthe top of the league and one of

(21:22):
the premier clubs. Year and inyear out, So it's a good hire.
I think it'll be interesting to seehow it goes. But I mean
that that's obviously one of the toptop posts anywhere in the hockey business if
you're an executive Marley's. I mean, people in the business they know,
they see Kyle Dubis, they seewhere he started. He came through the

(21:44):
Marley's and pathway to the NHL,pathway to NHL general manager's jobs. So
obviously that's a very attractive position forfor anybody, especially somebody coming up for
the USHL and looking to make theirmark in the pro game. Yeah,
Marley's, as you mentioned, ifyou look at that cycle, they're kind
of on their way up after abit of a dip following their Caulder Cup

(22:06):
victory a few years back. Andchange in the front office is always a
nice way to try to spark somethingnew and different. So we'll see how
that pans out for the Marley's whenwe get rolling here in October. All
right, that'll wrap up our headlinesegment for this week. Our feature segment
will be on the Abbotsford. I'mgonna make you wait for it because we

(22:26):
will tell you after this short breatherthe name of Abbotsford's HL team. We'll
talk a little bit about the impactthat a couple of Vancouver legends could have
on that franchise, and we'll hearfrom the general manager of the AHL affiliates,
Ryan Johnson, as well. Sostay with us here on this hot
season update on around the eight allthe sports podcasting network interact with us on

(22:55):
social media, give us our thoughtsusing the hashtag around the A and follow
us around the apop. Continuing onat this off season update on around the
A game. To put the PatrickWilliams here. You're just tuning in for
the first time to the program,we'll just remind you a little bit about
ourselves. Pat covers the NHL's topdevelopmental league for NHL dot Com. You

(23:21):
can hear him regularly on Sirius XM, NHL Network Radio nearly a decade of
experience with NHL dot Com. Coveredthe Winnipeg Jets for a bit before moving
to the AHL, and you canfind him on Twitter at Pee Williams AHL.
My coverage is a little bit moreBelvil centric outside of this program,

(23:41):
covering the Belvill Senators for the pastfour seasons now and you can find me
on Twitter at Footy on the AirAnd yeah, I mean, we're in
the middle of the off season now, but we're trying to keep everybody up
to date on what's happening. Andas you heard in our first segment,
Pat, there's a lot going on. We've got a lot more to talk
about coming up in our third period, if you will, this week,

(24:03):
coaching changes and player movement. Butare you know big feature this week and
the big news is the announcement ofthe name and brand and jerseys for the
Vancouver Canucks new AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, and a little bit of you know,

(24:23):
I don't want to say a letdown, but some folks, you know,
not too pleased with the name thatwas announced this week. They will
be the Abbotsford Canucks. They willwear the same colors, albeit to instead
of blue being the primary seems likegreen will be their primary color. And
instead of using Vancouver's Orca se logo, they're going to use the Johnny Canuck

(24:45):
logo, which I am an absolutelyhuge fan of. So, uh,
it is the Abbotsford Canucks. We'regonna hear from general manager Ryan Johnson in
in a few moments just about youknow the travel and and how Abbotsford will
will mix into this specific division.But um, what do you think about
the name. It seems to bea little bit of a trend at least

(25:07):
with teams lately kind of leaning onthe NHL parent club name to try to
strengthen the brand. I think overall, well, I think you're exactly right.
It's it's a chance to tap intothat NHL name, that NHL marketing
and kind of build a cohesive Ubrand from the NHL level on down.
So you're seeing more of that.You're even seeing a little bit of that

(25:33):
trickle down to the ec HL wherefor example, Twave Revere coming in,
they have they have a logo thatdefinitely taps into some of the history of
both the local market but also thethe link to the Halves, the link
to the Levour Rocket and everything thatmeans, and then kind of really bringing
that that whole Um. I guessNHL Team's DNA down to the the teams

(26:00):
below them. So UM, Iknow some people, uh kind of get
their back up about using the NHLclub's name. I like it personally,
uh. And then I especially likethat they tapped into elements of the Vancouver
brand and the overall look, andI gave it its own little twist.

(26:23):
I don't know how much you've seenthe jerseys yet, but if you notice
on the sleeves they flipped the Vmade into an A. I thought that
was pretty clever. M I likeusing their green. It's nice to see
a little bit of a variety interms of color. Um kind of joining
the text of Stars as the othergreen team in this league, and you

(26:44):
know, rather having another team inblue. It's I think a little bit
of nice variety. But um,it makes sense. I mean, the
Vancouver Connects name goes a long wayin that region. Um. So,
um, you're trying to get thatthat team's name out to the general public,
maybe to the casual fan doesn't quitemaybe pay attention to lead on a

(27:11):
regular basis, and isn't maybe evenall that clear and what the connection is
to Vancouver now it's very clear connection. So UM, I get what they're
doing. And I liked that theydid go to Johnny Cannucks logo secondary logo.
I think it gives its own littletwists, So I think it's good.
I don't know, but you're aresident jersey fashion expert. Around these

(27:32):
parts, so I'm interested to hearwhat you have to say. Yeah,
what do you think? Well,I love the jerseys, first of all,
and I do like that they've,like you said, kind of put
their own twist on the on theCanucks brand despite keeping the same name.
Um. And you know, likea lot of other people, and especially
you know, when Belleville announced itsname four years ago, I was a

(27:53):
little underwhelmed. You know, Ido enjoy uh something unique. Um.
I think minor leagues sports can beone of those areas where you can go
way off the map and be alittle bit fun and crazy and uh.
And you know, for that reason, it is a little bit underwhelming.
But again, the more that wesee teams kind of take the same path,

(28:14):
the more you talk to executives aroundthe league. Our interview with the
Bridgeport a few weeks ago about youknow, dropping the long time sound Tiger's
name for the Islanders name, ita lot of it does make sense,
and I think it makes you moresense in a market like Abbotsford than even
perhaps in Belville, where everybody inAbbotsford is a Canucks fan. Human Belville,

(28:37):
there there's a three way split whichwe've talked about before, but um,
yeah, the Canucks will join hBelville Senators, Wilkesburys, Grant and
Penguins, the New Bridgeport Islanders,the Providence Bruins, the Iowa Wild and
the Texas Stars as teams that havethe same name as their parent club.
And yeah, some might write itoff as as lazy or unoriginal, but
from a marketing standpoint, it makessense. And from the you know,

(29:00):
the organizational standpoint, I mean thethe approval was only made to move the
team back in May. We're threemonths, just about on the nose out
from the start of the new season, and there's only so much time to
come up with a new brand.And I think it's almost better to do
something like this, use something established, use something that people like, rather

(29:22):
than have to spend the time comingup with prototypes and and you know,
running through I don't know, canfan input to see what people like.
There's just no time for it rightnow. So I think it makes a
whole lot of sense. And I'mexcited to see what those uniforms look like
on the ice, and I thinkit's gonna be a nice fit for the

(29:44):
fans in Abbotsford, and of coursefor Vancouver to have their team out close
to home, and the Canucks atthe AHL level are going to have some
help here pat from a couple ofCanucks legends at the NHL level, as
the Sadeine twins are going to begiven essentially an executive role, a hockey

(30:06):
operations role, and you know,as they perhaps try to make the climb
to the NHL ranks, they'll getto cut their teeth a little bit in
the American Hockey League. Yeah,that's a big get for the Vancouver Canucks.
Um. Sadean's they retired a coupleof years ago, and um,
you know, in their press conference, they they they mentioned that they needed

(30:26):
some downtime. They needed that aftereighteen years in the NHL, you need
a couple of years off both toh you know, obviously spend time as
to your family, but also Ithink to decompress a little bit and trying
to figure out your next step inlife. And um, apparently they found
it and apparently it involves working withthe American Hockey League. So I think
it's it's it's a real, real, big I think check and in favor

(30:49):
of what the American Hockey is doingto have two players and obviously people that
caliber coming in and they're gonna workpretty closely with the players in the Habbitsford.
Um it provide help for the frontoffice, provide another, um,
you know, real level of credibility. I think, you know, if

(31:10):
you're a young prospect and Daniel orHendrik Sadine come and sit down with you
and tell you here's what I thinkyou need to do to get to the
NHL, I think you're going tolisten, at least if you're if you're
start, you are. And um, having that is just I think a
great resource for for young Vancouver prospectsto tap into. And I mean,
how can you not learn something fromthose two. I mean, you know,

(31:32):
considering everything they accomplished in their careersand where they've been and what they've
done. I mean, um,any any young player I think is going
to be a sponge trying to soakup knowledge and um get as much as
they can from from working with thosetwo. So yeah, yeah, Vancouver
is really um they really tried tooverhaul their their their entire American hockeyleague operation

(31:56):
the last couple of months, andthey're really stressed in that connection between habbits
heard in Vancouver. I think theywant to really drive that point home to
fans and people really all across LowerMainland BC. That's you know, this
is our team, abbots, forour team. They're going to work very
closely together and try to get theCanuts back up to where they once were

(32:21):
because the last number of years havebeen tough for that team at the NHL
level. And as we said beforeearlier in the show with Tampa, everything
really starts with your American Hockey Leagueteam and what they can build there.
Eventually that's what moves its way upto the NHL. If you have a
week or maybe not even a week, but if you just if you don't
have things every firing on all cylindersat the American Hockey leagu level, just

(32:43):
makes it really difficult to eventually buildwall term success at the NHL. And
I think that's what Vancouver's trying todo here. The inaugural season jerseys are
on sale already one hundred and fortybucks Canadian and there's a real good description
from the Canucks about, you know, why they chose the colors they did,
why they chose the design they did. Uh, they've justified all the

(33:06):
decisions that are being criticized and it'san exciting time I think for uh,
for not just fans in in theLower mainland of BC, like you said
before, the entire American Hockey League. You know, we get another Canadian
NHL club having its affiliate north ofthe border. Another Canadian team in this
league, which if the trend continueswith Manitobah coming to Ontario to to play

(33:30):
the Marley's and the Senators and thenon to Quebec to play the Rocket,
Uh, maybe we'll get a littlebit more East West matchups just because of
the Canadian connection. So it's it'ssuper exciting. And you know, with
everything that has changed for you know, the Utica Comets too now Abbotsford Canucks,
one thing is going to stay thesame at least, and that's Ryan

(33:50):
Johnson will remain as the general manager. It makes absolute sense that the guy
who has been guiding the team,uh for the last little while it is
going to stay at the helm.And you had a chance to listen to
his media availability on Wednesday afternoon justfollowing the announcement of the team name,
and uh, you know what didhe have to say as far as you
know, trying to to build thisnew brand, this new team in a

(34:15):
new city, with what he's alreadyhad and found to be successful in Utica.
Well, just that for one,it's just been a heckics past couple
of months where you're trying to moveyour operation. They owned the team in
Unica, essentially was managed by Robertesh in Utica, but the Conducts owned
the actual franchise. They moved itto Abbotsford. So you're moving an entire

(34:37):
operation really across the three time zones. You're doing the middle of the COVID
pandemic and everything that's, you know, the fallout from that, and as
life and society start to kind ofcome back to normal a little bit.
You're trying to do that. You'retrying to build your brand, build your

(34:58):
marketing efforts, and you're doing itat a time when, let's be honest,
the Vancouver Canucks reputation is down alittle bit among the fan base.
They're they're a little bit restless thereafter some difficult seasons. So you're trying
to do that amid maybe not themost receptive fan base at the moment.
So it's a busy time. Obviously, you've got to hire a lot of

(35:22):
front office people, you got,launched the team, you got, even
the things that people don't even necessarilythink about, like a tea website and
social media and everything like that.I mean, just all those little details
really start to add up. Andso Ryan Johnson's had a lot has played
handling the hockey side of things,and then obviously Vancouver is involved in marketing

(35:45):
the business side. So there's alot to do. Like you said,
we're only three months out almost onthe dot from there a start of the
regular season training camps about two monthsout, so the clock moves fast in
the off season, and they've stilla lot of work to do in terms
of through supplement, a lot ofthe roster uh so, um schedules are

(36:08):
coming out. There's have to getthe word out there to sell tickets.
Uh you really, you look atthe lead up for an NHL team,
it's usually a couple of years um, and for a furnitspansion team, well
in the American Hocuy League, it'smore like a few months to get everything
up and running. So busy,busy times both for Ryan Johnson and the

(36:29):
rest of the Vancouver Slash abbots formanagement team and a lot of questions around
you know travel, Um, youknow, Abbotspurt is close to Vancouver,
but it is kind of up andout of the way compared to some other
clubs. And that was just oneof the questions that Ryan Johnson fielded during

(36:49):
his media availability on Wednesday. Obviously, there's there's going to be more travel
involved. We've you know, we'vehad years in Uncover we had you know,
anywhere from a doz into fifteen hotelnights the entire season. But within
that, with the proximity, youdo end up with a lot of three
and three sor three games in twoand a half days, traveling three four

(37:12):
hours throughout the night. So Ithink we're going to have more overall travel.
I think we will have less ofa grid schedule wise, eight less
games, and people understand how muchthat can affect the schedule from seventy six
to sixty eight. So I thinkas they're obviously our proximity toward Division are
we're spending more time on air playinga travel first look at the schedule and

(37:34):
what it could look like as notas daunting as I may as I thought
it may be. And so there'sdifferences. I don't think one is necessarily
better than the other. But I'mexcited about like I said, that the
lesser amount of games makes such abig, big difference. So when you're

(37:55):
pacing together a schedule, I don'tthink we will lose as much practice time
as I anticipated, which for meas important as anything in American Hockey League.
And that was the one thing about, like you said, finding the
East is you spend a lot oftime back in your own bed, which
allows you to have quality practices.And that's very important to me because I'm
all about our resources, what we'reable to do throughout a long week of

(38:20):
practice without our resources, with ourskating and skills coaches. So I'm encouraged.
And there's going to be more travelbut less games, and who certainly
will make it work. And theredoesn't seem to be much concerned pat about
to travel. You had a tweeton Wednesday afternoon, you know, talking
about how if it comes to youknow, doing the California trip, you

(38:40):
fly into one spot and then allof those cities are close enough that you
bust all over the place. It'swhat a lot of teams are doing when
they are coming up to Canada thesedays to do the for a one corridor
if you will, Toronto, Bellevilleand and Laval. And obviously if they
didn't think it would work, theywouldn't have moved the team there in the
first place. That's kind of mythought. Yeah, So say you're your

(39:04):
Avotsford. You have a road tripcoming up. Maybe it's a seven to
ten day road trip. You're goingdown to southern California. You're flying too
Los Angeles direct, um where youcan fly in maybe down to Orange County.
UM. So you have different options. And then the other point is
the fan made to me Bellingham,Washington's right over to the border the other
side from Abbotsford. From there youcan connect to a lot of places direct.

(39:28):
So you come down, you flyinto La You then bult Silver to
Ontario Paints feel it's not too farfrom there. From there you can shoot
down to San Diego. Palm springsare coming in next year. UM,
so you can make a nice littlethree or fourteen swing knock off a bunch
of games. The same thing ifyou go down to Henderson, you can

(39:52):
knock off a couple of games downthere. Then from there you could even
fly work bus down to the Tucson, Colorado. You can fly into Denver.
Uh, it's an hour or soaway from from Denver. So,
um, it's it's I think it'soverblown, and I think Ryan Johnson made
it made a really important point that, Um, the biggest thing for them

(40:13):
is that you get rid of thethree threes, which are a real staple
in the Eastern Conference. Uh.And more and more teams are really trying
to shy away from that. Theydo not like that. Um, you
know, it's it's just tough onyour players. It's it's tough to get
adage on on where they're at interms of their their development because you're trying
to see a player play three gamesin forty five hours. It's just not

(40:35):
conduced to proper development. So,um, they're they're happy on that end.
So you know, whatever you mightadd, and you know, on
the map it looks like there area lot farther away from everybody, but
really it's a couple of hours downon a flight, a direct flight most
cases, and then you know,you spend your seven to ten days on
the road and then you come home. You also, at the flip side

(40:57):
of that is then you have anice homestand I saw that quite a bit
with the Manitoba Moose where. Yeah, sure you're on the road for a
week or two, but then youcome home and you're you're at home for
a good solid you know, twomaybe three weeks at times. So it's
not bad. And it really plentyof other teams make it work. Colorado
makes it work, Texas, Charlotte, Manitoba. Like I said, so,

(41:21):
I think that that concerns overflown.The league map is a lot better
than it was the first time aroundin Amsford when they were in a division
at one point was Charlotte, OklahomaCity, Texas, San Antonio, all
places that you couldn't get a directflight too. So it's a lot better
now And I don't see that beingan issue really whatsoever. Yeah, it

(41:45):
shouldn't be. And if you lookat the NHL travel schedules, and I
know the NHL team's charter and andthere's obviously a lot of perks to being
in the in the NHL compared tothe AHLU. This is just something that
players are going to have to getused to because the schedule is pretty grueling
in the NHL level. At theNHL level, you know, regardless of

(42:05):
being on a nicer plane with lesspeople whatever, So it's it's just another
thing I think that AHL players willhave to learn, you know, as
as they try to make that nextstep. Well yeah, and if you're
going to play for the Vancouver Canuckseventually, which is the whole point of
this this exercise, then you betterget used along road trips. The Vancouver
Canucks have a really similar setup.They go away for ten fourteen days at

(42:27):
a clip. So, like yousaid, it's charter, but you're still
on the road for a while.So um. I think the biggest thing
for Vancouver though, is just havingthe logistical advantage. You're sending your players
an hour down the road to Abbotsford. You can have them back and forth
for more need skate, no problemas opposed to you know, when the
team was in Unica, you're puttingthe players on a flight you probably have

(42:51):
at least two connections. It's agood twelve hour day at best. I
mean at best, and I thinkeven then it's that that's probably a best
piece scenario. So I sure youhave a little bit easier travel, you
know, for the team itself,but for player movement it was difficult.

(43:13):
I think, especially this season wesaw where they actually had to scanner some
players with Manitoba and Lavaw because ofthe border situation. So just having everything
streamlined, everything on one side ofthe border, and then even better having
in an hour or so down theroad, and I think just lends itself
just a lot better to gistical advantages. So you can see why the Vancouver

(43:34):
can spade this move. Yeah,the the you know, burden I suppose
of team travel is significantly outweighed byhow much easier it's going to be to
just deal with the prospects and inhaving them close by. So it certainly
does make a lot of sense.Before we move on to our final segment,
what's next for the Abbotsford Canucks.They've got the jersey out, we

(43:58):
know who the GM is and andwhat players are sticking around from Utica.
But now they've got to kind offill out their roster and maybe more well
I'm not more importantly, but alsoas important. Perhaps he's at the front
office. They've got some hires tomake there too. Yeah, you've got
hires in the front office. Yougot the tickets, so obviously I think
that's a big thing they're trying toI think I don't say undoe, but

(44:21):
and they do have to sort ofthe first time the HL was there with
the Abbotsford Heat, it wasn't verysuccessful, So they have to kind of,
I think, change some people's mindsa little bit, reintroduced both the
team and the product to that market. And there are a lot of neighboring
little smaller cities near Abbots Heard,so I'm trying to really solidify that that

(44:45):
that core fan base, make itwork from a business standpoint, and then
worked two weeks from free agency,and there's a number of spots that have
to be filled on that roster.If you look at you know, you
go down through the the depth chartfor the Vancouver Canucks really especially at the
HL level, and there's a fairamount of work to do. I mean,

(45:06):
I think that's the case for mostteams, and it's gonna be important
to make a good first impression.I think the last thing you want to
do if you're the Vancouver Canucks iscoming this year your first year and not
have a solid team. You reallywant to have a good competitive team.
Make a good at first impression onthose fans, show what show what you're

(45:27):
all about and what you have tooffer. Built in terms of player development,
but also winning. Remember fans,fans care about winning, but they
also care about let's be honest,they also care what it means for you
know, winning and not just aplayer development, but having a good competitive
product of the ice means that youknow, your fans come out, they

(45:49):
buy tickets, and they show upat the rank you want to. You
want to have a team they canbe proud of a team that's competitive.
Yeah, you need that entertainment value. Still, yeah, entertainment right,
I mean that that's the name ofthe team. I mean player development is
is all fine and well from ahockey standpoint, from an NHL standpoint,
but at the local level, it'slike anywhere else, you got to win.

(46:10):
And you know, if you lookat the teams that have struggled attendance
wise in the last number of years, more often than not they struggle to
win. And on the flip sideof that, you will get some of
the most successful teams in the league. San Diego, Hershe, Toronto,
Laval all really solid at the boxoffice. And let's be honest, I

(46:34):
mean we're coming off a pandemic.Your teams need to sell tickets, they
need to sell jerseys, they needto sell concessions. So you know,
part of parcel of that is ishaving a really competitive team on the ice.
So that's what Ryan Johnson's task isnow, and then you know,
starting in two weeks is really fillingout that roster, putting together a team
that m Abbotsford fans can call theirown and can be proud of and can

(47:00):
enjoy shown up to you know,thirty four nights a year in the regular
season and then whatever they do inthe playoffs. So it's like anywhere else
any other level this lead or ofthe hockey business. Winning matters both in
terms of what it means for development, but also what it means in terms
of the fan experience. Yeah,lots still to do for the Abbotsford Canucks.

(47:22):
So we'll keep you posted on anymore changes that come from out West
as they evolved into you know,the new affiliate for the Vancouver Canucks ahead
of this upcoming season. We'll takeone more breather when we come back.
The coaching carousel is on overdrive rightnow. It is making me dizzy.
I've been some player movement as well. I will highlight some of those moves

(47:44):
here as we continue on this firstoffseason update. Of the twenty twenty one
into twenty two season here on Aroundthe End. Interact with us on social
media, give us your thoughts usingthe hashtag around the A and follow us
at Around the A Fox into ourfinal segment on this offseason update on Around

(48:15):
the A due Patrick Williams still herewith you. So much to unpack,
will sweet Pat. And it's onlygetting deeper here as we get into a
pile of coaching changes and some playermoves as well. And it's not just
uh, you know, your randomlet's say, coach firings and hirings.

(48:36):
It's it's some very high profile coachesin this league either taking the next step
in their career or moving on tonew opportunities after you know things I won't
say didn't work out, but youknow, the goals that perhaps were in
reach weren't there so much anymore.For example, Joel Bouchard leaving the Laval

(48:58):
Rocket for the same and Diego Gals. I think a lot of people might
look at that move and say,well, why would he leave. He
had an excellent team in Laval thisseason. He's obviously a good fit for
the market in Laval Montreal. Butwith the Canadians hiring Dominic Ducharme or extending
him anyway, Clearly that window forBouchard to become the head coach in Montreal

(49:22):
has closed, and he's off tothe West Coast to perhaps get a new
opportunity there. Yeah, that onewas I think that surprised everybody, not
the least of which was Joel Bouchard. He officially became a free agent,
so to speak, on July one, and all indications are you spoke speaking

(49:42):
with Anna im GM Bob Murray thatthey came for him hard, they wanted
him badly, and he he washighly sought after coach. With what he
did in Laval the past three seasons, building that farm, since them up,
getting those players Rady to play himMontreal and make a difference. Everybody
around the hockey world took notice.And I think if you're Bouchard, the

(50:07):
movements a lot of sense. Nowyou're going to Anaheim with their team.
For now you'll be in San Diego, but you look at the Ducks to
Dallas, Akans. How safe ishe in that job. I don't know.
I would say probably not all thatsafe. So if you're a Bouchard,

(50:29):
I mean, let's be honest,I would think, I don't I
don't speak on his behalf, butbe in the back of your head,
I would say. And he's ofcourse never going to say that publicly,
but um, it's it's certainly athere's a potential pathway to the NHL.
In the meantime, You're going toSan Diego, a team that's always competitive,
a team that always has a goodveteran base, really good young proper

(50:53):
prospects have come through there recently,and it's it's a great city. It's
a great market to be in.They filled the building every night. There's
a lot to like. If you'reJooel Bouchard, you're leaving a great set
up in about no question. Butyou're also getting a really nice return going
to San Diego. And it's likeanything else that's nice to be wanted.

(51:15):
And I'm sure Bouchard and you haveAnnaheim management coming at you that hard and
really making a push for you.And I said this, uh social media,
that's the impression I got, youknow, listening to two separate Bouchard
press conferences, um participating in them. That the sense I got was that

(51:39):
Anaheim was being interviewed by him asmuch as he was being interviewed by Anaheim
that he was certainly, I thinkin the driver's seat in terms of um
being sought after and and I mean, we're a great spot to be if
you're if you're an American hockey coach, where you can being demand. And

(52:00):
I think here's the biggest sign howmuch Anaheim wanted is that they moved on
from Kevin Deneen, a guy whoplayed almost twenty years in the NHL,
has been a head coach in theNHL as a coach in the year in
the American Hockey League, did areally good, good job in San Diego
past two years. And yet KevinDenin's out, Joe Joe bu Shard's in.

(52:24):
That's I think when you're willing tomove on from Kevin Deneen, somebody
with his accomplishments and his resume,UM, if you're Joel B. Schard,
I think that speaks volumes how muchthey want you. So it's probably
the top story in the American HockeyLeague in terms of early player movement slash

(52:46):
coach movement this year and Joe Shardscreaming instin to see him dealing with that
San Diego group a lot of veteransthere, a lot of guys different stages
of their career. Um, andwe'll see what he can do there because
his big shoes to fill with KevinDeni leaving. Um and um, we'll

(53:07):
see how long he actually isn't sayingI think that for me is the biggest
question. Um is he there fora year? Is he there for two
months? See there? You know, long term? I don't know,
but um, it's a really goodfit for him. It's certainly it's an
interesting move. But when you reallystart to uh did below the surface,

(53:29):
you can see why it was anappealing move, not only for the Anaheim
Dutch but for Joel Bouchard himself.And you mentioned those multiple media availabilities,
and we've got some sound from JoelBouchard first on the new job in general
and leaving what he had in inLaval, which again was really extremely successful

(53:50):
for him in the past couple ofseasons. You know, to be a
coach, it's always a challenge,you always uh, you know, it's
on you like I always doubted it. You know, everybody it's on me.
So obviously working with a young groupand obviously I know a little bit
of the player in your organization isalways to make sure that they can become
the best NHL player that they canbe, and it's to absorb them,

(54:14):
to let them play, to seewhich kind of connection we can build,
and then maximize the group that youhave the reality of the HL. It's
a tough big to coach, asyou know, but try to organize the
organization down there, you know,in a way that young guy can develop
and then the guys that needs tobe called up are ready to go.
So the challenge is the same asthe rocket. I like the recipe we

(54:37):
had the rocket. I'm not gonnalie to you. It was this year,
Like I said, a lot oftime. You know, everything was
kind of set, and guys weregood, and we knew exactly our market,
and we knew our trigger point asa group, and we worked well
together. And that's what I'm lookingto do again. You know, I
really believe in the chemistry and partnershipwith the players. It's very important.

(55:00):
I know what it is to bean a JUMP player. I know what
it is to be an HL playerthat wants to go, and I respect
that hockey player la and what theyhave to go through that being said,
I got to coach step through it, and you know I got I gotta
be able to build that and topush on the right button and make sure
that you know, d NHL's getthe best player to the Canada. And

(55:22):
it really is quite the change forJoel Bouchard. He's going to leave some
big rivalries behind Toronto Montreal or TorontoLaballe or whatever you want to call it.
But you got some thoughts as wellfrom him on joining the rivalries in
the Pacific Division, which are reallyheating up, especially after the playoffs that
they had this past season in thepandemic shortened campaign, and due to the

(55:45):
proximity as well of all those teams, how close they are together. It
really is a different almost a differentleague out there. Yeah, I would
stay. San Diego's rivalry with Ontarioin the last five years has been the
best one year and a year outin the American Hockey League. There's some
other good rivalries, there's no question, but every year those teams just seem
to go at it budheads. Imean, especially this year they played each

(56:09):
other so much with the way theschedule was. You have John Robloski,
a good young head coach, himselfin Ontario. Both the Ducks and the
King's real deep deep contingent of prospectson their respect of age on clubs,
so each team has a fair sharegood veterans. So, um, it'd

(56:31):
be interesting to see what jud BoShark can add to that rivalry that's already
pretty heated. Um and uh yeah, it's uh, it's quite the Uh,
it's quite the division. I mean, I think from iam on a
year in year routes is that divisionalways seems to have most intensity, most

(56:51):
kind of veteran leading clubs. Andthis year we talked about this different points
that division really was the closest thingto a typical HL division In a season
where a lot of other teams lookvery different. You had teams like Badersfield
and Henderson and Daniego, but thatlooked very much like you're a standard American

(57:14):
hockey team, not a COVID seasonHarney team. So um yeah, Boucher
coming in that's kind of certainly shapedthings up and we'll see how it goes.
I Like I said earlier, thebiggest question for me is how long
is he actually there. I won'tbe surprised if a month or two in
the season, you see him inAnaheim and somebody else stepping behind the bench

(57:36):
in San Diego. Well, andlike you said, he's not going to
say that publicly, even if that'sin the back of his mind, but
he did give us some thoughts onjoining the Pacific Division, and and you
know what it's going to be likebeing a part of the West Coast rivalries.
If you always said, even duringCOVID, there's a lot of question
about who we're going to play,and especially in the American League, I

(57:57):
said, board and an opponent,let's hurt job. And I've said it
before, I said, whoever iscoming at us. If we have to
play Belleville last year thirty three times, we can get our player on the
ice, we'll be happy because lastyear was challenging for everybody. And I
think right now we're looking ahead tocoming back to reality. But you know,
when you're a competitor, and whenI really like to be with the

(58:20):
player, I mean I'm not sufferingto be on the ice and the bus
and spend time with them and tolearn and with the video and with the
coaching staff. I think you createan environment then and all of a sudden,
you know, rivalry appen, andthat's what we're all about. And
I'm excited to play a new division, but more excited to learn about our
player. I don't focus too muchon the other organization, to be honest,

(58:45):
I feel there's so much energy youcan put in a day. It's
all about us. What can wedo to be better, what can we
do to find an edge? Andobviously we always respect the opponent and what
they do, and we try tolearn, but we're pretty selfish. We
try like to look at ourselves andsee what we can do. All right,
let's move on, and well we'llstay in the Pacific Division. We
might as well. For now.The Stockton Heat had to make a coaching

(59:07):
change. Kill McClain after his seasonjoined the staff with the NHL club in
Calgary, leaving a vacancy. Anduh, it's a coach from the Western
Hockey League who's going to get acrack at a pro team, as Mitch
Love is named the new head coachof the Stockton Heat, thirty seven year
old, joining the Flames after hismost recent post with the Saskatoon Blades in

(59:30):
the WHL. It's been there forabout three seasons or so, and again
we're we're seeing this real influx ofyoung coaching talent again continue in the American
Hockey League. Yeah, Mitch loveHigh highly regarded WHL coach, somebody that
I think really turned a lot ofheads with what he did in Saskatoon the

(59:52):
last couple of years. He hada good run with the Everett as well
the WHL. And then he hadthat hockey candidate experience that they always is
a real plus on your resume,uh, to be involved at different levels
of junior so UM. I rememberhim primarily as a as a real,
real hard nosed player in the AmericanHockey League, played for for a number

(01:00:14):
of different teams. UM, realtough, real honest player. UM,
and a guy that you know,you think back and you can definitely see
that, Yeah, this was thiswas a guy that was going to be
cut out for coaching. UM.You know he had that that mind and
that mentality or even as a youngplayer. So um, really good at

(01:00:34):
hire I think for the Stock andEat Kill. McLaine definitely big shoes to
Phil. He was he did areally nice job with that team. Um.
They ran into some troubles this pastyear obviously. Uh. Topsy Terry
roster. But uh kill McClain wassomebody I think earned a lot of respect,
so many people were happy for himin the business. A guy who
had grinded through revolve the different levelsof hockey for for years, the filinger

(01:01:00):
of that job in Calgary. Soum, he goes up, Mitch Love
comes in. Um, they're goingto add another assistant coach. Um,
Dominic Pittis actually left the team abouta month ago. He's gonna coach locally,
um for minor hockey team. Soum, it's a little bit of
a shake up in Stockton. They'reback after year in Calgary, playing from

(01:01:24):
the in the saddle. Um,we're back on their normal home ice.
This is a bit chance, Ithink, to really bounced back and have
a good year, and bringing aguy like Mitch Love and will certainly help.
That will for sure if we hada little bit further south, a
familiar face returning to Tucson, theArizona Coyotes, signing Jay Verity to a

(01:01:45):
three year deal to coach the roadRunners, where he spent some time before.
Again an example of an NHL clubgoing with the somebody that they know,
someone that they're used to in fillingthe vacancy. Yeah, it's interesting.
You know, he was with theroad Runners, then came up this
past season worked as an assistant coachunder Rick Talkin. Now he's back in

(01:02:10):
Tucson, so he can bring whathe learned with that year in the NHL
and come back and run things inTucson and did a great job his uh
really really look at god, it'salready twenty nineteen, but you go back
to that the division title there madeit made a really good impression. UM.

(01:02:31):
Really I think got that that farmsystem on track UM and gone through
some dumb, some pretty difficult timesfor a while. Arizona's obviously the team
that's going to need to build throughthe draft and development UM, and what
they do with Tucsons gonna be ahuge part of that. Having a guy
like Verity, a guy who washe came to Tucson a couple of years

(01:02:51):
ago in twenty eighteen. UM,really on the fast track. He had
had a good year in Kingston,had a lot of success as a young
coach, and now I bring thatNHL pedigree back and then that's going to
help him there. It looks likehis assistant coaching staff for Terrence so Steve
pop Fan, who had served ashead coach and Tucson this past season.

(01:03:13):
We'll go back to an assistance role, so kind of getting the kind of
getting the band back together after yearapart. And I think it's gonna be
really really good set up for thetwo stunt road Runners. We're kind of
an up and down team this pastyear. So um but uh yeah,
Verdy's one of the young promising coaches. I think guy maybe in a couple

(01:03:36):
of years, you'll see his namestart to pop up in a lot more
NHL head coaching rumor job or jobrumors. But for now, I learned
the business a little bit more atthe pro level with Tucson, and three
year contracts always nice. You know, this business get a little bit of
security that way, So I thinkyou're gonna move all around for all sides.

(01:03:58):
Well, you speak about little bitof job security here in Belleville,
Troy Man is going to have thatfor another couple of seasons. The Ottawa
Senators signing Man to a two yearextension and and you know, barring an
NHL job, I mean this wasa no brainer decision. I think the
guy who has led this team toquite a bit of success in his three

(01:04:19):
seasons with the club. You know, arguably could have won the Calder Cup
a couple of seasons ago. Uh, you know, guided a pretty well
fresh batch of prospects to a respectableCOVID shortened season this past year. You're
somebody who knows Troy well from histime in Hershey, this can't be surprising

(01:04:40):
to you. No. Um,you know, I suppose to this for
Troy Man though, I think it'seven better for the Ottawa Senators they had
to keep him. I think thatwould have been a really tough loss had
they not been able to make thisdeal work. You know, obviously he
did a great job in twenty nineteentwenty, but to be honest, I
was even more impressed with the jobhe did this a season like with a

(01:05:00):
team like you said that. Youknow, there was a lot of turnover,
a lot of youth on that team. I mean they were signing guys
to atos and guys at the OHL. Obviously, the player market was complicated
because of the border, so soBelleville was kind of picking up anybody that
they could find. Uh. Andhe made that whole recipe work, and
he saw a lot of young players. Uh. You know, literally think

(01:05:24):
are like socco off how much hedeveloped in the year. Rindy Gregg really
showed some promise there early on andI think not better. Um, you
know, he looked at his firststin early on, then he went back
to WHL that he came back andI think, if you're really great,
you showed a lot of growth anda lot of the credit has to go
to Troy Mann. So, um, yeah, Troy has had a ton

(01:05:45):
of success in this lead. Imean he'said you know what he is at
this point, he's a known entity. Um, he's a guy that's gonna
obviously set a high standard and obviouslywith a lot of turmoil, a lot
of upheaval the last number of yearsin Ottawa. Having kind of a stable
hand at the wheel in Belleville hasbeen huge because again they're a team that

(01:06:09):
has to build at the draft,and if you don't have the right coach
in Belleville, all those picks couldreally go off track and then then where
you're at, you know, Soit's a major, major high I think
or rehire, I guess you wantto call it for Ottawa and really produced
for the fans of Bellville as well. Yeah, and just from the perspective

(01:06:29):
of being around the organization here,it just it's the best case scenario I
think. Um, you know,Kurt Klein endorsed, was here for a
year and you know, his contractwasn't renewed, and then Troy was brought
in, and like we said,he's just found so much success with this
young group. He knows the prospects. It makes sense for him to continue
to be, you know, inthe Senator's organization. And yeah, it'll

(01:06:55):
be great to have Troy back fromthe media standpoint as well, because he's
so great with us over the courseof the season. So that's an absolutely
huge move. And you know,I think some folks surprised that maybe he's
he's not making the jump to anNHL job. I don't think that's a
case of him not being worthy ornot earning it. But he's also a
guy who has said fairly publicly helikes being a head coach. That's not

(01:07:17):
to say he wouldn't take an assistantcoach job if it came up in the
NHL, but he likes to bethe head coach. He likes to run
his team, and obviously he's founda deal that's worked out for him to
be able to do that here inBelleville for another couple of seasons, barring
again a potential NHL job opening somewhereelse. And speaking of NHL jobs,

(01:07:40):
pat a couple of coaches leaving theAHL to take assistant coach roles at the
NHL level. Jay Leech is leavingProvidence after four seasons. He's going to
join Dave Hackstall staff in Seattle.And another surprise to me, Pascal Vincent
in Winnipeg or in Manitoba away leavingthe Moose to join the staff of Brad

(01:08:02):
Larson in the Columbus Blue Jackets.Um, these are two guys who have
worked their way up and and aremaking the next steps. Two guys that
were, like you said, workedtheir way up, but also kind of
I think hit a roadblock to startwith Pascal Vincent and hum in Winnipeg,
and Paul Maurice is a fixture there. Um. Vincent had actually been an

(01:08:27):
assistant coach for five seasons before takingover the Moose. He was with the
Jets, so he's put in along, long term you know, with
with with both sides of the franchise. And uh, Paul Maras is there
and Paul Ras isn't going anywhere.Um, you have to look elsewhere.

(01:08:49):
At some point, I think he'sproven everything he needed to prove in the
American Hockey League, ran his ownbench. So after being an NHL assistant,
now you've checked off the box ofbeing in HL head coach. Now
you're going to get an opportunity tobe an associate coach at the NHL level.
That's it's not a full step upthe head but it's an intermediate step.

(01:09:11):
It's a good one for him.I think. I think will really
fit in that role well as Columbusreally overhauls a lot of different pieces of
their franchised and then Jay Leech samething. Jay Leech um fantastic coach.
I always called him. He waskind of a big brother figure. He's
always the way I would describe him, really related well to his players.
Um just seems to have a knackfor communication. Um. Every year at

(01:09:38):
Boston, two or three or fourguys come up from from Providence. Not
necessarily guys are are going to bestarting Pact players because they already had that
core of Berg Iron, marshand uhtwo, Carass etc. But what they
need in Boston is guys that cancome in and fill them roles. J

(01:09:59):
Jay Leech has always been good atgetting players ready to fill in those depth
roles at the NHL level. Sohe did a great job. Longtime captain
in the American Hockey League, highlyhighly respected person. I think I think
you'll eventually see him being an NHLhigh coach. I know he interviewed for
at least one job in the NHLU. Won't be any surprise now that after

(01:10:19):
he gets assistant coach Chaine experience thatthe NHL level, that he eventually runs
his old bench at that level aswell. So lots of movement on the
coaching front to in the first fewweeks of the offseason. Lots of player
movement as well. A couple ofhighlights. A quartet of captains all resigned.
Lehigh Valley brings back cal O'Reilly,Brett Sutter is back in Ontario,

(01:10:44):
Garrett Mitchell resigning in Rockford, andRich Cloon resigns in Toronto. A few
other moves in there, though,Pat that you wanted to highlight this week.
As far as player acquisitions go,Yeah, you look at the Hershey
Bears, they've been pretty busy.They were regular season champions this past year.
While they've You've got Garrett Pelon,Mike Scarbolsa, and Bobby Dardella who

(01:11:08):
actually spent this past season in Swedenback on two year deals. So all
players who have spent time in Hershey. They also brought it back. Eddie
Whitco, which kind of a Swissarmy knife player, can play upfront,
also played black back, real solid, harder nosed player, So they're they're
could keeping their court together, whichis not easy to do, especially after

(01:11:30):
you have a winning season. Butplayers like played in Hershey. It's a
good setup for a lot of guys. And I think players are also keeping
an eye on, you know,what's happening in Washington the next year or
two, because you know, Ithink things are starting to shift a little
bit in Washington and perhaps a coupleof jobs and might open up in the
next year or two there, soplayers keep an eye on that. Now

(01:11:53):
you have a two year deal foreach of those players. Eddie Whitco's coming
back on a one year deal.But it's so good set up for everybody.
You're coming back. You're gonna beplaying for Spencer Carberry, the reading
head coach of the year, aguy who knows you well. So for
a lot of players, I thinkit's it's a really good environment to be
in a Rather than start chasing contractionaround elsewhere and then you're you're kind of

(01:12:15):
the new face. Perhaps better forthem to stay where they are and where
they're known and where they can havea chance to be on a winning team.
So, yeah, the Hershe Bearsare they're cooking, And we haven't
even got to the actual start offree agency, but it looks like,
you know, looking pretty good forthe Hershue Bears this coming season, that
they're going to be back and alreadyto do some more damage. And the

(01:12:39):
LaVale Rocket they lose their coach,but they add a little bit more offensive
punch to what was already a prettygood club this past season. Twenty six
year old Gannick Martel joining the LaValeRocket. A guy who's hit the twenty
goal plateau four times in his careerand just another sign that the Rocket are
continuing to build towards more success inLaval. Yeah, a real kind of

(01:13:02):
a little bit of a Brad marshChandum type player at the American League level.
Definitely has some scoring pop, butplays a fight. He kind of
agitating style as well. UH,smaller player. UM, not a guy
that he's big on paper, buthe plays a big game. He's always
in the middle of things. UMand uh had a pretty good season all

(01:13:26):
things are considered. In his timein Banipton with the Devils, the team
that really struggled quite a bit.He was one of the a few bright
spots. So, like you said, a guy who has a real past
as somebody who can put the potin the net. And now he was
coming into Laval team that should begood next season. So it's obviously a
chance placed closer to home as well. So a real good fit for him.

(01:13:50):
UM so in treating to see himwhat he can do in that set
up and where he can take hiscareer. He's at that you're kind of
awkward stage of a player's career.Twenty six years old. You're not quite
a young prospers anymore. You're notquite fully a veteran guy that that thirty

(01:14:10):
to thirty two year old range.You're that guy who's a little bit in
that gray area. So he signedan HL deal obviously that's you know,
it could be tough for players tonot do an NHL deal, But as
we've seen before, you can certainlytear that contract up if you have to
and make it an n HL twoway. Still for the main main thing

(01:14:31):
though, is you want to goplay close to home, playing a winning
environment. I won't be playing forJoel Bouchard, but he should be playing
for another pop coach in Laval,and it should be good, a really
good fit for him. He's bounceingaround a little bit after starting with Lehigh
Valley, but I think he's Ithink he's going to find a good at

(01:14:53):
home here. It's only one ofyour deal, but I wouldn't be surprised
to see him there a little bitlonger. Yeah. And the last player
movement note will mention here is theMilwaukee Admiral's getting set to return from a
year off. They've added some veteranpresence and a guy who's familiar with that
organization as well. Cole Schneider returnsto Milwaukee after serving as the captain of
the Texas Stars last season. Again, you've got to find those supplemental guys

(01:15:17):
to help guide your prospects along,and this is going to be a nice
fit I think for Schneider back inagain. A city that he knows and
is familiar with. Yeah, hehad ended up in Texas. Uh,
you know when when Milwaukee sat atthe season out and basically split a team
with the Chicago Wolves, that kindof pushed and he went to Texas,

(01:15:39):
had a really good year as partof one of the tough lines in the
league. And now he was comingback to Milwaukee, familiar place for him.
He was part of that team intwenty nineteen twenty where first overall when
the pandemic hit and the season ended. But Nashville doesn't have a lot of
players signed for this I mean seasonin Milwaukee, so he's the first big

(01:16:01):
piece that they can add in Milwaukeeas they start to have to retool that
roster after being part of his dualaffiliation for a year. So, um,
it's a big piece for Milwaukee toadd. And you know, for
him, it's fail your territory anda guy you know, he's he's at
that thirty year old stage, sohe's he's probably pretty solidly American Hockey League

(01:16:26):
player at this point. But um, there's a lot to be said for
being in a familiar environment with thecoach who played for before and um,
you know, having that that comfortlevel, and I think he found that,
and you know, it had tobe a pretty good deal because he
left a good situation in Texas.I know he had wanted to sign in
Texas if that opportunity came up.But obviously if Milwaukee comes, it's hard

(01:16:49):
to turn that down. So's he'sgoing back there and it should be a
good fit for him. So,lots of movement again on the coaching front,
on the player front, and wehave been scratched the surface of this
offseason. There's lots coming up aswell. The Draft is around the corner,
the Expansion Draft is around the corner. Free agency is coming up.

(01:17:10):
From the American Hockey League standpoint,Pat, what are we watching over the
next couple of weeks here? Well, free agencies the big one. A
lot of people with free agency thatthey think of that as an NHL thing.
A lot of times it ends upbeing more of a factor at the
American Hockey League level. Shorter contracts, so you get a lot more player

(01:17:30):
movement that way, especially as we'recoming off this season where a lot of
teams at the NHL level have torebuild restock their American Hockey League rosters.
You know, a lot of significantamount of turnover. It's looking like the
market is going to be better thanmaybe some people thought even a few months

(01:17:51):
ago. Where you look at youknow, you look at like the Anaheim
Docks as signed Trevor Carrick, SamEric and Videolitarry, all veteran players,
all players who've got really good,really good money to come back to San
Diego. So I think that's anencouraging sign for players, especially veteran players

(01:18:12):
around the league, that there's somemoney out there and everybody's a lot more
optimistic than they were a few monthsback about the chances to have a quote
unquote normal twenty one twenty two seasons. So free agency is the big one.
It's Franchi drafts a little bit ofa wildcard, I think, seeing
how that might affect things and howthat could shake up some rosters and maybe

(01:18:33):
some players at the American Hockey Leaguelevel we've kind of been on on the
bubble. Maybe they'd get an opportunityas we saw a few years back with
the biggest Golden Knights, and thenthen we'd have some potential wildcard situations in
terms of head coaches. Well,a couple more h head coaches end up

(01:18:55):
getting NHL promotions. It's possible,you know, depending on how things go.
There's always that domino effect where oneor two people go and that creates,
you know, kind of a chainof chain reaction of different job openings.
So I'm inspecting the next month orso to be really busy and then
we'll be in a bit of Augustat that point, before you know it,

(01:19:16):
training camp and all that starts tobear it on on you. So
the hockey season is not that faraway at this point, and there's a
lot to do for everybody to getready. Really had three months and come
quickly. Yeah, and as newsbreaks, we will continue to provide these
off season updates recapping everything. Itmakes for pretty busy shows, have to

(01:19:41):
say when we leave it a coupleweeks at a time, but to stay
tuned to the social media at aroundthe apod at Pee williams Ahl at Putting
on the Air, and we'll letyou know when new episodes are dropping as
we have more headlines to talk abouthere moving through the off season. Hopey,
you've got you all caught up fornow, and hopefull stay with us
again throughout the next few months aswe move towards the twenty twenty one twenty

(01:20:04):
two season. On Around the A. This has been an Around the A
offseason update on the sports podcasting networkday after date on the latest news and
notes from the American Hockey League.By subscribing to Around the A wherever you
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