In this special interview episode, Brandon Caputo welcomes on legendary Guelph Storm play-by-play radio voice Larry Mellott to discuss his decision in hanging up the headset for the final time after a 51-year broadcasting career, how he got into the industry, his time calling Guelph games with CJOY, calling four championship teams, favourite players to watch over the years, funny stories from his time on the road, how the game has evolved, and his lasting message for those looking to get into the industry today; with an ever-changing landscape of sports media.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
This is Jim Joker's voice of the Cakes to Fron. Next,
you're listening to OHL Overtime, an in depth interview show
highlighting the players, coaches and broadcasters from around the Ontario
Hockey League to make the league so great, as well
as in person coverage of events such as the OHL Playoffs,
OHL Championship Series, HL Combine and more, exclusively on the
(00:48):
Armchair GM Sports Network. Here's your program host, Brandon Computer.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Welcome back to another episode of OHL Overtime right here
on the armshair GM Sports Network. Brandon putto here with
you for a special interview with longtime gwelf Storm radio
voice on Cjoy. That would be the great Larry Malott,
who has decided to put away the microphone for the
rest of his career. We're going to talk to Larry
today about some great moments throughout his career. Can't do
(01:26):
it all justice in one episode here. But before we
get things going, Larry, thanks so much for taking the time.
I know it's only been about a week or so
since you made that big announcement and been a lot
of outroaring support for you from fans from colleagues, media
and everybody from the Gwelf Storm as well. First off,
thoughts on that making that decision, and you know all
(01:48):
the people that have probably reached out to you already.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Well, the whole thing is, it was fifty years ago
that I did my first hockey broadcast in Gwelf with
the Gwelf Holodi platers. It was the first hear that
Joe Hollodi owned the hockey team. Later, of course moved
to Towen Sound now the own Sound Attack, and thirty
years doing Guelf Storm hockey. As much as I was
hoping to maybe continue for a couple of more years,
(02:13):
there are a couple of health issues in the family,
nothing really serious, but my wife needs my full attention,
deserves my full attention, and oddly enough, you talk about
opposites attracting, I guess my wife's never been a sports fan,
not a hockey fan, a sports fan of any kind,
and has kept saying the last few years, when do
you quit? When you get to quit doing this instead
(02:36):
of spending all that time in arenas and on buses,
And I got thinking, after a few of the longer
bus rides this season, maybe that's about it. Because if
you've ever been on a bus, especially when you have
to spend several hours going to places like sus Saint Marie, Bury, Ottawa,
North Bay, you can never quite get comfortable on a bus,
(02:57):
and as you get a little bit older, you find
aches and pain and places where you never had aches
and pains before.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And again, the Western conference travels definitely maybe a little
bit more strenuous than it is in the East, because
you're going to places like Sue Saint Marie multiple times
a year, going out to the Michigan trip out in
Flint and Saginaw, some long northern trips as well. So
I've been on those bus trips, Larry, and again I'm
only in my thirties and they're uncomfortable enough for me,
So I can only imagine, you know how how those
(03:26):
feel for you at this point. But you know, it
kind of caught us all off guard there, at least
at least from the general media perspective. I'm not sure
in gwelf if they kind of saw it coming or
if you gave anybody a heads up, but it seemed
like everybody was reminiscing and talking about, you know, the
great moments during your career with the Guelf Storm, and
even before that, your broadcasting career, you know, spans a
(03:49):
very long time, thirty years calling the Guelf Storm games,
and you know, began your broadcasting career in nineteen seventy.
For those that are wondering, you know what what made
you want to get into broadcasting and wanting to call
hockey games for a living.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Well, right off the top, well I went again to broadcasting,
was just that hockey play by play. And I discovered
very early in the game, starting in radio in nineteen
late nineteen seventy, that if you were going to work
in radio, it was difficult to specialize in just one area.
You'd better be prepared to do a bit of everything.
And over the years I did an early morning show, midday, afternoon,
(04:28):
swing shift, evening, all night. I covered every hour round
the clock, and then finally when I moved to GWELF
in nineteen seventy four, part of the reasoning was the
fact that the golf station did do hockey and the
guy doing play by play was Norm Jerry, who was
the news and sports director of the station, the mayor
of the city, and was only I think about that
(04:49):
time eight or nine years removed from having been the
TV play by play voice of the New York Rangers.
So the chance to work with the guy like that
was certainly a big draw in coming to GOALUF.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah, and when you talk about, you know, the early
days of hockey, the great voice of the London Nights
and Mike Stubbs, I told him I was having you
on and he asked, wanted me to ask you just
how the games evolved.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Over the years, Larry, and being able.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
To call the games through so many different generations and
variations of the game. For you, what's been the biggest
difference that you've seen? Obviously, the speed is one thing
a lot of people talk about that has grown in
the game, But in your opinion, for somebody that's called
games for a very long time and seeing so many
different shifts in the game, what's been your biggest takeaway
from it?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Speed and skill the improvement in that area. I know
when we were in Halifax in twenty nineteen, one guy
I wanted to catch up with was Bob Crumber, who
I knew lived in the Halifax area and Bob played
on the nineteen ninety eight Storm championship team that was
coached by George Burnett in his first time here in Gwelph,
and I asked Bob the same question you're asking me,
the difference is in the game. And he said he
(05:56):
personally couldn't be playing the game in these days because
he was, how shall we describe it, A bit of
a tough guy, A whole lot of a tough guy
as a matter of fact, And that's what he said.
The speed, the skill, the size. I remember when we
went to the Memorial Cup in Spokane that the biggest
guy in the team was six ft six defenseman Ian Forbes.
(06:18):
I think the last time I checked with Ian, he
owns a night club, I believe in the San Diego area,
so he got a little way away from the hockey business.
But he was one of the few guys that was
in that size territory. And now you look around the
league and you see a whole bunch of guys that big,
but not only that big, skilled and good on their
skates too. So I think the big difference overall is
(06:41):
maybe speed and skilled.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Yeah, I think that's definitely one of the things that
we've seen in the transition of how the way junior
hockey and even the NHL level is going in that sense.
During your broadcasting career with the guelf Storm, Larry, you
know you've been able to call four championships for them.
I'm sure it's a you know, when you look back
on it, you know two that they lost as well
(07:05):
that you think about as well, but the four that
they were able to win in ninety nine, twenty four,
twenty fourteen, and most recently twenty nineteen against the Ottawa
sixty sevens. Like, can you even compare championship teams against
each other? And you know, deep playoff runs and all
the time and effort that you put into investing your
time into in your life into those teams as well, Like,
(07:27):
does anything stand out to you from those four championship teams?
Speaker 5 (07:31):
Well, let me back up.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
First championship team, nineteen seventy eight Centennial Cup with the
golf players. There you go, and something like half dozen
guys from that team went to the National Hockey League
and two of them are still running the show in
the NHL, Ryan McClelland and Washington and George McFee in Vegas.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
And that team was highly skilled.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I know that year they played something like six games
against the top teams in the major junior circuit. It
wasn't the Ohl back then, oh Major Junior, but the
same difference, and they went four to one and one
against those six teams, the top six teams in Major Junior,
and scouts were saying that Team Intact could have been
a serious contender at the major junior level and won
(08:13):
a national championship. And the interesting part of that, in
comparison to the Memorial Cup tournaments in recent years, that
was actually the last year that the Centennial Cup and
I believe the Memorial Cup were decided in continuous best
of seven series. We had to come out of the
provincial Junior League at the time, win four league series,
play thunder Bay, let's see Pembroke, Charlottetown and finally Prince
(08:38):
Albert and all of those best of seven and I
added up the games at the end of the year
and I think we actually wound up playing more playoff
games in regular season games. But that team was outstanding
and as far as the Memorial Cup teams go, well
could have won.
Speaker 5 (08:53):
In ninety eight that one went.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Into overtime before Portland won it, and the twenty nineteen
won London certainly disappointing. The Storm were the best team
through the round robin, not twenty nineteen, rather twenty fourteen
in London. They just breezed through the round robin portion
of the tournament and lost in the final against the
Edmonton Oil Kings. And I got thinking about how best
(09:18):
of seven series worked as opposed to that tournament and
through the OHL Championship that year, they won all four
series in five games and had one bad game with
each tournament. Well, unfortunately or in each series, and unfortunately
in the Memorial Cup tournament itself, the one bad game
turned out to be the very last one they played.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, that almost reminiscent of the London Nights last year, right, Larry,
Because they won the OHL Championship, won the round robin
and lost a Saginaw A team that they had beaten
in the second round of the playoffs, and then lost
to them in the Memorial Cup final in the last second. So,
you know, for somebody that's been around the game for
so long, I know the Memorial Cup is, you know,
the biggest prize in junior hockey. But you know, you
(09:59):
go through the kind of a sixty eight game season
and then four rounds of seven round seven game series
of playoffs, like do you take more pride in seeing
guys being able to raise the league championship? In this sense,
the Ohl the j Ross Robertson Cup, because just how
difficult and how many things have to go your way
to be able to survive that long of a season.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Absolutely, you should be proud to be a league champion.
That requires a whole lot more tenacity and effort and
just being able to handle the grind when you're playing
that much hockey. And the Memorial Cup tournament, I don't
want to downplay what an important tournament it is, but
it's kind of a bit of a crapshoot. You can
lose one game and find yourself out of that tournament.
(10:42):
By contrast, you have an opportunity to rebound, certainly in
the best of seven series. And as we were talking,
I was thinking back to twenty fourteen in London and
the Storm did eliminate London from their own tournament, which
was a fun deal that particular night, because if you
talk about two really tight rivalries here in Gualfoot would
(11:03):
be Kitchener in London, and certainly throw Owen Sound into
that mix as well, but Max Domby got the overtime
winner the other night for the Leafs against Ottawa. Max
Donby played in that London team that year.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah, even for me growing up watching the OHL and
now seeing these guys graduate to the NHL and some
of them finish off their careers, it's a great trajectory
and getting to see those guys really evolve as young
men and as players that graduate to pro hockey. That
twenty nineteen team, Larry I remembered a little bit, just
it was a little bit before my time getting into
the into the media side of the league, but from
(11:37):
what I've been told, it was almost like a comeback team.
They were able to be able to come back from
some deficits in series and be able to pull it
out there. Basically the last one before you know, the
pandemic happened in nineteen twenty the season there. But what
do you remember from that twenty nineteen team. Obviously it's
going to be the last team that you were able
(11:58):
to call a championship for as there any memories or
any moments or calls to stick out to you from
that season.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
May talk about comeback, I can pull out the championship
ring and I got one of those from that season
and inside the ring at Reed's comeback kids. They won
their first series four straight over Kitchener, but after that
fell down three to nothing to London one and seven
fell down in the series to Sagana three to one
one and seven trailed in the Ohl final two nothing
(12:26):
against Odawa won the next four to win a championship.
So it was it was come back throughout the entire
playoffs basically for the Storm. And what I really remember too,
even backing up, is approaching the trade deadline, what general
manager George Burnett did and putting that team together. There
were a whole much of trades, made a flurry of trades.
(12:49):
In fact, I don't want to forget anybody, but certainly
begin with the players off. They own sound attack that
joined the Storm. Guy named Ni Suzuki's done pretty well
in the national ocula, Sean Dursey, Zach Roberts, Marcus Phillips.
They added let's see defenseman serge No, who was it.
(13:10):
I'm trying to think if it was, but it was
a defenceman off the Flint Firebirds at any rate, and
Mackenzie and Whistle from the Hamilton team and that's a
lot of players to add. All of a sudden, you
look at the fact that you've added six players to
your roster with half the season to go, and the
first thought that came to mind with me is how
are they going to fit toget there as a group?
(13:32):
And we got our answer. They fit together really well.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Not.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Ottawa team was hard to beat back then. They were
getting you know, they were near the top of the
Eastern Conference all those years with Andrey Tournier as their
head coach, and it was a tough team to beat
at that Wolf team was almost a team of destiny
and I'm sure it's it's one that you'll look back
finally on, Larry, transitioning from the player side of things
a little bit, because you've seen so many coaches, general managers,
(13:56):
employees come and go. Is there you know one memory
of one, you know, interaction that you've had with a
coach or general manager that you think was impactful for
your career, just a you know, funny story that you
have kept in your mind over the years.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Well, going back to that Centennial Cup team to begin with,
the coach was Ron Smith, who was a buddy of
Roger Nielsen's and as a result wound up in the
National Hockey League with several teams along with Roger and
Ron was an interesting guy. He had been a defenseman
who was offered a contract by the Red Wings in
the six team NHL days, but he was even a
(14:33):
better baseball player and he got signed by the San
Francisco Giants as a shortstop, made it to TRIPAA and
then as a coach. Just meticulous in how he worked
the bench and always had his team maybe one or
two steps ahead of what was going on over at
the other bench. So that was the first experience really
with a coach, and through the years it's been great.
(14:55):
Craig Hertzburg, e J McGuire, the current coaching group, Chad
Wiseman who was let go after last season. He's doing
well as an assistant with Springfield where Michael Buschinger, who
played for the Storm is playing there with him and
the current coach, Corey Stillman. All easy people, good people
to get along with. And the first name that comes
(15:16):
immediately to mind to me is Mike Kelly as the
general manager and the general manager of the Storm and
such a classy guy and funny story. Well I could
tell a funny couple of funny stories about Mike. Really
mild mannered, pleasant, easy to get along with, person who
was friendly with everybody. But once a hockey game started,
(15:39):
he got as bout as much wound up as anybody.
And I remember him in one game, sitting up near
me in the press box, didn't like the penalty call.
And this was that the old Golf Memorial gardens, where
the press box would be close to the edge of
the ice surface. He rolled up a piece of paper
and threw it at the referee, and the referee looked
up and saw where it came from, and it resulted
(16:01):
in a two minute, un sportsman like penalty. And I
don't I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like
that before or since. And if I asked Mike, yeah,
he remember, I was gonna say he might have forgotten that,
but he remembered.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
That's a good one for sure.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
I'm sure he didn't forget getting a penalty when he
wasn't even playing. But uh, as far as you quickly mentioned, uh,
the Gulf Memorial, I know the Sleeman Center is a
fantastic facility now the current home of the Gulf Storm,
but uh, what are your memories of the old rink
And and obviously you know the old rinks, they had
a lot of you know, tradition and and they were
iconic in their own way in most most areas, there
(16:38):
aren't many many rinks like that left in Ohl or
really anywhere. Unfortunately they're becoming a lesser and lesser. But
what it's been your favorite old school rink moment there
from the Gulf Memorial.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Well, if I could touch on one that does remind
me and has reminded me over the years of Gulf
Memorial Gardens, that would be the Bay Shore in O
Sound if you've been into that building. A lot of
similarities with the structure of the old Golf Memorial Gardens,
which had a seating capacity of under four thousand. There
really wasn't much room for standing room. As I mentioned,
(17:13):
the press box really close to the edge of the
ice surface. And for people who aren't sure about how
it works for us up in the booth, your best
possible location is up high, close to.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
The edge of the ice surface.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
And really it was a great place to call games
from the same applies to the Sleeman Center. But the
crowd really felt like it was right on top of
the players there at Gulf Memorial Gardens. And again if
you want to go into Bay Shore and Owen Sound,
if you've never been there, you get the same type
of feel as I used to get at Golf Memorial Gardens.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Yeah, there aren't many ricks like the Bay Shore left.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Maybe Sudbury's is one of the only ones left in
the OHL that are from that standpoint, But yes, the
Bay Shore and Own Sound definitely one. Never got to
go to Guelf Memorial Gardens myself, but I've heard a
lot a lot of great things about, you know, the
memories there. You mentioned the Sleeman Center because from the
few times that I've been able to be there covering
the games in the press box, seems like a great view, Larry,
(18:10):
as far as just the watching, as well as being able.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
To call a game.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
You're right near center ice, You're just high enough where
you know you're not necessarily in the rafters like you
were you would be in some other rinks. But really
nice of viewing experience there at the Sleeman Center. And
I'm sure for the fans as well.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
Oh absolutely.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
And I've got a salute twelve Storm fans for the
way they've supported the team, especially the last couple of years,
being certainly a struggle on the ice and missing the
playoffs this year, but the average attendance this year wound
up being what was it, forty six hundred and thirty
seven I want to say, so pretty close to capacity
and the same thing a year ago. So Gelf Storm
(18:48):
fans certainly understand the way it works, and the way
it works for most teams, aside from the London Knights,
who always seemed to be able to contend, is the
fact that at some point you wind up taking this
step back because your older players graduate and you have
to kind of start all over again. And the stormwore
and that rebuilding process this year, and I think over
the next couple of years should be a pretty good
(19:10):
hockey team. The only question mark I have, and this
is something that's cropped up this year, is with the
NC double A decision, how that's going to impact the
structure of teams. And I think maybe something that points
out maybe possible changes would be, for instance, Henry Muse
in Sudbury, who could have been back as a nineteen
(19:32):
year old but has decided to move on to the
NC Double A. Are we going to see, you know,
maybe more of that happen, and how do you structure
the team?
Speaker 5 (19:41):
What do you do?
Speaker 3 (19:42):
I mean, somebody suggested to me, maybe you take a
look at what the Western Hockey League does and they
draft beginning at fifteen year olds. Maybe that'll have to
happen at some point. And that's also one of the
reasons why I think the talk started about adding a
third European player being able to be drafted this year,
so there might be three important players on each team
(20:03):
around the Canadian Hockey League beginning in the fall.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
It's going to be an interesting dynamic, Larry, as far
as the ever ever changing landscape of the CHL, especially
you mentioned some of those older players might move on,
but you might be able to get some of those
younger players that maybe we're going to be NC double
A commits.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
So it's a double edged sword there. We're gonna have
to wait and see.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
I don't know if we'll necessarily see the impact until
the next two or three years down the road. We
saw in this most recent draft where we saw, you know,
half the second round was Americans, which we had never
really seen before in the Ontario Hockey League because those
were all guys that would be NC Double A commits
and would lose their eligibility up until this new agreement
came between the CHL and the NC Double A new
(20:42):
commissioner Brian Crawford, as somebody that's exiting the game, Larry,
where do you see the game kind of going in
the next few years and are you encouraged with you
know where the game is going to be going here
as it goes into the future.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Well, I think so.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
I look forward to maybe some expansion happening, but with
the political issues south of the border, I'm not sure
that we can necessarily consider seriously American franchises being added
until it kind of gets straightened out down there. Not
that more American cities wouldn't be great additions to the league,
but I got thinking when I said issues about the bus.
(21:20):
I kind of got wondering towards the end of the
season myself whether there might be some difficulties. So with
the Ontario Hockey League teams crossing back and forth over
that American border beginning in the fall, we'll have to
wait and see. In that one, I'm going to throw
a question out at you because I've been thinking about
it because I know that the city up the road
from his, Kitchener's gearing up for a bid for the
(21:41):
twenty twenty seven Memorial Cup. And I think it's going
to happen in Sue Saint Marie as well. And it
certainly was hearing talk that they're with the ice dogs
in Saint Catherine's. It may be something that happens Placing
a bit as well.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Yeah, I think definitely those are the teams that I've
been hearing to Larry as far as Kitchener, Niagara, possibly
Sue Saint Marie for twenty twenty seven. Again, a lot
of things can change in the next year, but you
know they make those decisions early, and it would be
interesting because Niagara being a border town really with Saint
Catherines just twenty minutes from the border there, how that
might affect things as well. And you mentioned a lot
(22:16):
of things to work out politically, but thank god we
don't have to talk about it on this show because
we're not a political.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Podcast, so we'll stick to hockey.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
But again, when when you talk about that sort of thing,
it's a it's all very important when you have to
bring up when you have American franchises within within your
league and how that that is going to affect things.
Going back to Gwelf hockey for a second, Larry, because
you know, you've been in the Guelf community for for
such a long time and they've had some great teams
over the years. When you talk about what the Gwelf
(22:43):
Storm mean to the Gwelf community, you know, they're right
inside of them all right down there in downtown. It's
it's pretty interesting how the rinks set up. Maybe when
things get to playoffs, Like what's the buzz around the
city when the Storm are going deep and going into
those deep playoff runs and when they know that they
have a good team. You know, what what do the
Storm mean to the city of Gwelf.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
Well, I think going back to the attendance again, when
it's almost sold out every game, that pretty much describes it.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
There.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
I get thinking back to the time in the eighties
when I briefly went out west because we had quit
doing play by play hockey play by play at that
point and I decided to go out west. And when
I told him I was coming from Gwelph, there were
two things that people out west said, University of Guelph
and the hockey team, So it immediately identifies your community
(23:33):
when you have a hockey team that's attracted that kind
of attention.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
No, And I think it's just such a great thing
when junior hockey comes to a town and you get
in those those playoff series that we've seen over the years,
and especially when you're playing, you know, maybe a high
profile team like the London Knights of the Kitchen or
Rangers or somebody like that. It just probably elevates to
another level when you're able to be on the big
stage like that and get to championships, because that's what
(24:00):
it's all about. And you've been through so many of those.
As far as players, Larry, because you've been around so
many great players as well. You know, the Storm have
four retired numbers up top there in Paul Fenley, Ryan Callahan, Tabertuzzi,
Jeff O'Neil. But I'm sure you can talk about so
many other great players that you've been able to call
games for, who have been some of your favorites over
(24:20):
the years that have worn the Storm jersey.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Well, First of all, Paul Fendley wasn't a gelf Storm
In nineteen seventy two, the Centennial Cup Final against the
Red Deer Rustlers. Chin strap loose, and he took a
hit at center rice and hit his head on the
ice and passed away a couple of days afterwards. And
that's the reason number eighteen has never worn in the
city of Guelf. Jeff O'Neil, Todd, Bertuzzi, Ryan Callahan all
(24:47):
speak for themselves. Other players I'd certainly like to see honor.
Dustin Brown recently retired to Stanley Cups in Los Angeles.
Dan Paller with the Stanley Cup with the Boston Ruins,
playing for Team Canada twice, And I was telling you
before we started this, I always remember the two thousand
and four three to four season because Dan was the
(25:10):
captain of Team Canada that year at the World Juniors,
a team that had Sydney Crosby and Marc Andre Fleury
play on it, and then went to the Memorial Cup
after that. So Dan had quite a career. Chris hed
I'll always remember as one of the best defensive defensemen
and Chris's assistant coach with the Ontario Reign for the
Los Angeles Kings. Had a couple of years as assistant
(25:32):
in Buffalo, where his dad, Bill Height was a noted
defenseman for quite a few years. And who else have
we got? There are so many of them that it's
Chris Madden, who still lives in Guelf, speaking of American players,
married a lady from the area of state in this area,
and he was the Memorial Cup MVP in nineteen ninety eight,
even though the team lost in the final, just outstanding
(25:55):
and goal that year. Craig Anderson. Another goaltender who went
on to a lengthy Nation A Hockey League career. Marty
Saint Pierre had one hundred and twenty three points or
so his last season in the league. And it just
continues on and on and noteworthy of course in recent
years playing his last year here. Part of his last
year was Nick Suzuki, and I could just go on
(26:17):
and on, and how much time have you got?
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Absolutely I'm looking at the Guelf Storm player list here, Larry,
as you're talking about players that have won, you know,
awards in the Ontario Hockey League. It's pretty incredible the
amount of players that have have been been able to
achieve such great things at the OHL level end obviously
at the NHL level most recently that people would would
know about his Jet Luchenko, the prospect of the Philadelphia Flyers,
(26:44):
luckily was able to come back from Philadelphia and finish
out the season with the Storm there as the captain
was the most sportsman like player in the twenty three
to twenty four season and helping him, you know, achieve
such success and be drafted high by the Flyers as
a first round pick. What have you seen from the
development of Jet Luchenko and what makes you think that
on and off the ice he has a good head
(27:05):
on his shoulders and is going to be a successful
pro hockey player in the National Hockey League sooner rather
than later.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Well, we talked about speed and skill earlier being the
big difference with the way the game is played now
as opposed to ten or fifteen years ago, and Jet
Lechenko is a good example. We had somebody come in
here who obviously hadn't covered many games and asked him,
is your name really Jet? And I looked at him
kind of funny thinking, and I realized, actually it was
somebody from the NCAA who hadn't covered much of junior
(27:32):
hockey that was asking the question. I said, yeah, the
name matches the speed on the ice. Jet is certainly
I think going to be a star in the NHL.
Let me toss out a little bit of trivia here
for you that not a lot of people necessarily out
of town though. This is the home of the hat trick.
This is where the phrase hat trick originated. And it
originated with the Gulf built more Mad Hatters, who were
(27:55):
the team sponsor back in the forties and fifties, and
they started a tradition of give one of their hats,
and hats that were notably worn by people around the world.
The factory was that well noted, but they started to
prevent present hats to players who scored three goals in
a game.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
And there you go. That's where the hat trick came from.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
I never knew that, so I learned something new today, Larry,
and I appreciate that insight there. I never knew that
the term hat tricks started in Gwelf, But now from
here on in I will make sure to let them
know that it was a Gwelf tradition that Hugh let
me know about that. Speaking of just colleagues around the
league and things like that, you've seen probably so many
come and go graduate on to do great things, whether
(28:35):
it be NC Double A or Pro hockey in all
three of those leagues, or move on to other things
outside of hockey. Who have been some of your favorite colleagues?
You know, play by play guys, color commentators, and people
that you've come in contact with when you're traveling around
all these different ranks throughout the season and that come
into GWELF all season long. You know, who are some
(28:56):
of the ones that will stick out to you as
you know some of your favorites that you've been able
to cross path with.
Speaker 5 (29:01):
Well.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Certainly Fred Wallace, who became a friend in Owen Sound
remains a friend. Will probably get together for some golf
or something over the course of the summer. And he
keeps telling me every time we go into Owen Sound,
I got fifty to fifty tickets together. We've never I've
never won anything with him. I think he's won once
or twice there. He keeps telling me I have a
good feeling, and I kept telling him, no, forget the
(29:23):
good feeling, let's win the money. But Fred, one of
them just up the road, Mike Farewell, Mike Stubbs, Slee
Cunningham and sarn You, Terry Doyle. They're doing a TV
and the OHL News feature each week, basically everybody.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
Around the league.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
I don't think there's anybody over the years that I
haven't viewed as a friend because they're doing the same
thing I'm doing. And yeah, you're leaning towards the team
that you cover personally, but at the same time understanding
that you're watching a lot of good hockey being played
by both hockey teams, and you're watching a lot of
(29:59):
good people covering those games. So there are a few
that certainly I noted because I see them more often,
Fred and Mike Stubbs and Mike Farewell. But easy to
get along with all the people around this league that
cover the game.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
And everybody's always happy to see you, Larry. So it's
going to be a weird one for everybody when the
GUELF Storm come into town to not see you there
up in the press box. But as far as not
just general gwelf Storm, but as far as I'm gonna
put you on the spot here, who's maybe the best
player not necessarily that went on to do great things
in the NHL level, but at the OHL level, who
(30:35):
was the best player that you ever saw that you've
been able to cover it and be able to call
play by.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Playoff besides Drew Dowdy.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
Yeah, there you go, true Dowdy.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
It's funny.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Over the years, doing so many different games, it's hard
to remember everything, and even in championship games. But I
recall when Drew Dowdy really stuck out to me. We
were playing the Storm were playing the Sue Greyhounds in
Guelf and Dowdy had the pucket center ice and the
Storm were on a line change and he was surrounded
(31:10):
by at least four Sue players and I'm thinking, Okay,
he's going to dump the puck in and the head
to the bench.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
He didn't dump the puck in.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
He skated over the blue line, did a tight little spin,
got away from everybody, snapped a high backhand er into
the net, and I had to stop and think, did
he just do what I think I saw him do?
Speaker 5 (31:30):
And that was Drew Dout. He just an outstanding player.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
A lot of people say Connor McDavid that I speak
to as far as broadcasters around the league, just because
of the speed and the dynamic ability of him. Do
you have like a moment that sticks out to you
about watching Connor McDavid with the Eerie Otters.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Well, I remember how good he was as a fifteen
year old and the fact that that Erie Hockey team
became a consistent contender throughout the time he was there,
and it was unfortunate when they finally for him, when
they finally won the championship was actually the year after
he was gone. But there was never any question that
Connor McDavid was going to be an outstanding hockey player.
And the fortunate thing for those of us who covered
(32:10):
junior hockey is, yes, Connor McDavid and Drew Dowdy on
a different level than everybody else. By the way, Steve
Stamcos was outstanding that year for Sarnia the last year,
the same as Drew Dowdy was. In fact, they went
one two in the NHL draft that year. But we
see so many outstanding players that were fortunate to be
(32:30):
able to cover the game at this level and watch
them progress both on and off the ice.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
For sure, And when you talk about that progression to
the National Hockey League, Larry like, do you try.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
To keep up with those?
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Obviously you keep up with the Gulf Storm players, but
is it fun to kind of, you know, turn on
the television and see players you know on a national
stage that have graduated from the OHL that you remember,
you know, calling games of or maybe even doing some
pregame interviews with that have have gone on to do
great things. And trying to keep up with with the
pro game. I know, when you're in the OHL season
(33:01):
and trust me, I'm there. You know you're all in
on it. But when you're able to have a moment
to watch, you know, the pro game, you know, do
you are you able to have some time to reflect
on some of those memories of them in their younger days.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Absolutely, listening on radio, watching on TV. But the way
I really try to keep up and it's hard to
keep pace with what everybody is up to. But I
go into websites all the time, the AHL, the ECHL,
what's going on at the KHL in Switzerland. There have
been some players out of Switzerland that have been good
(33:34):
for the storm effect. Peugh Souter had twenty five goals
this season for the Vancouver Canucks. He played on the
twenty fourteen championship team. I'm a Red Wings fan. I've
still never forgiven the Red Wings for letting him escape.
That's another story. And they let Robbie Fabric. Oh, don't
don't get me going in that one. But they've missed
the playoffs now nine years in a row. But yeah,
(33:55):
I try to keep tabs on players that I know
from Guelph, and I'll just run down the list and
check on what other players are up to. It's fun
to see, for instance, Carter George from the Owen Sound Attack.
He's played the last time I checked, two games in
the American Hockey League, called up as a backup with
the Los Angeles Kings in the playoffs, but his two
(34:16):
American Hockey League games he had a shutout and gave
up one goal and a two to one win and
was the first Star in both games and the own
Sound Attack.
Speaker 5 (34:24):
No, he sure isn't going to be around this league
as an overager.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
No, definitely not.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
And it's great to see those players move on, but
you want to have them come back if they're able
to for for one more year. But special talents can't
keep them down down too long. They're larry and talking about,
you know, being engraved in the hockey. Are there any
other sports that you enjoy, you know, watching playing over
the years that to kind of have an escape from
(34:49):
hockey because again, we consume this game, you know, for
eight to nine months of the year, and and then
that that short summer that we all get. You know,
what do you what do you are there other sports
that you like to enjoy just to kind of, you know,
get break from hockey once in a while.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Well, my father's family came from the Windsor area, so
I grew up as a Red Wings and a Tigers fan.
So I know that the year the Tigers won in
sixty eight and Denny McClain won thirty one ballgames, I
was at Tiger Stadium to see about seven or eight
of those. So certainly baseball was on that list too.
There is something else I should tell you about gwelth
that surprises a few people.
Speaker 5 (35:23):
It was about seventy.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
Years ago that Bill McCreary and a few other or
not Bill McCreary, Bill Devorski, and several others formed the
GWELF Referees Association with the idea of training and promoting referees.
And you run down the list. Will Norris just recently
passed away. Here, let's see, there is Bill McCrary, Paul Devorski,
(35:45):
Greg Devorski, and Andy van hellimand and I'm missing a few.
You can look at the National Hockey League list of
officials in any given yurancy a number of GWELF people
officiating in the National Hockey League as a result of
what they did here informing the Golf Referees Association many
years ago.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
No, again, something I've learned two new things about about
the city of Guelf, that's for sure, Larry. But uh
uh again, Uh when you look at it now that
you you're going to be, you know, transitioning to something else,
you know what what are what are your do you
have any plans I guess for what you're going to do.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Come the fall?
Speaker 1 (36:23):
And uh obviously you said family is important to you
as well, so you know what?
Speaker 5 (36:27):
What?
Speaker 1 (36:28):
What's on the Where are we going to see Larry
Malot pop up next?
Speaker 3 (36:32):
Well, probably certainly some games at the Slaveman Center. I
won't be there all the time, but if they need
any assistance in putting together any little projects or what
they may have, maybe I can be of some use.
I'm not sure we'll find out, but I'm certainly not
going to stay away from Marinas. I'll be paying attention
to what's going on.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
And I guess I've got a few more questions for
you here, Larry, before I let you go and really
appreciate your time today. What would be your message to
young aspiring broadcasters. Would that be play by play people
that want to get into the industry, you know, people
in sports management programs, things like that. You know, what
would be your biggest piece of advice for you know,
once breaking into the business yourself of you know, making
(37:14):
sure that they're doing the right things to put themselves
in the right spots to to earn those opportunities.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
Well, unfortunately, they're not nearly as many opportunities as there
used to be because there's been a lot of trimming
going on in the media in terms of actual live
shows and live sportscasts. You've got to do a little
bit of research and take a look at who still
covers sports. And if I was somebody just starting out,
(37:39):
I wouldn't pin myself down to I've got to be
in southern Ontario or I've got to be here.
Speaker 5 (37:44):
I've got to be there, be prepared to.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Be anywhere across the country, whether it be out west,
whether it be in the Maritimes, and just do a
little bit of research and investigating into who is still
still actually doing live play by play, and then approach
those people and see where you can go from there.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
And then I guess what would be your lasting message?
I know you quickly talked about it in your farewell
tweet there last week, But what will be your lasting
message to the Storm players, the fans, the community, the
OHL community, and everybody that you've crossed paths within the
game of As you're kind of, you know, riding off
into the sunset here, what's your message to everybody that
(38:22):
is you know, loved your calls over the years.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Well, first of all, for the players, enjoy the ride
when you play in junior hockey, and I've gone through
this with just about every player I've ever talked to
their first year to their last year, and they talk
about how fast it goes. So enjoy the time when
you've got the time to play in the lake. And
the other thing that I've always said, as much fun
as the game is and how exciting the game itself is,
(38:48):
it's the people you meet and the friendships that you
make over the years. And I'll remember the people I've
come in touch with over the years as much as
the game itself.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
Amazing thoughts here from longtime GUELF storm voice here on
fourteen sixty c Joy. That would be Larry Malt. Larry,
thanks so much for the time today. Enjoy you know
the ride here as you you transition to some other things.
I know, you know, not getting on to hockey broadcast,
you're looking forward to some downtime and things like that.
But you know, happy and honored that you were able
(39:21):
to come on today and you know, give us some
some parting thoughts. I saw you know, the tweet last week,
and I wanted to reach out and make sure that
you know you had a proper send off and know
how much you mean to a lot of us in
the Ontario Hockey League, media broadcasting and the fans that
have been able to listen to your calls over the years.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Well, thank you for this too, Brandon, and say hi
to Dan pie a Form. It was great to have
him back in the league this season.
Speaker 4 (39:44):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
So that's gonna wrap up a special episode of vah
All Overtime right here in the arms your GM Sports networkday.
Everybody that tuned in on our YouTube channel on video
and those who listened on your favorite on demand audio
platform so for Larry Mallot, my name is Branick Putto.
We'll talk to you again very soon. You're listening to
the Armchair Yam Sports Network.
You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
This is Jim Joker's voice of the Cakes to Fron. Next,
you're listening to OHL Overtime, an in depth interview show
highlighting the players, coaches and broadcasters from around the Ontario
Hockey League to make the league so great, as well
as in person coverage of events such as the OHL Playoffs,
OHL Championship Series, HL Combine and more, exclusively on the
(00:48):
Armchair GM Sports Network. Here's your program host, Brandon Computer.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Welcome back to another episode of OHL Overtime right here
on the armshair GM Sports Network. Brandon putto here with
you for a special interview with longtime gwelf Storm radio
voice on Cjoy. That would be the great Larry Malott,
who has decided to put away the microphone for the
rest of his career. We're going to talk to Larry
today about some great moments throughout his career. Can't do
(01:26):
it all justice in one episode here. But before we
get things going, Larry, thanks so much for taking the time.
I know it's only been about a week or so
since you made that big announcement and been a lot
of outroaring support for you from fans from colleagues, media
and everybody from the Gwelf Storm as well. First off,
thoughts on that making that decision, and you know all
(01:48):
the people that have probably reached out to you already.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Well, the whole thing is, it was fifty years ago
that I did my first hockey broadcast in Gwelf with
the Gwelf Holodi platers. It was the first hear that
Joe Hollodi owned the hockey team. Later, of course moved
to Towen Sound now the own Sound Attack, and thirty
years doing Guelf Storm hockey. As much as I was
hoping to maybe continue for a couple of more years,
(02:13):
there are a couple of health issues in the family,
nothing really serious, but my wife needs my full attention,
deserves my full attention, and oddly enough, you talk about
opposites attracting, I guess my wife's never been a sports fan,
not a hockey fan, a sports fan of any kind,
and has kept saying the last few years, when do
you quit? When you get to quit doing this instead
(02:36):
of spending all that time in arenas and on buses,
And I got thinking, after a few of the longer
bus rides this season, maybe that's about it. Because if
you've ever been on a bus, especially when you have
to spend several hours going to places like sus Saint Marie, Bury, Ottawa,
North Bay, you can never quite get comfortable on a bus,
(02:57):
and as you get a little bit older, you find
aches and pain and places where you never had aches
and pains before.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And again, the Western conference travels definitely maybe a little
bit more strenuous than it is in the East, because
you're going to places like Sue Saint Marie multiple times
a year, going out to the Michigan trip out in
Flint and Saginaw, some long northern trips as well. So
I've been on those bus trips, Larry, and again I'm
only in my thirties and they're uncomfortable enough for me,
So I can only imagine, you know how how those
(03:26):
feel for you at this point. But you know, it
kind of caught us all off guard there, at least
at least from the general media perspective. I'm not sure
in gwelf if they kind of saw it coming or
if you gave anybody a heads up, but it seemed
like everybody was reminiscing and talking about, you know, the
great moments during your career with the Guelf Storm, and
even before that, your broadcasting career, you know, spans a
(03:49):
very long time, thirty years calling the Guelf Storm games,
and you know, began your broadcasting career in nineteen seventy.
For those that are wondering, you know what what made
you want to get into broadcasting and wanting to call
hockey games for a living.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Well, right off the top, well I went again to broadcasting,
was just that hockey play by play. And I discovered
very early in the game, starting in radio in nineteen
late nineteen seventy, that if you were going to work
in radio, it was difficult to specialize in just one area.
You'd better be prepared to do a bit of everything.
And over the years I did an early morning show, midday, afternoon,
(04:28):
swing shift, evening, all night. I covered every hour round
the clock, and then finally when I moved to GWELF
in nineteen seventy four, part of the reasoning was the
fact that the golf station did do hockey and the
guy doing play by play was Norm Jerry, who was
the news and sports director of the station, the mayor
of the city, and was only I think about that
(04:49):
time eight or nine years removed from having been the
TV play by play voice of the New York Rangers.
So the chance to work with the guy like that
was certainly a big draw in coming to GOALUF.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah, and when you talk about, you know, the early
days of hockey, the great voice of the London Nights
and Mike Stubbs, I told him I was having you
on and he asked, wanted me to ask you just
how the games evolved.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Over the years, Larry, and being able.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
To call the games through so many different generations and
variations of the game. For you, what's been the biggest
difference that you've seen? Obviously, the speed is one thing
a lot of people talk about that has grown in
the game, But in your opinion, for somebody that's called
games for a very long time and seeing so many
different shifts in the game, what's been your biggest takeaway
from it?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Speed and skill the improvement in that area. I know
when we were in Halifax in twenty nineteen, one guy
I wanted to catch up with was Bob Crumber, who
I knew lived in the Halifax area and Bob played
on the nineteen ninety eight Storm championship team that was
coached by George Burnett in his first time here in Gwelph,
and I asked Bob the same question you're asking me,
the difference is in the game. And he said he
(05:56):
personally couldn't be playing the game in these days because
he was, how shall we describe it, A bit of
a tough guy, A whole lot of a tough guy
as a matter of fact, And that's what he said.
The speed, the skill, the size. I remember when we
went to the Memorial Cup in Spokane that the biggest
guy in the team was six ft six defenseman Ian Forbes.
(06:18):
I think the last time I checked with Ian, he
owns a night club, I believe in the San Diego area,
so he got a little way away from the hockey business.
But he was one of the few guys that was
in that size territory. And now you look around the
league and you see a whole bunch of guys that big,
but not only that big, skilled and good on their
skates too. So I think the big difference overall is
(06:41):
maybe speed and skilled.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Yeah, I think that's definitely one of the things that
we've seen in the transition of how the way junior
hockey and even the NHL level is going in that sense.
During your broadcasting career with the guelf Storm, Larry, you
know you've been able to call four championships for them.
I'm sure it's a you know, when you look back
on it, you know two that they lost as well
(07:05):
that you think about as well, but the four that
they were able to win in ninety nine, twenty four,
twenty fourteen, and most recently twenty nineteen against the Ottawa
sixty sevens. Like, can you even compare championship teams against
each other? And you know, deep playoff runs and all
the time and effort that you put into investing your
time into in your life into those teams as well, Like,
(07:27):
does anything stand out to you from those four championship teams?
Speaker 5 (07:31):
Well, let me back up.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
First championship team, nineteen seventy eight Centennial Cup with the
golf players. There you go, and something like half dozen
guys from that team went to the National Hockey League
and two of them are still running the show in
the NHL, Ryan McClelland and Washington and George McFee in Vegas.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
And that team was highly skilled.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I know that year they played something like six games
against the top teams in the major junior circuit. It
wasn't the Ohl back then, oh Major Junior, but the
same difference, and they went four to one and one
against those six teams, the top six teams in Major Junior,
and scouts were saying that Team Intact could have been
a serious contender at the major junior level and won
(08:13):
a national championship. And the interesting part of that, in
comparison to the Memorial Cup tournaments in recent years, that
was actually the last year that the Centennial Cup and
I believe the Memorial Cup were decided in continuous best
of seven series. We had to come out of the
provincial Junior League at the time, win four league series,
play thunder Bay, let's see Pembroke, Charlottetown and finally Prince
(08:38):
Albert and all of those best of seven and I
added up the games at the end of the year
and I think we actually wound up playing more playoff
games in regular season games. But that team was outstanding
and as far as the Memorial Cup teams go, well
could have won.
Speaker 5 (08:53):
In ninety eight that one went.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Into overtime before Portland won it, and the twenty nineteen
won London certainly disappointing. The Storm were the best team
through the round robin, not twenty nineteen, rather twenty fourteen
in London. They just breezed through the round robin portion
of the tournament and lost in the final against the
Edmonton Oil Kings. And I got thinking about how best
(09:18):
of seven series worked as opposed to that tournament and
through the OHL Championship that year, they won all four
series in five games and had one bad game with
each tournament. Well, unfortunately or in each series, and unfortunately
in the Memorial Cup tournament itself, the one bad game
turned out to be the very last one they played.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, that almost reminiscent of the London Nights last year, right, Larry,
Because they won the OHL Championship, won the round robin
and lost a Saginaw A team that they had beaten
in the second round of the playoffs, and then lost
to them in the Memorial Cup final in the last second. So,
you know, for somebody that's been around the game for
so long, I know the Memorial Cup is, you know,
the biggest prize in junior hockey. But you know, you
(09:59):
go through the kind of a sixty eight game season
and then four rounds of seven round seven game series
of playoffs, like do you take more pride in seeing
guys being able to raise the league championship? In this sense,
the Ohl the j Ross Robertson Cup, because just how
difficult and how many things have to go your way
to be able to survive that long of a season.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Absolutely, you should be proud to be a league champion.
That requires a whole lot more tenacity and effort and
just being able to handle the grind when you're playing
that much hockey. And the Memorial Cup tournament, I don't
want to downplay what an important tournament it is, but
it's kind of a bit of a crapshoot. You can
lose one game and find yourself out of that tournament.
(10:42):
By contrast, you have an opportunity to rebound, certainly in
the best of seven series. And as we were talking,
I was thinking back to twenty fourteen in London and
the Storm did eliminate London from their own tournament, which
was a fun deal that particular night, because if you
talk about two really tight rivalries here in Gualfoot would
(11:03):
be Kitchener in London, and certainly throw Owen Sound into
that mix as well, but Max Domby got the overtime
winner the other night for the Leafs against Ottawa. Max
Donby played in that London team that year.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah, even for me growing up watching the OHL and
now seeing these guys graduate to the NHL and some
of them finish off their careers, it's a great trajectory
and getting to see those guys really evolve as young
men and as players that graduate to pro hockey. That
twenty nineteen team, Larry I remembered a little bit, just
it was a little bit before my time getting into
the into the media side of the league, but from
(11:37):
what I've been told, it was almost like a comeback team.
They were able to be able to come back from
some deficits in series and be able to pull it
out there. Basically the last one before you know, the
pandemic happened in nineteen twenty the season there. But what
do you remember from that twenty nineteen team. Obviously it's
going to be the last team that you were able
(11:58):
to call a championship for as there any memories or
any moments or calls to stick out to you from
that season.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
May talk about comeback, I can pull out the championship
ring and I got one of those from that season
and inside the ring at Reed's comeback kids. They won
their first series four straight over Kitchener, but after that
fell down three to nothing to London one and seven
fell down in the series to Sagana three to one
one and seven trailed in the Ohl final two nothing
(12:26):
against Odawa won the next four to win a championship.
So it was it was come back throughout the entire
playoffs basically for the Storm. And what I really remember too,
even backing up, is approaching the trade deadline, what general
manager George Burnett did and putting that team together. There
were a whole much of trades, made a flurry of trades.
(12:49):
In fact, I don't want to forget anybody, but certainly
begin with the players off. They own sound attack that
joined the Storm. Guy named Ni Suzuki's done pretty well
in the national ocula, Sean Dursey, Zach Roberts, Marcus Phillips.
They added let's see defenseman serge No, who was it.
(13:10):
I'm trying to think if it was, but it was
a defenceman off the Flint Firebirds at any rate, and
Mackenzie and Whistle from the Hamilton team and that's a
lot of players to add. All of a sudden, you
look at the fact that you've added six players to
your roster with half the season to go, and the
first thought that came to mind with me is how
are they going to fit toget there as a group?
(13:32):
And we got our answer. They fit together really well.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Not.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Ottawa team was hard to beat back then. They were
getting you know, they were near the top of the
Eastern Conference all those years with Andrey Tournier as their
head coach, and it was a tough team to beat
at that Wolf team was almost a team of destiny
and I'm sure it's it's one that you'll look back
finally on, Larry, transitioning from the player side of things
a little bit, because you've seen so many coaches, general managers,
(13:56):
employees come and go. Is there you know one memory
of one, you know, interaction that you've had with a
coach or general manager that you think was impactful for
your career, just a you know, funny story that you
have kept in your mind over the years.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Well, going back to that Centennial Cup team to begin with,
the coach was Ron Smith, who was a buddy of
Roger Nielsen's and as a result wound up in the
National Hockey League with several teams along with Roger and
Ron was an interesting guy. He had been a defenseman
who was offered a contract by the Red Wings in
the six team NHL days, but he was even a
(14:33):
better baseball player and he got signed by the San
Francisco Giants as a shortstop, made it to TRIPAA and
then as a coach. Just meticulous in how he worked
the bench and always had his team maybe one or
two steps ahead of what was going on over at
the other bench. So that was the first experience really
with a coach, and through the years it's been great.
(14:55):
Craig Hertzburg, e J McGuire, the current coaching group, Chad
Wiseman who was let go after last season. He's doing
well as an assistant with Springfield where Michael Buschinger, who
played for the Storm is playing there with him and
the current coach, Corey Stillman. All easy people, good people
to get along with. And the first name that comes
(15:16):
immediately to mind to me is Mike Kelly as the
general manager and the general manager of the Storm and
such a classy guy and funny story. Well I could
tell a funny couple of funny stories about Mike. Really
mild mannered, pleasant, easy to get along with, person who
was friendly with everybody. But once a hockey game started,
(15:39):
he got as bout as much wound up as anybody.
And I remember him in one game, sitting up near
me in the press box, didn't like the penalty call.
And this was that the old Golf Memorial gardens, where
the press box would be close to the edge of
the ice surface. He rolled up a piece of paper
and threw it at the referee, and the referee looked
up and saw where it came from, and it resulted
(16:01):
in a two minute, un sportsman like penalty. And I
don't I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like
that before or since. And if I asked Mike, yeah,
he remember, I was gonna say he might have forgotten that,
but he remembered.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
That's a good one for sure.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
I'm sure he didn't forget getting a penalty when he
wasn't even playing. But uh, as far as you quickly mentioned, uh,
the Gulf Memorial, I know the Sleeman Center is a
fantastic facility now the current home of the Gulf Storm,
but uh, what are your memories of the old rink
And and obviously you know the old rinks, they had
a lot of you know, tradition and and they were
iconic in their own way in most most areas, there
(16:38):
aren't many many rinks like that left in Ohl or
really anywhere. Unfortunately they're becoming a lesser and lesser. But
what it's been your favorite old school rink moment there
from the Gulf Memorial.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Well, if I could touch on one that does remind
me and has reminded me over the years of Gulf
Memorial Gardens, that would be the Bay Shore in O
Sound if you've been into that building. A lot of
similarities with the structure of the old Golf Memorial Gardens,
which had a seating capacity of under four thousand. There
really wasn't much room for standing room. As I mentioned,
(17:13):
the press box really close to the edge of the
ice surface. And for people who aren't sure about how
it works for us up in the booth, your best
possible location is up high, close to.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
The edge of the ice surface.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
And really it was a great place to call games
from the same applies to the Sleeman Center. But the
crowd really felt like it was right on top of
the players there at Gulf Memorial Gardens. And again if
you want to go into Bay Shore and Owen Sound,
if you've never been there, you get the same type
of feel as I used to get at Golf Memorial Gardens.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Yeah, there aren't many ricks like the Bay Shore left.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Maybe Sudbury's is one of the only ones left in
the OHL that are from that standpoint, But yes, the
Bay Shore and Own Sound definitely one. Never got to
go to Guelf Memorial Gardens myself, but I've heard a
lot a lot of great things about, you know, the
memories there. You mentioned the Sleeman Center because from the
few times that I've been able to be there covering
the games in the press box, seems like a great view, Larry,
(18:10):
as far as just the watching, as well as being able.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
To call a game.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
You're right near center ice, You're just high enough where
you know you're not necessarily in the rafters like you
were you would be in some other rinks. But really
nice of viewing experience there at the Sleeman Center. And
I'm sure for the fans as well.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
Oh absolutely.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
And I've got a salute twelve Storm fans for the
way they've supported the team, especially the last couple of years,
being certainly a struggle on the ice and missing the
playoffs this year, but the average attendance this year wound
up being what was it, forty six hundred and thirty
seven I want to say, so pretty close to capacity
and the same thing a year ago. So Gelf Storm
(18:48):
fans certainly understand the way it works, and the way
it works for most teams, aside from the London Knights,
who always seemed to be able to contend, is the
fact that at some point you wind up taking this
step back because your older players graduate and you have
to kind of start all over again. And the stormwore
and that rebuilding process this year, and I think over
the next couple of years should be a pretty good
(19:10):
hockey team. The only question mark I have, and this
is something that's cropped up this year, is with the
NC double A decision, how that's going to impact the
structure of teams. And I think maybe something that points
out maybe possible changes would be, for instance, Henry Muse
in Sudbury, who could have been back as a nineteen
(19:32):
year old but has decided to move on to the
NC Double A. Are we going to see, you know,
maybe more of that happen, and how do you structure
the team?
Speaker 5 (19:41):
What do you do?
Speaker 3 (19:42):
I mean, somebody suggested to me, maybe you take a
look at what the Western Hockey League does and they
draft beginning at fifteen year olds. Maybe that'll have to
happen at some point. And that's also one of the
reasons why I think the talk started about adding a
third European player being able to be drafted this year,
so there might be three important players on each team
(20:03):
around the Canadian Hockey League beginning in the fall.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
It's going to be an interesting dynamic, Larry, as far
as the ever ever changing landscape of the CHL, especially
you mentioned some of those older players might move on,
but you might be able to get some of those
younger players that maybe we're going to be NC double
A commits.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
So it's a double edged sword there. We're gonna have
to wait and see.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
I don't know if we'll necessarily see the impact until
the next two or three years down the road. We
saw in this most recent draft where we saw, you know,
half the second round was Americans, which we had never
really seen before in the Ontario Hockey League because those
were all guys that would be NC Double A commits
and would lose their eligibility up until this new agreement
came between the CHL and the NC Double A new
(20:42):
commissioner Brian Crawford, as somebody that's exiting the game, Larry,
where do you see the game kind of going in
the next few years and are you encouraged with you
know where the game is going to be going here
as it goes into the future.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Well, I think so.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
I look forward to maybe some expansion happening, but with
the political issues south of the border, I'm not sure
that we can necessarily consider seriously American franchises being added
until it kind of gets straightened out down there. Not
that more American cities wouldn't be great additions to the league,
but I got thinking when I said issues about the bus.
(21:20):
I kind of got wondering towards the end of the
season myself whether there might be some difficulties. So with
the Ontario Hockey League teams crossing back and forth over
that American border beginning in the fall, we'll have to
wait and see. In that one, I'm going to throw
a question out at you because I've been thinking about
it because I know that the city up the road
from his, Kitchener's gearing up for a bid for the
(21:41):
twenty twenty seven Memorial Cup. And I think it's going
to happen in Sue Saint Marie as well. And it
certainly was hearing talk that they're with the ice dogs
in Saint Catherine's. It may be something that happens Placing
a bit as well.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Yeah, I think definitely those are the teams that I've
been hearing to Larry as far as Kitchener, Niagara, possibly
Sue Saint Marie for twenty twenty seven. Again, a lot
of things can change in the next year, but you
know they make those decisions early, and it would be
interesting because Niagara being a border town really with Saint
Catherines just twenty minutes from the border there, how that
might affect things as well. And you mentioned a lot
(22:16):
of things to work out politically, but thank god we
don't have to talk about it on this show because
we're not a political.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Podcast, so we'll stick to hockey.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
But again, when when you talk about that sort of thing,
it's a it's all very important when you have to
bring up when you have American franchises within within your
league and how that that is going to affect things.
Going back to Gwelf hockey for a second, Larry, because
you know, you've been in the Guelf community for for
such a long time and they've had some great teams
over the years. When you talk about what the Gwelf
(22:43):
Storm mean to the Gwelf community, you know, they're right
inside of them all right down there in downtown. It's
it's pretty interesting how the rinks set up. Maybe when
things get to playoffs, Like what's the buzz around the
city when the Storm are going deep and going into
those deep playoff runs and when they know that they
have a good team. You know, what what do the
Storm mean to the city of Gwelf.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
Well, I think going back to the attendance again, when
it's almost sold out every game, that pretty much describes it.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
There.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
I get thinking back to the time in the eighties
when I briefly went out west because we had quit
doing play by play hockey play by play at that
point and I decided to go out west. And when
I told him I was coming from Gwelph, there were
two things that people out west said, University of Guelph
and the hockey team, So it immediately identifies your community
(23:33):
when you have a hockey team that's attracted that kind
of attention.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
No, And I think it's just such a great thing
when junior hockey comes to a town and you get
in those those playoff series that we've seen over the years,
and especially when you're playing, you know, maybe a high
profile team like the London Knights of the Kitchen or
Rangers or somebody like that. It just probably elevates to
another level when you're able to be on the big
stage like that and get to championships, because that's what
(24:00):
it's all about. And you've been through so many of those.
As far as players, Larry, because you've been around so
many great players as well. You know, the Storm have
four retired numbers up top there in Paul Fenley, Ryan Callahan, Tabertuzzi,
Jeff O'Neil. But I'm sure you can talk about so
many other great players that you've been able to call
games for, who have been some of your favorites over
(24:20):
the years that have worn the Storm jersey.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Well, First of all, Paul Fendley wasn't a gelf Storm
In nineteen seventy two, the Centennial Cup Final against the
Red Deer Rustlers. Chin strap loose, and he took a
hit at center rice and hit his head on the
ice and passed away a couple of days afterwards. And
that's the reason number eighteen has never worn in the
city of Guelf. Jeff O'Neil, Todd, Bertuzzi, Ryan Callahan all
(24:47):
speak for themselves. Other players I'd certainly like to see honor.
Dustin Brown recently retired to Stanley Cups in Los Angeles.
Dan Paller with the Stanley Cup with the Boston Ruins,
playing for Team Canada twice, And I was telling you
before we started this, I always remember the two thousand
and four three to four season because Dan was the
(25:10):
captain of Team Canada that year at the World Juniors,
a team that had Sydney Crosby and Marc Andre Fleury
play on it, and then went to the Memorial Cup
after that. So Dan had quite a career. Chris hed
I'll always remember as one of the best defensive defensemen
and Chris's assistant coach with the Ontario Reign for the
Los Angeles Kings. Had a couple of years as assistant
(25:32):
in Buffalo, where his dad, Bill Height was a noted
defenseman for quite a few years. And who else have
we got? There are so many of them that it's
Chris Madden, who still lives in Guelf, speaking of American players,
married a lady from the area of state in this area,
and he was the Memorial Cup MVP in nineteen ninety eight,
even though the team lost in the final, just outstanding
(25:55):
and goal that year. Craig Anderson. Another goaltender who went
on to a lengthy Nation A Hockey League career. Marty
Saint Pierre had one hundred and twenty three points or
so his last season in the league. And it just
continues on and on and noteworthy of course in recent
years playing his last year here. Part of his last
year was Nick Suzuki, and I could just go on
(26:17):
and on, and how much time have you got?
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Absolutely I'm looking at the Guelf Storm player list here, Larry,
as you're talking about players that have won, you know,
awards in the Ontario Hockey League. It's pretty incredible the
amount of players that have have been been able to
achieve such great things at the OHL level end obviously
at the NHL level most recently that people would would
know about his Jet Luchenko, the prospect of the Philadelphia Flyers,
(26:44):
luckily was able to come back from Philadelphia and finish
out the season with the Storm there as the captain
was the most sportsman like player in the twenty three
to twenty four season and helping him, you know, achieve
such success and be drafted high by the Flyers as
a first round pick. What have you seen from the
development of Jet Luchenko and what makes you think that
on and off the ice he has a good head
(27:05):
on his shoulders and is going to be a successful
pro hockey player in the National Hockey League sooner rather
than later.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Well, we talked about speed and skill earlier being the
big difference with the way the game is played now
as opposed to ten or fifteen years ago, and Jet
Lechenko is a good example. We had somebody come in
here who obviously hadn't covered many games and asked him,
is your name really Jet? And I looked at him
kind of funny thinking, and I realized, actually it was
somebody from the NCAA who hadn't covered much of junior
(27:32):
hockey that was asking the question. I said, yeah, the
name matches the speed on the ice. Jet is certainly
I think going to be a star in the NHL.
Let me toss out a little bit of trivia here
for you that not a lot of people necessarily out
of town though. This is the home of the hat trick.
This is where the phrase hat trick originated. And it
originated with the Gulf built more Mad Hatters, who were
(27:55):
the team sponsor back in the forties and fifties, and
they started a tradition of give one of their hats,
and hats that were notably worn by people around the world.
The factory was that well noted, but they started to
prevent present hats to players who scored three goals in
a game.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
And there you go. That's where the hat trick came from.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
I never knew that, so I learned something new today, Larry,
and I appreciate that insight there. I never knew that
the term hat tricks started in Gwelf, But now from
here on in I will make sure to let them
know that it was a Gwelf tradition that Hugh let
me know about that. Speaking of just colleagues around the
league and things like that, you've seen probably so many
come and go graduate on to do great things, whether
(28:35):
it be NC Double A or Pro hockey in all
three of those leagues, or move on to other things
outside of hockey. Who have been some of your favorite colleagues?
You know, play by play guys, color commentators, and people
that you've come in contact with when you're traveling around
all these different ranks throughout the season and that come
into GWELF all season long. You know, who are some
(28:56):
of the ones that will stick out to you as
you know some of your favorites that you've been able
to cross path with.
Speaker 5 (29:01):
Well.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Certainly Fred Wallace, who became a friend in Owen Sound
remains a friend. Will probably get together for some golf
or something over the course of the summer. And he
keeps telling me every time we go into Owen Sound,
I got fifty to fifty tickets together. We've never I've
never won anything with him. I think he's won once
or twice there. He keeps telling me I have a
good feeling, and I kept telling him, no, forget the
(29:23):
good feeling, let's win the money. But Fred, one of
them just up the road, Mike Farewell, Mike Stubbs, Slee
Cunningham and sarn You, Terry Doyle. They're doing a TV
and the OHL News feature each week, basically everybody.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
Around the league.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
I don't think there's anybody over the years that I
haven't viewed as a friend because they're doing the same
thing I'm doing. And yeah, you're leaning towards the team
that you cover personally, but at the same time understanding
that you're watching a lot of good hockey being played
by both hockey teams, and you're watching a lot of
(29:59):
good people covering those games. So there are a few
that certainly I noted because I see them more often,
Fred and Mike Stubbs and Mike Farewell. But easy to
get along with all the people around this league that
cover the game.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
And everybody's always happy to see you, Larry. So it's
going to be a weird one for everybody when the
GUELF Storm come into town to not see you there
up in the press box. But as far as not
just general gwelf Storm, but as far as I'm gonna
put you on the spot here, who's maybe the best
player not necessarily that went on to do great things
in the NHL level, but at the OHL level, who
(30:35):
was the best player that you ever saw that you've
been able to cover it and be able to call
play by.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Playoff besides Drew Dowdy.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
Yeah, there you go, true Dowdy.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
It's funny.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Over the years, doing so many different games, it's hard
to remember everything, and even in championship games. But I
recall when Drew Dowdy really stuck out to me. We
were playing the Storm were playing the Sue Greyhounds in
Guelf and Dowdy had the pucket center ice and the
Storm were on a line change and he was surrounded
(31:10):
by at least four Sue players and I'm thinking, Okay,
he's going to dump the puck in and the head
to the bench.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
He didn't dump the puck in.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
He skated over the blue line, did a tight little spin,
got away from everybody, snapped a high backhand er into
the net, and I had to stop and think, did
he just do what I think I saw him do?
Speaker 5 (31:30):
And that was Drew Dout. He just an outstanding player.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
A lot of people say Connor McDavid that I speak
to as far as broadcasters around the league, just because
of the speed and the dynamic ability of him. Do
you have like a moment that sticks out to you
about watching Connor McDavid with the Eerie Otters.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Well, I remember how good he was as a fifteen
year old and the fact that that Erie Hockey team
became a consistent contender throughout the time he was there,
and it was unfortunate when they finally for him, when
they finally won the championship was actually the year after
he was gone. But there was never any question that
Connor McDavid was going to be an outstanding hockey player.
And the fortunate thing for those of us who covered
(32:10):
junior hockey is, yes, Connor McDavid and Drew Dowdy on
a different level than everybody else. By the way, Steve
Stamcos was outstanding that year for Sarnia the last year,
the same as Drew Dowdy was. In fact, they went
one two in the NHL draft that year. But we
see so many outstanding players that were fortunate to be
(32:30):
able to cover the game at this level and watch
them progress both on and off the ice.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
For sure, And when you talk about that progression to
the National Hockey League, Larry like, do you try.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
To keep up with those?
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Obviously you keep up with the Gulf Storm players, but
is it fun to kind of, you know, turn on
the television and see players you know on a national
stage that have graduated from the OHL that you remember,
you know, calling games of or maybe even doing some
pregame interviews with that have have gone on to do
great things. And trying to keep up with with the
pro game. I know, when you're in the OHL season
(33:01):
and trust me, I'm there. You know you're all in
on it. But when you're able to have a moment
to watch, you know, the pro game, you know, do
you are you able to have some time to reflect
on some of those memories of them in their younger days.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Absolutely, listening on radio, watching on TV. But the way
I really try to keep up and it's hard to
keep pace with what everybody is up to. But I
go into websites all the time, the AHL, the ECHL,
what's going on at the KHL in Switzerland. There have
been some players out of Switzerland that have been good
(33:34):
for the storm effect. Peugh Souter had twenty five goals
this season for the Vancouver Canucks. He played on the
twenty fourteen championship team. I'm a Red Wings fan. I've
still never forgiven the Red Wings for letting him escape.
That's another story. And they let Robbie Fabric. Oh, don't
don't get me going in that one. But they've missed
the playoffs now nine years in a row. But yeah,
(33:55):
I try to keep tabs on players that I know
from Guelph, and I'll just run down the list and
check on what other players are up to. It's fun
to see, for instance, Carter George from the Owen Sound Attack.
He's played the last time I checked, two games in
the American Hockey League, called up as a backup with
the Los Angeles Kings in the playoffs, but his two
(34:16):
American Hockey League games he had a shutout and gave
up one goal and a two to one win and
was the first Star in both games and the own
Sound Attack.
Speaker 5 (34:24):
No, he sure isn't going to be around this league
as an overager.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
No, definitely not.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
And it's great to see those players move on, but
you want to have them come back if they're able
to for for one more year. But special talents can't
keep them down down too long. They're larry and talking about,
you know, being engraved in the hockey. Are there any
other sports that you enjoy, you know, watching playing over
the years that to kind of have an escape from
(34:49):
hockey because again, we consume this game, you know, for
eight to nine months of the year, and and then
that that short summer that we all get. You know,
what do you what do you are there other sports
that you like to enjoy just to kind of, you know,
get break from hockey once in a while.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Well, my father's family came from the Windsor area, so
I grew up as a Red Wings and a Tigers fan.
So I know that the year the Tigers won in
sixty eight and Denny McClain won thirty one ballgames, I
was at Tiger Stadium to see about seven or eight
of those. So certainly baseball was on that list too.
There is something else I should tell you about gwelth
that surprises a few people.
Speaker 5 (35:23):
It was about seventy.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
Years ago that Bill McCreary and a few other or
not Bill McCreary, Bill Devorski, and several others formed the
GWELF Referees Association with the idea of training and promoting referees.
And you run down the list. Will Norris just recently
passed away. Here, let's see, there is Bill McCrary, Paul Devorski,
(35:45):
Greg Devorski, and Andy van hellimand and I'm missing a few.
You can look at the National Hockey League list of
officials in any given yurancy a number of GWELF people
officiating in the National Hockey League as a result of
what they did here informing the Golf Referees Association many
years ago.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
No, again, something I've learned two new things about about
the city of Guelf, that's for sure, Larry. But uh
uh again, Uh when you look at it now that
you you're going to be, you know, transitioning to something else,
you know what what are what are your do you
have any plans I guess for what you're going to do.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Come the fall?
Speaker 1 (36:23):
And uh obviously you said family is important to you
as well, so you know what?
Speaker 5 (36:27):
What?
Speaker 1 (36:28):
What's on the Where are we going to see Larry
Malot pop up next?
Speaker 3 (36:32):
Well, probably certainly some games at the Slaveman Center. I
won't be there all the time, but if they need
any assistance in putting together any little projects or what
they may have, maybe I can be of some use.
I'm not sure we'll find out, but I'm certainly not
going to stay away from Marinas. I'll be paying attention
to what's going on.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
And I guess I've got a few more questions for
you here, Larry, before I let you go and really
appreciate your time today. What would be your message to
young aspiring broadcasters. Would that be play by play people
that want to get into the industry, you know, people
in sports management programs, things like that. You know, what
would be your biggest piece of advice for you know,
once breaking into the business yourself of you know, making
(37:14):
sure that they're doing the right things to put themselves
in the right spots to to earn those opportunities.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
Well, unfortunately, they're not nearly as many opportunities as there
used to be because there's been a lot of trimming
going on in the media in terms of actual live
shows and live sportscasts. You've got to do a little
bit of research and take a look at who still
covers sports. And if I was somebody just starting out,
(37:39):
I wouldn't pin myself down to I've got to be
in southern Ontario or I've got to be here.
Speaker 5 (37:44):
I've got to be there, be prepared to.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Be anywhere across the country, whether it be out west,
whether it be in the Maritimes, and just do a
little bit of research and investigating into who is still
still actually doing live play by play, and then approach
those people and see where you can go from there.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
And then I guess what would be your lasting message?
I know you quickly talked about it in your farewell
tweet there last week, But what will be your lasting
message to the Storm players, the fans, the community, the
OHL community, and everybody that you've crossed paths within the
game of As you're kind of, you know, riding off
into the sunset here, what's your message to everybody that
(38:22):
is you know, loved your calls over the years.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Well, first of all, for the players, enjoy the ride
when you play in junior hockey, and I've gone through
this with just about every player I've ever talked to
their first year to their last year, and they talk
about how fast it goes. So enjoy the time when
you've got the time to play in the lake. And
the other thing that I've always said, as much fun
as the game is and how exciting the game itself is,
(38:48):
it's the people you meet and the friendships that you
make over the years. And I'll remember the people I've
come in touch with over the years as much as
the game itself.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
Amazing thoughts here from longtime GUELF storm voice here on
fourteen sixty c Joy. That would be Larry Malt. Larry,
thanks so much for the time today. Enjoy you know
the ride here as you you transition to some other things.
I know, you know, not getting on to hockey broadcast,
you're looking forward to some downtime and things like that.
But you know, happy and honored that you were able
(39:21):
to come on today and you know, give us some
some parting thoughts. I saw you know, the tweet last week,
and I wanted to reach out and make sure that
you know you had a proper send off and know
how much you mean to a lot of us in
the Ontario Hockey League, media broadcasting and the fans that
have been able to listen to your calls over the years.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Well, thank you for this too, Brandon, and say hi
to Dan pie a Form. It was great to have
him back in the league this season.
Speaker 4 (39:44):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
So that's gonna wrap up a special episode of vah
All Overtime right here in the arms your GM Sports networkday.
Everybody that tuned in on our YouTube channel on video
and those who listened on your favorite on demand audio
platform so for Larry Mallot, my name is Branick Putto.
We'll talk to you again very soon. You're listening to
the Armchair Yam Sports Network.
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