Week 24: Bobcats Playoff Preview

With playoffs around the corner and the Blue Ridge Bobcats on a five game win streak, @swancommander welcomes Bobcats head coach Vojtech Zemlicka back into the pod for this playoff preview.

The conversation continues in the Discord — join free here: https://discord.gg/7UVWaJyR4d

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 1:14

What's going on, everyone? Welcome back to another episode of FPHL Beyond the Glass. I'm your host, Eric Swanik, Swan Commander on social media. This is the official podcast of the Federal Prospects Hockey League, and it is almost playoff time. Regular season winding down, playoff seedings starting to shape up more. In this episode, we're going to be joined by Blue Ridge Bobcats head coach Voitek Zemlika. The Bobcats are on a five-game win streak, and last weekend they got back-to-back shutouts from Anthony Strum, which always makes things easier when your goalie's not giving up any goals. So uh yeah, let's uh let's jump into it. Let's sit down with Voittek. Zemi, what's going on? Welcome back to the show.

SPEAKER_02 1:56

Thanks for having me, Eric. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 1:59

Yeah, thanks for coming back on. What's uh what's going on? You guys are on a five-game, five-game heater right now, playoffs around the corner. Walk us through Blue Ridge.

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Uh yeah, I mean, um, yeah, it seems like we've been uh things have been clicking well for us um lately. You know, we've been uh this this whole season, it's been a you know, winning streak, losing streak, winning streak, losing streak. That's why we're kind of around that 500 mark. But you know, we I I find it very important that you know at this part of the season we're able to um you know get on the five-game winning streak like this, especially when we're in in you know in in a push for a playoff. And as you know, you know, we're right now third with Topika a couple points behind us, and Denver is still in the play too. So, you know, we would love to be already clinched, be in the spot where we're clinched, but um, unfortunately, there's been some some points uh you know um uh we didn't get throughout the season. And uh, but on the other hand, I always uh try to find the positives, and I think it's good for us to be to be in the fight for a playoff spot. So we're not getting too comfortable, too safe over here, and we still have something to prove on a daily basis.

SPEAKER_03 3:17

Yeah, absolutely. And for a while, like we've been talking about it on the show over the past, I don't know, probably about probably about two months now, about how tight the uh you know the three, four, five race has been and you know, really in both divisions, the Empire and the Continental, and now they're starting to you know kind of show their cards a little bit and materialize. Um, you know, with you guys you know taking that third spot now, starting to put a little bit of distance, but again, like with the three-point system in this league, things can change, you know, very quickly. What's been the biggest thing down the stretch, like maybe over the last two months for you guys that you feel has been enabled you guys to start to you know to start to take that spot in the standings that you know was up for grabs for the longest time and still is up for grabs, but um, like I said, starting to materialize more now.

SPEAKER_02 4:08

Yeah, um, you know, you're right, like it's this league, like it's it's really even this year, and everybody can play against everybody, everybody can beat everybody. But for us, I mean, you know, we've we try to focus on on two things here mainly. The first one is is a habit. Uh you know, it's once you get once you get in in January, February, March, like that's that's I I like to call it the dogs days. That's when you know players, teams get complacement, and you know, um they kind of forget about uh the the little things and what makes them successful in the first part of the season. And that's something I harp on a lot, is just having the right habits and not just in the game, but obviously throughout the practice and and and understand, you know, uh with that that you know the body's getting tired, the guys are getting, you know, they they get injuries here and there. So, you know, I I try to do a do a job for them where um if things are clicking, we're playing good hockey, they get enough rest. Uh the practices get get a little shorter, uh, more to a point than spending a ton of time on D Ace and focus on the video, what I think is you know the best tool in hockey and continue studying the game. Uh, plus, you know, and another thing um we try to focus in is things, how things would affect your game, like your mental, uh, you know, your mental strength, mental side of the game. We talk about it a lot. And you know, as you have so many different characters in the locker room, it's hard to please everybody. But uh yet again, I feel like it's so important to have those one-on-one conversations, making sure that the guys are feeling feeling good, not just on the ice, but everything everything is good for them in their you know personal personal life as well. And they're happy here. And and you know, if if there is any concern, we we try to be there for them. And um, I think that's that that's another part where you gotta show the guys that you know you're not above them, but you wish them. Um I'm I'm not any bigger than any of those guys in the lock and we're one team or one family, and and you know, um having that accountability. Um you know, things are gonna go up and down in hockey, you know, just like in the game, you get momentum, you lose momentum, but being able being able to come together um is very important. And and I feel like we we have came together here over the last stretch over here. And honestly, since the 2026, I feel like we turn the page and and start playing some some good hockey, and there's still gonna be mistakes, and there's still there are games we should have won and we lost, but that's that's part of the learning pro process, and that's part of you know becoming becoming a team and then um you know coming together.

SPEAKER_03 7:08

So yeah, absolutely. And like, you know, like you mentioned, like turning the page 2026. Like that's you know, we've said it a couple times now. Like it's you know, it's all about getting getting hot at the right time. Like you get hot at the right time, like that's you know, that's what you need, especially in this league with the short series. I mean, you know, like you look back to the St. Louis Blues years ago, they're in like I think they're in like dead last place in the NHL in January, wound up winning the cup that year. It's like you know, just getting right, you know, getting hot the right time is so just so important.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Absolutely. I mean, look at SPHL last season. I mean, you had in the finals, you had uh Evansville playing against Knoxville. I think they were second and eight seed uh in the regular season, making it all the way to the final. So yeah, you know, with this the call-ups in this league and and uh you know injuries, and you're right, being hot at the right time is important, but at the end of the day, the important is is to clinch clinch and get in the playoff, and then it becomes a completely different game. Uh you know, as long as we we preach this season that we need to play playoff hockey from from the game one through the whole you know 56 games because that's something what I felt like we liked last season. We wasn't ready to play Thunderbirds in the playoff. And this year I think we're doing much better job at it. Uh plus, you know, we we got we got a little bit of the depth over here on the roster too, what I'm very, very happy with. And we have some phenomenal hockey players and great personalities too. Like uh, what I love the most about about this team is just uh the personalities. Like the the guys are just an awesome human beings, and and you know, they they're willing to follow my lead and put the work in and and come together and you know step out of their comfort zone sometimes and and and be a leader too. You know, sometimes uh myself as a coach shouldn't be always speaking and keeping the guys accountable. And we have we have some great leadership over here who who does their job, and I think that that helps, you know, that it's just another voice. Um it's the same voice, it's one voice, but it's coming from multiple different people, even from the people who don't have the letter on their jerseys.

SPEAKER_03 9:26

So yeah, yeah, all on the same page and still on the same message. And like I think that like I love that you bring that up because like it's such an important part, like the actual like locker room, the people in the locker room, it's so important. Because I think like one thing that a lot of people don't realize, and it it's true at any level, but it's more bearable. Like, obviously, the higher up you go and you're making more money, but like it's it's not easy to to be a pro athlete and like everybody sees like the games and like all right, it's cool, it's fun, but like it's a lot of like you mentioned before, like checking in on the players and you know, making sure they're still mentally in it. Is there anything that's upsetting them? Like, it's a like it's a grind, the season. Like it's a lot of travel. I mean, a lot of times you're living out of a suitcase, like not even necessarily like like you're living out of suitcase on the road trips, but then like there's some guys that are kind of living out of a suitcase because they're getting traded, bouncing around within the league, trying to find their trying to find their niche. Like, you know, most of these guys are away from home. Um, it's not easy. And you know, this come this time of year, like March, you've been doing it all year. Like, yeah, it's it's you know, it could be easy to sometimes to you know lose your head at times. So like I think that's you know important that you what you mentioned before, and even just what you mentioned now in terms of like just the room, the like it's it's so important because the the the room is kind of like all you have, right? Like, you know, it's like I've always thought about it that way. Like that was one cool thing about hockey is that no matter where you play, as soon as you show up, you instantly have 20 friends, right? But that's kind of like the only thing that's like familiar.

SPEAKER_02 10:57

Correct, correct. I I agree with you. You know, it's it's uh locker locker wins the championships, you know. Uh, I mean it is so important to have the guys on the same page. And we went through a stretches where you know we were trying to figure it out the locker room here throughout the season. And I think, like you said, at the right time things clicked, and I think uh, like I said, uh a lot the guys who are playing here for me, and uh I think we have a great, great locker room. Um, but you know, it's it's at this point of the season too, it's it's a lot about the reinforcement and like as the guys know um how important is this stretch is us us as a coaching staff, we have to do a job of reinforcing the little things and the importance of the stretch, you know, because it's it's as a player. Um to me, and I tell the guys all the time, if I if we play in the FPHO in the NHL, at the end of the day, professional hockey player, and we gotta be grateful for having the opportunity to play professional hockey, right? Um, you may you may make not you may not make that much money as they do in DNHL, but the job doesn't really change, right? And the way you do one thing, you do everything else in the life. That's another another you know thing I like to preach and I like to go by myself, honestly. Um, and I think it's important to understand, you know, because uh we said it on the first time I've been on the podcast with you. Hockey goes, uh the game goes you know beyond just the game, right? It's it's a lot of things will you know translate to a life. And I think I think what's what's important is you know, as we're in this push is also learning the lessons, um what what eventually you're gonna see and the struggles you're gonna see in the life. It doesn't really change much, right? And we we have to figure that out together as a team. And and uh I think that's that's where like I said, that the leadership group's done a great job. And um, I can, you know, we got one captain, we got two A's on the homeice, two A's on the FAIs, but um, you know, I'm not gonna tell you we have five leaders, we we have 22 leaders on the team. Um, every guy who's on the roster, and that's that's important.

SPEAKER_03 13:18

Yeah, absolutely. And you know, and and you know, to your point, like yeah, like you're you know, it's kind of um you know, you're developing these life skills, and right now, you know, they're just being applied to hockey, right? But you're developing life skills, and I know that the development, like even the hockey development, is you know, very, very important to you. I mean, you're definitely one of the most, you know, concerned, if not the most concerned coach with you know individual player development in the league. How's that been this year? Like, obviously, you went into the year with a very you know, very specific plan of attack and everything in terms of the development. Like, have you been happy with how the players responded? Like, how's that how's that been?

SPEAKER_02 13:54

Yeah, you know, um big thing I learned this season is for myself that I have to adapt. Um, you know, when when I've played what's not too long ago, I felt like the mentality was a little bit different than it is now with with the younger players coming in the league. Um, and with the way the life just is nowadays, like you have to adapt. I can't expect the guys to to have that mindset like I had or or the teammates I had before. Things are changing, and I have to I have to do a job at adapting. Even you know, even like you said, like yes, I created a plan and there's the things I want to go by, but you can't always do that, right? Like things things will change and and you have to be able to adapt. And I think as far as the development this year, um I think it went well. Um, you know, I'm learning myself. I'm um the hardest person on I'm on myself, honestly. And if if I don't spend you know uh every week a couple of hours of studying uh when it comes to uh you know managing the players or just the XNOs principle, whatever it may be, uh then you know I feel like I have no no no right to be preaching something to the guys. You know, I want them to get better on the daily basis and I have to do the same thing. And that's that's where my confidence um in coaching comes from, is just continue, continue getting better and studying. And I think the guys are on the same page, you know, and then they do the same thing. Um, I feel like not just only from a hockey perspective, but just maturity the level of some guys from the start of the season to this part of the season, you can see a huge difference. And that's what that's what brings me a happiness as a coach to see obviously wins are important, that's how you keep your job. But I I believe if if you you know if you're on the right track of a development individually, you know, in the small groups and as a team in the overall um on and of DAs, then it will show. And and uh that's that's something I've been trying to do since my year one coaching because I know how important it was for me in my career and things I wish I had done better as a player. And I'm trying to make sure the guys don't repeat the same mistakes I made. But at the times, you know, you can uh you can give the guys a hand and they either take it or not too, you know. So um, I guess answer to your question, for the most part, the development's been really good, but obviously um you can it's not gonna work out with everybody at all the time, right?

SPEAKER_03 16:49

Yeah, of course. Yeah, no, absolutely. Yeah, some guys they just you know it's either not a fit or they don't get it or they don't want to get it, right? It takes like the right, you know, like the the person has like the player has to be receptive to the information, and then you know, it's not like a you know, a willingness to commit to it as well, right? Like it's not only like you know, like there's accepting it and then there's like embracing it. Like, okay, I accept this has to change, but okay, now I'm gonna embrace it and actually make the change. And it's hard for all players.

SPEAKER_02 17:19

Absolutely. You know, you can you can make a mistake, you can get complacement, and but but what is your response? Are are you gonna try to fix that or are you gonna you know continue continue being complacement? And at the end of the day, this is a professional hack, right? It's our job to do, and we can have a we can have a players where they continue repeating the same mistakes, but eventually is gonna take a tool on the team, right? Um everybody gets uh gets an opportunity, they make a mistake to to to fix it or to work on it and to see at least an effort of trying to change it. And you know, for the most part, again, this season here with our guys, they they've done that. You know, we we all make mistakes. I mean, you know, I fell on the daily basis. I mean, you know, I preached something at the start of the season, what what uh in the middle of the season uh I'm gonna learn that I I should have said things a lot differently or done things a lot differently, and have to come back as a coach and and you know let the guys know hey this this this was wrong for me, this is how it needs to be, this is how it's done the right way, to to show them that you know I keep myself accountable as much as I keep them accountable, and that's the only way they they're gonna flow my lead.

SPEAKER_03 18:34

Yeah, yeah. Now, head heading into the playoffs here. Um I'm assuming you guys would rather if you you know obviously taking the third spot puts you if the playoffs were to start tomorrow, you guys are playing port Euron. Is that a big deal for you guys playing port Euron first, as opposed to playing Binghamton first? Is it something that's kind of secondary? Like you kind of don't care, you're just focused on doing your thing. Like what's like what's what's the playoff position mean to you guys, if you know, if anything, really?

SPEAKER_02 19:00

So, you know, both of the teams are great. Don't get me wrong. Um, you know, uh Binghamton, especially, you know, winning last two years. They have unbelievable organization and a team. Um, you know, Porgeron on on the other hand, they they they usually every year clinch the playoff and and they do well too. It's uh two different styles of the teams. They you know Porgeron is a little bit more gritty and they will get under your skin, and it's gonna be very physical while Binghamton. They they play they play really good hockey and you know they're structured, and then they have they have some individually really good players on their team. Um so um plus we haven't played them this season, you know, so it's really hard to measure um what a series would look like because we haven't had the opportunity to play against each other. Now, on the other hand, from last season, you know, last time we've played them, things didn't go very well uh for both of the organizations, right? So either way, um I think you know Binghamton will will uh the way I'm looking at it is we would like to play Port Hiron. Um now I'll say, and you know, we talk about in the locker room over the last three years, we we haven't won a game in Port Huron. So that's that's something to you know to keep in the mind too. And and and but uh I also believe you know it's it's the time to change it, right? So with starting on the home ice, either way we play Binghamton or Port Huron, we have to get a job done home. And then you know, we heading in the Port Huron, um, it's something where we have to prove ourselves, and that's that's what we try to do on the daily basis. So it shouldn't be anything new to our team, to our guys. If we play Binghamton, um none of us, including myself, um, have played there. Uh, I'm sure some guys have played who played on different teams, but as an organization, we've never played in Binghamton. So that would be something new to us. Um, but I guess simple answer to your question, yeah, we would like to play Port Huron. And um, I believe that um you know Binghamton will have a strong push in the playoffs as they have every year, and most likely if we can do the job and get a job done against Port Huron, we would be meeting them in the in the following round.

SPEAKER_03 21:25

Yeah, absolutely. And I'd rather play Port Huron first, too. Not only, you know, not only because you know Binghamton's Binghamton, but it gives it it gives a chance for an upset too, right? Like you never know, like you know, you know, you know, maybe Binghamton gets upset in the first round and you're not you know, and you never have to play him ever, right? Like if you get past Port Your Honor, right? You know, so that's what you know me personally, I'd rather play Port Your Honor too.

SPEAKER_02 21:48

Yeah, absolutely, but um, you know, it either way we play Port Huron or Binghamton, we're we're not we're not fearing to play either of them. We're ready for uh and we're accepting the challenge. um to who whoever it is to to play against us and again playoff is a different beast right i think i think we've been working towards towards playoff and we're ready to play whoever uh yeah we're gonna end up playing so um no matter it's a binghamton and you know they they won last two years in a row um to us it's a first round and whoever is on the other side it's it's somebody we want to get through and and find a way to to win that first round so um e either teams we're gonna be facing uh it's gonna be a good series yeah absolutely and then and you guys have PD this weekend right two games yeah yeah that that's gonna yeah like they're they're a tough customer too I mean like we've you know we've talked about it um you know like they've had a very tough schedule all season long um you know very you know very good team like you know they're uh I think it was I think Brant yeah Brent from Bighamton said that you know that that pod is probably the strongest pod in the you know the toughest schedule in the league that they're in and you know every you know every night has kind of you know been battle for them so like they're like they're gonna they're you know they're gonna be tough customer as well. Yeah I think PD is one of the most underated team um this season. I agree with you obviously they went through some changes but um watching them play it lately this past weekend against Monroe um I I think they're a team who can play anybody um I know you know when they play Athens usually Athens ends up on the top and but it's really close games too between them um them and Columbus you know they they they've been able to split some games uh now with Monroe they split as well so uh definitely that that division is very strong um and you can you can see when you play against those teams but uh with with Speedy they they they do have a good team especially since they required Latkov who I I do find as one of the best players in the league um that he makes a difference for the team now when you see them you know having the Russian line with with Frolov and Zajcik together now this past week and actually with Dom Martinkevich going back to rally our dogs um you you saw Patrick's Martinkevich and letkov together and letkov end up scoring at four goals on Sunday and Patrick Marcinkevich at four apples and you know if if you would watch the game and see those goals you can see that you know they they they play they play almost like a kind of a european style of the game and it's all about possession but it's also very difficult to defend so you know I've been watching a bunch of film over the last last few games last time we've played them and the way they've played last two weekends and um it it's a hard hard team to beat and it is the only team this season we we struggle to play against honestly and so again you know this morning before our practice we we spoke about like it's another challenge where we have to prove ourselves if you look at the schedule Topeka is playing five times Indiana and two times Baton Rouge while we right play BD this weekend then then we go to Mississippi and then then we have a split with Carlana home and away um the schedule I feel like is a little tougher but I do like it a lot too because it's better to play the better teams towards the end of the season and and you know get a job done against those teams and competing in those teams so you're ready for that playoff. Yeah yeah exactly I mean good you know good spot you know mentally physically um but yeah like the the playoffs are gonna be really good um you know I think that like the the the teams that right now are in it I mean it's it's really tight I mean like you can't sleep on anybody you really can't like any series like they're gonna like every series is gonna be really good yeah um for sure I mean all the teams who's gonna end up going to the playoff I mean look at our our division even even team like Danbury right who's um a few points behind us and still trying to get in the playoff I mean they have a really good team too yeah um you know teams who are not gonna make a playoff there there's some really good teams but because it's it's so competitive this year and we have only four teams um you know clinching the playoff it it will it it will it will be tough and it'll be some good hockey i i wouldn't be able to tell you who I think is gonna end up on the top obviously I hope it's gonna be us um and that's that's that's our strong belief that that that's what we want but um you you never know especially with the playing only free game I mean best of three hey it's like a mad bad yeah it's tough I mean you know there's adversities there's things happening and we just gotta you know we just gotta learn to to to be ready and and and uh you know take on the chance take on the chance we get and get the most out of it yeah yeah I know your fan base is ready you guys have been doing you know doing well in the fan department as well which you know we expected um yeah but that's really good to see yeah we we we have awesome fan group over here the fan base I mean uh it it grew um from from year one to year two now to year three I mean um last few weekends I mean the rain's been full out and and it's the support the guys get around the town like this is last year we've seen it a little bit but they see this year we see it a lot I mean we're in the small community so anywhere the guys go they get recognized by by the fans and by the local people and they're signing autographs taking pictures it it it's a really special feeling to to play here in Blue Ridge yeah absolutely what was like the most memorable thing for you this season like looking back you know from you know the season so far like what's what was like the best moment so far okay let me uh let me think on this one um there's been a lot of good moments this season uh honestly like this the start of the season was one of them when when we played first two games against Columbus and we ended up sweeping uh I I can ask for a better start of the season yeah um yeah um yeah that you know we went like three and all the first three games spent Columbus and Carolina that was awesome um the most yeah the best part of the season this year I mean I don't think I can point out one thing honestly um it's been such a good season this year and including you know the ups and downs it's I've a lot of positive in this season and I think any uh a big game you know our first game in in Topeka I think that was uh that was just a great great feeling to get it done in in the overtime there Carson Gallagher scoring the game winning goal who's been duo duo a big goal uh for a long time um you know uh Anthony Schram that's this weekend going back to back you know that's another another huge one and and and and a great memory even for myself as a coaching shoutouts back to back yeah yeah that that was a big one uh yeah I don't think I have a certain I don't have one thing what was the best part of the season I think honestly the way I look at it is every day being able to come here and then do what I love and sharing it with with the guys I love as our team doing it all together pulling for the same rope that's that's that's the best part of the hockey that's the best part of the season.

SPEAKER_03 29:49

Yeah and hopefully the best is yet to come right correct correct yeah yeah and save some room in the memory bank that's right anything anything you want to end off with um I think we covered a lot of it yeah I'm gonna have much unless you have some some other questions for me. No I'm I'm I'm good if you are so uh but yeah Sam thanks for doing us and uh best of luck the rest of the way awesome thank you Eric thank you for having me yeah of course thank you all right let's do our proof of attendance token code for this episode the code is going to be Bobcats enter the code at swanhockey.io on the podcast page and you'll be eligible to receive your proof of attendance token for watching this episode codes must be entered by 9 p.m eastern Wednesday night the night that this show airs and our magic number is five collect five or more of these tokens and you will have access to the member only chat in Club Fed inside the SwanHockey Discord server. You can get to the Discord server in the link in the description of this podcast episode. And that's gonna do it for this episode.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

Until next time I'll see you guys soon thank you for being the best part of this episode of SPHL Beyond the Glass by Swan Hockey. We will see you soon