Devils Insider Summer Series - Episode 9 - Almost August

On this edition of Devils Insider Summer Series ...

If you want to win, employ a Finn: Panu Mieho brings bags of experience playing in Liiga in Finland, and the SHL in Sweden, we chat with him ahead of his first season playing in Cardiff (01:00)

Playoff Hero: After scoring two goals in the Playoff Final, Nolan Yaremko returns to Cardiff and chats about a difficult first season in Cardiff, that ended with the highest of highs (24:45)

Hey now, you're an All-Star: Brandon Estes is back for another season in Cardiff after a fantastic 25/26, we find out what worked so well for him, and what to expect from his second year (50:25) 

Tyson's Fan Club: Coach's player of the year Tyson Helgesen has re-signed with the Devils, Gaz has re-opened fan club memberships upon hearing the news (1:07:50)

Last but not least: Riley Brandt is the final Devil to be announed ahead of the 26/27 season, we chat with the perennial fan favourite as he signs for a sixth season with the Devils (1:29:30)

To conclude: Now that all the signings have been announced, the guys chat about the make-up of the Devils roster, and Franny explains the decisions behind the ins and outs of the summer (1:46:46)

Remember to follow the Cardiff Devils across all major social media platforms for all your news and updates from around the club!

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Today's podcast is brought to you by Minerva Hearing. Hear the cheers, protect your ears. Shamaypal Bakroisar. Hello, everybody, and welcome back to another episode of the Devil's Insider Summer series. We're nine episodes in. We're very nearly into August now. Hockey is nearly here, and we've got the final runner signings to go through with you guys and have a bit of a chat about. Dan Rodick alongside Gareth Hewish and Neil Francis. Guys, it's great to be with you once again. Good to see your faces after the long time I was away for, and it'll just be a through a screen. And guys, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 0:31

Yeah, I'm good. Uh, you know, long time no see. So uh great to uh be back uh here. It only feels like an hour ago that we were in the same room together, so uh great to be back.

SPEAKER_03 0:41

Guys, you're ruining the magic of uh podcasting. Hoping to sound a little bit more dramatic. But Franny, uh, we've got a lot to cover today, but just double checking, are you still good? You you've had a you've had a drink, you've had a rest, and you're feeling alright and ready to go.

SPEAKER_02 0:53

Yeah, all good, all good. Um ready to speak about these last few signings, and um yeah, we're getting away with the first one. Yeah, let's get moving and grooving.

SPEAKER_03 1:01

I I thought the way I'd split the the the last two shows would would be the the signings outside of the summit and then the signings in the summit, plus a little little surprise one at the end for everybody. And uh and the ones we announced over over that summit weekend, and we're gonna start with the the the new signing on that, and that is Panu Mieho, and and a guy that I am really, really fascinated by, and and it's uh it's it's it's a signing a little bit out of left field or a guy that maybe nobody has on their radar ahead of this season, apart from from Franny Yu and then the management, and uh a new player to the Devils, a new player to the league, and one that people should be excited about.

SPEAKER_02 1:34

Yeah, definitely. I mean, this was uh the last guy that we signed, and you know, it's for a key position as you know, one of our um top sentimen, um or group of sentiment, I should say, and uh when Paul Thompson picked up the phone, he was excited, and then he had to kind of throw in the now Franny, you you gotta hear me out here because it's not your usual kind of you know, it's it's not your usual usual kind of thing you look for, because he knows I look probably more towards the North American market because that's what I know, and that's what I've grown up with with the devils, and like to me that kind of matches the devil's identity more than European players. That that's just my personal way of looking at things. He said, I want you to watch him first, okay, and then give me a ring back. So so I did, and you know, he gave me the name, and obviously it's uh European player. Um I looked at his resume. I mean, it's mightily impressive with all those years in the Liga and as an import in the SHL. So straight away I was like, Alright, Tomo, like I'm I'm on board here, and then I got to watch him, and straight away you just see he's I could see him fitting into this league, and sometimes it doesn't work for me. Um, you know, set some guys uh from European leagues coming into the league because it is so North American dominated, uh, especially our team is full of North Americans. Sometimes if you have a Lone Ranger in there, it doesn't quite work. But the the style of Panu was he was very much he had all the talent, very good skater, very good hands, very good shots, you know, good at Deacon. And you know, we again we see some of the some of the goals on the highlight reel. He's he's got the tools, um, he's played down the lines in those top, top, top leagues, so he hasn't in recent years had the opportunity to rack up big points. Um, but as a junior, he was, you know, he was a top-line player as a junior uh in top Finnish junior teams. Um, but for me, he had I don't know, there was something cardiovels-y about him in the way that he played, you know. When he finished his hits, he finished them with purpose. And you know, I again I want to just be straight. I'm not saying every player we have has to run people through the walls because while it would be very entertaining, it may not be that productive. You know, you have to have a balance, you've got to have the skill, and you've got to have the finesse and the creativity and all that. But I think he's got that. I really do. I think he's got the creativity, I think he's got good vision, he's a very intelligent player, as you can imagine, playing in those top leagues for so long. Um, you know, he'll have played with very good players, and um, you know, to be able to play with those players for so long, you've got to be intelligent, otherwise, you just do not last. Um, but it's just the he's got the skill, but he's got the grit and a bit of swag about him as well. And I watched him and I said, Tomo, I'm fully on board with this. Like, come on, let's let's press press the button here. And uh the golden buzzer was pressed.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

I uh when you were talking, then the word that kept coming into my head uh was compete, a compete level. And I think when you look at Belfast and their ethos and why they've won so many league titles, is you've got that compete level running through every single guy, whether they're a skill guy or whether you know whatever kind of place they are on that roster, they've got a compete level where they do want to get in those dirty areas. So that excites me the way you're talking about uh at the moment, because I've no doubt from the junior leagues and the pro leagues he's played in, he's gonna have all those fundamentals of being a great skater and having a great Stiganin, but to have a compete level that goes above that is that little bit extra that I felt that we needed to bring into the group this year.

SPEAKER_03 5:40

Franny, where does he fit in and what's his role gonna be? I think it's important to get that in off the bat and maybe just not put devil's fans at ease because again, you can do the elite prospects thing and go, oh, this point production isn't great, but you're playing in the Finnish elite league, which traditionally isn't a massive point scoring league anyway, and then he's played in the SHL. So where does he fit in in card if what we're expecting in terms of role?

SPEAKER_02 6:04

Yeah, it will be a different role for him, and you'll we will hear the interview shortly that that excites him. It's one of the reasons that he's coming to us is because he wanted a different role. He's been there, seen it, done it as a kind of shutdown forward. He's he knows he's he has the confidence, and it was very important that when we spoke to him, we said, you know, do you think you can put up numbers? And it was yeah, you know, that that's what I'm coming to do. I'm coming to put up numbers. Um, so I mean, I I spoke about on the the last pod about it being more of a top nine than a than a top six. I think the lines could be interchangeable. Um again, I spoke on the the last show about you know not wanting to say this is the next, but just to give a kind of comparison, and you look at uh Mika Yusila in in Sheffield, um, who not the season gone you know he had a few injury problems in that one, but his first year here, I think he had 27 goals and um was right up there with the the league top point scorer. You know, he came from less games played in the Finnish elite league, not the games played in the uh the Swedish elite league, um, and not the points that Panu has had in these leagues, and yet he has produced 27 league goals, which is a great return for anyone. That's you know, that's top, top-end stuff. So I don't think I don't see any reason why Panu can't do the same thing or better, because he has the qualities, but it's not just from me that he's got the talent, he's also I I love that kind of that you brought out that that competitiveness to compete. He's got that. Um I think he will fit into the style that the devil's play. You know, I I spoke on the last pod about there was a bit of an adjustment because you know, players that have been used to playing a certain role and pigeonholed as a goalscorer, so I can kind of float around a bit and you know wait for my chances to pick up, and as long as I get my goals, then I've done my job. No, that's not a Paul Thompson team. Paul Thompson team, you've got to be a complete player night in, night out, no matter who you are. And I think Panu does that, and with the intelligence that he's got, with the skill level he's got, I think you could put him on any of those lines. And I mean, we'll the reason we signed him is because we think he'll be a top, top player in this league.

SPEAKER_03 8:35

That we will. I think it's a long time to hear from him now. And I'm just gonna preface this and say it is a shorter interview compared to maybe what we're used to on on Devil's Insider. But that's not because it was a bad interview, it's just because Panu is very straight talking and to the point, and I love that about him. So uh think Kimi Raikkenen, a little bit Kimmy Raikkonen, yeah. The the finish connection there. Enjoy it, guys. A massive welcome on Devil's Insider to another new signing for the 26-27. Panu Miejo joins the Devils. Panu, thank you so much for joining the podcast. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_05 9:04

Thanks. Thank you for having me. Um I'm doing good. Just on my way back home to Helsinki. Had a good skate. Um getting getting in good shape before I get there, so it's going good.

SPEAKER_03 9:17

Yeah, and you've been you've been skating in in in Tampu, right? That's uh a good spot, good spot to be uh geting your skates back on.

SPEAKER_05 9:24

Yeah, it's a good life. There's a lot of a lot of good players there, a lot of guys who are playing the NHL, and uh a lot of good players, so it's good, it's good for me to skate with them.

SPEAKER_03 9:34

Of course, the the news over the summer is that you're signing with the devils. Uh talk to me a little bit about how you feel about that, your excitement, your your feelings around coming to Cardiff in August.

SPEAKER_05 9:43

Yeah, well, I'm I'm super excited to coming to Cardiff uh playing for the Devils. So I had a tough season last year, didn't play too much, so I'm just excited, uh happy to get back to playing and you know, getting into a new team. It's always exciting and a new city. So you know, I'm kind of like I should like I wish the season would start next Monday, but it's nice to have a couple more weeks practice and getting shape and you know, then starting the season.

SPEAKER_03 10:12

Oh, we'll be we'll be there before you know it. But uh tell me a little bit about how the move has come about. You know, the the the the Finnish league is not a place that we often get guys come to Cardiff from. So how how has this move to Cardiff come about?

SPEAKER_05 10:24

Yeah, it's like I said, uh my season wasn't I couldn't play much last year, and uh I was like a little bit into like what's gonna happen with my hockey hockey curve, so uh but then things happened pretty quick. I just got uh my agent just asked me if we want to go there. You know, the coach was watching some clips, he said he likes me, so I was just like I'm uh I'm ready to go. So things happen quick, and um like I said, I'm excited to get to Cardiff and you know, get to play hockey.

SPEAKER_03 11:00

Have you have you heard you heard much about Cardiff and the elite league itself before you signed?

SPEAKER_05 11:06

Not much. I have a couple of French guys who I know who plays in the that league. I asked a little bit, they were like, it's it's been good for them, so I you know, just a little bit of info. Never been in the UK before, so everything is gonna be new for me. Uh a little nervous about the driving, you know, because we have the you guys have have the left left lane and we have the right lane, so everything is gonna be new, but I'm just excited uh CD, you know, new see a new place, new league. Everything is so like I said, excited and happy, happy to get there.

SPEAKER_03 11:41

You you talked a little bit about maybe the frustrations of of last season, and and you've played your whole career in in Finland and a season also in in Sweden as well. So what why the move to Wales? Is is is it more the challenge that's that's kind of brought you here?

SPEAKER_05 11:56

Yeah, and you know, it's I was just like I I want to see something new, you know. Because I've been playing in Finland for 10 years and then a little time in Sweden, so I was just I wanted to see something new, and this this was not like a good you know, place to go, good league. So it wasn't, you know, I didn't I didn't have to think too much. I was just about like devils are you know, they like what they see, so I was I was about I was like, okay, let's sign and let's start to make things happen.

SPEAKER_03 12:31

What kind of game can we expect from you arrive here? What do you want to contribute to the devils?

SPEAKER_05 12:37

You know, I want to bring the you know, I I know I have all the offensive skill sets, so I want to bring that you know, I like I w I want to use my speed. I like to play the game hard, you know. I like to hit guys and like I like to I'll bring that, you know. Overall, you know, I think a lot of Finnish players are they play both ways really hard. Defense, offense, so I'll try to bring a little bit of everything, you know, not just maybe one thing, but like I'll try to bring the best version of myself in hockey.

SPEAKER_03 13:11

And you you've played in in Liga and in the SHL, and and the elite league's a very different style, but like you say, you you know, you're a guy who likes hitting, you like the physical side of the game as well. And and do you think that'll suit your you coming into it being that little bit more maybe maybe hard-nosed and physical than a lot of the guys who play over it in Finland and Sweden?

SPEAKER_05 13:29

Yeah, I think I think it's it's gonna it's gonna help, you know. But I've I've heard the league in there that you know there's guys who can play pretty you know hard and top hockey. So I've used I've used that side of the game, so I'm just can't wait to see it. Can't wait to see how the league is, like, you know, because I don't I don't know too much about it right now, so I'm like you know, just excited to see how the game is like it's at the end of the day, it's still the same hockey, you know. So um, but I'm just you know, I wanna see I want to see how the league is, but uh I think uh I'll think okay if there's some some methods to play like really hard, you know, I'll be fine with that. You know, it's gonna be I think that's how hockey should be played a little bit also, you know. Should be some hits and some not nothing, you know, not nothing to like not those cheap shots or anything, but just like good hard hockey. I like I like that.

SPEAKER_03 14:33

Um sure devils fans will be very excited to hear that. And and and have you have you spoken much with with head coach Paul Thompson? Have you spoken with management much ahead of your move here?

SPEAKER_05 14:43

Yeah, I I spoke with the coach like sort of like 30 minutes before I signed. We had a good talk. Yeah, we will like team city. So I had a great talk with him. And I then I talked a little bit with um some management guys. I've been getting a lot of messages, people are welcoming me in, so I I felt pretty good from the since I put my name on the paper. I felt like everybody everybody has been so nice and you know, welcoming me in. So I felt really good, you know, from the start.

SPEAKER_03 15:21

The the question I asked to all players who were new to the elite league is is the the the change in format and the change in in the approach in the the regular season is the is the league that everybody wants to win. That's the big trophy i in the UK. And and is that something that excites you as well? Maybe a different different approach to playing in Finland where you have the playoffs and the postseason.

SPEAKER_05 15:41

Yes, that's that's I was just thinking about it. I was talking with my buddies uh about that, you know, about they're like no playoffs, it was winning the regular season, so it's just like I said, everything is gonna be new for me, so I'm just you know like excited about pretty much about everything, you know. And so that's also that's one big difference, no playoffs, but you know I can't say I'm like looking so much into one thing, I'm looking like pretty much like the whole picture, like about hockey and outside hockey. But of course, hockey is the main thing, but just excited to see see the hockey of the league, the system, you know. But it's gonna be it's gonna be different. So we can't wait to see it.

SPEAKER_03 16:31

And and playing in the leagues you have that there's a there's a level of of expectation, of anticipation. People are excited to see when you get on the ice. And and is that something that that you enjoy is is is a little bit of expectation on you as well.

SPEAKER_05 16:43

Yeah, of course. There's always expect you know excitation about players and like what's like how some guys should play, like what's their role, but it's always good to get uh little expectation. I think it gets the best out of me if there's usually like but at the same time I don't think about I just wanna whenever there's a practice or a game, I'll just I'll give my all and see what happens, and then I'll just you know trying to play my best every time. I don't know, I don't care if it's a practice or the games, always trying to be my best.

SPEAKER_03 17:19

The the Devils have a very strong core of guys, guys who have been there for a number of number of years now. And and are you excited to be joining a group that's established and and a team that has a core of guys who who are able to welcome new guys in but also uh have been in the league long enough to know to know what it's all about?

SPEAKER_05 17:36

Yeah, that's that's uh that's a big thing, you know. The car is the same. So it's I think it's gonna be pretty easy to get into the into the team. And um, what I've heard from the coach is that the guys are you know pretty close, close to each other, so that's that's a big thing. And uh, you know, winning last year means that the team is like team is good. The guys really like to you know spend time together outside of hockey too. So it's uh it's a big thing, and it's I think it's gonna be good for me to get it you know easy to get into the team.

SPEAKER_03 18:12

Finally, G do you have any personal goals for the season? What what's the aim for you to to to come into Gardi?

SPEAKER_05 18:18

Just play play my best. Best hockey, bring the offensive side of side of my game and um I don't wanna I don't wanna say but play as many games as I can. So main goals I don't wanna say it out loud because it didn't work for me last year, but you know, I'll just say that you know, to play as much as I can. That's how I'm gonna put it, but you know, of course I've never won play anything in my hockey career, so I would like to win. I think those are my goals. I'm not gonna put any you know, points or whatever, just play as much as I can and then win.

SPEAKER_03 19:04

So oh Panel. Well I'm I'm sure that the uh Devils fans will be very excited to hear that. And it's not long to go now, you must be excited to get going with Yaki.

SPEAKER_05 19:13

Yeah, I'm I'm super excited. I just couple more weeks, and then I'm gonna I'm gonna be flying over. So this time usually goes pretty quick. So season is right behind the corner, so can't wait.

SPEAKER_03 19:26

Uh well it's good to hear, and uh and and yeah, I appreciate you thank uh sitting down with me, appreciate you chatting to me. We can't wait to have you here in Cardiff Buddy, and uh and yeah, not long to go now.

SPEAKER_05 19:35

Yeah, thanks for having me. I was was good talk.

SPEAKER_03 19:39

Great to hear from Panu there and and and guys, you spoke about compete, you spoke about an excitement, and in the briefness of the interview, you get that feeling from him.

SPEAKER_01 19:49

Oh, I I absolutely love the way he delivers uh his points. Uh he is a confident guy, isn't he? I I that's what I took away from the interview. There was such a matter-of-factness about what he's got to achieve and what he believes he can achieve and what he believes he can bring uh to the team. You know, you asked him uh, you know, why did you come to Cardiff? And he said, Well, they phoned me and they wanted me. It was like great, well, yeah, that that that's great. He feels wanted, he feels he can make a difference, you know. You asked him, does he want to get involved in a rough server? Yeah, I I really like like getting involved in that side of the game. And uh, yeah, I I I think there's a slight quirkiness to him that I like as as well in in the way that he uh talks there. Uh a real wild card, which I don't think we've had for a while uh in the in the summer, and uh yeah, I think it's gonna be a ton of fun.

SPEAKER_03 20:41

It is, yeah. I mean, uh you you mentioned wildcard in terms of just fins in general, it's the first Finns that the devils have had on the roster since 2019-2020 when Matias Sointu and Amasi Mario Maki were on the on the roster. So uh it's been a long time coming to have a Finn on the team, and and I think it's gonna be exciting. Uh Franny, of course, he he mentioned it, I think, just before we we recorded interview with him. I was asking him what about his summer, and he was saying he was skating in uh in uh Tapara or in Tampero with uh with a few of his buddies, and uh that's where Nicholas Ovivori is from. And of course, that's a nice little connection and a relationship that they're gonna be able to grow a little bit. It's not just him coming into you know a bunch of North American and British guys, there is a little bit of familiarity there.

SPEAKER_02 21:18

Yeah, and I'm sure that would be welcome for both Nicholas and uh Panu, but um yeah, I mean the fact that he is on the ice every day with the NHLers um and uh you know Finnish elite league guys in in Tampala. Um, you know, even a guy that's you know, he's what is he, 30 31 now, veteran guy, he's working so hard to come into Cardiff in the best possible shape. And you know, sometimes you might get players that have played at a higher level, think they're dropping down, think it's gonna be easy. Not Panu. He's he's there saying, No, I'm gonna be. Ready because I know, and he said this in the talks with Tomo. He goes, I know you're probably having questions about can I produce, but I will show you I I can produce. So again, that confidence about being able to do a different role on there. And you know, like we've spoken about before, it's um, and again, this this is something when I when I look at recruitment, sometimes I I do talk about right in this level league, let's get the best goal scorer we can that's played at this level because it translates well, rather than a guy that's been a grinder at a higher level and expect them to score goals. I don't think it's fair to call Pano a grinder at those levels because you know when he has been given the opportunities, and remember, you know, we looked at a lot of video, Tomo did tons and tons and hours and hours on him just to make sure because it was our final piece of the jig short jigsaw. Um he said there's there's times, you know, he's been the guy that's played on the third line, but he's the the next guy to get called up if there's a guy hurt or suspended or injured or what um or thrown out, and when he got those opportunities, that's when his points are coming. And you know, you spoke quite rightly about Finland is a very, very defensive league, low scoring. If you're not on the power play regularly, you don't get many points at all. So the fact that he's put up the points that he has without getting much PP time, then you know that speaks volume. I think you know he there's a number of ways that you could use him on the power play. I think he's got the intelligence and um you know the passing and and the skill set to you know to to play a key role and you know run a power play through him. Uh but I think he'll probably start off somewhere down low because he loves to scrap for pucks for those loose pucks. And I think that is you know a really valuable asset, and uh, I think he'll be really strong. I mean he he talked to us about you know, when I get in front of that net, you know, good luck moving me because I'm not going anywhere. So you know, again, it was that kind of confidence. And you know, when you when you watch video of him, you'll see he's that typical, you know, quite stocky, powerful Finnish build. It's got a lot of lower body strength and is very difficult to move off the puck.

SPEAKER_01 24:22

I also like uh the couple of A's uh he's held as well uh over the time. I always think that's uh a great indicator of of what you bring uh to a club not just on the ice but but off it as well. So you can never have too much leadership, I don't think, uh, when you you're going for a league uh title. Um so that's a big plus for me too.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

Yeah, massive plus and uh and and an exciting, a little bit of an unknown, and I can't wait to see Panu on the ice for the Devils. I think he's gonna be absolutely fantastic. I think fans are gonna love him. We're gonna move on, we're gonna chat about another re-signing for the Devils, and a guy who's returning for his second season in red, and that is playoff hero Nolan Yuremko. And then amongst the the list of guys that you know you think, oh, are they gonna bring him back? Are they not? Maybe there was a little bit of doubt about whether we would see Nolan back in Cardiff, but we will we will this coming August. And uh I'm really excited, Franny. This is a guy who proved the reason you signed him this time last year at the end of the season, just gone.

SPEAKER_02 25:18

Yeah, everyone was excited at the start of the year when he got out there, you know, straight out of the traps, and he was scoring goals, he was making plays, he was you know throwing hits, he was having fights, and you know, he was he looked like an elite league player, you know, a Cardiff Devils player, and that's what that's the reason we signed him, because that's what we knew he had that in his locker. And you know, such a disappointing time for him with his injury and that you know that injury that just dragged on, and you know, it looked like it we we effectively wrote him off for the season, and we didn't think we'd see him back here because you know he he what he didn't at that time have done enough to say you know we can bring him back, and you know his professionalism throughout that injury was just incredible. Um in the locker room, he's such a big part because he's so positive every day he walks on there, he's got a got smile, he's you know, he's happy to be there, he's great in conversation, he's very um motivational during the games on the bench in the locker room. Um, you know, him and uh Halgerson have got a great partnership in terms of you know, they they get the locker room going, and it's uh you know, he he's a huge part of that that leadership. Um and yeah, I mean it's the way that it panned out for him. I couldn't have been happier for an individual for all the work that he was doing, the positivity that he stayed with, being a great teammate, and then gets this unexpected opportunity at the unfortunate expense of Ryan Barrow. And when he came in, all that hard work paid off, and we saw the Nolan Yuremko the the start of the season, the Nolan Yuremco we've signed the Nolan Yuremko, we know is a Carliff Davis player.

SPEAKER_03 27:08

Gaz, and I know you're a sucker for a good narrative, a good storyline, and and a guy who brings that story with him. And I think actually the the the struggles that he had last season will only be a benefit to him this year as well.

SPEAKER_01 27:19

Yeah, absolutely. I'm I'm gonna tread carefully about what I say because uh this is one of my favourite interviews coming up that we've had on Insider since we started the podcast, and I kind of want people to go on that journey with uh Nolan and yourself through the interview. Uh but yeah, it it it it's uh it's quite astounding, really, how uh the philosophy uh and the way that Nolan looks at things uh it is is really quite inspiring and and really quite special. And you know, like like Franny said, you would never think that there would be any positive to come out of Ryan Barrow getting a nasty knee injury. Um but we probably wouldn't have played Nolan in those games just to I guess protect him in real time.

SPEAKER_02 28:02

Yeah, you couldn't risk him, could you have to after the aborted injury comeback, you couldn't take someone that was healthy out of the lineup hoping that you'd get the the real Nolan Yuremko back, and it and it would have to be something like that that happened, and you know, that as as fate has it, then it was that injury that that gave uh Yuremko the the lease of life.

SPEAKER_01 28:25

And and it's probably my my expectation of him coming into that lineup was that he would be a body, uh a kind of person that you could be relied upon not to get scored on, um, and anything else is a bonus. And then by the end of the weekend, when you see him snipe that second uh goal with uh a few seconds left in the second period, you kind of reflect and go, wow, actually, it uh he was like uh a new signing, a new signing that you got just before the playoffs is uh astound. But uh yeah, like I say, this is one of my my favourite interviews, so I I'm really excited for people to listen.

SPEAKER_03 28:56

Yeah, let's waste no more time and we'll we'll hear from Nolan now. It was a great to chat with him a couple of weeks ago, so here it is. A big welcome on Devil's Insider to the most recent edition or re-edition of the Devils for the offseason. Nolan Uremko is back in Cardiff once again for his second season. Nolan, thank you so much for joining me. How are you doing, buddy? Congrats on the uh on the second year.

SPEAKER_04 29:17

Yeah, no, thank you. Uh good seeing you again. I'm I'm really happy about it and I'm just excited to uh to get back there in August. So yeah, just got to get through the summer now.

SPEAKER_03 29:26

First of all, we mentioned summer. Tell me a little bit about your off season so far. Where have you been? What have you been up to? How have you been keeping yourself busy?

SPEAKER_04 29:32

Yeah, so I got home. I'm from a smaller town, as everyone kind of knows. So I got to spend a week there with some family and friends, and then I made my way down to Kelowna where I spend my summers and yeah, just started up in the gym here doing a bunch of rehab and uh getting some workouts in. So yeah, no complaints here, and I've been enjoying it.

SPEAKER_03 29:51

Let's uh let's discuss being back in Cardiff. Of course, you signed for for that second year season. Take me through the decision process, you know, what is it that's brought you back to Cardiff and and how has the opportunity come about again?

SPEAKER_04 30:01

Yeah, no, I think just at the end of the season, uh I just had a good talk with them and um obviously was kind of unfortunate with uh with my injury being out most of the season, but um to me it was a no-brainer if they were gonna be interested in coming, interested in me coming back, um, because I obviously wanted to come back. So yeah, we just kind of talked a little bit and it didn't take very long um to to make it work. And yeah, I just I enjoyed every minute I had there, even though a lot of it was when I was not playing. But the guys, the city, the fans, and yeah, like I said, it was a no-brainer when uh yeah, when they expressed some interest, obviously I had interest to come back to, so it was uh it was a no-brainer for me.

SPEAKER_03 30:40

Oh, good to hear. And and yeah, you mentioned the the injury, and and obviously this is it's a very positive interview because you're back in Cardiff, but we will chat a little bit about it because of course it it took up a lot of of last season. And and take me for a little bit about the process of of obviously you you suffered that injury fairly early on, and and it was a long road back to the to the full recovery from it, which which ended in the best way, I guess you could you could you could bring. But um, yeah, how much of an impact did it have? And and what was that kind of process like of of making your way back from the injury?

SPEAKER_04 31:07

Yeah, I mean it was pretty frustrating. So it just kind of started as uh in my pubic simph, um, they say. So we yeah, and this is unfortunate for both sides too, because I've never heard of this injury and neither have they. So it was kind of just a learning curve for everyone, and um eventually just kind of did something that took two steps back. And it's hard to kind of being a hockey player where you play through injuries. This is kind of the first one where it was I could physically tell I just I couldn't skate. And uh just that long road, you know, you're putting in all the work, showing up every day, and just your body's not responding to it. Um, I think that was probably the hardest, the hardest part of it all is just in a sense out of your hands, if you want to say that, when you feel like you're doing everything you can, and it it just was constantly two steps back. So um, yeah, and the biggest thing was like I said, it was an injury I've never heard of, they've never heard of. So trying to get a grasp on it, knowing what I need, knowing what could harm me, set me back. I think it was just a huge learning curve for everyone. And uh yeah, we finally thankfully got to a point where I could I felt good about it, they felt good about it, and you could really tell. Um, I mean, it's probably not hard to see me when I can skate before and and coming back. So I just feel like at the end we we got a really good grasp on what I needed and and what needed to be done. So it just kind of felt like the stars aligned at the end there, and I could go out and play my game the way I usually do. And um, yeah, like I was overjoyed mentally, I think is the biggest biggest thing. I know the guys and medical staff and everyone in the organization was behind me. Um, it kind of felt like a big win for everyone. They were all rooting for me. Um, so just getting back on the ice with everyone, and yeah, I was it felt pretty special to be honest.

SPEAKER_03 32:56

Yeah, because there was that that very small period, middle of the season, where you came back briefly and and and clearly it hadn't quite cleared up and it hadn't worked fully. And and at that point, was that a bit of a a bit of a struggle in terms of the mental side of thinking, well, I've put all this effort into rehabbing and I'm still not quite there?

SPEAKER_04 33:11

Yeah, no, I think that's exactly what it is. Um, that's what with this injury, the guidelines they kind of give you is two to three months, and then we took extra time. I think it was like would have been yeah, 13, 14 weeks, and just making sure I was back. Um, and mentally that was pretty, pretty breaking just coming back and just remember looking at everyone, being like, I like you know it it's doesn't feel right. And uh yeah, I'm a very honest person, so I've always expressed that. Like I I know they know um that's not the way I skate specifically because I just feel like I couldn't get around the ice. I was I was skating differently, it was pretty funny. Me and Tom will had a funny conversation. He's like, I've never seen you skate like this. I said, Neither have I. Like I've watched myself for years. Um, so yeah, but obviously that was uh yeah, pretty, pretty taxing on the mental side this season. But honestly, like I said, I've I've felt involved all year. Like I made it a point, I'm not gonna stay at home, I'm not gonna like, and yeah, like on I've seen it a few times with some players. Like it's hard to be in that mental state coming to the rink. Everyone goes on the ice, you go in the gym by yourself, they come off the ice, you're still doing stuff, and you just kind of feel disconnected. But I felt they did a really good job of keeping me involved. And uh even though I we laugh about it, they always gave me a hard time, but that kind of like kept me going because it it kept me in the in the mental state of of being a part of all of it. So um, yeah, um, just a long year, I would say it was, but like you said, the way it ended, like it's hard to say I wouldn't change anything because it's you know it was just such a special group and um just happy we all yeah, we all kind of kind of got rolling together at the end, and I was I was over the moon, so yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:56

Yeah, and and Franny and Tomo and Ryan Barrow as well have spoken about how your attitude throughout it was was really great as well. And and and obviously, as we've spoken about it, it that's an easy thing to to get you down and get you in a bit of a bit of a rut, but actually keeping a positive look on things is what probably gets you through quicker. And and did you have a process or anything you followed, or was it just kind of coming to the rink each day and keeping that routine?

SPEAKER_04 35:19

Yeah, I just think that was the biggest thing. Like um, I came in every single day. There wasn't a day where I felt like, oh, like if I'm hurting, like I would still come to the rink and try to do something and have a coffee with the guys and and like I said, feel like you're a part of it because it's it's very easy being as far as we are away from home to get stuck in a shell, um, you know, feeling bad for yourself and everything. But um, I loved it at the rink. And even when I wasn't playing, like I'd I'd go to the rink with uh with Helgi. Um obviously he likes to be there early and late, and I was there, you know, with him every step of the way. So it's I think that was a big part of me because you can get cooped up in your own home and you know, maybe not feeling great about yourself, but yeah, I didn't miss a moment at the rink, and I think that's what kept me going because being around everyone and and yeah, and it's not hard. Like I told everyone, like kudos to the organization because there's every person in that room is a great person. So you show up to the rink. It's not hard to be, you're not everyone's in such a great mood and positive, you know. It's not like you can come in there and be negative. It's I found it very easy to be positive throughout the whole thing. Um, so yeah, just yeah, like I said, the group of guys kind of kept me going, even though they gave me a hard time. But I guess that so that's fair.

SPEAKER_03 36:34

Well, of course, uh, you have to, you've gotta, you gotta do it, man. But um, I think as well, actually interesting, is you you mentioned the room because we don't have a trade deadline in the elite league because it will obviously they have the the the transfers come in until a certain point, but you were kind of the devil's trade deadline acquisition, I guess, in some ways, which is which is an interesting way of looking at it. And when you did then get your chance, was it a case of you were just raring to go and and and it was like a spring out of the box?

SPEAKER_04 36:59

Yeah, I think like like I said, when I just kind of came back the second time and everything felt good, I just it just felt like I not excelled but exploded. It just felt like I was I was so ready to go. It felt like I've been waiting for a long time. So it was almost like a re-excitement for me when uh when I could come back and play the way I play. It was it was exciting and it was fun. And you know, hockey has a lot of ups and downs, but I mean when you're on the ups, it's it's a lot of fun. And yeah, I just think it felt like I was ready to go and my body felt good and we got got my injury all in a good place. So it was just yeah, I was just very excited and and yeah, and that's the best time of the year, being in those high, high intense games and you know, pressure moments. I mean, that's what we all play for. That's what you want to play for. So yeah, it was it was awesome.

SPEAKER_03 37:47

Oh yeah, best time of year is is playoff time, and and even in the elite league with obviously the shorter schedule, it still makes for the best hockey. Well, how did you find that experience of playing elite league playoff hockey?

SPEAKER_04 37:57

Yeah, I mean, it's obviously different. Like uh, yeah, you play the one one weekend aggregate. I mean, you could win a game 3-2, but that doesn't mean anything. Like it's it's one goal in an aggregate series. So um it's a lot different than those series when you get into best of fives, best of sevens, where you know, games can get out of hand, but that's you know, it's only one game, right? But that's that's just so high, high pressure on those two games, right? So it was definitely a learning curve for me. But um the hockey we were playing, I think we just knew every day, every time we knew it was it was go time. So um, and the final four weekend was was one of the best atmospheres I've ever been in. Like I I found it kind of kind of crazy. We were laughing about it, walking around. There's fans that teams aren't in it, but just the energy and atmosphere is is absurd. Like there was a lot of energy in that building, so it was it was a lot of fun. And um, yeah, the production they do there is is fantastic. So yeah, it was it was a fun weekend to be a part of. And playoffs were short, but I mean it's yeah, that's what you play for, right? High stakes.

SPEAKER_03 39:01

Exactly, high stakes and and the high reward of the devils winning the playoffs. And and you get the two goals you've written yourself into Devils Folklore by doing that in the final. And take me through what was going on in your head for for each of those, but also the fact that they happened so quickly and it all kind of turned around in in what was it, just over 90 seconds.

SPEAKER_04 39:17

Yeah, no, it was. I mean, uh, I had a few good opportunities that game, honestly. And I remember against Glasgow too, hit a post, a few that kind of you I feel like I get good shots off when they just feel like they're not going in. So um, yeah, like Forrens lays that first one in. I'm kind of coming in with some speed, and I just remember letting it go and seeing it go in, which is something I didn't see that weekend was like, oh wow, like it it just felt unreal. And then yeah, like five seconds left. Sandy, you know, outsmarts the guy, out battles the guy, gets the pucket, I jump right off the bench, and I'm in the slot with no one, no one around me. And I just remember going hold it, and I knew what I was gonna do before I got it, and luckily it it's it squeaked in. But yeah, it was quick and very exciting and a lot of energy. And yeah, I mean it was it felt great and and yeah, it was not not relief, but yeah, like I said, I felt like I was shooting pucks and you know, they weren't really going in. So I mean to get two in a minute and a half or a minute is is crazy to think of, but you know, that's that's hockey.

SPEAKER_03 40:16

Everything happens fast. It really does, and and you know, the devils come with the playoffs. Am I right in saying that that's the the first trophy of your pro career as well? Yep, first trophy, pro career.

SPEAKER_04 40:26

I haven't won anything since I was 13, I think. So yeah, it was yeah, it's it feels pretty good. It's worth the wait, then by this sense. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, over the moon. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 40:36

And and the you know, the buzzer goes, the devils all jump on the ice, and and what starts is is one of the most insane parties I've ever seen for for celebrating a championship. And um, you went a little bit viral after the playoffs on on the elite league social media. You you wore the the meta glasses and and you were skating around on on Remacam and and you were celebrating with Conor Capone and singing about having two so many beers. And honestly, it's one of my favorite things because my word, did you guys have a few beers after that weekend?

SPEAKER_04 41:05

Yeah, we did. I that was and like I say, you bring it back to the group of guys when you can accomplish something like that. I mean, everyone's just so excited for everyone, so it's like, yeah, like we were we we had a long week there, but yeah, it was so much fun and getting everyone in an atmosphere like that where you accomplish something as a group, and there wasn't one guy that wasn't like not ready to celebrate with everyone for as long as you can. Um, so yeah, it was pretty special, and yeah, we definitely we definitely got around with that cup for sure.

SPEAKER_03 41:35

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I think I think God if we're very glad to see you guys for the end. But um, yeah, you know, yeah, as we look at that, that room, like you say, a very tightly knit group, and and and we think we don't know at this point in the summer, but we know we think a lot of the guys will be back next year, and and that's good to see. And how important is that, not only for after you win a championship, but then when you want to build on it, is having that room and and that group of guys who create a good kind of base for that.

SPEAKER_04 42:00

Yeah, no, I I think it's it's important because when you in my mind, when you get to a point with a tight group like that and and you win something, that creates a new standard. And and uh like we we are a very hardworking team. And I think when you can have that standard of said, okay, this is and you get a majority of the group guys or how many guys back, I mean, that's what everyone's goal is, right, for next season. And that's just it, like we earned it, we deserved all that to have that much fun, right? And I think every single person there knows that you work that hard, you win, and it it pays to be a winner, and it does. Um, so I think having that standard, um, and that, and we now we know how it feels. And if you can get a big core of the guys back, I mean that's on everyone's mind, right? That's that's that's the goal. So um yeah, like it's it's very important in my opinion. That's how you build a winning culture. Um, so yeah, I mean, uh yeah, it's just it's it sets the standard, sets it for next year. So I'm I'm really happy that uh that things worked out for me individually. And uh yeah, just just hope we can and continue that on and and keep going upwards.

SPEAKER_03 43:08

Yeah, with that in mind, I mean, how how good do you think this devils team could be next year? It's exciting when when when so many, you know, put some end you on you end on so many positives and you have so many guys who are so keen to go back as well.

SPEAKER_04 43:20

Yeah, I mean, I think that's it's awesome. Um, and I know throughout the year we've had a few blunders, and I think it's and again, like I'm I'm a big believer in learning, and I think like we really found a way you can tell in February where everything clicked, like between everyone. Um, we started, I think we won, was it 11 out of 12 to end the year? And just everything clicked. And um, especially on a team, I don't know how many new people were on the team last year, but it does like it's it's no secret. There's 20 guys on a team, right? Or or 20 playing. There's 25 on a team. Um, so just finding a balance and everyone to be on the same page and and get that feeling of like everyone's playing to their potential. filling roles. Um yeah, and and like you said, you end the year like that, and we all have an I an idea now. We all learn. And you just keep building blocks. Yeah, I think it's yeah, it's definitely, definitely great. And I'm I'm looking forward to to starting it all again here in August.

SPEAKER_03 44:16

Oh yeah, that's that's good to hear. And it actually leans on quite nicely to my next question because I was going to say, first of all, how excited are you? And and second of all, you know, as you look at your game now, you're hopefully or being well going to play every minute of every game. And and how do you want to develop your game now into next year and take that chance that you you've had to be back for another year?

SPEAKER_04 44:34

Yeah, I mean uh I felt like I yeah like early starting the year last season I felt like I I I fit in really well with this league. Like when I'm healthy playing my game like I want to be physical um I want to bring energy if that's on the ice finishing checks fighting um scoring goals you know be being being a part of big moments. Yeah and I just think I can I fit really well in the league where coming in healthy I think I could be definitely a lot of help to the team and um obviously that injury is a is a big part of it but that's just that's my goal now. That's why I spend the summer where I do we have a hockey specific gym where I I come in and they uh they assess you every year what happened. Um so this is a big step for me and I'm I'm just excited to be get myself in the best uh best frame of mind and shape as possible and and get some good rehab and just come back and do it all again. Like I want to be a big part of this hockey team and we have so many big parts um and yeah just trying to trying to come back and do the best I can for the team and um yeah and and I know I'm gonna fit in well because we you know uh last season the way everyone was I I just feel like I fit in well with the organization and and I loved every minute of it so just come back and and get ready for a full full steam ahead.

SPEAKER_03 45:51

Well Nolan I think every Devils fan will be very excited to have you back on the ice and and I know we're on Devil's Insider very excited to have you back as well congratulations it's another year and uh and yeah we really appreciate joining the podcast.

SPEAKER_04 46:02

No thanks for having me and thanks for the chat I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 46:05

Huge thanks to Nolan Uremko for joining the show and and and Gaz like you said before he he he speaks so well he the way he explains things and expresses himself is really great and I think actually that's a very underrated part of being a key member of this devil's team and a key member of maybe this new wave of players that we've had through is that like I said he does express his way excuse me he himself in a really positive way and he he is very willing to speak up but when he does it it's always to the point always makes sense and it's always worth listening to it really is when when I listened to that interview I couldn't get out of my head I was like man if I was his teammate and I was on the ice with him how could you ever want to let down a man like Nolan Yorenko when he's like the the just the way that he it's an infectious kind of posity isn't it and it it's not in a sort of you know high performance way or that you get with some polecast it is a genuine down to earth grounded positivity that I just have and to have an injury that even medical experts didn't really know what they were dealing with.

SPEAKER_01 47:09

How do you get through that you must be sat there thinking at times during the year like am I am I going to get this sorted like how what's the time frame on an injury that no one knows how to treat um and the fact that he got through that and continue to contribute around the club and then to become a hero in the playoffs is just amazing and the biggest reward now will be for him to stay healthy over this uh coming season and really get to show uh this devil's team and this devil's crowd what he's about across a complete league season.

SPEAKER_02 47:42

And guys going back to the the point you made about Nolan Yureenko the teammate um when we were celebrating that playoff championship in saltbox in between all the songs and all the the drinking and everything I think I probably had 80% of the team come up to me and make a point about Nolan Yuremko and what an awesome teammate he was how he's been such a big influence the whole year how professional they've never seen anybody react with to adversity without we must sign him 80% of the team and that's not 20% that didn't think that they were just having too much fun. But and and there was guys that I wouldn't normally expect to go out of their way to make that point um but it I it honestly blew my mind that people were going out their way they're almost vouching for him because they wanted him back on the team so much and they knew it must be a kind of touch and go decision because of the disrupted season that he had and you know it would be it would be easy not to bring him back and give a reason why well you know because we haven't really seen him for much of the season but I think when you've got somebody with a special character like that they deserve that second chance yeah I got I got one more actually a nice story about Nolan your emco we'll then move on but we we can we could talk about him all day but um Nolan was our second guest on Devil's Insider and and the first one we had was Joey Martin and I've interviewed Joey a number of times you've interviewed Dory a number of times Gaz and and Franny obviously are his biggest fans so we all got we all get on with Joey.

SPEAKER_03 49:22

Yeah and we all get on with Joey and he was fantastic when he came down and and gave us uh his time and and Nolan came down for the second week and we were still establishing what this was and how we were going to run it and and what what what we were expecting from it. And I just remember after he came and he was absolutely lovely with us and and chat sat and chatted with us before and after his interview and and left and listening back to that first interview with him and the second episode of the podcast I knew that there was legs in this project and I knew that if we could get guys like Nolan Uremko speaking like him and being as as as passionate and being as positive as he was when he came down but also giving us the time it was going to be massive massively important to us and and and I think uh again it comes into how wonderful of a teammate is and how important it is having him around.

SPEAKER_01 50:07

And let's just try and get him to live his dream and drive fast this coming season maybe get him a track day or something let's really try and make it happen for him.

SPEAKER_03 50:17

Oh I'm sure we could uh we could speak to some sponsors about that one and get him around Silverstone or something but um yeah it's great to have Nolan Uremko back in Cardiff a massive re-signing a guy who wrote himself into Devil's folklore with two goals in the playoff final having played very little hockey throughout the year and uh yeah big congratulations to him and and great to have him back. We're gonna move on and chat about another re-signing from the summit weekend and that was well one of the best defencemen we've seen in maybe years here in Cardiff and that is Brandon Estes and an incredible re-signing a one that once the devil started putting out names and we saw Nick Welsh and Fournier and Mosey and Richardson people started thinking oh no hang on there there's a lot ticking off here and we might not see Brandon Estes back but uh Gaz big name big expectations lived up to it last year and and great to have him in in Cardiff for another year.

SPEAKER_01 51:02

God Nick Welsh foxed a lot of people the means for this to uh re-sign in as uh you know quick and two twitter yeah I was looking in like oh well that's the end of Estes and not a bit of it and uh what I was so impressed with Brandon Estes last year was just how quickly he adapted to the league in that role that he was put in as that kind of main offensive threat from the back end. It was really maybe in some ways a little bit to his detriment in the sense of I think he was targeted maybe a lot sooner than sometimes players of his Ilka are and um but he overcame that very quickly as well and he adapted his game a little bit I felt as well to try and maximize uh the time on ice and you know I mentioned Nick Welsh uh there now you know they're similar in terms of the the role that they play I think and hope that having Nick Welsh on this roster is gonna ease a bit of pressure away from Brandon Estes and it's a a real one two punch isn't it if you're an opposition coach if you were targeting Brandon Estes last year well you can do that again but you're taking resource away from your Gleasophonia's your your Nick Welsh's in terms of that threat so is Estes going to get a little bit more breathing space this year and if he does we saw in the playoffs semi-final what he can do and how he can hurt people um just another great presence as well around around the building around the room uh great re-signing but it it's a one of those re-signings that even two or three years ago we we're not in a position uh to keep that there they go uh elsewhere so I think it says a lot about the feeling around the club that someone like Brandon Assis is returning.

SPEAKER_03 52:46

Franny 55 points in six eight games for him he was you know first team all star great cv was there any of a any was there ever any doubt that he'd be back in Cardiff or was this a signing that you guys managed to to get done yeah I mean we we got it done pretty early to to be honest.

SPEAKER_02 53:02

I mean he uh first of all you know as the player he's everything that Tomo told me he would be and more um you know tomo when he got the job you're saying I think I can bring Esters with me there's you know there's other leagues sniffing around him higher leagues um and he probably should go there but doesn't have the resume that those leagues tend to to go for so he goes I you know I'm gonna keep plugging away and you know when we got it done I Tomo was so delighted I knew that Esther's would be a special player you know and we've been blessed with special D-men in Cardiff over you know over the years haven't we and you know Esther's is another one and um for me it was it was the consistency the the minutes that he logged were immense and you know for for somebody that's putting up those numbers he's as reliable as a shutdown D-man as he is as as your offensive point getting D-man. You know you would have him out there in the and we did have him out there in the last minute of a game you know if uh if that's how the rotation fell to to uh to shut the game down because again he's got that compete um you know what you see when he spots an opportunity he just goes you know there's no there's no hesitation in there uh you know to me plays the game the right way I think he's a very very honest hockey player you know you mentioned about teams going after him you know yeah that teams are trying to to ruffle him but he he just is unfazed the whole time you know he's very controlled isn't he you know he he lets his uh his work on the ice do the talking and you know he is just a complete complete hockey player guys I didn't think it was possible for the Devils a few years ago when Marcus Crawford left the Devils to first of all replace a guy who was offensively fantastic in the same way that Crawford was but also find a guy who was as as unbothered in a sense of he didn't let the game get to him he didn't let the occasion get to him and and Brandon Estes you know is this fantastic player he goes about his business quietly he doesn't seek attention he doesn't get in to too many scuffles or do anything too crazy and he just does the job to such a high level he does and another thing that I really like about him is there was a few times last year where I could see he was gutting it out.

SPEAKER_01 55:17

I could see them maybe taking a a bit of a knock from it from a blocked shot or uh a hit in the corner that it that had caught uh something and maybe left a bit of a Charlie horse or something like that and you could see him on the bench still being like now this is this isn't going to stop me that I've got a job to do here I'm gonna keep sort of plugging away at that and I think that's a special characteristic as well.

SPEAKER_02 55:38

Very true guys I mean you probably don't don't even know but we were finding out about injuries that he was carrying probably four weeks after he had them because he just kind of gets on with it. Just absolutely he's he's very very low maintenance very old school if he's got a knock well that's just part of being a hockey player to him and you know he just got on with it and we were like hang on you maybe should have told us about this but he's like well well whatever I'll just get on with it and uh yeah just consistent throughout the season I thought you know he I thought he was unlucky not to put up maybe another 10 goals because he went through that phase where I mean he hit so many posts and there was you know just didn't quite go over the line for him otherwise I think he could have stuck another 10 goals on his numbers which would have been incredible.

SPEAKER_03 56:29

It really would and I think it's probably time we heard from him now so uh I sat down with him a few weeks ago and had a little bit of a chat. A huge welcome on Devils Insider to another re-signing for the Devils for the upcoming season Brandon Estes is back in Cardiff. Brandon thank you so much for chatting to me. How are you doing? Congratulations on uh on re-signing for a second Jerry in Cardiff thanks thanks for having me. How does it feel that you're gonna you're gonna be back in Cardiff come August?

SPEAKER_08 56:53

Oh it's awesome um obviously you know I I really like it there and it's uh it's a really nice organization good place to live so I'm excited to be back.

SPEAKER_03 57:02

Good well we'll we'll get on to to chat about your resigning and a little bit about last season but first of all how has your off season been have you been enjoying a little bit of a break after what was uh a pretty chaotic end to the year.

SPEAKER_08 57:10

Yeah taking some time off it's a it's a long season so it's good to have a rest but uh gonna get back to it soon here.

SPEAKER_03 57:17

Cool. Like I say you you you you're back in Cardiff next year. What's convinced you to re-sign here in Cardiff what what's brought you back?

SPEAKER_08 57:23

Uh it's a really professional organization you know and uh I mean the guys were great obviously and the fan the fans are um unbelievable so um it's really good hockey as well it's it's a great league and um it's just all around a a great place to be of course you're one of the the new boys in Cardiff last year first year guy and and and what kind of experience was it coming to the elite league like you say that the hockey's very good but uh how was your all around experience in moving to Cardiff and making that home for that first year uh yeah I mean it was it was pretty easy it wasn't uh it it wasn't too much of a challenge it I I tell people it's a little bit it feels a little bit uh more North American lifestyle base in uh in the UK than like over in Denmark was that was a little more of a different culture so um it was a pretty easy adjustment of course you you you ended the season winning the playoffs for the Devils uh what kind of experience was that you know it was it was your second trophy in two years as well after having one in O Dents but uh the the the the the the elite league playoff trophy itself how was that as as an experience for you? Oh that that was crazy. Um I I mean obviously there was a huge support there so seeing all the just um excitement going around and and uh the response to it was was unbelievable.

SPEAKER_03 58:38

Everybody always I mean it it feels like a stock question when we get new guys in the league about asking them about how the league title is is obviously the preferred or the the kind of first choice of of trophy and then the playoffs is very different to what it is back in North America or in the rest of Europe. What did you what did you think to that kind of very short style of of playoff weekend that we have here in the elite league?

SPEAKER_08 58:57

Uh you know I I I questioned it before I experienced it but the experience of it was was I mean better than anything I thought it was going to be it was uh it was really surprising it was it was amazing it was so loud in there and so many people so that was unreal.

SPEAKER_03 59:14

And of course you know the there's fans from across all 10 fan bases which is which is very different as well you only ever get a couple that in in a league so in sorry in a rink. So we was that's something kind of new as well experiencing having having so many different people there.

SPEAKER_08 59:27

Yeah you know there I mean there are fans from teams that didn't even make it to that uh weekend you know what I mean so I I didn't expect them to even want to show up you know so seeing people from other fan bases that aren't even there show up is is surprising but that's great that's what you want.

SPEAKER_03 59:42

As we look a little bit more uh a wider lens over last season I I spoke with Jimmy Alini actually relatively recently about about him re signing and and he said that uh having such a locked in deco you know the the payers were very structured from the beginning and you guys tend to settle on on the payers early do you think that worked quite well in terms of the success you had this season with him and then as part of that bigger D unit.

SPEAKER_08 1:00:03

Yeah I I think so I mean obviously Jimmy's he's so good at what he does like he plays both ends of the ice so well so it's really nice to play with him. He makes my life a lot easier um but playing with the same guy I mean you you get the chemistry going and Nicholas is so good at that putting guys together so um yeah I mean it really helps to know how your partner plays and what to expect from what they're gonna do. So that helps. You mentioned Nicholas of course everybody who I've spoken to not just last season but but since re-signing obviously Jimmy in particular it very complimentary of Nicholas said he you know he has his own ideas and his own kind of the way he looks at a defensive unit and did you learn much from him and what was that kind of experience like uh yeah I mean he he's he's awesome on the bench you know there's there's never really a panic behind him so you all you always get uh if if you did something wrong he's gonna tell you what you did and what what you maybe should do next time you know there's no uh there's no panic behind him at all and it it's very helpful to just you know hear what you're doing he goes through video with us so yeah he's really good at what he does and uh and you know he he refers to the DU Nil the D pairs as as being like married couples of course you you were you uh had him in Odense as well so uh well how did you find playing with Jimmy I mean I know you spoke about him already but but in terms of that that atmosphere around that group as well yeah I mean it it's it's a pretty good analogy if you think about it because like I said like you want to know how your how your D partner plays we don't want to know what to expect from each guy and not that we can't play with any other D man like I think we all know what to expect of each other but you just get used to what's gonna what's gonna happen when your D partner touches a buck like you know exactly what to expect so um it's it's unreal that I have him next to me.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:53

I remember when when you signed last summer and and Thoma was of course having worked with you already in O Dents very complimentary very excited to have you over was it was it good to to come over with him and follow him hit to Cardiff and then obviously get that league uh that playoff trophy at the end of it as well yeah um you know knowing the coach makes uh makes it a lot easier to kind of settle in too because you're a little more comfortable so um yeah that I'd say that was a big help and yeah two trophies in two years with Paul uh who would have thought yeah let's let's see if we can make it three and three that'll be uh that'll be good to see but um uh as as we look ahead now to the new season the Devils they've they've announced Jimmy Alini at the time of recording they've announced Evan Mosey as well but the the other one is Nick Welsh who's new to the Devils defensive unit this year you know and if you look at the points from last season you you've got Mike Lee who obviously led in Belfast but then you and Nick were were second and third so it must be pretty exciting to be play be able to play on a on a team with him as well.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:47

Yeah yeah it is exciting um it's it's always good to have a a great D man come in you know um uh honestly I'm a guy that I don't look too much at who I'm speaking against so I I don't know much um but uh yeah I'm excited to have another guy in that can produce and looks like a good ad.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:05

Yeah how are you feeling about the the prospect of uh I'm I'm sure there's plenty of summer to enjoy before this but but coming back to Cardiff and getting going again getting the chance to build on how we ended last season.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:14

Yeah I mean obviously I said the break is is good after a long season but it comes a time where you really want to get back and get back into it. Um you know it we play the game for a reason because we love it and uh you want to get back to that so excited.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:29

Well what do you think the the devils can achieve next season what what do you think the goals are I mean trophies seem to be the word on everyone's lips at the moment.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:36

I I don't think you can give any different answer.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:39

I mean yeah it's fair enough and and and and you know as as you look ahead how does your game evolve what are you planning or what is there anything you'd like to see not different necessarily but the more from yourself in into next season um I I would say I felt uh in the D zone I was I was a little bit uh loose at times I'd like to crack down in the D zone a little bit um and just continue my uh two-way play and finally Jude you just have a message for the fans ahead of being back I'm sure they're gonna be pretty excited to see your name announced yeah um just keep doing what you're doing you guys were amazing especially during playoffs so uh I'm excited to see you guys back Brandon congratulations it's great to have you back for another year in Cardiff and uh we really appreciate you joining the podcast thank you thank you very much massive thanks to Brandon for joining me on that call I really appreciate it guys we spoke a little bit before we heard from him about how Brandon S is is is old school he's low maintenance he he plays for injuries Franny you mentioned and uh another guy who we spoke about in the interview and who we've spoken about on insider a lot who who played for injuries is is is Jimmy Alini and having those two back together I think is so important for the Devils. Yeah I think there's a massive mutual respect between those two um you heard Estee talk about Alini and you know how special he is and everything that he can do and same with Alini speaking about Esther's and you know they know they played off each other so well didn't they because they had the trust in each other and they knew each other's strengths and they complement each other so well and it was you know it really was a partnership wasn't it it was guys and another another asset of of of Brandon's game and one that we maybe saw didn't see enough of as Franny said before was the goal scoring but he scored in big moments and that goal against Glasgow in the playoff semi-final you know the Devils had just conceded immediately after they had scored Leo and and and that can shake a team up that can throw a team off and and we spoke about it after uh after the weekend as well and and and you know for him to step up score such a good goal it was a sniper and a half as well he knows the moments to that he's going to be needed and called upon big game player big game player Brandon S and you're so right about that goal when it first went in you start to think oh probably came off a trailing the the D man was trying to sort of snaff that out or maybe it's skipped off the blocker a little bit of the goaltender.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:58

Nah pure accuracy like Dart, the top corner, flesh and clean as you like, and uh you know got us that uh win of uh essentially, didn't it? It got us through to that final. What what I just uh really loved about Brandon S last year was just that uh he had the ability offensively, but it was always about what's right for the team. It wasn't about chasing down an extra few goals against his like, it was what do I need to do? And it was blocked shots, it was you know just spoiling things in the corner, just doing those little extra things that you do to get wins. And uh, we've talked about compete level over the past couple of episodes of this podcast, and uh I just think he has it in spade. So really excited to have him back, and uh it's a real coup, I think, uh for for us to get it. We we are stacked with re-signings, but I can't see where the free agency market is gonna pluck you someone better uh than Brandon Estes in his team. So uh yeah, so excited to have him back.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:03

And you asked the question down before the interview about you know, did we think we were gonna get him back? Um, you heard his answers in there that he really appreciates being respected, being treated well, having such a good setup, he really loved the league, the quality of the league, and you know, he spoke very highly about that and all those things. That's what he wants. I mean, that's that's a good, honest pro. He wants to play at a high level, he wants to be treated with respect, treated fairly, and being given the opportunity to do his thing on the ice. And he gets that in Cardiff, and you know, it would it wasn't a long conversation with him in terms of getting him back to re-sign here.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:47

It's always good to hear things out there. It's always good to hear players enjoying their time in Cardiff and being desperate to come back. And uh, we're gonna move on and chat about another re-signing for the Devils. I was gonna Franny ask you about the makeup of this Devils Corps going into the season, but we've got one more guy we need to speak about. And and I'm not gonna stop Gaz from getting excited because the last guy and the last defenceman for us to chat about is Tyson Helgerson. Gaz, how quite how excited are you to have him back in Cardiff?

SPEAKER_01 1:08:11

Well, I'm a bit worried because we are a bit low on pin badges for the fan clubbers. So uh if you are you know making your new application, then there will be a small delay in the you know the supply chain. We've all seen the geopolitical uh climate of the world, so it's hard to get the them in. But ah man, uh Tyson Helgerson, every off season in the in the first game, I always look at the sheet and I always put a circle around after the first period where I think is going to be the sign in of the of the season from the new people. Um, you've lit lowered the pool this year, Franny. So I know it'd be as fun a game for me to play. Uh, but Tyson Helgerson was the one that I that I circle because I had the same feeling I had when Mark Lewis came in to the team. This was a guy who was huge, who had an excellent physical presence about him, but you could see that he could play the game and you could see that he skated well, and that is such uh an asset in this league when you can put all of that together. If you even fail on one, you you're sort of down the peck in order of that team. But when you can do it all, that that's worth his weight in gold in this league. And it wasn't just his technical ability, it was his attitude to protect that net. And that wasn't just the goaltender, that wasn't just the pack, that was all of his teammates around there as well. If there was something to be sorted out, Tyson Algerson would do that. You know, we saw the way that he nullified Ulett really early on in the season once he sort of stepped over the line. We've seen uh against Guilford the way that he he went to that bench uh and numerous times against the Flames, the Nottingham games where he he he had fights that probably in the context of that moment weren't a good decision, but they played out well across the game. Uh, he policed it, and it's a difficult thing to police a game in the way that Tyson Helgison does. It's a special quality, and you know, we've rebuilt him over the summer, uh, hopefully, and that that's a scary prospect for everyone if Tyson Helgerson is running at 100%, because I thought last year he was so consistent and so great to watch.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:20

Franny guys kind of made the connection between Mark Lewis and Tyson Helgerson. I think actually it's a really good point to make, but also Tyson Helgerson is what and where hockey is now, where you look at where Mark Lewis was 10-15 years ago as kind of that enforcer role. It's it's not just doing that anymore, and that's not saying Mark Lewis wasn't just an enforcer, don't get me wrong, he's a fantastic hockey player, but you have to have other things, and and Helgi is great in his own end, he's composed on the puck, he's able to play, but he also enforces the game as well.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:50

Yeah, he's a massive asset out there because I say he can he can play the game as as could Mark Lewis, you know, um another great player that we were fortunate to have. Um, but you know, Helgi's tough as nails, so he keeps other teams honest. Um, he's also very smart in terms of the moments that he picks and he knows when to do it. So he, like you say about the Ulett thing, he knew he had to get in there early, and you know, he he gave Ulett no choice, and then the next night it was straight off again, and and that was it. That that's we pretty much that's all we saw from Ulett for the for the season compared to you know the trouble that he'd given us the the season before. And then you know what what to me sums up Tyson Halligerson and what a great asset he is for the team. That for the last six months of the season, he had a a dislocated shoulder that was popping out every game. Uh, he refused to take games off. You know, I think he missed what, like three games or something, and then he's like, no, I'm back in the lineup, you know, just I'll strap it up and whatever. And there's the game that always comes to mind uh in Nottingham, where we were a couple of goals down, not playing very well, and off the Nottingham score a goal, and off the next face off, he calls out um Josh Tatlow, six foot six, and fights him. And you know, Tetz is tough and can handle himself well, but he he fights him, and you see after the fight, if you watch it back, he's trying to kind of wiggle his shoulder back into Joe because it came out in that fight, and he knew it would, but the team also needed him to swing the momentum of the game, and they did, and we ended up tying the game 2-2, and it went to overtime, and we didn't win in overtime. But there's a point that we would simply not have got had it not been for Tyson Helgens and stepping up for the team. Um, and you look at the playoff final as well. Jimmy Alini goes down with that you know horrific injury. The team's already fatigued after a long season and after uh you know a very intense playoff weekend and a very hard game against Sheffield, and we haven't to drop to 5D. And you know, Helgi was just an absolute monster, wasn't he? And uh he was so sapped of energy by the end of it. I'm pretty sure he should have scored that empty net goal, but all he could get was enough power on it to get a pass across for for a tapping. I think it was it Ollie that got got the tap in on it. But you know, again, to see out a game, there's not many other people you'd want out there than Tyson Helgerson and you know his deep partner Mark Richardson.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:25

Yeah, and then he's he's I mean, not that it was never gonna happen. Richie is gonna play forever, I think, but um he feels like he's added some years to Richie's career, and he and he's he's forced an evolution in Mark Richardson's career that is just perfect for the two of them, I think, guys.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:40

Yeah, it it it was amazing. That would probably have been at the beginning of the year the deep air, and you wondered how is this one gonna sort of pan out? Moes and Fournier had played together previously, so you kind of knew that was okay. Estes and Alini coming with the the bigger CVs and that and the experience, so you're kind of thinking they'll be okay, and then you think Richie is fine, but how is Hellie gonna work with another what is essentially defensive defenseman? And the way that Tyson Allison did that was he kind of adapted his game to be a little bit more offensive at times, and I thought he showed a real the part of his game that that is so intelligent and the way that he he pinches in and the way that you know he he sees plays developing and tried to as much as he could try to contribute offensively, and he was probably unlucky enough to add another maybe four or five goals uh onto his uh record. So I just think that uh when you you look at the end of the year, can I pinpoint a game where I thought Tyson Algerson played badly? I I don't. I I really, really don't. Um, and yeah, like I say, if we're gonna rebuild him and he's gonna not have to worry about popping his shoulder back into his uh into the joint every other shift, then uh you know we're gonna get a little bit more out of him.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:56

We are indeed. I caught up with him not long after that shoulder surgery, actually, a little bit earlier in the summer and had a bit of a chat about him being back in Cardiff. So here it is. Ladies and gents, a huge welcome on Devil's Insider to another returnee to the Devils this season. Tyson Helgerson is back. Tyson, thank you so much for joining me. Congratulations. You must be very excited to be back in Cardiff.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:15

Yeah, for sure. Thank you. Um, yeah, it's a great place to play and um, you know, good organization, great people that are all involved. So yeah, it was a it was a no-brainer decision for me.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:24

How's your summer been going so far? It's uh it's it's good to see you in good health. Uh we know that you had surgery at the end of last year. How are you feeling so far?

SPEAKER_06 1:15:31

That's been good. Yeah, my uh shoulder's been coming along uh nicely so far. And uh yeah, just been good seeing family and friends so far and uh um just working out and uh doing some physio for my shoulder. So yeah, it's been a good couple weeks.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:43

Good stuff. Like we say, you're back in Cardiff for another year. And uh what convinced you to stay? What is it about Cardiff that that that's that's brought you back? And and tell us a bit about the process of re-signing again.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:52

Yeah, I think just um everything involved with the organization, the culture of it, um, you know, from uh the owners to Todd to Paul and uh all the guys and um everyone in the Frenovers, everyone just uh it's a first class organization. And um, you know, from the first day I got there to um there's a really run well-run uh organization and um all the other guys and great. So um yeah, once we kind of started getting to uh um once there's uh mutual interest, um, yeah, it didn't take too long to get the contract finalized. So yeah, it was uh it was very exciting for me.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:26

That's good to hear, good to hear. Yeah. Let's chat about your first season. You know, it was a very good one for the Devils, finish second in the league, win the playoffs at the end of the season. And what kind of experience did you find that first year? And how how proud are you to have won that playoff title as well?

SPEAKER_06 1:16:38

Yeah, um, yeah, obviously it was uh it was probably one of the coolest uh moments of my career. I haven't uh won anything since I was probably um in Adams and Provincial when I was like maybe 10 or 11 years old. So yeah, it was uh it was definitely cool to do with and with that group of guys. It was it was pretty unbelievable. So that was really good. And then um, you know, uh every from day one, everyone's just very welcoming. And you know, I only hadn't known uh no one from before. I knew I was Sanford, but didn't everyone else was uh complete strangers, and you know, um within a few weeks you're already the family with everybody. So um yeah, it was uh very good year and um you know just getting together with the guys and being at the rink every day. It's you know, I look it's the part I look forward to the most every day. So it was um yeah, it was a really good year.

SPEAKER_03 1:17:24

You know, a lot of guys come to to the elite league and have it having not played here before and don't know much about it. And and the obviously the the the big difference, I guess, from the rest of the leagues around not just Europe, around North America, is is the fact that the league is is the top priority. Obviously, that was something that maybe maybe takes a little get used to for new guys, but also the playoff format's a little different. And you know, we mentioned the Devils winning the playoffs, and that of course is a great way to end the year. How what what kind of experience is that as a as a format as well? Because we know that the league is the one that everyone chases, but actually the playoffs is different as well, entirely to maybe what everyone's used to.

SPEAKER_06 1:17:54

Yeah, like um, yeah, just uh for playoff or for the regular season, and um, you know, it's like such a big emphasis on every week, and it feels like it's almost like a game set up mentality almost every game you play, and that can uh that can be a good thing, it can be a bad thing, kind of um just it just it feels like there's a lot of pressure on it, but that's uh comes part with being a part of our organization with cardiaff. The expectation is to win, and then uh yeah, it's um so obviously it's uh tough trophy to win. And um Alfox kind of proved that this year, and then even with playoffs, it's you know, there's not really you can't really have a bad period like in a regular season, you can still have a bad period, then you still have games to make up, and playoffs, it's pretty much do-a-day. You can't really have any uh any messed up uh shifts. You gotta you gotta come to play already to play every shift. So it's uh it's definitely two different uh um ways to win those trophies, but um both are equally difficult.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:52

What did you make of of that weekend in Nottingham as well? You know, fans from every team, which again is not something that guys are normally used to, and a very much a party celebration to the weekend.

SPEAKER_06 1:19:00

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, it was definitely a very fun environment to be in. And uh, I know like I remember that the first game it's Glasgow. I think it was just our fans chewing for us, and everyone else is tuning for Glasgow, and you turn around the next day, and Glasgow's fans were cheering for us, and pretty much everyone was tuned for us instead of Sheffield. So yeah, it's definitely a cool environment to be in, just like the buzz of the city, and um, just like walking around there, like you're just walking through the uh streets and like all the fans and stuff are kind of yelling at you and stuff. So it's uh yeah, it's kind of it's definitely a cool environment to be in.

SPEAKER_03 1:19:30

Of course, as well, you know, the the the the season ends with the devils winning that playoff title, and uh and that felt like it was a culmination of a lot of the work that you guys had put in over the season. So that must have been very satisfying to end the year as well.

SPEAKER_06 1:19:41

Yeah, for sure. Um, you know, everyone knows how much work uh they've put into it the year, and um yeah, it was definitely nice to get there with uh if we weren't it would have been like a definitely a burning hole in a lot of us. Um yeah, we definitely felt like we deserved to to host something at the end of the year, and um we were fortunate enough to to finally be able to do that.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:01

And then you get, of course, to in enjoy the few days after as well. And that was that was quite a celebration from you guys.

SPEAKER_06 1:20:06

Yeah, and that was uh we're definitely uh definitely enjoying it and um yeah, taking advantage of it. So yeah, it was uh it was it was a fun few days for sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:13

Oh good man, yeah. And and uh just after the playoffs we had awards night and and you took home the unsung hero award, and uh Tom and Franny both spoke on stage. They were very complimentary of you and your game. Thomas said, you know, your absolute horse throughout the year and carried the big load, and and and you were very emotional on stage, you know, and and maybe part of that's to do with with with the beers that you'd had, I don't know, but yeah, but but also it you must be very proud of the fact that you were recognized in that way.

SPEAKER_06 1:20:36

Yeah, for sure. Um yeah, I definitely had a little bit of like recourage for that. But uh no way, I just like I wasn't really uh uh expecting uh to be in anything on awards night and just kind of see everybody's uh reaction around and stuff. And I kind of just all came came to me at once, and uh yeah, definitely got the motions got the better of me there. But um, yeah, no, it was definitely definitely uh feel very honored to be recognized like that one. I know there's a ton of other guys could have that could have uh been well deserved of that award too.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:06

Another guy who's who's won that award a lot in his devil's career is Mark Richardson, your your line mate this year, and a guy you played obviously a lot of minutes with. And and he's a legend here in Cardiff, he's been here for a very long time. What was it like coming in? Were you a little bit daunted maybe by the fact that you were playing with him, or was it something that you guys you you set him to settle quite quickly?

SPEAKER_06 1:21:22

Yeah, I feel like yeah, from day bottom you're pretty uh comfortable with each other play um playing on the ice, and you know, just a really good guy to learn from. Um, just the way he shows up every day, just like the ultimate pro. But first guy there, last guy to leave, like um, always helping merge with everything, like taking bags off the bus, helping them clean up the room, like having just the ultimate pro. And yeah, just with our chemistry on the ice, I think we just revved really well off each other and we're able to like communicate well. And um, yeah, it was very, very easy D-man, uh a partner to play with, and yeah, um hopefully um be able to play with him again next season. It'll be it'll be pretty cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:00

It will, yeah. Yeah, I mean you and him were used a lot as like a a shutdown pair by by Tomo. You know, they obviously they had the lines with with Estes and with uh with Alini and Stephana who could who could take those minutes as well. But um, did you enjoy that role being the shutdown guy and the guy who was trusted on in those final few minutes? You know, I I'm reminded of there was there was one game where you and Richie were diving in front of Pucks with seconds to go, and then that seemed to be a role that you both enjoyed throughout the year.

SPEAKER_06 1:22:24

Yeah, no, I think for sure. Um, you know, I think I kind of just do my job and not not uh try to do too much out there. And um, you know, I like that that's the role that I'm put in. And um, you know, I try to do it to my to my best of my abilities and yeah, with Richie, I think we just yeah, I think we just kind of stay in our lane, so to speak, and just do our job. And um, you know, I think we both enjoy doing it. Block the shots and that type of stuff. It's very rewarding to come back to the bench and everyone's cheering you on for like putting your body on the line. So yeah, it's uh it's definitely something I enjoy.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:58

As we look ahead to to next season now, how how would you want to see your game develop in terms of the on ice stuff, but also, you know, how how how would you want to see the guys grow now and take advantage of that playoff win?

SPEAKER_06 1:23:08

Yeah, um, I think for me, just uh continuing to improve my um skill set and uh skating, I think would be the uh two biggest things for myself. And then um, yeah, just hopefully come back um in good shape and be able to uh stay healthy the whole year. And uh I think I might have to have to miss a little bit of time at the start, maybe just preseason, but uh um just hopefully come back and uh as strong as ever. And um, yeah, I think for us, I think we're just trying to guide that um trophy into the next year. Uh, you know, it's it's an it is a new year, but the expectation is to win all three uh trophies, and that's what we want. So um even though it's gonna start with day one at camp and uh it's just it's gonna um rely on us just to keep it keep uh pushing each other every day. And um, you know, I can't take uh don't want to be taking any steps back going to the next year.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:55

You must be pretty excited, surely. Get back with the boys and enjoy your summer, but get back to it.

SPEAKER_06 1:23:59

Yeah, no, yeah, for sure. It's uh yeah, it's a good group of guys to be a part of. And um, yeah, we'll be good to see them all again.

SPEAKER_03 1:24:06

Well, Tyson, congratulations on being back as a devil. It's great to have you for you too. We're looking forward to having you back fully fit as well on the ice, which is uh gonna be great. And yeah, congrats on the on re-signing.

SPEAKER_06 1:24:14

Yeah, perfect. Thanks a lot, Daniel. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 1:24:18

Massive thanks to Tyson Helgerson for sitting down with me and and through the the pain and then the the rehab and everything. It's uh it's good to see him doing well, Franny. This is the the question I wanted to ask you after we spoke about Grandin S's, and now we are gonna ask, and I am gonna ask you about it after now we've spoken about Tyson Helgerson. Yeah, that's the decor. Helgerson, Estes, Alini, Mosey, Fournier, and Nick Welsh. What on earth? How would you work that one out? How would you fit that all in?

SPEAKER_02 1:24:45

Good question. Um, yeah, it's uh I mean you you look at that, you have Esters and Alini and Welsh, all-star D-Men this year. Lisa and Fournier, second half of the year, I think, played as well as any all-star D-Men did. And then you've got Evan Mosey, led the team in plus-minus. And you know, we know uh Mose brings, and then you got Halgi and Richie, who did such a great job as a third pair in shutdown D. So very, very tough question. We know that well, I say we know that Halgi's gonna miss the start of the season. He referenced it, you know, maybe maybe miss preseason um with his uh recovery from short shoulder surgery. So it's similar to Sanford last year, where if you remember, Sanford came back, I think, for the last preseason game. He had one preseason game and then it went into the uh challenge cup and the and league action. So it's medically it's a similar time frame as him. Helgi's an absolute beast with his um with his recovery. You know, he lives in the oxygen tank um to get as much recovery as he can. Um he you know, I know he'll just be absolutely beast in his rehab right now, so I wouldn't write him off coming earlier. You know, maybe there'll be a bit of caution, you know, you know, why rush him back if you don't have to? Because you know he'll be ready to go whenever you know he is in the lineup. So that makes Tomo's problem a little bit easier for the first couple of weeks of the season, and then I think after that, you know, as with all Tomo decisions, it's whoever earns the right plays. Simple as that. I mean, you know, you can throw another sort of um aspect into it, is Mosey is a great forward as well, so you know maybe Mose plays some games up forward, but you know, who knows? I mean, I thought our D was our D Corps was phenomenal last year, best D Corps in the league. Um, and retaining all six of those is unusual. I don't think that's ever been done before, and then you add in an all-star D-man like Nick Welsh. Um, yeah, nice problem to have.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:04

It is. Uh, one final thing on the D, guys. The Devils announced that Stephen McClain wouldn't be back. He was, of course, the seventh guy for them for them last season. And you put out a lovely tweet just to encapsulating the work he did and how important he was to this devil's roster as well.

SPEAKER_01 1:27:15

Yeah, he really was. I I I think it it can't be you know stated enough just what a great attitude that you know Stephen Kane brought to to the club last year, because that is that is the toughest spot to be in. And so many times over the years you you know you you see guys who maybe have the the boo-boo face and a bit of a sulk and because they want to play and quite understandable that you know that's not you know a criticism so much, but sometimes that mood can infiltrate things and you know turn it turn things a bit a little bit sour, a little bit negative. There was nothing negative uh uh about Simon Fain. And I really hope that he he lands somewhere in the summer uh that that is great for him because I would love to see him land. Somewhere where he gets to you know contribute on the ice as much as he contributed off the ice uh to us and uh yeah it's stick tap to the team. I'll always wax lyrical about him whenever this uh past year is mentioned.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:13

Yeah, and you saw the reaction of his teammates in the uh it was at the end of a season award night, wasn't it, where yeah, they were all singing the Steve McLean song. And uh yeah, I mean he was um a massive valuable part of the team. And you know, I I think I said it at the end of last year. Yes, the guys, the 20 players that are on the ice that in the championship game when the buzzer goes are the ones that get the accolades, but those 20 players don't play as well as they do if they haven't got the other guys in the wings sniffing around because they know they can't drop a ball because somebody's ready to take their place. And McLean kept everyone on their toes because everyone knew you could throw him in at any time and you'd do a great job.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:58

Yeah, that that was what was so f frustrating if if he was Steve last year, is that when he did play, he didn't play badly. Yeah. So it was just uh it just happened to be in the midst of what is probably one of the best decors we've had, uh, you know, consistency and talent-wise. Uh, you know, it just uh but like I say, he handled it like the most supreme professional, um, and a big, big part of why we were successful last year.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:26

Massive part, yep. And the Devils, they do have seven D Men again this year, and uh we're uh excited to see what those guys can do and how they can build on the fantastic work of the seven guys from last year. Those are your signings from the summit. Now we have one more to chat about, and it's the final signing for the summer for the Devils, and it's one that people were very nervous to not hear, and people were worried that we weren't gonna get it, and some people said that yeah, it's for sure it's gonna be this guy, and some people said no, no, no, he's not back, he's going elsewhere, and uh the news is out now, and then he has been for a little while. Riley Brandt is a Cardiff devil for another season. It's great to have Riley back in Cardiff for another year, and uh Gaz, it just wouldn't feel right to be going into a new season without him.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:06

No, it wouldn't. What an impression that man has made on this club since arriving to an empty arena and uh demolishing about three different five lines and uh coming uh coming through from the I I what I'm about to say, I I don't mean in a negative sense. I think there's a lot of pressure on Riley Brant this year, maybe more than some of the other re-signings that we've got in the team because of how well he played last year, and he had a season which I think us as Devil fans who've who've seen his journey knew he had in the locker, but who maybe from other teams didn't expect him uh to have it, and I think now uh what he's gonna have to navigate is a little bit more tension. I don't think it's any more that you know he's he's the irritant that you know gets under the skin of the opposition. Every other elite league team knows just how dangerous he can be uh offensively. So what I am confident of is he will do with this challenge what he has done with every other challenge in a Devils jersey uh and rise to it. Never very few fan favourites I've seen as popular as Riley Brant uh around the Devils. So uh here's to another year.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:19

Franny, a guy we we we've always known the offensive output was there, and then he's he's always played a different role to that. And last season he got that chance and and he took it.

SPEAKER_02 1:31:28

Yeah, definitely. I mean he's uh you know, we took we talked before about that year in USports he had where he led the whole of Usports, including the likes of Samford and Coxy and Kugler and uh multiple others that have ended up in the elite league uh that were on other clubs. Um yeah, he you know he came in and he he had to earn the trust, didn't he? And the way for him to do that was to play his fourth line role and be the best fourth liner in the country, but yeah, there was there was always more to come for him, and this year he got given the opportunity and he took it with both hands, didn't he? I mean he got bumped up on the lines. I mean, the impressive thing, you got 18 league goals last year, and you know, that was spending maybe half the season on the fourth line, you know, which isn't typically a point-producing line, but he was going out and he was getting some key goals on that line, and then Tomo was like, Well, okay, I can use this guy in a different role than I thought I was going to use him. So it gave him the opportunity, as we said before, if you play well, if you earn it, Tomo gives it to you. So he bumped uh Riley up the lineup and then he you know carried on scoring goals. Who can't who can forget that uh hat-trick in Belfast? You know, a brilliant hat-trick. I mean, the the quality of the goals on that, the breakaways and and the like, it was um you know, he's got in his locker. And what I like about him is that you know he he's got that willingness to shoot the puck, and it doesn't have to be the perfect pass, it could be a pass that's slightly behind him, and he'll reach back and he'll somehow get a shot away. It can be in front of him. You we saw him score a goal like from down on one knee and then crash into the net. He's got that will. I mean, we've seen it with his big hits, you know, the the will to go and try and change the momentum of a game, um, you know, by making the big hit. But now he's doing it with his goal scoring, he's still making the big hits, maybe not as many because you can't do that all the time if you're if you're playing in a different role uh and playing a lot more minutes. But yeah, he's got that will to get to those spots, and um, you know, we spoke before about Contas and the impact that you know when players play with him, you know. Riley Brandt, when he was on the line with Contas, he was banging goals because he was getting to the areas because he knew Contas could you know put that puck there and uh and and he'd put it away. So I'm really, really excited about the challenge that Riley's got this year because everyone's saying, Oh, it's a career year, um, you know, we can't bank everything on him doing that again. But like you say, guys, you wouldn't bet against him doing it again because you know it's Riley Brand, and we know he's got that compete.

SPEAKER_03 1:34:10

A guy as well, who you know he puts bums on seats, and it it it's it's an underrated thing, you know. We we talk a lot about performance on ice, you know, the the the the production, how many points guys score, how many goals Sky score. But there is a massive part of the game as well that is putting bums on seat, keeping things exciting, keeping things entertaining for the fans.

SPEAKER_01 1:34:30

Yeah, there is, and I think for a time after uh kind of enforcers went away from their traditional kind of that's all they do is come on the ice, have a couple of scraps, I think you know, two or three minutes a a night, and that and that's it. Um there was this uh feeling I think that because they went away, hockey didn't have any characters anymore. That you know, there was no larger-than-life people uh uh around. Uh I think Riley Brandt kind of throws that theory out of the window, doesn't he? He's uh he's someone who has a lot of personality, just has a lot of oomph about him and you need that in a team that's successful. I don't think we had enough personality in our teams sort of before last year, two, three, maybe four seasons. We didn't have as many characters, or you know, we didn't have those guys. How much have we talked over these past couple of episodes here about guys like Nolan Uremko and the way you think Jimmy Alini, how quirky he is, Panu's interview, and you know, how kind of you know uh how much of a different character he sees, they're so important. But Riley Brandt is someone who everyone loves, and I don't know because I think his size has a lot to do with it because he plays way bigger than you know to look at him as genetics, you would think he does. Um, just a full package, and it's what makes hockey fun, it's what makes being a devil's fan fun, is guys like Riley Brandt, who you always ask to play for the front of the shirt rather than the back, and that's Riley and Spades.

SPEAKER_03 1:36:07

It is indeed. And uh I sat down with Riley last week to have a bit of a chat, and uh and he'd been a little bit busy been on the ice, so uh we managed to catch just 10 minutes with him, but uh it was great to hear from her. Here it is. Ladies and gents, a huge welcome on Devil's Insider to the fan favorite from last season, back for another year in Cardiff, Riley Brandt. Riley, thank you so much for joining me. How are you doing, buddy?

SPEAKER_07 1:36:27

Yeah, really good. Um, thanks for having me on. Summer's been great. Can't wait to get back over to Cardiff pretty soon here.

SPEAKER_03 1:36:35

You're uh you're back for your sixth season in Cardiff. Uh can you quite believe that it's been that many already? It's gone by in a flash. How'd you feel to be back?

SPEAKER_07 1:36:42

Yeah, it's crazy. Like time flies when you're having a good time. So uh I yeah, I still can't fathom the fact that it's been six years. It's time's flown by, but you know, I've loved every minute of my time there, and I cannot wait to get back.

SPEAKER_03 1:36:57

Uh aside from the hockey stuff and what we'll get on to the end of last season, and obviously you've been back for for this coming year. But how how's your summer been? What have you been up to?

SPEAKER_07 1:37:05

Yeah, uh, it's been great. Spending lots of time with my friends and family and uh my girlfriend here. So um I've been back home and trail for a while, then a couple weddings I went to too. I was down in Charleston for a friend's wedding. Um, spent some time in Calgary, and yeah, it's it's been great. Just soaking it all in. Time, like I said, time goes by quick. So just before you know it, we're back over there. So just trying to soak it all in.

SPEAKER_03 1:37:31

And you you've managed to get onto the golf course as well. How's that been?

SPEAKER_07 1:37:34

Yeah, I've been out there quite a bit. It's been great. I uh we got a good little track over here, and there's lots of nice ones over in BC too. So I've been definitely getting my golfing in this summer, which you know it's it's been great too.

SPEAKER_03 1:37:47

Yeah, well, we're hoping that the weather holds just in time for you to get here and manage to get some some golfing when you get over to Cardiff as well. For sure. I heard it's been pretty pretty hot over there this summer, yeah. Yeah, it's been uh quite a scorcher so far. So let's let's hope it let's hope it keeps up uh by the time you guys get in the. Absolutely, yeah. Well, uh, we'll chat a little bit about you being back in in Cardiff now. How are the feelings about being being back in a and and then obviously, you know, you've been away from the guys for a while now. Have you been missing your teammates?

SPEAKER_07 1:38:14

Yeah, it's you know, it's like a family there, right? So um it's uh I've played in Cardiff longer than I've ever played anywhere else. So um it's you know like a second home. Um I absolutely love going back there. You know, it's I cannot wait to get back and see all the boys. Um got a good core group coming back to this year, which is good. So a lot of familiar faces uh makes it a little bit easier, but you know, excited to meet the new guys and and see what's going on this year when we get there.

SPEAKER_03 1:38:41

I've I've asked a lot of the guys from who were here last year about this and uh and about the end of the season, of course, the Devils win the playoffs. This is his second playoff title as well. You know, not all those guys have managed to do to do two since they've uh been in the UK. But how did it feel to win that playoff?

SPEAKER_07 1:38:55

Yeah, that was a weight off the shoulders. You know, you come in your first year and you win that first one in Cardiff, you know, it's it has a winning culture. So you kind of thought that you know we'd maybe get a couple more, so you know, a couple league trophies or something throughout the years, but there was a few years there where you know things just didn't go our way, lost a couple bounces, especially that you know the year before in Nottingham in the final there. Um, but yeah, it it felt so good, like I said, weight off our shoulders. It was so good being able to do it with our teammates that have been there grinding for you know how many years now? And um, yeah, I'm it was it was awesome. It was a little fairy tale ending to a great year.

SPEAKER_03 1:39:33

It was a great year, and and and and you know, we we've come to know your game since you've been in Cardiff. And obviously, a lot of people talk about the hitting and the physical stuff, but but last year was a career year for you in terms of goal scoring as well. You put 20 goals up and and what worked so well for you last season when it came to that that production?

SPEAKER_07 1:39:51

Um you know, and I just felt like I I had a good summer last summer coming in and being more familiar with the league and and the players in it, and you know, my teammates, and you know, you know, I was playing with some great players too, which helped a lot. You know, they're the ones fasting you the puck. So um I felt like I just, you know, straight from the start came in, was able to get that confidence early in order to, you know, change my role uh in a way to you know producing a little bit more for the team. And I think, you know, once I I started doing that earlier off in the season, um I I I just kind of ran with it. And you know, I give credit to my teammates and you know the coaches for giving me the chance to be able to go out there and do that.

SPEAKER_03 1:40:32

How much of that came from conversations with Tomo? Obviously, he comes in last year and and your your offensive production goes up. He uses you in a different way to previous coaches, maybe as well. And and was that something you spoke about? Did it come naturally? Was there something in between?

SPEAKER_07 1:40:46

Yeah, he I mean, I spoke to him before the season, you know, even before I had signed previously to last year. Um, and you know, he just basically said like that I don't have you penciled in anywhere when you come in, which was which was very good for me. You know, I don't want to, you know, everybody wants to play as much as they possibly can. And and I feel like him telling me that kind of gave me that, you know, little sense of relief knowing that I was gonna come back and be able to earn myself a bigger role on the team. And then I feel like, you know, like he gave me the chance to do that and I was able to do it, so which was, you know, something I've been wanting to do for years now, and I was happy I was able to get her done.

SPEAKER_03 1:41:20

The the the peak, I guess, of love last season for you personally was you know, a hat-trick in Belfast at the SSC doubleheader weekend. And that that must be a real special moment in your career because it's it's it's the biggest stage probably in the elite league in terms of rivalries in terms of games, and and to be able to score a hat-trick in that building as well must have felt very good.

SPEAKER_07 1:41:38

Yeah, it was. That was yeah, but like I said, like like you said, sorry, the highlight of my career, I'd say honestly, up there besides winning, you know, um, it was so cool to be able to do that, especially in Belfast in that rink. I had never scored in Belfast going into that game. So it was uh it was a pretty cool feeling um being able to do that. And you know, I just think it was yeah, like being in Belfast scoring a hat-trick against a team like that, you know, the league league champions been a good team for the last how many years? And yeah, it was good. I was able to get a nice souvenir of the Irish whiskey. I told myself I wasn't gonna dive in until I was, you know, later on in life, but I might have had a couple glasses uh to celebrate that one, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:42:19

No, we we could we can't begrudge you that one fair enough. You you you earned it very well. But um, as we look ahead into to last uh to next year, sorry, now uh how would you replicate what what came from from from last season into next?

SPEAKER_07 1:42:32

Yeah, just being confident, I think, you know, going out there and and you know, knowing that I'm able to use my physicality, but I can also put the puck in the back of the net and do anything else to help the team win. And I think you know, just going out there with a clear mind and just enjoying the game, I think is something that I I I started doing a lot last year, and and that's big because you know it's a great game that we play. We're very lucky to be able to go out and play hockey for our job and um just going out there and having fun every day and and enjoying it. That's that's my main thing.

SPEAKER_03 1:43:04

You won fan favorite last season, and and and it's not the first time you've won that award. It's been a few times since since you've been in Cardiff. And uh, does it ever quite sink in how well loved you are in Cardiff and how how well liked you are by the fan base?

SPEAKER_07 1:43:16

Yeah, it's it's pretty special, you know. I uh especially when I come back home and you know my family and everybody, they love it too. It's just like the support I get over there is especially being that far away from home, it's it's unlike anything else, right? And uh seeing my name all the time and you know, having the fans vote me that award every year after year, and I just think it's it's very special. And you know, sometimes I try I try very hard not to take it for granted. It's hard to see it throughout the year, but definitely see the love, you know, at the end of the season and and in parts throughout the year too, especially when we're playing games, you know, our crowds are just amazing and the travel fans and everything about it. It's it's awesome. And another thing too is like when my parents come to visit, they're so you know, nice and opening to them and and and my girlfriend as well. So it's it's been very good for you know me and my family, I find it's been it's been awesome so far.

SPEAKER_03 1:44:07

In terms of our ice as well, looking at looking at next year, the the the as as we kind of look through the roster for the devils, it it's it's very much one again of of of speed, but also uh physicality, playing fast and hard, that kind of thing. And it's very suited to your kind of game as well. So are you excited to to jump back into that playing style and also have that maybe enhance what what the devils already built last year?

SPEAKER_07 1:44:28

Yeah, for sure. Like I said, just going out being confident and being able and knowing that you know that's that's the game that I can bring now too. And I think like having a very familiar group and and guys coming back that we that we know and a coaching in that's coming back that we know is system, it definitely will play a major role into being able to hopefully continue our success and and build off last season.

SPEAKER_03 1:44:51

And in terms of of the goals, obviously the goal every year is is to win the league title and and and what lessons did you learn last year going into to next year that you're gonna take and and and how would you want as a team, how do you want to evolve now into that?

SPEAKER_07 1:45:04

Yeah, I think the main thing I'd say is like this league is built on being consistent and and you know coming every single night and winning those games that you know you might not deserve to win, you know. And I find that there was times that we did that last year, but I just feel like you know, you see Belfast every year they go on uh they go on a little bit of a tear and they kind of pull themselves away from everyone else. And I find that that comes with being consistent and not really going on too long of buffers where you know you're losing two or three straight and um you know you're gonna lose games, that happens, but I find just being able to bounce back after a big loss or or something like that, I find is uh is the key in order to be able to, you know, hopefully hoist that trophy at the end of the year or during the year.

SPEAKER_03 1:45:50

Well, Riley, uh I do hope we see you lift another trophy of the Devils. I hope there's another bottle of Irish whiskey waiting for you at the end of the season. Uh we're we're looking forward to having you back. Congratulations on being back in Cardiff.

SPEAKER_07 1:46:01

Awesome, man. Yeah, thank you. I can't wait to get things going and uh and hopefully we can hoist a couple more trophies this year for sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:08

Massive thanks to Riley Brandt once again for joining the show. It's great to hear from him. Franny, we look at the the the buildup of this roster now and we look about where everyone fits. And uh, if you'd ask if you know if you pitched this roster to me a year ago, I said, Oh well, Riley Brandt, fourth line. But actually, he can fit in pretty much anywhere now, you feel.

SPEAKER_02 1:46:27

Yeah, I mean I I don't see him going back on the fourth line. I mean, he got 18 goals last year. He proved himself in big games against the top teams. Um he's proved that he's got more than just being a energy player, and he fully deserves an opportunity up the lines.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:46

That he does. The we've now got the full picture. We we understand exactly who's gonna be starting on this roster in a few weeks' time in August. And uh guys, I'm pretty excited, I'm intrigued, I'm fascinated. I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm just I'm do you know what I'm just raring to go. I can't wait to be back down here.

SPEAKER_01 1:47:02

Well, it's the best part of the summer because I uh get to talk to Franny again because he doesn't really speak to me outside of the podcast just in case he nobody gives any trade secrets away, so it's nice that I could finally have a conversation with him about uh the team that's up coming. Yeah, I when was the last time we had this many re-signings? It had to be pre-COVID. Um there's a reason we did it then, there's a reason we've we we're doing it now, and uh it it I kind of touched on it with the Estes signing. It it doesn't just happen that guys come back like this en masse at the level that they play. Uh I I can understand from a fan's perspective that uh in some ways it doesn't feel as fun, I guess. Not because you want to see new people come in and like, oh, what are they gonna be like? But it is unusual to get this amount of re-signings, and there's a reason for it, and they've all spoken about it. They want more, they want more than they had last year, we want more than they had last year. Um, and I'm I'm pumped to see if they can carry out what they all uh say into a man they want to achieve.

SPEAKER_03 1:48:11

They are, and and and Franny, I'm gonna allow you the floor now because as Gaz uh inferred, that there's trepidation's probably the wrong word, but people are thinking, okay, not too many new signings, not too many new faces. This is your chance now to kind of put your play out and say the thinking behind the decision. Tomo did speak about it in his interview with me a couple of weeks ago and then spoke a little bit about that, but this is your chance now. Uh the floor is yours.

SPEAKER_02 1:48:36

Yeah, I mean the first thing I want to say is we haven't signed these players because they got nowhere else to go. We had a lot of interest in our players from teams in this league, from teens abroad, including the likes of Riley Brandt. You know, we we have to um well we have to worry a little bit at times with some of the offers that are being sent his way um because other teams uh are seeing the value that we've all always known on him. But thankfully, Riley Brandt is a devil and will always be a devil. Um the I I think you only have to listen to if you go back and listen to all the interviews and the collective narrative that the team are saying about the group, about how special it is, about how they drive each other on, about how they've all seen what it takes to win, how they've all seen what it takes not to win the league, how driven they are to win that league championship, because they understand that that is the you know, the 54 game playoff series that that you know we're craving. Um and I think everyone of them is bought into to that. I mean, they got to experience that unbelievable high, you know, winning that playoff final and then the greatest celebration in elite league history. Um And it's just wetted the appetite for more. And you know, there's an argument to say, and you know, people are saying it that, well, if you bring back the same team, you're gonna get the same results because you know we we finished significantly behind Belfast. But I don't know, I I think I think there was a bit of a bed in him period, you know, it it's a demand in style that that we have to play in Cardiff to to be accepted because you know you can't go out and just play mundane hockey. I think of the years that Sheffield won the league when Dave Matsos was coach, it was pretty boring hockey, but it was it was very effective. They'd go out and they'd win a you know a 2-1 game or a 1-0 game. Jodie Lehman would shut the door and you know they'd go and win the league. I don't think that would be accepted in Cardiff. I really I I don't I think you have to play a certain way to to be a Cardiff devil. And Paul Thompson, you know, he talked about bringing the identity back, and the you know, the rebuild that we did last summer, the focus was on bringing the identity back. Let's see how far it takes us. And it took us to second place in a playoff win. That's not bad, but it's not good enough. Um, we felt that the players, the vast majority of those players, um deserve to come back. There were some very, very unlucky players that didn't get the opportunity to come back, and I want to thank all of them for everything that they've done, you know, whether it's one year or whether it's five years as a as a devil. Um, they've all played a huge part in history. Um, but you do need to make changes, and you know, like I said in the earlier episode, one thing that we felt we lacked was goal scoring on the inside, was to have a way of um, you know, when teams are keeping to the outside, and and we you know, we have been quite perimeter, and we haven't you know been able to drag pucks to the net and score you know those kind of goals, and we've tried to address that with some of our sign-ins. Um you know, a bit of creativity we probably missed last year. Um the power play didn't function for large parts of the year, and um we hope that Nick Welsh will help with that. Uh, he's got the big bum of a shot, and you know, he he played a big role on the power play in Manchester. So you could we as we we could have brought back everybody, and you know, maybe we would be successful, you don't know, but we did feel that there was some tweaks that were needed to try and get that league title, and you know, I'll put it out there now this season coming up is about that league title because we've won the playoffs four out of the last seven. We want to win it five out of the last eight, of course we do, but we want that league title as well because we haven't won it in too long for the Cardiff Devils, and I'm loving hearing all these interviews coming in, and you know, the guys that were here last year just talking about it, talking about it, like their focus is on it, they're driven on it. The new guys coming in, they've heard about it, they've heard about you know from players on the teams that you know they they may have spoken to. Um they're excited about that league title. They, you know, they're the players that they want to show up every game, and that it's not like oh that's really weird. It's like, oh, that's great. That's that means every game we play means something. So hopefully we've done our homework really well in terms of the right personnel, the right mentality. Um, hopefully we've we've addressed what we thought we were lacking from last year. You know, I'm sure there's people waiting to shoot us down if we don't score six goals a game every game and they'll say we should have brought in more goal scoring. But we think goal scoring by committee, we think that some players that we've brought in that haven't put up those big numbers in the right environment with the right coach with the right linemates can put up those big numbers, and you know, we'll find out in April.

SPEAKER_03 1:54:06

Guys, it's almost August, it's pretty exciting.

SPEAKER_01 1:54:09

Isn't it just um warming up the old vocal cords to uh get back and sort of be able to rejoice in in a new Cardiff Devils team and write new history in what will be our 40th season, uh, which is remarkable when you think about it, isn't it? How uh how long this this club has been around and how much success we've been lucky enough to enjoy. And yeah, everyone feels like they want that bit more success, don't they? And uh it's gonna be an exciting ride, there's gonna be ups and downs, we're gonna have debriefs where we don't want to put record, we're gonna have debriefs where we could make it an hour-long episode. Uh, it's just it's a it's a great journey, and you know, lucky enough to go on it with you guys as well. I'm really looking forward to that again because it's we are really fortunate to have uh one of the the most fun jobs uh in hockey outside of playing, but it's all about the guys. I got faith in them, and more importantly, I think they've got faith in themselves, which uh is a great way to start.

SPEAKER_03 1:55:17

That it is a lot to look forward to. That is the end of the summer series of Devil's Insider. It's been great bringing you all the interviews with the guys, like we say, they're all incredibly excited to get going here, and uh yeah, I can't wait. We'll be back in a couple of weeks' time as preseason gets up and running. There's lots to look forward to. If you haven't already got your tickets for preseason games, get them now. £14 a ticket. It's a great deal. I'm dragging my brother down, my family down, my budgie down. Everyone's coming to watch some preseason hockey. So it's gonna be an exciting month in August. A lot to look forward to. But thank you for listening in to the show today. Thank you once again to Brandon Estes, to Tyson Helgerson, Northern Uramco, Panu Miejo, and Riley Brandt for chatting to us. Thank you to you two boys. It's been great to be back here with you as well. And uh yeah, we will catch you very, very soon. Goodbye. Thank you very much once again to our sponsor, Minerva Hearing, for today's podcast. And remember, Minerva Hearing, hear the cheers, protect your ears.