Episode 002 - The WMU Hockey Fantasy Draft

Transcript

Speaker: DeWALDO

Speaker: Go talk till the whole night goes. Let it roll

Speaker: With the same old friends

Speaker: michigan bronco hockey. I'm one of your hosts, Tony Ringgett. joined as always by my co -host matt wally walasek brian plonsky boys good to be back a couple weeks after our first recording we had a little bit of technical difficulties but matt you handled that like an old pro so stick taps to you on on getting that all taken care of getting us getting us on the air so our our fans um can can start listening to us. and

Speaker: and bringing us onto the airwaves but boys um how have your weekends been matt let me kick it off to you first Yeah. Well, first, let me add IT to my resume, right? Yeah, we got through the technical difficulties, so hopefully nothing after after last week.

Speaker: ah Weekend was good. Stood up at a buddy's wedding, had a blast, had a lot of fun. it's a long weekend but uh yeah i'm i was excited though to get recorded here uh this week Now was it a open bar?

Speaker: ah Yeah, of course. Good answer. we We don't go to any any weddings that aren't open bar, right? no Yeah, exactly. He was a Western alum, so he knew. Love it. Or you just have your wedding at an all -inclusive resort and it's open bar the entire night.

Speaker: Yeah, that's true too. Take me back. Plonsky, let me throw it to you. How was your weekend, man? It was good. Watched a lot of college football. not just Western football, but. other assored games that came on the TV.

Speaker: Had some great Peruvian food the other night. So, I mean, you can't really have a weekend better than college football and Peruvian food. No, I guess not. Well, is that – do you have –

Speaker: are you now open to different food i feel like before you were just going yeah yeah mac cheese and chicken tenders i mean don't get me wrong i'm a big fan of that Because I like not thinking about what I'm eating. It's just into my gullet. but We have a very supportive better half that. eats almost everything on the planet you kind of got to try things so you know coming on my kind of my little show just a little bit i'm on caesar salad mode that's been like the food of the of 2026 so i was I was going to ask you if this was a Taco Bell add -on.

Speaker: You know what? That'll be tomorrow when I expense it for dinner, but that's not from the point. Oh man. I mean, you've come a long way since making fun of Ben. for only uh eating here i'm not salads i'm not eating salads at buffalo wild wings though with my pineapple on the side, so shut your mouth. Sorry, Benny, but... if you ever listen to this, but no. We diversify, but no, pruning food.

Speaker: Underrated. Was pleasantly surprised. Peruvian beer, really good too. I was like, what did you have? It was a pesto pasta. and stay with me. Okay. Okay. So honestly, that's pretty on par for how your diet has always been. So it's not too much. to Pasta, beer, meat. Where do I stop?

Speaker: yeah yeah that's fair that's fair Touche to that. um All right, boy. So you mentioned you went. Mention Western football. I mean, it's you know two weeks since.

Speaker: since the michigan game the the committee basically came out and said Yeah, Western won, but there's nothing we can do about it. I'm not going to lie. I'm pretty sure that's just simply because The.

Speaker: the different gambling companies They didn't want them to lose a bunch of money and have to go through that headache. But um you know as the head coach at Boise State said, we're 3 -0, we're undefeated, we won at Michigan.

Speaker: um but dude i was i was kind of nervous for the rice game um you know with Boise State coming up this upcoming weekend I felt like it was going to be such a massive trap game and the fact that it was like 110 degrees on the field.

Speaker: at... at in ah in in Houston. um So, I mean, I was pleasantly surprised. Good to see the boys come out with ah with a victory. um big big weekend in kalamazoo coming up was the battle of the buster broncos um happening. um brian i think you i think i was texting you about this and i think you said with

Speaker: Lance Taylor's press conference, he mentioned the same thing. But I was texting ah a friend of mine, Nathan, and ah he's just a football sicko. he He loves special teams more than anything else. um So if that didn't tell you the sick, I don't know what does.

Speaker: um but i was like dude you would love western football this year we we are predicated on three things Great defense. Controlling the clock. and winning the turnover battle and that's western football in a nutshell we're never gonna win pretty But hopefully we're just going to keep winning.

Speaker: and as long as you win it's fine sure are they the flashiest team absolutely not um I think we've seen that with they like to run the ball and they like to stop the run. Also, you play a team like Rice.

Speaker: Um, They seemed quick. but kind of small at least from the three and a half quarters i watched because espn plus decided to crap out on me But I usually have Robin Hook. on the audio call, so that fills in the gaps there.

Speaker: Also, that weird offense they ran, I think, threw Western defense a little bit of a curveball, but they did a great job. i think They did score with, what, 20 seconds left in the game, so the game's a little bit closer than... The spread was, not that the not that I bet a dollar on that, but... neither here nor there. um But you're right, it's it's effective.

Speaker: kind of ugly but it's effective and a dub's a dub and in a very hot environment. With. Kind of a quiet crowd there. It's cool seeing Rice Stadium. They hosted the Super Bowl, so you can put that on the resume. Have you played a game?

Speaker: in a stadium that hosted a Super Bowl. I don't think Western has done that in a while. I'm sure I'm going to get proven wrong in the comments somewhere. but um hey a win's a win and then like i said it's the game of the century this weekend Man, and... It.

Speaker: I don't know. There might have been like 20 people in attendance at that game. Like, holy cow, did it look empty. My oh my. But yeah, college game day. So not heading to Kalamazoo. It's heading to Knoxville.

Speaker: I think this is like the sixth time in six years it's headed to Knoxville, Tennessee. Um, Let me ask you, because I don't. i My Saturday mornings are now. Premier League.

Speaker: And that's what I do. um way. Yeah. All right. okay um but Jacqueline likes to sleep in in the morning, so I needed something else to ruin my life in the morning, so... became ah became an English football fan. so yeah Wow.

Speaker: Here we are. But did do you guys watch game day anymore? Yeah, I still do It's not appointment viewing for me like it used to be and big thing. I think we've said this to each other before I love Lee Corso. He was the reason I think I watched College Game Day.

Speaker: for not just the mascot picks but just him being you know his entire life has been around football And he's 90 and he looks amazing. um But no, not a point of viewing. it's kind of like i think i did the first week i turned on just like oh i heard that coming to you okay and it's like okay it's set college football saturday we're back but then i'm like oh it's not the same five schools i see all the time it's like can you mix it up a bit

Speaker: Yeah, I mean, I agree. i I mean, I still like watching it because it's like. you You grew up watching College Game Day before. 11 o 'clock kickoffs.

Speaker: at least if you're in the Midwest, 11 o 'clock. Um, Yeah. and to be honest i just Like... i'll I'll go back to like the big noon Fox kickoff every now and then.

Speaker: Cause like, they're not terrible. ah But yeah, I mean game day isn't necessarily the same. ah That it's always bad ah I still enjoy listening to Herb Street. I've always i've liked listening to Nick Saban. I think he's been a really good addition.

Speaker: Um, And then Reese Davis. And then. um Desmond Howard are always still good. i was I was mad when they got rid of David Pollock during the layoffs a few years ago. I thought he was real good.

Speaker: they did and loved them i was excited when they started bringing pat mcafee on like as a guest like occasionally early on. And...

Speaker: Now that he's like On there mainly. And he's kind of been like. He was kind of there like. way of like replacing Corso because he was retiring. It just seems like he's doing way too much. To the point where it's like, I kind of get annoyed and I'll kind of like.

Speaker: walk away when he's almost talking. Cause like. and then so yeah to the your point and like everybody's point on twitter right they just keep going to the same five schools now it's not even like like they don't go to like north dakota state like they did a couple years ago or however long And then.

Speaker: or go to like a Mac school or whatever. Or even like that those years when Deion Sanders was coaching down in, what was it, Jacksonville State or something. And I think they went down there for a fur game. Like, they're not doing that anymore, which is like, I think, defeats the premise of what initially what College Game Day was. and So it's kind of annoying. And then to the point where like McAfee, like this, like last couch game that i could barely watch because.

Speaker: He just kept doing the Ole Miss chant. Like just kept doing it. And I'm like, we get it you know it like cool like you're getting them all revved up like i don't need to hear it 10 times before The pics.

Speaker: So I kind of just wait till the end now almost because I just want from a betting perspective to know what. what are their takes and like. Do I agree? because am Am I going to gamble today or not? um Some of the stories are still cool, but like you having I mean, i mean um Pat Mac. Honestly, I like Pat McAfee for certain things. College game day, he's really kind of killing my buzz.

Speaker: I saw somebody on Twitter say. you know the difference between when Pat McAfee does a college game and when Pat McAfee does an NFL game. is you know, like worlds apart. Like he's so much.

Speaker: his knowledge like i used to listen to his show about you know eight ten years ago now um when he was like he was with barstool um he had just retired from the nfl I was working an office job.

Speaker: an office in admissions um at wisconsin and just at my cubicle i was like i need something to listen to And I loved him. He was different. Like he would have. you'd have guests on that were You know, it was.

Speaker: it was a lot more unfiltered you'd get like conversations with like former like pro players that just you never get on ESPN or you'd never get elsewhere and then all of a sudden he just got so mainstream that I'm like in disguise.

Speaker: but his nfl takes i feel like are pretty strong um and And I think the storyline now, switching gears back to college game day. I think one of the the missing pieces, like the storylines were always so good because of the locations they were at.

Speaker: Like, I think. Ole Miss LSU is the perfect game. because of you know, Everything. Yeah. Lane Kiffin coming back to to Oxford. i mean that's perfect. But I mea time in three weeks that we've had University of Texas.

Speaker: playing in college game day and I get it's probably the best game of the week. Wait. you don't always have to be at the best game of the week no and they're like was it last year a couple years ago i i felt like every other week they're At Georgia or they're at least at a game where George is the opponent it's like I get it George is good and all that but like And for me, like you don't have to go to a contender or like a playoff contender ah by any means.

Speaker: um Like... however many years ago when they went to Appalachian State. and like they just hung out with luke cole and then you know and then they brought the the team that upset michigan and o seven in and reminisce like that Like, that's college football.

Speaker: ah It's like what they're doing now is. I don't want to say it's ruining college football. Because I think NIL is ruining college football. Um, and some other stuff that we don't have to really get into but uh They're kind of like destroying what was a Really one of yeah ESPN's is only great shows, in my opinion.

Speaker: and and And I guess we'll end on this. I think yeah ESPN is just in general kind of. you know. oh that's their pill a little bit They don't know what they're doing. It's not our ESPN that we grew up with. now no no and that sounds weird saying it that way also i did it real quick i tried to find there's really good twitter art twitter article i'm not calling it by its single letter name that talk about the last time game day went outside the power four power five 2023, they went to James Madison.

Speaker: And it was a huge turnout. and it was the i think it was the largest turnout in game day history for like attendance, which I didn't know they took attendance. That was probably when Cignetti was there.

Speaker: Yeah, I think it was, yeah. So. there were There was a little bit of Bronco hockey news. um this past this past week. um one involving a former cap want to take that away?

Speaker: Yeah. Oh, Captain, my captain, ah Tim Washi. uh it gets an extension uh well deserved four years nine mil And let me say this, and I said this all going into last year to a lot of people who asked me about...

Speaker: you know, what do I think about Tim Washi and Anaheim? And he's in a great system with Quinville there. This is a Quinville guy. If you watch the the Hawks during that that little dynasty.

Speaker: These are the guys that Quinville loves, like the Troy Browers, the David Bullets. These are your fourth and third line centers. If you're winning faceoffs, he's going to put you out there.

Speaker: you don't have to score goals. um And... This guy throws his weight around. We saw that. for many years in Kalamazoo. He could shoot the puck. You know, he could get to the gritty areas. He could forward shock.

Speaker: Blake defaults, and he's going to go in front of the net. Um... This is a huge signing for Anaheim, especially with all like what's going on with them. with letting Chris Crider go.

Speaker: who I think is now with Montreal. and Uh, A couple other guys had left that I i was kind of surprised, but. Um, you know, I've always trusted Quinville. He's going to do something right in Anaheim with what he's got, even if some of his star players have just recently left.

Speaker: after this playoff run. ah But huge for Tim Washi um Because I'm sure there was people that were wondering if he would even stay up. Uh... with Anaheim and be kind of more down in what's San Diego.

Speaker: Uh... And he's just. He's given them a reason not to send him down. And I kind of had a feeling that would be the case. Like I said, if he continues to win face -offs, Quinville's not going to want to set him down. He'll put him on the fourth and third line. and And let the offensive, ah you know. we'll kind of turn and get better and better each day.

Speaker: So good for him. and i mean the thing is like right now with with the salary cap going up and up and up and you know the money they spent on leo carlson i think I think. ah Gautier still needs to...

Speaker: I think he still needs to sign. getting Getting a fourth line center for like 2 .25 AAV. with this cap scenario like you're seeing some of the contracts that these guys are getting insane so i mean that's all i mean that's one i think it's a great deal for him for for the team.

Speaker: But that's an awesome. That's awesome from Tim Washi. yeah Yeah, I agree. I mean, especially too, when you look at the guys that left that national championship team. People are probably expecting like it to be more like Alex Bump and probably Owen Michaels now with Edmonton after last year.

Speaker: to be like the guys that really would sign. some type of big time contract and you know play more up and and we saw a bump throughout more of the end of last year play up with Philly.

Speaker: And I'm sure there's a lot of people that aren't Western fans that have said like, you know. Just watch the guy. Maybe, I don't know. Probably AHL guy. Uh... That wasn't my take at all. I've always kind of had a feeling after he left.

Speaker: western after that natty that you know you If he goes to the right team, he's going to play up, and Anaheim's the right team for him.

Speaker: super happy for him and you know it it kind of reminds me of a situation where i feel like When you look at. you know, kind of that 26 to. Or not 26, like... 2015 to like kind of 2019 I feel like when you think of who the best player from that, who's going to have the best and NHL career from that group.

Speaker: You probably would have said like a Wade Allison or Ronnie Adderd. Sheldon Drys. Sheldon Drys has had a... phenomenal pro career. like i wouldn't wouldn't I don't think I would have had that in my big bingo card. but kind of like Tim washy. He just they I won't say they play the right way, but they play the right way to keep themselves in the and NHL.

Speaker: Yeah, well, I mean... ah you You always wonder, too. I've always kind of thought, you know, if Wade Allison didn't have as many injuries as he did. college and kind of his pro career. Would they have gone a different way?

Speaker: Could he have changed his style a little bit? He was always very aggressive. I think that's what kind of got him injured a little bit more. ah But like to your point, like look at. George o Osterly. A defenseman that just did what he was supposed to do. and you know Kind of a journeyman for, what, 12 years? I think he just recently retired.

Speaker: um you If you look back from that 2010 to 2012 or 2013, Era. Everybody's probably saying Danny DeKaiser, Danny DeKaiser. That's the only guy that should have made the NHL, but Osterle.

Speaker: you know, signed and, you know, I don't know. Might have been set down once or twice. ah But mainly it was up. And just. Second, third line defenseman, just stay at home, did his thing. get And, again, made it tougher.

Speaker: GM and coaches just set them down. I saw you just started. I can't remember if I saw it was real estate or... Um. I know Danny's doing real estate, but I think maybe like... Is that like the golden?

Speaker: is that like the go -to is uh Western hockey, GoPro, retire, real estate. i think I think that's just kind of a general like. pro well i mean i guess yeah bb's doing it too but um so is dennis brown so we're just going through that yeah yeah get get maybe it's just that arrow you know i saw i saw that post on someone comment, and well it might have been you. on linkedin i saw him with

Speaker: um yeah he's doing financial advising financial planning yeah that's what it was that's what it was Great company you chose, though. I'll just give them that. the The old, the old. One was.

Speaker: You know, you just go work at Enterprise. a friend A friend of mine, has his cousin played like D2 and D3 football. And I ran into him one time. So I was actually up in Minneapolis for the Women's Frozen 4 about...

Speaker: Eight years ago or so, Wisconsin was playing. And. I saw him like to go, Oh, what do you do now? Work at enterprise? And he's like, How did you know?

Speaker: It was like the commercial told me. yeah yeah I mean, the enterprise commercials throughout the NHL for many, many years is just. Hey. Take a shot.

Speaker: Yeah. yeah So. ah Preseason polls came out. I don't want to touch too much on this. just we'll we'll have a preview episode coming up um season's underway and like Two and a half weeks.

Speaker: Yeah. um Why? So it's, it's m not including the exhibition game, but NCHC predicted to finish fourth. Use USCHO. um preseason poll coming in at number eight.

Speaker: and Again, don't want to get into these too much. um I'm not really surprised. I'm not really mad about either of those. The teams ahead of us didn't. an awful lot during the offseason with transfer portal nil so um unless you guys have anything to say on that i think we can table that for another week or two I mean, I know we're going to talk about it more in depth. I'm just going to say with that CHC ranking.

Speaker: Could be anybody's game in that conference, right? And then... uh the only thing that surprised me again we'll talk about this maybe next week or whenever uh the uschl one i wasn't surprised at eight i'm just surprised at wisconsin's up there in the top 10 they really i mean they had a good year but like I mean, really, to shoot him up in the top seven, that that one kind of...

Speaker: surprised me. I wasn't surprised by any of the other teams but them. I think they they got some transfers in. i I mean, we'll need to look at that a little bit. but they got some transfers in and i mean honestly as far as i'm concerned if you if you went to the frozen four last year yeah yeah i Yeah, I mean, I agree. i mean I'm just saying, for and again, like I don't want to get too much into it. They had one good year.

Speaker: this passed off or this past season. And you know, you go off of the transfer portals and everything else. It just seems like a lot for me to want to have them in the top. Savage. I would have had them at maybe 10 or 11, just.

Speaker: Again, I'm not trying to. to shoot them down. You got to be more consistent year after year. ah for me to want you to be in the top 10 preseason. Wisconsin just hasn't done that in a while.

Speaker: ah But they can't be now if they have another good year. so But we'll talk about that more in depth next week. Oh absolutely. Okay, so now moving into kind of the... the meat of this episode.

Speaker: um I've become kind of obsessed with doing these This activity. um i specifically do him a lot with um Frankie and Andrew.

Speaker: um We just get bored. It's the ultimate. like kind of do you know how the joke is always guys when they hang out at a bar they just taught name random athletes it's kind of like this stemmed from um we just started doing like drafts like i'd have chat gpt give us a random order um and we do a snake draft and we'd pick like whether it be football baseball basketball hockey um whatever it might be we might set parameters like okay it's got to be since 2000.

Speaker: um So that's what kind of inspired this. I wanted to do. Wanted to do a draft. and You know, I think initially when we we we talked about this.

Speaker: um We were like, you know, Let's just do, you know, what a you know a starting lineup. or you know the guys we want in there to end a game and then i think we just decided It's fun just naming these guys from the last 18 years that we remember watching. and you know um So i'm I'm excited to do this. so What we're going to do.

Speaker: The three of us are going to build each build our own teams. Um, it's Four lines. a forwards Three defensive pairing. and two goalies.

Speaker: um We're using it since 2009. So since Brian and my freshman year. um Would love to go earlier than that. I just feel like we're not experts enough to talk about. Bronco hockey pre 2009 since.

Speaker: We didn't go there, didn't live there. None of us are from Kalamazoo. so um But because of that, I want to... I want to shout out. Jamal Mayers, Joe Corvocus, I would draft you guys if that rule wasn't in place. Patty Dwyer. thank you That first one.

Speaker: Amen. So... Brian, you so it's a snake draft. So anybody listening doesn't know what a snake draft is. pretty common in fantasy football or really any fantasy sport.

Speaker: um Brian has the first pick in our draft. I have the second pick. Matt has a third pick. um What that means is Matt also gets the fourth pick. I get the fifth pick. Brian gets the sixth, and we just kind of snake like that. so Brian, and again, you can't pick anybody who's already been taken. So once they've been taken.

Speaker: They're gone. So. Brian, why don't you lead us off? Who are you taking with the first overall pick in our ah in the Lawson Lounge draft? I'm waiting for the NFL draft news to come in the background, but we can add that in post while, if you'd like to do that, that'd be great. um First pick. i think When I think of like...

Speaker: being a fan of W hockey since 2009. I think the first name. that pops in my brain. Danny DeKaiser. great NHL career. signature defenseman.

Speaker: for our entire program, not just the time we've been there and following them. Just... in program history. um big guy but very good with this very good sticking out like good and just in always ate a lot of minutes. I feel like he was always on the ice.

Speaker: um Even at the low points and high points, he was always on the ice. 2012 CCHA champion, which we were all there crying at the Joel Lewis Arena for that. That was a good time. and he went right to the redwigs too like underrated thing of not even like spending 50, 80, 100 games in the minors.

Speaker: Here you go. Be on the fourth the third line. So that'd be that's my number one overall pick that's my first name also hudo he was in my university 100 uh class i got to teach so saying you have to teach an angel player is pretty dope. Yeah, him and Dennis Brown. And I'm missing a third person. Sorry. If I can't think of the third person, but. That was a long time ago. That was 2010.

Speaker: But yeah always came to class. He used to email me if he was going to be late because obviously he was traveling with hockey. A UNV, a University 100 class, pretty low priority. in the scheme of things.

Speaker: Bye. Like I said, that's my memorable, it's a favorite fun fact I tell when I meet. parents and students or something. I taught an NHL player once. but cool story so yeah daniel kaiser number one overall That's pretty cool. I played slow pitch with Danny.

Speaker: One summer, I think I had like. i think it was like dave killip um danny and then dane walters all All super good guys. dude Dane Walters might have been the best. like I remember he hit a he hit a ball in slow pitch softball. If you're familiar with the intramural fields, at least back when we were in school, we were the one like closest to Howard.

Speaker: and he put one i admit like in like the infield of the uh the field closest to the parking lot i mean It was us. shot. Amen.

Speaker: So Dave Walter must've been my backup when I was. wasn't around. Yeah, you you went home you went home to Chicago so we had to We had to get some spots out.

Speaker: Thank you. um i Tony, you're you're in the middle, man. So what do you got? and You got tough pick number two here. Yeah, so, you know, when I when i look at... Kind of. our teams over the past.

Speaker: you know i guess what 18 years 17 years stop saying the 18 number man that's terrifying i know it's wild um i'm like two years we're two years away from our like 20th class reunion for high school which is wild good I think we have a lot of really good forward And I don't really think there's that much of a difference between.

Speaker: the guy that you might say is number one and the guy that you might say is number seven um I don't think they're that far off from each other as far as what their Western careers were, but I do think it's that way and defense on defense. um I'm gonna go with a guy that was a two -time NCHC.

Speaker: Um, offensive defenseman of the year he was a two -time all -american two -time first team all conference he was a team captain um a guy that i thought was going to have a really good nhl career Big defenseman, wasn't a liability on defense, but was excellent offensively.

Speaker: um I'm going to go Ronnie Adderd. Solid choice. Solid choice.

Speaker: All right, Mr. Snake Draft Wally, you got two here. All right. think I know you're going to pick for one of them. Let's say 60 seconds in a fantasy draft. that no i can No, I hate that. I can't say that. ah So listen. You get stuck with somebody like. I'm here to put the best lineup together against you two. If my lineup was to go against you two.

Speaker: My team's gonna win, right? so Some people are probably going to think this is kind of nuts to not take a couple different players at three. ah But again, I'm here to wit.

Speaker: So to win you got to win face -offs. You got to have one of the best face -off percentages and college hockey. and probably at Western. overall, ever. So I'm going to take Owen Michaels to center my first line there.

Speaker: ah national championship winner Just a ton of accolades. Again, a guy that just got better and better. throughout the national championship year and then even last year.

Speaker: ah with Bump leaving having to kind of take on a bigger role in the offensive zone a little bit more. Uh... He's a guy that really likes to dish the puck a lot more than shoot.

Speaker: Had to take that on. We saw he could shoot though right in the playoffs going into that national championship. He was a huge factor. Uh... assistant captain. So I know he's got that leadership. Give me Owen Michaels, third overall. People are probably going, what the hell is wrong with you?

Speaker: And then... Again. This is gonna surprise a lot of people but I was very high on this guy to get us to our first national championship. Back during COVID, if COVID didn't add this.

Speaker: the season early. And I need someone in the pipes. big time because we're not going to have that many goals to pick from. Give me Stanley Cup winner Brandon Bussey. Guy stood on his head back in COVID.

Speaker: you I remember hockey in the classroom. You talked about Brandon Bussey all the time. You're a huge Brandon Bussey guy. You were driving the Bussey bus, I think. yeah you and you you You were driving the Bussey bus before was school. You better believe it.

Speaker: Man, i I was not anticipating going goalie this early. i know it's I know it's the most important position. you can't It's hard to win without a really good goal. um unless you're the Colorado Avalanche who somehow did it a few years ago. But anyways, I digress. um i was not planning to go goalie here but ah Matt kind of changed that my... ah My plan a little bit. You know what? i I think we have two goalies that stand out. ahead of everybody else.

Speaker: when it comes to that position. I'm going to go with our national champion, the guy who did get it done in in the pipes. Um, really took that job over from cam from cam row at the end of the season than last year I think he set the single season. um wins record at western um but give me the hammer give me hampton slikinski

Speaker: Get packed.

Speaker: Brian. What are we doing here? all right so now do you want to wait you want to wait till we count down to 58. but Okay, so I'm not gonna be that guy I'll be on auto -drive to where I wait till the last second So we're going to do, so I get back to back here.

Speaker: so I'm going to go up to the wing now. so Next pick for me. ah We mentioned it a little bit earlier. His name came up a lot when it comes to preseason hockey, and I just watched him take a couple shifts.

Speaker: living in flyers country here. Going to go with Alex Bundle. natural champion. the WMVP co -winner. of the Western's MVP award.

Speaker: Hopefully we see him sneak onto the Flyers roster. um if not that'll make it an easier 38 minute subway ride for me to go down to I'm not calling it. the Xfinity Mobile Arena. still i could call it the fu center if like old school philly people can call it I'm hoping to get seen here, but again.

Speaker: Unbelievable season, natural champion. And. he could kind of do it all and we're just happy to see him having a great success um starting out here so So I'll take him on the wing, and then I'm going to keep the goalie theme going here, boys.

Speaker: equally cool name. Not as cool as the hammer, but... And it's the same with an SKI, so I'm a little biased towards them. But I'm picking... The man in three words. Frank? The Tank. Slugatsky. iconic man yeah dude ah alex bump was if who I was going to take until Matt decided to take Brent.

Speaker: decided to take Buffy in the first round. so im Great pick there. And it's funny. i i um <unk> We're talking stars tickets and right now. um with my friends who have season tickets and one of them goes hey um by chance would you be willing to sell your tickets for the flyer game and i said and i just responded alex bunk He's like, yeah he's like, I should have known better.

Speaker: Well, if you want to come to the road game here. He's gonna be up right over here for you Yeah, he's going to be up. ah he'll play He'll play third line. Yeah. So. My next pick, I'm going to go with the guy who had arguably the greatest offensive season in our in our time being Western fans.

Speaker: um 30 goals. I think he had something like five or six hat tricks in one season. Um. Should have been a Hobie. yeah he was a finalist he was a top 10 finalist for the hobie baker award um he was a team captain He was the NCHC Player of the Year. um Give me Jason Boland on the wing. i mean it's hard to beat that single season that he had.

Speaker: um in what was it 22 23. The guy just had a lethal shot. I mean, it's... It just seemed like he couldn't miss wherever he he shot the puck from. It was unbelievable that year.

Speaker: And as a guy that just progressively got better and better throughout his Western career. I think he like. is the epitome of what Western hockey is. i mean how many times and i i don't want to give it away but How many times do we see this with with Western hockey? it's It's never a rebuild because all of a sudden there's a sophomore or junior that.

Speaker: The next year, just. You know goes up significantly in points and takes over the. Yeah, I mean That that's just a and ah Tip of the hat to the coaching staff.

Speaker: Um, All right, so I'm going to round out here. ah So again, like I'm here to win, right? And to win, I need a good two -way defenseman.

Speaker: I don't think there's a better two -way defenseman right now that's come out of Western than Matias Samuelsson. This guy is a big lengthy guy. ah Great active stick on the defensive end.

Speaker: We'll hit you on the boards. But sneakily, and we've seen it in the NHL, especially if you watch this ah last season at Buffalo. This guy could skate and he could score and he could score in a lot of different ways from a lot of different angles.

Speaker: Just give you a Tia Samuelson on on defense there. Uh... And then... I need someone that's gonna score a lot of goals for me. Um... And I would say the top two are probably gone.

Speaker: Bumping. Poland. So give me Ethan Frank on the wing there. ah This guy. He had... you know I had to look this up actually earlier today. I didn't realize, and I'm wondering if this is from a grad year.

Speaker: that he was actually with western for five seasons i thought it was four But... 100 almost 120 points in over five years i mean he really only had like Out of those five seasons, probably like... two or two and a half great seasons.

Speaker: Uh, his senior and grad season uh grad year fifth year is what i would have put it to. um especially from the goal scoring perspective. Smaller guy. quick.

Speaker: ah But he's going to get me pucks in the net. Give me Ethan Frank.

Speaker: Well, if you if you didn't take them, I was going to. um All right, so... I'm going to go a little bit Homer pick on this one. but i also kind of am taking that strategy of if If I want to win a game.

Speaker: You have to win games with guys like this. um He was. a He was a captain. um at Western for the 2012 -2013 season. He was a co -captain with a couple other guys.

Speaker: um He could score goals, usually kind of sat around that 10 to 13 goal. full range um super super important in the in the kind of rebirth of Western Michigan hockey under Blashill and Murray.

Speaker: um He was. the end or ccha's the offense or defensive forward of the year man a guy that like i said he could score goals but he was not afraid to go in the corners and win battles um Great defensively. Give me Dane Walters.

Speaker: There's two things that I'm not surprised about in this draft so far. Brian, take a day to Kaiser and you take a day Walters. like a Yeah. That's two things I could have bet a lot of money on.

Speaker: And you were saying, Tony, this is our Homer pick. Aren't all of our picks Homer picks? Let's be real. So I did one of these drafts with Frankie and and Andrew. And we did college hockey. And I was just straight picking Western players. They're like, I'll take I'll take Quinn Hughes. I'll take Johnny Goudreau. I'll take.

Speaker: whoever and I'm like Yeah, I'm going to go Mattia Samuelson here. but then Then that. Well... Jag Frankie. decided to take ethan frank i'm like dude you know what i'm doing i'm only taking western players he got onto your scheme quick you had the rest of the country

Speaker: Oh. All right. My two here, so... keeping the Dane Walters theme going. Additional captain from... the early 2010s.

Speaker: Team. teams. for your center. really good on the face -off circle and can just reliable name i feel like he played every game we saw. It was rare to see this guy on the bench.

Speaker: or missing a game or anything. But... We're going to go right down the middle. and pick Chase Ballasy. Because I need to. another tenacious center. to start poking at people. up I think you would. He's a good poker there too.

Speaker: um also the plus minus award 2013 -14 i think that's a season i sort of forget about Personally, because that was my first year. Out of Western? So I sort of feel like, oh, yeah. Some of these guys were still on that team then, and that was a really solid team as well. so um so that'll be my pick there and then we're gonna bounce Back on the defensive side here.

Speaker: um Kind of a similar theme of just long career. I think though he kept playing. I kept seeing him in the AHL. up and down with. Syracuse and Tampa a lot. But I got to go with Luke Witkowski.

Speaker: Um, Great shot for a defenseman, too. Loved it. He was always the guy who could snipe one through, and you wouldn't be surprised if he would do it. um Six -round pick for the Lightning. saw him a lot up and down i feel like i would just check see if he was in syracuse or tampa Because either he was sweating bullets or he was freezing his baguettes off in Syracuse. so um I think him and DeKaiser might be that first line. um If we get into that realm, that'd be a really good one -two punch there.

Speaker: Well, I mean, they they were a deep airing there. their entire. I mean, that's, that's a natural, I always found it funny. end End of Luke's career. He kind of, I think he's still playing over in Europe somewhere.

Speaker: Um, but end of, end of his like kind of h l and hl nhl career they moved him to forward um which I always thought was cool. That was a blast shell move. I believe.

Speaker: In Detroit. Yeah. Yeah. think I think you're right. Yeah. That's when he moved up there. um Well, those were gonna one of those two guys would have been my next pick had Brian not sniped them from me there. so um i'm gonna stick with that era though i get i mean that's when we paid attention the most i think Um,

Speaker: I want a guy on the blue line. um Give me Matt Tennyson. I love. tenny had a great shot i think that's what he was always known for um definitely more of an offensive offensive forward than a defensive guy but he i never felt like He was a liability on the back end. The one the one play I will never, ever forget for Matt Tennyson. was that fake one -timer i think it made espn Ah. Top 10 plays. do you guys Do you guys remember that one?

Speaker: Yeah, right through the legs that I think it was browning. Right to Tony. Yeah, because it was always Tennyson and Brown. I think we're always paired together. Was that a playoff game or playoff series?

Speaker: No? No. I don't think Andy Murray would have the stones to pull that off. The first time ever in a playoff game. Okay, fair enough. No. So yeah, give me, give me Tenny.

Speaker: All right, well. Let's say the last four picks have come from 2010 to 2012. So let me start with that era Let me stick with that era.

Speaker: And I'm going to take from you guys. I would take in this guy didn't score a lot but when he scored I erupted. And... go This guy's a two we know two -way girl.

Speaker: Two -way grinder. This guy's gonna get to the dirty areas. This guy's gonna get to front of that This guy's going to four check and this guy's going to ground and pound you. Give me 22. Give me Derrick Rayl.

Speaker: railer Of course. That may not be permanent residence in the dirty spots on lake i don't think i predicted derrek ri go in the Hey, and if, and if and ah hey. Well, some of these guys, too. But ah hey if Ben's listening, he'll know.

Speaker: Uh... Whenever he would get on a random like breakaway and he threw that through the through the legs, trying to deke the one defense bit. Oh my God, it me and Ben.

Speaker: used to just get woof Uh, we were getting all jazzed up on the sidelines with the lunatics when that happened, but. ah Yeah, give me Dare Grail. Um... All right, let's get out of that era. And let's get back to...

Speaker: um I need a puck moving defenseman. I mean, the beginning eras of... Blasio in the early years of Andy Murray. blue line was a lot of just two -way you know, ground and pound.

Speaker: defenseman. Um... You didn't really see the puck moving defenseman come through the Andy Murray until like, you know, later years, mid to later years. uh one of the i think quieter ones and In my opinion, like one of the top. moving uh puck moving defenseman Give me Camley. Camley.

Speaker: just knew how to create space with speed. Always made a great decision with the first pass, ah getting into the offensive zone. ah because ah you know if you we can probably all agree that was never our strong suit for a long time.

Speaker: um and cam lee plus a few others and i'm not getting named so you guys don't steal for me were key components to getting the puck in deep. getting the puck in the offensive zone.

Speaker: create an offensive opportunities here. So give me Cambly on the blue line.

Speaker: Love it. I'm going to go back to... to our days and call oh um you might have missed this one brian I think this would have been I think he was. 2013 -2014. his freshman year, but three -year captain. You know, when I'm looking for someone to. to center this top line.

Speaker: um we kind of meant we mentioned him earlier in the podcast one of those guys that kind of would do anything um He was smaller. I think he was like 5 '9". But he never, he always played like he was about 6 '3".

Speaker: um Again, a three -year captain. a guy that could score goals it wasn't like he was going to go out and score your 30 goals but consistently get was going to be in that you know kind of like 12 to 15 range.

Speaker: um One of those true leaders, give me Sheldon Drives. He'd be the one I you made a good point there. That was just like right at the tail end Um... like kind of like my error not error i'm like taylor i've had a lot of errors but that error specifically If you were to tell me to list all the WMU captains, which that'll probably be a podcast episode at some point, I don't think I would have got Sheldon Drys that fast. It would take me a long time to get to him as a captain.

Speaker: Yeah, and I mean, he was he was so important in the you know bringing the team from the... you know the ccha days into the into the nchc days and you know when when we were kind of i what i think it was the 16 -17 season that you know I think we had a couple we had a dip for a couple years and not being as as good as we were.

Speaker: um in those first years of the NCHC, but that team kind of brought us back. into this conversation where we're at today. so Yeah. i was I was between him and one other guy. to to cap or to to center my first my top line I'll keep the theme of...

Speaker: kind of in that 11, 12, 13, 14 season era. in that transition from the CCHH to the NCHC. You're going to go with. bo aren't you? Yeah, I'm going to change my box there.

Speaker: Bursch is a good choice. Toledo walleye legend. hows of about Be me to it. So do you do you just want to trade Dane Walters for...

Speaker: um alex bump and you can just pretty much have the entire you know normal starting lineup in 2012 2013. Check yourself. No. and I'm trying to be You're going to draft Andy Murray as your head coach too? No, Blasho because I shook his hand. He'd be my drafted coach if we end up getting there.

Speaker: He also bought us pizza one time. That was a good time. Are you guys there for that? I was not. Yeah, totally. okay team it was cotton gin pizza which if That's the whole thing in Kalamazoo. someone tell me ah I didn't see it there. Yeah, it might be.

Speaker: Jets was still goaded, but I remember him giving us all cottage and pizza, waiting out in the cold, per usual, but... I will not take all. 2010s eras players, so... Bershi.

Speaker: And then starting the 7th. Round five. default here. We talked about him earlier. I won't beat the dead horse. going to go another I'll go with national champion, Tim Washi.

Speaker: Yeah, great pick. I mean, I was between Sheldon Drys and Tim Washi on that pick. could have gone wrong. You know what? I'm not going to get too, too much into this because we already talked about this guy. um If he hadn't been injured so much, I think we'd be talking he probably would have went earlier in the draft.

Speaker: um Give me Wade Allison on the wing.

Speaker: There we go. That's a good pick. um I'll speed it up here a little bit. ah Both my guys coming up here from the national championship plate. Huge. Pillars in the national championship. race.

Speaker: um And then... Even though one of them got hurt. last year would have been a huge piece but still one of my two were Give me Grant Slotinski. a guy just again a great two -way forward Big in the center ah dot here. a career 53 % with Western.

Speaker: 80 points in just two years. And then. You know, guys, I'm going to go with another puck -moving defenseman. I'm going to go with Yonah Vizen. Again, it was a shame that he... Blew out his ACL last year because I think he was going to.

Speaker: Poised to have an incredible season ah year two, but. His first year with Western was ah phenomenal. ah Huge. huge part for that national championship ah year. uh Give me your own advice and then on the blue line.

Speaker: And honestly, I'm not, I'm not sure like had Yona Weissman and. and Cole Kruseberg -Rosignac got injured last year. Who knows what that Denver game would have looked like. and yeah might well I agree. as national champions I 100 % agree.

Speaker: But if ifs and buts are candy and nuts. Um, Awesome. It's a wild comment. Got to hear that in a minute. Yeah, right. um I'm going to go with a winnerer winger here. Another undersized guy with a high motor.

Speaker: I'm grateful. Great. on the four check. um Kind of in that same realm as, you know, with Walters and and Sheldon Drys was usually going to sit around that 10 to 15 goal mark.

Speaker: um he was a first team all conference i believe he was first team all -american um He wore the C. Give me Hugh McGing.

Speaker: I'll pick. I must go with a Torrid. Generation Bronco here. for my backpack. We'll start with a current gen. We can't have enough Finnish players on our team, right?

Speaker: So I'm going to go with Irohaka Rainen. can never enough things. Not the finished Flash, but Ken Flash did great flashes um on the ice. uh 16 points this year so i think it's more beat on the score sheet it's just just a solid player and then continuing the solid player theme.

Speaker: wouldn't show up in this scorebook he's on the penalty box a lot But you got to have some of that. um Next one. This might be a little bit of an upset pick but Got to go with Garrett Haar on defense. that's ah that is That's an upset. That is a stretch pick.

Speaker: Garrett har is going to be loving that he just got picked in the ninth round, not the 20th. i One of y 'all were going to take them. I'm like, well, I might as well do it now. And I think I'm in between doing something. i ah We're doing this. I...

Speaker: I will leave it at that. I mean, I'll say this. I have Garrett harsh, one of Garrett harsh sticks. So, uh, that I, I was using for men's league for a long time. So, uh, But I'm going to leave it at that. ah Good luck on Brian's team.

Speaker: and And he left early to go. He went to the W, right? Because i he left. Yeah, I. I just will remember there was controversy with something going on. I don't know if it was academic or.

Speaker: There was something off off the ice, I remember, that kind of got him out. why he left. If I'm not mistaken. therere There was something that wasn't. good It's cool.

Speaker: Well, that could be yeah that maybe it was academics. I don't but I mean it was something that it wasn't like hockey related, like, like a better opportunity. It was. off the ice.

Speaker: shit that he was like Peace them out. Yeah, yeah. Which was disappointing. Which was disappointing because he was drafted by Washington. He's coming into ah into a team that, I mean, we're hoping that he's going to be.

Speaker: you know, Probably not on the second line defense because, again, This is where you're talking about. Western maybe be in defensive line U. Um,

Speaker: Because, I mean, we have. All these guys that have been playing for two three years now for Um, So he was on the third line, but. you were hoping that in the next couple of years.

Speaker: He was going to be the top guy, the blue line. And then. oh i i don't like school I'm out of here. It's like, are you? Alright, peace out. I mean, it's it you know, it's hard to say I blame a guy because I mean, you can go. play in the CHL, make a little bit of money. and you know, not have to worry about if you know school is not your jam. So, um he but I mean, he was he was always solid. I mean, he was one of those you wish you you wish he could have stayed a little bit longer.

Speaker: um I'm going to go back to our days. um Matt, you only got to see this guy for a year. Brian and I got to see him for a couple years. um You know, we talked about one of his goals on on the last podcast.

Speaker: He was so important to that. 2010. if the video is working for this episode i i'm rocking the lunatic shirt from that year um i want I want soupy. Give me Max Campbell, big goals. um you know He was you know an offensive -minded, creative center, good good finishing ability. comfortable carrying the puck up the ice.

Speaker: um Yeah, I definitely want to have the guy one of the guys who wore the A on. on one of the most important teams in Western Michigan history. So give me Soupy Campbell.

Speaker: Uh... All right, so it's my pick, right? um but So here I am I need some more goal scoring. uh This guy was very good with Light in the Lamp for the two years that he was at Western.

Speaker: Uh... 60 points in two years. Uh... and You don't blame a guy for leaving too to go to the NHL when he's at his peak. I would have loved to see him maybe stay for a third year.

Speaker: ah Because, again, that's when you're. Yeah. uh aiko paoli Wade Allison, I mean, this these are the years of... We're really building something special. ah to start really of those playoff years. um Jimmy me Griffin Molino.

Speaker: on the wing here. Uh... I always had a kind of little soft spot for him when I would watch these games. He's just a guy that has a wicked wrist shot. uh we just always had a knack for finding but ah the back of that um and really could just go north and south pretty quickly. uh And then, I mean, to talk about speed.

Speaker: ah I'll just go quick with this one. This guy. ah Again, another 60 -point guy, but guy that created... created space using his speed. ah more than anything.

Speaker: uh gimme olympian Freddie Tiffles. the The German. Yes. Love it. um You know, I'm going to go with the center here. I was really between.

Speaker: Max Campbell and this guy on my last pick. I didn't want to lose Max Campbell though out of kind of nostalgia of of those teams um going with another center you know he's a smart player distributed the puck well. um he was more of a creator than than a bruiser but um you know, i was able to make wingers a lot better.

Speaker: um He was an assistant captain. of the team um He was he could he could score. Definitely more of a cis guy, but give me Colt Conrad. It's a solid pick.

Speaker: Okay, sneaking for two, so we'll go... both of these are going to be the prime the prime college years because I'm like Saved by the Bell, I like the college years. um We're going to go with Greg Squires on the wing. for the first one.

Speaker: Also one of those guys that kind of we touch on it here there too he was a He was a Jim Culhane guy. He was a Blasho guy, then he was an Andy Murray guy. So staying for four years, three coaches.

Speaker: And I think, ah again, Guy was always on the ice. um I like, you know, you can never go wrong with durability there. um So he'll be there. And then. We're going to go to come another. kind of gerhard themed i feel like he was a guy that was always around the puck cherry picking and just trying to stick. Pope check everybody away.

Speaker: We are going to go with. i like I think I called him a pot stirrer. in our day but i'm gonna go with nolan laporte for that That guy was a pot stirrer.

Speaker: Family show. I can't call what I actually said in the stands, but we're going to call it Little Podster. Yeah. um I'm going to go with the guy that I wish we could have had for four years. but Um, umm I didn't realize it until I was watching a...

Speaker: highlight from the The game where we beat Northeastern in the NCAA tournament. he played in this game um so did justin ritzkovian who One of my favorite players to the stars love ritzy. But anyways, Sam Colangelo, his one year at Western.

Speaker: was phenomenal, 24 goals. um You know, I think he had he he had multiple hat tricks that season as well. um I think.

Speaker: he He was one of those guys I think he would have went a lot higher. had he played at Western for... for four years and now he's teammates with uh Tim Washington and Anaheim. so Sam Colangelo.

Speaker: Uh... So for me Tony. took a guy that I probably would have taken about now, defenseman. I need someone. with a ricke a wicked wicked slapper.

Speaker: I'm talking about a guy that can break the the pane of the glass behind the net. And we've seen him do it a couple of times at law said. I think we saw him do it maybe once in Ann Arbor. during warmups.

Speaker: This guy would sometimes frustrate me on ice from the defensive side for taking some dumb penalties, but offensively... you This guy shot was unbelievable. ah Which I'm gonna need on the power play guys ah So give me Kenny Morrison on the blue line here.

Speaker: I'll put him with Cam Lee, so that would be a solid offensive. defensive line. ah for me. and then people are probably going to say why are you taking this guy now and i'm taking him No, guys, I'll tell you.

Speaker: Uh, because i need a defense i need a defensive forward and I don't think there's really been a better defensive forward in Western hockey than Josh Pitt.

Speaker: ah This guy was a... big i mean This guy could have played the middle linebacker for the football team. This is how big this guy was. um This guy was just throwing his body around. This was an Andy Murray type guy, right? I mean, this is why he got recruited by him.

Speaker: Uh... And... but could sneakily you know be offensive when he needs to be i mean the highlight that Will always pop up in my head is the outdoor game at Comerica.

Speaker: Winning it. with that. Little toe drag wrister. uh But I need a solid defensive. forward. uh for one of my lines So I got to take Josh Pitt right out the gate. So give me Josh Pitt.

Speaker: Yeah, anytime I think of Josh Pitt, i like I forget he was so good defensively because all I think about is him walking like three Michigan Wolverines. in older times to keep them in the gli at america park Um, you know, I'm going to go. I've drafted a good amount of smaller, smaller forwards.

Speaker: Let me get a little bit bigger here. um Yeah. About 6 '3". 200 pounds. um scored 20 goals, which I think was like.

Speaker: the highest goal total and like 10, 15 years at Western. um Give me Mathis and Icapelli. wish he could wish he would have stayed a little bit longer but man he was he was Good when he was there.

Speaker: True. Wish he would have panned out for the Hawks. sure All right, I'm going to go. two i'm gonna go i think i think i'm leaning two defensemen here just because i'm gonna fill up the bench as well. Not that they're bench players, just...

Speaker: for the time being. Gonna go National Champion. Cole Kruseberg -Rozine. Now we're in the A. No, I got that. i feel like Anytime I look on the stat sheet, even beyond the stat sheet, or I'll listen to Robin Hook. on the call He's always blocking shots. He's always around the puck.

Speaker: always knows where to be at. Um, It's just that the stat line may not. be everything, but I feel like he's always blocking shots. Give me... Kruisberg Rosine. And then.

Speaker: Other side of the of the defensive line. going back to 2012 because again Again, we're all Homer picks here, so it's fine. um and we talked about briefly um when it comes to professional career.

Speaker: Jordan Osterly.

Speaker: Excuse me, sorry, hit the mute button fast.

Speaker: All right. J .O., great pick. um Honestly, if if you hadn't picked him, he was he was going to be my next pick. um I'm going to go. I've realized at this point. I filled three lines of forwards and I have two defensemen. So.

Speaker: Got to change that pretty quickly. Um, You know what? i'm As quick as you can. You need to fill that defensive hole. I'm gonna go much more current on this. a long mobile puck moving defenseman, had great reach, was a very important member of our national championship team, played on the blue line with with Bison and give me Sam Schoelen.

Speaker: Give me the Swede. He's Swedish, right? Yeah. He was a Stars pick. I don't think they... They did not. Sign him. Yep.

Speaker: I think he is one of the most underrated defensemen in college hockey. for the last couple of years. um just just always did what he needed to do. to be a shutdown day.

Speaker: Um... all right so i got the next two picks here so Uh... This guy here's career ended tragically ah to health issues when he left Western.

Speaker: But. This guy had three phenomenal seasons out of four. I don't even know if he really played his freshman year at all. Uh... Give me the speedster that can create space. uh same kind of like on the freddie tiffles uh side Give me Dawson DiPietro.

Speaker: This guy, for three years had phenomenal his last three years, like I said, had a phenomenal career, 87 points. uh with with the broncos Just a guy that always could push the puck north and south. uh and can really just create ah offense when you need it especially in those later games when we're down one and we needed something to either get us into overtime or just get us a nice rally here.

Speaker: ah Andy Murray's definitely putin was putting. dph row with molino or icopelli out there during those years ah So give me Dawson. On the winger there.

Speaker: And I'm going to take a guy here that. I think people forget how good of a face -off guy this guy really was and He's been you know up and down, up and down, but he's been more up. the last couple years in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks, unfortunately with that scrap team.

Speaker: um So hopefully he finds a better team here maybe one day. Uh, game max assassins as my center 62 points in two years But guys, 55 % from the dot, I mean, that's just under what Owen Michaels was at his career with Western. And again, that's only in two years.

Speaker: This guy was a solid two -way forward. of And. just Your overall guy that you could. count on putting him on the ice. both defensively and offensively.

Speaker: um especially to when You need that puck one on the faceoff dot. you could throw him out there and not worry about. Scramble back on defense. to turn it over. so Give me Max Sasson's center one of my lines here.

Speaker: Okay, I'm going to go with one that you guys. never you know i probably could have waited on this one but i'm not going to wait on this one I mean, I didn't wait for Gareth Carr, so... Yeah, that's fair. So, Matt, matt you you were never in school when this guy played.

Speaker: Nope, I'm still playing football. Yep. He capped in the last. Jim Culhane team. um He was a really good defenseman. He played very similarly.

Speaker: to how his dad played in the NHL. um I've got a lot of puck movement defensemen. I need to have somebody that's going to sit back there. and block shots. and absorb those plays.

Speaker: I'm gonna go with a very defensive defenseman. um I'm also biased on this one. His dad is one of the co -hosts of one of my favorite Dallas Stars podcasts. um I want to... take ah bronco captain tyler ludwig if you this This is a visual show for some.

Speaker: um Right here. um This is an old man's jersey. but Wow. when it was kind yeah Didn't didn't have a on didn't have.

Speaker: craig ludwig on your big go -kart for this uh this podcast did you no nope Oh man. retro star series though man i i can't hate that Yeah.

Speaker: Hey, when when I had him sign it. I was actually wearing a Western hat and he's like. i was like hey check out the hat he's like oh man that's awesome That is a goaded moment right there.

Speaker: yeah that's pretty cool All right, we're going to go get some forwards here for me because I went defense the last one. So we're going to go with another NHL draft pick. came in as a draft pick. So it was always fun when you would see his name on the roster sheet and see the little Buffalo Sabre. action going on there uh makes it easy to know i'm going with matteo constantini Um,

Speaker: Good brain with the puck. Great playmaker. Again, we'd like to see him stay able to stay a little bit longer. But like I said about everybody, it's very realistic. I wish they should have left earlier. I wish they would everyone would have stayed and kept going. it gone with it.

Speaker: So we're trying to be creative. um when trying to make Wally angry on that when we go fight to the death. And the next one, we'll go back there. We're going to go with Cole Gallant. another winger um guys know he played he was a five -year starter too he played 160 games that's again i like durability that's just a game a consistent person you can expect to go out there neither Yeah.

Speaker: Um, Just kind of be the good distributor good puck distributor and just Be a good brain out there. Five -year starter Cole Gallant on the wing. Love it. Um, Man, I, again, I need to really. beef up my defense here.

Speaker: um I'm going to go with a another mobile puck move in defenseman. he was He was a captain at WMU. um never really a big goal score but somebody that could certainly Certainly dish the. dish the point out, or dish the fuck out.

Speaker: Um, give me Corey Schoonman. Ooh. Fun fact, I'm pretty sure his wife. is someone that... my sister and my brother grew up with in my neighborhood.

Speaker: Let's go back there. No way! Oh, that's wild. ah All right. um This guy was new to Western last year. was I'm not going to name that piece of crap university that he went to beforehand. Um,

Speaker: I'm guessing. Not going to be Zach Wisdom. No. No. ah but we But we like them here in Kalamazoo. uh Last year, 34 points.

Speaker: Uh... Kind of was so you know became that bump replacement for offense. ah this guy can really move the puck he's really quick really uh he's got a good first step in his skate And this guy will shoot the puck whenever he needs to, which ah when we saw it last year, we didn't have many of those guys that were doing that. We had too many passes. We weren't taking enough shots.

Speaker: Um, So I like a guy like that, that I'll need here. ah So give me William Whitelaw here. as one of my wingers. ah in the draft.

Speaker: Um... And then, I mean, and just I'm going to keep it going. i want Three guys that can move the puck on all three lines of my blue line This guy was a draft pick with San Jose Sharks.

Speaker: Uh... really you know came about during the national championship year as a freshman. and uh just is continue to progress and get better and better so i'm hoping for big things this year um Now that he's going to be a junior.

Speaker: Give me Zach Sharp on the blue line here, guys. And he just got traded in. A deal. so i think it is I didn't see that. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he now...

Speaker: I think Ed... Shocker. The Edmonton Oilers have his rights. Hey, no bad Babcock knows where to get the good no get the the good players. I think all this happened before Babcock. Okay.

Speaker: next You know, I think i think Connor McDavid watched the national championship and he realized where he needs to. So, hey, we got get we got to get some of these guys.

Speaker: um I'm going throwback here. we We've already mentioned this guy on the pod. um You know, he was never not the biggest guy. um definitely more of a of again a puck moving defenseman but when i think of this guy This is who I'm having take if we get to a shootout.

Speaker: This is taking my first shot. um I'll never forget. When Dennis Brown went out there to take, ah I think it was against Ohio State. Dennis Brown were out there to take a... penalty shot.

Speaker: i'm like ah yep i don't read i know what and doing And then all of a sudden my jaw was on the floor. I was like, oh, Dennis Brown is. It's great. Right on a ah a penalty shot. Hate those words very quickly.

Speaker: Give me, give me Dennis. didn't he Didn't he do the Datsu? Tow track. Yeah. Oh, you could do it. Yeah! And then he did it again. hey When you got to move, keep it going. Yeah.

Speaker: Great student. Great. See you in a month. Put on the resume. Okay, we'll go i'll try to make this a little faster. here So I'm going to go... Keeping the... Buffalo Sabre theme going?

Speaker: It's about the Rochester Americans. That's still the Sabres farm team, right? I probably should have. That's your forte, not ours. Should be. minor league teams i got you my routines i need to i haven't played nhl in a while so that's probably why um We're going to go with Liam Valenti.

Speaker: on the wing too another uh 39 games, 35 points. I can roll with that. um Elite on the power play. Big fan of that.

Speaker: also he's uh did he i think he also won w sportsmanship award pretty sure four. Not this season, maybe the season before. Only you would know that. It's, you know, little things, man. I gotta look in between the lines here.

Speaker: um brian Brian was the guy that applauded the kid in that stupid MHSA commercial that said, Coach, it went out on me. Yeah. and Then he told the ref. the foundation for for a better life commercial.

Speaker: Is that the one? I don't know, it was a battle. MHSA always had it on during during playoffs. all right i'm gonna find it because i think it's like i think that you're talking about we're gonna That'll be that'll be in the in the group chat. We need to get a patriarch on for that.

Speaker: while we get working on that. sure as her de facto business manager. Thanks. No, shoot. Honesty is best policy. All right. uh liam valente um A little bit of a homer pick.

Speaker: I'm getting thorough homer picks. um Great curling partner too, Tony. i'm gonna go with Our buddy Mike Cici. um Transfer to North Dakota transfer?

Speaker: um from this I think, were they the Sioux then? They're still the Sioux. They're the Sioux to me, no matter what. Respect. Yeah. again kind of a depth guy more than anything.

Speaker: Just, I like seeing him play. um I think I'm never going to get a great quote when I asked them how their trip to Alaska went. He goes, yeah, man, it's been great. I've been cold for four straight days. I'm like, okay, not like going to Fairbanks in December.

Speaker: Yeah, for real. but Brian and I, this would have been our senior year. It was the fall semester. of so It was fall semester, right? Yeah. It's fall semester. Yes, it was okay Yes, fallmester because it wasn't snow on the ground. um it was an eight -week class or Yeah, an eight week class.

Speaker: like one credit. Amen. curling Every Monday. we would drive over to wings Wings West. Wings West. and go curling. um and then the the So I ran into Marcus.

Speaker: The goat. The goat. the the teacher for the class and like head of the kalamazoo curling club at the at the bar before the national championship game. Wow. Yeah, yeah, it was good seeing him. but wow I forgot you ran into him.

Speaker: Yeah. And so then the next and he asked about you, he's like, where's Brian? um I was like, what a man. he couldn't He couldn't make it. um but Then the next semester or the next like it wasn't the next semester is the next eight week course.

Speaker: Um. we're like hey can we keep coming and he's like yeah i don't care so we basically just got to curl for free and then a bunch of the guys from the team so that's how Ryan curled with. Mike Cici.

Speaker: Um. Okay, I'm going to go more current on this one. um I think as a transfer last year, he was so so important to the team, a really good two -way defenseman, a guy that...

Speaker: He had a couple short -handed goals last year, a few game -winning goals. I thought he was one of our best players last season, and I'm expecting him to do kind of. the same things this year.

Speaker: um Great speed. Give me Zachariah wisdom.

Speaker: yeah He's poised to have a good year this year. and Guy played real well last year for us. and Another guy that kind of stepped into that. you know, bump -leaving role. uh between him and Whiteloft. So we'll see what this year brings.

Speaker: I expect big things for him. I'm gonna stick with that same kind of you know this era Uh... Unfortunately, this guy kind of frustrated me last year. ah Tony probably knows more than I think because I would be texting him.

Speaker: Every weekend. oh and This guy's got so much up up. potential that it's unbelievable. He's a draft pick of the Rangers. uh this you know this kind of like a Andy Murray pick.

Speaker: you know, Six foot five andy murray had how many guys there were six three to six five All of them. For that stretch, yeah. ah So this kind of was like an Andy Murray -like ah recruit, but this is ah this this is first.

Speaker: Uh... Recruit here Again, ah big winger, 38 points in two years. ah could you know will be a solid two -way forward um Played a pretty big role in the national championship, my opinion, on the third line. Scored a goal.

Speaker: And really just, you know. created a lot of offense ah from that bottom two lines there. Again, he gets... In penalty trouble, though. um And last year just seemed like he was getting overly frustrated.

Speaker: But I don't think that's going to happen this year. ah So give me Ty Hendricks on the wing here. Uh... For me. And then I need a backup goalie. I need a solid backup goalie too.

Speaker: uh for brandon bussey if we're playing multiple games here, boys. Um, No one was better split in time. during that natty run. This guy's resume from Wisconsin to Western has been great.

Speaker: Give me Downers Grove native. What's up? Camro. And fun fact, I was looking back through hockey in the classrooms. Um, initial one of our one of our instagram chats he He followed us, I think. he

Speaker: Yeah, i think i think we were messing I think we were messaging back and forth. Yeah, I got to message him back. We're trying to get him on the show back. is Only what, five years later? Okay. He was... Like the only guy that would reply back to me, I was. Yeah. i'll talk to you guys you can just reply back to me too so i appreciate you doing that too Yeah.

Speaker: All right. I'm, I'm going with the center here. um You know, I think. When you talk about leadership and you think about leadership, this is one of the first guys that comes to mind. Hard -working, physical, physical forward. um I've got so many puck -moving defensemen. I need to be a little bit little bit tougher up front.

Speaker: um you know, a guy that's not afraid to block shots. plays through contact, embraces offensive assignments. um loves to win um Give me the captain. of the two most important teams before the national championship team give me ian slater

Speaker: I believe I've heard of him in AC Slater. because Got to make a 97. True blue captain right there.

Speaker: all right I'll go. Again, I like durability. I i like leadership as well. Guy that played in. 160 some odd games. Probably he's got near the top in like Western history.

Speaker: Five -year Bronco. At center, I'm going to go with Josh Paschold. And then we're going to keep a current theme going. Going to go another. Two -way defenseman?

Speaker: because it can kind of bounce out the ah the podsters if we need to. um Give me Zach. Galambos.

Speaker: All right, my my next pick is is the ultimate homer pick. um you know just got on to the next one This guy is the energy guy. He's a glue guy.

Speaker: um you know he's one of those guys that He meant so much to the team. despite, you know, not being in the lineup every single night. He was a finalist for the Senior Class Award, um just like an ultimate, like... all -time dude i couldn't do this draft and not make and not have this guy taken.

Speaker: Brett Beebe.

Speaker: No one is surprised by that pick at all. Nope. Not even a little bit. Um... Alright, so my last two picks here. Uh... The this one was a little more controversial for me, I'll tell you why. as a I initially wanted to take Ryan McAllister.

Speaker: I mean... A guy that played one year at Western. And I mean... Arguably had like one of them better single season. offensive scoring.

Speaker: by a Bronco. in a long time and even this is before bump ah this would have been Bump's freshman year too. Uh... But again, you know, Florida saw the potential and signed him.

Speaker: ah The reason I didn't take them was I just. When you look at his pro career, it's not been the same what his one year at Western was. So it makes people leave. could, you know,

Speaker: i don't want to say it was a fluke but Could he have repeated that Western? for two years in a row. I think he could have, but who knows? uh you know going along with brian i need durability i need longevity i need consistency Uh,

Speaker: called Hargrove. was a consistent two -way forward for Western. Also stirred the pot a lot. With no report. And Josh Pitt, I would believe. um you know Especially if Andy Murray sent all three out at the same time. It was like the Bash Brother line for for us back then.

Speaker: Uh... What, 62 points in three seasons? Had a pretty good minor league career. spend most of his time down in tony's neck of the woods down in texas i believe Uh...

Speaker: So yeah, I mean, ah you know put him on the wing with hendrix and josh and you guys that that that line right there scares the shit out of me if they were on the ice with me so Uh, Take Hargrove.

Speaker: um And i um but my last pick here, I need another defense. One last defense from him. And I just want a... True. shut down defenseman guy that's just going to do the little things to blocking the shots he's not gonna In my opinion, he's kind of like... the Nick Johnerson of Western right now.

Speaker: or was during that national championship season. ah So like I said, I need a guy that's just going to do the little things to help us win. ah So give me Robbie Drasner. Love it. And I'm going to put the goalie.

Speaker: And I'm going to pick the goalie that I think Brian wanted to be his backup. Give me Jerry. Coup de France.

Speaker: Yeah, that that was going to be my backup goalie pick too. but Here we are. But I'll go the other way. Another name we would like to chant a lot at games way back in the in the OG days. We wouldn't say his last name. we kind of ah change it slightly, but give me Riley Gill.

Speaker: To back up Frank. So with that. Every single one of us has drafted an Allen American. Yeah. Colton Hargrove played for the Allen Americans.

Speaker: Tyler Ludwig played for the Allen Americans. Riley Gill played for the Allen Americans. They probably know someone that played in that 20 ,000 -seat high school stadium too, I bet, for football. Okay. exactly Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah. Dude, that team is... Allen's always been good, but they like went through a few years of... like not being Alan. This year they're back to being Allen. They're just running everybody off the field. They've got this sophomore receiver.

Speaker: um Zach Williams. So remember remember that name. he played up He played at the high school I work at. um last year and oh my god this dude hes He's undersized, but if he can if he can get a little bit bigger.

Speaker: I mean. I think he'll be probably a five -star recruit. like Dude was so good. but it's enough with Texas high school football talk. all That's the other podcast we do. Yeah. text text but Matt, who, who's Who's wearing your C and what two players are wearing the A's?

Speaker: ah So... I got a lot of good options here. ah ah for all this but for me the way i would coach this team that i drafted what i want out of my team ah So I want Mattia Samuelson to wear the C.

Speaker: I think you're not a... western hockey fan if not one of your defensemen has at least and a letter on it And then um I'm going to put the A back on Owen Michaels, like the national championship.

Speaker: Era. and I'm sure you guys are thinking I'm gonna give it to Derek rail. I'm not even though I would if I had another letter to give. um But this one was tough for me. It was between Grant Slukinski and Ethan Frank.

Speaker: uh both are solid options but i'm gonna go to ethan frank uh wearing my other a here um Again, I had a lot of great. options for all. you All my guys can wear it. the letters.

Speaker: ah Those are my three. All right, Brian, who's wearing who's wearing the... The letter's for you. So... Man, this gets harder every time.

Speaker: I... Gotta go Tim Washiware in the sea. You Top 10 WBW National Championship, I think you get that. A S tier immediately there.

Speaker: So he gets the C. for the for that. Basically that alone, but... Demi Lopes, he was just a pal of a player, so he gets the C. First A is going to Danny DeKaiser. You go number one overall in this unofficially scientific draft, you're going to get an A for that.

Speaker: and what you've done for the team just in general? And second A. Garrett Hart.

Speaker: Alright, Tony, who do you got? No, I'm not gonna be like them Alternate, alternate captain. Um... You almost had me there. with Luke Wachowski, that might be the pick.

Speaker: Okay. Two veterans, seasoned veterans, and a national champion. So i'm I was between two guys getting the C from me. um i'm going with the guy that wore it three times might as well let him wear it a fourth time Sheldon Drys is gonna wear the C for me.

Speaker: um The other guy that really was considered was Ian Slater. And then Dane Walters is also getting an A. for for my team. um Just to run back our teams, we'll we'll definitely post these.

Speaker: as well so fans can can vote on who had the best team who they think would win um Going over Brian's team, Alex Bump, Chase Ballasy, Shane Bershbach. Irohaka Ryan and Tim Washi, Greg Squires, Cole Gallant.

Speaker: Matteo Constantini, Nolan Laporte. Liam Valente, Josh Basolt, Mike Cicci. Danny DeKaiser, Luke Witkowski, Garrett Haar, Cole Kruseberg -Rosin. Jordan Osterle. Zach Lambos.

Speaker: Frank the Tank, Slavowski. Riley Gill. For me. Dane Walters, Sheldon Drys, Jason Pullen. huma ging court conrad Wade Allison, Matheson Icapelli, Max Campbell, Sam Colangelo.

Speaker: Rep BB. ian slater zach wisdom ronnie addard matt tennyson sam scholin tyler ludwig corey schoonman dennis brown Hammer.

Speaker: and jerry coon And for Wally. Derek Rael, Owen Michaels, Ethan Frank, Freddie Tiffels, Grant Slikinski, Griffin Molino, Dawson DiPietro, Max Sassons. William Whitelaw, Ty Hendricks. Josh Pitt. Colton Hargrove.

Speaker: Mattia Samuelson. Yonah Weissman. Kenny Morrison. Cam Lee. Zach Sharp. Robbie Drasner. Brandon Bussey and camera. Those are our teams.

Speaker: So. but Listeners, be tough. You tell us who who we missed. Um, Oh, we missed a question. Yeah, we yeah there's a lot of there's a lot of guys in there. um who we missed.

Speaker: what teams you like. um You know, before before we sign off today. um You know, I think it's really important, you know, to you know, we talked about it a little bit and we'll cover it later. We talked a lot about 2010 to 2012.

Speaker: um You know, I think all of us stand by those were, you know, obviously 2025 was the most important because of the natty. And the buildup to that was so important as well. I'm not sure any of that happens without 2010 to 2012 happening.

Speaker: The fact that it happened when it did. the fact that it allowed us that we happen to be successful at the right time. to get an invite to the NCHC. um, was huge, um, national semifinal game against Denver. I was out in the, I was out in the concourse, ran into Shane Bershbach. And I was like, man.

Speaker: this is all because of you guys and he's like no man it's because of the boys And I'm like, man, like, yeah, it is. but the The boys aren't happening right now if it wasn't for those that era. so Humble and comment.

Speaker: I think so, so fondly about them. um One last thing, guys, who who are you all taking if you have to do your ultimate? you know, kind of starting lineup, end of game thing. Who are your three forwards? Who are your two defensemen? Who are your goalie?

Speaker: Matt do you want to start? Yeah, I'll go um So if I'm putting anybody out there. Yeah, this is not our draft, by the way. it's Yeah, and so let's... yeah let's yeah exactly this is outside the draft so like well we could possibly have the same Five out there. or at least Couple guys.

Speaker: Um, if For me, it's hard to not have Alex Bump on the wing. It's hard for me not to pick Tim Walsh at the center. Those are definitely my two out there. Um, As one of my other wingers, though.

Speaker: a guy that I just I know I'm gonna need him to score big time. Um...

Speaker: a It's it's a huge hang man. It's a tough pick but um I always liked Hugh McGing. ah Just the grittiness um out there, but I know he could score.

Speaker: And then the defense, but I think, is just way harder because, again, I think. Western is really kind of. solidify that we you know we're We're the blue line U, defensive U. We've had so many great defensemen come through.

Speaker: and Even like our early years right ah where a lot of them went to the show, uh, to Kaiser tennis at Osterly. Wachowski. and after that.

Speaker: uh To kind of go with. Brian's Homer, but they're all Homer. I'm going to take Danny DeKaiser. on one of those sides.

Speaker: And. uh It's hard for me not to take Matias Sanderson. I was a huge fan of him. back then even though That was the Ronnie Adderd year. that that those two hello were great uh but gave me Samuelson and DeKaiser are very similar. um I think Samuelson's a little bit more offensively skilled than DeKaiser, but both... Great two -way forwards.

Speaker: um Again. I know Hammer won us a. ah championship. ah But. Brandon Bussey, I believe was going to take us there. if not for the pandemic.

Speaker: so i'm going to stick with brandon bussey between the pipes for me What do you got? What do you got Brian? So... saw I'm going to go goalie wise. I was leaning bussy, but I'm. But again, Wally the...

Speaker: the so Supreme Captain of the Bussy Bus. and you would throw them in there, so that's cool. For now. Um, I'm still going to ride with Frank the Tank, man. I'm going to put in between the pipes.

Speaker: And then. four shooters.

Speaker: Don't want to steal. Tony's Ian Slater? I don't know. Well, you're not stealing remember this is outside the draft Right. right or right Just trying to you know trying to keep people on their toes so i think i I do like that the Dennis Brown.

Speaker: Comment? just unlocked a core memory. So there's... First one out there for me. Maybe like third author. But he'll be out there. Um...

Speaker: Michael. No, I can't have 10. I can't have a defenseman. I'm going to try all forwards here. Wait. we're We're talking. Yeah, yourre whole you don't have to. you We're not talking about a shootout. No, yeah we're just talking.

Speaker: What do you mean? Who's your five you're putting out there? like to Just last like last Yeah. Or end the game. Like, this is your... Last -ditch effort to score. Who's your five?

Speaker: Oh, my bad. i Butcher that one. Okay. Hey, it's late in the Eastern time zone. it It is way past my bedtime. um Do you want me to come back to you?

Speaker: Yeah. Okay. i yeah I mean, I'm with i'm with you, Wally. It's hard not to go Alex Bump. um I'm going bump and pulling on the on the wings. um and you know what i'm i'm going chase ballacy in the middle I love your Tim Washi pick. i strongly considered that one as well. Defensively, I i want to mix them up a little bit here. um i i would go danny and i would go ronnie addard i love that you know Danny allows Ronnie Adder to be a little more adventurous. He can stay back and.

Speaker: um you know, kind of let Ronnie do his thing. Up front. So yeah, that's probably the the five i'm going to roll out there and i'm with you brandon boss He was just so good

Speaker: Is that enough time, Brian? it I appreciate the vamping, just to make sure. right I'm glad I understand. Let me guess. You're going to go. Chase Ballacy, Shane Bershbach. Dane Walters.

Speaker: Danny DeKaiser, Luke Witkowski, and Frank Slabowski in that. You've got Garrett Hart. he he he he Extra time. Yeah, you can average your attack. You guys picked the team for me, so you know what? We're just going to roll with that. Stay tuned to the next episode. now ah I will actually listen to the rules in between.

Speaker: I blame the fire truck driving by my house. That scared the crap out of me. Well boys, I feel like that was a lot of fun. It was good reminiscing on a lot of players um The good old days. Yeah, and I know there's guys we obviously missed. um I hope people enjoyed enjoyed the activity as much as we had fun doing this. I know this is probably a little bit longer episode than we aim for that we'll probably have in the future. so um You can always put us on 1 .5 speed. That's fine.

Speaker: um That's how I listen to podcasts. so um Anything you guys want to add before we sign off for another week? i mean i I just want to go back to your point about how the 2010 era...

Speaker: really kind of is like the stepping stone to where we're at now. and i mean Um, and Not just for a Bronco hockey, but I mean. If we had...

Speaker: teams when we were in college that were just utter dog crap. ah winning like four games a year. I don't know if we're doing this, boys. I mean, to be honest with you. um Because, it would I mean, we would have been lost in Lutex, but it's tough to follow a team that...

Speaker: Right was to be bad. that you know that many years in a row. I think we went to college at the right time. Uh... at Western for Western hockey to really see.

Speaker: the starting level. and to see where we're at now because us three alone could definitely say You know for especially for the you know student em body now and the students to come.

Speaker: They're going to hear about it. But we got to wear the set. uh from blast shows one year to andy murray to It's a first while now. and all these players that came through. All the ups and downs we saw from CCHA to the NCHC. to a national championship. So now that's it's really the standard for us.

Speaker: ah It's cool to see that, especially now we're we're nationally recognized as a. is a contender year in, year out versus... even those years when we were there.

Speaker: uh we were never really a natty contender we were like ccha contenders at bus uh So yeah, I mean just you know kind of just spinning off your comment from there you beat truly stepping stones for Bronco hockey for where we're at now. ah but it's really stepping stones for us.

Speaker: um And it's what keeps us watching every year. even though we've been gone for so many years it's what keeps coming back to So Lawson, Kalamazoo. And it's what's created this podcast for us. and and continues our friendship to this day. Bronco hockey has done a lot for.

Speaker: for us alone, but I'm sure a lot of other people. Not being the death horse here, that's... You guys said it best. the the 20 the 2009 to 2012 era.

Speaker: is the foundation this programs built on. and just how we've gone through our life with it. so it could You're right. We're winning six games a year. We're not doing this. We're probably not doing this podcast. We're doing the one. We'll probably be doing something else or the one about ah texas high school football.

Speaker: um So it just means a lot that this has stuck around and it's given us. you know, something to build off and i movie something to go back to. But, you know, we all have our separate lives too, which is great. We can still.

Speaker: be with each other with that. for weddings and such, but at the same time. it's nice to have this to and this is the the one very few constants in life is this

Speaker: Not agree more. well all right boys um you know it's way past brian's bedtime it's a school night so there's a school night you know we We look forward to being back with you all again next week. We are getting.

Speaker: Well, next week we are going to have. bronco hockey at lawson albeit an exhibition match against what is it western ontario i believe Yeah, I believe so So I think after that, we'll get an eye somewhat of an idea of what some of the lines might look like for.

Speaker: for next year but um Looking forward to another episode next week. And I hope you boys have a good rest of your week and all of our listeners. Enjoy, and we'll talk to you all soon.

Speaker: Yeah. Can't wait. Cheers boys. Dobbs up!