Intro: This is for the sled dogs in the trenches. Real hockey parents, real stories. The Good and the Gong Show. No filters, no sugarcoating, no politics, just straight hockey talk, and the best guests around the barn. Welcome to the Crazy Hockey Dads Podcast.
Alright, boys. Grind them corners, chirp responsibly, and bring that savage fire.
Scott: The
Jamie: arsonist has oddly shaped his Arsonist.
Scott: How now brown cow? How now brown cow?
Jamie: The human torch was denied a bank loan.
Scott: A bank loan.
Jamie: He's like, Are we gonna leave this in?
Scott: Down. Down. Down. Down in my belly. Belly.
Belly. Belly.
Jamie: Are we
Jamie: gonna leave this in?
Jamie: We probably should. Maybe. Yeah. We probably should.
Scott: Well, whether whether we do or we don't, you know, we should do.
Jamie: We should do a blooper reel.
Scott: Well, we should welcome back everybody to episode 69 of the Crazy Hockey Dads Podcast powered by Pacific Rink, The unfiltered podcast for hockey parents. No politics, no sugarcoating, just real talk for hockey parents in the trenches.
Jamie: Very nice. Boom. Shakalaka. Episode 69.
Scott: Oh, man. Yikes. Why yikes? Just saying.
Jamie: It's a lot of episodes. Oh. We've doing this for a little while now.
Scott: Oh, I thought your mind was wandering into bad places.
Jamie: It always does. When you see that number. Mean, listen. My kids, like, giggle down when they see it. I'm sure yours I'm sure yours do too.
Can't Noah doesn't. Well, yeah. Well, yes. She's a little too young, but I guarantee Otto does.
Scott: But she has no problem getting down with the six seven.
Jamie: Most most don't.
Scott: Although, feel like I feel like that just fell off a cliff.
Jamie: I'm not dying. I'm kinda I'm kinda done with that.
Scott: Like, the whole point Do they still do does Dom do that?
Jamie: I I haven't seen him do it in a while, but I'm assuming that people still do.
Scott: I don't know. I think it fell off a cliff.
Jamie: I hope it did.
Scott: Yeah. I think everyone got sick, seven out their system.
Jamie: I kinda wanna push them off a cliff. Well,
Scott: that was it was like a there was a there was a recovery drink called Kill Cliff back in the I don't know. Not too too long ago. Kill Cliff.
Jamie: Never heard of it.
Scott: Never heard of Kill Cliff. It was it was Good. It was fine. It was like, it was marketed towards the CrossFit community. And I think they might have sponsored, like, the CrossFit games.
Jamie: Did this have anything to do with, like, the Clif bars or two totally different No. Okay. Totally different products? Yeah. Okay.
Got it.
Scott: Yeah. If I'm if I'm not if I'm remembering correctly.
Jamie: Okay.
Scott: And that doesn't always happen. You know?
Jamie: Got it. So I have a question for you. Uh-oh. Super off the topic. Like Yeah.
Super, like, not relevant to anything Shoot. At all.
Scott: Okay.
Jamie: But you're the chef, and you used to work in a French restaurant.
Scott: Oui.
Jamie: Right? Oui. So I'm curious. When you see a bunch of when you set up a board or a platter
Scott: Yes.
Jamie: Okay? And you put things like salami and olives and roasted red peppers and cheese and crackers. Yes. What would you call that?
Scott: I would call it a charcuterie board. Why? Did I just fall for a joke?
Jamie: That's what I thought you were gonna say. You don't call it a
Scott: A cheese board?
Jamie: No. Cheese and crackers?
Scott: No. Because that's not what it's that's not what that is. It's a charcuterie board. I saw I saw
Jamie: a thing on why I was laughing before. You were asking me why I was giggling before when we started this
Scott: Oh, is you were is that happening? Off camera. On the, that So text the red you're on with?
Jamie: The Hockey Boys. A bunch of the hockey dads that
Scott: But that's the name of your group?
Jamie: No. No. There's no name. It's just it's just five of us that are on here. Like, my buddy Matt, my buddy John, Mike, and Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike.
And you know what that's from?
Scott: No. But I thought it was funny anyway.
Jamie: Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike.
Scott: No. What's it from?
Jamie: Come on. I know you can hear me.
Scott: Oh my god. No?
Jamie: Hump day. Yeah.
Scott: That commercial?
Jamie: Mike, what
Jamie: day is it? Guess what day it is?
Scott: That was when they had the Geico launch the camel.
Jamie: The camel. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Scott: There was also wasn't the camel also in a one with dirt No. Noitsky?
Jamie: I Played from Dallas Mavericks.
Jamie: Hump day. Yeah. He's like he's like,
Jamie: come on. Know you can hear me. So so so so doctor Mike is a is one of our dads And and on my phone, I have him as Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike.
Scott: Oh. Yeah.
Jamie: Yeah. So my buddy Matt's there, Johnny's there. Johnny's the guitar player. Mike's the doctor. Matt's the the the police chief.
Scott: Yes.
Jamie: You know, and then Brian's just the fireman, the fireman.
Scott: Just? Why just?
Jamie: Well well, it's you're right. He's not a just. He's the fireman. Oh, the the retired fireman.
Scott: Well, he's a hero.
Jamie: Wow. Look at that. We have a fireman, a cop, another cop, and a doctor, and myself.
Scott: Sounds like a joke. Yeah. Like the opening to
Jamie: a very important people, and I'm just me. I'm like I'm like the piker of the group. You know? Well, they all have very important jobs.
Scott: Well, I mean, you have a you have an important job to some people.
Jamie: I suppose. I suppose. Anyway
Scott: Yes. So So your charcuterie board?
Jamie: So so I I I happened to stumble across. While I was doing a reel for our our Instagram. Mhmm. I happened to stumble I was waiting for it to load as I was loading onto Instagram
Scott: Yes.
Jamie: For the trial. And, and this reel popped up. And dude, I I can't even tell you, I was I was dying and I had to send it to somebody. So I sent it to to this like the hockey the couple hockey dads that I was just
Scott: telling you about.
Jamie: Yeah. And dude, it is it's called let me see. It is called the guy's page is called the grumpy old man.
Scott: Okay.
Jamie: Dude, he goes the word of
Jamie: the day is I wanna play this so people will hear it. I don't know if they will hear it though. He goes the word of the day is charcuterie board.
Jamie: He goes he goes and a charcuterie board is just the way that a douchebag says cheese and crackers or something along those lines. I'm gonna play for you
Jamie: right now. I I again, I don't know if our fans are good to hear it. I apologize if you cannot. But it it was dude, I was dying.
Scott: And so that was your way of calling me a douchebag. Listen. Char charcuterie board Yeah. Which is the way douchebags say cheese and crackers.
Jamie: A charcuterie board, which is the way douchebags say cheese and crackers.
Scott: Now I see why it was so funny when I when
Jamie: I said
Jamie: that. I was I was I I had to send it. I'm like, oh my god. Who'd I send this to?
Scott: You didn't send it to me.
Jamie: No. I sent it the hockey Dads.
Scott: Oh, okay. Because you you had this up your sleeve for tonight.
Jamie: No. I did not. This was totally organic. No. I was I'm telling you, I did not.
I this was so so organic, but I was giggling about while we were setting up here. And you said, what are you giggling about? So I I figured I'd and because you're you're a chef and you know what a charcuterie board is. Wait. So you know what's funny is, I don't know if anybody here watches hard knocks.
Scott: It's a hard knock life for us.
Jamie: Sort of, but not really.
Scott: It's a hard knock.
Jamie: I mean, it's a good song, but yeah. So so if you've ever seen Hard Knocks, like the NFL's show and for, like, training camp. So the Jets did it a couple years ago.
Scott: J e t
Jamie: s. Suck. Suck. Suck. Suck.
And I'm and
Scott: I'm with that d.
Jamie: I'm a huge Jet fan.
Scott: Oh, man.
Jamie: They are such dog shit. Sorry. They are
Scott: Whatever happened to your boy, Mark Sanchez after that? Whatever's running in, like, whatever came up.
Jamie: I'm not sure what happened
Scott: with him too. Remember remember that? Like, he had a run-in with the cops or whatever. Like, he, like, decked some dude or, like
Jamie: Yeah. He he definitely had an issue doing something. Yeah. I gotta tell you, the the Jets are famous for, like, destroying first round pick quarterbacks. I mean, Sanchez was one of the ones they destroyed.
Although, you would think that Sam Darnold would have been destroyed, and yet Sam Darnold, you know, has actually since he left the Jets been very good.
Scott: Where did he play now?
Jamie: He he was with the Vikings and then this year this year he was with them oh my god. Why am I, like, turning a bike? Where the fuck Sam Darnold is? He's with the Seahawks.
Scott: Mhmm. Yeah. Okay.
Jamie: Yeah. So Sam Darnold is, like, you know, is like a real quarterback now. He just won a Super Bowl, like, you know I mean, he did shit on the Jets. Like, shit. Because the Jets are an
Scott: awful Yeah. But that, I mean, that that happens with with players. I mean, like That's the bring it back to hockey. What about Keandre Miller? Fair.
Like, he I I think I just heard that he was he's he's leading the team in ice time.
Jamie: Listen. When he was with the Rangers, he was, you know, he was whatever he was.
Scott: But he he wasn't what he is now.
Jamie: No. That's true.
Scott: And and, you know, that and you know who else that happened to?
Scott: Mhmm.
Scott: That also happened to fucking Seth Jones when he left Yeah. Yeah. To
Jamie: Yeah. Listen. No. Sometimes you need to change
Scott: the scene or
Jamie: you need different voice.
Scott: You need different system. Need you need, like, whatever it is.
Jamie: No question about it. But the
Scott: Jets happens.
Jamie: The Jets are perennial losers.
Scott: Okay.
Jamie: And again, I'm a big Jet fan. Don't get me wrong. I'm a very big Jet fan, and they just suck.
Scott: But and okay. So if that if they're sucking Yeah. Or suckiness Yeah. Has lasted the test of time Right. Like, how up the how up the flagpole have they gone to, like, you know, shake things up?
Jamie: Well, they don't shake I mean, they they I mean, they just want
Scott: Ownership, like, what has ownership done? The ownership is shit. So it's the ownership?
Jamie: Of course, it is. The fish rots from the head down. The ownership is dog shit. The team will not be good until fucking Woody Johnson sells it and Gary Vaynerchuk buys it, period. Stop.
Scott: You you need to start a petition.
Jamie: Dude, I'm telling you right now, Gary V buys that team, the Jets win a fucking Super Bowl. I will put money
Scott: on it. Okay.
Jamie: Yeah. Anybody who knows Gary V, reach out
Scott: to me
Jamie: because I gotta we gotta get Gary V on the podcast. But I'm telling you right now, the Jets will be dog shit until Woody Johnson sells the team.
Scott: Wow.
Scott: Period. Stop. And if you were to take the reins, is there Of the Jets? Yes. Is there something that you would do first and foremost?
Jamie: Yeah. Fire Woody Johnson.
Scott: Okay. But that would be as that would that would be after you take him. To then replace the suckiness.
Jamie: I would have to like berate him first. I would I would have to like really like lay into him.
Scott: Oh, I see. Okay.
Jamie: And then I can get started on business.
Scott: Okay.
Jamie: Because I wanna tell him how dog shit he is.
Scott: Yes. And what he's been doing to fans all these years.
Jamie: I I mean his his listen. He's just listen. It is what it is. But yes, the Jets are perennial losers. Again, a big Jets fan here.
So, you know, trust
Scott: me. Alright. Well And
Jamie: and sorry for you Jets fans out there. You know my pain because we've been shit forever. You know? But so the reason I was I was talking about the Jets is because we're talking about charcuterie charcuterie boards. Mhmm.
Years ago when the Jets did hard knocks, the Jets defensive lineman I forgot who it was. One of the veteran Jet D linemen was trying to take the young Jet D lineman under his wings.
Scott: Mhmm.
Jamie: And I wanna say this one lineman was from like like Alabama or something like that or like Tennessee. I forgot where. Louisiana, something like that.
Scott: Yeah.
Jamie: He brought them to a Broadway show in the city. He was trying to show them culture and, you know? Yeah. Yeah. In the city and stuff like that.
And he had them over to his house and he or somebody put out a charcuterie board. And this this lineman from like down south, he called it which Nancy and I still call them today by
Scott: the Yeah. Oh, alright. Yeah. I know what you're gonna say.
Jamie: Have I told you before?
Scott: Yeah. Go go go.
Jamie: He called it he called it a Carcucci board.
Scott: Well, listen. It it it like, if you're reading it, it is it it isn't it is French.
Jamie: It it listen. Yes. So it's not like That's why I figured that you would that you would you you would would people would way.
Scott: I
Jamie: have. I don't even I don't even disagree a second. And when I saw that video, I actually thought of you. I'm like, I guarantee you Scott calls him a shark reed reward.
Scott: Oh, that's what it is.
Jamie: Well, to some people, to this guy, it's just cheese and crackers.
Scott: To some people, it's a car some people, it's a car coochie coochie board. Board. My, you know, my wife who can definitely who's it is it's not like I'm I'm like knocking on her because if anything, she's like the better like speller or whatever of
Jamie: like the pair. Spell for shit.
Scott: But she was reading something. And of course, I found it funny because I was in like the culinary arts, but like she was reading. I guess she had never seen the word or slipped her mind like for hors d'oeuvres.
Jamie: Sure. Hors
Scott: d'oeuvres. D'oeuvres. She goes and she was like reading something and it's maybe it was like a recipe and this is great as an ores duress.
Jamie: I gotta tell you, I do that all the time by the way. Yeah. You know the word, it just catches you by surprise. Yeah. You know what I mean?
Yeah. No. I get it.
Scott: I definitely get it. Yes.
Jamie: But yes, that's my rant about the Jets and my and and that very funny but the funny part about it was is I I was thinking of who to send this to.
Scott: Mhmm.
Jamie: Right? And I didn't wanna send it to you because because you were at work, and you wouldn't you wouldn't have seen it. I needed a reaction on it quickly
Scott: Yeah.
Jamie: Because I was dying when I saw it. Yeah. And I sent it to the the hockey dads, and immediately I get a response. Like immediately.
Scott: That is your that's your that's your group, dude. They got your back. Immediately. When you need when you need some Yeah. Some socialization Yes.
They got you.
Jamie: Although I'm I'm surprised that there's there's one there's one the fire our firefighter, our resident well, we have actually have two firemen on the team. But, the firemen that's on this particular, group thread did not respond shockingly, and neither did my buddy, the chief, also shockingly. I'm curious to see when that happens.
Scott: Wait. You're you're, like, poking at them saying shockingly? Or They haven't responded yet. No. I know.
But, like, do they typically respond quickly? I mean Or they're just Yeah. Yeah. You're you're poking at them for never responding.
Jamie: No. No. No. They respond. They're normally they're normally they're normally especially funny there's stuff that goes up, they're, like, very quick there's
Scott: They're also first responders with priorities way bigger than your text messages.
Jamie: I suppose this you do have a point. You do have a point.
Scott: I do. But But they probably also have time
Jamie: to hold on. Hold on. Time out. Our our our resident firefighter is retired.
Scott: Oh, well, then yeah. I don't know what to
Jamie: say about that. He but he's always building something. He's always, like, redoing his driveway or he's building He fucking builds everything.
Scott: Good for him.
Jamie: He just builds shit.
Scott: Good for him.
Jamie: He's always doing something.
Scott: Okay.
Jamie: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah.
So that that was it was a very funny thing. So that guy's channel, by the way, is very funny.
Scott: So what is the channel again? It's called Grumpy Old Man?
Jamie: The Grumpy Old Man.
Scott: Grumpy Old Man.
Jamie: He's very funny, by the way.
Scott: Yeah. Feel like
Scott: And
Jamie: he wants you to use that word in a sentence. And he says, when you use charcuterie board in a sentence day, he goes he's like, when it comes out your mouth, he's like, you'll realize just how douchey it really is.
Scott: That's funny.
Jamie: Anyway, the douchebag way of saying cheese and crackers.
Scott: They're all there it is.
Jamie: There you go.
Scott: There it is, ladies and gentlemen.
Jamie: There you go.
Scott: So in any event, let's just make sure to shout out partners. Didn't do that yet. No. We didn't. Also, if any if you haven't seen the YouTube version of the pod, check it out so you can see Big John Dangles is work is on full display Yes.
The opening of our podcast. That voice you hear, if you haven't seen. EJD. Yep. The voice in the beginning of the podcast is not what you're probably thinking when you
Jamie: see the video. Not.
Scott: So check it out.
Jamie: Check out his Instagram. Big John Dangles on Instagram.
Scott: That's it. And then we got Howie's Hockey, my guy.
Jamie: Howie's Hockey, Crazy 10. You guys need tape, laces, gears. My favorite, the Scizor is Scott's favorite, the candle, which he has in his hand at the moment. Best logo in youth hockey next to ours. I say it all the time.
They have great stuff. Their tape's great. Tape bag is great. All their stuff's great. So, guys, if you need anything for your for your yourself or your kids, go to Howie's Hockey and use the code crazy 10 for 10% off.
Scott: Crazy 10. Crazy 10. That's right. And I don't know about you, dude. Oh, you got a graduation coming up.
Right? Dom. Do. And then Otto's getting out of school in a couple weeks. My sister's kids are out of school next week.
Jamie: Dom's done next week.
Scott: Yeah. And so
Jamie: Dom's done this week, actually.
Scott: Know what that means?
Scott: Monday. Now that he's out of school, he's gonna have time to work on His off ice training. Off ice training.
Jamie: There you go.
Scott: And no better place to hook up with off ice training than hockeytraining.com. And for anyone that hasn't taken a look at the website, download the app, do it. Coach Kevin is the man. He's got a huge library of off ice drills to improve stick handling, speed, strength, agility, you know, all this stuff translate directly to on ice skills. So if anyone's looking to give their kid or them themselves if you're playing beer league, men's league, adult league, whatever you call it, some extra reps at home or from wherever you might do some dry land off ice training, check out hockeytraining.com.
Hockey Training HQ on Instagram.
Jamie: Yeah. He's got a pretty good library. And while you're doing coach Kevin's off ice workouts
Scott: Yes, sir.
Jamie: Technically Technically you're an athlete, you can do it wearing Titan battle gear. Now listen, I know there's no skate blades involved and Titan battle gear will protect you from skate blades. However, you probably will develop a pretty good sweat in it because it is a turtleneck and it is the summertime, right? So I recommend you doing your workout in Titan battle gear just in case you come across a skate blade. Unlikely, unlikely, but you never know what happens.
So just in case you come across a blade or any cutting instrument, use your make sure you're wearing your Titan battle gear. And if you don't have Titan battle gear, go to titanbattlegear.com and use the code crazy dads 10 for 10% off. You can go to Titan battle gear. You can do go to our show notes, which is titanbattlegear.com backslash crazy hockey dads. They have great stuff.
They're they're they're, their stuff is great looking. They have some great colors, some great the camos are great. The ice cream cone is great, but but yet it it keeps you safe.
Scott: It does.
Jamie: With the best protection in the industry. So go to titanbattlegear.com and use the code Crazy Dads 10 for 10% off your Titan battle gear.
Scott: Absolutely. Yeah. That's still yeah. It's great that yeah. You said all the good things.
And then I was just gonna comment about, like, how it looked, like, that they
Jamie: It does look great.
Scott: They take an approach that's also Yeah. I remember that from our interview with him and just, like, it totally stuck with me. Make sense. He's like, the you know, all the other ones are black.
Jamie: They're black. They're black. He's got very
Scott: close to Why why not make it at least, like, something kids are gonna wanna wear?
Jamie: It's very cool looking. The kids really like the design.
Scott: Right. So it's that's almost like, yeah, why doesn't everyone do that?
Jamie: I don't know. But you should buy it just because of the safety factor. The the cool factor is totally secondary, but the the safety factor
Scott: Of course. But if you're buying it anyway That's what I'm saying. Yeah. Yeah. Right?
Anyway.
Jamie: 100%. Percent.
Scott: And then for any coaches, managers that are listening and are thinking about video analytics, video review for your team next year and haven't made a decision on what platform you might be using, I strongly encourage you to check out athleticperformanceinsight.com. You can fill out the contact form and reach out to Eric. He will be more than happy to give you a demo of the software as well as break down a game for free. So you can see all the analytics from that game. Super robust.
You can, you know, use, you know, all the functionality at the higher levels. I know colleges are using it or if you're looking at introducing at the younger ages. Hell, I introduced it when they were squirts? Squirts. Is that what it was?
Full ice mites? Right. Like young.
Jamie: You guys used it young. You did use you used it a long time ago.
Scott: Yeah. You've been using it a long time. But yeah. You know, so you can you it's it's also great, you know, for the younger ages as well. Yeah.
You don't have to get so involved with all the different bells and whistles. Ago. Yeah. Yeah. Totally.
Years ago. So and anyway, check out athleticperformanceinsight..com and reach out to Eric. Mention Crazy Hockey Dads, get 10% off your season subscription.
Jamie: You definitely can do that.
Scott: And you can
Jamie: and you you can't put the Eric's thing in it, you can't really put coach Kevin's thing in it, but you can technically put your Howie's hockey stuff and your Titan battle gear in your Pacific Rink bag. I'm just saying.
Scott: Yeah. Dude, I was yeah. You know, it's it's funny you mentioned Pacific Rink because the other day was I think last this past weekend Mhmm. Noah slept out, my daughter, and she was looking for something to like bring a whole bunch of stuff over.
Jamie: Oh, you packed like the weekender bag?
Scott: I was like, dude.
Jamie: So good.
Scott: Yo, girl. You're gonna use this.
Jamie: Yeah. It's really good, by the way.
Scott: Yeah. It's awesome.
Jamie: Like, I took I took it to Dom and I took our stuff to, to Atlanta when we went down there to visit some family. It travels beautifully. Yeah. Like, you don't have to check it. You can stick it in the overhead.
Yeah. Like, it's and and bring and you can bring bring your Pacific Rink backpack along with it. Like, it's like, we checked nothing.
Scott: Right.
Jamie: It was great.
Scott: Yeah. No. The the
Jamie: So easy to travel with. Like, so easy. The compartments that are in it, just like the hot just like the skate bag. Just like the player bag, there's compartments. It's very well organized.
Like, I'm a bit I don't like, like, shit all over the place. Yeah. I like things in, like, places. Yep. And it has
Scott: Organized. Yes.
Jamie: Correct. Got it. Just like their just like their player bag is.
Scott: Yeah. 100%. Yeah. Yeah. So in any event, yeah, that's that's great.
Jamie: So she used it?
Scott: So she used it. Yeah. And it was it funny because, like, at first, you know, like, her her
Jamie: So dad, what am I doing?
Scott: No. No. At first, she was like, no. But then, like, there was a moment where because she was, you know, she knew it was like a hockey related bag. And she was like, you know, her you know, we're always doing hockey stuff.
And so she was like Was
Jamie: she anti at first? Like, I'm not taking this?
Scott: Well, at first, she was like, you know, I think she wanted something more like girly or whatever. Little pony or something like that. Well, not exactly that. But yeah, sure. For all intents and purposes.
Sure. But but then she was like, look, look, I got my hockey bag. You know, just trying to be like, hey, dad, look at me. Know, like
Jamie: That's very funny.
Scott: I'm doing what you guys do. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie: Yeah. It's it's if you guys are I gotta tell you, like, how much we travel for this game, like, it is a great bag for a parent to have. Yeah. Like, it's a great bag for a parent to have.
Scott: No doubt.
Jamie: You know? It packs so goddamn easily. And again, it was it's real it worked. It worked really well. That was the first time I'd ever taken that one on an airplane.
Mhmm. Like, real easy. Yeah. Shocked at how easy
Scott: it was. That's awesome. Yeah. Was a job.
Jamie: Yeah. Yeah. Big fan. Alright. Yeah.
Yeah. There you go, bud. What else is going on?
Scott: What else is going on? Oh, jeez.
Jamie: Are you guys hockey at all?
Scott: We've had team practices, the last two weeks, three weeks. I'm kinda blanking. He's still mountain biking.
Jamie: Okay.
Scott: That's where he is or he was tonight. But yeah, not too much. Oh, shoot. Sorry about Yeah. Hit with the microphone.
Hey now. Hey now. Gotta get out there. WA in BC.
Jamie: WA in BC. Hockey. Pig vomit. Yeah. We were
Scott: you know, he's a BU alumni. Go BU. Shout out Terriers.
Jamie: You're talking about Stern?
Scott: Yeah. Stern.
Jamie: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He is. That's right.
Yeah. Because he is a BU.
Scott: That's right. Is a BU That's right. Uh-huh.
Jamie: Uh-huh. I wonder what he was like when he was in BU. That must have been interesting. I
Scott: don't know.
Jamie: I'm assuming he was in the radio department a lot and
Scott: Yeah. Communications.com.
Jamie: Exactly right.
Scott: Yeah. Nice. Yeah. Anyway. Yeah.
Jamie: So I'm good.
Scott: Yeah. Hockeying, not too much.
Jamie: Not too much?
Scott: Okay. We were shooting some pucks the other day. Okay. And I gotta tell you, was really funny. So we we have, like, the shooter tutor?
Jamie: Yes. I have the same one.
Scott: And so I I was like, put it up. Yeah. And I was like, know, I thought we're gonna play three bar just like horse or something. You know? And, he's like, no.
Put it up. So, like, okay. So then
Jamie: Oh, he doesn't normally have it up?
Scott: He he sometimes he does. You know, it depends. He doesn't always just leave it up.
Jamie: Oh, Dom always has
Scott: it up. And so so then he's like, slide it over. Slide it over so you can you you
Jamie: know So there's just a little bit of daylight.
Scott: Just like a little bit in the
Jamie: top left corner. Yeah. Yeah.
Scott: Yeah. So we're just focusing on the top left corner. Mhmm. And and when you're shooting out of the garage at the net, the house is to the top left corner. Oh, boy.
Yeah. Not nothing broke. But I have to tell you, I was I would just started like ripping the
Jamie: funnel off the crossbar or off the or the off the corner?
Scott: No. So the so this is annoying. I bet a lot of families can, like, that have the these nets can, like, you know Can understand. Understand or empathize. Yeah.
You know, like, the when you have the the side panels, like, the the kind of the backstop, like that goes across the have it too. Sides and
Jamie: know across the you're talking about?
Scott: So the top can sag.
Jamie: Yes, it can. And it does regularly.
Scott: It does.
Jamie: So That thing is such a piece of shit. No. Oh, it's not. I've gone through like a lot of them, by the way.
Scott: Well, I've I've you should see my, like
Jamie: The biggest piece of shit.
Scott: No doubt. Well, you
Jamie: and I should create one that does not fall apart.
Scott: Well
Jamie: yeah.
Scott: Yeah. Yeah. Anyway on the dock. So anyway, so that that thing was sagging. And then once it was sagging, then I started, like, getting, like, all I started thinking about it too much, and I let one rip that went holy crap.
Over? Oh, yeah. It went over. I, like, air mailed that thing.
Jamie: Did it go into the backyard, or did it go
Scott: into backyard? Oh. Front yard. That And then way. And then it Did it go across the
Jamie: street?
Scott: Well, no. Because it hit my car. Oh.
Jamie: Break a window?
Scott: No. No. No. No. No.
But it it did
Jamie: Was it close to a window?
Scott: No. No. It it it it took a bounce before it hit the car.
Jamie: Oh, okay. So it wasn't didn't hit on a fly off your stick?
Scott: No. Thankfully. Okay. It was like shooting uphill and, you know, the driveway goes uphill a little bit.
Jamie: Still.
Scott: But
Jamie: Still, I'm sure it left a mark.
Scott: No. No. I I if it did, a black puck on black car did
Jamie: not Not bad. No. Oh, so it didn't hit the other car, car that's not black.
Scott: No. But I also tried To
Jamie: suit this black nut. This car is
Scott: black close to hitting my neighbor's car too.
Jamie: Did you?
Scott: Yeah. I didn't I haven't done that yet, but pucks have rolled under their cars.
Jamie: I yes. I I am sure that many of people are listening to this now going, oh my god. Like, I have a story about how my kid, like, air mailed a puck into my neighbor's yard and did something.
Scott: Well
Jamie: I guarantee there's multiple stories there.
Scott: Dude, so when when we were kids, as I know you will remember, like, at my my one house where we played roller hockey Yes. So I would
Jamie: I know it well.
Scott: I had two choices. Either shoot towards my house and
Jamie: Or towards the garage.
Scott: No. Towards the garage or shoot towards my neighbor's house. And you
Jamie: if I remember correctly, your neighbor's driveway was directly on the other side of the property line. No. It wasn't.
Scott: No. Their their driveway was on their their house was directly on the other side.
Jamie: But the driver was on the other?
Scott: Driver was on the far side. But, no, I've hit their house a few times.
Jamie: I'm sure you have.
Scott: And then and then I would
Jamie: say go over, by the way?
Scott: I would run away. I would I would
Jamie: Nobody ever came over and rang the bell?
Scott: No. But I went over there.
Jamie: You did?
Scott: I did.
Jamie: Say sorry?
Scott: I I had. I did. Not every time, unfortunately, because I should have, but I I have gone over there. Anyway, this was years ago. Okay.
But the point is that so at some point, I started shooting at my house. Right. And then I ended up, like, putting a few holes in the garage doors, which were made of, like, a a cheaper wood.
Jamie: I remember that.
Scott: And then You think it must
Jamie: have been so pissed.
Scott: No. He he was not well, listen. So it got to the point where it was, like, they're they're effed. So whenever shoot toward the backyard.
Jamie: Because you had a backyard, if you turned it facing the backyard.
Scott: There wasn't a lot of listen. There was there was less room.
Jamie: Like, was was room. Because your driveway was
Scott: on a was on rollerblades.
Jamie: So you would have been And if I'm
Scott: facing the net, I'm rolling down.
Jamie: You're rolling down. It wasn't ideal. Didn't work like that. Definitely not ideal.
Scott: And that's true. Just not to to finish the story. Yeah. So and then so I had missed the net, and I put another hole in yet another panel of the garage. Yeah.
And I got so angry because at the same I had also tripped. Like, was wearing roller blades and I my foot like, you know, like, if my wheel did not like go over like a rock or something on the Right. Right. I fell. And then I then I took my stick and I threw it at the garage.
Jamie: And you harpooned it?
Scott: I and then I and then at this point, I like have I really messed up the garage doors.
Jamie: You did your stick go through the garage door? Yeah. Harpoon style?
Scott: Yeah. There was already, like, there was Like spear. There was an area where there was, like, a bunch of like, there there you know, like I said, I'd hit the I'd already hit the garage a bunch of times. There are already some holes. In it and anyway.
So you made it worse? I made it worse, and then that was not good. Interesting. My parents were not happy.
Jamie: I'm sure they weren't. Again, I'm sure there's many people that are listening to this that have stories, very similar Like, pucks ricocheting off the crossbar off the post and drilling a car. I'm sure there's been many a window is broken.
Scott: Absolutely.
Jamie: I I mean, do do you remember, you know, funny. You mentioned, like, pucks going to your neighbor's yard. Do you remember, my house in Franklin Lakes, the pool area?
Scott: Yeah. Sure.
Jamie: So when we first bought that house, my parents before I
Scott: There was no pool.
Jamie: There was no pool. Right. Before they even put the pool in, but my neighbor had a pool.
Scott: Yes. I remember that for
Jamie: sure. And we would hit, like, I don't know, baseballs, tennis balls, a bunch of stuff. Right? And they would always wind up in
Scott: Their pool.
Jamie: The neighbor's pool. And do you know that he, like, held on to them for years?
Scott: Did he ever give them back?
Jamie: I think at one point in time he did.
Scott: But what did he say?
Jamie: I I think that they they Yeah. It it was like remember like the sand lot when the ball goes over the back
Scott: fence Yeah.
Jamie: Yeah. And the dog gets it and, like, he just buries it like in like in like a buries it under underground.
Scott: That's a
Jamie: my neighbor buried my balls like in the ground.
Scott: But it didn't
Jamie: He did not he did not throw them back over is my point.
Scott: Right. I mean, you would
Jamie: think he would just kinda toss back over the fence. Yeah. No. You know? Just saying.
Scott: Well, we our neighbors over here, they they aren't they don't do that kind of thing either. Like, were
Jamie: They don't throw them back? They just leave them? No.
Scott: Their landscapers have thrown things back because we've been outside when the landscapers have thrown things back.
Jamie: Yeah. You know? Speaking of landscapers, do you know how many do you know how many pucks Dominic has? They know me.
Scott: Yes. I do because I've been back there. No.
Jamie: Do know how many Dominic's pucks are cut in half?
Scott: Oh, that sucks for their machines.
Jamie: I'm sure. I'm like, Dominic, you gotta go back there and and pick up your pucks.
Scott: Yeah. Tell it to Otto all the time.
Jamie: That, and I guarantee you that Dominic shoots towards the woods
Scott: Yes.
Jamie: In my house.
Scott: I've I've gone through those woods and retrieved some pucks.
Jamie: I can almost guarantee you there are hundreds and hundreds and whoever buys our house when we leave it is going to find thousands of hockey pucks.
Scott: Well, why don't you go and look for them? Well, they're If your neighbors are gonna find them if if the future owners are gonna find them so easily, why don't you go get
Scott: them?
Jamie: So the so the landscapers blow the leaves back toward that area Mhmm. Toward the woods because there's, like, 16 acres that that are kind of on on the side of my property. That's just Wait. Did you say 16? There's 16 acres.
Scott: Are there really?
Jamie: Yeah. Yeah. No way. Yeah. The guy who the guy the people who we bought the house from, they actually used to own all that property and they donated it to the town.
Scott: Oh, really?
Jamie: They donated it to the town years ago because the town didn't have a high school, they donated because it's regional, so Northern Highlands Regional High School. So it's Ho Hockey, Upper Saddle River, Saddle River, and Allendale. So they donated it to the town as a as a location to build a high school.
Scott: Interesting.
Jamie: But then they never used it, so now it's just town on property. So now there's, like, walking trails back there.
Scott: Wow. The town, like, hoodwinked them. Or not really. The town didn't ask for it. They just left it there for
Jamie: the town. Yeah. Exactly. But I listen. I'm not gonna complain because there's not a high school next to me, and nobody's ever gonna fucking build on it.
Scott: That's a great point.
Jamie: I'm not gonna complain.
Scott: You shouldn't. That'll probably help your your resell value.
Jamie: I have one neighbor in the back.
Scott: Yeah.
Jamie: Yeah. So the peep the people that I bought the house from that family who built the house Mhmm. Like, 100 plus years ago, because my house is, like, a 109 years old, they donated that to the town. They owned all that property.
Scott: Wow.
Jamie: Yeah. But yeah, so my landscapers blow the leaves back there, right? And I'm telling you, they're buried. I'm telling you, you go back there, and you will find shitloads of hockey pucks. Yeah.
Shitloads.
Scott: Well, listen, just to just to switch gears a moment. I know we're talking. So not much hockeying on my side. On your side, though, you guys caught a game.
Jamie: We had a game on Saturday, which was
Scott: kinda kinda wild.
Jamie: Very wild. Kinda last minute. I I guess the the coach from, like, the Apple Corps, which is, like, the the tier two up in Brewster. Yeah. Like, we've played, like, Westchester Express.
Never played Apple Corps before. We played the the AAA Express. So I'd only been up there once or twice. When Dom was a might, I was up there. For those of you who don't know, like Brewster, New York, what's although it's right by the Connecticut border by
Scott: the way.
Jamie: Really close to Connecticut. They have an outdoor rink. They have two sheets indoors.
Scott: Yeah, the sheet inside.
Jamie: With just a roof on it. I remember that when we were with the Avs, when we were younger, I don't if had full ice mites, we went up there for like a three on three tournament. And it was so goddamn cold, like I remember Volmer's, because Volmer had him on the show a couple times, Volmer's brother came, I think his brother, did his mom come? I know his brother came, because his brother made like a spiked hot apple cider, and we were drinking this while we were literally like Freezing. It was like single digits.
Was unbelievably cold. And it was windy, and his brother made a spiked apple cider. Was phenomenal. It was hot. It's all I really cared about.
Was hot at Right. The because you're freezing. I remember the kids were like, they're frozen on the bench. They're sitting on metal benches, they're just frozen.
Scott: Yeah.
Jamie: You know? So we were up there for that when Dom was in the Might. And then we played the Express a couple years ago when Dom was on the Rockets, but I hadn't been up there in years.
Scott: Yeah.
Jamie: So we went up there for a game, and there was like, I don't know, maybe we had 12 kids and a goalie, something like that. Five d Yep. Forwards or six and six. Something like that we had. And we went up there and we played.
They they had more kids than we did. We our goalie we had a goalie. We didn't have a goalie first. I guess both were busy, but then, like, the coach moved the time from, like, six to, like, one. Oh, wow.
Yeah. Because I the the our goalie our one goalie, I'm not sure where he was. The other goalie had a lacrosse championship game, like, in the evening. Yep. So they moved the time so he could play.
So we had a goalie. So the kids went up there and, and just kinda tore it up a little
Scott: Nice, dude.
Jamie: It was good. Yeah. Was fun.
Scott: Yeah. And how'd Dom do?
Jamie: Not bad. I think I think he did bad. Yeah? You know, it's funny. We were talking about shooting.
You know, what Domonique's doing that I've never seen him do before, know, we talk about, like, not being able to do something yet.
Scott: Mhmm.
Jamie: Right? What Dominic's doing now, and I started noticing it kind of like in this when the season ended, I noticed it. I noticed it in, like, three on threes. I noticed it in, like, practices, You know? I don't really watch practice, but I noticed it in the couple that I watched looking at the new kids.
He's when somebody's driving toward the net Mhmm. He's now going toward the far post or open ice with his stick down, Like, looking, like and doing it, like, on purpose. Right. You know? Like, it's not whereas years ago, he would not go toward the open ice spot.
He would not go toward the net. You know, he would miss opportunities because he just didn't wasn't trying to find open space.
Scott: Right.
Jamie: Right? So recently, I would say within the last, like, three and four months, he's been doing that, which is really cool.
Scott: That's great.
Jamie: And he does it regularly now, which is great. So I'm I'm beyond pleased about that. I'm sure he is too. What
Scott: Did he why did he, did he catch any goals?
Jamie: He scored. Yeah. The ace
Scott: scored. But just from getting open like that or
Scott: no?
Jamie: Yeah. It was he was playing center, which he very rarely does, but, again, the coach was kinda letting him do whatever they want. He's playing center.
Scott: How'd he do in center?
Jamie: Thought fine. He was active. Yeah. He was super active. He was he was he was skating hard.
He was he was pretty disruptive with a stick, like, forechecking. Yeah. So I thought that was great. He was happy about that. And his his buddy, his buddy, one of the wingers who I hope he plays with this year because these two kids would be good.
Yeah. You know? So he kinda makes a move and beats a one on one, like, in the corner, and it was kinda going below the goal line, and Dominic saw him beat kinda win a one on one and peeled off back toward the near post, and Gio put the puck, like, right on his tape, and Dom just one timer'd it right
Scott: in. Nice.
Jamie: Low right. Yeah. No. It was it was it was nice looking hockey. But I will say this, the whole team looked good.
The puck was moving. They looked dangerous. You saw a lot of tic tac toe y stuff.
Scott: Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie: Good. Like, it looks it looks like it's supposed to look.
Scott: That's great, man.
Jamie: Yeah. So he was happy about that. What he's not happy about, which I'm not sure how to fix, and I'm sure that some parents that are listening to this kind of can can relate. When Dominic shoots the puck, like, on the driveway, totally different to when he shoots puck on the ice.
Scott: Okay. Well, there's a few differences.
Jamie: Right.
Scott: But what are what are you what are you noticing?
Jamie: So he and this this could be all his head, by the way. Like, it could be all in his head, which I think it might be, but he's not happy with his shot. He's not happy about with himself. You know, he I don't know if he the nerves get there when he's playing or the pressure is whatever it is. When he shoots the puck in the driveway, it looks correct.
When he shoots the puck on the ice, it doesn't look correct a lot of the time. Sometimes it does. When he gets one, he gets one.
Scott: Right.
Jamie: Right? But there are more him not getting it than him getting it. I I attribute it to it's going to come. Yeah. You know what I mean?
But he's getting so frustrated. He's he comes off the ice so pissed off, Scott.
Scott: Really?
Jamie: And as a parent, like, you know, all you all you could say is like, hey, bud, just keep doing. Just keep pushing.
Scott: Why doesn't he you know what he should do? He should ask he should ask coach if he if he could, like, I don't know. I I know it's tough to
Jamie: I don't know.
Scott: It's like the whole team's on this, but, like, at at end of a practice, could we just, you know, take a couple shots just to, like, see
Jamie: Well, listen. He does that with RJ. I mean, does that with RJ
Scott: all time. Deals with RJ. So what does RJ say?
Jamie: You know, I I haven't seen RJ since. This just happened.
Scott: You know what should do?
Jamie: So I'm seeing our I'm seeing RJ on Friday. I'll mention it.
Scott: Video But,
Jamie: again, practice is different than a game.
Scott: I listen. I understand that. So you're saying it so it might not even be an on ice versus off ice thing. It could just be game versus practice.
Jamie: Correct. Yes.
Scott: Okay. Well, both listen. Practice and off ice are both, like, you're not really under pressure. You know what I mean? And then you have time to kinda set up set your feet.
And Correct. Everything is kinda predictable.
Jamie: There's nobody around you to kinda, you know, impede your shot. Right? I mean, sometimes you rush. Listen, the game itself, when you're between the lines, right, or between the boards, any game is different when you have not cones out there.
Scott: Oh, without a doubt. You know
Jamie: what I'm saying? You actually have people that are that are that are playing against you. Yeah. Right? I mean, it's it's it's different.
Scott: But even if like, you know
Jamie: So he's struggling also.
Scott: Things like just like if you're looking at, you know, like the and I'm sure Dom because he's, you know, been coached so much, but, you know, just even like your foot position. Like, how are your hips facing the net? Or how are your feet facing? Like, are you always like dead on with the net? And now like you're looking at shots that don't come off well when you're off to the side and you're trying to like, you know, there's there's some it's just it is very different.
Jamie: Yes. So he's just he's not he's not consistent. Yeah. Some of them look good. Don't get me wrong.
Scott: No. They look good.
Jamie: They look good. Yeah. Right? But, you know, he like he he's not that he's throwing like muffins toward the neck because they're not muffins. But they're just like
Scott: You know you know he's capable of getting more on I don't
Jamie: if he's rushing or if he's I don't know. Listen, my child also puts like abnormal amounts of pressure on himself. Like, super duper pressure. That's one of the problems with ADHD kids, everything needs to be perfect, and if it's not, they're like, What the fuck? This is not a perfect game.
Like, you're not gonna be perfect. Right. Of course. Right? And it's so so it's good that he wants to strive to be perfect.
Right? Which is great, but when you're 14, it's like almost like a curse because Yeah. It's it's unrealistic.
Scott: Yeah. Yeah. And then it's like you you also have to deal with the the frustration that comes along with it. And it's heavy. And like the self talk and like all that stuff.
Jamie: And he has a very hard time controlling his emotions. He gets angry at himself very easily. I get that. So we're working on not getting so angry.
Scott: Well, practice, not perfection. It is a process, Scott. As many things are.
Jamie: It is a process.
Scott: So Yeah. That said
Jamie: With that being said.
Scott: Why don't you let our listeners know who we got on?
Jamie: We have a great guest today.
Scott: There it is.
Jamie: We have a great guest today. For those of you who are not watching on YouTube, I'm pointing at my hat. We have the Princeton Men's Ice Hockey coach, Ben Sire on with us today.
Scott: Shout out, Ben.
Jamie: I mean, go Tigers.
Scott: That's what's up.
Jamie: It was so great for him to come on. Again, full disclosure, I've been a Princeton fan for a long time. Dom's been to games since he's like six or seven. Sorry.
Scott: Oh, Jesus.
Jamie: Since he's that age, he went to the Princeton Ice Hockey Camp when he was seven. At the time, was run by Kara Mori, who was running, the girls team at the time. And now she's a general manager in the in the girls professional hockey league.
Scott: Oh, that's great.
Jamie: Yeah.
Scott: Good for her.
Jamie: Yeah. I don't I'm not sure what team. She's Canadian, and she's I'm pretty sure she's on a Canadian team.
Scott: Gotcha.
Jamie: The GM of a Canadian team. But, yeah, so, so he liked it so much. He's going back, and, and Otto's going with them too.
Scott: That's what's
Jamie: The Princeton Ice Hockey Camp, so the Princeton Ice Hockey Camp is not sold out yet. There's a couple spots for the younger kids and some for the older kids, as coach Sayer told us, when we interviewed him last night. So go check it out. Go to Princeton's website and go check out their ice hockey camp. We're gonna try to sell this baby out for them.
Scott: Let's do it.
Jamie: So, yes. So coach Syer was awesome. We really appreciate him coming on with us. Such a great interview. I was over the moon to do it.
It was so cool because he is going to change the culture down there, and he is going to make the men's Princeton ice hockey team legit.
Scott: Yeah. And and, you know, a lot of what You watch. Listen. It it was great talking to him. It was great getting to know him a little more.
It was great seeing his team play in the ECAC,
Jamie: you
Scott: know, playoffs. Yeah. You know, they they they there was a tough tough one on their end. It was a tough loss. Tough loss.
Over
Jamie: time Yep. In the finals. Yep.
Scott: But look at
Jamie: That was hard.
Scott: It's it's looking promising.
Jamie: It is looking promising.
Scott: No doubt. And just hearing him talk about culture and and just the importance of, like, you know, feeling things. Right?
Jamie: And Yes.
Scott: Like, you know, just, what it's like to be a part of a team and what the culture's like and not just looking at things on paper. It was really great to hear his perspective.
Jamie: He's reshaping that team. You watch. They were picked eighth last year to finish eighth in their league. And they made it to the finals of the ECAC. Yeah.
I'm telling you, you watch in a couple years. Coach Sire does long stints when he coaches places.
Scott: That's true.
Jamie: So Prince That's true. Princeton Ice Hockey fans, you can rest assured that coach will be with us for a long time because everywhere he's gone, he does like eight to thirteen ish years.
Scott: Right.
Jamie: With the exception of his grad student year, he hangs around. So, you know, good things coming for the Princeton Men's Ice Hockey
Scott: team. Yeah. Go Tigers, like you said.
Jamie: And you and I will be around for all of it.
Scott: Let's do it. I'm looking forward to it. Alright. Well, let's flip it over to him.
Jamie: So enjoy. Ben Sire, Princeton Men's Ice Hockey. Alright. Alright, everybody. We are now back with our next interview with the Princeton, New Jersey Ice Hockey coach, Ben Sire.
Ben, thank you so much coming on with us. Really appreciate it.
Scott: Thanks, guys. Really appreciate you guys having me here, and I'm sure we'll have a couple laps here tonight.
Jamie: Oh, yeah. Definitely. We like to have fun. No question about it. So, coach, tell us, you know, what you're doing now, kinda how you got there, you know, who who you're coaching, a little bit of your past, and then we'll get into your your youth career, kinda go from there.
Scott: Yeah. No. I've been at at at Princeton now for for two years as a head coach. Finished up just her second year here in in Princeton, and couldn't be more excited to to be part of the program and and this great university. Been coaching quite for for quite some time.
Kinda losing track here. I think it's been about twenty eight years since that I've used coaching. And from my time as a grad student to a lengthy time at at Quinnipiac and then off to Cornell for for a little bit. So it's probably been a a long journey to get to this point. Those stops had been as an assistant coach or an associate coach, so I've been doing it for for a few years, but I'm really excited to to to to be where we are today and and working with the group of kids that that we're fortunate to to have here at Princeton.
Jamie: And and the Princeton ice hockey faithful, the fans can probably feel pretty good about it because you normally do, like, eight to ten to years at any stock you make. Right? With the exception of maybe your grad student year. Am I wrong?
Scott: Yep. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. It I I got a wife that doesn't like like to move.
She's a lot smarter than I am, and and so it's I guess I said that out loud, but it's yeah. So, no, we've been very fortunate. We've had a a only a couple stops here, but some some some great stops here, and and certainly our first couple years here have been fantastic.
Scott: Oh, that's awesome. So so so just how did it even all start for you in terms of, like, getting introduced to the game? Did you come from a hockey playing family? And, like, what was it like as a kid and, you know, your hockey parents and your car rides home and and all those things that us hockey dads have to and parents, moms are listening to, you know, navigate on the the day to day.
Scott: Well, I think, you know, I I grew up in Canada. And, you know, to be honest with you, I probably, on the grand scheme of things, was not born into a hockey family. My dad was a baseball player. My mom skated, but she she didn't play. I was an only child.
And so I got got into skating and and and, you know, the the the learn to skate programs, fundamental hockey at at I think I was probably three or four, been on the ice since I was two, because it's kinda what you did. Mhmm. But my dad skated and played a little bit, like men's league and stuff, and I had some uncles that did the same thing. But, you know, I wasn't like a a Canadian kid who their grandfather played in the NHL or, you know, a ton of major junior hockey or things like that. That was not my background.
And and but I I got into playing. I I loved the game. And to be honest with you, I think what, you know, I probably enjoyed the most looking back on it. I don't know if I knew this at the time, but, really, though those car rides that you alluded to, you know, just spending a great deal of time with mom and dad, the family dog, and and usually a buddy or two in in in the car. And it was always an event.
I remember playing mini hockey in numerous, you know, hotels throughout Southwestern Ontario or even when we were fortunate we got down to Detroit or or down to Buffalo to play. And and, you know, those are the experiences in in times that I remember with with my buddies. You know, my parents were were always were always great in terms of we always break the game down. Both my parents were analytical, but, you know, at the end of the day, it was there's probably very little coaching going on. They wanted to make sure that that it was having fun and and also that, you you know, just really enjoying, you know, the camaraderie with with my teammates and coaches.
Scott: Yeah. That's that's that's, you know, one of the things that I I often forget, you know, for for a lot of our for not I shouldn't say for a lot, but for folks up in Canada and other places where there's, like, a lot more community around hockey. Like, when I was growing up, that wasn't the case, and I've shared it, like, multiple times. And I wish there was because I think that would have given me some more connective tissue to the game, like, you know, as I got older. But yeah.
No. I I just getting on the ice at such a young age, do you do you remember, like, along your journey, like, when you you, like, kinda realized that you you want to take it to junior and, like, you know, what was that process like for you just kind of evaluating how far you wanted to take the game?
Scott: And I I think I always wanted to play and, you know, probably a little bit different than some. I I as I wanted to play, I also really enjoyed, you know, watching my coaches, you know, and how they went about things. And so, really, when you ask that question, I think it's more that it just kinda became a little bit of a fabric as as to who and and and what we wear. You know, we always had the game on the background, like, on a Saturday night. It was hockey night in Canada.
You know? And it was great when hockey night in Canada then put a second game on. So you had the Leafs or the Montreal Canadiens on, and then you got the West Coast game. And, you know, no matter where you were, it was always on and and which which was neat. So I think that was kinda part of it.
And, you know, I saw my parents enjoy, you know, their their their profession in terms of being teachers. And and, you know, I think that's probably where I know you asked me about where I wanted to continue to play. I just wanted to keep playing because that's what my buddies did. You wanted to keep advancing, and it gave you focus. But I think I also really fell in love somewhere along the lines there of, you know, development and recruiting and and and the whole idea of management and and coaching.
Jamie: Interesting. So so you think because your parents were teachers and because you kind of developed a kind of, like, a thing for watching your coaches, is that how you got the coaching bug out of it? Like, is that how it started with your parents doing what they were doing and kinda, like it just kinda evolved from there? That's wild.
Scott: Think so. Like, you know, I I like, my dad never coached me in hockey, but he coached me in baseball. And Uh-huh. You know? So we're around it.
We're always doing stuff together. You know? And my dad's not over the top kinda guy, a little bit reserved in a lot of ways, but he would always like, I remember water skiing for the first time. He'd always have a subtle way of trying to coach you through or teaching you. And I think that's probably as strange as that may sound, that's probably what really resonated with me.
You know? And my mom was always great at, you know, making sure that if we had people up at the cottage and we were skiing or whatever it may be, that how are we helping them along and and and seeing people have a little bit of fun and learning, you know, a a different pastime. And so I think that's you know, I've had a little bit of time to reflect on it with my own kids, and I think there I I got a lot of that from from those little interactions and and how they handled themselves.
Jamie: And do you see yourself in your you see yourself coaching and kinda how your parents did that when you were a kid?
Scott: No. No. I don't. I I got a little bit more fire in my belly, I think, than than than my dad does. Okay.
And and and and my mom my mom was more animated. My dad was pretty reserved as as he coached. I for those that have watched me on the bench, I usually get my laps in or my steps in. I you know?
Jamie: Pacing the bench?
Scott: Yeah. Yeah. I I can move a fair bit on the bench at times. And and so, yeah, I actually one of our assistants, I actually, by accident, kicked him at Union this year, and I still didn't remember doing it. He pointed that out after after the game.
Shane's like, Ben, do you know you kicked me tonight? I'm like, no. Didn't know it. Didn't know it. So you walk behind me or I'd step down.
And and so yeah. So when you ask, I I I do I do have I am probably I have some reserve in as my dad did, but there's a little bit more animation that that that that comes out than than probably he had. So where that came from, I I'm not sure.
Jamie: Gotcha. You have a competitive fire there. Got it.
Scott: Yeah. Yeah. For sure. For sure.
Jamie: Yep. Little bit of jersey in you, coach. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that. Yeah.
Scott: You were saying so you have you have two girls that play. Is that correct?
Scott: I do. Yep. Yep. Yeah.
Scott: And so when like, as they were they were getting into the game, and this is something that, you know, I think has been helpful when we've had, like, coaches on or others that have taken hockey pretty far. You know? Like, as as a parent, like, you're in the thick of it. Like, there's there's not many people that know more about, like, going through this than someone like yourself. And, like, did you find yourself when you were going through it with your own kids, like, kinda hard to take your own advice, or did you find it difficult to navigate as, like, you were learning about or, like, getting reintroduced to youth hockey?
Like, what was that like for you?
Scott: The answer and I don't wanna sound like I'm trying to take the fit, but it's a yes and it's a no. There's certain times where, like, I think we all are innately parents because you want the absolute best for your son or your daughter. And Yeah. You know, I think that's our role as parents. So, you know, ultimately, we're we're their number one fans.
The same token, you know, I would say that, you know, as I watch is that I go back to it. It is a game, and it's to to to, you know, bring out not just the best in their performance, but bring out the best of their characteristics that they'll be able to to take with them for a lifetime. And and, you know, I think there's times where that fire that my dad maybe showed more reserve than what I do, I think that fire comes out a little bit of time as you know, to be honest with you, when my oldest, I think she was 13 at the time, and it was actually, she might have been a little bit younger. We it was during COVID. And where we were located, we weren't playing at Cornell, so I was able to get on the ice a little bit more with her team that year.
And I do remember one car ride home because I guess when you're on the ice, I'm always about you don't wanna get better. You wanna, you know, leave it all out there. Remember coming home from a practice one day, and she's like, dad, you might be a real good college coach, but you're not much of a peewee coach. I'm like, alright.
Scott: Oh, no.
Scott: I'm like I'm like, that that that that's harsh tonight. That is harsh tonight. You know? But but it was it was, you know, it was one of those nights where the kids were more concerned about lollygagging out there, and and and and I still remember that. And I remember going home to my wife.
I'm like, you know what? I gotta remember that they're they're they're young, and this is a game. Yes. We wanna push them, but it's it's it it's also also a game at the at at the same time.
Scott: 100%. Go go ahead.
Jamie: I have a question off of that. So Yeah. So we talk a lot on this, coach, about our kids' lollygag. You put it perfectly. You know?
We talked a ton on how to get them to move their feet more, and how to get them to be more aggressive, and how to get them to just move faster. Right? So I'm curious. Is there a difference from how you speak to your college players to how you speak to your kids in getting the same out of them?
Scott: I think at the end of the day, there's always a different mannerism in which in how you can you can speak. I think there's a difference between coaching boys and coaching girls a little bit too. Sure. Mhmm. Just how they respond.
But the reality is I think it's about setting the culture and, you know, the expectation. So when you talk about, you know, moving in in in being competitive, I think that's something that, you know, some kids have it more innately. You know? And but at the same token, I think you could pull more out of those kids by the way that you construct practice, by the way that you can, you know, construct games within practice to be able to get that out, to be able to reward that behavior at at the same time. And but I also think that that at the end of the day and, you know, I've done a lot of USA hockey stuff.
I've I've since became a US citizen and done a lot of work with USA hockey, and they've researched it. There's a you know, from Bob Mancini to Kenny Martell to the guys that that that that that do a lot of this research. And, you know, like, Scott Pollock's there now, and he was a college coach for a very long time, is at the end of the day, it it's about getting the kids moving and, you know, getting lots of reps in and and really, you know, having fun with with competition and and and games. And I think it it teaches themselves. You know, I think about all the hockey schools we've ran over the years, especially for the younger kids, it's you know, they can only absorb so much teaching and coaching, but what they they don't need to absorb, they just do is they play games and and and they have fun.
And and to be able to wanna keep coming back, I think, is is really important in in creating that environment with the odd tweak to be able to really, you know, get that compete, you know, out of them night in and and night out.
Scott: Yeah. And, James, I'm glad you asked that because that's always something that, you know, like, hearing from different coaches who have different approaches on on how to, like, you know, work with players. I mean, clearly, that question was differentiating between, like, the collegiate athlete versus, you know, your own children who are also younger. But just maybe backing up a moment in terms of, like, compete level because, like, for the what we see, and I'm sure you see you've seen it also. Obviously, you have.
But, like, the younger they are, they're playing against kids who just figure some things out first. Right? So for a lot of kids, it's just not yet, including, like, the physical stuff, like taller, shorter, stronger, faster, whatever. But as it relates to compete and, like, how to what extent do you think that that's something that can be coached up in kids that, like you had said, don't maybe have it as as innately? Like, yes, you can run a practice that's going to push, like, know, certain buttons or pull certain levers that are gonna get them to, you know, compete more.
But just in terms of, like, their, you know, their their overall gameplay, do you feel like that's something that can can be coached up a good amount or or not necessarily?
Scott: I do. I I think just about everything can be coached up. And I think when you ask those questions, I think it's being able to put like, you talked about some of the kids being bigger, you know, and growing quicker than others. So those the that can be good because there's the I'll call it the intimidation factor is that they're a little bit bigger than some some others. So you would think naturally that they would win some of those competitions, and and they do if if they're fast enough to do that.
Some aren't at that point. But the the other piece of that is is teaching, you know, the smaller player, the less developed player at that point, how is it that they can win those competitions. You know? It's even though you're smaller, you you you can still find a way to compete yourself and and leverage yourself to be able to win those battles and those foot races and and different things like that. And, you know, I probably learned that most from I worked with a guy, Topher Scott, at at Cornell for a number of years.
And, you know, for the you know, Toph does a lot of things on on the Internet and so forth now. And I learned from him that because he is competitive, and he gives, you know, a half a foot to just about every player that he goes against. But I don't know how many battles he lost when he played, and he learned how to leverage his size to get underhands and and to be able to compete. And he would constantly, you know, put his nose over the puck, you know, and and to win those battles using his body, although maybe a half a foot, you know, shorter than others, he still got in there to protect it. And that was encouraged.
He had some of that innately, but it was also encouraged. It was also demonstrated and shown to him as as as he went through it. And I know he had, you know, Connor, one of our assistants on and and and his and his brother. And I was fortunate that that I recruited both of those guys, I mean, about a hundred years ago. And, you know, they you know, it maybe not a 100.
We'll call it 50. I'm I'm still middle aged. But but it it you know, I remember before you even see him play, you know, the guy that had tipped me off on him, you know, had had, you know, basically said that there's a level of compete and a commitment with their body to be over every loose puck. You know? And I think that's one of the things that quite often as coaches, we miss it.
We're we we we get so amped up is that we want our kids to win the foot race. We want them to be able to to compete at a at a real high level, but they have to get to the point of feeling comfortable and knowing how to win that foot race or how to win that battle irregardless of their six foot or if they're five foot two and and whatever the discrepancy is. And I think that's that part's easier said than done, and I think that's where, you know, the best coaches at the youth levels are able to give confidence and instruction instruction leading to confidence to be able to win those competitions. It gives encouragement because, you know, I think as adults and coaches, we forget that, hey. The more success you have, the more confidence is bred.
And and that's where I think sometimes as as coaches at the younger levels, you know, we we miss that. You still gotta show that there's success to be able to be had, and I think that's really important at the younger levels.
Scott: Yeah. It's like and it just made me think because I I've done a little bit of coaching with with my son for a couple years. But, you know, one of the things that, you know, you'd hear other coaches say, and myself included, at times would be like, you know, get get position before possession. Right? Make you know, but then it's like, well, how do you get possession?
I mean, how do you get position? What does that look like? And in what situation are we talking about? And so, like, those those those finer things that yeah. I mean, that makes a ton of sense.
The more you equip the kids with the understanding of how to, you know, complete the mission, And it gets sense sounds so obvious, like, what I'm saying as I say it, but, like, there is a lot that gets overlooked in that regard.
Scott: Well, 100100% because a lot of times as coaches, you know, we're negligent because we're just looking for the outcome and not the process. You know? Mhmm. So I look at both you and Jamie in the screen. If I just think about the simplest of foot races, you know, without ever watching you guys on ice together is one's gonna be quicker than the other.
So the one that's faster, you wanna establish that position. The one that's a little bit slower is one that gonna get in front of the other very quickly to be able to give them a chance. And but it's to be able to to balance that and to be able to coach that through. And, you know, the one that's slower, give them a way to hey. There still is a a pathway to success.
But then also the one that's quicker, how is it that you, you know, get in front and and establish the the position as you mentioned before the possession?
Scott: Right.
Jamie: Yeah. It's funny that, Scott, you brought that up, and we're talking about this because I think when we were on with Connor and his brother, I I think I mentioned something, coach, about puberty. Because my son, you know, just turned 14, so he he was a a first year bantam last year. And the discrepancy between some kids is stark. Right?
You got kids like my son Dominic, who's like five three, and you have some kids that are like six one. Right? And and I think it was Connor that said, if I'm not mistaken. Pretty sure it was. Connor said something to the fact of like when he's when he's recruiting, he's looking around, you know, when he sees a big kid, you know, he kind of thinks to himself, like, that kid's probably always been big, and he's never had to figure out, you know, how to do things on the ice because he's always had size.
Whereas the guys that are smaller have to figure out how to play with the big boys. Right? Mhmm. So they may have I don't wanna say another tool in their toolbox because they don't have size, but they just may be able to kind of figure out the game more because they've had to adapt to not having big size. Right?
Scott: Sure. Yep. And it's because that's what the game is. It's always it's always evolving. And, you know, I think those that are, you know, say, vertically challenged or maybe a little bit late to, you you know, puberty is you find it you find different ways.
You know? Right. And because I think at the end of the day, you know, everybody wants to be rewarded. And I go to the the simplest of races is that you always wanna win the race. You wanna and and, you know, and then go to Scott's point about having possession is that at the end of the day, you wanna put yourself and your team in a position where you win your battles, you win your races so that you now have possession of the puck.
Because at the end of the day, we all love having the puck way more than we love chasing it.
Jamie: It's fun playing offense.
Scott: Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.
Scott: Yeah. So oh, go ahead.
Jamie: Go ahead. No. Go ahead, Scott. Go ahead.
Scott: No. No. I was I was just gonna I was gonna just go at a different angle a little bit and just, you know, raising daughters in the game and and, you know, coaching men's hockey and, you know, were you very familiar with the women's game before you had girls that were playing, or that was you really question. Cut your teeth on on their experiences?
Scott: I cut my teeth more on their experiences. You know, I I didn't know the game from you know, it was around some, you know, good coaches on the women's side at at at Quinnipiac and then at at at Cornell as well. And and, you know, obviously, at at at Princeton now with Courtney and her staff. But, you know, it it to be quite honest with you, I probably never treated my girls. I treated them when we were around the rink, I just treated them as hockey players, probably to my wife's dismay at times, but it was, you know, like, they were just they were a hockey player, and they went to our hockey camps.
They were around, you know, even, like, if the guys were over at the house having dinner or things like that, like, when they were younger, like, they saw that. Like, it we just didn't didn't treat them different. And and so, you know, I think there's some different nuances in the game, but I fundamentally, I think they're the the the game's the same. You win your foot race. You win position, you know, and you outcompete the opponent.
You know? And if you're doing that with a level of hockey sense, you have a you have an opportunity to be able to have success.
Jamie: Yeah. So I'm curious, coach. So did you have your girls play with boys when they were kinda coming up, or did and when did you make the transition over? And I'm curious because we had Sadie Lundquist on from College Hockey Inc. Sadie played with boys for only a couple years, and then Minnesota is also a little different.
Right? Yeah. Minnesota, they could field a girls team from when they were mites. You know? Right.
And she played with girls for the most part as far as her youth career goes, but I'm curious if you had them play with the boys, and at what age you transitioned them over to to playing with girls? If and may they still may be playing with boys.
Scott: Yeah. Yeah. No. They they're playing women's hockey now. They they transitioned when when body checking came into play.
And and it just you know, part of leading up to that where we were living, there wasn't enough. There was not enough host of field field, you know, a a travel team. You know? So we we split. There was one group I shouldn't say that.
There was one group that did travel a little bit, that solely wanted to play with the girls, but the the the but to it or the however was there was another opportunity for the girls to be able to play travel hockey, with a guys group. And partly, we did we did a little bit of both for a while, but they always played with the guy's side. And, honestly, I think probably part of it was a few of our friends that that we knew through hockey and so forth were the coaches. So that's probably a little bit why we got to that stage. But I always thought that, you know, it it paid dividends when they had to compete against, you know, the boys.
You know? Yeah. Yeah.
Scott: So with with the girls path, and, you know, we've got plenty of parents of, you know, female hockey players that listen. But, like, in terms of making that decision, if there's if they live in an area where they maybe have a choice, maybe they could play for a girls team or they could play on, you know, a mixed team, whatever the case might be. Have you seen any like like, I guess maybe what what what would be maybe the pros and cons, you know, on on either side or, you know, or is it really something where it just really depends on a lot of variables that's kinda hard to quantify?
Scott: I think it does depend on a few different variables, but I I think that that, you know, one of the things that I think is really important at younger ages, and we touched on it a little bit, is is the coaching component of it. It's the instruction piece and and, you know, the organizational piece of it and and then, you know, coaching of the game. I think those are the areas that, you know, are something that you can be really focused in on. And I think based on where you are and and so forth, I I think that depends. I think there's some unbelievable coaches in in the women's game, but I also think there's some tremendous coaches, you know, that have coached, you know, boys for a long period of time, and they just coach youth players, whether they're boys or girls.
Right. So I think that part is, you know, where are they where are the kids making the most the most gains within their their game, but then trying as a parent to be able to also keep, you know, a right mindset that at the end of the day, it is a game and and to make sure that the the kids are are are enjoying it and and really having a lot of fun with it.
Scott: Yeah. So that was you you brought up something interesting, and I know it's not just limited to, you know, girls hockey. But, you know, it talks about getting to understand the coaching or the coaches. And, you know, as a coach yourself, what what are like, what would be, you know, some things that you would hope, like, a parent and, I I know you're in the you know, at Princeton and this university, a different dynamic than youth hockey, clearly. But for any parent out there, because we've said the same thing.
Right? Like, you know, if you're unsure on, like, you know, find out more about the coaching. So from your perspective, what are some questions that, like, you know, parents, you know, you think should ask of a coach to get an understanding of whether or not, you know, this might be a good development place for their kid?
Scott: To be honest with you, I don't know if it's a question. I think it's really to go and watch. Like, I don't know if you guys saw the the Twitter clip the other day of Rod Brindamore out on the ice with his young I think it was his youngest son. So it was between them clinching game five and starting the Stanley Cup. And, you know, I think he'd already run practice or met with his own team, and he's then out on the ice, and he's on the ice with his his son.
And if you watch how Rod is going about it, is he looks as engaged as he is, you know, behind the bench of of of the hurricanes. And, you know, so I say that because that's what the kids remember in in in it and it's and it's brought out in them. So whether that's a male or female, it's are they engaged and and really you know, I'll leave it engaged. I was gonna say push and prod, but it's really are they engaged with with your with the player's development because I think that is is is absolutely critical. Like, I think about it now.
My kids are a little bit older, and and I think about how they talk about, you know, their their coaches, and and they love you know, they love the coaches that pushed them. Like, they remember that. They have a youth coach that coached them, both my kids, you know, back in in in Lansing, New York, and and they play with a couple other girls that that that that played on those teams. Some me coach girls. Some of coach boys.
Like and they love going back to this practice because they come off, and they're sweating, and they know they worked hard. And, you know, and and at the time, they they couldn't believe they were doing these types of practices, but, you know, he pushed them. And and they remember that. And so that's where I think, you know, I've got off topic a bit, but the the question that you you you pose here is terms of, you know, what is it that, you know, you should look for or ask about. Is it really are they engaged in the development and and and really, really care?
Because that isn't different than college. It's not different than pro. It's not different than youth. It's it's those that show that they care and they're invested in in in the development of the individual player, you know, are the ones that have you know, you see the greatest fruits of their labor with their players. They're also rewarded as the players are rewarded, and it's usually a very good mix.
Jamie: It's funny it's funny that you mentioned the the kids like the coaches that push them. We had Heather Mannix on from USA Hockey. Remember, Scott? And I think she she told us about a study where they interviewed a lot of youth hockey kids, boys and girls, didn't matter. And the one kind of overarching theme that they came out of it was, is the one thing that they loved was they loved being pushed.
That was the one theme that came out from younger kids, which was fantastic to hear. And Heather also said that, you know, we I think we asked her something along the lines, like, what makes a good coach? Oh, no. It was what makes a good practice? What does a good practice look like?
Right? You know? And she said something to the fact that USA Hockey has been doing a lot of studies, and they they structured drills a certain way, you know, that had, like, a compete, you know, mode to them. And so I guess my question is, coach, you've obviously been coaching a long time, right, with Quinnipiac and Cornell and now Princeton. What have you changed over the or when when you started till now?
Alright? Is there anything that you that stands out in your mind that you've changed kind of as coaching has evolved? Can you think of something that that kind of stands out in your mind that you used to do that you don't do or vice versa?
Scott: Well, it's interesting because, you know, I've had a chance to talk with Heather before, and and I think she's got a great And, you know, I think with people that do research such as herself, and you have different conversations the older you get developing your own craft. I think one of the things that that I probably do now that I didn't do in my younger years was trying to get more out of a particular drill, but yet keeping the drill simple. So, like, I want our I know that kinda talks out of both sides of my mouth, but it it it it it it I want if we run a drill, I want it to be clear in what we're trying to get accomplished. Okay? You know, if it's a forecheck drill, let's make sure we're working on the forecheck.
Okay? But within that, let's not waste any momentum. Like, you you do skills at different points. You might even have a different skills code. So if you're you know, if you have possession of the puck and and you're you know, do what you would normally do in terms of, you know, trying to be elusive, trying to shield or protect the puck, but then the forecheckers do their work.
You know? So, like, make sure, you know, we're using our staff accordingly. Like, alright. Get out the forecheck. K?
Connor, you're you're watching the forecheck here. Okay? You know, Shane, are are are you watching what the reads are right now with, you know, r f two and r f three here so that we make sure that we have our fundamental details on the forecheck. But, Dan, do me a favor. Help on the offensive side to just make sure that those guys right now as they're trying to break the puck out here right now or possessing the puck, You know, they're working on the skills that we spent the first fifteen minutes of practice on so that we're we're trying to make sure that we're getting the most out of the practice that that that we can and so that we're not wasting, you know, an opportunity to get better.
Scott: The on on the collegiate level, because I I wasn't I don't know how many episodes ago it it what ago it was, but I was I was interested to learn how little and, you know, it's all relative, but, like, like, NHL teams are practicing for or how many practices they even catch, like, a month, for example. In for collegiate hockey, what in terms of, like, your practice cadence and how much time you're gonna spend on working on, like, you know, like, hard skills versus team concepts, like, like, in season, not not the you know, not preseason, etcetera. Like, how many how many hours are you guys, like, spending on the ice, and and kinda how does that get divvied up?
Scott: Yeah. We we practice four times a week. Okay. Yep. Assuming we play Friday and Saturday, we'll practice Monday through Thursday.
And Monday is a little bit more of a focus on us. It's a you know, it's an active active recovery day where it's probably not the hardest of skates that we would have. Sometimes it becomes a lot for the goaltenders because they get a lot of shots. So Mhmm. Their workload gets a little higher, but only one of them played on the weekend.
So you know what? The the other two could practice a little bit more if they need to. But and then, you know, Tuesday and Wednesday are a little bit a little bit longer and a little bit more focused on on certain areas, one that we wanna improve on, and then also starting to trend, you know, for what our opponents would show us on on the weekend. And then, you know, fry excuse me. Thursday is is about an hour.
And so it's, you know, one that goes with our guys' schedule, but it's also if we run at a high enough tempo, we feel as though we're getting enough conditioning in. I don't spend a lot of time at the board. Like, our guys know all the drills. Like, we got some crazy names for our drills, and and and, you know, you know, we'll we'll go in, and and the guys will know them. You know, the first few times we we we introduce them, it's you know, there's usually a few laughs and some blank stares, but then, you know, then then you get a name drill a a drill named after you so you know you've either done a really good job or or or you weren't paying attention.
So, you know, it's sometimes it's a highlight and a lowlight if you get an angel, you know, a drill named after you. So it's it's
Jamie: That's fantastic.
Scott: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So and, usually, the guys love you know, they they fall in love with certain drills based on the name of it too. And but but we'll change the certain details within the drill or or, you know, we want the outcome to be the same, but some of the details that will stress different or give it maybe a little bit of a different formation.
So we're not wasting any time. Like, when we're on the ice, we're we're we're going. And as as one of our assistants said to recruit this year, he goes, if you get lucky out there on the ice not our recruit wasn't on the ice, but he was talking about our players is that, you know, if they get lucky, they'll get a they'll get a chance to get a, you know, sip of water in between drills here. So it's just one of those things where, you know what, it's we go, go, go, and and then the guys who get on the bench will do some five on five stuff, and there'll be more than enough time to drink water at that point. You know?
Yeah.
Jamie: Right. Well, it's funny. We always say that we when we talk to people, we ask them about, like, coaching. We always hate that people that waste time at the whiteboard or or writing on the glass. Because when you're on the ice, you should be moving.
Right?
Scott: Yep. Right? Exactly. Yeah. Exactly.
Yep. For sure.
Jamie: So so, coach, can you what's your what's your favorite drill name? Just curious.
Scott: Yeah. I wanted to know.
Jamie: I just gotta get one or two of them here.
Scott: Oh, yeah. Yeah. It probably well, we got a we got a few here. I'm trying to think of, you know, race day always comes with a with with with a few. You know, we we get up and down the sheet, but we always we have our our our small games.
You know, we had a a guy on our team this year named Brendan Wang. So we had a drill called the new wanger that was a game that the guys absolutely absolutely loved. And and this goes back to my days at at at Cornell. We had a a game where it was a a net front drill in the at the end, and it was called skate the cooner. His last name was Ryan Coon, or well, name was Ryan Coon.
Last name Coon. And, like, the goalies, when they got scored on, they had to skate. And so that's where it got nicknamed skate the cooner. And now we've got skate the cooner Montreal style, and and, you know, we've got the so, you know, as soon as that comes in, like, the you can tell the guys, especially the game at the end of the practice, they're waiting to see what it is because they they they they they love those here. And, yeah, it's there's a I'm probably missing a few here too, but it's they they love that one's probably their their their favorite.
That that that usually comes with a lot of hoots and hollers, and they can't wait to get on the ice.
Scott: That's funny. Sounds like bit
Jamie: of fun. I like it. So now we're now we're talking about the players. Yeah. Tell us what what you look for when you go out on the recruiting trail.
What are you looking for that embodies a Princeton Ice hockey player?
Scott: I think that, you know, one, we're looking for guys that that that that show spirit. You know? And for a long time, I think I just just talked about, like, compete. And but we've talked about it in in spirit because it comes in different ways. Is it compete?
Is it tenacity? Absolutely. But it's just sheer a enjoyment for the game and and bringing those around you up. You know? And it comes in different ways.
You know? And but you can tell, you know, it's no different than walking into the office. You gravitate to the guy that's got the most juice. You know? You know?
You're not going to the energy vampire. There's a reason why there's a book, you know, called the energy bus. You go to the one with the juice, not the one without. You know? Yeah.
It's a great
Jamie: book, by the way. Great book.
Scott: It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable.
Jamie: For those of you who don't know it, go read Energy Bus. It's a great book. Absolutely. That was a great call, coach. Good for you.
Scott: Yeah. And so it it's where was I going with this? I lost my train of thought. I interrupted. I gotta think about the book.
I got I'm like, I gotta read the book again. You know? You you got me, Jamie. You know?
Jamie: Sorry. I was asking about what what you look for in a player. Sorry. That was my fault.
Scott: Right. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Probably important. Probably important.
So that that's how much I think about spirit. You know? It's bringing yeast. Bring the juice. Yep.
Jamie: I get it. Trust me. I get it.
Scott: Yeah. But but then we we have hockey sense and and and the idea of, you know, do you make those around you better? Do you do you have an ability to see things and and make it easier for your teammates around you? And and then we get into, you know, the size piece. And and the size, it's it comes in terms of strength as well.
So it doesn't mean that you have to be six foot four, but it's you know, size and and and and strength kinda come hand in hand. And then, you you know, the skating ability and and then the and then the skill piece of it. But I think the first two we mentioned, if if you have those, those tend to lead to to the development and the ability to be able to enhance the last three that I mentioned to you. And so those are the areas that usually lend to to to great kids too because it's it's one of those things that we as we just said, it's you you know, for the parents that are listening, you know, who do you gravitate to at the office? You go to the one with the the most juice and excuse me.
And the one that that, you know, is having the most fun, you know, at at at work. And I think that's really important because you spend a lot of time with each other on a on a team, whether it's a college team or a youth team, and you you gotta have fun. You know? You gotta have fun.
Jamie: So I have one more follow-up, and I wasn't gonna ask him because I was gonna let Scott go, but we you brought up the energy bus, so I have to I have to ask this. Yep. So I've read I've read the energy bus before. And again, for those of you coach brought up a great book. For those of you that have not read the energy bus, go read the energy bus.
So I'm curious. You were at Cornell, and I'm pretty sure that John Gordon, the guy who wrote energy bus, also wrote I wanna say it was called the hard hat, which is about a Cornell lacrosse player. I wanna say his name was something Boyev or something along those lines.
Scott: George was his first name.
Jamie: Thank you.
Scott: And I'm gonna butcher his I Bolerod.
Jamie: Something like that. Yes.
Scott: He's a Long Island guy. I apologize. His parents are probably listening out there. I apologize. A great, great great guy.
I could tell you so much about him. Did a lot for the community while he was there.
Jamie: Is that where you got the energy bus from? Because I read the energy bus, and I also read Hard Hat. And and for those of you who don't know, the the Cornell lacrosse team, George was a was was the captain, was always the hardest worker, if I'm not mistaken. I haven't not read the book in years. Right?
Yeah. But George took a lacrosse ball. So Scott played lacrosse. George took a I mean, the guy was like an animal. He would block shots, and he took a lacrosse ball to the chest.
And I I and it wind up killing him, unfortunately. But the book is if you want a book about, like, tenacity and always being the hardest worker, I mean, my God, what a book. I I believe it's called The Hard How to Get. I haven't read it in years. Am I correct, coach?
Scott: Yes. Yeah. And and, George, so, you know, there's there's some some history to this too. So John was also a lacrosse player at at Cornell, and he played for a legendary coach by the name of Richie Moran. And I got to know Richie.
Unfortunately, he's passed. But, Richie, you talk about energy. I was part of a coaches versus cancer charity organization with Richie and some other coaches. And Richie would walk in, and the amount of energy he would bring to a room was off the charts. And he was 90 years old.
He never forgot who you were. He'd call. He'd check-in on you. And so he had recruited George and and and and and talked as much about it. And they had a legendary trainer that was there, and his wife actually taught both my daughters.
And George, right before he passed, had set up reading program for the lacrosse team to come down and read at this Catholic school in Downtown Ithaca. He passed before he ever had a chance to be able to read in in trainer that was on the field with him, Jim Case. He unfortunately has passed, but his wife, Ladine, was was the teacher. And so for a long time, they kept us alive. And and John Gordon, for those that I've never met John.
Sounds like I'm just giving them an endorsement for his books, but has written a number of books. They're very short and and but very to the point. And he's he, you know, he had a great book with with Michael Smith, who was the falcons head coach for a long time and coach elsewhere as well too. And I'm a little bit of a football coaching nut. And and so just brought in a lot of different different pieces here and and and so forth.
So it it it's certainly he's got a series that that I would really recommend to to to to youth coaches, to coaches that are are looking for a short read and and maybe to to think of things a little bit a little bit different. John's got a number of those those books.
Jamie: Yes. He does. And it was George Boyardee. Thank you.
Scott: Yep. Yes. Awesome.
Jamie: I I didn't wanna I didn't wanna get it wrong either, Coach, but yes. Yeah.
Scott: I appreciate you bailing me out because I butchered that, so I apologize.
Jamie: No. I knew I knew it was again, I haven't read it in years, but it but it was those two you're right. They're such easy reads. Gordon's books are such easy reads. And for those of that are listening, go have your kids read them.
Those two books are tremendous. Yeah.
Scott: For sure.
Scott: So so we're just talking about, like, the recruiting piece, but then also, you know, when you're talking with recruits, you know, and just, you know, part of it, I guess, is not a guess. I know there's, a salesman aspect to it. Like, you know, you gotta they're they're probably looking at other schools, etcetera. When when you when you're talking Princeton and what Princeton, you know, can bring to the student athlete, you know, and or what the culture is like, you know, in the Princeton locker room, like, what what how do you have that kind of like, what do you say to to families that wanna know what it's like to be a Princeton ice hockey player?
Scott: So that's a really good question, Spott. Along with is I hope they get a chance to see our guys and spend a little bit of time with our guys on the visit because they'll they'll tell you exactly how it is. I'm a firm believer in that you could feel it as well too when you're walking around, not just with our players, but with also our support staff from our trainer to our equipment manager. I think they they they can they can feel it. I think it's it's a little bit like I said, go watch the coach, not just ask a question of the coach.
You gotta be able to feel it. You know? And because I agree with you, there's a there's a component of of sales, but I also am a firm believer in that you gotta be able to feel and trust what what what you see and and and do you wanna be a part of that culture and that that identity. Because if you're watching it and you're also then talking with, you know, the support staff, I believe you really get a great and and and the players, I believe that you get a great feel for what it's like on a day to day basis rather than somebody, you know, just speaking and and trying to tell you what it is. I think it's much different when you live it and and and you feel it.
Scott: Yeah. You know, that's that's something like the one thing that I'm taking away from this conversation for sure is, like, the importance of just, like like you said, like, the actual feeling that you're getting from experiencing whether what it's like to be, like, you know, on the campus or what the team, like, you know, is going through and observing, like, really, like, what what putting just trying to put yourself in in those shoes and and really understand what it's like when, you know, maybe whoever it is is there one day. Is there anything, you know, like, in terms of when when we're dealing with ECAC schools, you know, the Ivies versus other schools in terms of, like, you know, for parents, you know, I think so many parents would love to have their kids and and kids would love to play division one, you know, sports, but then also at an Ivy League, like, you know, that's, like, certainly the dream for many. In terms of, like, you know, approaching, like, Ivy Leagues and maybe Princeton in particular, you know, if if there's a parent out there that is, like, you know, wants to see what it would take to go down that path, what like, how how would they go about that part?
Scott: I think the biggest thing is, you know, if that's something that you you you're looking at or you're unsure of is get on a campus and and and have a look. I think one of the things that that that a lot of people, you know, they look at Ivy League and it and it's you know, they look at the academic piece almost differently than than the athletic piece and not always merged together. And the reality is is that I the thing that you know, I've been at an Ivy League, I think, for the last fifteen, sixteen years and, you know, really see it and feel it on our campus right now is there's a reason why Princeton's been the top university for the last fifteen years. They are driven individuals. And Mhmm.
But they're as much as they're driven in their their their academic discipline, you know, whether it's economics, whether it's engineering, it doesn't matter. They have that same drive and that competitiveness, you know, in in on the ice and and and in the weight room. Like, it's it's there on a regular basis. Like, it you you spend a little bit of time, you know, around the guys, and you can feel it, and you you you could sense it. And is it compete?
It is, but it's also a drive. And I always call it the positive peer pressure because it's, you know, it's you know? There's three reasons why you go to school, you know, for for for the academic piece. Okay? You you also have the athletic piece and the social piece.
And I know our guys have fun, but there's there's a there's a there's an idea. Like, Monday through, you know, Thursday before the weekend's games and stuff, you know, our guys are focusing on on on competing in the classroom, and, you know, they wanna do well. Does that mean all of them get four point o's? No. But what it does mean that they're they're driven, and they're they're they're they're focused in on doing whatever it is that they can do.
For some of them, it's a three five. Some of it is a four o. You know? But it's being driven in that particular field in that in that area. And, you know, at the same time, they do that on the weekends as well as in when they play.
That same passion, you know, and and fervor comes out as well.
Jamie: Yeah. I'm curious, coach. Do you notice that when you go out recruiting that maybe it's a little easier? And this is no disrespect to Cornell and Quinnipiac, but, you know, Princeton's academics, right, are are are pretty I mean, you graduate with a degree from Princeton. You know?
I mean, the the alumni base, I mean, the degree, it goes far in life. Right? Do do you notice that it's easier to recruit with that kind of, like, in your pocket? And again, full disclosure, I'm biased. My kid's been going to Princeton Ice Hockey game since he's, like, six.
So, like, no. So, you know and listen. I'm a Jersey guy too, and the Nassau Inn is one of my favorite places to go to. So, again, I'm super biased, but that doesn't change the fact that Princeton
Scott: We is love your bias.
Jamie: Well, yeah, I and I admit I'm super biased, have been for a long time. Right? But that doesn't change the fact that the academics at Princeton are I don't wanna say second to none because there's a lot of good academic schools out there, but you graduate with a degree from Princeton, and you're you're going places. Right? Or you should be going places.
So do you find that it's easier to recruit because you have that behind you?
Scott: I think is always a challenge. Is that a huge component of, you know, who and what our player players are, and and and do they want that? Yes. They do. You know?
And so it certainly helps. Like, it's it it you know? And then you tack on the ability to to be able to play at a cathedral like Kobe Baker. You know? Like, I mean, you know, it it's not one of the newer ranks, but, man, does it have history.
You know? Like, it's it's popular. Yeah. Unbelievable. You know?
And, you know, it's it's Patty Kasmeyer played there and Hockey there. You know? To me, it you know, our former coach, women's coach that would talk about this. We and it should be the the the the the college hockey hall of fame. Like, it should be there because the two greatest players are that are celebrated, you know, are are are are Princetonians.
And and so, anyways, I I do I I do, Jamie, think that you you're right. I think to be able to to that's a huge nugget to be able then continue to be able to get the word out, you know, that, you know, people from, you know, you know, Northern Alberta, they understand that that that that Princeton degree that you just referenced, to be able to get those people to understand or even maybe people from the Midwest that haven't grown up in, say, the the the Mid or the Atlantic District area that might not know it as well. I think that is our job to be able to educate them and really understand that, hey. You can come here and pursue your passion and achieve. You see it with Eric Robinson right now playing for the Stanley Cup.
You can do everything you want with your hockey dreams. And and and you gotta work at it. You gotta you gotta, you know, commit to to the craft. The however or the but is that it's also combined with the top school in The US and, you know, the top arguably, it's the top undergrad, if not the top undergrad school in in in the entire world. And so it it it it gives you opportunities that that'll certainly change your life.
You know? And so it's I agree with you. Recruiting is always trying to be able to get the the always the right fit and and and to be able to get the right person to be part of your your your program and and and your culture as well, though.
Scott: Yeah. And it's interesting when you were when you're talking about, I guess, the reach or, you know, or maybe the lack of reach, and there's parts of the North America that might not be as familiar with Princeton. You you mentioned a Canadian city to start. So I was just that made me think just in terms of, like, the recruiting process and Canadians are are you is there has the has the NIL money and the CHL, you know, the ability for those players to make their way to to, you know, US colleges. Has that how has that impacted what you do at Princeton?
Jamie: I I think,
Scott: you know, it's changed a great deal because now there's, you know, three more leagues that we couldn't recruit from a year and a half ago. You know? Yeah. They're also looks like they're changing the rules here in terms of, you know, your eligibility and and, you know, how yes. It's five years, but it's also, you know, encouraging you get to school quicker than than it used to or or not even encouraging, mandating you to get to school so that you you.
Can Yeah. To use that eligibility. And so there's a lot of moving parts, Scott, that that have really changed in in the last two seasons. Like, I've never seen it move this quick or change this rapidly, you know, in my almost thirty years of coaching. It this has been something that's been a little bit crazy.
So when you asked, has it changed? Absolutely. I mean, you know, we have you know, this this coming year, we have four major junior guys that that will be coming in in our our recruiting class, and and that never never happened previous. Obviously, we couldn't bring in major junior guys.
Scott: Right. Right.
Scott: You know? And but these guys have played significant amount of time. You know, you have the Gavin McCanas that have have chosen to go to, you know, Penn State and, obviously, reports of, you know, substantial NIL, you know, you know, contract and and and others. So there's a lot of different different things that are going on. I think it's one of the things that I will say, and I know this conversation started a lot about youth hockey.
And probably why I've referenced to a number of times is having fun and enjoying the game. Right. Because there is a lot of really not good hockey players, but tremendous hockey players playing. Like, it's it's Yeah. It's and and, you know, I would just love to see us double the amount of schools that that are playing college hockey.
I think it's the greatest game going, and and I would love to see, you know, that that that more schools adapt. And I think it's a great sport on campus and would allow more and more people to to be able to play. And so it's certainly the the idea of major junior and and and being able to pay your players at a number of different schools and and so forth has certainly changed the landscape a great deal. And, you know, the outcomes and how this is gonna look, I think those those effects will we won't know those for for quite some time.
Scott: Yeah. But that's four major junior players are in the inbound class?
Scott: Correct.
Scott: Wow. And then just just out of curiosity, like, whether it's at Princeton or at Cornell, but, like, in terms of, like, the number of Canadians that were would would you expect maybe four to come in, but they were not necessarily major junior players, or is that just, like, is is for, like, a big number for either Princeton or other years at Cornell and Quinnipiac?
Scott: Well, in terms of major junior, this is so based on our admissions deadlines a year previous, we we weren't able to to have those major junior players. Yeah. Now that's starting to this change for the. Some of our other, you know, like the Quinnipiacs, they had a number of major junior players already because they have a rolling admission, that that's different. Yep.
You know, Gavin McKenna going to Penn State rolling admissions. Michigan State had a number of of players, a couple first round picks, you know, that they came, you know, from major junior. So when you it's a fair question to say, hey. Is four a lot? Well, four has never happened before, Princeton, because it's never been allowed.
Yeah. And and it so it's it's certainly it it it's just the landscape has has changed. You know, it's us trying to find those that have four academic rigorous classes for all four of their years. That's that's the biggest thing. It's, you know, I don't care how good you are.
You could be Sydney Crosby. You still have to have those four academic rigors every year to be able to, you know, have an opportunity, and it suggested that five to be able to come to Princeton and other Ivy League schools. So that's a critical and crucial part. So sometimes you get those in major junior hockey that that that fit. There's others that that are playing in the USHL that that that that that might fit to that or the BCHL.
So it really it really depends on on on that front as you really kinda, you know, peel back the academic profile. Right.
Jamie: Coach, I'm curious. Would you say that in the past, Princeton and the Ivies would wanna recruit the more of the late bloomer guy, the guy who spent a couple years in juniors, not the 18 year old, 19 year old guy that came would come in and play immediately. Is that correct?
Scott: I would say that would be safe to say. You know? You know, some of it is, say, because of our choice. Some of it's because of the class opportunities that we have within our class. So, you know, I always say, like, people act, well, you only want older kids.
Not necessarily. We want the right kids at the right time. You know? And sometimes they come in a little bit older. Sometimes they they they come in a little bit younger.
But but with the with them, you know, playing till they're 20 or having that opportunity to do that, you know, there was a little bit more flexibility. This new rule that is proposed right now certainly curtail some of that. And so that's you know, that would be the difference. I I'm a firm believer is the player has to arrive at at the right time on on campus.
Jamie: And it's funny. The reason I was asking that is because so let's say the late bloomer, you know, does, a reclass here, and he gets out of school at at he graduates high school at 19. Okay? So his clock starts then. And let's say he goes and plays two years of juniors, which is kinda like your traditional path, right, for for not for the 1%, but for everybody else essentially.
Right? Give or take. So he plays two years of juniors, so now he has three years of of college eligibility left. Would would would Ivy's take a kid with only three years of eligibility, or should that kid have come out after his junior year in high school and played juniors, you know, his senior year and then his would be freshman year? Like, how does that work moving forward?
Scott: You can see more of the latter because The latter. You know, there'll be be guys that'll wanna use their five years if if possible and and certainly to be able to have access to, you know, to their four years of of of eligibility. I think you'll see more of that, you know, moving moving forward.
Jamie: Not the kids with playing with three years of eligibility. You think it's gonna be the earlier kid coming out of high school. Right?
Scott: If the rule goes through the way that it's proposed, and I think that's you know, time will tell. Well, there won't be time. It's gonna happen sooner than later exactly how that rule is gonna shake itself out.
Jamie: Any chance that they give hockey a pass because it's different than all the other sports?
Scott: Nope. You know? And and I don't mean to jump on Jamie, but I we've been fighting this tooth and nail. You Sure. And I'm glad you're asking these questions because I've never been much of a politician, but this is one thing that I think that, you know, I'm I'm a strong believer in that, you know, kids develop at different ages.
You know? And, you know, the other piece of this is is that there's an ecosystem of junior hockey that is out there in Canada, in The US, and there's a lot of great coaches and programs that have done a lot of great things for for kids to go on to play college hockey or to play pro hockey. But what it's also done in some of these communities, you know, in the USHL and, like, meaning in the Midwest or meaning in Western Canada or parts of Ontario or or or Quebec is that they've given, you know, given a great entertainment value and given the community, you know, some some not just great hockey, but some great people and a really great experience that I think it is gonna be changed how that that rolls itself out. And, you know, I I'd be lying to you if I wasn't concerned about our ecosystem. And I just say, you know, it's it's I think our sport, Jamie, is different.
Like you said, I hope they do recognize that it's different than football and and and basketball. I know our commissioners are, you know, working, you know, tooth and nail to be able to, you know, try and find ways to to find this exception. Like, I know you've had Doug Christiansen on here, and I think he does a great job for our league. And he's at the forefront of this here right now, and, hopefully, we we we get somewhere, and I just I don't know the answers to what what you're asking right now, and I wish it was more black and white to be very honest with you.
Jamie: Yeah. I don't think anybody does yet. Like you said, time will tell.
Scott: Time will So
Scott: as far as, you know, one of the things that Jamie and I have talked about, like, because as he mentioned, he's a big Princeton fan.
Scott: Yeah. But I I, on
Scott: the other hand, I'm I have no issue with Princeton whatsoever. I just have I've also never been to a game down there.
Jamie: Oh, wow. Fault.
Scott: I've been to a game. I know.
Scott: I've got tickets all all set aside for you. We got Jamie a hat. We got tickets for you, Scott. Amazing. There you go.
Scott: Amazing. But but you you were you were mentioning early just about Hobi Baker and just, like, you know, the history within the barn over there. What you know, in terms of, like, in season when, like, you know, the students are on campus and the games are going, Like, what's like, how how would you describe the environment over at Hobie Baker? Maybe compare it to other places where you've been. Like, what makes it so special from your perspective?
Scott: I think it's like, the the seating, you're right on top of the play. And Yeah. You know, at the one end zone, you have the the the balcony up top, and and it just gets loud in there. And, you know, there's a lot of knowledgeable hockey fans in the Princeton area, whether they're they're on on on campus or or they're in the area. A lot of knowledgeable fans.
And so they appreciate not just the goals that are scored, but some of the smaller nuances that that that go on in the game, and and you can hear the fans get behind it. And our players love it. And, you know, it's it's it's a it's an intimate environment. And and, you know, when the fans are are are going and and roaring, it's it's a hard place to play. And and, you know, our guys absolutely love it, and they love playing at home.
And and it's the fans are right on top of you, and it's it's
Jamie: it's That's awesome.
Scott: Yep. It's awesome. It's a lot of fun.
Scott: So what's There's no
Jamie: no bad seat in the building.
Scott: No. Nope. Exactly.
Scott: So what's so what's the the rivalry game that would be, you know, a must see
Scott: Must see.
Scott: Someone that hasn't been before, like myself, unfortunately.
Scott: I'm gonna give you three. It was funny you asked this. I I was asked this question earlier today. We had a recruit on campus and asked the exact same thing. And so we have a tennis ball game that that that it actually started at Princeton, but now it just occurs up at at at Dartmouth where, you know, when they score, they throw tennis balls at us.
And it's it's a it's a little bit nutty, but we're so you know, there there certainly is there is arrival. It goes back to to to the nineties, and it started here on on on campus. If I if I'm not mistaken, I I think a student on campus got ahold of some old tennis balls maybe that were part of the tennis the tennis program, and and that's where it kinda started. And so there's certainly a great great rivalry in in that regard, but I also think there's two other games. I mean, you know, when we play Harvard, they're always tight games.
Yeah. And and then, you know, it's it's Cornell has a lot of alums that are in the New York area that they'll come to Hobie Baker. It's my so there there's there's those crowds are always great. So it's it's my hope this year that that we as so get your this is my pitch here. So, Princeton, get your ticks tickets early here for that game.
Let's sell it out so it's all black and orange that night here.
Jamie: And and Don't let Cornell fans buy tickets. Exactly.
Scott: Jamie, you're reading my mail right now. So that's
Jamie: that's That's me, coach. I'm on the same page. Yep. I'm on the same page. You gotta sell them that early.
100%.
Scott: Yep. Yep. Exactly.
Jamie: Know, if if if Scott, you you've obviously since you haven't been to Hobie Baker, so, I mean, it's architecturally one of the nicest ones that that you've ever pictures. Yeah. I mean, it's spectacular. My guess is that that the guy who runs the rink, humidity wise, probably is not easy for him. He probably pulls his hair out, like, in the summertime.
You know? Because it's an old building. It's a very old building, but it is one of again, if you appreciate architecture and, like, old barns, this place is tremendous. Right? And like I said, there's not a bad seat in the building.
What what is hold, coach? 2,000?
Scott: Higher than that. It's just shy of 3,000. Yeah.
Jamie: Oh, it is? Okay. So I'm off. Yeah. Oh, that's right.
The balcony up there probably adds a lot more. Right.
Scott: Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Exactly.
Yeah.
Scott: Awesome. Well, let's sell that out.
Scott: Absolutely. Let's go
Scott: to Jersey.
Scott: Yeah. Exactly. Exactly.
Scott: I love it.
Jamie: So, coach, did we have we have we closed out the the summer camp, summer ice hockey camp that you guys are running? Is it sold out yet?
Scott: We're we're getting close. We got a couple age groups. We have some waiting lists. We got a a a few at our elite camp that's for some of the older kids. There's still a few spots there.
I think coach Henningson was telling me today there's some there's a few spots remaining there, and and then there's also a youth camp that that still has some spots remaining that's right after July 4 here. So if you if you if you don't like the heat that that Jersey can bring sometime in in the month of July, Hockey's Hockey's a great spot to be. So come on out.
Jamie: Yes. It is. Let's let's see that camp
Scott: at some point. Yeah.
Jamie: Both of our kids will be there. The I think, I wanna say, the the July 23 camp that the boys are gonna be at. Yeah.
Scott: Awesome. Awesome. They
Scott: better kick their ass. I mean, none of this standing around stuff. They they
Jamie: They can move from a fishing them.
Scott: Yep. Yep. You can tell them there will be no there will be no chalkboard, you know, and tell them to keep the water close. Love it.
Jamie: Love it.
Scott: You're also assuming my 11 year old's gonna remember to bring his water bottle. Mean, you're you're asking for a lot, coach.
Jamie: You wanna hear a funny story? Point. Yeah. Yeah. You wanna hear a funny story?
Scott: Are you gonna tell what I think you're gonna tell?
Jamie: Yeah. I I think I am. If not, you could tell the other story that that I'm not thinking of. So my my my now 14 year old has ADHD, and he yeah. And he he never takes his water bottle.
So he he had a game the other day. They had they had, like, a pickup game. A team from Brewster was like, hey. You guys wanna play? So our coach kinda, like, cobbled together a team of, like, twelve, thirteen kids, whoever was around to play on Saturday.
And my wife brings his water bottle into the rink, And I look at her, I go, Nancy, he's not gonna take that. I go, he never takes it. So another parent was standing there, and they're like, why does he never take it? I'm like, he doesn't take it because he always forgets it on the bench. So after, like, the twenty fifth water bottle that he lost, right, because he remembers it when the Zamboni's on, he's like, oh, forget it.
So he just leaves it. After the twenty fifth water bottle that he lost, he just drinks other people's water on the bench, coach. He grabs who's ever on the ice, Dominic grabs their bottle. Kidding. Never brings his so so I remember, like, I asked him one time.
I'm like, Dominic, I'm like I'm like, you ever get, like, surprised? Like, you think it's gonna be water, and it's like Gatorade or, Powerade? He's like, oh, yeah. All the time. He's like, one kid had or water the other day.
He's like, dad, it was awful. He's kinda what he had
Scott: in it. He said, whatever
Jamie: it was, the electrolyte powder was just awful.
Scott: Oh, jeez. That's unreal. That's pretty funny. Is funny. That's that's why you just you gotta have one dad or one mom just bring up, you know, eight water bottles and call it a day, you know, or put put a kid in charge of it.
You know?
Scott: There you go. Exactly. Leadership, responsibility. Let's go, boys.
Scott: Right. Start them young.
Jamie: Know? That's right. That's right.
Scott: Alright. Well, listen. We've been over the hour, Mark. Coach, you've given us a lot of time. I really appreciate you hanging out with us tonight.
It was so cool to learn more about Princeton and super pumped to be there for the summer with my kid and then throw some tennis balls around. Let's go.
Scott: Exactly. Well, hey. I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but if the tennis ball does come in, we'll we'll be playing tennis ball hockey anyway. So it'll be you gotta you gotta have a little fun at the end of it anyway. So there'll be some tennis balls
Scott: around the rink.
Scott: Totally. Yeah. All good fun. Yeah. Yeah.
I love it. Awesome, Coach.
Scott: I love it. I really appreciate it.
Scott: Thanks, guys.
Scott: And just out of curiosity, in terms of, like, if anyone if anyone's interested in, like, maybe learning more about the Princeton, you know, men's or women's ice hockey program, where where should they go?
Scott: Yeah. Just head right over to to our website here, and and our communications department keeps that updated here and and and does a great job here. It's on our main Princeton athletics website here. Just hit the drop down box here, and and you'll be able to learn more about us. It it has all our our history here.
And, you know, in the interim, if we got some Princeton fans here, let's cheer on the Hurricanes here, and, hopefully, Eric Robinson will be raising the cup here soon.
Scott: There we go.
Jamie: That's right. Yeah. And when do ticket when do you see the tickets go on sale, coach? Are they on sale already?
Scott: They're not yet here. So that usually happens the first part of August here. So we got a little bit of time here. Okay. But, yep, we'll we'll get that out.
Look for look for it on Instagram and Twitter, and and but we'll make sure that we we get that out here and go from there.
Scott: That's awesome.
Jamie: We'll have to have you back on right before that so we can pump that up.
Scott: That'll be perfect. That'll be perfect. I'd love it. I love it. Love it.
Just get right in the preseason youth hockey too. We'll be all set. You know? Exactly.
Jamie: Absolutely, Will. Awesome. Thank you so much, coach. This is the one
Scott: we got. Appreciate it.
Scott: I'll leave you with this too is is is we we do have the Baker Bash at where our men's and women's team having a have an event. It's kinda like a scrimmage against each other, inter squad game, and it's open to the public here. So we'll release the date on that here too, and it's free of charge. Kids can get autographs, and both men's and and women's team are are there. So it's kind of a a way to kick kick start the year.
So
Jamie: And is that normally in August or September? When is that?
Scott: That's in October. Yep.
Jamie: Yep. That's October.
Scott: Yep. Yep. Right before we're allowed to actually start playing.
Jamie: Okay. Good.
Scott: So when
Jamie: we have you on in August, move before we for for the season, we'll pump that up too. I love it.
Scott: Yeah? Yep. That's great. Awesome. Alright, coach.
Thanks so much. Really appreciate your time tonight.
Scott: Hey. Thanks, guys. It was a great day and a lot of fun.
Scott: You got it.
Jamie: Let's go Tigers.
Scott: Thank you.
Scott: Alright, everybody. Welcome back. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome back.
Jamie: Oh, I thought you were gonna I thought you were gonna do are are you going to? Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Who's that?
Scott: No. Topher. Yes. Yes.
Jamie: I thought you were gonna do that.
Scott: No. What what is his what
Jamie: is his catchphrase? Welcome. Welcome. What is it? What's the rest of it?
What can I think? I haven't listened to in a while.
Scott: What an episode we have for you today.
Jamie: Oh, that's right. Right. Right. Right. Right.
Sorry, Tof. Tof's our buddy too. I don't wanna
Scott: No. It's great. You know, I
Jamie: would strip his shit.
Scott: No. I would I would find myself myself sometimes in the car.
Jamie: Well, you said welcome, welcome, welcome.
Scott: That's what that's what No. I know. I there was because I used to listen to it more when we weren't doing, you know, like, our podcast. Whatever. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And and this was a time thing, not because I don't appreciate the content because what they put out is fantastic.
Jamie: Yeah. No. They're good stuff.
Scott: Him and
Jamie: Jeff are great.
Scott: Had more time.
Jamie: Him and Jeff is great dudes. Yeah. The Hockey Think Tank is a great podcast. It's not our podcast, but it's a great podcast.
Scott: No. Not ours. Yes. But what he would always say
Jamie: They're two great dudes.
Scott: For you.
Jamie: Oh, that's right. That's right. Yeah. What it not what a show we have what the hell did he used to say? Shit.
I haven't listened to it in while. To you.
Scott: Yes. Yes. And I I would I would find myself in the car just like saying that out I almost Like not not when it was even on.
Jamie: I feel like I need to clip this and send it to Toph. Yeah. I do. I feel like I need to because I think I just did that pretty well actually. Like if I send that to him, I'm gonna be like, Toph, who is this?
He'd like, it's me. I'm like, no.
Scott: For, like, coaches, players,
Jamie: parents Parents and coaches.
Scott: To go.
Jamie: To go.
Scott: To get a little bit of education and a little bit of inspiration
Jamie: Right.
Scott: For the greatest game on right. The planet. No. It's awesome. It's great.
I know.
Jamie: Shout out Toph and Jeff.
Scott: Let's go. Yeah.
Jamie: But, yeah, man. No. Speaking of speaking of Tof, Tof is actually pretty tight with with coach Ben Sire.
Scott: But they coach together. Right?
Jamie: You know, that's a good question.
Scott: So I'm pretty sure Ben say he did? Coach Sire?
Jamie: Is that what he said? I I know I know He
Scott: just brought up Topher.
Jamie: Yeah. He did. I know so I know that I know that Topher was gone when coach Sire coached Cornell. He was not there. He may have come back Topher also coached at Cornell a couple years.
They may have overlapped. I'm not sure.
Scott: I I think I'm pretty sure
Jamie: They might have. Did he say it in the interview?
Scott: I think he did.
Jamie: If he did, I didn't catch it. So if that's my bad. But I know he knows Topher because I know Toph does a lot of fundraising
Scott: Yes.
Jamie: For Cornell. Yes. Right? And I know they obviously crossed paths there. There's no question about it.
Yeah. But I don't think Topher played for coach Sire.
Scott: No. I don't think that was the case. Yeah. No. I I think that they coached together.
Jamie: I think you might be right about that. I think that I think they may and and I missed that in the interview, which is shitty on me, so my bad. But, no, I I know that well, obviously, we we talked a little bit about it. I'm sure that Topher has done stuff for that, you know, George Boyardee who we talked about in the, the book The Hard Hat.
Scott: Yeah. Yeah. No. Well, he definitely talked about it on the pod on his podcast because did he? That's how when you started talking about it with coach Sire last night, was like, oh, I know that story, and it was from Think Tank.
Jamie: Oh, it's from Topher? Yeah. Yeah. That doesn't surprise me because, you know, George is is a big story up in Cornell.
Scott: Yeah. No. No doubt. Yeah. And and
Jamie: parents a very sad story. But parents, you should have your kids read Energy Bus and The Hard Hat by John Gordon because they are fantastic books. They're not difficult reads. You can download them on Audible and listen to them. Sure.
I I Dominic and I listened to them in the car, years ago when we were just traveling around for ice
Scott: hockey. Oh, did you? Yep. That that's a good idea. You know, I don't even know why that hasn't even, like Listen.
I would put podcasts on.
Jamie: Listen. You're killing you're so much goddamn time in the car from practices and tournaments and games you're traveling to and Why not use use your time wisely?
Scott: Honestly, that's definitely happening.
Jamie: Dominic and I have listened to so many books, by
Scott: the way. Good for you. That's fucking smart. Tons of them. Mean, it seems like crazy that I I haven't I didn't even consider that.
Jamie: Huckleberry Finn. Really? Oh, yeah, man. Moby you're Dick. The
Scott: man. I don't know
Jamie: about that, but we we listen to we listen to Pee Wee's. We listen to we listen to ton of books.
Scott: Rich Cohen, speaking of guests I
Jamie: was thinking about him this morning. It's funny. We I need I need to revisit. Yeah. I do.
I need to revisit Pee Wee's and get him on. He said he would do it twice. We just we just haven't hooked up. He got busy, then we got busy. I mean, we've been we've been very busy, you and I.
Scott: Oh, listen. I I know. I'm just saying. Yes. He he I would love
Jamie: to accept one. I would too. His book his book is phenomenal. Another book you guys should all go read, Pee Wee's by Rich Cook.
Scott: Or listen to.
Jamie: Or listen to. Either way. Again, use your time The Richfield Bears.
Scott: The Ridgefield Bears.
Jamie: It was a
Scott: You love Bears.
Jamie: Broadway Broadway Julie something? Oh, Broadway Jenny? Shit. What the hell was her name? Broadway Oh.
Goddamn. Shit. We need oh, shit. We need to have, we need have Rich on here. Broadway Julie or Broadway Jenny?
I don't remember the the character. But again, if you guys have not read the book Pee Wee's, go read the book Pee Wee's by Rich Cohen. Tremendous. If you're a hockey fan, you will die Yes. Reading this book.
Scott: Because because
Jamie: you and you'll go, holy shit. I do that too. 100. No question about it. You'll do it.
Scott: Yep. Yes. Yep.
Jamie: So there you go. That's three really good pieces of literature that we just dropped on this podcast. See, we're not just pretty faces. We educate in other ways other than hockey. That said.
Right?
Scott: Well said.
Jamie: Your kids
Scott: will You took all the
Scott: words out of my mouth,
Jamie: Your kids will all be well read in the next couple years just by listening to us. Because I read lot, so I will throw books out to you guys.
Scott: Do you really consider listening to a book reading?
Scott: Yeah. You do?
Jamie: I do.
Scott: Listening?
Jamie: I do.
Scott: With your ears?
Jamie: I do.
Scott: As opposed to reading with your eyeballs?
Jamie: I do. Isn't the idea to ingest the information? Yes. But there's Am I not ingesting the information?
Scott: No. You are. You are. I'm just saying I don't think you're reading it.
Jamie: I can hear Jimmy.
Scott: I can hear Jimmy. You're not listening. I can hear Jimmy. Yeah. White men can't
Jamie: jump? Yes. Raymond, is that you? Raymond, is that you?
Scott: Put down that gun. Take off that Put down that gun. Shit. Alright.
Jamie: I'm gonna go to my other car. I'm gonna go to my car, get my other gun, shoot everybody's ass. That's a great movie, by the way.
Scott: Woody Harrelson is.
Jamie: Oh, dude. Dude, it's like it's a we go and see. We go and see.
Scott: So funny. What was the name of what was the name of like the legendary duo that like The
Jamie: king and
Scott: the duck.
Jamie: The king and and the duck. Yeah. That was that that that was a phenomenal movie.
Scott: Yeah. Anyway.
Jamie: I mean, yeah. One of So best yeah. So there you go. How even do get on that? How do we get on White Men Can't Jump?
Scott: Because we were saying you can't you you we're talking about reading and you were telling me that you feel well read despite you haven't read
Jamie: any of those books. I do. Yes. Because I'm ingesting the information.
Scott: Right.
Jamie: So I can hear Jimmy.
Scott: But I I I will say
Jamie: Do you find it not reading?
Scott: I don't think it's reading.
Jamie: You don't? So what do you call it?
Scott: I listening. Okay. I listen to a book. Okay.
Jamie: But I'm
Scott: not I'm not like I'm not like saying that it's like
Jamie: Okay.
Scott: One is better than the other. I just wouldn't say like if I listen to a book, I wouldn't go and say, Jamie, I read this great book
Jamie: today. So what is so what is the purpose for reading a book? No. I'm not I'm not listening Hold on. Like, why would you go read, like, Elon Musk's book?
Or why would you go read, like
Scott: Well, I read anything?
Jamie: Why would you read, like, the you know, any book. X y pick a book.
Scott: It's it's it's just a different way of consuming information.
Jamie: It's a different way of consuming it.
Scott: Yeah. I'm just saying. I wouldn't I wouldn't say listening to books are great. I've I have listened to plenty of books.
Jamie: So so so instead of so if somebody asked me if I've read a book, like, say, Jamie, have you read Pee Wee's by Rich Cohen? Should I say no?
Scott: No. So listen, what I would do
Jamie: I have. I mean, I I've I've
Scott: consumed You've listened to it.
Jamie: Now listen, the great part about technology is that you can you can consume things in different ways, which is why we're on a podcast right now. We Yeah. People are consuming this in different ways than they used
Scott: Got to back
Jamie: in the it. Right? Is this a different consumption
Scott: So let me ask you a question.
Jamie: If someone read
Scott: if someone read the transcript of this episode
Jamie: Right. Would consuming it.
Scott: But would they will will they have listened to it?
Jamie: No. They they would not have.
Scott: No. They wouldn't have.
Jamie: But they would have so okay. So next time somebody asks me if I've read Moby Dick, what do I say?
Scott: I've listened to it.
Jamie: Okay. I have a question for you. There are books that I have read Mhmm.
Scott: Or oh, that time. There are
Jamie: there are there are books that I have listened to, and I've actually had the book in front of me, like.
Scott: Yeah. Okay. I would say that's fine.
Jamie: But I also actually do read. I actually have books on nightstand.
Scott: This is not like No. No. No. This is no way a knock. I'm not like that's not where I'm going
Jamie: with this at all. But I'll feel knocked. Yeah. But but I I actually have books on my nightstand that I actually physically do read.
Scott: That's great.
Jamie: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I I guess like but you know what? But I don't have time to sit down
Scott: and read. I'll be honest with you. If I were you, would have also said I read the book Yeah. Because I'm not gonna necessarily go on
Jamie: to I've listened.
Scott: Yeah. To explain it.
Jamie: Yeah. It's another way. It's an yes. But I there I would love to be able to sit down and actually read Yeah. The actual, like but I don't have time.
Like, when I'm in the car, like, I try to use my time wisely. Yeah. I actually try to listen to, like, a self help book and something else that I want to read. Yeah.
Scott: Yep. That's good. No. That's good.
Jamie: Serious. Why are you smiling at me?
Scott: I'm smiling because you're talking So about self so but
Jamie: You never stop learning, homeboy.
Scott: Hola. Why?
Jamie: You don't like you don't like self help? You don't like to do self help books? Maybe you should.
Scott: Descolpe. You need them. Descolpe. Oh, exactly. Because you need a lot
Jamie: of help.
Scott: Okay. So, yeah. So so you're busting my balls. I was on
Jamie: the phone with Scott today when he's coming home from work, and we were talking about meeting up for to do this tonight. And and he's like, Jamie, I gotta get off the phone with you. I gotta go learn Spanish.
Scott: That's right.
Jamie: So you were using your time wisely.
Scott: I I was.
Jamie: And you were listening to it.
Scott: I was Yeah.
Jamie: You were not reading it. You were listening
Scott: to it.
Jamie: I was driving. Can hear Jimmy.
Scott: I can hear Jimmy.
Jamie: You can hear Jimmy.
Scott: Yeah. And I also
Jamie: yeah. I can hear Jimmy. Yeah. I can hear Jimmy. It's the last night in the pips.
Scott: I just wanna let you know. I just wanna let you know at the end of lesson one Yeah. I got all the flashcards correct.
Jamie: Did you? Yeah. Interesting. Yeah. Scott is learning a foreign language.
So it's funny. I you know, it's funny. You're not using Duolingo though. Right?
Scott: No. I actually did a little bit of research. The program that I'm using is like, it's much more audio based. You don't have to interact with the screen. So you can get through a whole lesson.
Like, I did flashcards.
Jamie: So you
Scott: can just listen to it? I listen and then you just say it out loud.
Jamie: Duolingo, you interact with the screen.
Scott: Some of them you interact with the screen more Correct. You do. Which are not great for Yes. Driving.
Jamie: I, I actually you know, it's funny. We should actually redo Duolingo as a sponsorship, you know? Sure. But, but Duolingo, I got the family plan on Duo those for those of you with a little bit of context who don't know Duolingo, it's a, a language app where you can learn all different languages. So I did the family plan Yeah.
Like over a year ago. Luca was doing German, Dominic was doing Spanish, Nancy and I were both doing Italian.
Scott: Okay.
Jamie: Okay? And then and it it like Dominic de Coco. Shout out to Angela, sirs. Episode
Scott: I don't know. Episode earlier.
Jamie: Pro Stride. Yeah. New Jersey Devil's power skating coach. Yeah. Shout out to Angela.
Yeah. But yeah. So great movie by the way. So Nancy and I went through like a whole year of it, and I'm sure we know very little Italian.
Scott: Yeah. You did it for a whole year for real life?
Jamie: Yes. Nancy was the most Nancy and Luca were the most consistent. Oh, I will say this, Luca knows a shitload of German.
Scott: Like, he's like From just from the
Scott: app?
Jamie: He did German and Russian, but he his brain is different than everybody else's.
Scott: Fair.
Jamie: He's just like a he's he his brain works differently than than than all of ours does. But, and then I tried Latin. Woah. Why? Woah, bud.
Why? Yikes. I've always wanted to learn Latin. Woah. That's a hard language.
Italian was a fucking breeze compared to
Scott: But you don't even know Italian. I know You just cut Finnish saying you don't know.
Jamie: I I know. Listen. I took Spanish when I was when I was younger, so I have I
Scott: have You're senor.
Jamie: I have a base of Italian, right, because of Spanish. But Latin? No. Bud. No.
No bueno. No bueno. You know? Yeah. No.
Alright.
Scott: Well, my sister studied Latin Buddy. The second time I hit the mic.
Jamie: Really hard. Like, that's a hard language. Well So for those of you listeners that know Latin, I give you a lot of credit. But you were so you so you use your time wisely, and you were you were trying to learn a language on your way home from work today.
Scott: I was.
Jamie: Nice, buddy.
Scott: Yeah. That's right.
Jamie: It's good. Yeah.
Scott: I like it. You know? Listen, you gotta you gotta stay sharp.
Jamie: I like it.
Scott: Yeah. You can't just listen to hockey podcasts all the time. Yeah.
Jamie: You
Scott: can. Yeah. Well, I do.
Jamie: Listen so so I I so I recommend that all of you listen to books on your way on your when you're in the car. Listen to, like, self help stuff. Listen to stuff you wanna read. Classics are phenomenal, like Moby Dick. Like I mean, pick a classic.
I mean, the Catcher in the Rye. I mean, just pick a classic. Or or listen to stuff like historical stuff, like, I don't know. Whatever historical books you wanna read. But there's tons of phenomenal literature out there.
But what I was gonna say is make sure you do that after you finish our podcast episode.
Scott: Well, that that's also important.
Scott: Listen to
Jamie: our entire library of all 69 episodes first, and make sure you consume the one that came out that week, and then you roll into the self help.
Scott: I see. See. Makes sense? Yeah. I see where your priorities We're both wrong.
Jamie: And we're both wrong because we both picked the Avalanche.
Scott: That's correct.
Jamie: Although we both did have, if I'm not mistaken Carolina. Have Carolina in the finals.
Scott: Yes.
Jamie: In my opinion, I as much as I like Carolina, I don't think Carolina's gonna win. Because I think Mitch Marner is gonna win this thing, and he's gonna and he's gonna basically give the middle finger to everybody in Toronto.
Scott: That's what you want to happen.
Jamie: And again, no, I we have a lot of listeners in the Toronto area. I love all of our Canadian listeners, but I think that this is Mitch Marner's time.
Scott: Well, it certainly could be.
Jamie: I don't know if it's gonna happen. That's just what it feels like. Well And I think it's going like seven games.
Scott: Listen. I
Jamie: because Carolina is also nasty.
Scott: They're they're really good. You know? Yeah. I I will say though I
Jamie: think it comes down to goaltending. That's my feeling.
Scott: If you if you listen, that's obviously gonna be a big part. I I just just thinking about what Carolina has gone up gone up against on their road to the ROAD. Where we're going, we don't need roads.
Jamie: Where we're going, we don't need roads.
Scott: Another great movie.
Scott: Yeah. You know? Einstein.
Jamie: It's a great movie.
Scott: Yeah. But, no. I I don't It's a great movie. Carolina they they have what are they? They've swept?
They've lost one game to Montreal. They
Jamie: have had a a they did. They lost one game in Montreal, and the game they lost to Montreal, they were sitting on the sideline for a a handful of days, and Montreal was just coming off
Scott: of it.
Jamie: I think it's pretty overtime, and they
Scott: were kind
Jamie: of hitting the ground running. So they they got they they got caught flat footed, but clearly, they turned it around. I think every
Scott: time So I I guess just like if this ends up being like a seven game series, you know, they haven't had to keep their their foot on the gas, like.
Jamie: True. This is gonna be a different they
Scott: might need to. It's gonna be a different task.
Jamie: Feels like it's going.
Scott: So I don't know. I I mean What do you think? Oh, I think Carolina
Jamie: Oh, okay.
Scott: I think oh, no. No. I I did. That wasn't I wasn't saying that's my answer.
Jamie: I jumped
Scott: the gun. Yeah. I honestly, I I don't I don't know. I think it's gonna be a good series. I hope it's gonna be a good series.
Jamie: Yeah. I
Scott: do too. You know, the one thing that I've heard a few times is obviously if Carolina is gonna go the distance, they need Ajo. They need know, Ehlers. They need some of the guys that have not been going.
Jamie: They need goaltending to come up big.
Scott: Well, both teams will. Carter Carter Hart is looking the part.
Jamie: Well, that's what I'm saying right I mean, it's hard I mean, I feel like you win with goaltending in this league, you know, especially in in when you're deep in the playoffs like this. Like, I feel like goaltending is kinda what sets you apart. It's it's I mean, just look
Scott: at the last couple of Stanley Cup. Making too many mistakes.
Jamie: Of course.
Scott: You know, it's like there's so many things, but, yeah, of course.
Jamie: You know?
Scott: Anyway, so you're you're saying you're saying Vegas?
Jamie: I I think Vegas is gonna win.
Scott: And I'm saying Carolina.
Jamie: Okay. Fair.
Scott: Shout out.
Jamie: Yeah. And listen. I I generally am awful at picking this shit. So and just like my buddy Kareem has said to me, shout out Kareem, that I am awful at picking these games. And he's not wrong.
I am fucking awful at them.
Scott: Well, you have a fifty fifty chance, so your odds True. Are pretty good.
Jamie: Although, I will say, I did pick we Yeah. You know, we picked Carolina to go in the finals, which was pretty good on our part.
Scott: Yeah. Sure. But I don't think there was anything in the East that really made you think unless, like, the lightning, like, totally, like, Vasilevskiy was, like, completely on fire and, like No. You're right. Was, like You're right.
Jamie: The East was a little soft this year.
Scott: I mean, I I you feel like
Jamie: Although regular season games didn't look that way.
Scott: No. It was more competitive in the West. Right?
Jamie: Yeah. Well, the West, a lot of teams I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't a team, like, with, like, 39 wins get in? Was oh, did Vegas have 39
Scott: wins? Some teams that, like so if Toronto was in the West, they would have been in the playoffs. I'm pretty sure with the number of points. Like, similarly,
Jamie: like West was a little weak this year.
Scott: At points were, like, would have been on the verge of being on the playoffs. That's insane. And
Jamie: yet and yet the East did not really put up much of a fight in the playoffs.
Scott: Which is also interesting. But then you have this you have okay. Look. But then you you don't have okay. Florida obviously didn't have a great season.
Toronto didn't either. But those are two teams that are usually like, you know
Jamie: Dude, the Vegas the Vegas Golden Knights, they won their league with 39 wins.
Scott: Oh, so you're right.
Jamie: 39 wins, they won their league.
Scott: And what about Carolina? I mean, their, like, their division.
Jamie: 53. They had a 113 points to 113 points to 95.
Scott: Yeah. It's a big difference, dude.
Jamie: Yeah. And yet, the Golden Knights are just clicking on all cylinders.
Scott: Yeah. But that's, also
Jamie: I feel like the golden the Golden Knights are like the New York Knicks right now. They're just on fire.
Scott: Well, I mean
Jamie: Sometimes you catch fire, dude. Yeah.
Scott: But like and it's not limited just to like, you know, things start to click, you know, like your injury situation's gotta be pretty good. I mean, look what that True.
Jamie: Very true.
Scott: And if that's why it's just like a Super. Jimmy Dads was saying it the other day, like, to win the championship, like, so many things have to go right.
Jamie: Bro, the the Devils had, like, 42 wins. Technically, they had more wins than than the Vegas Golden Knights. And the Vegas Golden Knights won their league, and the Devils finished second to last to the fucking Rangers.
Scott: Yeah. That I mean, was talked about a lot during the season.
Jamie: The East was, like, legit this year. Sure. Right? I mean, super legit, and the West was other than the avalanche and the stars, the West was a little down. Yeah.
Right? I mean, the Oilers finished second to the to to the Golden Knights with with 41 wins, 93 points. I mean, those teams, it was just different this year.
Scott: Sure.
Jamie: You know? So But Listen.
Scott: That's the way it goes.
Jamie: That is the way it goes, man. And
Scott: now you're on Carolina.
Jamie: Okay. Fair.
Scott: Let's go Carolina. Let's go Canes.
Jamie: Listen. It's it's hard not to cheer for them. It's hard not to cheer for them. I mean, they're a very good hockey team.
Scott: Yeah. Rod Brendamore played there for ten years, and now he's been coaching there for ten years.
Jamie: Is it ten years already?
Scott: I think so. Yeah.
Jamie: Listen. He's a very good coach. I mean, coach Sire was talking about him, in during the interview.
Scott: Yeah.
Jamie: You know, he mentioned Brendamore. I mean, he Brendamore is he's the real deal.
Scott: Well well and then his son also went to Quinnipiac.
Jamie: Oh, I didn't know that.
Scott: Son. Yeah. He he won. He won one Quinnipiac, the most recent
Jamie: Oh, he was on he was he was on that team? Won the NCAA championship.
Scott: Oh, I didn't realize. And now he's on Carolina.
Jamie: Now he's how crazy is that you're playing for your dad?
Scott: I know. I thought there were dad coaches when you get to the NHL.
Jamie: That's a there's generally not. That Yeah. How I'm pretty sure that if you look back in history, that has not happened a lot.
Scott: Too many times.
Jamie: I'm gonna guess. Yeah. Right? I mean, my guess is it doesn't happen pretty
Scott: Skyler's his name. Skyler Brendamore.
Jamie: Does he play? Does he play a lot?
Scott: I think it was up and down. He definitely got some games in this season, but I I he wasn't a regular. Yeah. Don't think. But I don't follow Carolina too closely.
Jamie: Keep developing. He's also still a young kid. Right?
Scott: Yeah. He's out of school two years, but that could also make him 30. So I don't know.
Jamie: Well put, actually. That is actually very well put, especially in the hockey world.
Scott: Yeah.
Jamie: You're not wrong about
Scott: that. Yeah. You know? Alright. Let's Anyway, let's wrap this one up.
Jamie: Yes. This was fun. Episode 69 in the books.
Scott: Let's go Canes.
Jamie: Thank you to
Scott: Go Tigers.
Jamie: Thank you to everybody for listening and subscribing and downloading. Please go leave us a review on Spotify or on Apple. They're so hard to get. I know we're getting them, but they're so hard to get because it helps us in the algorithms. And, Scott and I want Crazy Hockey Dads to take over the, the youth hockey space and be the number one voice.
So we can't do that without you guys.
Scott: So Numero uno.
Jamie: Numero there you go. There you go. See? That Spanish app is working for you.
Scott: There you go.
Jamie: Nice, buddy. Alright. So we'll see everybody next time. Hope you enjoyed it. Episode 69 in the books.
Scott: Alright. Later, dude.