The Boys are Back, for the first Off Season Special of the year.
Patrick, Davy and Simon will be joined by JJ Piccinich, new Netminder Tom McCollum and Head Coach Adam Keefe.
They will also reveal another name on the Belfast Giants Roster LIVE on the show!
Come join us!
[Music] I [Music] hello this is a view from the bridge official podcast of the Belfast Jance for Kingdom of the j.com today’s Wednesday the 12th of June 2024 my name is Patrick Smith we’re live on YouTube Facebook X and all that normal sort of stuff if you’re watching along live welcome you can join us and drop comments down the side you can also listen to us on your normal podcast providers on this week’s show we’re going to have a bit of a catch up over what’s happened over the last couple of months and look at the roster as it stands we’ll also be joined by JJ panic and Tom McCullum Adam Keith will be dropping by for a few words and we will be revealing the next name on The Belfast chance roster for the 2024 25 season stay tuned for that Mr M jimy I always love when it comes to this time of the year D because I just look out that back window little sunshine coming in how’s are you are you un mute DAV I can’t hear a word p problems have there we go problems um I’d give you a really good answer there too um life is as complicated now as it was at the end of the hockey season I can hear the C behind me go meal love you sure well that’s moving swiftly on gentlemen swiftly on and Mr kitchen so I didn’t see you in Portugal I know man no it would have been nice to catch up one those I this I don’t really look at the social media very awful lot more and it was Jasmine that pointed out the day after you were in aler we literally five minutes away from aler so um no but unfortunately he’d already been there and gone he texted he texted me m parties no chance I want not going anywhere it was it was lovely there as well 27 28 degrees just love right jent well let’s get cracking because we have in about 10 minutes time we’ll be chatting the JJ picking when he pops by for a few words but let’s have a quick look at where the roster stands currently for the Belfast Giants um actually just go do the old fashioned way and bring up uh Elite prospects um an adver just pops in there um goalies we’ve got a brand new galie and Tom m we’ll be speaking to him later but coming back with Jackson whistle and of course the stal word that is Andrew Dixon um in defense G Bast is back with us Jeff bomb and and Cameron pound also back Josh R is back and a new name in Zach gambus and then we look at the forwards good to see Elijah BGA come back into the side Joe cass’s a new name Scott Conway was the name that was on everybody’s lips in the uh at the end of this last season as the weather he would return he is back with us coops is back in the lineup Ben Lake Kieran long and the man who will be joining us shortly is back JJ pcking I’ll start with you D from that lineup obviously the Lika K’s picking it coming back G bass coming back you know draws the eye but for you we are the standouts there um I really like Tom McCollum um someone whose career I’ve was interesting I was I was chatting in centry I think it was maybe about February time did Davy Phillips um who also played with him back in the day um when he was on his little North American tour and um I’d asked him because Tom came in to the Red Wings as you you me Red Wings fans Tom came in there many years ago and just at the sort of same there you go just at the same sort of time as Jimmy hard got going and wonder know what sort of career All-Star career Jimmy hard had and just became hard for McCollum to get NSL time and he he dodged the bike through the through the the lower leagues but he should be a standard go tender at the back end like it’s obvious to like try and focus in on on B coming back after what it done the the previous season I like G Lambos I like the size there you know not a big body at the back end and and up front as you’ve already mentioned Elijah BGA would never really got to see what he could do at the four Champions Hockey League games on their his belt at the start of last season we’ seen him obviously in Scotland the year before did really well J have took a chance on him and unfortunately for him it took that really bad injury and and ruled him out for the season but um you know he comes back in after rehabing and hopefully rehabing well and he’ll be chomping at the bit to get going s maybe have been talking to him and knows knows better just how how desperate he is to get back on the ice but you know gotta be C he doesn’t have a point to prove but he’ll want to get his career back on track so uh you know he’ll be expecting well we hope he hits the gr running for sure I’ll stick on that point says and I’ll come to you regard elij B it was you know nobody wanted to see his his season end the way that it did right at the very start of last season and you know dve says he doesn’t have a point to prove but maybe in his own head he he you know he’ll want to get out there he’ll want to hit the ground run and he’ll want to show what he could have brought last season yeah well he came over to Belfast um for he had to go and see the KN doctor again after I think it was about early March um so he was there for a couple games at the um at the arena um he looked in great shape um he you know he’s been really working hard to get back the fitness again I know he’s really looking forward to to um to basically getting back on the ice here in Belfast and and uh I think it’s a player did he just touched on with there we obviously didn’t see anywhere near what he’s capable of and I’m really looking forward to getting Eli back again um really good guy in the room as well obviously we only got him he was hanging around for a while after the injury and stuff as well and and you don’t see the best of people in in those circumstances because you’re not really part of the team you know you’re the guys obviously Haram around and but he he’s not gone on the road with you he’s not you know he’s not on the ice with you and know he should just stand about in the in the arena and you’re not really getting uh to to see and experience what everybody else experien on the ice so yeah really looking forward to seeing up Breer can can bring next season um but again when when you’re talking the whole way through that roster can’t just dismiss Scott kway um that is massive for us you know you see all these other clubs and all these other fans basically going you know he can’t do this and he can’t do that and he can’t do the other he’s the best player in the league two years ago he went away to a higher level and playing Slovak was near a point to player or point to game over there as well K is is all for and he is absolutely busting to get back as well so um he he had an injury last season as well played through the injury had a bit of a um you know got a sort of at the end of the year as well so he’s going to come back and he’s going to be ready to go so that’s I really like what Adam Steve and and the coaching staff have done so far I think it’s um very very exciting I I I’m really looking forward to seeing what to I don’t want to say kids but you know 25 and 27 year old gambus and and uh cassetti can do D said two big bodies two guys that you know throw the we about NCAA they the first time come coming into play Pro you know they’ll be well up for it as well so it’s um yeah exciting times it’s still only June 12th of June um so I didn’t really want to point it out but I got shouted that yesterday in the office by saying it’s only nine weeks away before training camp so we’re trying to everybody keeps on thinking no you know everybody’s on a summer break it’s not the case we’re working hard in the arena to H get everything ready we had a big meeting today regarding um getting everything done for next season so um yeah it’s um it’s all systems go one of the big things Davey as well is obviously British players you look at our you know we’ve got you know Jackson whistle Cameron pound you’ve got um Scott Conway you got Kieran long obviously Shawn N has now gone to the Guilford flames and we’ve seen the last couple of days Davy Phillips has gone home to play in Hull um but so picking up replacement so picking up British players to sort of fill out the roster will be a big thing in the coming weeks Simon’s already touchdown there we’ve picked up the bre best British player in the league in Scott Conway so that’s uh you know that’s a bonus Good Start um but I’m sure there’ll be there’s there’s some upand coming players British players are always going to be a premium in this league when you’re you know when you’re trying to you know compete at the top level of League you know a lot of these young British guys now come in they can go and play in the in the league was nihl you know Anthony Russell you watching I’m sure he’ll know better you know it’s it’s a standard now that they can go and get significant ice time as opposed to coming and maybe playing third line minutes fourth line minutes and not really developing their career much more than you being that that add-on player so um is there young guys looking looking out there to come in and and try and take that step up to the elite League I don’t I don’t know you know how many you say they’ve got there one we’ve got Jackson whistle Cameron pin Scott Conway Karen Long 15 Imports and five Brits so there’ll be there’ll be a move somewhere there to we anybody from last year’s roster that we’re missing hasn’t been nice yet there I’m just closing my eyes to try and think of from a British perspective uh no because obviously Shawn Norris has gone and um and Davy Phillips has gone back to H yeah so I’m sure well the fillers will be let’s go the old SCH Davy Phillips Cameron pind Ben L was Kieran long Sean Norris so no we don’t that’s sort of so I’m sure the I’m sure Steve and Adam have got their failers out in the in around the British game there to see what’s available sorry just taking a Pur socks off here very professional um but yeah it’ll be they’ll have to be more bodies in there to to make up a game night roster so I’m sure to watch this SP um sorry there’s there’s Anthony sorry um he’s come on there there’s tons ready for the chance got to take the chance on them time for to be brave sigic guy and play players to their skill set not make another generation of Grinders if anybody knows the uh absolutely b anon’s um opinion on the lower leagues and and the British talent that’s in it because you know he’s over the detail much more than I’ll ever be but um there’s um so you know he believes there’s guys in that lower league and there probably is guys that that could step up but whether they want to step up and whether teams are willing to take the chance to stick a a brick guy on the top six probably not because if you’ve got 15 Imports you’re probably your top six and your top four they are going to be be Imports unless they’re at the very premium end of the British game you know GB GB Internationals and the lik of Scott comway who miss out on the on the worlds are obviously garside’s been thrown up there as one of the other the British players and then you’ve got the likes of of Kell Bey and Max Stewart and stuff sort of pling their way in the NHL and hoping to get back into to an elite League side um defensively says you know that’s that you’re the big man for that you ge bass coming back in is excellent Jeff bomb coming back do you know what it’s brilliant absolutely brilliant I was kind of surprised I thought he might have kicked on to somewhere else I’m just Del leted he’s back listen we made a big push to keep bomber um you know you don’t want to lose your VIP and your VIP your MVP um at the end of the season I’m just let I’m was thinking VIP which is that obviously I don’t know he’s watching Jeff Senor um the uh you know the MVP from from the player’s point of view from the coaching point of view and from the fans point of view last year was Jeff bom he was absolutely brilliant and you know Steve and and um and Adam went out and made a push for him very very early even before the end of the season so you know it’s it’s when you when you have that type of player about you um and you know I think bomber will be you know he’ll be looking forward to getting back and was disappointing the way his season ended you know obviously he had the the um the injury towards the end of the season and missed the playoffs so you know it was disappointing to lose him and and you know I think Balmer will come back with far and a belly as well so great to have Jeff B back really looking forward to getting G boss back as well you know Bas they went and got a job realized that you know it’s not all made out to be when you have to go to work for seven eight nine hours a day instead of going to practice for an hour and a half going to the gym for an hour having some lunch having a nap and then doing it all again the next day so sounds to me yeah absolutely had take up all day every day and twice on Sundays but um you know bomber really sry b day sorry really looking forward to getting G back again and I say um you know galambos and Josh roach as well you know roach’s an important player for us you see what we we started to play better uh just before Christmas when rachi came back last season so you know he’s got a lot to offer hopefully he can get a f season under his belt as well and you know the Young compound he you know when he came on and played he didn’t let anybody down but with the numbers that we had last year it’s uh it’s difficult that Adam had to leave m a couple of times but hopefully as I say you know we’re we’re still still quite a few players to sign um not a bucket load left in furnace too but uh it’s really really interesting as the The rosters lining up there right now D before we got JJ Whitten but before we do gives your take on on bomber coming back in yeah a bit like um Elijah you know bber missed the tail end of the season with um with that injury so hopefully he’s rehabbing well over the summer and he comes back in you know ready to go again you talked about you thought he might have kicked on the other things like he is he’s on a real um what’s the terminology P when you’re on a when you’re on a upward trajectory trajectory the very word he’s on a really positive trajectory in his career he’s he’s he’s came on season after season after season he’s improved as a player and on out off the ice what he brings the clubs be superb as as do obviously watchs and so he txed me to say all those things um you know what D just to jump in there he loves Belfast and this is the he City his M and Dad love the city you know Jimmie loves the city as well and he gets it that that’s a bit a lot of people don’t think about that he gets it you know and and that’s why he was given the a last year he’s a leader in that locker room now so he’s a great player to have around and uh great guy great guy even better great player even better guy so you know I think it’s a really really top sign and probably to make this season one of the plest people you’ll just ever meet just such a nice guy around the place and you know really really glad to have him back and as as sim said they’re getting the alternate captaincy last season you know very very well deserved as well so let’s hope he comes back fighting fit here for for training camp and let’s get raring at the start of the season but the other thing just to say Simon nailed at as well about Josh roads Josh OB he missed right up till it was into December was it was it the cup game his first game back or maybe in an around early December so with with the the end of the season on there Bel there a rest over the summer and and coming in with a good training camp and and he’ll be ready to go in September like he logged some minutes towards the end that season like he was leader nice time and what half a dozen more less the last half dozen games you know really relied on by Adam to uh to go and and log those big minutes and be later on the ice so him coming back as another big big fell in the cap Force for sure the roster is already looking strong we’ll have Adam Keef coming along later in the show and we’ll come back to this point but I’m going to introduce our first guest back with the Belfast Giants um we he’s a you know he’s a man who know stranger to Trophies an OHL Champion a CHL Memorial Cup champion a Kelly Cup champion an ECHL Allstar and this is before we even get to the year that he spent with us where he was a first team Allstar he had the best plus minus he was a League champion a Cup champion forward of the year most assists most of goals most points in the elite league and he was the player of the year so then he went to Norway his birthday and it’s his birthday then he went then he went to Norway he got the most points in the first season there and he was on the All-Star team so what I will say is Happy Birthday JJ pinic and um no pressure thank you very much guys I appreciate you guys having me on am I the wrong way here now do there we go are listen to the northern accent oh cool here JJ left I think I have a better impression of it like I could do the impression like I I can do like my my right noise I can do my right noise that’s not bad whatsoever my girlfriend is obviously d Irish so I’m always hearing it so it’s like it’s like it’s come second nature now well years young hold on hold on go on go on D oh well just just just on that JJ um like we we talk about the the recruitment assets of the organization and what we can offer a team but like and we we joke about it so many times our one of our biggest selling points that we’ve ever had is the women of Northern irand because too many guys have came here met their partners go come never leave yeah well just add me to the list I [Laughter] guess must be sit for him to say something must be must be just he’s being watched he’s being closely watched he has to say nice things now JJ you’re you’re back two seasons in Norway how did it go it’s fantastic um I really love Norway like start to finish honestly like it’s honestly a beautiful country I don’t know if you guys have ever visited there also maybe um but it it’s actually really awesome place to live so um it was tough in some ways saying bye to Norway but um and I also had uh two really good years on the ice a as well so um we weren’t able to um you know go too far in the playoffs which sucked but um it was still you know time well spent so um you know as maybe as maybe um some some of my I know as kefir would say it’s time to come back home so I’m back back home the Norway is a beautiful country the fs and all a lovely trip up the fs right there it’s absolutely stunning Pulpit rock and all that but you know what was the difference what was the difference in style plan in that Norwegian game yeah I think like I think it’s probably I mean it’s hard to always like like pinpoint exactly what it is and like it’s a fair question that you’re asking but I do think like the like rosters in general are are a bit younger so I think like my our average age last year on my team was like maybe 23 so like I think what what comes with that is like maybe a bit more Pace but not always like um like like there there’s more speed and there’s more Pace to the plays but there isn’t always like a like a um not always the smartest play I guess is being made and that’s not a knock on anyone but it’s just kind of like there’s a lot of hard work and fastpac but not always like a pick your head up first play um I think here is maybe even slight slightly slower but there’s more maybe you know um critical thinking out there on the ice so it’s a bit slower but becomes a bit more of a chess match and like I I do say that with grain assault like it is like every game is different every year is different every season different so um but no that’s a fair question that’s the best way I could maybe put it so aart from the the good lady what was the one thing that got you back to Belfast oh geez I think probably just I think just the organization and like the like the fans and the and the excitement and the SSC and um just the yeah just really the fans like I think it’s it’s just a great place to play like you know what I mean Belfast is just an awesome City and I’m glad I was able to familiar familiarize myself with it because now it’s just feels like a second home to me so J I know your mom and dad were here uh last month or was at the end of April actually um and I know you’re heading back to the us tomorrow uh but how’s your stay being um off the ice obviously you’re on a on a holiday at the minute but how have you enjoyed being home um for the last seven or eight weeks yeah yeah no definitely I’ve been here for a while now actually but uh yeah like my parents were able to come out and uh you actually met them kitchy and we we showed him around the quickly and brought them around and they love they have abely loved it they can’t wait to come back so um yeah no my time here was awesome and I mean before you know it it’s going to be you know another two months or whatever it goes by or whatever it is and then we’ll be back and then the season starts like it goes by probably a little bit too quick the summer but uh yeah like it’s just going to be it’s just going to fly by and I my time here was great and I’ll be back before you know it so yeah I know you obviously you had a successful season the last time you were here um and there’s been a few changes around the the arena I know you were you were we taking them back with um you you were back the previous year as well for a holiday and as you say You’ been back and forth but um you got a chance to see a locker room you got a chance to see a few changes um and you were pretty impressed when you came into the arena there that afternoon oh yeah no it’s like like honestly I was really taken back by like how much had changed in the facilities and in the room so I’m definitely looking forward to like like utilizing all of it and like you know using it to my advantage so I think and then I know like I guess was I here for the new sound system for the charity game because I feel like I don’t yeah I like I don’t remember it so that’ll be a bit of an like the first game at home I I’ll be I I’ll be excited because I feel like I didn’t quite like take it in but I think I think for opening like this upcoming season I’ll take in the new sound system that you guys put well I guess it’s kind of older now but it’s over a year old or whatever now but um yeah that’ll that’ll feel new and then um yeah just like for all like just between the facilities and and and the hype it just feels great what what’s interesting now you’re coming back into the obviously you’ve been in Norway for two seasons as I said but you’re coming into aside which is can be quite unusual especially from an import point of view where there’s a lot of familiarity in there Scott Conway Jeff bomb um CPS uh who else was um Ben Lake K Ben Lake Jackson whistle Andrew dexon a lot of familiarity you’re coming back in aside with players a lot of play yes there will be new faces but a lot of players you have already played alongside no 100% And that I think that’s kind of the advantage of having a good Core group is I I’ll probably be able to just you know come back in and not really feel like I missed like a beat you know so um and that’s a credit to to uh just the organization just keeping the keeping keeping a good core and yeah like I’ll just be able to just come in and you know hopefully just have a seamless transition back in again and just like get going straight away every game is so important with the way our league is set up and you know the regular season is so huge so I mean yeah like just being able to have that quick transition and be familiar and like roll right into the into the season is a big big part so heading back across the Atlantic tomorrow what’s the next sort of what this month six weeks seven weeks whatever before you you make it back what does it look like for you any time off yeah some time off I’ve been actually doing lots of training uh while I was here and uh Northern Ireland so I have to I have to be at a buddy’s wedding of mine um it’s my buddy Mason Marchman he plays with Dallas he’s getting married in Mexico so I’ll be there uh to uh watch him get married and celebrate with him so um I I was hoping maybe he would actually uh go to the Stanley Cup Final maybe win the cup and then next thing you know um you know having this writing with the cup but that’s okay um and uh yeah so I’ll be doing that and then other than that know just just kind of just getting just ramping up the ice time Skating training more and it it flies by so you know it’ll just be next thing you know it’ll be August and then I’ll just be back here I know you’ve you’re um you’re talked about keeper earlier um and and obviously you know we went on the year after you left we went on and won the travel this past season um lot of injuries for the club um ended up with trophy list for the first time in did they six years five years um and I know Adam’s going to be wanting to get back on you know all trophy for that cabinet which we have in our in the arena itself now and I know you’re not going to be any different you know there’s three trophies up for grabs um and I know you’ve got that mindset uh to basically take one at a time and do your very best to contribute along with your teammates to to get the the trophies back to Belfast oh yeah 100% like that’s our goal and I mean I think I think the way I was saying it earlier when I I was getting asked some questions is like I don’t want to take a step back from when I was here last time so if we won two out of the three last time I was here that’s the bar set for me so that that’s where we’re at and you know however many wins we had that year that’s that’s the standard for me so we have to just you know we’re obviously yeah like you mentioned like we’re coming off the Giants are coming off a trophy the season which which sucks like you know like there’s no easy way to say it like it sucks and you know the fans expect fans expect you know a lot and that’s and they’re just right so like it’s you know we have to just put our heads down get back to work one game at a time one trophy at a time however you want to word that and I think it the the key will be in the preparation like there’s no there’s no pressure If if you prepare the right way it’s if anything there’s pressure to prepare the right way and then from there you know everything takes care of itself so I think that’s kind of the mindset well I admit we it’s really good to see you back really good to have you on we look forward to the start of the Season we look forward to seeing you back on the ice scoring goals for this great Club have a great summer and we’ll catch up again once once it all K back on here good to have you thanks JJ happy birthday happy birthday guys appreciate it bye bye big thanks to JJ pckage for coming back on and join us great to have him back great to have that go goal score priess back in the club but gentlemen when it comes to those forwards we’ve got another one to announce uh a guy who’s a versatile Winger with Elite League experience the new name on the roster for the Belfast giant [Music] Seas you like that you like that you you like that you like that you like that you like that [Applause] like please welcome Kyle osterberg how you doing M thanks uh good how are you guys good good welcome to the Belfast Giants hard is the opportunity to move from f to Belfast come about um well first uh I’m I’m pretty I wouldn’t say really close but uh I know George W uh we both come from Minnesota so we had that connection um from the start uh and he played in Belfast for many years so uh he gave me a lot of good things about what Belfast is about the city the organization just the lifestyle there and uh so that’s kind of how we got the ball rolling with a lot of that was uh me and uh George’s connection the uh you you obviously came in five off of season in DL to with rensburg funny enough who Tom mums just coming from us to from um to us from sorry the uh how how did you feel last season with f went obviously a lot of changes in F and the great Tom Coolin in in the locker room as well how how did you feel it went uh we we had a we had a pretty good season I would say uh being in F we gave uh the fans there um a lot of hope uh back into the club uh I think we we had a we had a group that not uh didn’t perform more than I think uh we could have been I think we had a lot more capability than uh what we ended up in the standings uh we were playing some really good hockey went through a couple injuries a tough December um stretch but overall I think uh the team in F uh the past season that uh we just brought back a lot of Hope um to the club and to the fans that support five k really nice talk to you welcome to Belfast um obviously have had your opportunities to um play in The Odyssey or the SSC as a as a visiting player you’ll be uh looking forward to getting in seeing that that home dressing room and getting out the home entrance oh for sure uh I think Belfast was my favorite trip uh last season even though taking the fery isn’t always the best um but but uhit yeah but playing in front of that crowd is fun it’s going to be way more exciting to be on the positive side now having them uh cheer for me but uh yeah that that building is electric um it makes you feel like you’re back in a a professional environment just with the way the the the rink is um the facility itself uh and then just yeah just having that atmosphere uh it’s going to be fun and uh I like that building a lot I think I think I had some good success there too this past season so I think I can keep that going yeah you beat me to the drop bar it say Brookie Brookie used to say if you can’t beat them sign them so yes you did have a lot of success in Belfast there last season so you’ll be looking you’ll really be looking forward to putting up some good numbers in front of those big crowds that we’ve been pulling in yeah for sure uh I had a pretty good season I’d say last year and I I don’t expect anything other than what I did maybe a little bit more even uh than what I did last year but uh I’m excited with what the group we have signed so far um kefir and everybody’s direction of uh how this team is going to U play and perform every night um and everything they’ve been uh trying to instill and tell me of uh what it what it is to be a Belfast giant um I’m looking forward to that and obviously individual individually I want I want to perform as best as I can and help the team as best as possible but I want to I want to be in a a championship winning environment and I think uh we’re heading in that direction K obviously coming out of college you’ve spent quite a bit of time in Europe um and you’ve spent you know likees in Norway you’ve been in Germany um you’ve been in Slovakia Denmark what’s your thoughts on the IHL what’s your your opinion on British hockey um and you know you’re playing obviously um in five of this year and you and I agree with you I thought you had a really really great season from especially against us every time you you sort of get on the ice there was a threat um and obviously that’s caught the eye off um as Steve Thornton and and Adam Keef but what’s your thoughts on the on the standard in the eihl well first off you can you you can totally say that I’ve been a suitcase my uh my professional career seen almost every country but uh with that coming that I get a lot of good experiences um comparing the the elite League to the rest of the countries I think it’s it’s a really good League I don’t think it gets the recognition that uh people should give it uh there’s so many talented players uh the style of play is I would say more North American too where it’s pretty structured um and More Physical uh every league has its differences in um just their structure or just uh it’s also different um that we have 17 Imports instead of maybe just a couple but uh I think that ehi or the eihl um Stacks up as one of the better leagues that I’ve played in um because there’s uh there’s no night off uh against any team necessarily you you just touched on the physicality in the league you know you’re in stature wise you’re you’re not the biggest guy on the ice um and but you never seen that from when you played against us anyway and the games you you you see the highlights on you never seem to shy away from it so you I mean you certainly don’t mind getting we know you’re very very skillful CLA but you certainly don’t mind um putting your body about when it has to be done as well no I appreciate you saying that too um that’s kind of how I grew up uh living I just I feel like I’ve always been one of the smallest if not the smallest players on the ice so a lot of it is just uh out competing or doing whatever you can um as a smaller player to to have an advantage or or or just out outworking anybody um I don’t I I I I find it enjoyable too to be engaged in those battles um maybe not so much fighting because obviously I’ll probably get my head pounded in I’m not the biggest guy so I can’t do that but I’m not afraid to throw my body around I’m not afraid to uh find the front of the net or or go to battles in the corners for sure your NCAA career in Minnesota duth um you know you always have that that that organization that college has had a lot of success over the years um and coming out of there with you know the names that were on that roster um you play with some really top top players and and obviously you though they’re they’re going on and going strength to strength in NHL that must have been a an experience for you from for obviously playing at that level too oh uh at being at Minnesota duth is some of the best years of my life and like you said I had a lot of good players come uh come and go that I played with um so I mean in in a blessing way it helped me prepare to become a better player each and every day but it’s also been nice that I I have some really good friendships and see that they C continue on in their career whether it’s uh in the NHL or in the AHL or or somewhere even here over in Europe but it’s definitely good to see that the the UMD Bulldogs uh have a lot of talent that have been going through uh through the program year after year it’s interesting like from an NCAA perspective and obviously with the Friendship 4 and and what we hold in fast in the tournament that will be back come November the guys who come out of the programs they still hold and you just showed it there yourself they still hold a real passion for the for the for the colleges that they played for it’s something that you you can play for you know you said you lived in a suit kiss I’m sure you’ve got you you’ve got loyalty to a lot of the clubs that you’ve played for before but you know you do move on to the next game to the next to the next team or whatever but you still hold that passion you still hold that love for the for the college that you spent those years with yeah I think that’s uh something pretty special um especially being a Minnesotan uh going to a Minnesota school a lot of the players from uh where I grew up uh they go to the University of Minnesota where I wanted to go to the University of Minnesota duth which is two hours north of where I live in the cities um and like you said I think uh I don’t know exactly what it is but I think um yeah you just find a love for your sport uh for your program for your for your College um and every year I I follow along even though I don’t know anybody that’s on the team other than the staff and the coaches that uh I dealt with um you’re still always rooting them on and watching and uh yeah watching them along and obviously know not dweller but you also played a couple of Seasons with Adam Johnson there um and a hell of a player he was yeah uh I actually just got back from duth uh to we’re doing a Adam Johnson Memorial night that Luth is going to be doing uh we created some jerseys at the like uh what I saw obviously a lot of the teams in the eihl did this year they do the warm-up jerseys and they auction off so I just got back from duth uh and we kind of came together I I put this idea together to that we do some Adam Johnson Memorial night jerseys that we’re going to auction off after the end um but yeah uh it’s obviously the most tragic thing that um probably has happened in my life um and there’s some some hard hard sheded tears uh when I knew exactly what happened and what was going down um but then the on the opposite side it it was awesome that the the community whether it’s the hockey Community um the country of the UK and everywhere um even back home just uh how much his story and obviously just the incident that uh touched around the world and uh we we were able to memorize Adam uh the the way he was his character and uh the player he was too well said M well said absolutely so what does the next couple of months hold for you uh obviously you know we’ll be looking forward to having you here in Belfast are you on the ice are you spending a l training are you working off on someone else or what do what between n and Belfast will fill your time uh so I’m pretty much on the ice every day uh I I’m a rinkrat I love skating um I think uh that’s always been instilled in me instilled in me when I was younger I loved being on my skates uh just trying to get better in any way possible uh I still work out and do all that stuff too but uh I like to skate a lot and then a lot of it too of the Summers I help coach um it’s just something I’ve been always doing there’s a a really good program back here in Minnesota called map South um that I’ve been with for since I was 5 years old and we help um kids kids ages from 11 all the way to uh the pro group that I skate with so we got some good players like um during the weeks I skate with uh just to name drop not to be a name drop or anything but Brock besser’s out there with us Casey middle stat Mikey Anderson Joey Anderson kefir Bellos TJ oosi Kyle poo a lot of motans that come back and uh skate with us so I definitely have a lot of good skates and I’m very fortunate that I get to do that with uh all those High Caliber NHL players fantastic what a way to spend your summer listen K we’re we’re delighted to have you I know that given your season in five you were a well sought after talent to have within this league sorry says you want one more question go for it yeah obviously you know you’ve done fantastic listening to our accents um but you know obviously you’ve you’ve just come out of F and we know how hard uh the uh the kingdom of f accent is as well so hopefully um our accents aren’t that bad um but uh just to make you aware there are some good ones here as well for the start of next season you will be going excuse me sorry don’t understand um so just to give your heads up for that I appreciate that the one thing I what’s that and that’s just Deo oh I don’t even know what that was but uh yeah I’ve been going from country to Country it’s it was nice last year actually having uh majority of the English in the locker room so going in into this year again it’s going to be obviously majority English um too um yeah I’m not afraid to to ask you uh sorry excuse me what’ you say but I’m also curious to learn or or try get the slang down but um yeah we’re excited to get to Belfast um it’s probably one of the most exciting Summers leading into a year that I’ve ever had as a pro fantastic but as I said K given the season you had with f you were sought after Talent within this league and as as Belfast jams fans as we are we’re glad that you’re part of our roster coming into this fourth coming season have a great summer and we will see you on the ice in a in a little over six seven weeks time absolutely thanks for having me on and uh I’m really excited obviously again to be a Belfast giant meet all the fans meet everybody that’s affiliated with uh Belfast and then just getting the season started so we can get uh the fans really excited about uh going for that uh the three sweep nice one M have a good summer you too thanks Big thanks a big thanks and a welcome to Kyle osterberg we are battling on here boys because one of the other one of the other signings that took place over the last last few days was the signing of a brand new goalkeeper in Tom McCullum I had the opportunity earlier today to chat with him um he obviously has come for us to us from Germany from uh from iceb ravensburg this one of the teams that was played I think um kber played for two seasons ago and uh what I’m going to do is I’m going to share that interview with you know Tom welcome to the Belfast Giants um I guess the first question as it normally is in this sort of situation is how does the opportunity come about that you come and join us in Belfast um first of all I’m I’m very excited to join the club I’ve heard nothing but great things about them um the opportunity actually came up uh probably it was mid April um during the playoffs Adam uh just reached out to me just to see if there was some place I’d be interested in playing in the future and um you know we just kind of struck up a conversation from there kept in touch and um you know he made it very clear that that I was wanted there and uh you know made me a great offer that I couldn’t refuse you’ve been playing you were playing in Germany at the time in De to you went quite quite quite a long stretch in the playoffs uh yeah we uh we ended up winning the championship here so it uh it was a long season but it was it was great because uh you know it me we got to play more hockey which is always fun and uh you know winning winning never gets all you played you know in Austria and around those Bavarian sort of region as well what’s it been like playing out there what’s it been like because obviously that was your first move to Europe from from uh from North America well how have you enjoyed planning in Europe uh I I’ve really enjoyed it I mean um you know the schedules are great um you get to live in some beautiful places I know my my wife really loved it in inbrook um and we had a great time obviously with the mountains um it was actually very helpful during some of the co lockdowns gave you give you a nice respite to get outside and uh get some fresh air and even here in Regensburg um you know the city’s beautiful there’s a lot to do outside and um you know we we really enjoy being being able to bike places and and get around instead of having to you know hop in your car and drive everywhere and’s fob when I think I’ve asked this of of a number of players before who’ve played in places like that I guess that because you’re under contract you can’t do a bit of I’m a big skier I love skiing and I guess you don’t get time to do things like that because you don’t want to get injuries uh they actually uh headed in our contracts very explicitly that we we weren’t allowed to ski during the season oh that would drive me wild uh where I grew up there there’s not really uh anywhere to go skiing so I’d actually never skied before in my life um but my wife had um so we did go can’t remember I think it was the end of my first year in as Brook we went skiing twice and uh it was it was a bit of an adventure um uh at the end of my second season we had my daughter so that uh that obviously wasn’t an option so I just have those two times but uh I can definitely see why people love it um as long of fun and some beautiful scenery was really nice to to get outside and do while you were there while while you were in nbook you got a bit of time to to step up into the deal what was that experience like uh it was a great experience um you know I was really excited for the opportunity to go to beating and get to play in that League um it was just really great to see how how you measured up and it’s also a lot of fun there’s a lot of guys playing in that League that I’ve played with previously so it was uh good to see them and catch up um what sort of goly are you Tom how do you see yourself uh one that likes to stop the puck as simple as that uh yeah I mean I I like to I try to use my size to my advantage um play you know maybe a little bit more calm than some guys do I try not to move any more than I need to um one thing hopefully the fans can can forgive me for some heart attacks but I do like to play the puck a lot um I’ve I’ve heard that just about everywhere that I’ve played that I need to stay in the net but uh you know it’s something I really enjoy doing it helps keep me in the game and uh you know it helps save my defenseman from taking some hits and you know it’s just just a fun thing to do as well do you know anybody’s played in this league do you know much about the elite League um I know some I’ve actually played with and against quite a few guys that have played in the league um and I’ve heard heard a lot of great things about it I’ve heard you know especially Belfast I’ve heard a lot of great things about the city um obviously from Adam having previously played with him uh for a little bit and there’s um SE several guys throughout the league that I’ve played with before uh let’s just have a quick question because I want to put I going to put my cards on the table here I put this hat on and uh let me take you back uh and the opportunity you had to play in this in the grit shirt with the wield wing with the Detroit Red Wings how was that um it was it was a fantastic experience um you know I was I was fortunate enough to get in uh the three games that I did play and actually uh you know pick up a win which was you know one one of the highlights of my career it was even better actually was uh against Buffalo so the team I grew up cheering for on a nationally televised games so I had a lot of uh family and friends got to see that which was a great experience and you know just even being able to walk into that locker room as especially you know back then they were playing at the Joe and just all the history in the building and um you know my my first time I got called up was was extremely intimidating um I think it was only my second year Pro and you know a lot of the guys in that locker room had you know more than once down the cup and there’s probably you know at least three Surefire Hall of Famers on that team um you know probably couple more guys in the future and um but it it was just a great experience to to be in the NHL and see how hard you have to work to get to that level and you know just also the other thing too is just people don’t talk about it enough a lot of those guys just how great of people they are like they’re you know they’ve made their millions of dollars they’re world class all-time talents playing hockey and you know I walk in the door and they just came up say hi like shake my hand ask me how I’m doing just like I was was one of the guys on the team was uh was a really cool experience that’s interesting because obviously a lot of those guys you like you say they they’re world class Superstars playing at the top of the game and and but they have generally gone through the same sort of experience as you have you know they’ll have played Junior they’ll have played NCAA they’ have walked their way through you know they have tried to get their way up into that game so I guess when you get there it’s you know nobody’s nobody’s guaranteed to stay there I guess you you be good to people on the way up if you want to be people to be good to you in the way dying yeah exactly and I think a lot of it too is like you said everybody’s kind of gone through through that grind to get there in one way or another so I think it’s just kind of a a mutual respect because you meet somebody in that situation you understand the amount of time that they’ve put in to get to that level and the work and um honestly the sacrifices too um so I think a lot of it’s the mutual ECT and I think some of it to is just it’s hard to get that far without being a good person um you need a lot of help from a lot of people that you know quite frankly never get that credit or recognition and it’s just one of those things that uh is great to see out in the world just people being kind to each other because that’s just the way it should be how difficult is it when you’re in that sort of situation where you know you’ve played AHL ECHL you got that chance in the show but when you’re sort of moving from Team to team and and you you’re moving up and moving down you’re just trying to how difficult is it to deal with those changes um some of it situational um obviously the the start of start of my career um when I was by myself it wasn’t wasn’t too hard um because I was only responsible for myself so it’s just kind of one of those you almost have a kind of like a secret agent you almost have a go bag packed at all times and um ready to go but um as I progress in my career like especially uh my last year I played in North America I think I played on four or five different teams um just getting loan moved I got traded in there um but I had she was my girlfriend at the time now my wife uh was with me and that was um it was obviously a lot more challenging um thankfully she was actually there she made it so much easier because I think every time had to move cities I was actually on the road so I just called to give her a heads up and by the time I got home everything was packed and uh we just had to figure out how to get where we’re going but it’s something you just kind of you learn to live with um it is kind of crazy how you know one phone call and all of a sudden you’re going to the other side of the continent that uh you weren’t really planning for um which you know I really only had a posant problem one time uh I was in Toronto for the playoffs with growing Rapids and somebody got hurt in Detroit so I had to fly from Toronto to Anaheim um a it’s of a flight to do spur the moment yeah I mean uh the long flight wasn’t bad but the the problem was I don’t know how much you know about us weather but uh you know Toronto in April is a little bit different than abely absolutely the um we always going to be a galie Tom were you were was it always something that you when you were a kid you know you were the goalie or hard did hard did it come about because obviously everybody everybody dreams of being we grety but did you dream of being Martin Bor um for me actually uh growing up in in Niger Falls in New York I wanted to be Dominic hassk yeah but uh I always loved it I always liked to watch it but I actually uh when I started playing hockey initially I was a forward um then I switched to playing defense and the only reason I became a goalie was uh the middle of one of our Seasons our goalie just decided he didn’t want to play anymore um and I sort of got volunteered by the rest of my team to take over um because it was too late in the season to add somebody new and I I guess I was a bit of a kamakazi defenseman I was known for uh diving around to block shots and uh yeah everybody just volunte kind of volunteered heed me to take over and I just really fell in love with the position I mean obviously all all the gears always the coolest part but uh you know something I had a lot of fun with and really enjoyed doing and obviously I’m happy I stuck with it for a boy growing up as a Buffalo Sabers fan want to be Dominic hassk and also got to play for the Detroit Red Wings that’s not bad yeah yeah I’ve uh I’ve definitely been uh been very fortunate the timeing actually worked out great um for me I was actually called up when Detroit went to Buffalo the night that they retired to Jersey um so I got to be out there and on the bench and I wasn’t playing so I was able to kind of sit out there and watch the whole ceremony and um it was it was really cool to be a part of but it was also kind of weird because you know obviously I was there to do a job but uh at the same time you know 10 10-year-old me was was getting a little emotional watching screaming watching it yeah absolutely I can imagine AB so your summer been then Tom what do we do now because obviously we are we’re a couple of months yet away from from the season have you been skating are you where are you n uh right now I’m actually my family and I are still in Reagan BG um so I’ve been training here for a couple weeks um we’re also in the middle of packing to get uh some of our stuff shipped over to Belfast and then at the end of the month uh we’re going to fly back to the US um and we’re going to stay in Michigan for a month so I can continue my training get on the ice um with a goalie coach get some good work in there and then uh we don’t have anything booked yet but I believe the end of July we’re going to be uh flying into Belfast and ready to go fantastic but listen we really appreciate your time we look forward to seeing you in Belfast for the start of the season have a great summer and that will’ll catch up when the season begins thank you you too and I look forward to meeting everybody big thanks to Tom McCullum for joining us really nice guy great career new goalkeeper uh new goalkeeper joins us for the new season gri pedigree behind him um and with that we’re going to batter on even further because the one of man who is a big part in signing these new players and signing this new roster and bringing together a team that he hopes will trophies for the Belfast Giants is of course the head coach of the Belfast Giants Mr Adam Keef How You Doing kefir I’m Brad how are you guys doing really well how’s your uh how’s your summer been busy busy enough yeah but obviously we like the direction the team is looking right now even the whole league looks pretty good and that’s that’s exciting for us um just as hockey fans here in the UK but also the challenges that are ahead that lie ahead of us come the new season um let’s start with the the new name that we’ve just been speaking to in k lerberg obviously a player who had the five flowers last season caught quite a few eyes um regards to the teams across the league um how happy are you that it’s it’s our uniform he’ll be wearing come next season yeah know he’s a he’s a big get for us um you know i’ had spoken to Kyle a few times in summers and you know obviously um we should have brought him in it would have helped us out last year instead uh Tom did a good job in building a good team there in F and and he came in and impressed uh and George didn’t uh stop letting me know about it all year long so um you know obviously George is a big factor and and really um you know he he said nothing but great things there about Kyle and um then when we get to see him there I just I remember the first game we watched video there doing a pres Scout on F and I remember watching Kyle forek and going look who who’s that guy you know and I just kind of stopped and slowed it down I well that’s that’s George’s boy and uh yeah he’s you know he doesn’t stop moving his feet you know and the way that I am when I’m when I’m watching video on guys scouton like that’s that is exactly what I want to see you know I want to see guys hunting on the for check and non-stop moving their feet and and playing with intensity and energy and uh so we saw that from early on from Kyle and then obviously he had a great season offensively F he was a big part of all the success success that they had and you know I listened there to his his interview there and you know there really was a a real positive um I guess feeling there from the fight organization and fans one more so than I’ve seen re of recent years and I think that uh obviously that’s a credit to to Kyle and Tom and and the team that that he built there and I’m sure that they’re going to be have another good team next year but no work certainly excited this year to have Kyle on board and I think he’s going to be a good piece you know he works real hard he he compliments the way that we want to play with an aggressive for checking style and and playing aggressive defensively as well he’s going to fit well into that mold I think the be for agent Dada was on the podcast last year and he said it was a big ambition of his to get Minesota boys into the Giants team he said it was something that he really wanted to do that’s worked that well so far you said that with some conviction really believe it uh there actually has been a lot of Minesota boys um this summer in the recruitment I’m not sure if George is kind of just sneaking them in or what not but he certainly lets us know when when it’s one of the Minnesota boys and uh you know there’s been a lot of connections there just through Kyle himself and and through George um you know and and that’s a big connection obviously we knew that George would be good from the development side and from just the the no over there you know just from the college system and the type of players what the work that George was doing at home there uh he knows a lot of guys and obviously Kyle’s one of those guys and there’s a few other guys that we’re looking at um you know that come through George and Kyle and um you know so is a great connection for us to have and for sure George wants I think George would take a whole team in Minnesota boys what what what about the family coach I know it’s offseason now but still really really busy for you but the time for the family how’s things going with the kids yeah good busy um obviously my wife takes the the more of the brunt with the two kids and two young kids they’re they’re a handful that’s for sure you know I try and get the work done when I can at the at the arena but you always bring work home and um you know there’s the problem is when you get home you you know you’re pretty well for on till the time they go to sleep and then you’re trying to get some work done um but I know I I really look forward to and the time comes where you can kind of take a a little breather from the season and just kind of enjoy being a dad and obviously there’s there’s other work to be done with with building a team and U trying to get organized for the new season but certainly you know when there’s don’t have those stresses of always looking forward to the next game or or the next practice or the next situation or dealing with the the fires that that we have to put out on a weekly basis sometimes um you know in the summertime you get to really enjoy and just kind of the family life and being a dad and obviously if we’d get a little bit better of Summer it’ be even nicer wasn’t me um I’m hav seen you in a while how are you yeah not bad good um the talk us through the roster so far uh um start M goal he obviously wanted to make sure Jackson get back um made a the end of a good season last year and then he did pretty well on the the world championships as well so obviously your goal tending um the Tria that you have there you must be happy with h getting that D and dusted this early in the in the off season yeah we got the most important one done Andy Dixon first right away we got him make sure we got him back he’s part of the he’s part of the furniture here in belf Fest and uh you know with Deo obviously just having the guy I mean he is Belfast right like he is he’s the local lad here and he’s the the guy that he’s the glue that kind of keeps everybody going in the room there and he’s good for a laugh and and he’s a big help to the goalies and any chance we get to get him in we always want to do so um and then with whis you know you know he had a fantastic end to the season he earned every bit of it uh he stayed focused and clear-minded for us down the stretch there and didn’t really give me a chance to to take a longer look at besco um you know Jackson just he just took that net and ran with it and I was really happy with for him you know to earn those playoff games as well play well in them and then also gutted for him and the rest of the team that we couldn’t get it done there in the final but uh certainly we you know not just for last year but you know Jackson’s been a big piece of the puzzle here for a long time and um it was important for us to to get him back not just for the fan base for the organization but also for Jackson you know he wanted to be here you know and I I take a lot of stock in that defensively um obviously still there y you want me to talk about Tom I wasn’t even listening to the first place so yeah go ahead talk about Tom I’m too busy I’m too busy I’m too busy thinking about my next question but now you’ve just sped out so carry on I I got finish off the goalies U Know obviously Tom is is a player that when his name came up uh pretty familiar with him you know I spent time in Toledo and Grand Rapids there my last season and and Tom was a big part of that uh playing for both teams and so I knew him from there and then obviously I knew the coaches that he’s played for and spoke with them um and everybody had great things to say and then he followed It Up by winning a dl2 championships um in a in you know proper playoff form format so um that’s impressive as it is and you know we we wanted to make sure that we got a veteran guy in that’s going to work well with with our goalie Trio and and Tom is exactly that he’s very mature he’s very knowledgeable about the game he’s gonna work well with Jackson and Dio and um you know I look for look forward to that Trio coming in and doing a great job for us yeah for sure I’m sure um the defensive unit you’ve got obviously returning you’ve got bomber uh camon Pine and Josh roach and you’ve brought back G Bast as well but the newcomer galambos what can we expect from him what have you seeing in the skyting reports from him glos is a guy that I looked at last summer um you know obviously there’s a little connection there with AIC and Jeff bomb and Eric Lang’s done a great job with with his teams there and his players and um you know obviously we brought in Jeff bomb and he’s you know what he did last year speaks for itself he keeps growing as a per person and a player um and he was our definitely our most consistent player last year and he got the accolades for it unfortunate to get injured um and we also got BGA um from AIC as well you know obviously more went to dunde but then he came here you know that goes through Eric Lang as well in AIC good program um so glambo because of that I was looking at their roster and came across cross him and then he went to Western Michigan last two seasons there and you know every coach that I spoke to not just the ones that played for or that he played for but coaches that coached against him in in the NCAA everybody thought uh he has a great two-way game he can put up numbers offensively uh but more so his reliability on the back end his he’s a bigger guy that you know he angles well he’s got a good stick and uh we just think he’s going to be a good fit here obviously you have to transition well to Pro and you got to prove it on the ice but we think that he’s got a good frame and and a good game uh and great references to back it up and we think it was a a great uh chance for us to take on on him at a college forward wise obviously the the big headline name that comes out is the return of Scott Conway um a player who needs no introduction with regards to the elite league and and the achievements that he gained with this club how big is it that he’s come back to us yeah that’s huge um you know I said this before but he’s the most competitive player I think that I’ve coached you know maybe even played with uh it doesn’t mean he’s going to go out there and run around trying to finish hits and stuff you know there’s all sorts of competitiveness but what I mean by competitiveness is he wants to win at everything you know he’s he’s a winner and you know you couple that with the fact that he’s a a British player and uh the importance to this team and in in this league and and um you know he’s a great addition for us I expect him to come in and and want to pick up and want to be the man right from the start and um we hope that he can obviously replicate the successes he’s had here but uh you know he’s a big piece of the puzzle we’re very happy to have him back we had JJ on earlier on and one of the points I put him obviously you can have a chat about him as well one of the points that I put to him is he’s coming into a locker room especially amongst the forwards of a lot of familiar faces in Collins and cops in in in Ben Lake kieren and kieren long like there’s a familiarity to a player who’s been away for two seasons yeah no JJ’s a guy i’ I’ve kept in touch with a little bit here I knew that he’d always end up back here obviously with with Zoe being from here uh but he loved it here as well right uh you know he’s a player that had aspirations to to try to reach as as far as he could he probably could have kept going in Europe um but I think ultimately you know he missed a little bit here and I thought you know and he felt and I felt it was time for him to come home here so I’m just really happy that that Steve got that done you know he kind of got that done in the background there near the end of the season um you know that was a nice those were nice pieces for us to add uh before we even really got started here in the summer on on our Recruitment and what else so what else are we looking at what sort of player are you looking for what piece of the puzzle needs to come into this side um you know we’re looking at a bunch of different things obviously when you look at your lineup you got to look at certain situations what’s left to fill and um you know the most difficult thing is when there gets down to a couple spots you might think you need this for that spot but uh then a really good player that doesn’t quite do that comes available and then you you know what are you going to pass on them so it’s um usually becomes best player available but we are trying to make sure we have the right spots filled and we have a good depth and scoring we felt we didn’t have enough scoring to get it done last year ultimately uh I think the last 25 games of the year we got the defensive side of the game kind of settled and and um you know we felt like we were letting in you know two goals or less for down the stretch for the majority of games and we needed to find a way to get three to win and we weren’t able to do that for the majority of the playoffs right we we manag to get to the finals but six goals in four games you know we don’t want that to be the case so we’re looking to add depth to our offense but uh also become more well-rounded in in every position and you know that’s just the challenge of every summer we always want to improve and try to identify what we can bring back um and then we want to try and build on on the team you know we even want to do that after Seasons that we’ve won so it’s it’s no different to concept but also you know Sheffield really set the bar last year in terms of a new standard in the league and you know that’s new for us to be looking at that from the outside and and trying to find a way to overcome that next season and and set a new standard for ourselves and for the league lastly from for us is is we spoke about this as well earlier on in the show is British players within the team obviously in the last few weeks we’ve seen sea nor go to the Guilford flam seen Davy Phillips head back to Hall we’ve seen the return of like of Cameron p Jackson we saw obviously Scott Conway coming in and you know but how difficult is it at this moment in time to find maybe new fresh British talent to bring into the the Belfast Giants yeah it’s definitely difficult there’s you know there’s I think most of the British you know the top level British players before the end of the season are already starting to get swiped up you know in little merry go around of British players but um you know there’s a lot of good young talent that that we’re looking at and trying to find you know whether it be the next sha noris obviously he didn’t work out here for Shawn but uh he did a good job while he was here for us um you know and the reality is we wouldn’t have known about sha noris if we didn’t bring him in here and take a look at him he came in here for a training camp earned a spot uh through the exhibition games into champions league and then played a big role in the call of that we were able to get him here yeah um and then ultimately came here full-time last year uh you know we want some young guys to come and do the exact same thing and you know I thought young mason Alderson did a great job for us last year yeah we probably didn’t see enough you know uh but the games that we did have from Mason last year uh the coaching staff thought he did a fantastic job he was physical he kind of owned that role of being a third or fourth liner that finishes checks does his job and gets off the ice and then goes back on and does the same thing he was reliable really positive on the bench and um you know that’s what we’re looking for from our our younger guys to come in and and earn a spot and force our hand and ultimately maybe it leads to a full-time job The Following Season or whatever and uh we’re still looking at those options for us to to try to have some further depth uh down the lineup one last question obviously we’ve saiding earlier on about how it’s six seven weeks before training camp starts what do these six seven weeks entail for you coach is it is it do you get any time off here or is is this heal of the other until the lads arrive it’s certainly a time off I mean like the season is is almost 247 you know it it’s nonstop so and when the season ends yes we go hard to work at at Recruitment and planning for The Following season and that starts you know Ste Steve starts that before last season ends he’s he’s the guy you gotta hide from to try to get a break because he’s he’s on it you know he really wants um not just success for last year but he he’s already thinking about the next year and then that’s what makes him successful at at his job and makes us successful so um you know while we we we work hard on that you know there still is a little bit of to shut your brain off time and um you know for us you know going into you know the middle of June where we’re at now we feel we’re in a really good spot there’s still a few pieces left to get but uh you know unless the right player becomes available or the right situation uh you probably won’t make a move there until uh we’re sure on it and then you know that’s it it becomes about trying to make these tough decisions and and who we’re going to bring back or who we’re going to bring in and um Al you know you have eight months you want to make sure you get these decisions right so those eight months go the right way L coach we really appreciate your time well done on the roster so far good luck for the bringing the rest of the guys in we already looking forward to start of the Season some great names on there some very exciting names coming back uh no doubt you’ve got you’re in for a busy few weeks hopefully you do get a little bit of time just to to relax with the family but thanks for joining us yeah no problem guys thanks for having me sure we’ll see you around absolutely absolutely big thanks to Adam Kei for joining us back here on A View From The Bridge um we’re going to start to wrap this show up M Lads because obviously we’ve had some really good guests on we’ve done a lot of talking but just briefly and and the sun’s going down behind da the just briefly obviously you we K osterberg is the name that we didn’t talk about at this at the uh at the start of the show because we hadn’t released it and we got to really we got to share that with everybody on this show Dy a player as we’ve heard with Gritz skes grit stick handleing ability and could be a really exciting player in in the teal of Belfast I guess the one thing that sticks out for osterberg for me was doing a game with Simon Simon commentating and do know helping him right on the side and the amount of times his name was mentioned he might have been man matching one of the ones that did with with with Simon but just the mind of times when good things happen for five he was one of the catalysts for happening skates well doesn’t stop I think Adam mentioned it as well but moving his feet you know he’s he’s at all action kind of and he said it himself when he was in and and really positive interview that he did with his St um looking forward to getting in looking forward to seeing him play you know this this league is more and more year after year becoming a just you have to be able to skate you have to be able to move so well go on to the days of these big clunky guys coming in they can’t compete in this league anymore you know when you look at the guil for flames and like hitting all the problems that he brings these smaller guys as long as they’ve got good Wills they’re going to do well so I’m really excited about seeing him in t say you know we mentioned you you you’ve had your eyes and watched him and commentated on him and the ability that he has an exciting player an exciting player coming in and and a really good well Balan you know this roster so far is already looking really strong yeah no it definitely is we’re really pleased it’s what setting up um mberg D he you know basically covered every base there and he stood out for me a lot when we played F last year um every game he was he was right in there and then obviously he’s playing a lot of minutes he was playing with Troy ranes and uh the big centerman I can’t remember his name um that big Lan I just can’t remember his name but yeah you know they they had um they had a lot of success they scored a lot of goals on the power play especially he seemed to thrive on the power play um so you know I know Adam certainly you know keeps an eye on it and we talk about you know we joke about obviously taking the summer off and and getting a bit of time and listen Adam Ma and George were in the arena again today and they’re there for five six hours and they’re basically doing their homework and I whether that be George you know trying to get it a l of travel short or Miss and and I’m watching video but they’re literally there every day of the week um trying to do something so they the you know we’re not sitting on our Laurels um obviously last year was I think it’s it’s fair to say it was disappointed the end with no trophies for the first time in quite a while um and uh we we’ll basically be looking to try and get some silver work back to Belfast next year I know Steve is still working his tail off um he’s been away for a few days but he’s still working his tail off the trend add to this roster and um hopefully they can do that over the next couple of weeks and and month or so the um yeah absolutely and I think you know some really good inputs there from from Adam Keith and what he’s looking to bring in and and this team’s looking and the way Steve’s doing it as well he’s right you know Steve thoron never stops on this job does he um any other business before we wrap up boys we Blake still in hospital I know we had an operation yesterday um again hopefully he’s uh well we Warrior that he is hopefully he pulls through and I know there’s been a few other kids who’ve been purly over the last while as well so Thoughts with them all and um hopefully we play gets better soon cuz eight weeks in hospital again for the kid it’s you know it’s it’s tough tough tough and Christin’s been our every single day so hopefully they get out very soon and um and I’m going to go and see him this week at some point yeah our thoughts are with Him DAV anything from yourself just did a scene on the uh the Twitter from the the club yesterday the day before run out of time if you want to get a season ticket for uh oh yeah for the games for the upcoming season be be quick I think it’s what maybe 10 more days two weeks maybe at the very most and that they’re going to close down season ticket sales that been sorry go ahead s well no no your season ticket I just want to jump that’s all I’m not P I’m not pumping them for the club or anything but I’m just saying and I noticed on the Twitter that you know you’ve only got a couple of weeks if you want to get that that ticket locked down at that astonishing price actually when we’ll look across the league at the the prices from other clubs still the cheapest in the league you know and I love these we videos clubber ai7 with the MC and young Lynch Lynch and uh different ones have come on they’ve been brilliant it’s it’s it’s really good to see what a season ticket actually buys you the intangibles of friendship and grips and stuff that you know that’s that’s how like we all eventually or we all started py you know you banging drums on the bridge and meeting people and I that pop row and row in in Block 21 or whatever it was back road oy and all back in the day you seen the bang you seen them banging the drum try to recruit him that doesn’t work very well wrong guy M wrong guy guy wrong guy wrong time the just the one other thing we uh we have an equipment sale tomorrow night um at the arena H check the socials for times I can’t remember I think it’s half past five maybe six o’clock uh start um and they sponsored equipment that if you’re an osc uh sponsored equipment person you can pick that up tomorrow as well fantastic we listen big thanks to JJ pickit to kber Tom McCullum and of course Adam Keith big thank you to the number of people who are watching in live it’s the numbers tonight are absolutely phenomenal so obviously people are missing hockey so thank you very much to everybody who’s tuned in live and to all those who have watch who are watching uh who watch it back or or listen to us currently C currently 2,15 remarkable so big big thanks to everybody who has tuned in um and and you know you get us on YouTube Facebook and on Twitter or x uh you get us on all your normal podcast providers Kingdom M jans.com at avft on Twitter and all the normal spots Mr mimy and Mr kitchen it’s Delight to see you new doubt I’ll see you in the coming weeks big thanks to everybody out there who who’ve sent us messages and all that sort of stuff and wherever you are at the minute we hope you enjoy your summer and we’ll catch you here next time all of you from the bridge still you R still you [Music]