Episode 344:Tampa Bay Lightning, Syracuse Crunch goalie Brandon Halverson.

Intro

Take a deep breath. At least in the National Hockey League level, American Hockey League level as well. Presented by The Hockey Shop Source for Sports Langley, thehockeyshop.com. This is InGoal Radio, the podcast. David Hutchison will be with us in just a little bit.

I'm Daren Millard along with Kevin Woodley. The trade deadline passed. Everybody can just relax.

Yeah. How silly is it that they play games on trade deadline day? It's it leads to some pretty crazy situations and added stress, and I don't know about the integrity of the competition that night, frankly. Right? Like, for teams that are are shedding and having to say goodbye and then boom, right into a game.

So but, hey, leagues league, it's a condensed enough schedule. I guess you can't take another night off, and we're through without a single goalie being traded. Are we surprised, Daren?

Yeah. There were there was a lot of conversation about a number of different goaltenders leading up to the trade deadline, and yet everybody stands pat. I was a bit surprised Montreal didn't do something. There was other options as well to manipulate your roster, but ends up the crease stays the same.

Yeah. It's, I wonder how much of this is just the prices because two of the biggest names that were reportedly available on the market, Sergei Bobrovsky and Jordan Binnington, you know, those may have been, hey. Like, we'll do this, but at a cost that maybe other teams were never gonna pay. But I also can't help but wonder if they finally after six years of writing this story, everybody's learned that it's just not enough time. If you pull the trigger on a goalie swap at the deadline, there's 20 games left.

Most that guy's gonna play as 15, and most guys will tell you that that's a really hard window to get comfortable behind new teammates. It's not the systems. Guys figure out the systems pretty quick. There's only so many variations. It's the individual tendencies of teammates in front of you within the systems.

We do ProReads every week. How much of those ProReads is not just anticipating what the opponent's doing, but being able to trust and read off what your teammates are doing in front of you. And that's a really tough thing to figure out with so few games left.

So Montreal doesn't do a lot at the trade deadline. They stick with the plan. A team like Anaheim loads up. It's, just from a total team perspective. It was it was fascinating to watch how similar situations were dealt with very differently.

Well, I want I wonder too how much of that is market and one that as much as Montreal I mean, is as passenger to fan base as you're gonna get, they've also like, they've been building towards this for more than one year, and they see success coming and the place is rocking on a nightly basis versus Anaheim. Like, it's been a while. Right? Like, how much do they need to sort of make sure they get in and create some buzz around this this you know, I mean and, actually, I'd like I like their chances. People forget that, you know, how good they were with Leo Carlson, and now he's back after missing all that time.

Like and and the way the Pacific looks right now, like, I I like the ducks chances. So, yeah, you're hey. Listen. Different different mindsets in terms of slow builds, long builds, but I think sometimes, you know, you have to be cognizant of your market. I don't know if that's why, but may you know, when a market has been starved for success for so long and you're that close and you get a taste and maybe you feel it's time to reinforce all this young talent with a few more guys that have been there, done that.

John Carlson.

Name that was thrown around, Stuart Skinner. At the start of the year, it wasn't surprising that his name would be involved in a conversation. But for a second time, after being traded from Edmonton to Pittsburgh, a bit eye catching knowing that as a free agent, there's an opportunity. But he's he's put himself he put himself into this discussion for for an entirely different reason being a a valley ball asset. He's done a nice job there.

Yeah. He has. And there's been a little dip of late, but maybe that's something to do with the uncertainty because I know how much we talked to him obviously after getting traded to Pittsburgh and how, you know, how much he was enjoying settling in there with his young family. And so the idea of maybe having that rug pulled out from under him might have been a little disconcerting, but you're right. The numbers are really good.

He's formed a really nice tandem with Artur Silovs, and you also understand it from the Penguin standpoint. As much as they're having more success this year than anyone expected, and and in a fight for a playoff spot in a year where most thought they'd be battling for a really, really high draft pick, they've also got a bunch of goalies coming, and he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. And you've got Mrazek who's still dominating in the American Hockey League, and you've got Joel Blomqvist as well, and you've got Silovs. So, I wouldn't have been surprised if they had done it, but I'm happy for Stu that he gets a little stability for the rest of the year. And now that he's settled in there with him and Silovs both going, like, can they be the backbone of the Penguins getting into the playoffs in a year nobody expected them to be within, you know, shouting distance of a spot?

Visual Edge ProReads coming up in just a little bit, but first, let's head over to the Hockey Shop, the Gear Segment presented by the, hockey shop, thehockeyshop.com, and Source for Sports Langley.

Yeah. They are rolling out the new stuff. We're gonna debut one of them this week. We got the, new True Storm Project X stick, but we've also got the new True Nitro Pro Gear in stock at The Hockey Shop Source for Sports. We're gonna get into that next week, but they've got it in store right now.

It's just the start. It's starting to roll in. Not all of it can be sold. Some of it can't. Some of it can't, but all the new gear is coming in.

You got Tacks coming in from CCM. You've you've you've got the new Bauer line. I saw the Alpha from Warrior. Alpha line showed up. Alpha Surge line showed up, when we were there that day.

So, again, not on not out in the public for sale, but they're starting to get their samples. They're starting to get their gear in. It is an exciting time of year for new equipment. We're about to roll into all the major launches, and we'll have all the gear reviews here on the show. And at The Hockey Shop Source for Sports, they'll have all the gear in store and online as well as great discounts on past models that is trying to make space for all this new equipment that's starting to arrive pretty much on the daily at The Hockey Shop Source for Sports.

So make sure you check them out at The Hockey Shop dot com.

Wonder what that matrix looks like when you're trying to find space on the showroom floor.

That's a that is a very good question. I'm guessing it's a it's a little messy. I think I think on the showroom floor, other than when me and Hutch come in because this week, we left a mess. 100%. We left a mess.

But other than those moments, I think most of the chaos happens behind the scene. You know? It's like the duck on the water and below the water behind the door, in the warehouse, in the back. I I think it's organized chaos because I've I've been back there. I've seen how the shelves are all stacked and organized, but they managed to do a nice job of making it look somewhat somewhat calm.

I'd love to be able to see it back there. It's like when you go shoe shopping and you say, do do you have this in a nine? And the salesperson disappears for two minutes, and you're like, wonder wonder what's going on back there.

Well, they the for the funny part there is we see it when we're filming. So we're we film before they open these segments. And so between eight and 10AM, they open at 10AM on a weekdays. We're usually in there for a couple of hours. And so as we wrap up, there's two things we we try and get all our major sort of voiceover work done and and the the main segments done before we have to ask the guy who vacuums the floor every morning to wait.

So we're trying to get that done before the the vacuum fires up. And and two, they're already working on online orders when we start. So there's guys running around the camera behind us, and they see us filming, and they're, like, literally ducking behind the

skate fitting bench as they're running around grabbing equipment. So, like, that's a sign of just, like, how busy that store is. And, I mean, 30,000 plus square feet, extra warehouses to sort of the extra gear. Like, there's just so much going on there. It's, it's pretty remarkable to watch.

Gear

What a cool crew over at the the hockey shop. Source for Sports Langley, thehockeyshop.com. If you ever get a chance to visit the Lower Mainland, make sure that you also include them on your list in your itinerary. So we've got the True Storm Project X stick coming up with Kevin Woodley and Cam over at the Hockey Shop.

The sound of a storm. Project X.

Sound of a storm.

Storm. It's Project X.

Storm. Shouldn't that be like a house party? It was not a movie about a house party. Anyways, folks, we've got different generations. We're on different wavelengths.

We have no idea what to do with Project X, but I will say the new project x stick from true is super super light.

How light? You tell me. Wow. Welcome back to the Hockey Shop, first of all.

Source for Sports here in Langley. I'm Kevin. He's Cam. This really light stick is the true Project X and it weighs 26 inches, five thirty five grams. Does that make it the lightest stick in your store?

I mean, at the moment, don't think there's anything that's lighter. Goalie stick, lightest goalie stick in the store.

I gotta say it is also pretty. It's pretty. It's got a little sort of purple accent in there.

The finish on the stick is quite nice.

Yeah. I know. Like, the straight carbon I gotta be honest with you, like

We've had some quarrels.

Nice finish. Like, a well finished stick and true have not gone hand in hand to point. Like, their sticks right up to the highest price points haven't always had the nicest finish, but this this is nice. Not painted down on the blade. Extra grip down there.

Little texture. It's a good looking stick. Is this like a stick blade as well. So walk me through the features other than the fact that Kevin's quite enamored with how it looks. Yes.

Oh, I see. Storm.

Storm. See, it's there.

So so that's part of the brand. Project X Storm? Storm. Oh, now it all makes

[crosstalk] sense. Yeah.

Okay. You can do your storm sounds at the end again. K. So textured grip, actually,

where you're on you're holding on the where the blade meets the shaft.

Yeah. Quite textured. Yeah. I actually quite like the feel Yeah.

Of that. It gives you a little bit of that control, it's like that sensibility of knowing it's just not smooth. It's like you still I know it's a hard word to describe when you just know the stick's there,

if that makes sense. Feels rubbery. Yes. Grippy.

Oh, thanks.

Fancy words that I use. You know, I'm journalist. It's grippy.

So on the back of the stick,

if you notice It feels like almost like on VEX. Like, it kinda like you can it's really hard to see. There's no way we're gonna be able to capture

this Yeah. No. Camera. Like, two minutes.

You can see how that kinda like it's true.

Patented. What do they

call that?

Invert technology that they've used in the past where they've kind of like flipped almost that stick, like geometry around on you.

I see it kinda Exactly. So I'm guessing that's our flex point. So it's a little mid Look at that.

Mid flex. Look at that. It's pretty good flex. So for a super lightweight stick, usually, you see that stiffness increase right away. Right.

It's kinda the opposite. This is quite flexible. In terms of for, like, pop as you're shooting, like

Yes. It's whippy.

Oh, yeah. She whippy.

For goalie stick, this is whippy.

She whippy. Okay. Yeah. If you're looking to send that pass, you know, down to a blue line. Or you could

be like me and just send it onto the opposition stick every single time. I mean, why not? Right?

Yeah. So Mark shouldn't try it.

Joey Dack almost had one the other

Joey Dack almost had one as well. Okay.

So you're telling me that I'm gonna get

a goal if I get

this stick? Are you guaranteeing that anybody that buys a stick from your store will get a Goalcam?

I guarantee that you can try.

Oh, that's okay. That's that's well played. Yes. Price point. Up there.

She not cheap. She not cheap. She's a high end stick. She is a high end stick. Got lots in stock?

We do got lots in stock though. So let's go. For peeling pucks off the wall.

That helps.

Okay. Anything else?

PWHL style curve. So that same mid curve that we see in basically all brands is available. Overall, in terms of like anything else, it's really like notable. Again, the weight is what really stands out to us. Super light.

That flexibility of the stick as well. And Super flexible. Much better finish in terms of

from True. There we go. Done. Project x. If you got any questions, give Cam a call.

(604)

589-8299 or 1-800-567-7790. Don't worry. The stick will guide you through the store.

Oh my god. Go to the hockeyshop.com and learn more about the Project X Storm stick from True, and then you won't have to put up with him.

He's in fine form.

Yes. I mean, he's he's Cam. He's always in he's always in fine form. I'm not always in fine form with him, and so you get a little, like like, odd couple. He's he's fired up, ready to go, ready to greet everybody coming through the door in the day, and I'm just having a little trouble getting up.

We this last time we filmed after a Canucks game, so I get home at, like, one in the morning. We're out the door at seven to be there. So, yeah, Cam Cam always brings the happy and the joy even when I'm not not not feeling it to the same degree.

I'm always impressed how in-depth and detailed you guys get when it comes to sticks.

Yeah. There's I mean, in it's funny. It's a tough one because in some ways, it's really just feel. Right? Yeah.

But, like, you know, some of the things like the flex point, like this one has it's light. Like, it's the project x stick is incredibly light. Like, you notice it. Right? 535 grams.

Like, don't know that you normally think, hey. Like, the difference between five fifty stick and a five thirty five in terms of grams, like, can you feel that? I don't know. But when I pick this up, I'm like, holy, wow. Like, it jumps out at you as light.

But then the flex point, and then you see the unique geometry on the back end of it. And, like, this is gonna sound a little like a backhanded compliment, and and and I guess it is. But we've done a lot of these true sticks in the past where the fit and finish on it just isn't clean. And you're looking at the price tag, and you're like, really? Like, you know, you got glue hanging out here and clean lines that just aren't like, it just did they just they've dialed that in.

And this is a this is a good looking stick. It's a really good looking stick. It should be.

How much weight does tape add to a stick? Both at the top and the bottom?

That's a that's a well, I mean, I guess I guess to that point, it's not always just about the weight. It's about the balance, which is why when we add weight on the blade, we should also counter it with little weight at the top on our knob. Like, as much as that knob is about being able to pick the stick up when you drop it, it may also be about balancing counterweight because the sticks are so well balanced now that you wanna counter it a little bit. That's a good question. I I we should you know, like, when we get into a 535 gram stick, I would imagine if you go full Braden Holtby on the top of it Yeah.

You're you're you're adding a significant amount of weight. Like, how much a full roll of tape is probably not that much lighter than some of these sticks, to be honest.

It just occurred to me because we we talk about the weight dropping every release on these sticks. Yeah. But we but we still load them up.

That's a really good point. Now I feel like I I wish I had, like, my little scale that I used to weigh chemicals for the hot tub because I'd I'd run up and I'd I'd throw a throw a roll of tape on it and see how many grams it is.

Here's David Hutchison who joins us on InGoal Radio, the podcast. Hello, David.

Hello, Daren. It's fun to jump in just a little bit late. I apologize. Recording a podcast is like herding cats as we've all discovered, and I had an overlapping meeting. And and I feel bad just jumping in by slamming Woody, but most people would grab the kitchen scale, but Woody, of course, needs to point out it's the hot tub chemical Yeah.

Scale because, you know, he's he's living a different life than the

rest It's subtle flex. Yeah. That's what we call it.

Oh, boy, Woody. I don't my

other scale. I get it.

I can't weigh of my the scale we used to wear pat to weigh pads is to I don't think it operates on on the fineness of weighing a roll of tape. So I was just trying to think of, like, it's my wife's digital cooking scale.

Don't know

whether I use it for hot tub chemicals.

I was gonna I thought you just had trouble for today?

Oh, I might have spelt a little chlorine on that thing.

At least, you know, it's clean. She'd probably like that.

On the stick front, like if if you do go with a with a higher end or or larger knob at the top, it it would like counter the balance of the stick just resting on the ice. I would think a little bit when when you're getting down to this light of a stick.

I think that's a 100% true. The the only thing I would debate on this is just the assumption that it needs to be balanced in a certain way. There is a a personal preference to how you'd like that balance to be and perhaps you could use your your tape to make that happen as well. I mean guys bulk up the the area around the paddle as well and depending on which part of that you're going to change the balance. But it's worth considering when you're, coming out with that perfect tape job.

But it does give you some flexibility.

It's not gonna impact my sticks or my balance. I don't know about Woody. Would you would you alter your warm up stick to protect the balance?

No. I would not. I would might let's be honest. Remember, guys, warm up sticks are sticks that have been used previously, so they probably got the same tape job on them. Here's a bigger question for you guys now that we're into we're digging down this. How often do you retape the blade of your stick? How do you how often do you clean it up?

Yeah. I felt it was getting a little bit dirty, my my two sticks. So I I redid the the the blade of it.

Is it about the I

probably I probably go two and a half weeks if I'm skating a lot.

Okay. Two weeks. Is that is that about is it about, like, the black marks on the tape then, or is it about the tape starting to get beat up and and now the paddle's exposed or the sorry, the blade's exposed and you're worried about it being more prone to damage?

Maybe a little bit of both, but more about the black marks.

So do you clean puck marks off your because I here's one for Okay. I'm seeing more and more. Yeah. I I wear them with pride too, Daren, because it doesn't hit me very often, so I want people to know when it does. Leave the puck marks on.

But I've now seen I'm not gonna name names, but I've now seen I've told you about Jeremy Swayman cleaning cleaning the puck marks off his own pads a few weeks ago. I walked into the room, and an equipment staffer was cleaning had puck out and was cleaning the marks off one of his goalie's pads heading into a game as well. So this is more prevalent than I'd like I mean, I've done the story. Spencer Martin using Vaseline on the face of the pads so the the pucks when they hit won't actually leave a mark that transfers through, then he wipes it off, it's all clean. But the amount of guys that are having that are trying to keep their pads clean and getting the puck marks off of them is, it's it's been a little eye opening.

I've seen a few this year.

You could check with the assistant equipment manager in Vancouver, Kevin, who is the former equipment manager, for the Vancouver Giants, and I believe he is the one, I hope I'm not miss misquoting this one, who actually cleaned off all the goalie's pads in Vancouver just because he had a thing for the pads being clean.

So sometimes it's the equipment manager and not that.

Sometimes it might be also, I I know I've mentioned this one on the show before but it's been quite some time. Best prank ever. Evan De Bauer was the second Nanaimo Clipper we billeted here. Got a brand new set of pads he was very proud of and the team got together and decided it would be fine if anybody hit him in the right pad. So his brand new pads only got marked up on one leg the first practice he had them.

Beautiful prank.

Who figured who did he ever figure it out or did they just tell him?

I guess they must have told him. I don't know the details.

Because I wouldn't even I wouldn't even notice.

Yeah. You mean, you you know would you notice when you take your pads off and there's marks all off on one of them?

Alright. Some dummy's gonna miss and hit the wrong pad, but, the intention is there. It's a really good one.

That's in-depth. I like that one. We got Visual Edge ProReads, coming up on The Hockey Shop Source for Sports, Langley, thehockeyshop.com InGoal Radio Podcast.

Do you want the puck to look like a beach ball? It does for Daren when he's skating, Doesn't so much for me. That means I need to get back on my visual edge. Every goalie has that night here and there where the puck looks huge. You're ahead of every play.

You feel calm. You're patient. You're in total control. Then there are the nights where you're half step late. You see it.

You don't really see it. You're reaching. You're guessing. You're fighting it. Know it well.

That's not your technique. That's your eyes and your brain not processing the play fast enough. Visual Edge fixes that. It measures how well your eyes track and process the game then gives you a custom plan that trains improvement. Three fifteen minute sessions a week on your laptop or tablet.

It's what NHL goal is used to make the game slow down when it matters the most. And remember, if you are a member of InGoal premium, you get a double discount. If you're not a member, you still get a discount. Use the code word InGoal, all caps, I n g o a l. You wanna double the discount on a subscription of Vizual Edge.

Make sure you check out the latest ProReads at InGoal Magazine for the discount code. Can't give it away here because you gotta be a member. And if you were a member, you'd be able to go in to the InGoal ProReads and search. Hutch has got a great new search function that allows you to search all the different ProReads and figure out which goal you wanna watch. There's over 350 of these.

This week's features Matt Murray and a rush chance, but we have Matt Murray, like what do we got? 11 different Matt Murray ones on the website right now, including a nine minute tutorial on managing screens. We have all the like, Joseph Woll, Dustin Wolf, Scott Wedgewood, Linus Ullmark, Cam Talbot, James Reimer, Carey Price, Cal Petersen, Alex Nedeljkovic, Ryan Miller, Elvis, Luukkonen, Charlie Lindgren, Devon Levi, Martin Jones, Braden Holtby, Joel Hofer, Connor Hellebuyck, Filip Gustavsson, Philipp Grubauer.

Right now, the listener's like, we get it.

Yeah. We get a lot. There's and I didn't even get halfway through the list, Daren. They're all there at ProReads, so make sure you go check it out. Brought to you by Vizual Edge.

ProReads at InGoal Magazine. There's always great stuff there. We will help you read the game better. Vizual Edge will help you see the game and the puck better.

So who are you talking to this week?

Matt Murray. Nice. Yeah.

I just I wanted to remind it because

because I listed a 100 names. So doesn't that make for great radio when I just list off a bunch of names? Oh my god.

It's it's incredible, that list.

It is actually.

Scrolling through, it's like, wow.

Honestly, like, if you think about it, like, if like, again, we're gonna I'm gonna pat my our own back here. Like, if you haven't subscribed to InGoal Magazine before, like, right there, we've we've Hutch pooled all the Connor Hellebuyck ProReads together, so it's just a thirty minute video. But you can go in and just watch them one after the other for all the guys. Like, you have the ability to sit down and watch 350 video breakdowns with all those names. And like I said, I only got halfway through the list.

Your subscription, InGoal Magazine gets you another year, so one a week for the next year and acts complete access to the archive for $50 Canadian a year. That's like two cups of coffee down in The States with the exchange rate right now. It's you know, it it really is there is no better way to learn how to read the game than our ProReads at InGoalmag, and there's no better way to improve how you see the game visually using Visual Edge. So they're a great combo. Great team.

Even if Woody's just a little off this morning and reading random lists.

Great group. Just like the three of us, we love, getting together and talking hockey, talking goaltending with you. All elements of the position from stepping on the ice, to coaching, to, how your family, contributes to the process and this journey. And that, gets us into our parent segment brought to you by Stop It Goaltending U the app. David Hutchison coming up in just a little bit, but, Stop It Goaltending U the app, a great partner of InGoal.

Well, before we get to Hutch's brilliance and by the way, folks, keep the commentary coming. I recently did a podcast that was about athlete development in the past week. And as they were asking me a bunch of different questions, I'm like, you know what you should really do? You should really talk to that David Hutchison guy because our parent segment is killing it. It is such great advice, and everybody that keeps sending us notes letting us know how valuable that's been to them, it means a lot.

It's been a great addition to the podcast and to InGoalmag. Reminder, every week, we pull the parent segment out. Thanks to our sponsor at Stop It Goaltending. And if you just wanna listen to it, you're tired of me and Daren and even our featured guests, you can go do that at ingoalmag.com. Just get the parent segment.

It's such a good item that it's become a stand alone specialty, and we thank our friends over at Stop It Goaltending for making that possible. If you would like, as much as we want Hutch's lifetime experience as a parent, if you wanna have twenty five years of NHL goalie coaching experience at your fingertips, if you wanna tap into the goalie parenting expertise that helped Joey Daccord reach the NHL, that's what you get with a subscription to Stop It Goaltending U the app. All the knowledge from Brian Daccord has been an NHL goalie coach, scout, and director, as well as the insights and expertise from his staff at Stop It, which includes a long list of veteran NCAA coaches, all delivered in easy to digest chunks, including five short daily primers each week, weekly style analysis and breakdown videos, and drills that you can take onto the ice with your team and coach. Plus, I was just talking about ProReads and how valuable they are. When you buy a subscription to the Stop It Goaltending U app, you also get a subscription included to InGoal Premium.

So check it out now at the App Store or Google Play and get the best of both worlds with a subscription to Stop It Goaltending U, the app, and a subscription to InGoal Magazine Premium, the best of which is David Hutchison.

Your live reads are good, man. I just wanna give Woody some credit. The the those live reads, outstanding. You deliver with flair.

You cheap Most people are just surprised I can read. Let's be honest.

No. Outstanding stuff. Hutch follow that.

I don't know. I'm at a loss for words. I came into the show this week and slagged Woody for something and then he turns around and he's super nice to me, so I just feel bad. Thank you, Kevin.

Kill him with kindness, Hutch. Kill him with kindness.

Parent Playbook

Attaboy. Guys, every, month, I send out something, to all of the people who get their subscription through their local minor hockey association. We have a number of minor hockey association partners who, as part of their goalie development program, purchase InGoal Magazine memberships for all their goaltenders and some of their coaches. And each month, I send out a couple of things or a couple of resources to all those people. And one of them is for parents, and it is called the Parent Playbook.

So perhaps that should be the name of this segment. It seems a little bit wrong to just be a parent segment. So I titled this one the Parent Playbook this week and we're gonna talk about closing your season the right way. Two parter. Just gonna do the first half today, which is ironically or not ironically related to what I'm talking about here cause I'm not gonna close off the segment this week.

We're just gonna let it flow into next week. For many people and minor hockey guys, the season is now over. I always find that shocking that we're just at the March and hockey's over for so many. And here's how it often goes. The buzzer sounds in the rink, the handshake line maybe happens and there might be a team party afterwards, pizza, end of year trophy, a coach who says something nice about the season.

And those moments are real and they're worth having. But then the gear bags get loaded, the group chat goes quiet, and it's just kind of over. No ceremony. No punctuation. The season ends the way a conversation ends when the call drops, just mid sentence with no goodbye.

The team party is a social ending and it closes out the group, but it doesn't do much for your goalie as an individual or your family. The question of what this season meant, what it cost, what it gave, what needs to be let go before the next one starts, that doesn't get answered in a banquet hall. It doesn't get answered in the local restaurant or in the parking lot. And for a lot of families, that's where it stays. Maybe spring hockey starts in a week and suddenly there's no seam at all.

One season bleeds into the next and your goalie never really gets to close anything. They just keep going until they don't. This week and next, I wanna talk about something that can make a surprisingly big difference, not for your goalie save percentage, but for their development as a person and as an athlete. It's about how you end the season intentionally. Today, the why.

Next week, we'll talk about the how. So why endings matter more than we think. We live in a hockey culture that's obsessed with momentum. Keep going. Stay sharp.

Don't lose the edge. And so we skip things. We treat them like dead time between the important stuff. But here's what actually happens when you skip an ending. The season doesn't really end.

It just goes underground. The things that were unresolved stay unresolved. The feelings that didn't get named don't disappear. They just get carried in the back of your mind somewhere. Into tryouts, into next season, sometimes into the season after that.

An intentional pause between seasons is where processing happens. It's where a six month experience gets filed properly instead of just piling up. Think about it this way. When something important happens to you as an adult, a job ends, a big project wraps up, you naturally want to market somehow. We instinctively know that important things deserve acknowledgment.

A hockey season is one of the most significant experiences in a young athlete's year. It deserves the same. And sometimes, there's something to grieve. This is the part we don't talk about enough. Not every season ends the way we hoped.

Maybe they worked incredibly hard and the results didn't reflect it. Maybe they had a stretch mid season where nothing went right and they never quite got their confidence back. Maybe a friend is aged out and next year that locker room is gonna feel different. Maybe they just love this team and is done now and that's genuinely hard. These are real losses.

Small ones by adult standards maybe, but real ones. And when we rush past them, when we immediately pivot to, okay, what are we doing this summer? We send a message without meaning to. We tell our kids that those feelings don't have space here. That disappointment is something to move through as fast as possible, not something worth sitting with even briefly.

But sitting with it, even for one conversation, teaches something different. It teaches that difficult feelings are survivable, that you can look at a season honestly, you can see what hurt, you can see what was great, and he can still be okay. That's not weakness, it's resilience and it's built by going through things not around them. So if the season ended with some tough experiences with some pain attached to it, if there's something that needs to be let go before next year, we need to give it space. You don't have to solve it or fix the narrative.

Sometimes the most powerful thing a parent can say is, yep, that was hard. I saw how hard you worked. It didn't go the way you wanted. That's real. And then you let it breathe.

Next week, I'm gonna get practical. I'm gonna give you the rest. We're gonna talk about a family conversation to end the season about one simple thing you can give your goalie that might one of the best development tools they'll ever have, and it has nothing to do with skating. That's the Parent Playbook for this week. I would love to hear from you about this or anything else.

Every time we get a note, we share it amongst the three of us. It's exciting to hear from people. Thank you for those who do write in to parents@ingoalmag.com.

So I got two points off that one. Did you just rename the segment?

I think I did. Yeah.

You just changed the name of the segment?

At the beginning, but you weren't listening.

See, so we we pumped his tires a little bit, and now he's he wants to he wants to rename. He's he's rogue. Full rebrand. Full rebrand.

Well, the parent segment is not a name. I'm not rebranding.

It it it was a name. It was a proper name. I capitalized it all.

[crosstalk] Parent segment Gear Segment. That's, like, boring.

Second is thought it

was that. That was the name.

What do you think? Parent Playbook or I like Parent Playbook. Write it. Let us know. Yeah.

Give us your votes. Second,

I'm gonna take this and and and play it back at my at my year end beer league party because I think we need to grieve the season.

Oh, do you? Just Is that a tough one?

Rather than just have a few and blame the the the the non back checking forwards.

And I feel bad that I structured it so I ended on grief because that's not what this is all about. Like, it's also important to celebrate great moments and to talk about what went right and and, and and I don't want it to be all negative. And and we'll talk about some of the more happy stuff next week, I think.

The Parent Playbook with David Hutchison.

Thank you, Daren.

Brought to you by Stop It Goaltending U App. Well done.

Good stuff. Yes. See, our year end party, it'll be brought to you by we have a guy that actually works for a major distillery. So and and some really, like, like, high end high end stuff. So, it'll it'll be brought to you.

The numbness will be brought to you by good scotch and whiskey.

Look at that. Hutch doesn't know what, what to say about us now.

I I tried to like that stuff, Woody, and I can't.

You have to drink it for a year evidently. I'm I'm actually

I tried. Why? Why put yourself through that?

I know. Know. I had this conversation with a friend last night, he did it for a full year, and he said the same thing. He's like, now I like it, but he's like, I don't know why I did it to myself.

I'll have the scotch and soda. Hold the scotch.

Feature Interview - Brandon Halverson

NHL Sense Arena brings us our feature interview every week on InGoal Radio, the podcast, Brandon Halverson, the conversation, today. But before we get to that, NHL Sense Arena.

NHL Sense Arena is a great tool. But I want you to be mindful that it's so much more than taking shots, which would be amazing on its own. And I also don't mind that they're always adding more and more including a powerful new addition from a good friend of the show. But Kevin,

you I see what you're doing here, Hutch.

You wrote the preview on our site about this. So why don't you take a minute, not two, not three Kevin, to tell us about this new feature? I really don't mind if you jump in here.

I saw I saw where you're going there. That was good dad puns. Pete Fry is in his in NHL Sense Arena, which means that Pete Fry is in my virtual reality headset, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that overall. The good news is he doesn't

ask you in your head.

Yeah. He does not ask you to eat any liver or go on any firewalks as part of NHL Sense Arena. Although a virtual firewalk would probably be the only one I would survive. He does, however, walk you through the same visualization techniques that he uses with goalies right up to the NHL. The same affirmations that he gives goalies right up to the NHL.

So there's a couple different phases. There's the visualization where you're in the headset, everything is black, and then it's like you're blinking your eyes open slowly, and the save scenario presents itself, and Pete starts to walk you through what's coming. Just like if you were sitting you're an NHL goalie and he calls you and you're sitting with your eyes closed, The difference is instead of the picture in your head, the virtual reality is giving you the actual picture. And then when the shot comes, it starts. It's three shots.

The first one, super slow motion. The second 66% speed. The third one is at full speed, and there's different levels. There's pro. There's junior.

Like, for for younger goalies, there's youth youth shots, different levels of shots, but it builds confidence. And Pete is walking you through. He's describing the scenario, and he's using his only Pete Ken Don. I am powerful. You are a blocker save machine.

And you're listening to this as you're making saves, and so you're warming your eyes up. You're doing a little tracking, and you're getting your brain engaged. And so it's the same stuff he does without virtual reality brought to you in a virtual reality context. It's great. It's all included.

As Hutch said, they're always developing. It's included with your subscriptions. Not like you have to buy an add on. If you've got NHL Sense Arena, you now have access to Pete Fry.

Cool stuff. And I I see that motivation, that confidence in Brandon Halverson's journey to the the National Hockey League. And this is a goaltender that that's had to work his way through the system.

Yeah. Fascinating story and a real story of perseverance. And, you know, like, I you got the sense. You'll get the sense probably that there are some elements that, like, he's kinda trying to live in the now, and this is the the problem with guys like me. They wanna go back through the story.

And this is a guy who missed a whole year largely because of injuries, but, like, he was doing, you know, like, get through at jobs. He was you know, I read a story in athletic where he was delivering Uber Eats. He was working, away from hockey to get through that year. He was pretty close to being done. He had he talks with us how he had a tough conversation with his dad, where his dad is his biggest fan, and, you know, he was asking if if maybe it was time.

And here we are, like, a lot of years later, had to start with a tryout in the ECHL, worked his way back up, got his first start in the National Hockey League last year. He had one, like, way, way back when with the rangers where he got into a game, not as a start, but as a relief appearance for for Henrik Lundqvist, but, like, almost a decade in between. And so got his first start last year. As he tells us, it didn't go as much as as well as he'd hoped, but he continues to build in the American Hockey League. 09/15, 09/13, 09/10, like, continues to post really good numbers there.

You have that feeling that it's only a matter of time before he gets another shot in the NHL. And even if he doesn't, like, what he's accomplished after, you know, being so close to being done, he was playing div two in Germany when he had that difficult conversation. So, best of all, he walks us through not just the journey, but the lessons along the way, the things that have changed in his game. And that's where he's at his best in this interview. When I stopped trying to dwell on the past and let him talk about the evolution that got him to his present, clearly a real thinker of the game and the position, and just a fascinating conversation I think everybody's gonna enjoy.

Hopefully not the you know, I'm pretty confident it's not gonna be the last time we talked to him because after we hung up, me and him talked sort of goalie geek technique, different things, what's going on around the league for another twenty minutes. So, really enjoyed this conversation. I think everyone else will too.

Let's get into it. Brandon Halverson with Kevin Woodley on InGoal Radio, the podcast with the NHL Sense Arena feature interview.

Really excited to welcome to the InGoal Radio Podcast, Brandon Halverson, Tampa Bay Lightning, Syracuse crunch, first time guest with a great story of perseverance, Brandon. How do you how do you look at your path to here? Drafted by the rangers in 2014, play an NHL game in 1718, first start last season, a long and winding road, a lot of lessons along the way, a lot of perseverance. Do you reflect at all while you're still in your playing career at the way this journey's gone?

Yeah. Like, it's I mean, I feel like during the season now, like, it's it's I feel like kinda climbed out of that hole that I, you know, got myself into throughout my career. And it's kinda you know, I feel like I've had times where I've, like, looked back and seen, you know, how those how things went and the the ups and downs of of of my career and the injuries and everything like that. But, you know, as of right now, I feel I've been, you know, put a lot of that stuff kinda in the past where it's supposed to be. And, you know, you take you take the good.

You take the the things that that are positive and even, you know, there's some things that are negative that can help you just in the in today's in today's world. You know, you just take those with you and help propel yourself forward and what what I'm doing today. So that's kinda what I've been doing.

And so many positive the last three years in the American League, rocking save percentages well above nine ten, chance to come up and play with Tampa Bay. What like, maybe for starters, for those that don't get to see you on a regular basis, walk us through your game, how it's evolved, what you what you think the staples and anchors are that have allowed you to have this success at this point.

Trying to think so. I mean, just going from, you know, being injured for two years and trying to, like, come make that comeback and trying to play, you know, I was I was lucky and fortunate enough to have, you know, guys in my corner I could go skate with in the summer and stuff like that. See, you know, an old old time friend, Jeremy Kalnicky. He's an old goalie coach, mentor, older brother, basically, mine that I would still go and see in the summer and then go and seeing John Elkin and getting lots of reps with him in the in the summer as well. And all that stuff has really, you know, helped me to kinda get back to where to where I am now.

And and I think also just the biggest thing was, you know, just just having people in my corner and, you know, I I started on Orlando. Like, I had, you know, I had a goalie coach down there. I don't why I'm drawing a blank right now, but he he you know, I haven't really had a goalie coach on the coast. You know, I feel like that's a that's a huge thing in a in a goalie's development is is having someone there to to help you. And I was able to have that at the start of my, I guess, comeback, you'd if you would say.

So having that, having and then, you know, getting called to Syracuse and having, Max there, he's been, probably my biggest blessing, to getting my game to where it is now today. And it's just like, you know, I'm a bigger guy. The stuff that we work on up there, you know, he's he's really hard on, in practices. Like, we, that I think that's the biggest thing that has changed is is, practicing way harder than I ever have before. I feel like I've always been competitive.

I've always been someone who's like, doesn't wanna get scored on in practice. You know? I'm not a guy that just doesn't go down and gets mad at guys who shoots in tight. Like, I I I invite all that. I want I want the competition.

I want guys to, like, change the angle and and really try and practice because that's the only way I'm gonna get better. But I think the, you know, a big difference was once I started working with Max, it's like, you know, you make those you know, you're you're you're working hard on every single shot, not only making the save, but, like, if that puck goes to the corner, like, it's following every single rebound. And I feel like that's something that's kinda gone away from the game a little bit. Like, I don't think kids are doing it as much. But dialing that in and getting back to your post and not just getting back to your post and, you know, right away getting ready, you know, getting set for the next shot.

It's getting back to your post and being in the right position because, you know, in today's in today's game, soon as the puck gets to the corner or whatever, like, guys can make those plays right away. They can make a quick pass out front. And if you're not set on your post, if your head's on the right position, if your back foot is dragging, your hands aren't forward, like, there's a lot of things. If you're not doing these things right, then it's gonna make it a little tougher to to make those to make those secondary saves. So I think just us doing that, getting my conditioning up, and basically, like, almost being robotic with that every single save, you know, unless it's one of those drills where there's, you know, three shots in a row you can't do.

But we at least try to go for, you know, on on some of those drills at least, you know, I feel like when I first started, it was like I could do five or six, you know, like, make the save, get to the get to the post hard, like, stop hard, and then, you know, take a head check and then get ready for the next shot, and then it slowly progressed to, you know, eight to 10. And it's like, you know, now I'm doing, you know, fifteen, sixteen I can do in a row and, you know, try to do as many as possible. And even if I'm dying and sucking down wind that, you know, that's when it comes to the game time and it's the third period and, you know, you got a four minute pad of power play or some penalty kill or something like that, then you're you have the lungs, you have the legs to be able to get through that.

What a great lesson that is because I think a lot of goalies, you know, they think they compete in practice, but it sounds like you've always competed. Now you're just doing it within a little more of the structure that I'm assuming now becomes automatic when the puck drops in a game, like, just building those habits.

Yeah. Yeah. And it's just, like, it's it's getting back to the post. Right? It's and then it's, you know, competing hard on every single save.

And and for me, it's not getting frustrated when I let goals into. So that's always been something I've struggled with. Early in my career. You know? It's you know, I was never I'll never get mad at anybody else.

I'm always just mad at myself for for letting goals, and it's something I still struggle with today. But I think that's been the biggest thing. Think I I've progressed as well. It's just like, you know, just because you're getting scored on you know, guys are allowed to score. It's gonna happen.

And even though you're working on certain things, it's not always just gonna come out perfect. And that's been probably the hardest thing for me because I feel like when we do drills and stuff, you know, I I go out with Max sometimes. I'm like, man, like, this is stuff, like, I should be able to do. Like, I've we've been working on it for two years now. Like, I I you know, I should be able to, like, make these saves, you know, the way that we're trying to make them.

And, you know, when they go in, it gets it gets frustrating, but that's just that's just part of it. You know, I think every single goalie is gonna no no goalie is gonna I don't think it's gonna have it dialed a 100% every single practice throughout an entire season. So it's just something to just to figure out and deal with, you know, just not get too too frustrated. You get it get here and there, and then it's like, alright. Reset.

Get back to the next shot. Don't let it, you know, overtake.

Tough. Right? Because, like, we're we're you're you're drilling. You talk about, like, your posts and, you know, not dragging your back foot, having your alignment, having your head in the right place, having your hands in the right place. Like, it is a game of perfection when it comes to those details, and yet sometimes we can be perfect on that stupid round puck that bounces everywhere still ends up going in the net.

Like, finding that balance in your own head is is is not easy sometimes.

Yeah. Especially when you're just really competitive. Like, I you know, that's that's the biggest thing. Another thing I've tried to work on is, like, at some point in my career, I had to just, like I literally had to tell myself to, like, stop caring in practice so that I just wouldn't get frustrated. And it sounds weird.

It's like, you because don't want that out of your goalie, but, I was almost too competitive to where, like, I'd get, you know, pretty frustrated myself if I if I'm letting in goals in practice and stuff like that. So, you know, I still have that competitive edge, but now it's just I'm a little little calmer in practice. I don't, you know, let that frustration get to that higher point.

Right. Because obviously frustration, you're thinking about the one that went in and the game is it's so easy to say from the couch, next shot mentality, whether it's golf or goaltending, it's all about the next shot. I feel like that's one of those lines that I've been saying for twenty years, and so easy to say and so hard to do. Sounds like you've really found that balance between compete and wanting to stop everything, but also recognizing that, hey. If I don't, dwelling on it's not helping me on the next one.

Yep. Yeah. And I know it's I know it's never gonna be perfect, and it's still it it creeps up here and there, once in a while in in in practice. And something I put Max through, and he has to get on me. And, you know, that's why we have a good relationship, and it's something I know that's there.

So it's it's being aware of it and just not letting it get the get it too far. You know?

It's important to have that relationship with your goalie coach. And speaking of that, you mentioned Jeremy Kalnicky. Hopefully, I said that right, Jeremy. Yep. Before.

Origin story, like, back to how Brandon Halverson became a goaltender. It sounds like Jeremy was a big part of that as, your family was billeting him?

Yeah. Yeah. We billeted him. You did your research. Yeah.

We he did. He was our second billet we had when I was pretty young, and, we always had goalies every we tried to have goalies every year. But he was, you know, he's someone I looked up to when we were young. And then, as I got older, you know, he had me come out to his goalie camps. You know, I never my family never had a lot of money, so he was able to have me come out for free and rip pucks on me.

You know? And as I got older, you know, some someone I always went and saw in Detroit and we get on the ice with. And he just he's just a big part of, you know, my success when I was younger. And even till to this day, it's someone I can call and talk to. You know?

There's probably a span I was calling him, talking about relationship advice. And then as you know, depending on what it was I was going through that in that part, he was always, someone I could talk to and leaned on. And he always, you know, he looks at me as a little brother, and I look at him as a big brother. So it's it's it's, I'm very fortunate for him.

You said you always had goalies or you or your family tried to have goalies as billets. Is that because you had already started playing the position? So so I think I

just, yeah, I just started, and then we started building. So I was like, I I just picked being a goalie. And then, yeah, we slowly started having guys coming in, and I always since I was a goalie, we always wanted at least one goalie in our in our house, so made made it more fun.

So what do what do you love about it? The position has challenged you in life. It's presented a lot of challenges. You've overcome them all. What do you still love about being a goalie? It's a it's a big one. It's big one. Would you do you remember what it was that drew it to drew you to it in the first place?

I mean, it was always just the gear, obviously. Okay. That was like everyone loves the gear and stuff like that, but I just I think, you know, at this point, it's the art of I wish I wish I had a big vocabulary to come up with some big word, but it was just the art of, like, how precise you have to be with everything. I feel I feel like, you know, we can't make mistakes. And when we do make mistakes, I swear, like, I go over video, And, like, the one time I'm just not fully ready in our zone, I get scored on.

The one time I'm you know, I don't do something right that we've been working on, whatever it may be, you know, tighter, feet are closer together, whatever it is, the puck goes in. It's like to to be, like, so precise on on everything, and and, you know, having that pressure of, you know, you yeah. You have one job, but your one job is keeping that puck out of the net. And if you do, you're you're the hero. If you don't, you're the, you know, you're the villain.

And I don't know. I think that that kind of feeling, that kind of pressure is is cool. I just I I like it. I I invite it, and I like being I like being on that side and and the positive side of that and and, just doing whatever I can to to help the team win. I just like being in that role.

You almost have to have that built in. Like, I'm I guess some guys can learn it, but, like, if you don't embrace the pressure, because it's not easy, it's a pretty tough pretty tough gig to to to to manage, especially at the highest levels. Yeah. What, as you evolved through, you know, working with working with Jeremy, he he retires. He helps you with goalie as a goalie coach, into junior.

How did how did your game evolve? Who were some he was obviously a big influence. Were there other guys? You mentioned John Elkin. Were there other guys through your time with the Sioux or, you know, working your way up to the draft that that sort of helped?

You talk about that precision and the need to be perfect in those moments that sort of helped you understand those moments, or were you more just emulating other guys? Like, hey. I really was there a guy you looked in? Whether it's in the show or in junior, it's like, I wanna play like this guy. When they when did it sort of cross over from wanting to play like a guy or having guys you looked at to being, you know, a little bit more of that precision, hey.

I've got coaches here. I'm trying to trying to figure out this system and how to play this position.

Yeah. I think I think, like, when I went from, you know, working with Jeremy and then it was once I kinda went to junior and started working with Alchem and, you know, I was pretty raw goalie at that point. And, you know, he took me to that next level and still to this day, you know, challenges me when I go see him in Toronto, of just working on that. That I think that I just really learned, like, the patience of the game of, like, really just waiting for shots to be taken and, you know, understanding that, like, a shot's taken, like, that puck you know, we've watched video on guys, and it's like guys that did it really well. It's like that puck's traveling, and the puck's halfway on its way to the goalie, and the goalie still hasn't even moved a muscle.

You know? And then, you know, you see as that puck slowly is coming in slow mo, then you start to see the goalie react and go into the puck. You know, I think I learned a lot from that and just, you know, every every drill we did with Elkin, I always felt like we're so much more advanced than a lot of other guys that I had done things with. So, like, every time I'd go see him, it was like, you know, I knew that these drills and stuff were like, these were gonna be tough. And it was, you know, a lot of pass.

Ashram's lot everything was shooter pass. So, like, learning that feel of, like, you gotta be set. You gotta be square on this guy and being able to read their sticks, read how they're gonna shoot that puck. Are they gonna pass it? Reading that as soon as they're passing it, it's like you gotta start to make that movement to to get to the other side.

And, you know, I'd be on the ice with Matt Murray, Blackwood, and, like, being around those guys. Like, you get to see, like, guys do it really well. And especially Blackwood, like, he's, like, he's insane. The guy is, like

He's a beast.

You see him off the ice. You're like, I don't know. How is he like a goalie? Like, he should be like a linebacker in the NFL. Like, he's he's built, and he can move, like, so well in the crease.

It's insane. And so, like, watching him, you know, we do, like, just like the dot in or just just above the dot, shoot or pass one way. And this was, like, a gradual, it would gradually get harder, but it's like a guy, like, standstill, shoot or pass one way, shoot or pass back. And then that guy who if he passes it back on the other side, can drive the back post. So it's like, get there on your feet, get back on your feet, then you can slide back to your post.

And it's like like, then he can do it. Like, I mean, you watch him do it. Like, I feel I you know, he can do it and also be, like, another half foot out compared to me. Like, I have to I gotta be a little deeper in my crease if I'm gonna be able to get both ways. But so it's fun to watch him do that.

And and, I think being in learning everything I did from from John really, like, has helped me tremendously. Like, he's still in my corner. He's he's helps me off the ice, mental mental games, everything. And then as, you know, as things went on in my career, had, you know, had guys helping, but I I feel feel like once I once I land in a spot here, it's like it's like another one of those things. Like, you see why everything, like, happens the way it does.

It's like I was kinda meant to to find my way. To this point, getting up to Syracuse and being with a guy like Max, like, he is amazing at what he does and, like, the stuff that we work on is just unbelievable. Like and he's, like, really just trying to think because there's, like, so much to talk about with, like, what we've been what we've been working on. But the amount of, like, transitioning from being patient to then, like, really just being on my toes more in the crease. I feel like, you know, in doing t pushes, like, really focused on that.

Like, we this is, like, three years straight of, like, getting the iPad out, watching how I stop on, you know, simple crease movements. And, I mean, to the point where it's like, you know, we watched the video right there on the ice. Like, how are you like, are you stopping with your toes? Are you stopping with your heels? And it's like like, still to this day, like, did it the other day.

We've been doing it for three years, and I'm still like, I I you know, you do that first drill, and you're you're not right on your toes. He's he's telling you. He's like, see the way the snow is coming off your blade? You're stopping with your heels. That everything's everything's back.

You know, when that shot's gonna come, you're stopping with your heels. Your foot's turning too much. Your leg's not snapping in. Your hands are back. Like, it's it's like, you might get a piece of it, but he's he's training us to, to get us to that NHL level.

And that NHL level is being on your toes at all times and stopping on your toes and solid. Like, nothing else moves. Like, you're stopping. Your back foot's already there, and you're in that position. Your head's forward.

Hands are forward. Making that and giving yourself the best chance to make those saves. I think that's, like, been a big thing we've been working on. And the other thing is, like, just being headfirst. I feel like I think that's I've learned the most from him out of anybody's, like, you know, whenever a pass goes or whatever whatever the situation is, it's like the best goalies in the world, their head snaps first before anything.

And that's, I think, changed my game as well is, you know, even if it's a one timer, even if it's like, you know, pass low to high and you push stop and you take a head check because you got time and you know, like, that one timer's over there, even when that pass goes, it's not just turning your feet and going. It's it's like snap your head, see where he's at. And as soon as you can do that, like, all that information you're gathering as the puck's moving, you know, you're turning, you're going, but the head first is just gonna propel allow you to, you know, turn your shoulders to the play and be able to get there with your toes, stopping with your toes, and reading what he's gonna do. Like, is he is is the puck in his feet? Do you have time to actually get there on your feet?

Do you have time to get an extra six inches? Is he one timing it? Like, these are just all things that you pick up, and I think the goalies that are the best at it that can really just snap their heads, see it, and they know what they're doing, and they'll even know if the guy's just gonna one tap pass it to someone else. You know? So I think that's been a big thing that's helped me a lot.

Staying ahead of it visually. But as you mentioned, if you if if you lead with the head, you can get that you're also getting a bit of that top down rotation when you when you go with your legs first or you you reach.

Yeah. Rotate.

Yeah. You you end up flat. I love that. That's a great lesson. But it's funny.

I hear you like, you guys are really getting into the weeds biomechanically there on the ice with the iPad. And I sense a little frustration that you're still stopping every once in a while with your heels. But, like, if you think about it, if this is three years new to you, that means for twenty plus years, you're doing it the other way. We can't it's hard to unwind those little habits.

And that's what, you know, he still, you know, tells me to this day. It's like, hey. Like, haven't been working. Like, you haven't been working on this. This isn't something that, you know, has been instilled.

And not saying other guys haven't instilled it. It's just he's, really, like, putting emphasis on it, and just you know? So, yeah, it's it's been a it's been a process. I feel like we've worked on it the past two years this year more more than last year. You know, we had we had more time this year to really crack down on things.

And so it's just it's just doing it in repetition and really just thinking about it in those practices and and try to instill all those things, at all times.

You, second round pick of the Rangers played in the World Juniors team pro early. Like, when you look back at some of those early years, like you said, you ended up in the ECHL with no help. And I think a lot of teams have figured that out now. They understand. I it's been a pet peeve of mine, here at InGoal.

We've kinda ripped on it. Like, the time in a goalie's career, I think the jump to pro at any level, whether it's from college or junior, every goalie over the years has told me it's the hardest jump to make. Yeah. And a lot of teams sort of put them in that spot without any support. That was what you've lessons there for you? Like, that like, do you think other teams are figuring this out a little bit so that kids aren't ending up in this spot where, oh, hey. You're a first year pro. There's all these things on and off the ice you gotta figure out.

Biggest jump of your career. Figure it out on your own kid.

Yeah. I think that was I mean, having talked to the max to this day, it's like that's I feel like that's the one thing, you know, we would talk about is like, you come out of junior second round pick, and, like, you're just expected to know everything, expected to be able to handle everything. And, you know, I guess I'm just human. I guess, like, you know, some guys may may figure it out and have it all figured out. I guess I just I wasn't.

And, I I can say I didn't really have, like, the support and, like, the help to kinda, like, get me through that. That's why, like, you know, having the support system I have here, the coaching staff in Syracuse, like, I have I genuinely have, like, guys that are, like, in my corner and, like, who have my back. And I felt like this is, like, the first time. Even if I'm like, I made a mistake or I got frustrated or whatever it is, it's like, have someone that's like, will go to bat for me, who's in my corner and will help me through the that situation. And, like, he's on me.

He's on my ass all the time. You know? Like, he's, you know, he's, you know, he's not just, you know, if I have, like, a bad day, whatever it is, it's not like, oh, it's okay. Like, no. Like, he's I I go push the net.

You know? Like, that's, you know, like, that's just the way it is, and I'm very thankful for it. Like, I feel like if I had what I have now at the start of my career, like, maybe I would have had a a complete different, you know, start to my to my pro career, but it didn't happen. And, it's the way it goes. You know?

Life could be a lot worse, and, I'm just happy I'm able to to be where I'm at today.

I've had a lot of these conversations over the years with a lot of guys that ended up starting in the ECHL, and some some never got out, and they point to that as an example. It's just it's a lot to throw at anybody

Yeah.

You know, without any support for it. And I do think the good news is teams seem to be figuring that out. When you were up, when you were at camps, did you get touches with Benny? Touches with were you around Hank? Did you like, that system that they teach, that they play, the containment sort of the, you know, within the lines, within the lanes, beat the pass, solve the equation, all the things that we hear about range.

Did you get touch points on that? Did was that sort of something you like, is there any of that in your game now?

Yeah. I mean, it's I think it's, you know, this it's the same stuff, you know, like that John John kinda got me going on and talking about yeah. Just playing playing you know, Hank played deep.

Yeah. I don't know that anybody could be Hank. Like, the way he played was was so unique.

I I mean, I played deep as well. So I think just the the the playing deep of the and the being patient is something, you know, I I guess I picked up as well along with, you know, working with the rangers and stuff. That stuff I've been, you know, working with John for, oh, you know, a while. It's the same same sort of thing. Maybe maybe told different ways.

But that's that was tough. Like, I don't know how much I really wanna say about

things here. And that's fine. I don't wanna put I don't wanna put you in a spot to Oh, it's

it's fine. I just I I felt like, you know, being there was like, you know, Hank was, like, the main guy, and that was kinda pretty much it. I'll put it I'll put it that way. You know? It was you know, I I just felt like even I I tried to get extra work done and, basically got got told, like, no.

So, you know, I was kinda trying to get extra work, in before camp and stuff like that and, didn't happen. And, that's just the way it went. And, yeah, it was it was just a tough situation. Completely different than what I'm going through right now. Just a great system here that the whole Tampa organization is is, clearly, they've they're they're doing things right, you know, with the success that both both groups have had and the coaching staff from all the way up top, all the way down has been just tremendous.

So just just thankful for the the spot where I'm at now.

There was I know there were some injuries there along the way too. And as a as a bigger guy, a bigger goalie, you put a lot of stress on your on your body. Have you getting through those? Have you had to change the way you approach things in terms of, you know, physically training preparation, anything like that? Any lessons along the way for other big goalies that might be listening that are like, hey.

Like, lay a little bit of, like, injury prevention and preservation tips and advice that you learned along the way?

Definitely had some injuries, you know, three knee surgeries.

Yeah. Just just a few.

Yeah. Just a few. And, yeah, it just think trying to remember that after the last one I had. Because, like, I try to do a lot of try to do a lot of different things. And even, like, the last, you know, knee tear I had, it was just the most simple butterfly slide across.

I was like, what it like, what is going on? How is this even happening? But once I was I I moved down to Florida, actually. I was living in Clearwater, and I I ended up the player that I play with in Wheeling actually was from that area, and he told me about a trainer down there. And I went and saw him.

Same's Theo. He runs it's called Oak. Oak something, o a k. I don't remember if it's I gotta look it up. It might be fitness or something like that, but he's a big this guy down there, he works with hockey players, but he mostly does baseball.

There's a lot of, like, MLB players. Optimal Athlete Collective. Yeah. He's down in he's right down in Clearwater or he's right in Tampa.

Okay.

And I went and saw him, got to meet him, and went there for my rehab slash training. And he's like he's like the big, like, knees over toes guy. One of those he learned he learned from, I think, the main guy that kinda, like, came up with that whole thing. So I started doing stuff with him and did my rehab. And after I got out and started, you know, training hard with him that season, that was pretty much the whole hockey season and pretty much that, like, summer as well.

That kinda made the biggest difference. Because ever since then, I've had no issues, knock on wood. But I've been kinda still instilling the same things that he's that he told me about, and it's just it's been good. I think I've taken a lot of things from a lot of different people, just still strength training and and, just a lot of ninety ninety work, a lot of stuff on the hips. Like, I still get just my hip my hips worked on every single every single day before practice.

It all starts there. Right? Like, it's funny you said, like, ninety ninety work is simple stuff, but if we don't maintain it, everything sorta can fall apart below that.

Yeah. And I think it's, like, I think it's too just like the way I play now. When you get wide, like, you're playing wide and stuff like that and you're wide on your post knee down, that's where you're getting a lot of torque on your hip and on your knees. You're dropping wide. You're dropping like wide, and then you've gotta, like, then stretch and make a save.

It's like you're you're just I think it's really tough. You're pulling things apart. And I think for me, like, I have a pretty narrow stance, narrow butterfly, but it doesn't mean I can't still react afterwards. But just, like, being like that and, like, dropping post knee down, that's something we've, like, talked about a lot. Like, if you're you know, that that back leg is, like, outside that middle bar and you're the middle back bar Yeah. And you're going down, you think that that's, like, actually better, but it's it's it puts more strain on your hip than you it's hard to tell in the moment, but it's doing it. And it's it also makes it harder to push whatever direction you're going to.

So something we've, like, made a difference on was when I'm on my post standing up, like, my back foot is either in line with the the middle post or it's even slightly inside an inch. So in doing that, I can drop into my posting out actually a lot harder, but they keep I keep my my hips stay up. And that allows me that allows less strain on my hips. And you can actually push a lot easier and a lot harder compared to, like, if you watch Vasilevskiy, like, he can you know, he's wide and he gets and he gets down and he gets down there and is posting down and he's you know, you see him like, you know, he can get real low with that. He's a freak of nature.

I was gonna say, yeah, you can't you nobody can compete.

Person, like, can't do that. So that's why, like, he's amazing at what he does. Like, everything he does, like, I I I can't try to replicate

Just physically.

Yeah. Yeah. I can't replicate his play style because it doesn't work for me and my body type. But I think just being closer to the post and stuff like that and having your hips up when you're in your post knee down is is gonna help with, with the hips and the knees a lot more than than the other way.

Does do you find like, you're talking about narrow stance, and we've talked about the skating and the movement, toes versus heels and things like that. Does I I don't wanna oversimplify it, but does your work knees over toes training style stuff, does do do you find it applies to stance too?

Yeah. I'd say so. It's it's it's it's kinda tough, Sam. I'm sure it does probably help a little bit, but it's mainly just, like, just on ice on ice stuff that we do. We do tennis ball machine a lot as well.

Really? Yeah. Oh, yeah. That's and that's made a big that's made a big difference as well.

So so so can you ex like, would you mind explaining, like, how how you use a tennis ball machine? Like, in in what way and and how it's made a difference?

Yeah. We just, we go I mean, we have a nice we have a nice shooting room in Syracuse. So Yeah. We pretty much get on the tennis ball machine three, four times a week on game days where maybe I might have played the day before or something like that and, like, I'm not gonna morning skate. We'll do the tennis ball machine because I I I have to do something in the morning.

I can't just, like, sleep in and go to the game.

Right.

But so, yeah, we just we work on that stance. Like, that's pretty much I mean, stand in there, just glove blocker stick, and it's making those saves. It's making those saves in front of you. And the tracking, it's like the you know, I'm sure you've heard before, like, the ABC. You know, the a is, you know, where the release is.

B is on its way, and then there's c. A lot of times, you can see goalies, like, they'll be there at the a. They'll miss really the tracking on the b, and then, like, sure, they'll make the save on the c, but there's like if you're not picking up that b with how your head is and how your body's moving into it, It's just one of those things that, you know, as you get to a higher level with, with better shooters and stuff like that, you might start missing that c. Because if you're not if you're not tracking the right way on on its way towards you, you know, I could stand there with tennis balls machines. It's, you know, it's dumbed down.

It's not as it's not as difficult as a guy shooting a puck. So if I can stand there, keep my hands right next to me, I could probably catch majority of the balls no matter what. Like but it's we're trying to focus on, like, you know, your head's in the right spot, head's down. And as that shot's coming, it's like really like the head has to turn and like follow that. You know, you can finish here, but like, it's really important as once it gets that beat part to that your head's turning, you know, your body's shifting into it, your knee, you know, whatever side the ball is going to, it's going to your glove side like your your your knee is, you know, flexing over your toe, and you're kind of pushing from your right side to get into that shot.

So you're not, you know, making saves with your arm stretched out to your side. You know? You're moving into it. You're moving into it, and really focusing on making those saves, like, in front in front. Like, I'm always trying to, like, you know, extend forward in making those saves out in front of me, and I'm watching it all the way in, trying not to, you know, make saves the sides.

That's something, you know, we really work on. Same thing with the blocker. It's like, you know, having a slight bend in your elbow. And when those shots come, like, you know, he always says, like, the lawnmower, like, we're not trying to bring we're not trying to bring your blocker back to make a save up here. It's pushing it forward and into that and trying to, you know, shoot the puck out.

So And

staying on it visually and down on it rather than coming up with the head, which tends to pull that shoulder back. Now you're just kinda I love it.

Keeping the shoulders the same level. It's just like, you know, you don't wanna come up. I mean, if it's if it's a high shot, then you come up. You can come up, but your shoulder still, you know, stay here, making that save up top, hand in front, and then just tracking it. As soon as you make the save, just Where it goes.

Where it goes. Yeah.

I love it. Are you guys putting marks on the balls or anything? Like, I it reminds me of a story that Frederik Andersen once told me about going to Anaheim Angels batting practice, and Albert Pujols was in there, and they're looking for spin and everything. The same thing, like, got a bit of a baseball background. Like, if you can still see the ball, you talk about ABC, if you're still seeing it and seeing spin at a certain point, I can't remember what their a, and c distance was, you can be a major league hitter.

And Pujols was doing all these reps and, like, all of sudden, like, stops, like, hold up. Let's have that ball back. He's like because he was reading he was trying to read, like, I don't know it was logos or stitches, but he noticed a mark on the ball. And sure enough, there was a that this ball had gotten scuffed and there was a mark on it. And was like so that training that visual acuity to that degree just makes it that much easier once you hit a game.

Yeah. Yeah. That's funny you say that because he'll Max will like when we do just we do regular just ball stuff before every practice. We've changed it up just a bunch of different ways Yeah. To do the same thing over and over again. But a lot of the times, he'll throw balls throw, racket balls to me, and then it's like, you know, I go to catch it, he's like, what's the logo? It's like, you should be able to see the logo. You should be able to, like, you know, you catch it. You should be like, be, like, looking at the ball right there in your hand and see what the logo is. So if I don't give him an answer, he's like, you better start looking at the like, you gotta watch it all the way in and see the and read the logo.

So that's it's funny you say that.

I love it. I love it. This is such great stuff. I don't wanna keep you much longer.

Very good.

Were there there were times, you know, you're over in Germany, you end up in Germany, and I know this happens in Europe. You go to play for one team and all of sudden it changes in a hurry and you can get left without spot, you end up in the DEL two. To be here now after going through all that, does it does it mean anymore or is it just does it just show you the perseverance that that can be required sometimes of this position in this sport to get to the best levels of the world to get your first NHL start?

Yeah. I mean, it means it means it definitely means a lot. Like, I think, going through kinda what I went through, Yeah. Especially with going to Germany and, you know, going to a tryout with the Dell team and being told, like, you know, we like you. We want you.

We just wanna make sure you're, like, healthy and stuff. Like, they did MRIs on my my wrist, my knee, every like, they're checking things out to make sure that I was, like, good. I'm like, I'm I'm good. These injuries were, you know, two years ago, whatever it was. And, you know, being there and getting an offer actually to go while I was there to go play in The UK League, like, a full contract, everything else.

Like, hey. Like, I'm gonna take this if you guys aren't you don't want me here. You know? Like, I thought I was

because you'd missed you'd missed the previous season completely because of the injuries. Right?

Yeah. Yeah. I missed this missed the missed the past two years at that and then so I was just like, I gotta play. So, like, if you guys don't want me, like, I'm gonna go here. Like, oh, no.

No. We're good. We want you. And then I signed a practice contract or a whatever, two two week tryout thing. And then after three days, they they cut me.

And the other offer's gone.

Offer's gone. Ugh. So that was like I mean, that was like another huge moment in my life of, like, just, like, nothing ever nothing seemed to be going right for me, and I kinda I broke down real bad when that happened and then got sent. So I flew all the way back to The to to The US, back to Florida. Yeah.

Just went back to Orlando went back to Orlando because they had a goalie called up, practiced there for two days, got released again, and then, then, yeah, I got that, del two contract before I went there. So Blue Air, skated in an outside outdoor rink, which was Crazy. Insane and insanely cold. And I was like, what am I doing? But at least I'm on a team, and I can start start playing games.

Yeah. It's just it was crazy long road, going through everything I went through. But, I mean, I feel like I mean, I even got to the point. It was like my dad was even my dad's, like, my biggest supporter, my biggest my biggest fan, and he's he even, like, kinda said to me, like, sure you don't wanna, like, come home, like, start working, like you know? Because he's and it's it's tough for him to say that because he obviously wanted to wanted me to, you know, live this dream and keep going.

But, you know, he was helping me financially, and he's not someone that makes a lot of money. And I was like, damn. Like, here even hearing that, like, hearing my dad, like, being real with me. I mean, he has to. Like, he's a dad.

He's gotta, like, you know, at a certain point be like, hey, man. Like, what are we doing? And, like, that hurt a lot. You know? Not not like he hurt me, but it's just like the reality of what you know?

I mean, it's truth. Like, you know, I should probably head home and start doing something else. And I told him, I was like, dad, just let me let me let me give this one more try. Like but I can't have you say that to me anymore. Like, don't don't tell me to come home. Like, I gotta I gotta I gotta give this another try, and I'm just happy I kinda just kept going. And I the the funny thing is is, like, I always it's, like, oddly enough, I never thought that I would I never thought I wouldn't make it to the NHL. Like, I just I I kept saying it. I, like, I feel like every day I would get in the car.

Whenever I was doing, I was, like, driving to the rink. If I was playing in Germany or I was injured, I was driving to work every day, you know, work on this property. And then after a ride, go and coach in Tampa. I actually went and coached, Vinyla Cavier, his, his son's team. I went and coached the the goalies there.

So I was yeah, so I was I was driving, you know, forty five minutes to Tampa Bay's practice rink, and I was coaching twice a week on that ice. And even, like, on those drives, like, I had a lot of time, you know, sitting in the car thinking to myself. And I was like, I'd always think about just, like, finally getting back there and, like, playing an NHL game. And I swear I'd get, like, almost emotional every single time. And I would think about it at least once a day.

And so, yeah, I just

And so it happens, and it happens in Tampa with the lightning. Not in Tampa. It was on the road. Yeah. I mean, with all those emotions and all you've been through to get to that point, how'd you bottle them up?

They get like, how did you control them in the game? I I I I'm almost overcome just listening to you talk about it. So I'm guessing now it's happening. Now you're getting in you're starting. You're getting your start.

How'd you how'd you control them?

It was tough. I let in six goals, so it wasn't

Well, I can I can kinda well, I mean, a, by the way, that game, like, the the you didn't have much of a chance, but also, like, I can, like, I can like, I'm yeah? Like, that would have not that would have been one of the more difficult starts you've ever as much as it's your dream Yeah. Just everything that came with it to get to that point would have been so hard.

Yeah. It was I mean, it was tough. Like, I I I go back and look at the game. I was like, I was I was playing so like, like, I was sitting back more. I was just I was, like, so worried about, you know, everything else that was happening instead of just, like, being dialed and committing to the puck.

I was like, you know, oh, if he makes pass here, if he does that, like I was playing so deep, and it just obviously didn't work out. I coulda I probably coulda made a couple of those. I coulda kept the game a little bit closer. Yeah. It was tough.

Like, you know, that's not the way I wanted the first game to go, first game to go, but I can sit here. And if I die tomorrow, I can say that I made it back and I was able to get an actual NHL start, which is the one thing I wanted to prove to myself and everybody else that I wasn't a failure and that I that I can make it, and I did. And even if the game didn't go well, I'm I'm just beyond happy and thankful that I got that opportunity and kinda, like, in a weird way, it went the way it it did because now I have, like, another motivation. You know? Another not only that I already have it, but I'm kinda like, I didn't like the way that went.

And now I gotta do I gotta work 10 times harder than I ever had before to get back there and and prove to people that that that wasn't a mistake either. So it's just another another chip on my shoulder, I guess.

Well and you keep you you continue to have great play in in the American League and and earn that opportunity. I I wanted to ask you really quickly. You started recently in the last month, saves for recovery. You know, I wanted to give you an opportunity to just sort of talk about that, why it's important to you. I know I know it's a bit of an emotional subject too, and I'm not I'm not trying to pull on all these strings, Brandon, I swear.

No. You're

good. But, you know, just like, I I was reading about it, it just I wanted to make sure the rest of the world knew that you're you were doing that.

Yeah. Yeah. No. I I started, saves for recovery basically for the money is gonna be donated towards, to HealioHealth. It's like a just a place for, you know, drugs and alcohol abuse, to kinda just help people get back back on track.

My reasoning for doing it is, I lost my brother to that, to alcohol, drug abuse, you know, prescription drugs. So, you know, obviously, that affected me, my my family quite a bit. It hap he he passed away while I was in Germany. So it's a pretty you know, it's tough. It's it's been really hard on my parents, really hard on my dad, and I just wanted to do something.

I just wanted to, like, help. You know? I've heard plenty of stories out there, and I know, you know, ever since doing this, it's kind of it's it's it's crazy to see how many people are affected by it. I feel like almost every single family's got someone someone in their family or someone they know that is, you know, down a rough path and is, turning to alcohol, turning to prescription drugs, and has an addiction, and it's affecting their life. And, you know, my brother lost his life to it.

And I just wanna help any way I can and see if I can you know, that money can go towards, you know, helping a family that maybe can't afford to to get that help or whatever it may be. And just maybe if it saves one person's life, that's one more person on this earth, that can make a difference. So that can start a family, have a family, and look back on that and be like, you know, it's something they went through, and they're they were happy that they were you know, maybe got the funding to to get out of it. So that's that's kinda my goal. You can if anyone's listening, you can donate to you can go on the Syracuse Crunch, fan page.

The I'm pretty sure it's up there somewhere. It's Yep. Click on a link or whatever. We can leave a link and, yeah, every donate every donation helps a lot. Basically, for me, every save I make, I'm just donating a dollar and very lucky.

I've got a lot of people that have reached out and are matching it. So whatever I however many saves I make, they're gonna match the same thing. So, it's it's really cool, and, hopefully, it just can help one more person.

Lots of saves on the ice. Lots of saves off the ice, Brandon. Thank you for that. Thank you for the time. We'll make sure we put a link, folks, in the show notes so that you can go directly and donate if you wanna get involved.

Sounds like I gotta get Max on the show too because I boy, I really appreciate you sharing all the work that you guys are doing. It sounds like a really great relationship you guys have building your game. Make sure you take care of the other kids down there that are in the organization. I know you know that full well. So just just can't thank you enough.

An inspiring story. Not easy to get to where you are, but your perseverance is an inspiration to a lot of young goalies. Hey. We're seeing it in here. Like, I was looking at the stats I have access to through clear side analytics.

For the top five goalies in the National Hockey League right now are guys who didn't have that straight line. The Cooly's, the Bussi's. Do when you see that, did does it do do you envision yourself being part of that? Like, that's is it inspiring to see that, like, it's not just first round straight to the NHL? Like, the everybody's journey is different.

Yep. Yeah. I mean, everyone's everyone's got their path. I knew mine wasn't gonna be be easy. It's definitely been been very hard.

It's cool to see other guys have success that have, you know, maybe bounced around other other teams or another coast or, you know, whatever it may be. And, it's just it's all about just pushing forward. And, yeah, hopefully, you know, one day that's the plan is to get up there and, you know, be an NHL regular. You know? That'd be be pretty cool.

Just keep building your game. Right? Like, that's just love it. Brandon, thank you so much for your time.

Yep. Thank you. It's been great. Appreciate it, man.

Outro

Cool kid. Love it. Honest too.

Yeah. And, hey, listen. Like, don't know you guys have noticed this trend we're seeing. There's a lesson here. And I don't wanna say the goalie coach's name because I'm not sure he wants to have or take credit, but he sent me a note.

And it was something I was thinking about a little bit, but not to the degree until until he sort of sent this note. And he said, you know, like, look at all these guys that are just sort of sticking with it. Like, the lesson is just keep building your game. Just keep building your game. And, yeah, you're gonna need opportunities.

You might need a break. Not everyone's gonna get it. But when I look at the top five in the NHL right now in adjusted, say, percentage, Brandon Bussi, Logan Thompson, Devin Cooley, Nikita Tolopilo, and Ilya Sorokin. And one of these things is not like the other. Like, four of those five are guys that went a different route that took a while to get there.

And the lesson this goalie coach, we're we're sort of going back and forth, and he's like, you just just keep building. Like, just keep adding. Just keep building. Just keep getting better. And if you have that perseverance like Brandon Halverson has had, opportunities will will will come.

Yeah. You gotta work your way mentally through the the the journey that isn't going to ever happen as fast as as you want. And sometimes it's much slower, much more deliberate than than you ever imagined.

And sometimes it challenges you with stops along the way where you think it might be over. Right? And your ability to I mean, it doesn't mean it's again, I that can sound a little pie in the sky because there are probably a lot of guys. I had I had this conversation with Brandon Bussi. Carolina came through town.

We got some ProReads with him that'll be coming soon to ingoalmag.com. And, like, not everybody gets that opportunity. Right? Like, look at how how long and how close he was to not getting the opportunity. Right?

Like, it's a waiver claim, but just keep building. Never stop building so that when it comes, you're ready for it. And and in Brandon's case, we were talking about other guys that he's played with that are like like like like Michael DiPietro. Michael DiPietro is ready for the National Hockey League. Is he gonna get that shot as a six footer?

We'll have to wait and see, but he just keeps tearing it up in the American League. And sometimes teams just sometimes teams do, and sometimes teams don't give you that opportunity to prove. And sometimes like Brandon Halverson, you might stub your toe on the first one. But when you listen to like, he had a lot going on in that game. You know what I mean?

Like, all those years of so next time, he'll be more prepared. Like, the and he and and I and I I hope he gets that opportunity to have another start. Because when you talk to him, you realize all the changes he's made and the understanding that, like, hey. This is gonna work at the next level when I get that next shot, and you just keep building.

Change is good. Evolution is embraced, just like David Hutchison, working through segment names and and tweaking them on the fly.

And and being critical of Kevin and then having to turn around and be be nice again. Yeah. I I'm learning.

We all evolve, Hutch. Yeah. It'll happen for you too.

Is there anything else you wanna adjust on the on the podcast today? Like, titles?

Well, I I won't let you know. It'll just happen. Might even just come out in the edit.

We should be really care we we should be really careful here, Daren. He's gotten really good with AI. He could make us say some things that we didn't actually say.

I have got the power of voice. Careful.

Thanks to Brandon Halverson. Of course, Cam over at The Hockey Shop and everybody for being with us on InGoal Radio Podcast. Love your interactions. Love your loyalty and, love your passion, for the game. We'll talk to you next week on InGoal Radio Podcast presented by The Hockey Shop Source for Sports Langley, thehockeyshop.com.

Be well.