Chris 1:02

Well, hi everybody and welcome to Lightning TV, another edition, of course, of Lightning Talks. This is going to be the first of a number of podcasts that we're going to be bringing to you over the next few weeks, really getting you to know your 26-27 Lightning roster. And I'm delighted to say that we've got a couple of the new guys on the roster that have joined us in this closed season. We've got Archie Hazeldyne and uh all the way over there in Canada, we've got Brady Johnson's. Welcome, guys. First of all, huge Milton Keynes welcome to both of you. And I'm really glad to say as well, of course, we're joined um uh by Lightning TV commentator as well, Harrison.

Harrison 1:37

Thank you. Uh always good to be here, always good to represent. And yeah, it's gonna be uh an interesting series. It'll be nice to talk to a lot of the lads and just prepare Lightning TV fans and Lightning fans for the season.

Chris 1:51

Absolutely, Harrison. That starts with the questions that we're gonna be asking today. And the easiest way to do it is do it alphabetically. So, Brady, not putting you out, but you know, we'll go we'll we'll start with Archie first of all. And you'll get you know, we'll we'll ask the same sort of questions. But um, I mean Archie, obviously, you know, we know you from the NIHL um previously with uh Telford, of course, and and Leeds as well. Um, but you've got that experience now with um Nottingham and more latterly, uh, you know, as you've already mentioned, Coventry. How easy of a decision was it for you to join Mil and King's Lightning? How did that conversation come about, for example?

Archie 2:27

Um yeah, uh Pete just Pete just got in touch and I kind of really like the project. What I think he's I think he's trying to put together. Um as soon as he called, um, it kind of you get that excitement feeling, and that kind of gives you this gives you the note, like puts you in the know that this is kind of something what you what you're interested in. Um as you said, I've I've been around for God for many young, but for a for a decent while now, so you you you get to know like different spots, and from everyone I've spoken to in Milton Keynes, it's it sounds like that you're really well looked after. So as long as all that side is sorted, um when Pete called and the opportunity was there, I kind of jumped at it.

Chris 3:13

You've got a bit of a relationship with Pete anyway. You've you know you've latterly been around the GB set up and and so on and so forth. So I guess the relationship was already there.

Archie 3:21

Um obviously yeah, he called me up through the next gen program a couple of years back now in in Cardiff, and then um which was an amazing experience, and then just recently I was obviously in Nottingham and then ended up going on to Italy. So um yeah, like you say, he's he's I've been around him, so I know I kind of know what what he's expecting, and that's that's made me a lot more hungry to kind of kind of pursue that that part of it as well as uh at club level as well. So um, yeah, like you said, uh that relationship's building, and as soon as he asked, as soon as he asked, I said, um yeah, that's something I'm definitely interested in.

Harrison 4:03

So you actually played with five of the lightning guys that are on the team this year for the GB under 20s back in 23-24. Does that help you settle in at all?

Archie 4:13

Um obviously, no, it's an hour. Obviously, Mac just recently, but um spent time with him this year, and Kel and the and the twins and Malik I can't say that one. Um but yes, uh like you say, it's it's a lot of guys I've grew up with um playing with, and they've played here before, so they um that they they know a lot about Milton Keynes and the area and the arena and the fans. So it is an easy transition. So hopefully um everything I've heard is good things, and hopefully once I get there, it'll be all smooth sailing.

Chris 4:48

Brilliant. Thanks, Archie. And and I guess on to you, Brady. You know, you uh I guess the relationship wasn't there. How how has that moved come about? Because it you've obviously you've been over in Sweden.

Bradey 4:58

Uh yeah, so I was over in Sweden last year. Um, but Pete actually coached um Justin McPherson. I went to school with him and played in the OHL with him. So Pete made the move back to Milton Keynes, and then he was asking McPherson about players that he thought would fit well. And that's when Pete started watching my like video, I guess, from last year, and when I was at school. Then uh we kind of had a couple phone calls, talked about things. Uh, he kind of explained what he was looking to build here. And obviously, I've I've had some friends and my stepbrothers in Hull. So I had a lot of questions for them about how Milton Keynes was, and I heard all great things, and along with the fans, too. The arenas I heard very nice. It's packed in there, and it's yeah. So we kind of just um went on from there, and um, I didn't really want to go anywhere else, so made the decision to come to Milton Keynes.

Chris 6:00

Very quickly, touch on uh your stepbrother. You mentioned Johnny there as well. Uh, I mean, he's he's put up some fantastic numbers in this league since joining it. He's obviously had experience in the elite league that you know, like Artie has as well, but he's he's made the move to the NIHL and made that transition really well up in hull. But it'll be interesting to see what he says about Milton Keynes because you know the the Milton Keynes fans don't take to hull that well when when they come down.

Bradey 6:28

From an organization standpoint and everything, he he spoke very highly of Milton Keynes as a place and to live there and every along everything with that. He didn't really have anything bad to say, but it's gonna be interesting this year when we play against each other, and yeah, so I'm kind of I'm excited for that. And um, because we played against each other at school as well. Uh he was at Acadia and I was at St. Mary's.

Chris 6:52

So Harrison's been delving into your past as well, I think.

Harrison 6:56

Yes, um, I found out that you uh you'd played with Jason Robertson uh in the LHL. Um do you have any memories of that, or is that is that just something that because it was only one season?

Bradey 7:07

It was only one season. And when I was in the OHL, I mean he was first line and I was probably third line in the OHL, but for I don't know, my memory on it, he could score five hole anytime he wanted to. Um he was he's a good player. You could tell he was a good player and a natural goal scorer, like uh around that time. Um, I actually played online with him for probably like 15 games because we were dealing for injuries, so kind of hold on to that one. It's pretty cool, but yeah.

Harrison 7:37

Is that what the OHO is that what the OHL really brings? Because obviously there's a lot of um big name players in the NHL that have come from that league, and the experience you get from that, that's transitioned well through your career.

Bradey 7:50

Yeah, it it has. And it's obviously I was a later draft pick, I was a smaller kid when I was 15 getting drafted. Um, and then it took me a couple of years to get into the league. But then once I was in there, it was it's it's a very professional like junior league, and just the standards that's set by the coaches that have previously played in the NHL or been close, um, along with the players that are drafted. I mean, you kind of you kind of just follow along with what they're doing and learn how to like build that discipline and build what's right to like in the game to do and like how to take criticism because everything was, I mean, everything is filmed now too, but going from 15 when your games aren't filmed to when you're 17 and everything's on film, so you uh you learn pretty quickly to I don't know, try not to make certain mistakes. You know what I mean? You're you're held accountable at a young age, and then that kind of builds you as a player, I think.

Chris 9:11

So really early, really early stage at that kind of level as well, because you know, obviously there's a there's a lot of kids going through that program, and we've seen a lot of we've seen a lot of guys come from U Sports over the last couple of years, actually. And and they've put up some decent numbers, it's been a really good level coming into this league.

Bradey 9:32

Yeah, so typically uh the OHL they have a schooling package for when you're playing there. So unless you're on like an NHL contract or an AHL contract, most of the guys will go to university before um trying to go pro because they would so it's good hockey out there, and it's like I was out east, we had eight teams in our league, but like every guy was I would say an XOHL, QHL, um the uh Q J M H L, but um, or West Coast out there, so all part of the CHL, like teams were built off that, and so it was a very competitive league, and obviously we were 21 to 24, 25 at that age. It's good hockey out there.

Chris 10:18

So Archie, um your development was obviously slightly different. Yeah, I mean you you played with your you were playing with your brother from very, very early age, weren't you? From pair of you were being developed around that.

Archie 10:33

Uh yeah, so obviously grew up in Nottingham and did the whole junior system here and then COVID hit and played a few games in the COVID Cup is what it was called, and that's kind of what ended up what made me end up in Leeds. And obviously, I'm it's gonna be um nice to go back there. Obviously, they gave me my first kind of kind of shot. Um, and then yeah, get get my chance in the in the elite league, and like you say, play against play against uh my brother, so that was that was a cool experience for for us both and the family. So yeah.

Harrison 11:07

I do want to quickly mention on leads as well. Um, but the fact that you made your debut for them when you were like 17, 18, and you put up some good numbers in that season as well. So the confidence that must have strived through you at that point, is that do you think what's contributed to what you've already gone through, like GB call-up?

Archie 11:28

Um, yeah, it definitely helped. Um like you say, you're you're only young, so you didn't really you don't really think about it at the time, but um at that at that time I was just just wanting to play. So like it was like, oh yeah, you can come for come for a few skates at the start of uh start of the season, and then end up signing, and then before you know it, they get hit with injuries, and we're we're down to four or five D-men for for the full season. So um definitely a valuable, valuable uh part of my uh journey so far. So yeah.

Chris 12:01

And when you I guess when you are that age, you like you say, you're being offered opportunities to skate with so many different teams. You know, I've seen an announcement, you know, even earlier today that the um, you know, the I think the twins are on uh and Carl are going to be on uh two ways with um I think it's Belfast again. And uh you know, I mean for them that's a that's a shed load of travelling, isn't it? But I I guess at that age you just want to go and get the ice time, would that be fair to say?

Archie 12:30

Well yeah, um, like you say, we're still we're still all only 21, 22 years old, so um we don't really have any anything other than than hockey, so no other responsibilities. So you just you just like you say you just want to grab as much ice time as you can, um, whether that's training, playing, um, because it's it's massively important and hopefully to play for as long as you can.

Chris 12:55

So you notice play you mentioned playing you know as a as a D-man as well, but going playing in the elite league, for example, is that how has that developed your game? Because you know, I know we haven't announced all the players we're lighting yet. Um I know there's a couple to come, but right now we're probably looking a couple of players light on D, and that that may change. We don't know what the announcements are going to be, but how is your game going to be involved in that? Because you're gonna be a critical piece of that backpair, aren't you?

Archie 13:26

Uh yeah. Um like I said, um Pete's kind of told me that what he expects from me. Um I'm hoping to contribute at both both ends of the ice, and like you say, my my role of my role will probably change a little bit from what I was doing at the uh at the elite level. So um I'm hoping to contribute at both ends of the ice, and like you say, however many there is there is back there, I hope we're all um solid and all get on with each other.

Chris 13:55

And stay fit.

Archie 13:57

Yeah, exactly. Stay fit.

Chris 13:59

Yeah, the most important thing. Uh what about yourself, Brady? We're talking about you know, when we talk about uh two-way games, because you know, obviously when it we we can't have two, we're not allowed to have too many non-British trained players in the squad in this league, of course. So, you know, the the the the imports, for want of better words, that come in, they need to sort of be able to produce on a on a nightly basis. I guess looking at your two-way game, that's where your figures really start to stack up, don't they?

Bradey 14:28

Yeah, like I do play a good two-way game. I'm looking this year to have a little bit more offense in my game. Um, and I think last year, Sweden, the hockey was a little bit different. I mean, there is bigger ice surfaces here in Milton Keynes. I like the big ice, but they I found it hard last year in Sweden. I found they didn't really play like a Canadian or North American style. They were very uh they would pass up shots in certain areas when in Canada it's like you take it to the net kind of thing.

Harrison 15:02

Yeah.

Bradey 15:03

I've watched the games here, like I've watched obviously my stepbrother play. So like I've seen you guys play against um, I've seen us play against him, but this would have been a couple years ago. And I obviously watched the finals this year, and I just saw the game, and I think the game suits me better. Uh, more Canadian. That's the style of play I play is is more Canadian, it's not very finesse, it's hard work, and it's it's finishing pox at the net, kind of thing.

Chris 15:29

So yeah, I know you like you like big you said you like bigger ice. Have you been warned about Peterborough and Leeds yet?

Bradey 15:36

Uh I've been warned about Peterborough, actually. Yes, I have.

Chris 15:41

Yeah.

Bradey 15:42

It's a smaller ice surface, right?

Chris 15:44

Or it's it's it's smaller ice. Let's let's let's put it that way. It's a smaller surface. I think I think I can say that. I've got friends in Babylon, I may not have now.

Bradey 15:52

Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, I but I think I like the bigger ice, you get more room, but then it's also it's a little bit more crash and bang hockey that when you're on smaller ice surfaces, which is I find I enjoy it too. So yeah, cool.

Harrison 16:10

Yeah, I mean, just on that point as well, when it comes to those different ice surfaces, and that's always something that used them fans will look at the size of the ice pad, and we'll some fans will look at it and be oh, that might be a reason for different playstyles. Um I just think that you're gonna be able to contribute, and that's really to both of you, because obviously defensively and offensively, it's a very different type of hockey that you play when you're playing at the likes of um our rink um than if you're gonna go down to like say a Bristol or a Peterborough who have those smaller rinks. So do you feel comfortable doing that, changing it week in, week out, and in those different size ice pads?

Archie 16:53

Um obviously I've I've a bit more used to it. Um like you say, my my year, well, my half a year in Telford, um, that's a that's a smaller ice service, but I would say predominantly I prefer the uh the bigger ice surface. You just have a I I guess it's because of probably what I've grown up on in Nottingham that's kind of Olympic. So um, but on the changing thing, I mean, you kind of you kind of know that when you go in certain spots, you're gonna have a little less time, or um it's gonna be a little harder to see in some places. Um I won't mention which ones, but um yeah, you just you just kind of get used to it, and uh like like you say, um it can it can take some people a bit of time to adjust them, but I would say um I've kind of got used to used to playing in different spots.

Bradey 17:39

I think I'm I think I'm similar to that. Um I would say I hadn't played on any big ice until I went out to university, like Olympic size ice. Um, and that was at Acadia where my stepbrother was. Uh I liked the bigger ice, but also I played most of my life on smaller ice surfaces. Being from a small town, some of the ranks are a little bit smaller, they're older. Um, so I grew up kind of in those small barns and the cold ones in the winter, but yeah. Um I don't know. And then obviously last year in Sweden, every every ice surface was the same. So I did it was just big ice. I didn't, so I think I got a full year of learning on the bigger ice surface, and I think my game came a long way on the bigger ice surface throughout the year. Felt more comfortable with this the game of hockey on the bigger ice surface. And I mean, when I skate back here at home, it's not Olympic ice. It's so I've been skating on smaller ice all summer, so I'm not too worried about making the switch. It's just a little bit of a different game plan, and yeah, kind of knowing where you are on the ice is different each night a little bit with the different ice surfaces. So yeah.

Chris 18:55

It's it's interesting that you've you've mentioned there actually you've been skating during the summer when when you're at home, because when I did the interview with with Pete you know last month, one of my questions was what are what are the guys doing to prepare themselves? And I know that when when Pete was here for his last uh his last as head coach, for example, he'd uh the guys had got a program that Pete and the team had sort of come up with, sort of conditioning and everything else. But um from what he said this time round, you've you've all pretty much I guess you've all you all know the expectation, but you've all been given a much pretty much a free reign because you you know your bodies and you know how to condition yourselves, right? So what what are you both doing during the summer to sort of get yourself ready to hit the ice? Because we there's there's not a big window, is there, of training before you actually come get together and then get into games.

Archie 19:44

Yeah, so uh Pete's done the same thing again. He's uh sent a program out. Um he said, like almost if if you've got your own, you can do your own. But if you want to follow this, um go for it. So I've I've been following, I've been following that and trying to trying to gain some weight, obviously being uh being a skinnier, being a skinnier guy. Um, and then skates wise, we're kind of struggling at the minute. We have we usually have a decent group in Nottingham who managed to jump on the ice a couple of times a week, so hoping to get that started up. And then um, I think uh in MK he's trying to sort some in August time, like for the start of August. So it'll be good to get back out there. I've I've skated a few times, but nothing serious. Um, but you you do need it because you lose it so fast, it's it's kind of crazy.

Bradey 20:31

Yeah, I'd say for me, um like when I came home, I I'm on my own workout program that was from my school. Um, and I've done that for the last I've done it every summer for the last four or five years. So I started that up about a month after I came home, and I've just kind of been working through the progressions there. And then on ice, probably got back on the ice. Uh I think it was May, and it's it's a couple times a week with some OHL guys, some pro guys that are kind of in different parts of the world. It's uh it's actually in a town called Peterwill that's not too far away from my hometown. So um, yeah, so that's a probably the good summer skate that that I do. Um, I do do uh like some beer league hockey too, uh Tuesday nights. Beer league, but it's it's fun, it's just shiny games. You go out there, have fun. It's it's more relaxed than like my actual training. So I enjoy that too.

Chris 21:30

So you're still you there's still a little bit of that sharpness, isn't it? You're still you're still skating, you're still getting out there, aren't you?

Bradey 21:36

Yeah, you are. You're you're in game situations. Obviously, it's a little bit slower pace, but like you're just out there having fun. You kind of you do work on things in a sense, but it's also just for the fun of the game. Yeah. Yeah.

Chris 21:50

Cool.

Harrison 21:53

Yeah, one thing I wanted to touch on with um you, Archie, especially, is one of the last times that Lightning fans will have seen you, um, other than the preseason friendlies that we've played against the Blaze, um, would have been you putting an assist in for Telford against Lightning in the playoffs was now nearly three seasons ago. Um but do you remember much of playing in MK when you were at Telford, when you're at Leeds, and even really GB as well? Um, because obviously the GB game that we had uh a couple months ago was uh the first one being an MK and then the Nottingham one, which broke records as well. So have you got any memories of it?

Archie 22:34

Uh yeah, like like I said earlier, um as a visiting team, it was always a task to go into uh Milton Keynes and and come away with two points. So um can remember some of the some of the battles leads to leads in MK ads but I think there was a seven six in there at uh um in MK. Um I can remember them once. Obviously with Telford it was I joined in the joined in the January and we went on a went on a bit of a run there and made it, made it to the play up, made ended up in the final four. So um Um I can remember I think it might have been a must-win game coming into MK that that game.

Harrison 23:09

Yeah, I think we had the away leg against um or away game against you guys the day after. Yeah um that one basically cemented it.

Archie 23:18

Yeah, so um yeah that obviously that was a kind of high pressure game for us. And um yeah, like you say, it's always a tough place. So if you come in and take two points, that was always um that was always a job well done, sort of sort of thing. So um them games are always tough. Like you say, I hope we have that uh impact on on other teams coming in. And then the GB ones most recently, obviously, I was just kind of um taking it all in. I'd had a little taste out in Poland, but to be the to be the home team in your home country, it's it's a dream come true. And obviously, I'd had some family there, and seeing me and my brother there, it was um pretty special occasion for us both. So um, yeah, that was that one was definitely one I remember for a while.

Harrison 24:05

And then Brady, uh obviously you've not um not been to MK yet, but you've obviously you said your stepbrothers told you a decent amount about um MK uh and the hockey side of it. But how much do you know about MK just as as the city? Um, because there's definitely a couple famous bits to do with it.

Bradey 24:26

Um I think I I Google searched, it said it was a city of roundabouts. Yeah that's yeah, yeah, I got that, and then um oh, is uh Red Bull's F1 facility there? Is that yeah? Yeah, that's all I really know as the city.

Chris 24:53

Yeah, I think there's some some over over 200 roundabouts, I think. Last county in Milton Queen. So it's uh um, although they've started taking some of some of them out, and you know, we've got some concrete cows in the city as well. So you'll find you'll find your way around. They'll they'll they'll be happy to there'll be people happy to show you around, Brady, when you can and and you, Archie, when you when you arrive. Um on the makeup of the squad, I know um we at this point we've probably still got a couple of names to come in, and and you'll probably already know those, and we can't obviously we can't discuss those because it wouldn't be fair before they're announced. But you know, in the last couple of seasons on paper, lightning have had really, really good squads. And it for one reason or another, it hasn't quite it hasn't quite worked out, and you know that the people have debated this this to death, but there was a real air of excitement when first of all Pete was named as as the head coach, um, especially because he's got uh Lewis Christie alongside him as well, who's an absolute lightning legend. Um but as names have started coming out and the this team's being built up, you know, just a couple of days ago, for example, Max Stewart, you know, coming back, um, Liam Stewart. So we got, you know, we've got we've we've got Disco and Mini Disco back again, and we've got the twins and people like yourself, Archie, and you and people like yourself, Brady, and there's they're starting to build a you know, I don't want to put too much weight on your shoulders before we even start, but there is an area of expectation because this you Pete's building a really, really good squad. Are you starting to feel that yourselves without being arrogant? Can you can you see the the sort of talent that's around you?

Archie 26:30

Um like you say, I've I've grew up with with with a few of the players, and I I think what's what Pete has built is he's not he's not just built a team that's going to do one thing. We're a very versatile group, is what I would say. Um he's built a team what what might grew out a few nights or a team with a with a lot of skill and with a lot of players with a lot of skill. So um, as you say, it does bring expect expectations up. Um but that's that's probably more of a privilege. Um, you've got to you've got to if you're expected to perform, you've you've got to live up to that, live up to that. So that's what I would say.

Chris 27:07

And Brandon, have you done much to homework on your on your teammates?

Bradey 27:11

I have here and there, yeah. But just from speaking with Pete, I know what he's trying to build, I can understand what he's trying to build. And it's like a team that is skilled, but has that work ethic and that compete to want to get better every day. And I think with that, I I am excited, and I do think we have a good squad and we're being pushed in the right direction. And yeah, so I haven't done all the homework, obviously, because it's I also find out too through the uh the signings. So obviously, when I see one, then I'll go look at it. But yeah, yeah.

Chris 27:49

I guess it, you know, that I mean, Archie, you'll probably appreciate this a little bit more having played in this league before, but even from this coming season to last season, the standard of player that's coming in is is still just increasing markedly. I mean, obviously, we've got an increase, increase in the the import level. There's there's um there's more uh non-British trade netminders coming into the league. And again, that's another debate, probably for another day. But you know, you've got the likes of uh, you know, obviously um yourself coming back in from the league league, Mac um coming back in as well. Um, you know, I think it's a fairly decent bet that people like Zach Sullivan are going to appear in in the league, you know, at some point, maybe even announced as we speak today. That standard is really starting to increase, isn't it? It's really ramping up.

Archie 28:38

Uh yeah, that's that's obviously what I what I've heard. Um obviously it's been a few years since since I was I was um down there, and everyone said it's it's increasingly getting better and better, which is which is a good thing. You want it to be competitive all over the league. You don't you don't want you don't want those games where where it's um obviously fans might get a bit more nervous, but it's it's good that it's a competitive competitive um hockey. That's what you want to be playing. Um so obviously that's what I've heard, and hopefully, um, like you say, Pete's Pete's build a built a good enough team and as well that's gonna carry us through.

Chris 29:17

Yeah, it's certainly gonna be uh certainly gonna be interesting to see you all, you know, when you first hit the ice um pre-season games. Obviously, there's two preseasons been been announced so far, but uh uh no doubt there'll there'll be there'll be something uh something else as well. Um when you when so you said you were probably gonna try and get on the ice in Milton Keynes in a couple of weeks. When for example, when when do you come over, Brady? Do you know do you have those dates yet?

Bradey 29:40

Uh yeah, I actually booked my flight. Uh I arrive in London uh around 6 a.m. on the August 26th.

Chris 29:48

Okay, cool.

Bradey 29:49

I believe that Pete has got ice that week. Yeah. Uh for players that want it. So yeah. Yeah, so flight is booked, and uh I'm looking forward to it. Uh I'm real excited. So awesome stuff.

Chris 30:06

Arison, you got any anything else?

Harrison 30:09

Yeah, I mean, I wanted to just sort of pick up on what your point was about the league getting better as well, and uh especially for for you, Archie, as you said, you've been out of the league for a couple years, but that experience of GB and Coventry. I mean, you were playing in a Blaze side last season that had legends such as David Clements um and a D-man who, in my opinion, is one of the better ones in the elite league of Colton Sorcerman. Um, those two players alone, along with the other sort of D-men that you've now played alongside. What sort of what do you think they've brought to your game that is going to make you a different player um coming down than you were when you went up?

Archie 30:52

Um you just you just want to you just want to pick off anything you can. So um I think it was always like a lot of people um group you in as as as what they wanted to. So obviously with my numbers, what I'd done before, it was always like, oh, he he's very offensive and he doesn't he doesn't have another side. So I've worked I've worked really hard on trying to break that mode and become defensively defensively solid. And I would say more on that side, it's helped helped a lot more. Um and yeah, I'm hoping to bring that down, bring that uh back down to MK with me, um, alongside being a more all-rounded defenseman.

Harrison 31:32

Yeah, and I mean Brady as well, you've as you've not really come to see the league, but as you said, you've watched a few games and you said that it looks like it's gonna suit your style um a lot more, especially watching um your stepbrother as well. Um is there anything that you've noticed that is a bit new? Um, that's something that maybe you haven't seen out in Canada or in uh Sweden.

Bradey 31:58

Uh that's a tough one.

Harrison 32:02

I in within the games anything to do with like all of it.

Bradey 32:08

All of it. I mean, in Canada, that I know that you you guys chant over there. The fans are chanting during the game. Yeah. I in Canada it was never like that. Obviously, they'll cheer when you score, make a big hit, but the chants are different. They had that in Sweden too, a little bit, so they had the drums going, but that's definitely a different aspect of like uh it's it within the game a little bit. Um, I I quite enjoy it. It can it can it can give you a little bit more energy when uh when you hear them screaming at the top of their lungs chanting.

Harrison 32:40

So yeah, and our fans are very good at coming up with different chants for uh different players. So I can imagine you're both uh quite intrigued to see what gets brought up for both of you.

Chris 32:50

You will both have your own you will both have your own songs within within weeks of the season start, if the if if not before the the season even starts. But I was actually Brady, I was going to talk to you about your your time in Sweden there because there, you know, you you were playing in hockey etan, um obviously, and then when lightning first formed, we had a a little bit of a tie-in with uh icor over in um over over in Sweden, and we had a few trips over there. But that's a passionate fan base over there, isn't it? That's the the the Swedes, they get they are yeah.

Bradey 33:21

I was in uh Tranos and it was they were very passionate. They had their supporters crew that would they would come out with drums and all that every game, every home game. Obviously, a little bit less fans if we weren't performing at home, uh but uh they were very passionate, and even uh in most of the other ranks as well. Um they all had their fan bases, and even we would have some fan buses that would come down, and it was kind of cool. Uh, we were in Miolby uh the one night, and we had a whole section filled with our fans. They took the bus and it was basically like a home game. Our fans kind of versed theirs for who's cheering. So yeah.

Chris 34:00

Yeah, it's it's just to prepare you, it's gonna be very, very similar. Um, two and a half, two and a half thousand people plus in in the in the Thunderdome on a Saturday or Sunday night and game night. There they are hugely vocal, they've got their drums there, they the atmosphere is absolutely amazing. The good thing about them is as well, there's a there's a real core that travel um to pretty much every game they can as well. Um so you'll you'll get to know those very well. And then I think actually a couple of them, Brady, will probably want to get to know you because I think your dad was your dad was drafted by Islanders, wasn't he, back in the day. Um yeah, we've got a couple of real avid Islanders fans in the in the Milton Keynes fan base, so uh uh they know who they are, but uh they'll they'll probably come and say hi at some point, I would imagine.

Bradey 34:44

Yeah, looking forward to meeting them, yeah.

Chris 34:49

I think um I think guys, that's pretty much it. Uh you know, Harrison, unless you've got anything else, and it's been uh been amazing to catch up with you both.

Harrison 34:58

Yeah, it's been great. Um, I've not got anything else really to add. I think it was more just uh a sense of welcome to Milton Keene's Lightning.

Chris 35:08

Thank you very much. It's it's gonna be it's gonna be amazing seeing you and the guys on the ice again. And you know, it's been great. Uh you know, first of all, thank you so much for giving your time to you know um for letting us get to know you and you know, bearing bearing it, bearing as much as you possibly can for the fans as well, because it it really will help as well. So um but we look forward to seeing you when you uh when you when you get down here, get back on the ice and uh uh we start developing those. But uh don't forget everybody, the uh Lightning Talks podcast will be coming at you um frequently now, between now and the beginning of the season. We'll have another couple of players on the uh on the next one, of course. But for now, uh Archie and uh Brady, thanks so much for your time and Harrison, thanks for your time as well. And uh Leo in the background who's doing all the production as well. Um but don't forget, for more information, of course, you can go to the Lightning website and pick up the Lightning socials as well for all those uh views and views and everything else. But thanks very much, everybody, and thanks for watching. All good, Leo?