Chris 0:59

Welcome once again, Tuesday Lightning to What's We talk anything like starting to live as we start DJ Duty to the squad to take everybody around the club as we build up to this new stadium. And for the two episodes, once again, I'm really pleased to be joined by Airston. How are you doing, Ariston?

Harrison 1:16

Hello, I'm alright. I'm alright. I'm always here. But yeah, no, I'm doing all right, thank you yourself.

Chris 1:22

Great stuff, yeah. Really good. Thank you. Really looking forward to this one because we haven't got anybody new on this particular um episode of the podcast. What we have got are two returnees and very, very popular returnees, they are. So I'm going to get them to introduce themselves and we'll go with uh Archie. Let's go with you first.

Archie 1:40

Hi, uh, hope everyone's alright. Thanks for having me on. I'm Archie Salisbury, player number four for the Milton Kings Lightning, and this is my third and a half year with the Milton Kings Lightning.

Chris 1:53

Brilliant. Welcome back. And we'll go into that in just a little bit, uh, in a little while, Archie, because there's there's there's a lot to delve in there. And I'm really pleased to say on the podcast we've got uh he's becoming a bit of a stalwart in this like Milton Kings Lightning squad now. Over to you.

Ed 2:08

Yeah, hi everyone. Hope you're having a good summer. Uh Edward Nag's number 25 um defense. So yeah, and this is my my tenth year. Um, if you include some of the uh two-ways in the uh sort of seasons I had a couple of games here and there. So yeah, looking forward to getting going again. And uh yeah, nice to see you all.

Chris 2:27

Brilliant, guys. I want to really start off and sort of explore a bit of your history. So I'm gonna, Archie, I'm gonna start off with you because you mentioned the sort of like three and a half seasons you've been with with Lightning now, but um, you started over in Peterborough originally, didn't you? Um sort of juniors in Peterborough. How did that come about? Because your dad was playing as well, wasn't he?

Archie 2:48

Yeah, so my my dad used to play, so it was actually my well, sort of my dad what got me into the hockey in Peterborough. So my dad used to play for the Peterborough Pirates back in the day, and then sort of like he retired, I was born, and then it was actually my school in Peterborough. They had like um an assembly on, and the Peterborough Phantoms at the time came into the school and did like um similar to what we do, like sort of a presentation about ice hockey. And I had like a um a learn to play leaflet, and I went home to my dad and said, I want to be an ice hockey player like you, and then pretty much the rest is history, did all my juniors in Peterborough, and then when I was about 17, Joe Wilson was my under 10s coach in Peterborough, and I reached out to Joe and I said, Have you got a spot in the Lightning team for me? And fortunately he did, and then yeah, the rest is history, been been in Lightning since, and I absolutely love it.

Chris 3:41

It's it's quite a connection, isn't it? Because I want to go back to your dad because I I you know I'm yeah, really showing my age again. I've done a couple of times. I can actually remember your dad playing for pirates, but he also he you he played around in a in a number of teams, didn't he? Had Stretton, uh, he was Chelmsford, he was down in Medway for a while as well. Yeah, um, and he played as a forward. Obviously, you played deep, but he played as a forward, and his points production was pretty good. I know we'll like me saying that, but also on the back of it as well. I mean, it was a it was a there were there were physical leagues back there, and there's a lot more physical, but his penalty minutes were quite high as well. Is that is that something that you know when when he was was he nudging you that way kind of when you were when you were junior?

Archie 4:23

Um, so my dad always said to me, like, I need to finish my checks and like sort of play of the physical edge to my game. So I feel like that's definitely where it comes from. But I feel like that side of the game in hockey, like especially nowadays, guys are a lot more skilled and faster players. So uh, but I've like I've never really been that skilled, so that's why I've kind of like endorsed the physical aspect of the game, sort of like not trying to bring it back, but bringing my aspects of the game into the modern game, if that makes sense. So my dad definitely pushed the physical physical edge into my game, and since I've been playing seeing it, I've just sort of carried it over and it suits my game quite well.

Chris 5:03

Brilliant. And and I love the way you've mentioned those uh the assemblies there, because obviously teams around the leagues have been doing school assemblies for years and years and years, and I guess it just shows that you know it they do work, they do encourage kids to go out and and start playing and taking up and uh and and getting involved, which is great to see. Um, Ed, you had a slightly different intro to hockey, didn't you? Because it it was yourself and your and your brother, wasn't it?

Ed 5:29

Yeah, I mean I started before my brother. So my how I sort of got into hockey was my well, our granddad on my mum's dad used to skate, just public skate. And I grew up in St. Aubans, so there's a rink in Ham or Hempstead. I think some people might know it had the is that the one with the island island in the middle, yeah. When I first started, it's now got pillars, so you can't buy a hockey on it. But um, yeah, we used to go. I mean, when I was before Ollie, my brother was born, but since I was like three or four, I was skating, and sort of when Ollie came about, he eventually took it up as well. But um, that's how I sort of got into skating. But he he did figure skating, like I said, not professionally, just on the weekend. Um, so I did try the figure skates or sort of once I got the hang of it with the public skates, the figure skates, but I kept tripping up on the um spiky bit, totally like those were off my feet pretty quickly. And then tried hockey skates, that was nice and smooth, and then similar to Archie, like the learned to play at Milton Keynes when I was asking me seven or eight, and then just yeah, went that path forward into the juniors and then obviously into the seniors as well. So yeah, and Ollie pretty much the same, just a bit behind me.

Chris 6:37

So yeah, yeah, and we'll come on to Ollie in a little while, actually, because we start looking at looking at teams around the league. Harrison, you were you were looking at stats and everything with I know um Archie mentioned that you know the physical side, but uh the stats have changed a little bit, haven't they, last couple of seasons?

Harrison 6:56

Yeah, they have a little bit. I mean, the one thing that I noticed that Archie, your season last season was your most productive since under 12s, which like now I just want to sort of go into that briefly because for whatever reason last season was a little bit of a turbulent one for Lightning anyway, but your points production went up to another level. So, what sort of what happened to that? What sort of changed and made you a bit more offensive?

Archie 7:23

Um, I think that just comes with a bit of confidence, to be honest with you. Like, I've always been sort of the youngest guy on the team, and then this year I kind of had to take on a more of a senior role amongst the boys, not necessarily like a senior player on the team, but just a more senior role for myself, and with like injuries and stuff like that. So I feel like that's definitely where it came from. The more game time I got, the more confident I got on the puck, and I feel like it just kind of goes hand in hand with each other.

Harrison 7:52

Yeah, and I mean you you were learning under the likes of Louis Christie, and then you also had the likes of Patrick Forsberg, Jordan Spader for that again, imports being brought into the league, putting up numbers as well. So playing alongside those must have helped the game massively as well.

Archie 8:06

No, definitely, and especially with the forwards, like some of the forwards we had this year, like you just pass them the puck and they can score. So I feel like that makes my job quite easy. I just need to do my job and get the puck to them and let them sort of take over and do the rest.

Ed 8:19

Your dad got to the uh point scoring module eventually. It took a couple years, but we got that.

Chris 8:27

Yeah, I mean you've you've you've been picking up points as well, Nagsy, across across the seasons as well. But you you know, uh you the two of you tend to have a a slightly different style in your game, don't you? Where obviously you're you know, we see Archie, he's getting points now, but uh probably gets a little bit more it's fair to say in the in the physical stuff, and he'll go out and he'll he'll get stuck in and he'll he'll stand his ground. But you've always been one of those kind of historically, you were kind of almost and it's almost a stay-at-home D-man, but you do push forward, I know that. But you kind of where where where do you see you know, when you can see Artie's had a good game because he's getting involved in the scuffles and the rough stuff and everything else, your best games are normally, you know, from a commentary point of view, where with the best way we don't actually mention you that much because you're just there and you're steady and you're in the background. And that you know, I just I remember that with um Lewis Christie when he first joined Lightning years ago. He was very much the same, and he just like you'd hardly see him, but he was he was pretty effective.

Ed 9:29

Yeah, I always say I try and stay under the radar. This is if I'm not getting notice, that's what I want, and I'm not making mistakes. Um, but yeah, I mean, yeah, Archie's more physical than me. I used to love playing with well, I think we played mainly last year, a bit this year, but it was great. You could just go into all the rough stuff and I'll just pick up the puck. Um, sometimes when I play with Griff as well, actually. But um, yeah, I'd say I've gone two-way. I like getting forward, although now I'm getting a bit older, I sort of saw a lot of skating. So um sort of stay back a bit. But yeah, I think like I said, I just try and I just think I want to try and be the easiest player to play with for my teammates. I want to be there, support them, be a good out if they need and giving them the puck. Just play it simple. So that's sort of always been how I try and play. And then, like Archie said, with our forwards, if you give them the puck, you're getting those second assists. Um, that's sort of where I get most of my points. I think it's just a little pass out the the uh the D zone and they're off and doing whatever whatever they do.

Harrison 10:26

So yeah, yeah. And then I think the one the one thing that I wanted to also just add on to that as well is that the one of the things that like Pete has said, um, and even going to Tim Wallace as well, they've always said that you're a smooth skater. That is the one thing that everyone points out about you, and it's that sort of is that from skating when you were young, just getting on the skates really early doors, just making sure that you're comfortable in the ice no matter where you are.

Ed 10:54

Yeah, um, yeah, I think I think a lot of it's I mean, like yeah, I was skating since I was three or four, so you just pick it up. I think thinking back to juniors MK, um, Nick Paul was our or the head coach of the juniors at that time, and there was always the first 15 minutes or end of the practice, there was a skating, sort of power skating element to it. So I think a lot of it came from that, to be honest. I learned the technique, and that was right away from starting at seven and eight. Uh I left, I think around 14. I went to Bretnall for a couple of years, but it that that was the pattern of it. It was 10-15 minutes of skating, then you do your drills or whatever. So I think most of it's from that, and then off-ice as well. I think um just getting that power um in the gym and things like that. It obviously all helps and the technique and the balance. There's a lot that goes into it. It's not just sort of um, yeah, you you it's there's a lot that goes into it. So yeah, I think a combination of those things.

Chris 11:50

Power skating is actually quite complicated, isn't it? You know, that's why they're specialized coaches and power skating. Yeah, there's not that there's not that many players who are are absolutely excellent. There's quick players, but there's a difference between being quick and being a really good power skater, right?

Ed 12:04

Yeah, I mean it's your starts and stops, change of direction. It's not you're not straight line much in hockey. That's that's where your quickness from. I mean, County's really good at that. That's why you can see them sort of flying on the league as well. It's the it's the lateral movements rather than the sort of the up and down, it's not always the straight speed.

Chris 12:20

So yeah. I want to go back to you, Archie, and your um, you know, your your uh your period in Peterborough, obviously, and then you know, obviously it was a long time. It was a massive part of your your childhood, your development, and everything else. And when you did make that move, and of course you spoke to Joe, obviously, which was a which is a great um you know, a great door to open for you for you, obviously. How was that transition coming from Peterborough to Milton Keynes? Because it hasn't two clubs haven't had always had the best of relationships. I think that's that's fair to say.

Archie 12:54

No, so at first it was quite weird. I'll I'll be completely honest. Like as as you're growing up, you've always like been told that MK are your biggest rivals, and almost to give extra than what you normally would, because you want to beat them, and like it's just always how it's been. So when I first moved, like just the first ever game I stepped out on the ice and all the fans were going crazy. It was a it was surreal. Like that's the only way I could describe it. Because without being too rude, like I know we probably have about yeah, we have a I think on average we probably get a thousand more fans every game than pretty much every any other team in the league. So it was completely surreal.

Chris 13:40

It's quite weird, actually, because I I I you know I I almost compared you to going back years and years years ago. Um, there's a guy who used to play for Milton Key, uh, played pleased with a guy by the name of James, James Morgan, who um who wasn't everybody's cup of tea, I think that was fair to say. And uh they signed him, I think Lightning signed him for it. He came in for a season a bit. Um, I mean Dave Bunyan thought it was great because he was selling James Morgan shirts or trying to um at the time, but he didn't gel at all. The fans still just because of the history and everything else, you just couldn't take to him. But that's been completely different with you. You've really endeared yourself to the to the MK fans. And I think also that there's a lot of the Peterborough faithful as well that have accepted that move as well because you've developed your game.

Archie 14:46

Yeah, no, definitely. Like every game I play, I try and play with my heart on my sleeve. Like, I'll give everything I've got. If if I need to get involved in the dirty stuff, I don't mind doing that for the team. It's just like how I've been brought up, sort of thing, and one thing my dad's always preached to me. So I'm not too fussed about that. As long as whoever I'm playing for, I'll always give 100%.

Chris 15:07

So we're in the summer. Um I probably should have started done this at the beginning. We're in the summer. What have you guys done to you know to to chill out at the end of the season? I know and Axie will come on to you in a second, that you know, you're probably the season finished a little bit early for you, earlier than you wanted. But what have you been up to? What have you done, Archie, for example, in the summer? Have you have you had a have you had a chance to wind down and have a break, or have you just stayed full on?

Archie 15:31

Yeah, so as soon as we finished playing, I had a couple weeks just sitting out, went on holiday with the family, which was nice just to get away. And then after that, like my my father started up his own his own company and managed print. So I've been cold calling for my dad. So that's been like something new to learn. So that's been quite difficult. But I'm starting to get like my head around it now, so it's all started to like piece together, but just mainly staying fit, like getting in the gym as much as I can, staying fit and being ready for this year.

Chris 16:01

It's good to put it's good he's put you to work now because you're not doing anything during the summer, obviously. You know, he's got you doing something, so you're not you're not sitting around. That's good.

Archie 16:08

No, definitely, yeah.

Chris 16:10

And uh Ed, I've got we've got to say massive congratulations to you, obviously, because um, you know, you got yourself engaged back in uh well, it was back in June, wasn't it? Um looks like you did it in style as well, mate.

Ed 16:22

Yeah, did it was in Monaco. It was a bit of um it's a long story behind it, but yeah, I I always planned to do it in the holiday was to Nice, and it's for my now fiance's birthday. So it was planned ages ago. But my biggest thing was to make it a surprise. And I think it was getting up to the the weekend. I realized the Monaco Grand Prix was on, and obviously Nice is just down the road. So we wanted to try and see that, but the tickets are ridiculously expensive. Um, but it was always um something we wanted to do, so we just went there for sort of just to be a part of it, but then it works nicely. Um, I got it done sort of as early as I can in the holidays, so we then we could enjoy it and well I could relax also for the rest of it. But no, it was lovely, and I found a nice um sort of quiet spot because I mean, those that know me, I'm not on the quietest and I don't like the big crowds and everything like that. So I was sort of wandering around and there's nice loads of people in like petis, but then there's a perfect little spot sort of hidden away that had a nice view in the background, so yeah, it went went well, thanks. And then yeah, we had a nice time after, obviously, celebrating that.

Chris 17:22

Yeah, it was great to see. Um yeah, like you say, knowing you know, everybody knows pretty much how quiet you are. I was thinking, whoa, big grand chest of this. Yeah, that's so out of county. And also you you've you've um you've been down to see royalty as well back in May.

Ed 17:37

Yeah, with James Ty, uh also uh cadet. Oh, gee, he's gonna kill me.

Chris 17:42

It's forces is it forces mounting?

Ed 17:43

Forces Mountain, that's the one. I should have known before. But yeah, so James has been sponsoring me the last two, three years, he's become a real, real good friend. So he invited me to that. Um, yeah, it was earlier in the year. So I knew it was coming, but he got recognized for his work within the sort of the army cadets. He's quite um, I think in with the navy and things like that. I don't know exactly what it was, but yeah, it was a real privilege for him to invite me along to that. His dad was also winning an award for sort of similar um academic well, not an award, but it was recognized for similar um jobs he does within the community. So yeah, that was really cool. I think um it was in the Buckingham Palace's back garden. Um, so that was nice to see, but then we also had like a tour of the Tower of London after, or Tower Bridge, I believe, where the beef eaters live, I forget. Yeah, Mal's probably my favourite bit. We've got to they have their own sort of um pub, which uh is not open to the to the public. So we had a drink with uh one of um James's friends who is uh one of the the beef eaters there. So yeah, it was a good day, but um yeah, real privilege to to join James um Dave.

Chris 18:48

So we're we're a few weeks away from the season now. Um you you um you both obviously mentioned that it's not too far away. You're gonna be on the ice in probably a couple of weeks as well, to be on to be fair. Uh what sort of preps preparation are you are you doing now? What are you I know Pete sends out the uh some ideas around what you can do, but he also gives you a free reign if you've got your own program. What sort of things do you do?

Archie 19:14

Yeah, Maggie, you go. No, you go now.

Ed 19:18

I'll be quick. Um yeah, mine's looked a bit different, obviously. My shoulder had surgery back in February. So mine's been catered towards basically just doing a lot of shoulder bits to get that moving and strong again, which is now well, I haven't been on the ice yet, but um in the gym, it's all back to 100%. So I was doing that until about three, four months rehab after that. So what's that? Um a month or two ago, and now I'm just doing my normal stuff, which is incorporating some of those bits Pete sent out, um, because there's some of the stuff I've never seen before. So I thought I'd uh put those in. But then combined with sort of the normal stuff I do, um I think some of the thinking behind getting the surgery in February was so I had a sort of a month, two months run into this this next season once my shoulder had fully recovered, so I could be back 100%. Um so yeah, that's what I've been doing.

Chris 20:07

But I could I could see how frustrated you were last season, you know, when when things maybe weren't going as well as they could have been on the ice. I think that's fair to say. And like you could see how frustrated you were because you couldn't get involved, you couldn't help out, you you couldn't have an effect. And is it is it does that give you more drive coming into this new season now?

Ed 20:26

Yeah, definitely. I think yeah, I sat understands. Yeah, from well, I originally injured myself in it was like end of November, and then we tried to come back without surgery, but it just it just didn't work basically. So yeah, no, it's certainly frustrating, but yeah, definitely a big driver. I just sort of I've never really been out for a long-term injury, thankfully, um, or fortunately. So it was a new a little bit of change to me, but it definitely um gives you more motivation and sort of humbles you a bit that it's you can you are fragile and it can be taken away very quickly. I mean, it's a bit of a freak accident, and then yeah, next thing you know, I'm out for the whole season. So yeah, all those all those bits obviously driving me towards um this upcoming season.

Chris 21:06

What about you, Archie?

Archie 21:08

Um, so I'm just trying to like stay as fit as I possibly can. Like I know this year coming up is going to be a huge season for the Lightning. So I've just been working on trying to deliver the best version of myself ready for the season so that I can play the best, give the everything I've got every single weekend, Saturday and Sunday. So just keeping in the gym, doing as much cardio as I can so that I'm ready. Bench press, yeah. Yeah, bench press shrugs. Bench press shrugs.

Chris 21:38

Sorry, I was in the middle.

Harrison 21:40

Yeah, I was just gonna mention about because uh for Pete Russell coming in for both of you, it's a little bit of a different sort of thing because Ed, you actually played under Pete when you were 17. So this is like a full circle moment, really, for yourself. Um, but do you remember much of that when you were uh 17 being brought into the full-time lightning fold? Because I think I looked at it and you played under Nick Paul for like three games the season before, and then the season after at 17, Pete's got you in for the full season. So, what was that like? Because that was the season before the double. So Pete's got you into a very sort of like a roster that he thinks is gonna win, and it has done that. Um, but yeah, 17, that must have been quite wild.

Ed 22:27

Yeah, uh, I think, like you said, so yeah, when I was 16, I was on a tour with the Thunder. So I was training with the Lightning just the year before Pete under Nick Paul, like you said. So I was training with the Lightning all throughout that year and had a few games. So I it wasn't all new got into the next the next year, but like you said, it will, I was then full-time. I think that year I got lucky for me uh with injuries. I think Ross Green was that was the year he broke his ankle. Um so um obviously to his demise, that's I then was able to jump and got a bit more ice and I took it, took it, took that uh all that all that I could and took advantage of it. So Yeah, I mean it's a change, but we had a lot, we had a great room. I mean, a lot of those guys that were the senior players at that time are now the ones with their jerseys. So what JMO Kazi, Lewis Christie, I mean, Watson was still around. He was a big mentor to me because he was also coaching me all throughout my juniors as well. So they made it as easy as it can be. They really welcomed you with open open arms, made you feel part of the team. It can be quite daunting, obviously, that age going into, I mean, that we had a solidified core at that point with those players, like I just said, which is why that team was so successful. Um, so yeah, it was a big change, but you have to adapt. And then I think the teammates um allowed that to happen. And then obviously, then the following year, like you said, made a few tweaks a little, not a lot. Um, and then we went on to that double. But that core group, that was the real driver, as well as Pete's. I mean, when Pete came in, he was a I never had a coach sort of like it. There's a lot of systems and a lot of like sort of homework you have to do away from the ice to know what you're in the right position at the right times, which was all fairly new to me. I never really had that, so um, I think that was a big um contributor to that success as well. So um, yeah.

Harrison 24:13

Yeah, and obviously linking that to you, Archie. Obviously, this is this would be your first time under Pete, but you've played GB under 16, under 18, even captain in the under 18s, then going to under-20s. That GB call-up is obviously the next would be the next step in your progression, and having the GB head coach to mentor you must be one of the driving factor for you as well.

Archie 24:35

Oh no, 100%. Like it's a great opportunity for me to almost take my game to the next level under Pete. So I'm really looking forward to get it going. And like I said earlier, that's what one of the reasons why I've been working out so hard this season, just just so I can give my best, and hopefully that will get recognised. And then under Pete, who knows where that will go.

Chris 24:56

I was gonna go back to what something that um you touched on just a minute ago, Ed, when you talked about the the core, the the historical core that Lightning used to have, and it you know, sort of looking at stuff going on away from the ice this this summer and you know through the season and stuff like that, and you know, it's it it it's quite shocking because you know, guys that you watched as kids are are having kids, you know, and stuff like that, and you you get engaged and uh you know all that kind of stuff. But it feels like um it feels like there is almost that central core building again in Milton Keynes, doesn't it? I mean they're not all necessarily living in Milton Keynes, but the the base is there, people are coming back, they're they're sort of building their lives around this, I guess, this this team and this community.

Ed 25:43

Yeah, no, 100%. I think that core's already. I mean, we've got I mean what the guys that have been a few. I mean, Archie's part of that now as well, but County Griff, me, um, we forgetting a few here, but that that core really is there, and I think it all goes back to those. I mean, County and Griff was here when that double season, and just seeing how those guys which have now retired, like sort of like I said, it was a real family. When you walk into Milton Game, I mean, Archie touched on it earlier as well. You walk into the Milton Gate dress room, it's like for family, it's like you don't want to leave like um that change room, it's like it's it's like nothing you've ever been a part of. So I think definitely us older guys now that uh you could call the core, we've learned from those guys that have now got their jerseys in their afters, right? So yeah, but it's a big part of being successful successful because we've got to keep our guys accountable, we've got to set the standard that when the younger guys come in. I mean, we're lucky this year, we've got a lot of guys that know MK, albeit they're new players. Technically, they've they've played for MK in the past, so they know what it's about and what the expectations are. So um, no, we've got that core, and I think we're really looking forward to this next year. I think the roster we're putting together as a as a whole is I think it's one of the best I've been a part of, at least on paper from what I've gone through people's stats on elite prospects. So no, I'm really excited.

Chris 27:04

I was I was gonna come on to that actually. Um, yeah, because looking looking at, I mean, last season you can you can put it to bed. It it it looked good at the start of the season. It for whatever reason, it didn't happen. Um, and there could be a whole host of reasons I don't think anybody would ever be able to put their finger on it and and and you know, put it down to absolutely one particular thing. But you know, when you've seen and you've heard the names being bandied around about who's joining this season, you've seen this squad that's now being built, you've touched on it there, Ed. You know, how how excited are you? I I you know you you can't get you you obviously can't get arrogant, you can't get ahead of yourselves, but how excited are you to to get out there and and and start that season?

Archie 27:51

Um yeah, so Pete is obviously a renowned coach in the UK and across Europe. So I feel like if we all take on board what Pete says and follows Pete's systems, I think we'll be absolutely fine. I don't want to sound too big-headed, but our roster is stacked, like without a doubt. Every everybody in the team can play. So that like as long as we follow Pete's systems and do what he asks of us, hopefully, touch wood. I mean, we'll be absolutely flying come come the season all the way up to playoffs.

Ed 28:24

Yeah, no, I agree. I think yeah, it's all good, but we need to stay uh not what's the word? Um not be complacent. We need to be going into each game, not expecting to walk walk over because there's other there's other good teams as well. I mean, I I think the league as a whole, like I was saying to my mic dad earlier today, like it's it's probably one of the best. But going back to the EPL days, we had a few good teams, but I think as all all teams are gonna be competing in a bit of everyone's rosters are stacked, especially with the imports going up as well. So it's gonna be tough, but yeah, with Pete and then obviously us all staying humble, working hard, not think anything's gonna give him to us. I think we're we have a hopefully a successful season ahead.

Chris 30:09

As as as D-Men, you're certainly gonna have your hands full, aren't you? Because there's some fire power coming into this league this season.

Ed 30:15

Yeah, so think I when I see the other imports get on the ice, I'll be uh going for a change in RC you can get on, deal with them.

Harrison 30:24

Yeah, is that it is we're touching on that about the the league obviously getting better, and you you also can look at that from MK's perspective, as you said earlier, the with the the roster being uh stacked, but it does look at the the forwards that we've got um and the defencemen, as you said, you've got that nice core of defencemen. There is always that core of forwards as well that have returned as well. You look at the likes of, say, um Sean Norris, Jordan County, even Max Stewart, who's been here for a bit and obviously went to commentary and come back. Do you think that that could also be a reason for the sort of like confidence and that sort of just comfortability? Because a lot of that team you already know.

Ed 31:08

Yeah, like I said, I mean, there's I don't know how many guys are here from the architect, but I think it's about half and half. But the guys coming in within the imports, I think. Um we've all played together. I mean, it's a small world hockey. I mean, they've either been at MK before or Archie, I think some of the young guys. You would have played GB, I've played GB in a few. So I think we all try and go through my head, but we all are played together or at least against each other quite frequently. So I think everyone will be familiar. But that's I mean, I think preseason is very important to get that team bond in. Um, so we want to go on a few nights out, get to know the new guys, even though we know most of the people anyway. But um, that's really important, making sure everyone's comfortable. Everyone's, I think, in the locker room. You want that environment where no one's afraid to speak up. I'm not saying that has been that from the past, but you want the least experienced guy. So I think we've got uh Lewis Conroe's 16, but I want to be hearing from him as well as the most experienced guys and making sure people feel comfortable to do that. So I think we'll have that because everyone knows each other anyway. But like I said, that preseason, once with that first training session, we all get together. We want to be um yeah, trying to get to know each other off the ice as well as obviously on. Um it's really important.

Chris 32:16

We've got have you got much communication between the scene going on at the moment? I mean, I know there'll be a WhatsApp group, and I don't, but I know some of the guys obviously aren't even in the country yet. But have you got that level of communication or is it been fairly quiet up to now? Are you gonna wait till you all get together?

Ed 32:31

Um I've got WhatsApp group on the arch, but um yeah, I haven't personally I've seen a few that should. I think I'm going to see Luke Combs on Sunday, so I believe there's a few of us going to that. I don't know, Archie, if you're coming. I don't think you're all coming to that. Are you? No, I don't know. I'm not sure. I think we are hard to get tickets, so I think it's a few. But the WhatsApp group has been kicking off the last few few days, everyone joking around, which is good to see. Um, but yeah, I don't know if a person, but I don't know, Archie, if you've seen any one of the stuff.

Archie 33:00

Uh no, I've not seen anyone. Like, I'll message a few of the guys and I'll get a few messages just saying, like, how's your summer sort of going? But other than that, not massively. Like, we'll see each other in a few weeks, and it'll just be like we've never been away. Like Nagy said earlier, it's just one big family, and that's what you see it as. As soon as you see each other, it's just your second family. Like, you spend so much time together, whether it's in the change room or just traveling on the bus to games or back from games. So, yeah, it'll be it'll be great to see everybody, meet new people and get going.

Chris 33:31

Yeah, so I know so people are people are certainly looking forward to seeing you all of you guys uh hit the ice. And there's a real level of excitement starting to build now, you know, as we're not that far away from it. I've got I've got a couple more questions for you because probably away from uh British hockey, if you like. Um a few people have asked us to ask you. So um the obvious one, favorite NHL teams.

Ed 33:55

Mine's Calgary, so I mean I'm being very I don't follow it that much, but I don't think we'll be doing very good three recent years. So, but yeah, Calgary, ever since I was a kid.

Archie 34:05

Yeah, mine's Boston Bruins. I've been supporting Boston since I pretty much played well, started playing. I've got Zedano Charis shirts up in my loft, so I'm always going to be Boston for and through.

Chris 34:17

How did that come about?

Archie 34:19

Um, it was actually my dad, to be honest with you. He always liked Boston, and then when I was probably seven for my seventh birthday, he got me a Zidano Charis shirt because he was my favourite player in the NHL like back in the day, and I just always liked the way he played, and I thought that's somebody I want to play, like obviously, without the size difference, because I think he's seven foot and I'm not even pushing six foot, so that's I don't want to say it.

Harrison 34:47

But it is that physicality though, isn't it?

Archie 34:49

No, yeah, and that's one of the things I've always tried to bring to my game after, like well, what my dad preaching to me, then just watching Zelena Chara play when I was younger, like it'd always be sticking up for his teammates, it'd like yeah, and that's that's what I want to sort of aspire to be like as I'm going through my career, always there to stick up for people and bring my sort of aspects to the game.

Harrison 35:14

We've had Boston have had players like that, like Brad Marshall and Patrice Berger on. They've had that sort of those players that I suppose you love to have on your team, but you wouldn't love to play against. No, definitely not, no.

Chris 35:28

Yeah, I can I can remember seeing Chara play, I think, when Boston went over to Belfast a few years ago. Um I know I can remember we were all sat there in the standards thinking how big can a bloke possibly be uh you know absolutely uh stands up and blocks out the sun. Harrison, any other any other questions from you?

Harrison 35:47

Yeah, I mean uh first of all, who's your NHL team?

Chris 35:52

Uh Rangers. Um I'm I'm the same ever since I started watching hockey in the well yeah, late 80s, early 90s. It was for some reason it was always New New York, New York, and it was Rangers. It's just been painful over the years. It's just been really painful, and it doesn't get any better.

Harrison 36:10

MSG is iconic though, isn't it? The the rink is iconic.

Chris 36:14

Yeah, it's an amazing place to go to go and watch hockey, you know, um Banison Square Garden. But we've also been to Vegas as well to watch as well, because we kind of you know, we have a we we kind of know sort of the uh the guy that does the uh is the golden knight lee over there, so we've been uh seeing him a couple of times over there. But yeah, all good. What about you, Harrison?

Harrison 36:35

Uh I'm I'm a Jets fan, I'm a Winnipeg fan, but that was purely based on that my Nan has family that lived in uh Atlanta, and so I was originally an Atlanta Thrashers fan, and because of the franchise, they moved to Winnipeg, so I just followed them because it's kind of it is it's I don't want to compare it to MK Doms and start another heated debate on that, but it is in a lot more common over there, and I just followed them to Winnipeg, and that's basically it. It's not not the most grand story, but yeah, no, that's uh but yeah, I mean when I was watching it and I'm like two, three years old, you you don't really watch it as like uh oh, that's my favourite team over there. I've been watching it like um you watch you look at players like Zadana Chara, as you say, um Archie, and you you do just sort of like watch in awe almost, and you you just enjoy the way that NHL was played. It's it's not just really about I don't know if you guys are are very much like that, but you just watch the NHL for the NHL, not really for Boston or Calgary, as you say.

Ed 37:37

No, that's yeah, I yeah. I was just gonna say, um, yeah, I've never seen an NHL game live. It's definitely um because always are it's obviously seasons in cups, you never get a chance to go, but it's definitely I want to go see it live because I've seen I think the highest level I've seen live is I think like the Czech League. I think when I went on like a camp as a kid and remember seeing that that's pretty good still, it's still pretty good, yeah.

Chris 38:01

But it's not as good, it's still a wow, yeah.

Ed 38:04

Yeah, so uh yeah, it's definitely something I want to see. I guess I mean I got when I was a kid and I started seeing MK Lightning, I had that feeling of like, whoa, like these guys are celebrities, and then next thing you know you're playing. But I think the NHL seeing that, um yeah, were you ever um were you ever a lightning mascot?

Chris 38:21

Ed yeah, try and do we need to try and dig that photo out.

Ed 38:24

No, there'll be some and I I did it a few. Well, you used to do it every year, and obviously it must have been yeah, three, four times. I used to um Zatterpek was my always got Zatterpek as a picture. But yeah, yeah, those are always fun. Yes, that was probably the first yeah, because you skate out with the lights going on, and you're just a little kid, and you're thinking you're like yeah, one of the players, that was always a a nice experience, never yeah.

Chris 38:51

Just going on that, actually, you talked about when you were skating on for both of you, you know, you Archie obviously been really on a number of seasons now. What what's the best thing about Milton Keynes? Is it skating out in front of that crowd every every week?

Archie 39:05

The noise, yeah, definitely. I would say like when you stand in the locker room and you're already tense enough for the game, and then you just hear 2,000 people like chanting, bring on the lightning, definitely gives you goosebumps, that's for sure. And especially with our fans, so we truly have the best fans in the league, and you're very grateful to be playing in front of them every Saturday night, sometimes on a Sunday night. So it's like I said earlier, it's a surreal experience, and it's one I would love to carry on until my hockey days are done. That's for sure.

Chris 39:37

Awesome. What about you, Ed?

Ed 39:39

Yeah, no, I said the same. I think we're quite fortunate the second league in England, and we've got about two and a half thousand, three thousand fans every week. It's you know, skating out to that, you just get that. Yeah, it's like nothing, not nothing like it. You can't replicate that other than yeah, doing do it skating out, obviously. But yeah, I think the fans is definitely the best bit. I guess it's sort of the same answer. But I think one silver lining of my injury last year, like I said, I was able to sit in the stands and watch the games, and obviously it was full most weeks, so I'd be scattered around everywhere. But I got to talking to a few fans, which when you speak to them, that's the ones I was speaking to, which I'm sure it's it it goes across the whole fan base, but they're so passionate. Like when I was playing, I've played in monkeys a long time now. You you know they're passionate, but I think actually speaking to them and seeing how much it they do care. Not that I didn't think they did, but like it sort of similar, I guess, when uh feeling I get with sort of spotting my football team, like if they lose, it ruins the whole week. And it's like yeah, it was a real not eye-opener, but it was nice to hear and actually get sort of first person to speak to a lot more fans, and obviously I would if I was playing and um you know how much they care. It's a real um privilege and an honor. And I it was always that before, but just you know, like I said, speaking to them, it's it just really hits home how much it's an honour to be playing in front of them each week.

Chris 40:58

I think people underestimate as well. Archie, you were saying when you sat in a locker room, you can actually hear that noise before a game. Um, I think I think people who haven't been in there with that noise, they they underestimate just how much that noise carries through into that locker room. You really, you really do get that, don't you?

Archie 41:14

No, definitely. Like it's quite a common phrase in ice hockey. Like, your fans are basically your sixth player on the ice. Well, seventh including the goalie. But like if if we're in a tense game, and like I remember it, I think we were 2-1 up against Swindon last season, and like with two minutes to go, the fans were up on their feet, clapping, and it really does just give you like that sort of extra boost of adrenaline, sort of to like carry on and get the result just so that you please the fans, and yeah, it it's incredible.

Harrison 41:50

Yeah, I mean, I I think back to the overtime winner against Swindon. I don't know if you're thinking of the same game where we were 1-0 down for like 50 odd minutes. That was the one when Stury came. Oh, you're okay, yeah. No, you're thinking of the Christmas one. I'm thinking of the yeah, the overtime, the overtime winner where we were down for like 50 minutes, and then um we got the equaliser with about two minutes left. And then that final two-minute stretch was arguably for me the loudest that I remember hearing it last season, and you just it's just that sort of like even from commentary. I mean, Dico, you can confirm as well, there's points where you can barely hear yourself talk over the headphones, and it is one of those that sometimes you just have to take the headphones off and just enjoy. Um, but I was just gonna uh touch on the noise. At what point do you does it go from nerves to adrenaline? Because I can imagine that when you've got two and a half thousand people chanting for you, I mean I would be quite nervous at that. But at what point does uh does that nerves change into being, do you know what I'm hyped?

Ed 43:01

I mean for me, I think I mean I mean Archie are the same, but we played in some I don't really get nerves, you get a bit of yeah, anxiousness, but I wouldn't say it's at least for me personally, it's not nerves anymore. It is a pure drone and you just want to get out of there, yeah. That buzz, it's I think that kinds of experience. I mean, if you ask me that, what else? That that 16, 17, I'd say, oh yeah, I was really nervous, and you just got to sort of get make sure that first play or whatever you do, it's just something positive and it's work up from there. But I think now, as you get more experience playing in front of, like I said, we've been playing in front of these fans for well for me for loads of years, and same with Archie, it's I think you get used to every experience in our to be all that it's just pure drum. I mean, I don't think many nerves creep in any more um than it would do with Re Archie.

Archie 43:48

No, definitely. When when I first joined, I like when my first game I remember just being in the change room absolutely like shaking, so I was so nervous. But after after a few games, you start to calm down a little bit, and then especially this year, like like I said earlier, when you when you're in the change room, it just gives me goosebumps, and I just want to give my best when I'm out on the ice, like take opportunity I can. Like Nagy said, like make sure I make the right pass, or it's just something simple just to get myself into the game and like just give the fans what they want, really.

Chris 44:24

I've got a very quick question before we finish for uh for Edward we talked about your brother earlier, your younger brother Ollie. He's obviously signed for Steel Dogs um second season this season, isn't it? Um, uh apart from being an absolute nightmare for for um commentators when you're both on the ice, um what's it like playing against your younger brother?

Ed 44:45

Yeah, it's pretty cool. Um, he won't like me saying this, but he just copies everything I do. It's always been that since a kid. I mean, he's got the same number as me, I think. Now I don't know if he changed that, but yeah, but no, it's cool. I think for the family as well, or those games. I mean, unfortunately, last year, obviously I missed. I think we played against each other once, and then I was obviously out the rest of the year, but we get the family down if it's or up if it's in Sheffield or down if it's in Milton Keynes. Um, but it's fun. It's um I think fortunately, because he's he's a busy big boy now, he's I think putting on the muscle, so I don't want to want to go anywhere near him, but because we're both defense, well actually playing forward, so actually that's something to think about for next year for me. But um, yeah, we normally just stayed out of each other's way, but it's always funny, you're just sort of talking to her on the ice, just trying to get under his skin, whatever you can say to making him a bit angry. It's um it's good for that.

Chris 45:36

I know you've got the brotherly, I know you've got the brotherly love there. Well, when you're talking about getting under his skin, like are all bets off the table.

Ed 45:42

Is it anything goes when you're when you're yeah, he's you know well is a really corrupt, so there's some of the dodgy things uh less as yeah, we probably can't repeat on here. So um we know how to push each other's buttons. I stay quite calm. I'm always he's the one, he's the the hot head of the family, so he's a bit easier to to wind up, which uh it's fortunate for me.

Harrison 46:02

Wait until he hears this.

Chris 46:04

Yeah, yeah, we just won't we won't mic you up for that game when you play each other because we don't want any family secrets coming out or anything like that. Um listen, gents, it's been an absolute pleasure talking to you both. It's it's been absolutely fabulous, and thank you so much for your time uh today on the uh on the podcast. Just a few weeks to go now until we start a season. So I know you're all be getting together very, very soon. And and don't forget now, we're we're that close, of course, that tickets for the first few games have now gone on sale, the uh the pre-season and the first couple of league games as well. So, for more information on that, of course, you can go to the uh the Lifestack MK Lightning website, keeping the eye out for the socials as normal for local news, views, and uh, and interviews as well. And uh ignore these uh podcasts we've worked up this season. But uh RT, thank you so much for your time. It's been a great pleasure um seeing you both and thanks once again for your time and uh see you all again.