Mike 0:58

Welcome to the latest Lightning Talks podcast brought to you by Lightning TV. I'm Mike and I'm joined by Harrison today. Harrison, how are you, mate?

Harrison 1:07

Doing alright, thank you yourself.

Mike 1:09

Yeah, pretty, pretty good. Only a couple of days away now for the start of preseason. I think the summer's gone fairly quickly. I don't know about you, you might have been counting down the days and the minutes, but uh yeah, for me it's flown by.

Harrison 1:23

Yeah, I mean you've got a bit of a different scenario having a child as well. So, whereas, I mean, I've just been every day pretty much preparing stats for seasons, so it's been quite quick, but also quite slow at the same time.

Mike 1:36

That's a good disclaimer Harrison has all the knowledge, and I'm pretty much just gonna try and remember who I am for the sake of this. But uh, this is the first one ahead of the preseason games against the Rostock Piranhas. Now, the format for these will be this will be weekly, and in this segment, we'll normally be talking about the previous weekend's matches, having a bit of a review of what's happened there. We then will then have an interview with somebody. We have got an interview, so we'll be chatting to assistant coach Lewis Christie coming up as well. But as there wasn't a previous week's game on this one, the last game was way back at the beginning of April. We're not going to be doing that. So for this format for today's episode, we're going to be going through the lightning roster, then we'll be having a bit of an interview, and then we'll do a bit of a preview of the upcoming weekend's games against the piranhas. Does that sound good with you, Harrison? Sounds great to me. Perfect. I know uh Aaron in a previous episode did go through with Pete Russell with some of the squads and talk through some of the signings. We're gonna go through them as well and just do a review because there has been an a new player arriving since that podcast with Aaron and Pete and Tom. Uh but we'll follow Aaron's format because it was a very logical format to do. So we'll go through in the position order. So we'll start at the back and we'll talk about the two netminders. And Harrison, do you want to tell us about who the tandem will be? Because Pete did stress on this, it's not a starter and a backup, it's very much a 1A and a 1B. I think is probably the fairest way to describe the tandem for this upcoming season.

Harrison 3:19

Yeah, I think it's uh I think it probably is going to be a 1A and 1B. I mean, you look at the standards of the netminders, we'll start off, we'll mention the one that most will be familiar with, Jordan Headley. Um, 10th season at MKL this year. So that's a a milestone that I'm sure there'll be a testimonial at some point uh for him. And it'll be quite new for him. So in the NIHL, he's never really he's never had the uh non-bitish non-British trained netminder to compete with. So this is gonna be an interesting season for Jordan Headley. Um, but last season, if we look at his stats, 90.03 save percentage last season in the league, played over two and a half thousand minutes. It's one of the highest minutes that he's logged in a season for Lightning. So I think he's he's on it's on he's on track. He's gonna have a good season this season because he's got that competition, and also last season was quite a good one for him.

Mike 4:18

I was gonna say the heads faced a lot of shots last season as well. He he did he did uh, I think he was averaging was over 30 shots a game, possibly even more than last season. So he definitely had to be called upon. The fact that he's still posted over a 90% uh save percentage just shows uh what a solid dependable keeper he is. GB experience as well for heads, and as you say, his 10th season, he came through for junior setup here. He was a fan in the stands as well, so he's he's that role model netminder that a lot of uh youngsters and a lot of young goalies in Milton Kings need to look for. He's probably the best netminder that's come through the MK uh Academy, in my opinion. There's been a few other good shouts that have come through as well over the years, but Heads has gone up to play the elite league, he's played for his country. Uh he's put in very impressive numbers there, and also as well, congratulations to Jordan Jordan as well over the summer with uh his uh baby daughter Heidi as well. So uh a nice addition uh to the family there. I imagine he I can empathise with the sleepless nights he's probably had as well. So uh I hope he's uh getting better sleep than I've I've been over the uh over the summer.

Harrison 5:30

Yeah, I can imagine that that's not been fun. But also, yeah, I suppose that we'll go on to the other netminder now, Jared Whale. Um, it'll be good for Jordan to have that sort of ability to know that he can rest if he needs to. And someone with of Jared Whale's quality coming in, NCAA netminder, obviously only played three games last season uh due to injuries, but it's the first import netminder for MKL in the NIHO era, and he's also the youngest non-British trained player in the league, so there's gonna be a bit of hunger in that as well.

Mike 6:05

Definitely, and and obviously he had had the injury over last season, so was able to get many minutes. I know he'll be desperate to get onto the ice again and between the pipes, but he'll he'll learn a lot, I think, off of heads as well. So I think we've got a very good solid net mining tandem there, and he's played against some very good players, and that the NCAA Div one is a very, very high standard. And we've seen quite a few of these guys have come over to the UK from playing in college hockey in America and Canada, and they've put up some big numbers, they're putting some impressive performances, still young as well, so still wanting to learn, improve their game, and I think it'll be a great addition. And he knows a couple of the guys already. I know he said in his interviews as well, he's been in the uh the player WhatsApp a bit as well, and I believe he's uh he likes his golf as well, so I think he'll be fine as well with a lot of the lightning team as well. So uh good addition. I think a lot of a lot of fans are quite excited to see him play as well. As uh there's high potential from him.

Harrison 7:16

Oh, for sure. And I mean, as you said, the NCAA is a very good league, and you've got to look at the fact that a lot of NHL players start in the NCAA, they come through that setup and go through the college hockey, and then they end up in the ECHO, AHL, and so make it to the NHL. So it's no it's no small feat playing in the NCAA, especially the top division. And he recorded 65 games in the NCAA and an 89.7% save percentage with less than three goals against per game. That is no mean feat in the NCAA at all.

Mike 7:52

Very impressive numbers, and I mean I think there's you look across the league, there's impressive netminders there. I think there's some solid netminders in every team. I think it be I think we'll be sport for choice this season in the NIHL with in the goaltending department. Um but I think we'll we'll just need to mention as well uh outgoing netminder as well, though. Uh Will Curlin, who's going off to join the the Bristol Pitbulls. And Will again, like Jordan, was a Lightning fan, came through the the youth setup in Milton Keynes as well. And he made some tremendous saves and performances for the Lightning, especially when he had to cover in for Jordan a couple of years back. Uh when Head's got that nasty injury down in Slough. Will stepped up and helped for T, but he stepped up as well in the playoffs uh season before last as well. And we wish Will the very best as he goes back to Bristol because he did join the Lightning from the from the Pitbulls originally. And I think that experience I think will put him in good stead down at the pound.

Harrison 8:55

Oh, absolutely, for sure. I mean he was well loved at Lightning as well, the energy that he brought in the locker room as well as uh at awards nights, if uh those that were there have seen. Um, but yeah, absolutely nothing but the best for for Will Curling, and I'm sure that the experience he's gained from Lightning the last three seasons are gonna do him incredibly well going down to to Bristol to battle it out with Ben Norton to be their number one.

Mike 9:22

Brilliant, and so we'll we'll move on for from the netminders and we'll go to the defence corps and we'll go through the returnees and the new signings on the on the Brit Corps on Decor, but all Brits, all Brits, no no uh non-EIHA or uh Scottish Ice Hockey Association trained uh players there that all all British trained, and I think that was something deliberate what Pete said in his interviews as well that he wanted a a young Brit decor.

Harrison 10:14

Oh, he certainly did, and there was never any real doubt that he wasn't going to go for uh non-British trained defencemen. And you can see with the defencemen that Lightning assigned, and we're obviously about to go through them, that there's a mix of a lot of experience in there, as well as a lot of hunger and that youth that Pete wants to bring to this Lightning side. He wants to bring that youth, he wants to bring that excitement, and he wants to bring these players to the next step of their journey. And there's a few of them that we'll go through that are certainly making that next step for sure.

Mike 10:50

Yeah, uh so we'll go. Should we go through number order and do them all, or should we do uh new starters and then do return and then go on to uh uh do signs and then do returnees, or vice versa?

Harrison 11:02

Let's go number order, mainly because it's in order for me.

Mike 11:05

Fair enough. Make it easier for you, mate. Make it easier for you.

Harrison 11:08

Makes it easier, um, but yeah, we'll start with the number three, new signing, Jake Haywood. Um, Coventry youth player, so accustomed to British game. Um, he did make some appearances for the Blaze NIHL side in 21-22 before moving to Canada for two years in the OHA and then moving to the US for the USPHL. So, USPHL, a lot of young players have come from that league back to the UK. If you think about the Osborne, they came from the USPHL as well. So, you've got some players there that they're putting up good points and then they're coming back over, and they're coming back over hungry. And Jake Hayward's one that I think people might sleep on, but he's on a two-way with Coventry Blaze for a reason, and he also got called up to GB in February. You don't just get called up to GB for no reason. And Pete said in his interview a few weeks ago that he liked what he saw from Jake Hayward, and he ended up getting a lot of minutes for GB in that tournament in Edinburgh. So there's there's a player in there, and having seen him a couple times at training as well, he's gonna be very good, I think, then for the next season.

Mike 12:22

Definitely, and uh we chatted to Jake a few weeks back as well. Really, really nice lad. You could tell he's got that hunger and desire to play, kind of local as well, just up the road in Daventry as well. So I think he'll be very popular. Uh, provided, of course, he doesn't do the business with he gets called up to Coventry, and we have maybe another situation when we had David Clements as well, uh, a few years back when he was originally the two-way, and then his performances for the Blazers impressed Blaise so much he ended up making the jump up. I'm speaking selfish a bit selfishly here, but very, very talented player. And as you say, he played the GB under 20s in January and then got instantly called up for the senior squad as well, and he didn't make the numbers up there. He put in serious minutes. Really looking forward to see Jake on the ice, and I I think he'll I think I think he'll be very popular with with the fans here in MK because he's got a very high work and compete rate.

Harrison 13:20

Oh, for sure. And he's got a lot of players that he can work with as well that are either play young players that are on that same sort of path to the next step in their hockey career, or you've got the players with the experience as well. So he's got the both of them that he can work under that and he's also gonna be coached by Lewis Christie, who is arguably the greatest defenseman for the Lightning in their history. So it's a very good time for him in his career as well as for Lightning to acquire someone like Jake Haywood.

Mike 13:51

Definitely. So uh who's next? Number four, I believe.

Harrison 13:57

Yes, yeah, number four, Archie Salisbury. Now we spoke to him obviously in uh on the pod as well a few weeks back. Um it's his fourth season in MK, so he feels like he's feels like that's flown by. I can remember when he signed from Peterborough uh as a youngster. Uh he was what he would have been about 17 at that point. And now fourth season, last season was his highest points total since his senior debut, and it's his highest since he was 12 years old playing for Phantoms under 15s. So his points total last season was kind of a story that went under the radar, I think.

Mike 14:38

Yeah, definitely. And I I can't I'm saying this about Archie and I forget how young he is, but I'm saying he's one of the senior D men on the team now, and he's one of the leaders. He was part of he showed that leadership skill last season at times, especially when we were short on bodies on the blue line, and we had to call in a couple of like 16 or 17-year-old lone guys, uh, for the likes of D side and uh elsewhere around in the in the leagues as well. But he he took took that responsibility and he showed such maturity. I I think last season might well have been a breakout season. I think this season expect him to build on that and improve.

Harrison 15:14

Yeah, and I think also last season was a little bit different for him, where we had a lot more stay-at-home D-men last season, and so he got more of an opportunity to drive forward and to get in those opportunities, and they really developed his attacking side of his game. And I mean, yeah, three goals and ten assists, it doesn't sound like much, but when you compare that to previous seasons, where that was that's double the points last season in than every other game that he played for us before that, so it's not it's not like it was a fluke at all. He has really developed his attacking game, and you were starting to see him on this sort of second-line power play towards the end of the season as well. And Louis was giving him that trust, and that's only gonna just project his career so much higher. And working under Pete as well, what more can you ask, really? Definitely.

Mike 16:10

Uh next up, then number 12, Kel Beatty. And this was a signing when it was announced I was buzzing for a really talented player, cannot wait to see him in a lightning shirt.

Harrison 16:24

Oh, 100%. I mean, he's a stalwart to the NIHL. You he was one of those players that I think you if you thought of Solway, you thought of Kel Beatty, and for him to make the move over to MK, um, joining some of his friends that we will go into as well. Um, but he's not just joining Lightning, he's also on a two-way with the Giants. And again, he's played quite a lot for them. He's played 41 times for them, he's even got a few assists uh for the Giants in his career, and he also got called up to that GB camp in February as well. So, again, he's his career is on the up as well, and 30 points in 48 games, pretty good for a D-man.

Mike 17:10

Very, very good. And he was, as you say, he was such a stall at Solway, he was one of the leaders there, and they were gutted. I know the the Solway fan base were gutted to lose Kelts, and their loss, I think, would be Lightning's gain, and yeah, that two-way with the Belfast Giants with his hometown team definitely will help. And yeah, as you say, he's uh joined some of his uh Belfast friends as well, and we'll talk about them later on. But next up is another new addition to the Lightning.

Harrison 17:40

Certainly is Archie Hazeldine, number 13. Now, when you look at the GB squad, I think this is when um GB came to Lightning. Uh, I think it was April. Um, he was one of those that was in that pre-umor championship squad, and he got a decent amount of ice time both here and in Nottingham, and even travelled to Italy for the other games there before the world championships, and he didn't look at the place at all. And I think that's what the experience of having two years at Coventry has done for him. And I mean, he's known to the league as well, Telford and Leeds fans will remember him quite vividly. Lightning fans might remember him from a game for Telford against Lightning a few years back as well. But what a what a time in his career, and Pete has already said that one thing maybe he needs to work on more is the defensive side of his game, but where better to do that than a part of the unit that Lightning are building now, and under the GB head coach?

Mike 18:44

Definitely under the GB head coach, and as you mentioned, uh Lewis Christian's coach, and also as well, uh the next player on our our list as well, Archie will learn a lot from also someone that did play at Coventry for uh uh for for a year before he came to Milton Keynes and this is a full circle moment because Griff was the uh first player that Pete Russell announced as signing when he first became the lightning coach, and uh Griff is still here again, still here, so a bit of a full circle moment because I I remember when he announced Griff and this was still at a point where Pete Pete was coming in after the back of Nick Paul standing aside as uh as coach. So there was I didn't have the warmest of welcomes, Pete. And when he announced James Griffin was the player that had been signed, the reaction from some of the fans was a bit muted. I was fist pumping the air because I was like, oh my god, we've got one of the best British D men coming to play for Milton Keynes, he's he's even covertry. He was impressive when he was at Swindon and when he came to went to Covertry, applied to trade in the elite league for a season, then came to MK and it's been his home ever since. And yeah, I I don't think we could say much more about number 15 James Griffin, can we?

Harrison 19:59

No, I mean it's season 12 with MKL, that tells you everything, and it's 12 consecutive seasons as well. He stayed with the Lightning during the elite league days as well, which you can't really say for many. Um captain the last two seasons, and he's he's approaching that top five appearance maker list as well for Lightning. So I'm sure he might uh have that in his eyesight as well.

Mike 20:21

Yeah, a bit of a frustrating one because I know he had a couple of niggas injuries over the course of last season, and I think because of the short and body, so he's probably playing a couple of games where normally he probably would have had to sit them out, but just because he wanted to help the team out there, he he played through them. Hopefully, he'll have an injury-free season because we know when Griff gets rolling, he he's a massive, massive part of that decor, and he also helps out on the attack as well. And I think everyone still remembers that the soft hands he had in that playoff final against Peterborough the other year with that lovely little hands and that backhand into the net to put lightning on their way.

Harrison 21:02

Yeah, and I remember being there for that and watching and thinking, what's Griff doing in the slot? And everyone was just like, hold on a minute, that's James Griffin. But yeah, I think injuries will be one thing that I think he'll hope to be able to get through this season and not have to worry about. And I mean the D Corps will uh definitely help out. There's a lot of youngsters in there with a lot of fight, and I think you speak about injuries, we'll go on to the next one. Um, number 25 Ed Nags last season plagued with an injury that ended his season a lot earlier than both he and Lightning would have wanted. Um, and up to that point where he got injured, he'd only missed five NIHL league games since the inception of the NIHL. So he's one of those players that you that was just always there, and so gutting for him to have an injury, but back training, and he said in the pod as well, he's feeling good, he's feeling probably arguably the best that he's felt. So, and this is also his tenth season, uh maybe a joint, maybe a joint with uh with heads with heads, yeah.

Mike 22:11

So no, he did obviously he split time as well coming through the the the lightning uh with the storm storm junior's venue also spent time as well in in Bracknell, but born just down the road, literally from where I am in Hemel Hempstead, he was literally just born around the corner. Um but he's so dependable, always reliable, and he's I think we we we mentioned it in the interviews with him. You don't notice he's on the ice, and that's what you want from a from a D-man. You you know that never puts a foot wrong, reads the game really well. And there were some defensive struggles last season. Does it coincide with the fact that Nagy was off the ice for the majority of that of that of that season? And when you're playing short, more injuries happen because Blaze are double shifting. But I know he was frustrated, he was at the rink still every every week. Ken to cheer the guys on and was helping out where he could off ice. I know though he's chomping at the bit to get back onto the ice.

Harrison 23:11

Yeah, I think you are right as well. There are points last season that you almost look for that it's a weird phrase, but it's that silent leadership, and that that just that player that can calm you down in moments where things might get a little bit heated. And Ed is that sort of player who you can just depend on. You know that when things are going tough, he's going to be as calm as anyone. And I don't think there's a a moment of worry that goes into his body because he never looks like he's under any stress or under any pressure. Definitely.

Mike 23:44

Uh, and rounding off the decor, there was rumours that he well, I've I think I'd seen him rumoured to think be going to every single team in both the elite league and the NIHL at some point over the summer. Happens every year with this Bab, but it's because he's just so talented. But we kept him for another year, he's back in the 55 again, and yeah, he's extremely talented, and he's made Milton Keynes always his home home now. And if he ever does move up, I know we'll wish him well. But I think a lot of people begutted that uh this young man, because he's still is I still can't believe how young he is as well. But he's been Milton Keynes for so long. But yeah, Malik Martelli.

Harrison 24:25

Yeah, it's his sixth season with MKL, and just saying that alone, uh I mean, I I don't want to make you feel old, but that makes me feel old, despite the fact that like he has it again, he's been here since he was on a two-way with Streatham, and even that season that he was on a two-way, he didn't look out of place at all. He was on the two-way with the change of priority the next season, and then we signed him permanently, and ever since then, he's just never looks back, really. I mean, there's a reason why every team in the league, if you ask them if you could take a player from Lightning, who would you take? Malik Martelli is 99% of the time the answer, and again, last season was a career high points for him as well. I mean, 35 points in 45 games, he had a couple towards the end of the season. I think he missed most of the playoffs due to a little knock as well. Also got a GB call up in February as well, so that shows how much Pete rates him. Um, but yeah, there's there's a not enough good words to say about Malik Martelli.

Mike 25:30

Definitely, and just to show the mentality of him, this was I think when it was possibly his first season at Lightning, maybe his second. He was playing at Coventry Finals weekend. He played with Streatham in their final against Solway, lost that game, and then straight after the game, the rest of the Streatham boys were going off for a constellation beer and just to meet with their families. Malik had got his gear and was running from one end of the skydome to the other with his gear to go put his equipment on and then play for the lightning. So he played two games in that one afternoon. That just showed how much he wants to play hockey, and he's still putting a shift in that in that game for the lightning as well. That just goes to show the commitment for the man.

Harrison 26:12

Not 100%. I mean, you do have to feel bad for him for that weekend, though, to be fair, because he's played the Sunday morning game, lost, and then obviously we don't want to go into it too much, but the Sunday afternoon game with Lightning also was a defeat as well. But as you said, the m the attitude on him is um is unmatched, and yeah, I think he's definitely still a fan favourite, and he will continue to be a fan favourite as long as the ice is in that lightning jersey.

Mike 26:41

So we've talked about the defence. I think we'll have a little rest from us talking about the team now, and I think we'll uh as we're talking about defense here, Harrison, I think we'll now go on and talk to a lightning legend, as you mentioned earlier, probably the best defender we've ever had at the Milton Kings Lightning. Uh, is assistant coach Lewis Christie. Louie, thanks for joining us on the Lightning Talks podcast. How have you been over the summer?

Lewis 27:09

Yeah, good, mate. Really, really good. A nice summer, had a nice break, a few uh little holidays away. So just got back last well, got back last uh Friday from Scotland, so it was lovely to uh see the family and stuff like that. So yeah, it was nice, nice, good summer.

Mike 27:23

Great to hear, great to hear. And uh got to quickly talk a little bit just quickly like last season as well. Obviously, to tell in the face, you did it all last season. You were assistant coach, you were playing, you were player assistant coaching, and then you were interim head coach. Have you had a chance over the summer just to take stock of a bit just what a roller coaster that last season was for you personally and also for the team?

Lewis 27:51

Well, yeah, for me for me personally, it was uh bit of a yeah, crazy, crazy um season for uh coming back to yeah, as you say, being an assistant to playing. I think playing was probably the hardest part uh from not playing for a year and trying to get actually get fit again, which was the uh I always keep myself in shape, but playing ice hockey is a bit for different fitness, I always say. Like the boys always say, How do we get fit for playing hockey? You can, unless you're on the ice, it's completely different. Uh but yeah, no, I was I enjoyed it. Like 12 games was was fun, but um yeah, yeah. Well, obviously I said to Tim at the time, I was like, I'm done. So it was um it was it was fun, but you know what? Like I said, then obviously going into the coaching role was bit of a hit as an interim head coach was a bit of a shock, but you know what? Like I always I always wanted to do something like this. I say maybe not so early in my coaching career, but no, it was uh it was fun. Uh and the boys helped me massively. I said we just never never got the uh the balances that should have come, really.

Mike 30:04

So yeah, and obviously the uh the efforts that you did over that season were reflected and uh appreciated as as you were given uh at the person of the year at the uh end of season awards night. Was that that come as a bit of a shock and a surprise to you just to pick that one up?

Lewis 30:26

Yeah, it was actually. I I actually said to Chloe afterwards, I actually forgot there was an award for that, like that kind of thing. And uh I actually thought it was a joke to start with in my head, but it was uh no, it was I really appreciate I say I say but as I I try the best for the team. I say this is my my home club, like I love Milton Keynes, I'd never do it anywhere else. It's uh one place I'd I'll always stay.

Mike 30:52

So yeah, uh and obviously moving into this season back in the assistant coach role again and working alongside a coach that you've played for previously at the Lightning in Pete Russell. Uh what's it like now to be working as his as his assistant?

Lewis 31:12

Well, I see I I've known Pete since I was like 10-year-old, eight-year-old sort of thing, somewhere about then. Uh, I've known him for a very long time, and then uh obviously 10 years 10, 11 years ago when he came to Milton Keynes, it was it was a big shock because I say, well no, Nick Poole was here previously, and uh obviously when Pete came, it was a bit of a shock to everybody, but I think it's what it needed at the time, uh, in a little in a bit of a way. Um put a shock to the system to myself, to like Lee Jameson, uh Adam Carr, Michael Farn, just to give us a bit of a boost, which I think is um I hope's gonna happen again because we've done good things when Pete was around last time. And I say for myself personally, I'm gonna I feel like I'm just gonna try and soak in it, soak everything in like a sponge from Pete because he's he's done it at the highest level. So for me, it's a massive learning curve uh to work and a privilege to work under somebody that's been there and done it.

Harrison 32:11

Yeah, I suppose after all the experience that you've got from last season as well, adding now working under Pete is probably just gonna send that even further.

Lewis 32:21

I I hope so. I really do. I hope so. I say it's uh it's something that I didn't expect last year, but obviously obviously Tom and JP Vicky gave me the opportunity. So it's as you say, just learning learning little snippets from different coaches and different training methods. I say we train Thursday with Pete. I say I come a little bit late, but watching the way Pete trains, he he explains everything, then he asks guys, is everything okay? And then he gives like some teaching points to the guys there and then when they're on the ice, which is like quite refreshing to see. Sort of it's giving guys like the option to ask a question. Whereas myself, I was it was just do you know the drill? Yeah, okay, like we're we're going sort of thing. Um that's it, that's me learning not on learning on the on the job as such, in a way. So I know it's gonna be fun, I think.

Mike 33:10

Good fun and the team that's been put together, it's it's a stacked roster, uh across the lines there. I mean, I've we we've said it before, and we've we've chatted to some of the returnees, we've chatted to some of the new guys but on previous episodes. But for those playing coach at at home and trying to guess the lines, it's near impossible. Is it good to have such a talented roster there? Because obviously every guy wants to be on the ice and every guy wants to be getting as many shifts as possible. So, is that friendly competition really good there?

Lewis 33:47

100%. Like uh Pete asked me what what is what or what he what I would do in a situation like this, and his words were he said the best part of this is going to be we're gonna have competition all over the ice from goalies to defense to forwards. Uh, everyone's playing for a position, um, no matter if you're on the first line or the fourth line. Like one minute you could be you could be bumping up them lines pretty quick if you're playing well. I think Pete's philosophy is if you play them well, you're playing. So um it's good that for me is for me last year having so many guys, it was quite hard because I've never never dealt with it. Where Pete has done that through in Germany and in the elite league, uh, and now he's obviously coming back to Milton Keynes, he's got four lines, so it's gonna be friendly competition, which I think is gonna be fun.

Harrison 34:39

So I think that's one thing that you also see from his uh GB rosters as well. Um, when GB came to MK up back in March, is um it was that just consistent rocking four lines. There was never like a top line or a fourth line, it was four lines. And is that a sort of thing that you think's gonna benefit like me this season?

Lewis 35:07

Well, I look as yeah, you look at our roster, and we're we as you as Mike said, it we're pretty stacked. We are uh we've got a great team. Um but it's if guys gel together, like we just gotta we've got to work what work what works for the team and who's playing for the team and not individually. Um is where we've got to be. We've got to strive to be the best team in the league, uh, first of all. Um, but it's just getting the guys to work together and work as a unit five on the ice. That's where I see it.

Mike 35:39

And uh have the guys all jetting in. I know uh they've been now on the ice. Uh we saw over the social media the last week or so the uh the guys coming over from Canada and uh arriving at the arrivals hall in Heathrow. Obviously, probably a little bit of jet lag still for just to recover and get used to it. I know we've had baking hot summer, and I think when the guys landed, it was chucking it down with rain for the first time. So we were quite happy for that. But uh on the ice and around, have has the team started gelling as you would expect a lightning team to because we know a lot of being playing for this team, it's it's that locker room and it's that brotherhood between the team, isn't it?

Lewis 36:19

Yeah, I said that I think we've had we've had guys that have uh going to strengthen the team this year. Obviously, you're getting back guys like Max Stewart, Liam Stewart, uh Carter, Cam, guys that are like good, very good locker room guys who can bring a room together, like Jordan County. Like they would they love doing things together as a group, which I think is a massive key thing to uh success. Um I say the years we had um when we won the league many years ago now, but um we were we were like a group, a united group that wanted to do things together, like go for go for dinner together, go to the gym together, um, which I think this year's team is um I think they want to do that. They all want to they all want to be a part of each other's journey, which which is nice to see. Um so yeah, it's it's it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be real, real good fun. Uh it's gonna be it's gonna be fast, I'll tell you that.

Harrison 37:14

Yeah, you can say that. And you've got so you mentioned some of the players that are coming back, but looking also at the the newer players that are joining as well, you've got um the likes of David Thompson, you've got Jared Whale, Jared White, uh Brady Johnson, just to name but a few. What's it been like the first couple training sessions seeing them and how have they fit in?

Lewis 37:38

I'm getting the really nice guys, they're all genuine hockey players, they all want to they all work hard. That's one thing we've built our team on is guys that want to work hard and work for each other. Um, just even just doing like battles in the corner, like guys are battling hard in the first first couple of weeks in practice. And but for me, that that's amazing because they are they're here to compete and they're all here to make each other better, which is um, which is but yeah, some of these guys really good imports. We've got some really good imports, good guys, guys that wanna want to be here, which is uh which is good. I say they I asked that, I can't think of a speak who was speaking to it, but I asked him, have you been around Milton Keynes and his first words? A lot of roundabouts, and I said, get used to that. So um, yeah, so they say get used to it, you're gonna do that a lot.

Mike 38:30

Have you finally got used to the roundabouts, Louis? I know you've been here for oh well.

Lewis 38:33

I moved out, I moved out of I moved out of Milton Keynes, that's for the reason. I know it's uh Milton Keynes is special for that one thing.

Mike 38:45

Uh brilliant, and uh obviously the guys will be back in training, and we're only a few days away from uh the start of pre-season, and uh Oberliga North, uh German opposition in Rostock Piranhas home and home Saturday and Sunday. We played at Oberliga side at the start of last season in Tilburg, and those guys could skate. And what kind of a challenge are you expecting uh from the Piranhas this weekend?

Lewis 39:15

I'll look into a very similar, very fast team. Um they move the puck well. They move they move the puck well. Like we've just got to be aware like defensively that they can't score goals. Um, so I just think we're gonna be we're gonna start from the back and work away out and just play like our game, sort of thing. Like the team we've got is it's built on like good guys that are ready to support each other, which I think they have got a they're very close net group, like um and they just yeah, they're they're very strong and powerful, which I think we've just got to go and match that. Let's see, it's it's gonna be a tough, tough challenge for us, but you know what? You'd rather have a challenge than have a walkover game, wouldn't you? Like, so it's it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun, fun game or games.

Mike 40:02

Yeah, uh with it being that double head of it, is it almost that first game? You might also be sort of both teams sort of feeling each other out, trying to understand the strengths and weaknesses of in that second game. It's almost like, okay, we know how this how this is gonna go, we know that how the game plan. Uh, and also as well, often we see in the league some things do carry over from the first night to the second. Uh, obviously it's pre-season, but there's no such thing as a friendly in hockey. Are we expecting possibly something like that as well? I mean, I I don't know some of the German lads how good their English is, uh, but I imagine there'll probably be some some chirps going across uh the benches, uh mentioning no names, but he he has been on the podcast previously and he he has made a list a bit like Santa Claus. Uh but uh is that something that as a player you look forward to as well when you see a team when you know they've got them you've got them back to back?

Lewis 40:55

You know what? I always say it's a little bit like playoff games, like you know you've got them back to back. Um you're gonna you're gonna do your best to win that first night, but obviously whatever happens, like you're either holding the title or you're you're going for revenge. So you never know what happens on these uh preseason games, especially playing an opponent from abroad. Uh it's very, very different, but it's still gonna be it's you know what I always say, you've just you've just got to go out there, find your legs, because it's the first game for us, um, which is always the which always is the hardest part because getting fitness is you can have the best fitness, but you come to a game, it could be completely different. You could be handing your end for five minutes, um, and you just guys are struggling with their legs, like it is a complete um whirlwind, you never know what's gonna happen. So no, I think it's gonna be fun. That's one thing I think it's gonna be good fun, and I think it'd be good for the fans to come and see us, see us uh the new team.

Harrison 41:59

So yeah, and when it comes to the that first couple games, obviously you've still got another week of pre-season after that. How do you look at this weekend of preseason? Is it as you said, just about just getting them getting the boys going and getting the legs moving, or is there a little bit more of figuring out lines? Is that what the the thought is?

Lewis 42:24

Well, I think pre-season is always uh is always about just finding your legs to start with. That's the key is to find your legs at the end of the day, because it can't that can that's the hardest part of hockey is finding your legs. I say you've always got that up up and up top, you know what's going on, and you can um you can play what you can play play smart with your head, and you can be simple. Um if you've got both of them, you're you're you're cruising, you're fine, you're good, you're good to go. So but yeah, no, having two weekends pre-season, um, yeah, it's it's um we don't know the top of the opponents this weekend, but obviously we know what Peterborough is like, it'll be uh great place to go.

Mike 43:06

So there might be a couple of fans watching this who still haven't got their tickets yet for the preseason games. They might be sitting on the fence going, Oh, do we wait for the league season to start? What would be your message for those fans to get to the rink for this these two Rostock games, and then of course the Peterberg game the week after?

Lewis 43:25

Well, I'd say one thing. I said if you have you seen us practice in this last couple of weeks, I suppose I think you'll probably get your tickets uh pretty sharpish. I say uh we've got some characters in that room that'll make you smile, make you happy. Um, yeah, we're just gonna have so much, we're gonna have a lot of fun. Uh, and I think guy people that come to watch are actually gonna enjoy it uh seeing us play hockey and actually have a smile on our face. So uh yeah, you guys need to get your tickets.

Mike 43:53

Brilliant. And the final question. Obviously, you uh you did your 12 games last season. Any chance that uh you'll be uh putting on the skates again this season if uh if the need arises?

Lewis 44:08

I'm gonna say that as a no. Uh I love hockey, I love it very much. But I'll tell you where my kit is just now. My kit is in my loft. My skates are in the rink or on the ice for the boys, but my kit is staying in the loft. Uh, I'll be playing one little tournament with uh Adam Carr and the Lizards uh at the end of the season. Um that's the only time I think I'll be getting my kit out of the uh out of the loft to play that. So um hope everyone stays healthy. That's my uh my main uh main priority this year.

Mike 44:42

So lizards and testimonials, that's it now. That that that that's the only time you'll be on the ice, then yeah, that's it.

Lewis 44:47

That's the only time they'll be coming coming out of the loft.

Mike 44:49

That's the one thing it'll be doing. So all right, perfect. So message is there, but stay healthy. So uh Liam and the uh medical team need to keep those boys as healthy as possible. But uh Pete's got a Pete's got a fairly big big roster, so hopefully, figure touch all the wood, fingers crossed, that uh we won't have the injury and the absences that we had of last season. Yeah, yeah, fingers crossed.

Lewis 45:13

So we we got a young team this year, which I think is is beneficial to us. I say I remember me being younger and uh being a bit more elasticity. Uh me being old is uh one one thing that I felt every ache and pain. So yeah, fingers crossed these last fit and healthy under Leon's supervision and his team.

Mike 45:37

Perfect, no pressure to the team there. Thanks, Louis, for that insight. And can't wait to see you and all the boys this weekend against Rostock. I think that pretty much finishes it now for the defensive call. But Harrison, obviously, we need to mention those who uh played for the team last season have moved on.

Harrison 45:55

Yeah, of course. And first of all, I mention that uh a former fan favourite uh Jordan Spadafour has joined the newly formed LS LHSB League in Canada. Um joining St. John Flames. I mean, Jordan Spaderfour was a fan favourite for sure. We can't deny that and wish him all the best in his travels back to Canada. Josh Kelly makes an in NIHL move down to the Bristol Pitbulls. Obviously, moved from Barkshire B's to come to us and made quite an impact. I remember him having a fight, I think it was against Ty Cathcart against Bison when we were losing it. Kind of just G'd the crowd up, so that was something I remember about Josh Kelly. Josh Saunders has moved to Solway Ice Hockey Club. So that's going to be a good opportunity, I think, for him as well. Because I think he played maybe too many minutes for lightning in times where if we had more D, then it probably would have been a lot less stressful on him. But he's gone back to Scotland, and I think it's a great opportunity for him, don't you think?

Mike 47:08

Definitely. Uh I think Josh I thought performed very well. Uh one of the lads who I thought may have stayed, but he's a bit closer to home, and I think he'll he'll do very well up in Solway. He's got some good teammates up there, and being coached by Martin Grubb, yeah. Josh will do very well and a very nice guy. As of all the guys who have gone, they put a lot of time for the fans first. They definitely embraced what it was like to be a Milton Keynes Lightning player and embrace the community in Milton Keynes.

Harrison 47:37

Oh, for sure. And a couple more Patrick Forsberg as well joined us halfway through uh in the 24-25 season. I remember his opening game uh at home to Swindon and he let one rip from the blue. I think it was it um was it us two on comms that or was it you on comms? And I remember being up in the gantry and watching him warm up, and he's just ripped a slap shot off the pipe. And I I think I've just turned to you and gone, Jesus.

Mike 48:09

It as soon as I saw that warm up, it reminded me of Lucas Setapek just with that big blue line one-time slap shot, and yeah, definitely a very popular player again. He did a lot of work um with Gilpak, who uh his player sponsors as well. Uh, yeah, fantastic player, fully committed to the team. And uh I don't I not with hasn't got a club yet, but I'm sure I'm sure he'll find one if uh if he gets his way off the golf course.

Harrison 48:41

Too busy trying to make it to the Masters, I think. But yeah, all the best to him. And finally, one that is um quite an interesting one, and I think this is also a really good move for him. Bailey Thomas has is on what is a three-way contract with D-Side Dragons in NIHO 1 North, uh, Hull Seahawks in the NIHO National, and Manchester Storm of the Elite League. Now, as far as we're aware, that he'll spend the majority of his time at Hull, which again more NIHO ice time for him, and he got a decent amount with Lightning last season. And again, at 17, did not look out of place either. But training with Manchester, that's going to be huge for his development.

Mike 49:21

I'll definitely, and I think everyone remembers his goal against Romford. Uh, that he scored. The place absolutely went wild. Uh, I I generally hope he gets to Ice in a game for the storm at the ME uh at the AO arena as it is now. But imagine being out in the the Manchester arena, going out to that big arena, playing, making your debut in the storm jersey and that. I good luck to him up that I hope he cherishes every second that he does for that. Because even if he doesn't get any any ice time, just that lining up on that blue line for the anthems in front of an arena like that, that must be goosebumps for a player. So that's that's the that's the dream to play in a in a building like that. Oh, 100%.

Harrison 50:03

And that alone, that experience alone, even as you said, even if he doesn't get much ice time or any, just that experience of being in the locker room with the elite league lads and also being a part of what could be some record-breaking crowds up in Manchester this season. It's only going to benefit him. And with all of the D, we wish them all the very best in their next journey as well. But I think that's probably about time to move on to the forwards.

Mike 50:32

Yeah, uh, the forward pack now. This could take a while. There's uh quite a few of them to get through, but uh we'll go through the number order again, and starting with someone who, when we did the last preview, hadn't been announced. Uh, he's been announced fairly recently, and a big name, big name signing. And I think this is one a lot a lot of people are going to get excited about.

Harrison 50:57

Yeah, you're right there, and it is Danny Waite. Now, those NHL fans that may know, uh, he is the son of former all-star player and Stanley Cup winner, Doug Waite. Um, so the pedigree in that family alone is something to go off, but that's not even talking about Danny Waite's career in America so far. He played for the USA under-17s. And you think, oh, who's he played with? Only names like Cole Caulfield in the NHL, Trevor Ziegress, Jack Hughes, the Olympic gold medal winning goalscorer, Matt Baldy. He played with some unbelievable players and has then spent five seasons in the NCAA as well. There's a lot of experience coming from a man who's still very young as well.

Mike 51:55

Yeah, and he's had a obviously you've mentioned his his father Doug, so there's always been interest in him over this overseas, but some of the scouting reports have said he's plays such a good game, and he's a very smart two-way hockey player as well. Very, very strong addition. I know that Pete said initially he was only going to go the four imports unless the right man and the right fit came along. He clearly found his man, and I was thinking it may have been a few more weeks down the line until after all the training camps over in the States and in Canada had finished. But he got Danny and he'd got his man, and a very, very good signing, very what one I'm excited about, and not just because I grew up watching Doug play with St. Louis and uh the New York Islanders. Uh when he was at Edmonton, it was just a bit before I started uh watching the NHL, but yeah, he was part of that St. Louis Blues team that I grew up idolising. So yeah, the fact that Danny's gonna be here. Hopefully, Doug will get over to MK to to see a game. I will probably be be fangirling quite quite a lot. If he's there, I'll probably be paying more attention to uh to to Danny's dad fan uh most of the fans do for Liam's dad.

Harrison 53:11

Make sure maybe you're not on comms for that one, then if he turns up, you can definitely, definitely, yeah. You can go and be roaming camera and stand next to him. But yeah, I think that that's uh that's gonna be a sign, and that I think I mean it's just the icing on the cake as the the forward lines or the forward players all already. A lot of fans were like, what a forward core lightning have and to add someone of that calibre to to the the roster, it just it just puts the icing on the cake for sure. Uh and a very different one for the next one a returnee after two seasons away at Bristol. Cameron Hamill returns to Lightning, and he was getting top six ice with the Pitbulls and getting a point in almost every other game, which was definitely new for him. But that experience that he's now got that's gonna come in handy for Lightning for sure.

Mike 54:07

Definitely. I think Cammy grew as a player with the added responsibilities down at Bristol and had his paddlec last season, trusted him on the special teams, both the PK and the PP, and he rewarded that trust. He got good points for the pit bulls. He still was his terrier-like attitude there, he battled in the quarters. He pound for pound, he's probably one of the toughest guys in the league. He's he's not the biggest, but he he very much reminds me of like a player like Grant McPherson. What's not afraid of anyone, he'll stand up for himself and is for his teammates. Real team first player. Uh yeah, delighted to that that Cammy's back and that work rate and that attitude. He would he he was popular in Bristol. The Pitbulls fans loved him and uh were gutted to see him uh return back to Milton Kings, but uh everyone at MK is buzzing to see see Cammy back in an MK jersey and wearing the number seven jersey.

Harrison 55:04

Yeah, it's a big number, it's uh it's a big number to to fill. But yeah, I mean he had a bit of an injury problem at the start of last season. It took him a little bit to get into it, but again, there's no doubt in the the talent that that he has, and again, he's coming back to lightning a different player than what he left um back in the 23-24 season um when he made the move down to Bristol. Um next one is uh another one who's uh struggled with injuries last season, but the old ever reliable number 10 Toms Rutkiss now is his fourth season. Um, and last season was his best points per game in the second tier in his career. So he's still got it. He's been there, he's been in the league for quite a while. He had obviously a stint in the elite, but I think he for lightning has just been Mr.

Mike 56:01

Reliable. Yeah, you said it exactly, Mr. Reliable. Um, I mean I do like to uh give him the Joe Hendry when I'm on comms, but you do say his name and he's just there and he appears and he gets a goal at a key moment. It was a shame he got his injury when he did because he was flying, it like he'd just got that hat trick against Peterborough. He was seeming to just know where the puck was going to be, he was reading the game perfectly. He'd got a good bit of um good bit of partnership going on on the line that he was on. I think he was with Harry Gulliver and Ilya Karenchuk at that point, and the three of them were just starting to click together, and then yeah, bad injury happened, it ruled him out for the majority of that season. But he came back and he still got the points still on the boards, and he got some clutch goals during the playoffs as well. Obviously, he didn't get through to Coventry, but you'd want him on that line. And I think with Tom's, he does as uh Louie alluded to, like, there's players who could play any line could be on the top line one week, but they could be working on the PK the next. Tom's will do that. You give him a role and he'll do it, and he will absolutely do a great job on that role. And I've I think he's a player that sometimes flies under the radar, I think, with some of the names that you have at Lightning, but you always know what you're gonna get, you're gonna get 100% from game in, game out.

Harrison 57:20

Yeah, I think it was it was proven last season, really. He started on that third line, and then all of a sudden, he got a good string of games, started putting the points on, and then ended up on the top line with I think it was County and Gulliver or Karenchuk Gulliver and goodbye at one point. So you've got loads of opportunity to move lines if you're performing. And Tom's Rutkiss was the absolute pinnacle of performing and moving up the lines, and hopefully stays injury free this season because again, he's just under a point per game for lightning um in his time with with us. So there's a lot, there's a lot to come from him, and this is gonna be an important season for him as well because there's more competition in the squad than ever. Yeah, and um next up is a number change. So it's gonna be an interesting one because it's Harry Gulliver sporting the number 11. Now, I'm pretty sure it's what he wore in his uh his youth. Um, and last season 54 games, 49 points, scoring 30 goals. Now, weirdly, I feel like people don't mention Harry Gulliver that much when it comes to Lightning's brick core. But 30 goals is no mean feat. That that's uh that's some good numbers for someone that doesn't really get much of a mention.

Mike 58:44

Harry consistently is up uh up at like the top top of the scoring charts on the team. He he has been since he's joined, and I I think he is criminally underrated still. I think that there are some big names in this league, of course, but Gully delivers at like gaming like every time like you you know you're gonna get goal. Gullies like the underscore doesn't scored it there, and I've 30 goals that that's massive. That like you you you think 30 goals from some import is a is a good return. So for a Brit who again maybe was moving some of the lines again last season, he he sometimes on the pit like a PP2, but he was also on like the third line, he could do the job like doing the enforcing and grinding out the opposition, but he could also score goals, make goals for nothing. And another player like Tom's Rutgers played under Pete's at Okanagan, so he knows exactly what Pete Russell's about. It'd be interesting, I think, for Pete to see some of these guys that he coached at junior and then like the conference size and down at Okanagan, what they're like now as they've become more senior. And I'll be intrigued to get Pete's thoughts later on in the season, what he's thought of those guys who he treated his taught as junior because they playing how you envisage they would have done when they were like 16, 17.

Harrison 1:00:06

Yeah, it's a full circle moment for players like Harry as well. But that was his highest scoring season as well, um, since going senior. So, yeah, massive season that he had last year. And I think again, it's it's only gonna continue under under Pete. But someone who uh is also no stranger to MK returning in the number 16 jersey is Max Stewart. Now had that year out um of the NIHL going to Coventry to play full time for the Blaze, which I think we all expected after the season that he had in um 24-25, getting 74 points in 61 games. Remember him on that on that line with County and Gulliver, those three were relentless together. Yeah, but I see an elite. I think that's just gonna be exactly what he needed just to up his game that little bit more.

Mike 1:01:02

Yeah, definitely. And I this was actually one that completely threw me by surprise when he got announced. I thought, I thought generally he was elite that was yeah, he he was gone, he was an elite league player. That's he was gonna be like Sam Tolbert and Lewis Hook, he's elite league. We're not gonna see him maybe until he decides he wants to like play a little less, like it play a little less hockey focus and a bit more things, and like and life's a bit like similar to what feeders the boss feeders did, a bit similar to what Jordan County's did as what has done as well. But back after a year, and delighted that he's come back to Milton Keynes. He's obviously on a two-way with with Belfast, so he'll be still getting that uh benefit of training up with the elite league side icing when when required, uh, and when when we can let him go. But and but also he'll he'll be learning under Pete Russell, but then when he's at Belfast under Adam Keith, he's got two great coaches to learn under and harness and improve his game even more. And I think he he he loves Bill McKeynes, the fans love him. It's yeah, a perfect, perfect thing for that. And I've yeah, the reactions when he returned. Yeah, fan fans were absolutely love loving it. And um, I I guess we need to decide, we need to think about who's got who's having Stuart on the back and who has the uh in the first initial when Stuart.

Harrison 1:02:24

Oh that will be that'll be an interesting one. I feel like we'll find out this weekend, probably. Yeah. Um, the next one is uh another good move for number 22, Lewis Conroy. So last season was obviously on the two-way with MK Thunder, um, and got a decent return there, getting eight points, um, not looking out of place at all in senior in his first senior hockey season. Um, now he's made a another step with being on a two-way with the Telford Tigers two in the NihL Morley in the in the north. And that's only going to benefit his game. Getting more ice time in a better league is only gonna progress him more so that he hopefully becomes an NKL stallwart in the future.

Mike 1:03:10

Oh, for sure. I mean, he 17 is so he he joined Light last United 16, trained a bit, and he he got uh he got some ice minutes towards the end of the season as well, and I think didn't look out of place. He was so unfortunate not to get a goal, and I think it was a great pass from Don Goodbye, just didn't quite get the connection that he would have wanted. But it will come and keep practice and keep working hard. But he's a talent, he's come through that storm academy, and I think everybody wants to see him progress. And hopefully, as well, there'll be more players like Lewis Conroy coming through now with the developments that they've got with uh the storm development with uh Joe and Slough going in to help with the storm there as well. Hopefully, we'll see more more Lewis Conroy's icing in lightning jerseys in the future.

Harrison 1:04:01

Yeah, for sure, and a quick one. Lewis Conroy has had the chance to work under a lot of great coaches already. He's worked under a former NHL in Tim Wallace, he's worked under a lightning legend in Lewis Christie, he's got a chance now to work under GB head coach Pete Russell. So quite a start to his career, and that's only going to benefit him too.

Mike 1:04:21

Definitely in the North One and playing outside of Milton Kings will be a big benefit to him as well. He'll learn a lot more, he'll develop a lot more. Uh, and I think he'll I think he'll do great, and I think the uh the tigers fans uh watching the uh the the uh the two side will enjoy watching them. So definitely reason to uh to go and watch him in Telford if he's playing for the for the Tigers too.

Harrison 1:04:45

Perfect. Now, this is probably one of the sign-ins of the uh of the summer now, and it's number 23, David Thompson, moving from the Telford Tigers. I mean, the numbers speak for themselves. I think that's the easiest way. 173 points in 96 Telford games. That's 1.8 points per game. He is just he knows where the back of the net is, he knows how to rile the crowd up, he knows how to rile opponents up. He's gonna be fantastic, isn't he?

Mike 1:05:23

He is, and the advantage as well that he has as opposed to the other inputs is he knows the league as well, he's played in it, he knows the buildings, he knows the style of play here. There'll be no surprises for him, and the last import we saw we signed who used to play for the Tigers, didn't turn out to be uh half bad at all. So if uh I think he was right, yeah, and yeah, yeah. Thomas, he's like we we got the privilege of chatting to him, really knowledgeable, knows his hockey, loves being the pantomime villain as well. So he won't be phased going into those tougher way rinks there. He'll he'd almost be disappointed if he's not come off the ice, and the opposition fans are shouting at him and cursing him because he knows he wouldn't have done his job. But he's that player, he'll probably wind up everyone in that building, and then he'll then go forward and then score the game-winning goal with like 20 seconds left just to silence them even more, and then probably clap his ear at the at the crack. Probably, but he he he backs it up because he could play hockey, he he he knows what to do, and yeah, I it'll be interesting to see Hopo's not on the line with Eric Henderson because the two of them were scary together. I think though he'll he'll settle fair very well into this lightning team, and I I I think he'll be I think I can think he'll be a big favourite, and there'll be a number of Thompson jerseys being worn around the rink this season.

Harrison 1:06:48

Yeah, and you talk about those that like to be a pantomime villain. That takes us very much nicely onto a pantomime villain who has a list this one. It is number 24, Carter Hamill, makes the return after spending a season in Solway, getting his best points production in his senior career as well. It seems to be quite a theme with a lot of Lightning signings this year. He's back on a two-way with the Giants as well, and he got a good reception from the Giants at the back end of last season, playing a few more games for them and getting on the points board as well. He's got seven points in 29 games for the Giants. So he's putting the points on the board for the Giants, the Giants fans like him, Solway fans loved him as well, and Lightning fans. Well, we used to love him and we're gonna love him again.

Mike 1:07:33

Yeah, Carter is just an absolute amazing human being, uh, really fun to be around, great personality. But as you say, Solway he just put in the performances was fantastic. And with Solway missing out in the playoffs, it meant he was able to train and play regularly up with Belfast. And credit to the Giants for giving him that opportunity, and credit to Bart as well for doing it because he he picked, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands and he made the most of it. And he put in the performances, he put the work in, and I I think he. he'll he comes back to Milton Keynes, I think he'll be a better all-round player. Uh and he'll be pushing he'll be pushing for top six minutes as well. And if if those guys maybe who you think might be the more established names, if if if there's an injury or if uh the performances aren't great, there'll be that he's there with one of a few players that'll be hungry to snap up and he played power play for a bit towards the end of his time at Lightning as well and was that nuisance player in the crease I think he might well be the same again.

Harrison 1:08:38

He'll be getting in players heads he'll be playing up to the crowd but he knows where the back of the net is as well and I think I'm I'm expecting a lot of excitement when uh when Carter and Cami are going to be on the ice oh for sure and we're intrigued to see who uh he ticks off of his list as well I want to see this list I really want I really want to see this list. Yeah I want to see what this list is yeah I mean I guess I guess we'll be able to assume who's on it by uh as the season goes on.

Mike 1:09:10

But there's a there's a few names who I already think but I want to just get confirmation as I don't want to say them out loud.

Harrison 1:09:16

Yeah so no I I think we might be thinking on the same sort of page there as well um right the next one announced um today as we're recording this Elliot Lewis number 29 has been announced with the Guildford Flames um he had a great preseason with them as well he travelled with them to France um and just this weekend just gone played both games against Bristol in the home and away fixture got a goal and an assist in Bristol on the Saturday scored again on the Sunday um and yeah he is his two way has now been adjusted so he is now on a two way with Guilford being the priority meaning there is a very high chance that we don't see him at Planet Ice Milton Keynes but it could not happen to a better and funnier guy if I'm being completely honest. If anyone was at the awards night uh at the end of the season um there was some time to kill and Dave Bunyan had asked Elliot Lewis to waste about five minutes just to sort of like keep things going.

Mike 1:10:23

Half an hour later and Elliot Lewis is giving the mic to everyone and trying to embarrass them and it was absolutely hilarious but on the ice he's shown why he deserves that call up yeah uh so yeah two points on that one that first one I've not forgiven him for that because we'd made a quick appearance downstairs in the lobby to say hi to some people we were sat with a six week old getting tired getting getting hungry and Sarah was messaging people saying where are you and I was like Els has still got the mic else is still chatting on the mic we're gonna have to sneak out and then and then we had a mess I thought you were sneaking out he goes he started picking on people with the with the microphone so we didn't dare stand up because he wasn't gonna shove the mic in our face and I was I we're like oh okay so we had to quickly say hi bye to everyone very quickly downstairs in the lobby um whilst else was chatting but as you say fully deserved it so hard working absolute delight off the ice I mean I don't know what we're gonna do now with a lot of our media posts now that Els is going to be in Guildford but I he he he he he came through a bit down at Guildford so it's full it's great for him and I mean this in the most respect I part of me doesn't want to see him in a lightning jersey because I know that means he's doing the job in the elite league and he's getting the ice time and he's doing the minutes it's one of those ones I don't want to stand in the way of a young Britt's progress and he thoroughly deserves this and I really wish him all the best at Guildford if he is back in the lightning jersey it'll be great to see him playing still in a lightning jersey but I I generally hope he's he he does the number he does the business in the elite league and yeah he he goes on to massive things and maybe the next time we see him at Milton Keynes is he's wearing a GB jersey.

Harrison 1:12:15

No that would be that would be something else and he said it on um another podcast just over a year ago that it was a difficult decision for him to leave um Bristol to make the transition to us but he said that that was something that seemed like the next step in his career and he's now got that next step and fully fully deserved and we wish nothing but the best to Elliot Lewis in his venture and now we move on to a new import um one of many in the NIHL that are trading the France 2 for the NIHL and that is number 73 Jared White now played some times in the NCAA with uh Jared Whale which is not confusing at all um having two Jared's in the side um at least one of them spelt differently so that makes it a little bit easier um but I mean again he's played 94 games in the NCAA getting 24 points the NCAA is a a tough league and it's another great input definitely and the French uh French two league is really really good and the imports that go there make a massive massive difference and we've seen the ones that have come over from France too into the UK a lot of them into the NIHL when they're topping the scoring charts and some moving on the bit bigger and better things.

Mike 1:13:42

I mean Cam Huff is the the the big example on that but I I think that would be a very solid signing uh I'm looking forward to see uh how Whitey gets on there because it was uh yeah I know that you and Chris to differentiate between the two and it was double R and single R but uh I I think it's a very good signing and I think you can slot in on it you could put him on any line on in this lightning lineup and I think he'll be a threat and he'll put a lot of fresh put a lot of points on the board. Yeah it's one of those ones where you don't you know much about him so you you you can't wait to get to see him on the ice and see what what he does.

Harrison 1:14:19

Yeah and that's why you should make sure you get your tickets for this weekend um little plug there had to do it um moving on to someone that is an established MKL player an established GB International really now is number 86 Sean Norris who was picked in the world championship squad as well unfortunately missed out on it due to injury um but he made his 200th appearance for lightning in the playoffs um last season and he's got 285 points in 200 games for lightning that is some impressive numbers and he sits firmly in the top 10 of lightning point scorers and one of the ones coming up uh later is right next to him in those scoring charts yeah I I think Sean might I I can see Sean climbing up those those those charts as well he's he can skate really well he's got a great shot on him controls the park well but he can also hit as well he's not afraid to mix it up when things get physical yeah he he's played a played away in the elite league played at Belfast and for a bit at Guildford represented GB he would have been going to Switzerland as well but for that injury yeah solid play and then now he gets to work with Pete all the time I'm expecting a big thing from Sean and he loves playing the Milton Keynes as well he loved he loves the team he loves the fans yeah we we're very lucky to have him and yeah not what more can you say about Sean he's yeah that's an absolute beauty yeah 34 goals as well last season as well so um he was the top goal scorer for lightning last season as well and another new import uh is next on the list it is number 90 and it is pronounced Braddy Johnson and this is another one where again there's not too much that we've not seen enough of him any HL fans will know that his uh his stepbrother is Johnny Cornell so those of you that know that that's um a good little bit of um knowledge to know to tell your friends but uh he joins from hockey etan in Sweden um he also played nearly 250 games in the OHL um as well as 123 in the U Sports as well so good pedigree behind him some good points in the OHL as well it's another unknown but there's the the the stats are saying good things I mean that that that that's some top leagues he's playing with some really really good players and so as you say there's good pedigree here it'll be first time in Britain but he knows a bit about the sport obviously through speaking with John Ian he's watched it a bit so he knows a bit about what he's getting into and the hockey ethan isn't as physical as the NIHL but U Sports and the OHL is so I think he won't be too much of a worry there and yeah from the chat with him on that that we had on the previous episodes as well really really good guy and I think he'll settle right into the team straight away and yeah I I I can imagine uh Brady's name will be sung quite a bit this season I can imagine so as well having seen him last week in and training he's going to be a fan favourite I can guarantee that one now penultimately and another new number and another return for the number 94 Liam Stewart disco's back disco fever it hit lightning in December last year it's hitting for the final time in the NIHL this season he said it's his last dance and he said on the pod not too long ago with Sean Norris that it's uh he's not coming to just have fun he's coming to to play hard and who knows what he can do but you know what Liam Stewart brings you what he offers and he's a fan favourite what more can you say he's Liam Stewart yeah yeah Stuart's box office and I I think every time he puts on the lightning jersey fans get excited there's just that anticipation every time he gets the puck you hear the buzz you hear that noise level just rise because you know that he will do something whether it is going to be he'll go on a solo skate and lift it over the shoulder he might just pick out a pinpoint pass or was uh Will Weldon of the Phantoms found out a few years ago if he drops the gloves he's quite handy when he has a bit of when he drops the gloves as well yeah he he's box office he brings the fans in he's great character in the in the room love interviewing him as well and chatting to him he's he's hilarious I mean I don't think anyone else could uh get the I think the words moose knuckle and discombobulate into the same sentence in a postgame interview as what he did with me a few years ago yeah he's he's an absolute brilliant person and yeah all those disco shirts that I've got people we buy new ones because they need to get the new number I think he does that on purpose everyone's he's he's had what 12 44 8 16 now we've got 94 suppose 94 works as that's when the year he was born so suppose that that that one is quite valid though um but yeah and then finally we move on to number 95 Jordan County he's another player really that what more can you say but electric he is one of those players that gets the puck and will create something out of nothing if you need someone to step up in the big moments Jordan County's your man did it multiple times last season and yeah I mean he was top point scorer in 24 25 and is back under Pete Russell as well because Pete gave him that senior um opportunity now what 11 years ago now roughly 11 12 years ago uh yeah so I think Counts was established in the team alongside hooky uh but I think Counts actually played a year under uh poolie as well so he was actually a poolie signing as well but you know he hoed his skills with Pete then he went up to the elite league didn't work out for him so he came back to Milton Keynes and yeah then then eventually went up and made a great career up in the elite league before coming back to Milton Keynes for uh yeah because he wanted to start a family down here uh down in Milton Keynes with his partner who's who's from Milton Keynes as well uh yeah Aaron calls him the flying Scotsman and I think it's very very apt is he absolutely has wheels on the ice a very smart hockey player though and now one of the leaders in that locker room as well and one of the leaders on the ice and on team and I think we could see uh last season a lot that uh first Tim and Joan then loser was yen were leaning onto that leadership with him and he did have the A last season not sure who if he will this season yet that's all to be announced the leadership uh on ice but you know what he gives you player that a lot of players respect the fans absolutely love him and I'm sure that DJ Bertie was already got uh Gardas Freed from desire queued up ready for the start of the season I just remember that ringing round Coventry at the end of uh 24 25 and their DJ silencing it and just letting us take it home and it that was one of those moments that I hope he's seen it and I hope he realizes how much he's loved in MK and will continue to be loved in MK and that rounds out the lightning players um in terms of for the 26 27 season we will just briefly mention the players that the forwards that have also moved on as well so number two Adam Rossbottom has moved back down south and is at the Basin Stoke Bison I think that'll be a good move for him to refind his scoring mentality Callum Field probably one of the more notable departures from lightning gets an opportunity with Telford Tigers and I think working under Tom Watkins I think you'll agree with me here is going to do him a hell of a lot of good yeah yeah for sure I mean uh just touching quickly on uh on Adam Rossboth them I know he works down that area so I think there'll be less travel for him and I think at Basingstoke I think he'll do a good job.

Mike 1:23:39

I thought he put in great performances for lightning he just didn't get the points that those performances sometimes deserved uh and yeah Callum I think he'll do a really good job I sometimes you just need to move out of that comfort zone and like away from the hometown and I think he'll do a good job definitely under Tommy Watkins and at Telford I I think he you could see quite a few points that he could uh for him this season I think he may have a slightly different role as he has done previously and may get more ice time and maybe a few more times on special teams so uh it'll be one I'll be following with intent to see how he gets on oh for sure for sure indeed and uh Andy Heath uh he makes the journey to Sheffield scimitars and Mac howlitt as well he is now a baseline stoke bison um so that's gonna that's a huge huge acquisition for them um gonna really help in their forward lines Dominic Gabby makes the change to Peterborough it was uh that's a change that I think maybe not many fans were expecting but having seen that player like Dylan Lawrence made made that move and it's worked out for him can only see it really working out for Gabay as well I I think so and Peter we need to replace the points of uh Cam Huff and why not do it with one of the most established goal scorers in the NIHL in Don Kuby he's worked as well with Ashley Tate I think yeah that that's a good acquisition for the Phantoms for sure um Jana Joachinen is back in Europe he's made the trek to the Netherlands to play with smoke heaters galleen and next one Rio Grinnell Park moving to Chelmsford chieftains this one was a particularly I think surprised a few fans when the the rumor started going out about it because he just seemed like he was just always at MK he was always playing that role really well but a good opportunity for him to get top line hockey um with some players that are also ex-lightning players as well like Ben Russell for example and then finally is Jarvis Hunt he is not uh it's not been announced where he has signed or if he's signing anywhere at all yet but to all of those um players and all of the previous ones we wish you all nothing but the best um and we will see you around if you are in the NIHL still and I'm sure we'll all be a lot of lightning fans will be keeping some eyes out for for to hear some of these names again. I'll definitely once you've worn a lightning jersey fans never forget you they'll always keep an eye up for you and they'll always say hello to you you may get you may get a few little bits of banter during the game but at the end of the game you get get an applause and you get the welcome back uh yeah so yeah we never forget who's born what what born the uh the black and gold of the Milton Kings lightning that that is very true and now just before we we end we'll obviously it is hockey week and it's been too long since we've been able to say that um so we're gonna preview the weekend um against an opponent that lightning have not faced before yep uh German Oberliga Nord opposition the Rostock Piranhas and we played Oberliga North teams the last two pre-seasons so we played the uh the now defunct Essen Mosquitoes two years ago and then last season we welcomed the Tilburg Trappers who are the Dutch team but they play in the German Oberliga North uh Rostock are a very established side quite a large following very very good side as well and a popular side as well and if their hockey fans are like the football fans I don't know if you saw any of the clips from uh when Hansa Rostock played Watford a couple of a couple of weeks back it was loud it was colourful it was a proper party atmosphere so uh I I think if uh a few of the German fans will be uh will be heading over to follow the piranhas I think it'll be a good side and that they had their their their preseason started last weekend as well Rostock they took on Polish opposition uh so Gico S Katovice and they won 6'5 in overtime uh so sorry sorry 6'54 I apologise in regulation but a good game lots of uh lots of oppressed lots of good hockey uh and they were short a couple of bodies as well so one of their new signings didn't make the journey as he was uh only just got into Germany so rather than go and play playing away game in neutral ice on the uh border with Germany and Poland uh so he didn't ice but we expect him to be icing this weekend and they had a player go off injured early on in the first period so we'll keep an eye out to see if he travels for this weekend but should be a good test for the lightning the German sides we played before skated very fast they hit very hard as well I mean that Essen game there was uh a lot of physicality on that and Tilburg Trappers last season absolutely scored for lightning yet but we have to say if they put the hands up there they were very very impressive moved the puck so fluidly and interestingly enough when they went to Rostock the Trappers got beat by the Piranhas five goals to two so just goes to show that league it's very competitive Rostock finished towards the bottom of the standings last year however they'll be looking to improve on that and they've got some talented players and one of their former players is playing in uh Swindon this season yes that is uh that is one of those that especially when looking at the stats it was quite a uh quite one that was just oh we nearly faced him now now we're going to face him week in week out but you mentioned like uh gks katowice just for any of those that are watching uh a former Swindon player and Thomas Malasinski used to ice for for Katowice so it's another team that have got some famous famous NLHL names in the past definitely there's a couple of Polish internationals still on that Katovice team and they played Belfast Giants a couple of years back in the Continental Cup as well so it's it's a good good result for for Rostock to get the preseason with a with a W over a good opposition.

Harrison 1:30:00

So lightning needs to be need to be wary I think it'll be a should be a good game uh and it's home and home so two two nights in a row both uh both at Planet Ice Milton Keynes oh for sure and just a a look at a couple of the the players that are in that rostock squad um one that stands out for me when looking at it is Eric Gollenbeck number 14 the defenceman now he captain Germany's under 18s in 2012 2013 which may not seem like much but that was an under and under 18 side that contained The certain Leon Dreisitel. Now that's that's a heck of a teammate to be able to say that you've played with.

Mike 1:30:44

Not just played with captains, yeah. I I was I was I was Leon Dreisitel's captain. That's that's something that you could not many players could say that. So yeah, definitely proper leadership skills there.

Harrison 1:30:55

Yeah, for sure. And just one more um Reed Petrick, the number seven, um, played with Jordan County in Glasgow in 23-24 season, um, and also has over 200 games in the AHL. So, in terms of quality, if any of you are not so sure on what quality this um Rostock side possess, that's just a little bit of an insight into what the the Rostock roster contains and some of the experience and the I mean the AHL is nothing to uh nothing to shy away from. That is arguably the second best league in the world.

Mike 1:31:36

Definitely, and uh the German third tier is a very, very good standard. Uh so we mentioned Tilburg the night after they played us, they played Coventry Blaze, they led the Blaze for the majority of the match before eventually they tied out in the third period to go down 3-1 to the to the Coventry Blaze. So very, very good standard there. And uh another player as well. I just need to mention as well. Yes, but Orval was their top scorer, and also played to Manchester Storm as well, uh, back in the 22-23 season as well. So some very talented players there on offer, and uh I think Rostock could be a good opposition for the Lightning, and also it's a team that you you're not gonna see again uh for this season unless you do go over to Germany and catch a couple of the games over there. So chance to see some new opposition. I'm looking forward to calling that one. Um, not quite looking forward to mispronouncing some of the names on there. I've had to uh go back to my GCSE German lessons to try and get a bit more of a bit of help here uh with some of the pronunciation. So uh if you're united again, at least listen to the stream and have a good laugh at me and Harrison trying to pronounce some of the names.

Harrison 1:32:49

That's right. I remember doing the Essen game a couple years ago, and I requested that one solo. Not sure why I did that because the entire game uh well watched back the highlights recently, and uh yeah, it it it was a it was an interesting watch for sure. So yeah, it'll be a laugh if you can't make it to the Thunderdome on Saturday or Sunday. Uh, don't forget the Sunday game is included in your season ticket and has skate with the players afterwards. The Saturday game, not included in the season ticket, but you've got the welcome introduction to the Lightning side at three o'clock at mantra. So make sure that you are there um in order to be introduced to your 26-27 MK Lightning roster.

Mike 1:33:33

Definitely, yep, House of Mantra. Uh I will be I will be uh your host for that one. So uh make sure you're there for that one. And we'll be back on the podcast as well next week as well, where we'll be giving you uh a review and a look back at the two Rostock games. Uh, we'll also be giving a preview of the upcoming match against the Peterborough Phantoms in that uh home and away double header in pre-season. We'll have another interview as well with one of the players. But uh until then, enjoy the rest of your week and we'll see you at the Thunder Dome for Saturday for the Lifestack MK Lightning and the Rostock Piranha.