First and foremost, I hope all had a lovely time last night at the Milwaukee Admirals season ticket holder event. It always sounds like a blast and it’s a great way to go behind the scenes with the team for an evening or to hang out casually with the players.

Speaking of hanging out with the players – the Admirals did just announce the date for their annual Celebrity Serve event hosted by Major Goolsby’s. That will take place on March 16th and further details are expected to be announced as that date closes. I wasn’t going to gate crash the season ticket holder event but I will be around for the Celebrity Serve. Hope to catch you folks there. That’s always a fun time. Friendly Suggestion: Be sure to brush up on your Russian to have some polite dialogue with Vladislav Kamenev while you’re there.

~AHL Update~

Apologies for the slow traffic on my end during this cushioned road trip stretch for the Admirals. To put it bluntly, there is only so much to talk about leading into and exiting those two games against the San Antonio Rampage.

The most I can say really is that the Rampage lost against last night and have now lost thirteen straight home games. As much as I want to say “ouch” and be done with it there was an incident within the game that was far more painful.

Brian McGrattan, current member of the San Diego Gulls and formerly of the Nashville Predators and Admirals (aka the man who helped bring Joe Piskula back to his home state), was knocked out during a fight against the Rampage’s Daniel Maggio. While Maggio is familiar with just such an incident this season what took place to McGrattan was even more scary. The two fought without their helmets on, McGrattan was rocked by a stiff right hand, and planted head first into the ice. He required immediate medical attention and left the ice on a stretcher. You can watch the full incident here.

There is some good news that has come out from this. McGrattan did reportedly give a “thumbs up” to the San Antonio crowd and the Gulls organization did come forward with a quick update that stated he was conscious, alert, and had full range of movement. That’s fantastic to hear and hopefully the trauma he sustained from the fall didn’t damage his skull or that ever important organ that the skull protects.

Elsewhere around the AHL I feel as if a team that might be going under the radar, especially for those of us here in Milwaukee, are the Charlotte Checkers. They’ve recently exploded in the standings thanks to a run of 13-1-1-1 over their last sixteen games. That included a twelve-game point streak that went on until some Grand Rapids Griffins team beat them. The Checkers would push back and take them down the very next night.

Who is the driving force to this run by the Checkers? Tilt your eyes from offense and focus on the goaltender. No, not former-Admirals netminder Drew MacIntyre. Look at 21-year old goalie Daniel Altshuller and the astonishing run that he has been on since getting recalled from the ECHL in mid-December: 11 starts, 9-1-1-1 record, 1.71 goals against average, 0.941 save percentage, and a shutout. That’s stunning. Can he sustain these performances or crash back to Earth? With the Checkers now in front of the Admirals on the diabolical points percentage system you kind of hope for the latter.

~Fifteen~

Part of the bummer of these long breaks or gaps in the Admirals schedule with road games is my ability to conduct interviews for Fifteen. I did attempt to stockpile some for this time period -BUT- I had too much fun with the interviews of Marek Mazanec, Max Görtz, and Scott Ford that I raced to get them out ASAP rather than wait on them. Good news? You got to hear those three in three days! Bad news? You’ve sadly not had one for this week – and now the team is setting sail for a weekend set in Cleveland – so you’ll be getting a week off from the feature.

In the week that follows off this coming weekend I’m planning on logging a good amount of interview time and running down the ever growing list that you readers keep building upon. Unfortunately, next man up was Kevin Fiala and he’s since scored his first career NHL goal and is a wee bit busy doing Nashville things. I could substitute him with who he substituted in Nashville, Viktor Arvidsson. Fair deal? I’ve been trying to make that guy laugh for awhile now and this might just do the trick. I honestly think he’s more German than Swedish sometimes (real life example).

~Then & Now Report~

It’s the mid-season point for a lot of hockey teams out there so I think it would be a fun time to check in on some familiar names and see how they’re doing.

Magnus Hellberg: Our old pal Magnus has been pretty battle tested within the New York Rangers organization after the Nashville Predators traded him to land a sixth round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. He has played 25 games and sports a 13-10-2-0 record to go with a 2.57 goals against average (GAA), 0.912 save percentage (SV%), and a pair of shutouts. He also was able to get in net at the NHL level for the second time in his career. That didn’t go well. The Rangers were abysmal against a non-abysmal Washington Capitals team and the big guy went 4/6 in saves. In his NHL career he has two relief appearances, 32:12 of ice time, and has gone 7/10 for save attempts. Harsh.

Viktor Stålberg: Why not stay with the New York Rangers, eh? To his credit, this season Stålberg has managed to stay at the NHL level the entire season so far. To his ineptitude, he continues to make everyone look at his 2010-12 career numbers and what he cooks up now while looking like they’ve slammed a packet of lemon flavored Warheads. As a lower end winger his 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) in 40 games stat line doesn’t look too bad. But we’re four-years removed from a 43 points (22 goals, 21 assists) in 79 games 2011-12 season. I won’t be shocked at all if he ends up in Europe soon.

Rob Madore: This is going from sour to sweet. Why? Because who isn’t a Rob Madore fan? He’s one of the nicest guys I’ve come across in the game. Sad to see that he didn’t get to actually play for the Admirals last season but he did have some bench-side cameos as a back-up here and there. That of course followed on the heels of his amazing 2013-14 season for the Cincinnati Cyclones where he earned the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP despite coming up on the losing side of the 2014 Kelly Cup Finals. This season he is with the Toronto Marlies organization. He has spent the majority of his time with the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL) and performed well: 19 games, 7-8-1-3, 2.94 GAA, and a 0.913 SV%. He has seen time with the Marlies and has been brilliant: 4 games, 4 wins, 1.25 GAA, 0.952 SV%, and picked up his first AHL shutout since 4/20/13 as a member of the Charlotte Checkers playing on the road against the Peoria Rivermen.

Scott Ford: He’s our assistant coach now. He’s also sort of Milwaukee’s version of Bob Wiley. You think he’s gone? He’s not gone. That’s the whole point. HE’S NEVER GONE.

Jared Nightingale: While in similar circumstances to the Sheriff last season Mr. Nightingale continues to fight the good fight as an ECHL name that keeps finding occasional AHL loan time. Though, it must be said, this season has been far calmer for him. Like last season he is stationed predominantly with the Toledo Walleye (ECHL). He has suited up for one AHL team this season (Chicago Wolves) and that lasted one-game. Last season, away from ECHL Toledo, Nightingale played 42 games between five different AHL teams (Hartford Wolf Pack, Norfolk Admirals, Grand Rapids Griffins, Milwaukee Admirals, and Syracuse Crunch). I’d love for someone to do the grunt work for me and find out if he was the first person to ever play for both versions of the AHL Admirals (Milwaukee and Norfolk) in the same season.

Joe Piskula: Good Guy Joe from Antigo moved out to get him one of them new hockey jobs out Californee-way with the Anaheim Ducks. He’s the team captain of the San Diego Gulls and unfortunately missed a lot of time due to injury. The good news? He is back and playing. His 2015-16 season only reads as such: 15 games, 2 points (0 goals, 2 assists), 11 penalty minutes, a plus/minus rating of -1, and is averaging a shot on goal per game.

Ian White: He hasn’t played a lick of hockey this season. “Why is that,” you ask. Well, because he kind of sort of got arrested. Whoopsies.

Zach Budish: We had the chance to see last year’s Milwaukee Admirals Man of the Year award winner this season on a brief PTO deal from the Admirals very own ECHL affiliate the Cincinnati Cyclones. Sadly, that’s the best Budish could do off of what was his best pro season to date last year. He turned up to the Iowa Wild’s pre-season camp as an invitee and was cut. The Iowa Wild cut him. I think that’s more of a reflection of how terrible the scouting of the Minnesota Wild organization is than a blow against Budish. Because, looking at the ECHL number today, Big Head leads the Cyclones in scoring with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 34 games. If you look at his past injuries at Minnesota and beyond – all he’s ever truly needed was a good run on a clean bill of health with consistent playing time. He is finally getting that this season and delivering. I truly hope he gets an AHL look again this season or next season.

Patrick Cehlin: I tapped into the sob story of Cehlin in depth in last season’s Report Card. I suggest reading that in-full first. … Caught up? Depressing right? Well, cheer up because this season has been far more kind to the Swede. He joined Rögle BK, has scored 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 34 games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). That scoring output has him ranked twenty-third best in the entire league. So, while his NHL dream went crashing down in a conveyor belt of bad luck and injuries, he’s found his game back home. I do always enjoy seeing our European talents getting back on their feet back in their native countries. Cehlin, at 24-years of age, has plenty of good hockey to play in Sweden at a high level.

Rich Clune: You no doubt read his story The Battle on The Players Tribune this summer. If not, it really is a must read and something to appreciate where he is right now all the more. Clune signed with the Toronto Marlies in the past off-season but that got bumped up to an NHL deal because he, like that entire Marlies team, has been great: 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) in 29 games with a plus/minus rating of +12 and 102 penalty minutes (8 fights). At the moment he is in the NHL with the Maple Leafs where he can be seen out-grappling people like Zac Rinaldo.

Brendan Leipsic: Let’s stick with that white hot Marlies team where Leiper went to. Remember that trade? Where he, Olli Jokinen, and a 2015 first round draft pick went to Toronto in exchange for Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli. By the way, ever wonder what that first round draft pick turned into? Well, that one pick turned into three draft picks: Travis Dermott (2nd round, 34th overall), Jeremy Bracco (2nd Round, 61st Overall), and Martins Dzierkals (3rd Round, 68th overall). Remember those last three names just in case, guys. Where was I? Oh, right Leipsic! He has been part of a beastly Marlies team that is tearing up the AHL’s Eastern Conference this season. In the 2015-16 season so far he has 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists). That’s all being done on a Marlies team that has the best record in the AHL right now: 31-8-2-0 (64 points, 0.780 points percentage).

Triston Grant: He missed a massive chunk of this season for reasons I’ve never really found out. Why he hasn’t been playing lately is probably down to injury or simply that the Griffins are so freakishly loaded with players at the moment that they don’t have to play him. He has logged four games this entire AHL season. Weirdly, the first two games he played this season were the back-to-back losses the Griffins took after setting their franchise record fifteen game winning streak. Bad luck?

Mike Liambas: The Bus’ season got of to a rough start thanks to a lower-body injury that wiped out two-months of his debut season within the Chicago Blackhawks organization. He has played 13 games with the Rockford IceHogs, has spent all of that time as a forward despite some shoddy writing suggesting he would play or was playing previously as a defenseman with the Admirals. No points of offense yet for Liambas but he does have just one more shot on goal (7) that fighting majors (6) this season.

Gary Steffes: Is boy Gary scoring more goals than he did last season? No. No he is not. Sadly, that’s sort of expected. He did after all score 61 goals in all competitions (AHL, ECHL, ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs) last season over the course of 97 games. That production somehow didn’t get him on any AHL radars what so ever and he returned to the Allen Americans (ECHL) where he enjoyed such success including winning the 2015 Kelly Cup. This season hasn’t been close to what he enjoyed a season ago: 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 35 games. Still, he is team captain and has a chance to push Allen into another deep playoff run later this season.

Mark Van Guilder: It was sad to see good ol’ MVG set sail in the off-season. It was always going to be unusual seeing him in something that wasn’t an Admirals uniform but I think the move to Italy’s Serie A Hockey League ranks up there as about as unusual as it could have gotten, for me. That said, he has been doing great as part of Rittner Buam: 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists) in 31 games with a plus/minus of +20. You have to go back to his 2008-09 stats with the Cyclones (ECHL) for something remotely that explosive. Perhaps a different league in Europe would provide better competition and paychecks for MVG? That would be something I’d love to see. How about HIFK in Finland where Juuso Puustinen, Joonas Rask, and Joonas Järvinen all play? I love me some HIFK Finnish Admirals. That would put them even further over the top. Perhaps I’ll try a Twitter campaign of #MVGtoHIFK to persuade the powers that be to make it happen.

Any other players of interest that you miss or would like to know what they’re up to? Comment down below with the player and I’ll get back to you with what I know or what I’m seeing out of their current performance.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Welcome back to Admirals Roundtable’s Fifteen series. If you haven’t taken a look at the Milwaukee Admirals’ schedule lately you might not be aware of how much open air time there is about to be. There’s four games in the next two weeks and all of those games are on the road – first in San Antonio and then in Lake Erie. That means getting to do these interviews becomes a bit trickier to do. But, I have a list of the players you want to hear from building and building. Today I’ve got the next man up on the list.

Here in Milwaukee by now we’ve become familiar with a man named Jamie Devane. It’s either his friendly off ice stories I hear about from fans, personally seeing him laugh it up in the Admirals locker room, or where all of us can see him do his handy work on the ice – KO.

It’s almost a distant memory but this was the man acquired by the Nashville Predators from the Toronto Maple Leafs when Taylor Beck was traded (and on my birthday no less). It’s clear that Devane isn’t what Beck was. But it’s also clear that Beck is not what Devane is. I’ve been regularly impressed by his work rate on the Admirals lower lines and particularly how he grinds teams down with the likes of a Félix Girard centering him. The short and sweet of Devane’s game is that I don’t think you can say he ever cheats the Admirals out of a shift. He battles hard and does a lot of dirty work that can do a world of difference in a hockey game. And, also, Marek Mazanec cited him as the funniest player on the team. That might have been all the introduction I needed.

~Fifteen~

Admirals Roundtable: What were your inspirations to play hockey?

Jamie Devane: I started when I was young. I didn’t really like it too much but, as I grew up, I started getting better at it. I dunno, just one of the only sports I played. (AR: You didn’t like it much?) Not when I was younger, no. (AR: Any reasons?) I hated skating.

AR: When did you realize that you were going to be playing hockey for a career?

Devane: Probably my first year of junior [2008-09, Plymouth Whalers]. I had a lot of good feedback from my coaches there and I was having a good season. So, first year of junior I thought I could make a career of it. (AR: You skating improve by then?) Yeah!

AR: Who was the first famous player that you encountered?

Devane: I think it was Mats Sundin. I’m from Toronto so I remember I saw him after a game. He had like a fan meet and greet.

AR: What is your greatest hockey moment?

Devane: Probably the day I got drafted [2009 NHL Draft, Third Round, #68 Overall, Toronto Maple Leafs]. That was the best day for me and my family.

AR: This is a fun one to ask you. What’s the most memorable goal that you’ve scored?

Devane: The most memorable goal I scored was probably a shorthanded goal against back in juniors. It was a game-winner. I got a breakaway somehow of the draw and it was during playoffs. That was a pretty memorable one. [Editor’s Note. I’m not so sure I’d say game-winner but…]

AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve played in?

Devane: [deep thought] (AR: I feel like the go-to answers for a lot of guys might be the AM hockey games played this year.) Yeah, I’ve played a lot of those in my day but it would have to be a couple years ago when I was playing in San Francisco in the [ECHL]. The zamboni broke down and they had to get the players to push off the zamboni.

AR: What is your most embarrassing hockey memory?

Devane: One time I forgot to take my helmet off for anthems.

AR: What is your most painful hockey moment?

Devane: One time I blocked a shot with my hand and I broke my hand blocking a shot. That’s probably the worst one.

AR: What are your favorite uniforms in hockey?

Devane: I think our’s this year. I really like our jerseys this year. But, in all hockey, I think the… oh… hate to say it but I do like the Blackhawks jerseys. (AR: NO!) Yeah, it’s tough to say! Hey, I hate the Rockford ones but I like the Blackhawks ones. (AR: Well, the Rockford ones have a stupid pig on them.) Yeah, exactly. Classic.

AR: Who is the funniest player that you’ve encountered?

Devane: I mean, Conor Allen is pretty funny but he will tell you he’s funny. So, I don’t know how good that one is. I played with a guy last year Greg McKegg, I think he plays in Portland [AHL] now, he was a pretty funny dude.

AR: What is your favorite aspect of Milwaukee so far?

Devane: I didn’t really realize how big of a city it was when I first came here. But it’s a pretty big city. I didn’t expect that at all.

AR: What is your favorite food, either here in Milwaukee or abroad?

Devane: Here? I just started trying cheese curds and I don’t mind those. Those are pretty good in Milwaukee. (AR: You just got everyone back who might have just been put off by the Chicago Blackhawks comment. That’s a very Wisconsin thing.)

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey hobby?

Devane: Watching TV series. I’m a big TV series watcher if you call that a hobby. I just started reading some books actually, so. I like reading books now. (AR: What shows?) Anyone. Game of Thrones, Lost, Prison Break, House of Cards, all of ’em.

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey memory?

Devane: Getting that little piece of paper. I graduated college and I got a little piece of paper saying I graduated college. So, that’s probably my next best feat.

AR: What do you see yourself doing after hockey?

Devane: Oof, hopefully I can somehow stay in the game of hockey but I don’t really know. I’ve not thought that far ahead. Hopefully I can keep it going for a little longer here. (AR: Scott Ford turned immediately into a coach, so.) Yeah, I think you have to be the mayor of some city. They call him the mayor of Milwaukee. (AR: He’s the Sheriff.) The Sheriff! I guess they call him that, too.

Thanks to Jamie Devane for taking the time to do this interview. Please please comment down below with who you would like to hear from next on Fifteen!

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

It probably says a lot about the person when a fan based feature such as this gets tasked with interviewing active players yet it’s the former one that so many still want to hear from. I’m not surprised by it. Not at all. After all, Scott Ford is the Sheriff of Milwaukee.

I would like to preface this by saying, if you liked the transcription of these Fifteen interviews as the previous ones had, I’m sorry. The fact is that Ford-o and myself could probably talk for a solid ten hours straight if not for my audio recorder’s batteries almost dying as this interview took place. It’s that long. We spoke for just over twelve minutes and it would have been longer if not for me checking the battery every now and then. As such, twelve minutes worth of talking is a massive amount of dialogue that I would simply rather have you all listen to rather than read. Next time I’ll get back to a transcription (unless you readers actually prefer just having the audio).

Of note. This interview was done while the Milwaukee Admirals had an autograph session to conduct. All players were tasked with signing various items that you great fans can either earn or win along the way this season. That meant random players approaching every now and then. And boy did one Victor Bartley ever provide a primary assist in this interview! You will hear both Bartley and Admirals VP of Communications Charlie Larson chiming in during this one. Buckle up. Because interviews with the Sheriff are always good.

Thanks to Scott Ford for taking the time to do this interview. Always love talking with that guy. Also, cheers to Victor Bartley for chirping in the background and then taking part in this one. Perhaps he should be the next player featured? You decide! Please please comment down below with who you would like to hear from next on Fifteen!

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

I suppose this name being tossed at me on the heels of winning the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for December shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Max Görtz has been outstanding lately and it’s evident that his comfort level on the ice and with his new surroundings has improved and allowed for his game to really shoot upwards.

This season is Görtz’s first playing professionally in North America after having played 161 games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with Färjestad BK and Frölunda HC. The 22-year old from Höör, Sweden had a slow beginning for the Milwaukee Admirals but has since seen his game explode. He produced 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) in 13 games in the month of December en route to taking claim to his aforementioned league honor. He is currently second on the team in points trailing team leader Frédérick Gaudreau by a single point of offense.

Without further adieu. Let’s all get to know the man I enjoy calling Maximus of the House Görtimus, Max Görtz.

~Fifteen~

Admirals Roundtable: What were your inspirations to play hockey?

Max Görtz: My dad. He played hockey and he brought me to the rink. Him and my granddad.

AR: When did you realize you were going to be doing this for a career?

Görtz: I don’t know. Maybe when I got my first chance in the Swedish Elite League [SHL] and I felt like I could play here.

AR: Who was the first famous player that you met?

Görtz: Nicklas Bäckström I think. That was the first famous one I met in person.

AR: What is your greatest hockey moment so far?

Görtz: I think it was my first goal in the Swedish Elite League [SHL]. That was the greatest one.

AR: Which probably goes right into this question. What was the most memorable goal that you’ve scored?

Görtz: Oh yeah! That would be that one. I think so.

AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve played in?

Görtz: Strangest game. I have to think. [pause] I don’t really know. (AR: Playing at 10:30 AM?) Yeah, that’s pretty rare to do at elite league but, yeah, I would say that though. (AR: Were you involved with both of those? Because it was like in the space of a week two.) Yeah, I was. It was horrible. (AR: Was that the first time that you played in an AM hockey game since you were like a kid?) Yeah, since I was maybe 10-years old. I played 9 [AM] one time. That was hard. But, in this league, 10:30 [AM] that was hard. (AR: That’s around the time maybe you get a practice in or something like that but that’s full-tilt go for it.)  Yeah, you have to be up early – eat your breakfast – and be ready.

AR: What’s the most embarrassing moment in your hockey career?

Görtz: I don’t know. I’ve done a lot of embarrassing things outside of hockey but, on the ice, I don’t remember. (AR: It isn’t happening right now is it?) No! No. The most embarrassing would be my two lates [missing practice] when I come late, now. So that would have been embarrassing for myself. On the ice-hockey I don’t know. I can’t remember. When I was little I pointed my, I don’t know how you call it, I point my finger at the referee one time. (AR: You flipped him off?) Yeah, I was a little bit angry but I I was little too. I was like just 12-years old, so. (AR: So you Kevin Fiala‘d him.) Yeah, exactly. [laughs] (AR: We can all laugh about that now, right?) Yeah, it’s funny now.

AR: What’s the most painful moment you’ve experience so far?

Görtz: When I broke my wrist. I was 15 or 16-years old. I was playing really good then. I was practicing with the A team in Malmö. I played there when I was just 15 – 16-years old and I was like, “oh, this is my chance,” and I was playing really good. You play first league. We were ten teams in. There is a North and South league and then the best five in every league play a top ten league after Christmas. And we played that and I played really well and then I broke my wrist. Season went off. That was the most painful thing.

AR: What are your favorite uniforms in hockey?

Görtz: My hometown club, Frosta HC, we’ll say. That’s a polar bear one. I think that’s cool. (AR – failing miserably and thinking he said Frölunda for some reason: That’s the one with the big chief, right?) No, it’s a polar bear with like – he’s opened his mouth and his teeth are out. I like that one. [Editor’s Note: closer picture of the jersey – not Görtz pictured]

AR: Who is the funniest player that you’ve encountered?

Görtz: I would say John Klingberg. He’s so funny. So, yeah, I would say him. (AR: Was he a teammate of your’s in Sweden?) I played with him for half a year when I left from Färjestad to Frölunda. He was so funny.

AR: What is your favorite aspect of Milwaukee so far?

Görtz: They have Cheesecake Factory. I like that. That’s my favorite thing. (AR: [laughs]) No! The ocean. I went down – no, not the ocean (AR: Lake Michigan.) Yeah. It was nice to go there and look at that. It’s really nice there. The [BMO Harris Bradley Center] is nice to watch basketball. So, it’s some things. (AR: It’s unfortunate we have the basketball team that we do have -BUT- at least you get to experience it.) Yeah.

AR: What is your favorite food?

Görtz: I will say pasta, NO, tacos.. tacos.

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey hobby?

Görtz: Is it a sport or? (AR: …non-hockey. So it could be really anything.) Just hang out with my friends, play Playstation, watching TV shows, playing golf in the summer. That’s my favorite things I think. (AR: What TV shows?) Now I’m looking at Arrow. Probably I’ve looked at every TV show. I’ve seen Entourage, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl… a little bit girl movies there but I like them. (AR: That was just your most embarrassing hockey moment by the way.) Yeah maybe! (AR: …for future reference.)

 

AR: What are your plans after hockey?

Görtz: Just take it easy. Do maybe some school work and see what’s coming after that. I have to work at things, have some work maybe, agent or something. I don’t know. Something about hockey I think but I don’t know right now because maybe if I play ten more years or longer I will probably be sick of hockey. Maybe some years without it wuld be nice. We will see.

AR: [Editor’s Note: Because Görtz drew a blank on “what is your favorite non-hockey memory?” I decided to let him pass and end with some high level improvisational skill using the Juuse Saros and Kristian Näkyvä in the background as my props] Add another question. You’re Swedish. These two guys are Finnish. What do you think of these two Finns over here?

Görtz: They’re nice. Some weird clothes but they’re nice. No, they are nice but I don’t like them now because they beat the Swedish team and they’re World Champions now. (AR: I see that they’ve been puffing out their chests. They’re all gloating over World Juniors.) Yeah. They’re fixing their hair a little bit more now and it feels like they’re the best in the world now but we have to take them down again. (AR: Hopefully you can keep them in check when [Vladislav Kamenev] comes back because they beat his team in the final.] Oh. Oh yeah. He had a moment there in the finals. So, we’ll probably be going hard on him. [laughs]

Thanks to Max Görtz for taking the time yesterday to do this interview. Tomorrow I’ll have Scott Ford in Fifteen. For those new to the program – Ford and I can talk for hours on end. That almost legitimately happened yesterday. The interview was phenomenal and received an amazingly unexpected pair of cameos that were brilliant. Stay tuned and, as always, please comment down below with who you would like to hear from next on Fifteen!

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Today the Milwaukee Admirals conducted a full practice at the BMO Harris Bradley Center following last night’s 4-0 shutout loss to the Lake Erie Monsters. With how the January schedule is setup I was planning to go in and conduct some more interviews for this feature series Fifteen and stockpile them for the month ahead. Instead, the interviews were so good that they have forced my hand. And I’m divvying up the three interviews I did today over the next three days.

As I’ve said in regards to this feature: I want you readers and fans involved. I’d love to interview as many players on the team for this feature as possible but it’s even more fun being able to provide for you the players you want to hear from ASAP. I’ve formed a list of all the requests and I’m getting through that list. So, keep participating and keep the names coming.

The very first name that came up after the debut of Fifteen with Colton Sissons was goaltender Marek Mazanec. That was the top request. And this is his interview. Of note, for those listening into the audio, I don’t censor anything. What’s said – is said. So keep that in mind.

~Fifteen~

Admirals Roundtable: What were your inspirations to play hockey?

Marek Mazanec: Well, I don’t know. I started skating since I was three-years old and I just went with it. My father was a hockey player. My uncle was a hockey player. We were a hockey family. So that’s probably it.

AR: What point growing up did you realize you were going to be doing this for a career?

Mazanec: Probably when I was fourteen and [HC Plzen] picked me up from my hometown and I moved there. I was fourteen and I lived by myself. I kind of realized that I probably have some skill and I should probably pay more attention to my hockey career.

AR: Who was the first famous player that you ever met in the game?

Mazanec: That’s a tough question. I met a lot of players. There was a lockout in the NHL so a bunch of players played in the Czech league. I played with Tuukka Rask. He was on my team [HC Plzen]. That was pretty cool. I played against [Jaromír Jágr]. (AR: Jágr would be up there.) Yep.

AR: What would you say is your greatest hockey moment?

Mazanec: Probably when we won the championship in Czech [2012-13 Czech Extraliga Championship]. (AR: I remember seeing the trophy. That trophy was gigantic.) Yeah, it’s huge. It’s all one, sixty-years old trophy. (AR: Like the European Cup they have in the Champions League that looked like three times the size of that.) It’s a big one! It’s heavy, too.

AR: Now, I ask most guys what is the most memorable goal they’ve scored. You were close to actually getting on that last year with a long shot from the net scoring a goalie goal -but- what would you say is the most memorable save you’ve made?

Mazanec: I’m not the kind of goalie that makes like highlight reel saves. So, I don’t know. I never make like huge saves for highlights. I made one for Nashville my first year here. It was against Pittsburgh. I think it was.. (AR: Don’t you have a profile picture up with you and Sidney Crosby?) Yeah, but he actually missed that puck. It was a [James Neal] shot I think. I got pulled out right after that. (AR: So, when you went to Nashville did you tell him anything about that?) No, I don’t think he remembers. Like, he doesn’t really care.

AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve ever played in?

Mazanec: I played a lot of those games. Definitely last night. I didn’t play that game but last night was a pretty weird game. It was boring. That was boring as hell. (AR: It was very slow. We’ve played about seven games in eleven days. They’re on like a ten game road trip. So it came off very slow. But I want to throw out one game to memory, because you had the best audio clip of all last year describing it, when Magnus Hellberg got into a fight that had to be up there as far as strange games.) That was, yeah, that was strange. I was just like sitting comfortably behind the glass and the Magnus was leaving the ice and was like, “Maz! Go!” I was like, “F*** no! I’m not going in! Finish it.” There was like ten-minutes to go, it was in Charlotte, and we lost that game. I was like, “Hey, thanks Magnus.” I think we were up like 3-2 and, right when I got in, they scored then they scored again I was like, “Oh my god. Thank you Magnus. Boy…” I played another one last year when I got called up. I was in Montreal and I was leaving Montreal at like six in the morning. I was backing up Magnus and Magnus got pulled out after like four-minutes. It was 2-0 for [the Utica Comets]. (AR: I remember talking to you after that game. audio clip one – audio clip two) We won that game like 3-2 in a shootout. (AR: You were running literally no sleep.) Yeah, I slept like two hours.

AR: What’s the most embarrassing hockey moment in your career?

Mazanec: I don’t have any of those actually. Do you know about something? (AR: I don’t!) I think it happened to me my first year in training camp. We played against Florida. They dumped the puck on the glass and I went chasing it. It hit the stanchion, bounced in front of my net, and they scored on an open net. That’s kind of embarrassing but nothing I can do about it.

AR: What’s the most painful moment that you’ve had in hockey?

Mazanec: What you mean, like, hurt? Well. I’m a goalie you know. No one is beating the sh** out of me. I never got hurt. I got hit on my collarbone. That’s like four-years ago. That was pretty bad but nothing serious. (AR: I imagine the worst thing that can happen is getting those shots around the head area that catch you unaware.) Yeah, but that’s what we have gear for you know.

AR: What are your favorite uniforms in hockey?

Mazanec: I like our jerseys. I like those baby blue with the old logo. I really like those jerseys.

AR: Who are the funniest players that you’ve met?

Mazanec: Funniest player. [pauses] You mean like he looks funny on the ice or in the locker room like being funny from there? (AR: Being funny -BUT- if you want to do both.) Funniest player on the ice, like most funny I’ve ever seen, was for Chicago last year [Brent Sopel]. That was hilarious! Watching him it was hilarious. I had so much fun watching him playing hockey. Funny guy in the locker room? Jamie Devane is a pretty funny guy. It’s hard to say honestly because I didn’t speak English for two-years so I didn’t know what was funny or not. I didn’t understand them. But, this year, Jamie – Jamie is a pretty funny guy.

AR: What’s your favorite aspect of Milwaukee?

Mazanec: I think the people here. All the people like to have fun. It’s amazing because the weather here sucks. I hate the weather. It’s so cold outside. And people are still positive, they still like to have fun. (AR: Yeah, real winter hasn’t even kicked in yet.) Thank God, but I’m still freezing out there.

AR: What’s your favorite food?

Mazanec: It’s a Czech food: oven roasted duck with dumplings.

AR: What’s your favorite non-hockey hobby?

Mazanec: I don’t have a lot of those -but- I really liked working on my house this summer. When I was young and I was working on my dad’s house I hated it. But then I bought my own house and I started working on that and it’s fun. Much fun this summer.

AR: What’s your favorite non-hockey memory?

Mazanec: Definitely when my daughter was born. (AR: Were you able to make it in time for the birth and all that because I know you left quick.) No, I got there two hours late. I was getting on the plane in Nashville and my girlfriend went to the hospital. (AR: Still, that an incredible moment and they were here for the holidays too right?) Yeah.

AR: What are your plans after hockey?

Mazanec: Well, I would like to stay in hockey. I’d like to be a goalie coach or something like that.

Thanks to Marek Mazanec for toughing it out, answering fifteen, and being his typically hilarious self. Tomorrow will see Max Görtz in Fifteen followed by Scott Ford on Friday. Who would you like to hear from next on Fifteen?

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It’s been awhile since we’ve had a proper Admirals Roundtable feature story. The reason being that I wanted to find a way to incorporate as many players as I can rather than selecting a few and telling their story as I have in the past. Part of why I love covering the Milwaukee Admirals, and hockey for that matter, is that all the players in the locker room are quality people with great stories worth sharing. Which brings me to this new feature for Admirals Roundtable.

What I’ll be doing in the 2016 side of the calendar is talking to each member of the Admirals that I possibly can get to and ask them a series of fifteen questions. Those questions might change up here and there but I think you’ll find for as simple as the questions are they provide fun answers and stories.

My first selection to test run this feature story series was none other than Admirals team captain Colton Sissons. I told him that he was going to be my guinea pig for Fifteen because, well, who better to start with than the captain? Let’s all get to know Colt the Bolt a little better, shall we?

~Fifteen~

Admirals Roundtable: What were your inspirations to play hockey?

Colton Sissons: My inspirations to play hockey. I mean, hockey was the first sport I ever really knew. And I had a passion for it since I started when I was a young kid.  So, chasing the NHL dream was my inspiration as a kid.

AR: When did you realize that you were going to be playing hockey for a career?

Sissons: Probably when I was maybe sixteen or seventeen when I started getting looked at in the NHL scouting stuff. Heading into the draft I knew it was for real.

AR: Who was the first famous player that you got to meet?

Sissons: It was probably one of the Canucks when I was growing up. I think I remember Trevor Linden coming out to one of our practices in Vancouver one time.

AR: What’s your greatest hockey moment to this point?

Sissons: Probably my first NHL game in Winnipeg. That was almost too much – because I can hardly even remember it now – but it was the pinnacle for sure.

AR: What was the most memorable goal that you’ve scored?

Sissons: Probably my first NHL goal two-years ago against the Sabres. That was pretty cool. (AR: That was a pretty crazy goal celebration too. It was a frenzy.) Yeah, Rich Clune and I behind the net. I’ll remember that one for sure.

AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve played in?

Sissons: I mean, our 10:30AM game in Iowa was pretty wild for me. That was interesting. That’s probably the craziest– [interrupts self] Actually, even when I just got called up recently when we beat the Jets 7-0 I had never seen ten guys in a penalty box at once. So, that might be the craziest experience I’ve had. (AR: That was the most surreal game I think I remember watching from Nashville’s perspective.) Yeah, for sure. So, we’ll go with that one.

AR: What’s your most embarrassing hockey memory?

Sissons: I have a go-to answer to this. I’ve been asked this in the past a few times. I think it was one of the first times I was skating. My mom was dressing me that day, which was the problem, and I ended up going out on the ice and my pants fell down to my ankles – my hockey pants. I think I took a spill after that. (AR: How old were you when that happened?) Oh, I was probably six or seven.

AR: What’s your most painful hockey moment? And I look at you and you still have your Harry Potter scar going on there from a high stick. Was there anything worse than that?

Sissons: Yeah, probably when I broke my collarbone. That one hurt pretty bad a few years ago in junior hockey.

AR:What is your favorite hockey uniform?

Sissons: Got to go with the new Admirals. The new Admirals jersey. (AR: Really?) Well, my favorite one growing up was probably the Canadiens. Growing up I always loved their jerseys but I love our’s a lot right now. I think they’re pretty cool.

AR: Who is the funniest player that you’ve encountered?

Sissons: My ol’ coach Scott Ford, err, my old captain, new coach. Scott Ford is pretty funny. I’d put him in the conversation for sure.

AR: What’s your favorite aspect of Milwaukee?

Sissons: Probably all the restaurants. I have a few favorite spots to eat around town and I’m a big fan. I like what Milwaukee has to offer. I’m always eating so..

AR: Which brings up a perfect question. What’s your favorite food?

Sissons: I got to go with steak. Steak and po’taters. (AR: How do you take it?) Medium Rare. Always. (AR: I think I’m the only one who has everything Well Done.)  Really? Oh, no no no. You can’t do that.

AR: What’s your favorite non-hockey hobby?

Sissons: In the off-season I like golf. Love golfing. So, that’s a big hobby of mine.

AR: What’s your favorite non-hockey memory?

Sissons: Ooh. That’s pretty broad. I got some great memories. [long pause] That’s a tough question, man. (AR: That’s why they pay me the big bucks!) It’s pretty recent. I’ll go with something pretty recent. Last All-Star break, last year, I went home and surprised my family. Had a family dinner for somebody’s birthday. So I thought that was pretty cool.

AR: What do you see yourself doing after hockey?

Sissons: Golfing. [laughing] (AR: Pro Golf?) No. (AR: Going up against Spieth?) No, recreational.

Thanks to Colton Sissons for testing out this feature with me. I now throw a question out to you: who would you like to hear from next on Fifteen?

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