Bulldog Insider

We start off this episode with a tribute to late Bulldogs hockey legend Keith "Huffer" Christiansen, who died Monday, Nov. 5, at the age of 74 after a battle with cancer.

Then we dive into our guest 2016 Minnesota Mr. Hockey and UMD junior wing Riley Tufte. We talk about the pressures about being a first-round draft pick, living up to the hype, the death of his friend and former Bulldog Andrew Carroll, playing hockey with diabetes and being a role model for younger players.

Fresh off a series sweep at Notre Dame, junior assistant captain Nick Wolff of Eagan and sophomore Scott Perunovich of Hibbing tell us what it's like to be back as the No. 1 ranked team in the country.

We talk about the chemistry between the defensive partners, specifically how it has affected their play after a national championship season, and how they play knowing they have a target on their back. We also test how well they know their D-partner with a little game. We may have caused a rift between the two, but we're sure they will settle it out on the ice.

Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team co-captains Jalyn Elmes and Sydney Brodt join the podcast this week and we test out how well they know one another.

Sort of like the Newlywed Game, we see how well they know each other's taste in music, movies, pre-game meals and more.

We also talk Canada vs. U.S. rivalry. Is there on between teammates or do they cheer the Dogs first?

They were former captains and now they are the two newest assistant coaches for the Bulldogs men's and women's hockey programs.

Ashleigh Brykaliuk from Brandon, Manitoba, and Adam Krause, a native of nearby Hermantown, are both finding their confidence behind the bench as they transition from being a player to a coach for their alma mater.

Both coaches share how the transition is going, what has been the hardest part of the job, how they get past the self-doubt, and what it's like being on the recruiting trail.

This week we do a deep dive into the town of Irma, Alberta. Population 521. Home to UMD men's hockey captian Parker Mackay and former Bulldog Carson Soucy.

Mackay describes what it was like growing up in the small town with Soucy, his cousin, and graduating with a class of 13 people. He also shares what emotions were going through his mind when the 2018 national championship banner was unveiled Saturday at Amsoil Arena.

UMD goaltender Maddie Rooney is back on Bulldog ice after winning an Olympic gold medal for Team USA in PyeongChang, South Korea last winter.

Rooney shares her Olympics experience, the victory tour which included stops on Ellen and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and what it's like to be back in Duluth and in net for the Bulldogs.

In our pilot episode, News Tribune college hockey reporter Matt Wellens and My9 commentator Zach Schneider share their NCHC preseason polls and all-conference teams, and breakdown interviews from this week's NCHC Media Day in St. Paul.