Crunch Chronicles

On Episode 50 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Jamie Heffernan. 

Heffernan is a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning's development staff, focusing on functional movement. He is regularly in Syracuse and constantly working with the players to optimize how their bodies move off the ice, which translates to movements on the ice.

He has been working for the organization for seven years and has had an active role in the development of many players who went on to win the Stanley Cup with the Lightning. 

On the show, Heffernan discusses his role with the organization, how his position was created in the first place and more.

On Episode 49 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Matt Thompson. 

Thompson was an Account Executive for the Crunch, beginning a month before the 2017-18 season. His role with the organization continued to grow and evolve until the pandemic hit in 2020. With the Crunch unable to welcome fans for the 2020-21 season, Thompson adapted and found a different way to contribute that year.

At the end of the 2020-21 season, Thompson secured a position with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he continues to be today. 

On the show, Matt discusses his role with the Lightning, what he learned working for the Crunch and more.

On Episode 48 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Mathieu Darche. 

Darche spent three seasons as a player in Syracuse at the start of the Columbus Blue Jackets affiliations. He began his pro career with the Crunch in 2000-01, skating in 66 games and logging 40 points. He also skated in nine games for Columbus that season. He split time again in 2001-02, adding another 45 points in 63 Crunch games while notching two points in 14 NHL games with the Blue Jackets. In nearly a full season in Syracuse in 2002-03, Darche capped his time in the organization with 64 points in 76 games.

In total, Darche skated in 205 games for the Crunch and finished with 149 points (70g, 79a), which ranks tied for 12th in franchise history.

His playing career continued through 2011-12 before he retired from hockey. After transitioning into the business world, Darche returned to hockey in May 2019 when he was hired as an Assistant General Manager and the Director of Hockey Operations for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has since played a big role in the team's back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021. 

On the show, Darche discusses his role with the Lightning, what makes Syracuse the perfect place to develop the Lightning's prospects and more.

On Episode 47 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Mike Sgroi. 

Sgroi played parts of two seasons for the Crunch in the mid to late 2000s when the team was affiliated with the Columbus Blue Jackets. His first stint came at the tail end of the 2005-06 season, after he was bought out by the Devils organization and signed with the Crunch. Sgroi picked up three points in 16 games down the stretch as the Crunch were heading toward the playoffs. He also had 32 penalty minutes.

After a few seasons away, Sgroi's final stint with the Crunch came with a three-game run in Syracuse during the 2008-09 campaign. He added one goal for the Crunch in a season that saw he dress for six different teams between the AHL and ECHL.

His playing career, which began in the ECHL in 2000-01 continued until 2016-17, when he played in one game for the Orlando Solar Bears. 

Following his playing days, Sgroi took up a role in coaching for both mixed martial arts and hockey. He has seen success in both sports, and is a key coach for Fusion X-cel Performance's pro fight team. He is based in the Orlando area.

On the show, Sgroi discusses his admiration for Syracuse, his successes in MMA and hockey and more.

On Episode 46 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Josh Holden. 

Holden played two seasons in Syracuse with the Crunch at the beginning of his career. A first-round pick by the Vancouver Canucks, Holden's pro career began with the Crunch in the 1998-99 season. He was up and down between the Canucks and the Crunch that season, and he finished with 29 points in 38 games for the Crunch. He also added six points in 30 games for Vancouver.

He split time between the two clubs against in 1999-00, in the final season of the Crunch's affiliation with Vancouver. After missing the start of the season due to injury, Holden racked up 51 points in 45 games with the Crunch, helping the team qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs. He notched six points in six games for the Canucks too.

Over his two seasons in Syracuse, Holden totaled 80 points (33g, 47a) in 83 games from 1998 to 2000. He would play four more seasons in North America before spending the lockout season (2004-05) in Finland. He has remained in Europe ever since, playing in Switzerland from 2005 through 2018. He ranks 18th in Swiss league history in scoring with 530 points. 

He transitioned into coaching after his playing career ended and he is currently an assistant coach in Zug.

On the show, Holden discusses starting his career in Syracuse, raising a family in Switzerland, and much more.

On Episode 45 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Mike Radja. 

Radja played parts of two seasons in Syracuse with the Crunch. He first joined the organization at the end of the 2007-08 season, when he signed an amateur try-out contract following the conclusion of his senior season at UNH. Radja jumped into the lineup with the team in the midst of their franchise record setting 23-game point streak and he collected three assists in two games.

After spending his rookie season with Rockford in 2008-09, Radja found his way back to Syracuse in 2009-10. He began that season in Finland, but was claimed off waivers by the Crunch when he returned to the AHL. He added 14 points in 31 games for the Crunch before being traded to Bridgeport at the trade deadline.

Radja would play the rest of his career in North America, Europe and Asia before retiring following the 2016-17 season. He has since transitioned into becoming a skating and skills coach for young hockey players in Central New York. Based out of Ithaca, Radja works with youth hockey players around the region through his program, SpeedSkills Hockey. 

On the show, Radja discusses his two stints with the Crunch, how he created his SpeedSkills Hockey program, and much more.

On Episode 44 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Darrel Scoville. 

Scoville played three seasons with the Crunch during the team's affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Scoville signed with the Blue Jackets organization ahead of the 2001-02 season, joining the Crunch for his fourth pro season after winning a Calder Cup with the Saint John Flames in 2001. In his first season with the Crunch, Scoville added 21 points in 51 games to help the team clinch its first division championship in franchise history. He skated in 10 playoff games that season too during the Crunch's run in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

His 2002-03 season was mired by injuries, limiting Scoville to just 24 Crunch games. He added 13 points in those games, and he also saw action in two games with Columbus. Returning to health in 2003-04, the defenseman was named the Crunch's captain. He responded with 42 points in 70 games with Syracuse. He finished the regular season with the Blue Jackets before returning for the Crunch's playoff series against Rochester.

In his three seasons, Scoville totaled 76 points (19g, 57a) in 145 Crunch games. He led the Crunch to the playoffs in two of his three seasons.

Scoville finished his playing career in Europe, spending time in Austria and Italy before retiring following the 2010-11 season.

On the show, Scoville discusses his time in Syracuse, the two playoff seasons with the Crunch, and much more.

On Episode 43 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Dan Watson. 

Watson played three seasons with the Crunch at the beginning of the team's affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Undrafted, Watson joined the Crunch as a rookie in the 2000-01 season, skating in 59 games and contributing seven points from the blueline. The defenseman also appeared in four Calder Cup Playoffs games that season for the Crunch.

Watson returned for his second season in Syracuse in 2001-02, adding four points in 53 games to help the Crunch win their first division championship. The second-year-pro was injured late in the season and missed the team's playoff run that season.

He came back for the final year of his contract in 2002-03, finding his way with nine points in 50 Crunch games. He was traded midseason, and finished the campaign in Cleveland. In total, Watson amassed 20 points in his 162 career Crunch games from 2000 to 2003. He would play four more seasons in the AHL, ECHL and UHL before retiring from playing following the 2006-07 season. 

The Ontario native remains in hockey, and began his coaching career as an assistant for the ECHL's Toledo Walleye in 2009-10. He has remained with the Walleye ever since, becoming head coach ahead of the 2016-17 season. Watson has twice led the Walleye to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2019 and 2022.

On the show, Watson discusses his time in Syracuse, how the seeds of his coaching career were planted in Syracuse, and much more.

On Episode 42 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Sean Pronger. 

Pronger played one full season with the Crunch, serving as the team's captain in 2001-02. That season, he split time between the Crunch and Columbus Blue Jackets. With the Crunch, Pronger skated in 54 games and logged 49 points (23g, 26a) to help the Crunch win their first ever division championship. He also appeared in 26 games with the Blue Jackets, notching four points (3g, 1a). 

Pronger played in eight games during the 2002 Calder Cup Playoffs before suffering an injury during the Crunch's series against the Chicago Wolves.

Pronger remained in the organization and spent the entire 2002-03 season in Columbus. The following season, he saw action in seven games with the Crunch, scoring two goals, before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks.

On the show, Pronger discusses his time in Syracuse, why that time means so much to him, and much more.

On Episode 41 of Crunch Chronicles, presented by Wendy's, Lukas Favale is joined by Colten Wilson. 

Wilson was a vital member behind the scenes for the Crunch, serving as the team's equipment manager for five seasons. He joined the organization ahead of the 2017-18 season and remained with the Crunch through the 2020-21 campaign.

That summer he was promoted to become the head equipment manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he remains today.

On the show, Colten discusses his time in Syracuse, his journey through hockey, and much more.