Syracuse Speaks

Alex recorded this episode in the late afternoon on February 25th, 2024, prior to Syracuse's tilt against Utica. For all your pre-gaming needs, she covers the most recent transactions affecting the Crunch (Alex Barre-Boulet, we sure missed you), breaks down the North Division as it stands, and discusses which team is currently a monkey on Syracuse's back. She takes a look at player states before previewing the Crunch's next few weeks of games. She also ponders the upcoming NHL trade deadline and how it may affect Syracuse.

Hello Crunch fans! Welcome to the AHL All-Star "break" that really isn't a break. Alex reviews the latest games for Syracuse, previews their upcoming schedule, discusses some of the team's upcoming charity initiatives, and ponders how the team is still performing so well given all the changes afoot.

AHL teams generally excel in engaging their communities, but the Syracuse Crunch lately has been truly teaching a Master Class in theming. In this episode, Alex discuses the two most recent theme nights put on by Syracuse, their first-ever Wizarding Night and their throwback 90s Night. She expounds on why these nights are so smart for minor league teams to put effort into and talks about her personal enjoyment of such evenings. Alex also recaps Syracuse's most recent efforts on the ice before previewing their upcoming weeks, a period that will see Syracuse right up to the AHL All-Star weekend.

This episode, recorded January 7th, 2024, is very much a tale told in two parts. In the first segment, host Alex Ackerman covers the team's most recent results, the standings in the AHL, the (many) transactions affecting the team, and the trends within the roster. She also takes her usual look at the team's upcoming schedule, including any promotional nights. In the second half, Alex celebrates Syracuse's upcoming Wizarding Night by sorting the Crunch's roster into their wizarding Houses. She discusses the House system, the importance of the traits connected to those Houses within the movie and book franchise, and expounds on the personal and cultural value of the franchise as a whole.

Alex recorded this episode mid-morning on December 10th, 2023, to get it out before Syracuse's afternoon tilt against Utica. She takes a look at the standings, Syracuse's top 11 point-getters, and previews the team's upcoming schedule. She also discusses why she loves the Teddy Bear Toss, minor league hockey's charitable tradition, and dissects an interesting comment she heard which compared the current Crunch team to a certain previous team.

Recorded on November 19th, 2023, this episode takes a gander at all of the current Crunch news. Alex covers the latest games, looks at the top 10 performers on the roster, discusses the standings in the North Division, and peaks at special teams. She also previews the upcoming games, with an emphasis on one of the most special minor league holiday traditions: the Tired Teddy Toss.

This episode was recorded on November 5th, 20223, a time when, in any other season since 2016, Crunch fans would have been waiting (im)patiently for The Groulx Effect to take hold. This year, however, Crunch fans have a front-row seat to the changes in team feel, shape, and play that new head coach Joel Bouchard and his staff have brought to Syracuse. Alex covers the biggest changes in team dynamics she has noticed so far since Bouchard took over, most noticeably in the areas of secondary scoring support and special teams. Alex also discusses the one area of concern some Crunch fans have noticed, although she cautions against worrying too much just yet. To end the episode, Alex takes a peak at some transactions affecting the team and Syracuse's upcoming game schedule.

In this episode, recorded October 22, 2023, Alex takes a look at a Crunch team currently in first place in the North Division. She recaps their first week of the regular season, discusses some of the line combinations seen so far, and ponders what such a great start may mean for a team expected to experience growing pains. Players discussed include Felix Robert and Mitchell Chaffee. Alex then previews the team's upcoming schedule, including a look at the promotions and theme nights.

In this episode, recorded October 9th, 2023, Alex goes over the flurry of transactions that happened within the Tampa Bay Lightning organization in advance of their roster being due to the NHL at 5 PM. She discusses Gabriel Fortier, Zach Bogosian, Alex Barre-Boulet, and Pyotr Kochetkov from the Carolina organization. She focuses a bit of time on the Kochetkov transaction in particular, discussing the goalie's temporary place in a new organization. She then takes some time peaking back at Syracuse's 1-1 preseason before previewing the team's upcoming few weeks, including their 30th Anniversary opening night festivities.

In this episode, recorded September 21, 2023, Alex dives into her excitement about the Syracuse Crunch's 2023-24 promotional schedule. She covers all of the events, their dates, and why fans should get excited about what the team has planned for their 30th Anniversary season. In summary: "I trust this organization enough to know that whatever they're going to come up with...it's gonna be good." 

Following this segment, Alex discusses the current news coming out of the Tampa Bay Lightning's training camp, with a specific focus on camp participants Gabriel Dumont, Daniel Walcott, and Alex Barre-Boulet.

Thanks for listening!