On this episode of The AudPod, we sit down with Head Coach Jeff Kyrzakos for an in-depth conversation on everything happening behind the bench and inside the locker room!

We dive into:

 The Memorial Cup Run: Looking back at last season's high-stakes journey.

 Stepping Into the Role: What the transition to head coaching duties has really been like.

 Game-Day Quirks: Jeff breaks down his personal superstitions and routines.

 Managing the Room: What it’s actually like spending most of the year around twenty 16-to-20-year-olds.

 Looking Ahead: Expectations, goals, and mindset for the upcoming season.

If you enjoy the episode, make sure to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more Kitchener Rangers coverage every week!

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⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Welcome Jeff Kyrzakos

00:53 Mudbugs Championship Stories

02:01 Joining Kitchener Rangers

03:44 Memorial Cup Bid Pivot

04:42 New Season Game Plan

06:54 Handling Expectations

09:22 Barrie Series Grit

11:55 Building Team Leadership

14:51 Trade Additions Chemistry

19:07 Coaching Style After Jussi

23:47 Accidental Player Coach

26:21 Preparing Kids For Pro

29:10 Life Skills Reality Check

30:45 Gen Z Slang Talk

31:56 Unplugging From Hockey

32:38 No Offseason Schedule

34:07 Dirty Dangles Debate

35:14 Morning Skate Traditions

36:28 Playoff Superstitions

38:52 Pizza And Media Snacks

40:00 Six Point Game Grudge

43:14 Post Interview Debrief

44:28 Jussi Moves On

46:02 Pod Shoutouts And Updates

46:53 New Baby Girl Congrats

48:09 Signing Off

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Dylan Edwards pulls up a chair for the full interview and gets into all of it: the trade to Kitchener, walking into a new room, and figuring out Jussi Ahokas behind the bench. Then it gets personal, playing alongside his brother in Erie, lining up against him, and the strange hockey truth that some of your fiercest rivals end up your closest teammates. We get the Memorial Cup stories and finally the real story behind that bloody face during the J. Ross Robertson Cup celebration. And because it's summer, he's out there painting the garage. 

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We recorded this interview with Jack Pridham last summer, when the big question was whether he'd even come back to Kitchener. He told us he wanted to win. Spoiler: he did. Memorial Cup and everything. We're bringing this one back so you can hear the whole story fresh, knowing how it ends. Jack walks us through the NCAA rule change that sent him sprinting out of West Kelowna, the rookie lap at the Aud that started a little too early, the Michigan goal, and the penalty shot in Game 6 vs Windsor that the Aud will never forget. One of our favourite conversations, and it only hits harder now.

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0:00 Justin Flies Solo: Intro & Replay Framing

0:33 Updates: Memorial Cup, Tampa Bay Trade & University of Denver

1:22 Interview Begins

1:57 The NCAA Rule Change & Coming to Kitchener

3:42 Drafted by Multiple Leagues & the BU Commit

5:34 Settling Into the Rangers

6:44 The Ando/Matt Story

8:05 Chicago Blackhawks Draft

8:34 Meeting Humphreys at the NHL Combine in Buffalo

10:00 Chicago Development Camps

10:57 Mentors & Deciding to Decommit from BU

13:39 What Made This Rangers Team Gel

16:14 First Game at the Aud & The Rookie Lap

17:36 The Playoffs Atmosphere

18:27 Packing Up Kelowna in Half a Day

21:33 The Michigan Goal

24:18 Wicky's Humor & Locker Room Culture

26:42 Playing for Jussi Ahokas

28:12 The Penalty Shot in Game 6 vs Windsor

29:56 The Reverse Sweep: Down 3-0

32:10 Individual Awards vs Just Wanting to Win

33:20 Wrap Up

34:29 Post-Interview Reactions

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Season Finale: OHL and Memorial Cup Champions

Well the boys have done it! What a ride it has been! 22 games later they only lost 2 and came home with not one but both of the biggest prizes, OHL and Memorial Cup Champions. This is also the last AudPod of the season, although we won't be here weekly for the summer we do have a few things planned so stay tuned and subscribe so you don't miss out!

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Memorial Cup Champions. Kitchener Rangers win the 2026 Memorial Cup.

The Kitchener Rangers are Memorial Cup champions. The AudBalls watched it from the Aud with the whole community buzzing, and now they're here to break it all down in the final CarPod of the season. A 6-2 demolition of the Everett Silvertips in the Final, a double championship season complete, and Sam O'Reilly named Tournament MVP after a four-point night to close it out. This team was always built for this.

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Instant Reactions to Game 3 vs. Chicoutimi

We planned a short episode. Then Jordan Tourigny stomped on Christian Humphreys with his skate blade and the AudBalls had opinions. A lot of them. The Rangers won 3-2 and are going to the Memorial Cup Final, which should be the whole story, but Chicoutimi made sure it wasn't. Jack Pridham scored 21 seconds into the third to put Kitchener ahead for good, Dylan Edwards picked up two assists and the first star, and Christian Kirsch was steady all night on 28 shots. The Sagueneens are going home. One more.

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Instant Reactions to Game 2 (Memorial Cup) vs. Everett 

They told us the Silvertips would steamroll the Kitchener Rangers. They told us the WHL rep was the real threat. Well, the AudBalls are here to report that Everett did indeed get silver, because they got four goals less than Kitchener. Cameron Reid put up a four-point night, PridMoney potted two, and Christian Kirsch stopped 40 of those 42. Two games in, two wins, still unbeaten. 

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Memorial Cup Game 1 Instant Reactions vs. Kelowna

The Rangers showed up to Prospera Place and immediately made themselves at home. Jason Hagholm joins the carpod as the AudBalls break down a dominant 5-0 shutout that was never really in doubt. Christian Kirsch was a wall, PridMoney had a goal and an assist as the First Star, and the Werewolf of London got on the board too. Also: we need to talk about the Rockets logo situation.

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The Kitchener Rangers are OHL Champions and the AudBalls brought the Rogers TV Commentating crew along to celebrate.

Dan Polischuk and Jason Hagholm join Justin and Andrew to break down all their favourite moments of the playoff run, hand out the OFFICIAL 3 Stars of the playoffs, and look ahead to the Memorial Cup in Kelowna. This is a trip down a very recent memory lane, and one championship is never enough.

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Instant Reactions to Winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup

CHAMPIONSHIP! The Coach formerly known as The Juice called it pre-season. Championship was the only measure of success this season. This team was phenomenal. The fans are phenomenal. The organization has deserved this after an 18 year drought. Winning feels good! Final CarPod!

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