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[A video appears on the screen and the caption reads “Rapid Fire questions with your captain, Ilya Rozanov.” Ilya is sitting in front of the camera, hair damp after a shower at practice.]
“Favourite moment of your career so far?” Harris asks from behind the camera.
“Winning the cup with the Centaurs, obviously,” Ilya answers with a childlike grin on his face.
“Your go-to pre-game meal?”
“Will be responsible and say pasta. Spaghetti bolognese is my favourite.”
“Which teammate has impressed you the most this year?”
“This is a tricky one, I love all my teammates. But Haasy keeps improving every season, so I will say him.”
“Who was your favourite playing growing up?”
“Sergei Vetrov, Boston goalie in the ‘90s.”
“Who is your best friend on the team?”
“This is stupid question, Harris. Is obviously Hollander.” Ilya rolls his eyes with a fond smile on his face.
“I ask everyone the same questions, Ilya! Okay, who is your favourite player to play against?”
“Mmm, now that Shane is on my team, I will say Scott Hunter. Because I love to beat him.”
“What is your favourite song to listen to before you play?”
“At the moment is Humble by Kendrick Lamar.”
“Which teammate gets the most hyped up in the locker room before a game?”
Ilya thinks for a second. “These days probably Dykstra. He’s always got his terrible music playing very loudly.”
“And finally, what’s one word to describe the Centaurs playoffs preparation?”
“Motivated,” Ilya concludes and winks at the camera. “This is rapid fire with Ilya Rozanov, thanks for watching.”
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[A video of Harris approaching different members of the Ottawa Centaurs before and after practice appears on the feed. The caption says “Athletes take on the double or nothing easter egg challenge”]
Nick Chouinard is Harris’ first victim. “Do you want one easter egg, or double it and give it to the next person?” Harris asks, filming Chouinard and holding out one mini easter egg in the palm of his hand.
“Ohh, am I the first?” Chouinard asks. “Double it and give it to the next person.”
The clip cuts to Zane Boodram. “Bood, do you want two eggs or double it and give it to the next person?”
Bood pretends to contemplate for a second, before taking the eggs out of Harris’ hand. “I’ll take ‘em. Thank you Harris.”
“Do you want one egg or do you want to double it and give it to the next person?” Harris asks Troy Barrett.
Troy puts a hand on his hip and has a small smile on his face. “I’ll double it.”
Next, Harris corners a flushed Luca Haas after getting off the rink. “Do you want two eggs or double it and give it to the next person?”
Luca crinkles his nose. “Is there more for the next people if I take them?”
“It starts over,” Harris answers, his voice laced with amusement.
“In that case I want them,” Luca reaches out to take them from Harris’ outstretched hand. “Thank you Harris!”
The video cuts whilst Harris repeats the question again in quick succession to Young, Holmberg and LaPointe, who all choose to double it.
“Hey Harris!” Wyatt Hayes friendly voice calls out.
“Wyatt, do you want eight easter eggs or double it and give it to the next person?”
“Spread the love and pass it on!”
One of the fan favourites is the next one on the screen. Shane Hollander side eyes the camera from the other side of the room, then turns and smiles when he sees Harris approaching him. “Oh no, what do you want?”
“Shane! Do you want sixteen easter eggs, or double it and give it to the next person?”
“Nah double it, of course.” Shane pauses, then grins. “Unless the next person is Ilya?”
“I’m saving him for last,” Harris laughs.
Evan Dykstra is up next. Harris no longer could carry all the easter eggs in just the palm of his hand, so they had been transported into a cap. He offers it out to Evan. “Do you want thirty-two easter eggs, or double it and give it to the next person?”
“Can I take one and you give thirty-one to the next person?”
“No,” Harris laughs.
“Alright, double it then,” Dykstra laughs, turning away.
Harris found himself in the gym next, where Tanner Dillion was on the bike. He holds out the cap, full of easter eggs. “Tanner! Do you want sixty-four easter eggs or do you want to double it and give it to the next person?”
“Gotta double it for the next person. I can’t be eating that much chocolate this close to playoffs,” Dillon grins, not breaking a stride in his exercise.
Ilya Rozanov was filling up a water bottle when Harris approaches, eyeing the cap Harris is holding. “What do you have for me today, Harris?”
“Do you want one hundred and twenty-eight easter eggs, or do you want to double it and give it to the next person?”
Ilya processes for a second before a massive grin broke out on his face. “I want them! Thank you Harris.”
“Of course, Rozy takes them!” Bood yells from behind the camera.
“All of you people reject Harris, of course I had to take them off his hands!” Ilya shouts back. “Don’t be jealous Bood. Maybe I’ll share.”
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[A video begins in a car with the caption “In the driver’s seat with Zane Boodram and Evan Dykstra.”]
“Hey everyone, Zane Boodram and Evan Dykstra here from the Ottawa Centaurs. We’re going on a drive this morning and will be answering some of your frequently asked questions. Let’s go!” Bood begins, both of them waving at the camera that’s mounted on the dash. Dykstra starts the car and indicates, turning onto the road.
“What was it like playing for Ottawa before the dynasty began compared to now?” Bood read off his phone. “That’s a good question. Both D and I have been with the Cens since we began our careers in the MHL, so we’ve been through it all.”
“It’s funny to think back to like the 2015/16 season and earlier because we really were the laughingstock of the league. I can’t really believe just how much things have changed,” Dykstra laughs. “The recruitment team have worked really hard behind the scenes to get us where we are now.”
“Yeah, I mean, recruiting Wiebe as our head coach was the genius first step. Hockey coaches are notoriously harsh, but Wiebe isn’t like that at all. He has a different kind of coaching style and it’s obviously worked out well for us. Where some coaches yell and scream, he has a calm approach and it’s reflected in the way we play. It’s a really relaxed environment, but he’s still able to convey everything he needs to,” Bood replies. “Everyone really respects him. He’s the best coach for Ottawa.”
“Then on top of all of that, recruiting Roz, Hazy and Haasy all around the same time was pretty special. That was the first building block of our success. Drafting Haasy at pick number 2 was arguably the smartest move that kickstarted our dynasty. At the time, Roz coming to us was very unexpected, though now we know why it happened that way, and we’re grateful for it. And Wyatt was underused at Toronto, so we are very happy we got our hands on him. Then a few years later we get Barrett and then Hollander, and suddenly things are turning around for Ottawa,” Dykstra continues.
“Before we had this dynasty though it was disheartening because, for me anyway, hockey sort of lost its ‘fun’,” Bood adds. “I was the AC for years when we weren’t playing very well, so I felt like I had to shoulder a lot of the responsibility and we were just continuously losing games. It was a pretty dark time. Thanks to all our fans who stood by us during those times, it makes the now so much better.”
“Definitely Boody,” Dykstra says. “Next question?”
“We’ll put everyone out of their misery and answer the most asked question,” Bood says, and gives a little drum roll on the dashboard. “What are Rozanov and Hollander like behind the scenes?”
Dykstra laughs. “They are the two most competitive people I’ve ever met in the world.”
“Definitely,” Bood grins. “They’re always pushing each other to be the best they can be. It’s kinda sweet, in a sort of twisted way.”
“There’s definitely two sides to them,” Dykstra continues. “Half the time they’re very serious and focused and everyone is intimidated by them, but the other half of them is goofy and childish.”
“They’re the best and we’re lucky to have them,” Bood concludes. “Alright, which teammate do you think has had a stellar year?”
“Now this is a tough one!” Dykstra cries. “To only pick one is a crime.”
“It is tricky,” Bood agrees. “I think as a forward, I’ll give some credit to our entire team of defence, because sometimes you guys are overlooked with the star power that are the forwards.” Both boys laugh. “Between Hazy as the goaltender and you and Nicky as our first line of defence, you guys have had an incredible year. Stopped a lot of goals and ensured we scored them instead. I can’t pick one of you, so I’ll say all three of you.”
“Aw shucks, Boody,” Dykstra grins, turning the steering wheel. “Since you praised the defence, I’ll praise the forwards. Haas had another really good season.”
Bood hums in agreement. “Kid can play.”
“Kid can definitely play. We are watching a star rise right before our eyes. Luca just keeps improving each year.”
“Okay, last question of the drive, how’s our preparation been for the playoffs this season?”
“Pretty good, I reckon,” Dykstra answers. “What do you think?”
“Yeah, really good. I think the pressure is on a bit since we won last season, so to go back-to-back would be massive for Ottawa. Our team is relatively unchanged, you know we have a couple new rookies but we mainly have the same squad as last playoffs, and that feels reassuring, knowing we’ve gelled together well for two seasons to get this far, and we just need to ensure we keep up the intensity so we can bring it home again.”
“For sure. We’ve all been working pretty hard behind the scenes. The gym hates to see us coming,” Dykstra laughs.
“Alright I think we’ll tap out here, thanks Cens fans for watching and make sure you tune into the playoffs on ESPN!” Bood bides his goodbye.
“Go Cens!” Dykstra adds.
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[A video appears of Luca Haas, just talking to the camera. The video’s caption on the screen reads “Luca’s mentors”]
“I’ve got a really great support network here, and I know I’m lucky in that sense. I’ll start with what I feel like is the most obvious one, which is our captain Ilya Rozanov. I was drafted by Ottawa the same year Ilya signed here, and from the get-go he has been really encouraging and dedicated to helping me develop my craft. But Ilya knows what it’s like to live in a different country, and he’s made sure I’ve really felt at home here in Ottawa. It’s nice to feel supported not just on the ice, but off it too.
Zane Boodram is another person who I think has been a great mentor for me, he’s the one who gifted me my first puck, the one I used when I scored my first goal. As our AC for many years, Bood’s the perfect person to be leading this team alongside Ilya. We do a lot of drills together, Bood and I. Coach likes to switch things around sometimes, and if I do get to play on the first line with Roz and Barrett, Bood has lots of little tips and tricks for me, which I’m grateful for.
And finally, I’ll say my third mentor has gotta be Coach Wiebe. He’s spent a lot of time working directly with me to ensure I can keep up with all the senior players, and because I do get the opportunities to play on different lines, depending on injuries and what not, I need to be prepared to be able to work well with different players. So, a massive credit to Coach, and Roz, Bood, Hollzy and Barrett, who have kept me prepped and making sure I’m always learning something new.”
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[A video plays with the caption on the screen “What’s one nice thing about the New York Admirals?” The video cuts between players trying to answer the question.]
“One nice thing about the New York Admirals? Gee, that’s a tough one,” Bood playfully chirps.
“Uhhhh,” Dykstra hums, with his thumb and index finger on his chin, pretending to think hard.
“Scott Hunter,” Troy answers immediately.
“Their captain, Scott Hunter,” Shane answers.
“Didn’t you two get into a big scuffle earlier in your career?” Harris asks Shane from behind the camera.
“It wasn’t that big a scuffle,” Shane replies. “It was just some friendly chirps. We’ve played together at All Stars games and we get on well. I love how he goes about things.”
The video cuts to Luca next. “They wear cool colours,” he answers.
“Oh, I’ll say that they live in a cool city.” Dykstra says. “I love exploring New York when we get to travel there.”
“I don’t really think I have something nice to say,” Dillon says.
“Scott Hunter is a good captain. He speaks well, and is obviously an influential leader,” Wyatt says.
“Gotta be the city they live in I guess,” Bood decides.
“One nice thing about the Admirals? Scott Hunter,” Chouinard answers.
“I really like the way Carter Vaughn goes about things,” Holmberg answers. “He’s a good player to watch.”
Ilya rolls his eyes as soon as he’s asked the question. “You want me to say something nice about New York? Ugh but they are so boring.”
“C’mon Ilya,” Harris coaxes. “Surely you can name one thing.”
“Hunter’s bar The Kingfisher is cool,” Ilya answers, then his grin widens. “The owner is alright too.”
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[A video of Shane Hollander appears, and the caption read “Post game interview with Shane Hollander”.]
“I think the game went really well today. I thought we came out and had a really strong first and third period, that second period is what let us down a bit. So, there’s obviously plenty to work on, and I think that’s the main takeaway for us. Even though we got the win, it was an incredibly hard-fought one, and we’re going to review it all at practice and try and apply those corrections in our next game, which is Toronto.”
“There were a lot of players who brought a lot to the game today, you know, Wyatt had another stellar game. The combination of Rozanov, Barrett and Bood scored twice whilst they were on the ice; they were so impactful. Dillon and Haas have been working very closely with me and they’re doing an incredible job. We just need to sort out our second period play and then we’ll be a bit more comfortable, I think. It was nice to get the win today though, now it’s rest time. Good night, Cens fans!”
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[A video begins in a kitchen featuring Troy Barrett with a set of ingredients in front of him. The caption reads “Cooking with Troy.”]
“Hey guys, Troy Barrett here from the Centaurs. I’m going to be cooking some honey soy salmon for dinner and you’re going to come along with me, so let’s go.”
The clip cuts to Troy starting to prepare the salmon. “I’m going to start with cutting the salmon into bite sized pieces and seasoning it with some garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper, then adding in some lime juice and olive oil, then mixing it to coat the salmon. Then I’ll put them in the oven to cook. This is the time you’ll also want to get your rice cooker going to pair with the salmon. I’ll just be using brown rice.”
“When I was growing up, I always enjoyed home cooked meals and just enjoyed eating in general. My mother was a good cook, and I like to think she passed that onto me. I don’t really follow recipes; I just make things up as I go along. I really like that kind of versatility in the kitchen, and it means I’m trying to always use up things in my fridge, so nothing goes to waste and we can get some odd food combinations.” He mixes some liquid ingredients into a bowl. “I’m just combining some garlic that I’ve just minced, soy sauce, some honey, some sesame oil and some chilli flakes together. Usually, I’ll use fresh chilli, but we don’t have any, so the flakes will have to do.”
“As an athlete I am really wary about what I’m eating and cooking, and I like to think about how food is fuel. I need a really particular and balanced diet due to the high intensity lifestyle I live, and hockey practice and games take a lot of energy, so I ensure that I am fuelling my body enough to sustain me throughout each day, and I do like to stick to a routine with my eating. Salmon is a favourite in my household; we eat it all the time.” Troy clears his throat. “I used to get really stressed when thinking about food because of hockey, I feel like I had a lot of negative connotations with food and my body, but throughout the years I have really started to learn more about my body and it’s needs and how the types of foods I eat influences my moods and how I play and train. I’ve had a real shift in that mentality. I think that’s what’s made me interested in cooking, sort of unlearning all those negative thoughts.”
He adds the sauce to a saucepan. “I’m going to heat the sauce on high for a bit to cook and let it thicken up, and whilst that’s cooking, I’ll chop up some cucumber and an avocado.”
“Cooking is one of my hobbies along with running, going to the gym, spending time with my boyfriend Harris and our dog Chiron and hanging out with my teammates. That’s where you’ll find me when I’m not at practice or a game. I’m really grateful to be at the Centaurs. I’ve developed a lot of strong relationships, and I’ve really felt I can be myself here. I think those feelings have really translated onto the ice too.” Troy takes the salmon out of the oven and adds it to the sauce. “Just going to give this a good mix together to coat the salmon, then we’ll plate up.”
“I think it’s going to be another good year for Ottawa next season. Hopefully we can keep developing what we’ve built, and we’ll aim for back-to-back cups. I have great faith in the team we’ve got. Roz has captained us so well, and how good is the kid? Luca has really come into his own and really cemented his spot in the second line with Hollzy and Dillon. I expect good things for another year if we can maintain momentum.” Troy plates up a spoonful of rice and adds the salmon on top with the cucumber and avocado on the side. “And here we have it. Honey soy salmon bites with brown rice. Thanks for watching, I’m Troy Barrett and I hope you enjoyed this segment.”
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[A video begins of Luca sitting at a table with paper and colourful pens. The caption reads “We asked Luca to draw the upcoming season schedule.”]
“Wait so what do you want me to do?” Luca asks, fiddling with one of the pens.
“So, I’m going to read out some of the schedule for this season, and you’re going to draw each opposition team’s logo, as you can remember them.”
“Oh dear, from memory?”
Harris laughs. “That’s the fun of it!”
“Oh boy. Here we go then…”
Luca’s sitting hunched over the paper with his tongue sticking out, really focussed as he begins drawing. He holds up the first piece of paper. “Buffalo.”
“I feel like with a name like the Guardians they should have a superhero logo,” Luca chats as he’s drawing on a new piece of paper with the blue pen. “The blue is a cool colour though.”
He holds up the second piece of paper. “Toronto.”
The next clip appears. “It’s just the Empire State Building, isn’t it?” Luca asks as he’s quickly drawing, shuffling the paper around to get different angles sketched. “This one’s an easy one. Why can’t they all be like this?”
Harris laughs from behind the camera.
“New York.” Luca holds up the third drawing.
“That’s really good Luca!”
“Drawing things like buildings is easy for me. Easier than whatever Toronto have going on.”
“Well, I’m glad, because I think the next one is slightly harder.”
The video cuts to the next clip of Luca drawing. “Hmmm, I’m just trying to remember what it looks like. The canon is in the wheel thing, but I’m trying to remember how many panel things there are.”
“I’m curious to see how accurate you get this.”
“Not sure why you chose me for this video,” Luca laughs, still concentrating on his drawing.
“Because you’re the best drawer in the team, Luca.” Harris deadpans.
“Yeah but doing all of this from memory is tricky. I’d like to see Bergy do this after. Please, Harris?
“We’ll see.” You can hear Harris’ grin from the other side of the camera.
“Alright. Here’s Boston.”
“You nailed it, Luca! That looks exactly like the Raiders logo.”
“Next up, Metros. It’s just a giant M, yeah?”
He sketches for a second before turning the sheet of paper around to an immaculate Montreal Metros logo. “Montreal.”
The next video has Luca drawing his quickest sketch yet. “Tampa Bay Lightning. Good one,” Luca says, pleased with himself.
“You know, I might have to scan these into the computer to make a digital fixture with your drawings for the fans. Sound off in the comments if you want Luca’s drawings as the official schedule, and if enough people want it, I’ll see what I can do!”
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[A video of the ice rink in the background appears, and players leaving one by one answer a question directly to the camera. The caption reads “Which teammate is most likely to google themselves?”]
“Is that even a question?” Dillon asks. “Rozy for sure.”
“I’ve got two words for you,” Bood grins, looking off camera to somewhere in the distance. “Ilya Rozanov.”
Luca and Wyatt approach the camera together, Luca squinting as he tries to read the small text. “I feel like everyone is going to say Roz,” Wyatt says.
“Definitely, which is why I’m going to say Dykstra,” Luca replies, tapping his stick on the floor.
“I’ll go in a different direction then and say Tanner Dillon. I reckon he has google alerts on for himself.” Wyatt says, grinning at Luca.
“I’d say Roz but I think he spends more time googling Hollzy,” Troy answers.
Shane walks straight past the camera, not even seeing it. He’s nudged back into frame, laughing. “Uhhh, Ilya. Probably.”
“Definitely Hollander, is no question,” Ilya states when it’s his turn. “Always looking up his own stats. Is allowed though when he is the best hockey player in the world.”
“Roz,” Holmberg answers.
“Rozy,” Chouinard says.
“Cap,” Dykstra answers.
“Roz,” LaPointe grins.
“Ilya Rozanov,” Young answers. “Easy.”
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[A video of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov appears, side by side in the kitchen. The morning sunrise is shining into the frame. The caption reads “A game day morning with Roz and Hollzy.”]
“Good morning Cens fans,” Shane begins. “Apparently we were the most requested people for a game day video, so come along with us whilst we prep for our game tonight.”
“We all know I was the most requested, Hollander, you are just here because you are my other half,” Ilya chimes in. “And it’s called a game day vlog! You know this.”
“Game day vlog?” Shane scrunches his nose.
“A video blog. Come on Hollander.”
Shane rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”
“We start every morning with a walk with Anya, after Shane makes disgusting smoothie.” Ilya continues, leaning over and pressing a chaste kiss to Shane’s cheek.
Shane’s cheek slightly blushes. “A smoothie for me that Ilya pretends to hate but really he likes, because he always drinks half.”
The video cuts to Shane making the smoothie, whilst Ilya puts Anya’s harness on. They drink the smoothie together, then the next clip shows them walking outside with Anya in a park. Shane films whilst Ilya runs ahead, with Anya close on his tail.
“There’s a slight chill in the air, but it’s mostly shaping up to be a nice day. These are my favourite type of mornings,” Shane confesses from behind the camera. “Beautiful morning, spent with my husband and dog, getting ready to play a game of hockey. It couldn’t get much better than this.”
The clip cuts back to the kitchen. Shane is taking stuff out of the fridge to make breakfast, and Ilya shows himself making coffee, with two mugs side by side on the counter. “We will make a quick breakfast, then go join our teammates at the rink for morning skate.”
The next clip cuts to Shane with a plate in front of him at a dining table.
“Eat up, moya lyubov,” Ilya says from behind the camera.
The next clip is the rink, set up so the viewers can see some of the team skating.
It cuts to Shane’s face. “Morning skate just finished, now we’ll get changed then head to the meeting room to review some video footage and discuss tonight’s game. We can’t take you in there though, that’s top-secret stuff.”
The final clip cuts to Ilya driving. “Now we go home and have lunch and just keep the afternoon low-key before heading back to the rink. Shane will probably do some yoga, and we will both read a bit to get into the right headspace.”
Shane flips the camera so he’s in the frame now. “This has been a morning in the life of us. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you at the game tonight. Go Cens!”
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[A video begins post-game in the locker room. The video cuts between several players still in their gear. The caption says “Post-Game shoutouts”.]
“Give someone a shoutout? Oh, it’s gotta be Hazy with the 4-0 shutout!!” Bood cheers.
“I gotta say Nicky did a tremendous job in defence tonight,” Wyatt answers.
“My shout out goes to Haasy, who had two assists tonight,” Troy answers.
“The best goalie in the competition gets the shoutout from me,” Ilya says. “Wyatt Hayes!”
“I’ll say Luca with the two assists, he really set us up for the win. Also, Wyatt!” Shane answers.
“Someone who flew under the radar tonight a bit was Holmberg,” Chouinard answers. “Keep an eye on him, he’s really coming into his own.”
“I’m picking Boody,” Luca says. “Another consistent game from him.”
“Mr Composure, AKA Shane Hollander,” Dykstra answers. “Beautiful goal from him.”
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WYATT HAYES: HIS THIRD CONSECUTIVE MHL ALL STAR TEAM SELECTION.
The Ottawa Centaurs congratulate goalie Wyatt Hayes on his third consecutive MHL All Stars selection, a feat Hayes himself never expected he’d reach.
When Wyatt Hayes made the change from Toronto Guardians to Ottawa Centaurs in the 2018/19 season, he never expected his game to reach the level that it has now, the MHL learns.
“I’m grateful for the experience I had at Toronto,” Hayes explains. “Being the backup goalie taught me a lot of invaluable lessons, such as being able to read the play that you may not necessarily see when you’re actually on the ice. I think I developed this skill really well when I was on the sidelines, and I now use that in my game at Ottawa. Being traded to the Centaurs was the best thing that happened to me. I feel like I’ve been playing some really good, consistent hockey, and I’m really honoured to be recognized on the national stage for the third year in a row.”
We spoke to some of Hayes’ teammates, past and present, to give us a bit of insight on his game and what it means to be selected.
“I’ve played on a lot of teams,” Ryan Price, most recently ex Toronto Guardians defenceman, begins. “And with a lot of different players. I’m lucky enough to be really good friends with Wyatt Hayes, even all these years later. He sort-of wormed his way into my life and has never left. I’m very grateful.” When asked about Wyatt’s skill level at Toronto, Price continued: “He’s incredibly perceptive on and off the ice. It’s something that he has developed even more at Ottawa, but he did always have that trait about him. Whenever he was thrown into the game, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. To be honest, I was devastated when he was traded mid-season from Toronto for selfish reasons.” Price laughs. “But I’m elated at how his work ethic has earned him a third consecutive all-star selection. Nobody deserves it more.”
Ottawa Centaurs captain Ilya Rozanov also had nothing but nice things to say about Hayes. “Hazy has worked very hard for a long time. Is a good thing that people are noticing now. He stops 40+ shots per game. Even when we were not gelling as a team, and we were in a pretty bad slump, Hazy is the reason we were not losing by more. He is a very talented goalie, and very observant, which makes him better at his job. He is who Coach Wiebe and I wanted to build our team around, back in 2018. So, basically, he is the foundation of this team. And that has shown in his craft in the last three years. Ottawa is very lucky to have Hazy on our team.”
“Hazy is a very easy-going person,” Troy Barrett says, who has played with Hayes in two different teams, previously at Toronto and now currently at Ottawa. “We didn’t have much to do with each other at Toronto, to be honest, but it was easy to gel with him when I was traded here. His game on the ice is incredible, but I’d like to talk about the person he is off the ice. Hazy is super supportive, especially towards our rookies each year. But also, towards the senior players too. He’s like the teams’ cheerleader. Always making everyone feel welcome and included. It’s a shame he never got the chance he has now at Toronto, but it was their loss, because now Ottawa has the best goaltender in the league three years in a row.”
The MHL wishes to congratulate Wyatt on his consistency, poise and integrity to earn himself a reselection. The league looks forward to watching him take the ice with the All-Stars team and his fan-voted Ottawa teammate Ilya Rozanov.
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[A video plays with the caption on the screen “Would you rather a swimming pool or an ice rink in your backyard?” The video cuts between players answering the question.]
Ilya is first up, and he’s rolling his eyes. “I know what Shane is going to pick, but I am picking the swimming pool. Even in the winter, I don’t care. I love swimming.”
“I spend enough time on the ice,” Bood answers. “Definitely picking the swimming pool.”
“Oh, pool over the rink, for sure!” Young answers.
“A hockey rink,” Troy answers. “I’m not a big swimmer.”
“I have three kids,” Chouinard answers. “They would not be happy if I picked the rink. So, swimming pool.”
“A swimming pool…” Haas looks around as if he’s said something wrong. “What’s everyone else been picking?”
“A pool!” Wyatt answers.
“Oh, a hockey rink for sure. We have a lake near our holiday home that we go swimming in, so we wouldn’t need a pool.” Shane answers.
“Definitely swimming pool,” Dykstra answers.
“Pool.” Holmberg answers. “Who’s picking the rink? We all live close enough to just use this one.”
“Oh, a pool,” Boyle frowns.
“A swimming pool, for sure,” Lapointe answers.
“A swimming pool, easy one Harris,” Dillon says.
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[A video plays with the caption on the screen “What’s the last thing you wrote in your notes app?” The video cuts between players getting their phones out to answer the question.]
“A recipe for Salmon bites that Troy gave me,” Shane answers.
“My golf handicap,” Boyle answers.
“Some notes from Coach, which I probably can’t show you,” Dillon answers.
“Cassie and I have been keeping track of Milo’s height, so that’s what it is,” Bood says. “We update it every week.”
“Oh dear,” Luca answers, standing next to Ilya. “I don’t think I want to tell you with Roz listening.”
“What is it, Luca? You must tell me now!” Ilya cries.
“Car crash details, of someone I accidentally hit.”
“No, Luca!” Ilya said, scandalised. “I must reteach you how to drive. Sorry to the person Luca hit.”
Luca snorts. “What’s the last thing in your notes app then?”
Ilya double checks his phone. “My passwords list. I always forget.”
“A packing list for what I need to bring on our next roadie,” Holmberg answers.
“Paint colours. We’re renovating our house at the moment,” Chouinard says.
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[A video plays with Ilya Rozanov sitting in the middle of the room. The caption reads “Ilya’s road to 1000 games.”]
“We’ve organized a surprise for you today, Ilya,” Harris begins.
“What? I thought I was here to help you film content?” Ilya asked, a puzzled look on his face.
“Well, you technically are. But we’ve got something special for you,” Harris, out of the frame, hands Ilya a tablet with a video playing.
“Rozy!! Hammer here,” Brad Hammersmith’s voice boomed through the tablet, filming whilst sitting in a car. Ilya looks confused at what’s happening, but he quickly realises what Harris has done. “What a journey you’ve had. Being drafted back in 2009, all these years later and you’re hitting 1000 games. When Boston drafted you, we were in a massive slump. We hadn’t made playoffs for years. But we saw you play, and we knew we had to have you. Finally, a shining light for Boston. And what a player you are, man. You took over the captaincy from me when I wanted to focus on my family, and that first season as captain you led us to the Stanley Cup. That is still the greatest day of my career. I’m so happy to see how you’ve continued to flourish, and to play 1000 games is an incredible achievement. Good luck Roz, talk soon!”
“Hi Cap!” Luca’s gentle voice came through the video next. “Congratulations on your upcoming 1000th game! It’s been an honour getting to learn from you and getting to play with you. I grew up watching you play, so knowing I was drafted the same year you came to Ottawa has always been really special to me. You’re the best captain, and you’ve led us to so much success, something I wasn’t sure would happen back in 2018. And more than that, you’ve created such a fun and unique environment at Ottawa, the bond we have as a team is really important to me. I can’t wait to see you take the ice in your 1000th game, lets get you a hat-trick!”
“ROZANOV, my man!!” Cliff Marlow bellow next, waving at the camera. “Oh boy, where do I begin? 1000 games is an amazing feat Roz, and at the risk of sounding mushy, I’m so happy I got to play a big bulk of them alongside you. We started together back in 2010, and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to be introduced to the MHL with. Even when you moved to Canada, we stayed close friends, and I’m so grateful for that. I miss playing with you, I hope you go out and smash them in game 1000 brother. Say hello to that better half of yours too, speak to you soon!”
“Hello Roz,” chimes in Troy. He’s filming his video at the rink, with other teammates skating past in the background. “Congrats on the big 1000 man. I just wanted to say a big thank you for the person you are, because you’ve made the Centaurs what we are, you built an amazing culture here, and even all these years later, you’re still playing your best hockey. You’re a great captain, you’ve rarely missed any games, you’ve won several Stanley cups, you’re a legend of the sport. Congratulations again, Rozy. See you on the ice.”
“Ilya Rozanov, the generational talent you are, man!” Zane Boodram popped up next, filming from his backyard. “I’m honoured to wear the AC beside you. What an incredible career you’ve had to date, and getting to 1000 games is the cherry on top of the cake. We always knew you’d get there, with how competitive you are, but no one deserves the accolades more than you. Can’t wait to skate out with you for game 1000 man, love you!”
“Hi Ilya,” Shane smiles into the camera, sitting next to Anya on the couch in their shared house. “I’ve been able to watch you play since Juniors, so the fact that you’re hitting 1000 games in the MHL is just an extraordinary achievement. You’ve always been a competitive, determined and fast player, and not many could keep up with you. Being your opponent for so many years was always a fun challenge for me, I always loved playing games against you because I knew I was playing against the best of the best. However, playing games with you is truly the highlight of my career. I’m so lucky to get to watch you play up close, someone who is so dedicated to his craft and to his team, and it makes me so proud of you. It hasn’t been an easy feat whatsoever for you, I wish I could go back to 2008 and tell 17-year-old Ilya that everything is going to turn out amazing for him. Congratulations on 1000 games Ilya, we love you and are so proud of you, from me and Anya.” Shane blew a kiss from him and Anya to the camera.
The videos end there. Ilya looks up into the camera with tears in his eyes, threatening to fall. “Thank you Harris for putting this together for me. I feel very special. I was lucky enough to play with Hammer and Marly at Boston, and they are still two of my very good friends. It was nice to hear from them. And obviously I see Haasy, Barrett, Bood and Shane here at Ottawa every day. Feeling the love after hearing all of their kind words. I love my team.”
“Congratulations on 1000 games, Ilya!” Harris says, before ending the video.