2 For Chirping

From the Peach State to the Queen City, Malcolm Hayes is the latest signing for the 'Clones! Learn about the "celebrity effect" that came with Jason Payne being named Head Coach of the Cyclones and how that effected Malcolm, a player of color who met Payner while wearing a different jersey. Some call him "Hayesy", but you might also call him a "bandwagoner" and he's not shy about it. Hear about his hometown sports teams, along with one of the most clutch Uber rides of all time. It's all coming up on this player signing edition of Mini Chirps!

One of the ECHL's best is running it back in the Queen City! Zack Andrusiak jumps on to chat about life in the summer and the perils of being in the same town as Taylor Swift (unexpectedly). Have you ever considered ditching the grass for turf in your backyard? Zack has, and he'll give you a mental image of the Andrusiak family yard! Enjoy the talks of yards, dogs, baseball, and yes, some hockey, on our latest Mini Chirps!

You asked for it: Patrick Polino is back by popular demand! The third-year Cyclone is a dad now, and he talks about life as a father this summer. We'll also chat about the hardest thing to do in minor league hockey, plus a stroll down memory lane to talk about the 'Clones historic 21-game point streak.

Luka Burzan may seem like your every day hockey player (especially with that smile), but there's more to him than meets the eye. Listen in to what Burzy has been doing for his 'big kid job' before getting ready to lace the skates for another season in Cincy. Speaking of The Queen City, what is Luka looking forward to doing once he gets back into town (...Hopefully the Cyclones don't interfere too much with Taco Tuesday...) ? Burzan's been working his bag off to get ready for the season, and we've been working ours off to provide you with great Mini Chirps episodes like this one!

New week, new pod, new player! 22-year-old Billy Constantinou is taking his talents to Cincinnati, a place he's scored a goal before, but with who? Will he or won't he try some chili, plus what Cyclones player did Billy C have as a roommate in the AHL? You'll also find out Billy's favorite NHL player of all-time and so much more on this edition of Mini Chirps!

The name's Hardie....James Hardie. On the newest edition of Mini Chirps, the dude they call Hardz jumps on the pod to talk about chasing his dream of playing pro hockey and re-signing with the Cyclones. Remember his first pro goal (that apparently doeesn't count?!?!?)...what was the score again? We'll talk about it here. Plus, what other Cyclones player was even more excited about the goal than James himself? We'll also chat about education vs pro hockey and how James came to make one of the most difficult decisions of his life.

Can you believe Matt Cairns has more games played in a Cyclones jersey than any other defensemen since 2021?..They grow up so fast! Hear from the now-elder statesman of Cincy's blue line (oh and professional color commentator) as Cairnsy opens up about his 22-23 campaign and why there was one thing he enjoyed more in his rookie season than his sophomore year. We'll also talk about individual goals and how Coach Payne and #17 see eye to eye on those. Also, hear Matt share his story about now having been on both sides of a game 7 and what Fort Wayne Komets player has something to say about THAT game 7 goal....we mean NO GOAL!

It's a Toronto Patriots reunion as Nick Favaro becomes the latest to sign with the 'Clones for next season! Hear from Nick to find out about a couple of other OJHL alums who he was with in juniors and who he'll be reunited with in Cincy. We also dive into why missing out on D1 hockey wasn't a bad thing for Favaro, plus what former Cyclones fan favorite gave rave reviews about playing in Cincinnati when talking to Nick? Find out all this and more on our latest edition of Mini Chirps!

Meet the most adventurous man in the hockey world,  Adam Berg! Listen in to what fun times 'Bergy' has been having this summer (warning: you might get jealous). But don't let the good times fool you; it's not all fun and games for the rookie forward for the 'Clones. Adam has had some time to sit and dissect his brief season with the 'Clones last year, and you can listen to his breakdown of all he's doing to be prepared to be an impact player here in 2023-24. Get ready to hear about 3 things that go together perfectly: hockey, bus rides, and card games. It's all on the ice in this edition of Mini Chirps!

The product of the much esteemed Canisius University (formerly Canisius College) Lee Lapid is running it back in downtown Cincy! Hear from 'Laps' on the different kind of offseason he's having now that he has a pro season under his belt.  Get the expert analysis of Lee on this past season as a whole, and personally. Does Lapid have any regrets?  How long was this season compared to any other he played in college or junior hockey? Find the answers to all this and more as we drop the puck on another player signing edition of Mini Chirps!

It's a first here for a Cyclones player signing!  The 'Clones look to have yet again acquired the services of veteran forward Louie Caporusso, but this time he's brought company....it's baby Lincoln! Meet the newest member of the Caporusso family as the 34-year-old Louie touches on finally being a 'boy dad' plus how age is just a number and how Cappy just keeps getting better and better over time.It's 2 for the price of 1 in the latest installment of mini chirps. Enjoy the smiles, laughs, drools, and more!

Jalen Smereck is runnin' the wagon back! Cincinnati's leading scoring defenseman is entering year 2 with the 'Clones, and today we're chatting with "J" during a busy summer, with the Detroit native running around the country helping coach and direct hockey camps (more on that later in the video..and here's a link: https://www.sdhockeyllc.com/enroll/NJ)...also, we take a look back at the historic 21-game point streak the Cyclones went on last season, including its tail-end in Utah...also, the arrest thing was a joke. It was just funny to say (seriously though, it was a suspension). Enjoy the episode!

Look alive, it's Justin Vaive! We're kicking the summer off with the the VaiveCat (former twitch streamer) being the Cyclones'  first player signing. The "C" is BACK and has re-signed to lead the 'Clones toward a Kelly Cup in 2023-24! We get a chance to talk with Vaiver about a few things, including his accidental "retirement" post (what?!?!?), his thoughts on Cincinnati's new affiliation, milestones, and more. Learn about some impressive benchmarks the 13-year pro has already reached, along with more he is closing in on. Justin has already cemented himself as an all-time great here in Cincy, but he won't stop there. #46 is looking to be the #1 player to ever put on a Cincinnati Cyclones jersey.

The BOSS is on the pod! Kristin (or KP) dives into what makes the Cyclones, well, the Cyclones. Relive the *exciting* day Kristin told her office that they were buying the Cyclones. Oh, and we definitely ask some hard-hitting questions like where will the Cyclones be in 10 years, plus a fan-favorite topic: would Cincinnati ever potentially be an NHL market? Catch these topics, plus fun ones like talks of being arrested and more on our longest podcast yet, featuring General Manager and Vice President of Heritage Bank Center and the Cincinnati Cyclones, Kristin Ropp! 

Meet Matt! Rachel introduces you to the visuals behind Cyclones (and the Hippos and Coneys) hockey!  On today's podcast Matt, our graphic designer, discusses his nearly 10 year tenor with the team and how he's involved with he game. If you're interested in the behind the scenes of minor league sports, this episode of 2 for Chirping is for you!

Meet Rachel; the voice behind the (social media) voice of the Cyclones/Coneys/Hippos/whatever we use next year! On today's pod, the "social media guy" takes you behind the scenes of posting on Twitter/Instagram/TikTok and the inspiration for each post. Get ready keyboard warriors and grab your Pop-Tarts while you sit back and enjoy another episode of Two for Chirping!

Yemmer is back in Cincy and back on the pod! The Cyclones scrapper talks all about the "double knockout" that became a viral sensation (also, was it really a double KO...more on that later). You'll also hear Brandon's journey through this season, including being traded, released, then signed to the 'Clones again. We've got a little bit of everything in this podcast, including chicken sandwiches! You just never know what will get brought up on an episode of TFC. Enjoy

New episode, new look, same Dajon Mingo! The Cyclones defenseman makes his second career appearance on the pod, this time chatting about Chat GPT (?), plus other forms of technology and growing up old school. We'll also revisit Mingo's offseason comments about retiring following this season. How does Dajon feel now? Tune in to find out!

DROOS is next up on the pod! Find out what the Cyclones leading scorer thinks of his favorite baseball team's upcoming season, MLB rule changes, statistical records in sports, how many shots (hockey shots we mean) he takes a day in the summer, and of course, opening night for the Cyclones and the scary moment Andrusiak encountered when getting hit in the face with a puck.

It's Two For Chirping, and we've got one of the biggest chirpers on the team joining us. Jalen Smereck is FULL of personality, whether it's his affection for wearing crocs or going in-depth on differences between playing in the ECHL vs AHL, or even testing his expertise on different waters (what?). We've got all that and more on the newest 2FC!

There's no love lost on this Valentine's Day edition of TFC as the bench boss, Coach Payne joins us on the pod. This episode was recorded following a, well, 'interesting' game between the Cyclones and Kansas City...don't worry, Payne is going to tell you EVERYTHING that happened. Later in this episode, we go down memory lane to the smoky sights and sounds in the old arena in Toledo, plus Payne shares some epic minor league hockey fan tales. It's another good ole episode of Two For Chirping!

Cyclones leading scorer Louie Caporusso returns to the pod to tell us about a big life update! We'll also talk about differences with today's generation of players compared to his when Caporusso was coming up in pro hockey, plus some advice Cappy's been given from Maple Leafs legend (and Justin Vaive's dad) Rick Vaive!

It's our first new pod of 2023 and Beck Warm is our guest! In this episode, the Cyclones goaltender talks about podcasts and comedians worth listening to, plus a tough situation for his first game with the AHL's Rochester Americans, and later in the episode, a touching story about his mother's battle with cancer. Catch the new, and most emotional TFC yet now. 

Josh Passolt jumps on the pod to talk about how he's a cheesehead (kinda), plus his crazy start to pro hockey, plus stay tuned toward the end to find out why Andrew isn't the only broadcaster on this podcast!

Wanna learn how to say something in Russian? Stay til the end of this podcast to find out. Before then, listen to the stories of Phil Lagunov, who credits a former head coach for his success in hockey. Lagunov's debut on the pod also talks about adjusting to life in a new city and the challenges of moving away from home, plus hear how Phil persevered and fought through an injury to continue playing at the top of his game in college. There's so much to talk about and take away from the newest TFC episode!

The Captain finally joins the pod! "Mr. Cincinnati" breaks down his love of Marvel and DC, talks about stops along his pro playing journey, and how he almost/kinda/sorta stumbled into becoming a pro wrestler! Hear from Vaiver like never before right here on 2FC!

On a special edition of TFC, Dennis and Judy Shepard come on to the Cyclones Podcast to share their touching, emotional story of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, named after their son, Matthew Shepard. This podcast delves into inclusivity and the need for such in our communities.As the Cyclones inch closer to the team's annual Shutout The Hate Night on November 18, we hope this episode serves as a reminder that hockey is for everyone and that everyone should be treated equal.

It's the return of Two for Chirping! After an offseason hiatus, Cyclones Assistant Coach Alex Bezerra joins the pod in one of the most heavily edited and bleeped interviews yet. Enjoy the laughs (there are lots) the shoutouts, and more about the life and journey of Coach Bezerra to the Cincinnati Cyclones!

You'll learn a lot about Zack Andrusiak in this episode. If you like baseball, enjoy the opening. If you don't, you might wanna skip through the first 5 minutes of this (BOOOOOO if you're skipping). Learn about what Zack has been up to this summer, plus hear his thoughts on this year's upcoming roster. You'll also get Andrusiak's take on THAT big absence in the Cyclones roster from last year to this year, and who he hopes Head Coach Jason Payne puts him on a line with!

The often quite Patrick Polino is back with the Cyclones...and this time he's happy to talk at length! The man referred to as "pistol" (and no, he's not Pistol Pete) shares his up-and-down journey through the 2021-22 season, including how he honestly felt health-wise come playoff time. He also happens to be from Buffalo, New York; the same city as another Patrick in hockey, who Polino just happens to be a fan of. Listen to Polino weigh in on a hot topic in the NHL toward the end of this interview! 

Nick Lidstrom, Bobby Hull, PK Subban. Those are just some of the names that talented defenseman Jalen Smereck models his game off. The former ECHL All-Star is back after a year overseas and he's bringing his talents to downtown Cincy! Hear about Smereck's experience prior to being a Cyclone, including signing an NHL contract and an all-important conversation about diversity in the sport and combating issues that Jalen faced head-on during an incident that garnered global attention while playing in Ukraine last season.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Or something like that

How many 23-year-olds can say they've lived in Russia, Canada, and the United States? Welp, you'll get to hear from one today. Phil Lagunov is the newest signing for the 'Clones and he's gonna talk all about his roller coaster of a career and life so far. From the difficulties of being away from friends and family in Russia, to betting on himself at a school ranked outside the top 50 and helping them win their first NCAA Hockey Championship; Phil has one heck of a story (stories). Side note: golf is very important ⛳️

If you blink, you might just miss Matt McLeod speeding down the ice when he's back in a Cyclones jersey this fall! Hear from hockey's version of The Flash as "Macker" discusses his summer trips, including a cool trip to the NHL Western Conference Finals, plus training with his brothers and dad just like old times, and how maybe you'll see a slower, but better version of Matt McLeod this season. Slow? How could that be? Well maybe not slow, but slower. Just let him explain.

Get ready for year 2 of Brandon Yeamans in a Cyclones jersey! Catch up with the young, scrappy forward as he talks about coming back from a cool trip to celebrate, his offseason routine, did he or did he not substitute teach in Canada this summer (?

This guy knows how to 'Betts' on himself....get it? Dakota Betts has been an underdog his entire playing career. He's as blue collar as they come. Hear about what keeps 'Bettsy' busy during the summer (hint; it's a lot!), plus more about how this 21 year old became the newest and youngest signing for the Cyclones this offseason!

Jeremiah Addison may have helped find the first team dog in Cyclones history! Stay tuned for that later in the interview. Before then, Hear all about the newest face of the Cyclones. Jeremiah takes you on a ride through the emotions of being drafted by an original six franchise, plus what led him to Cincinnati and what his goals are once getting to The Queen City!

Back by popular demand; Lincoln Griffin is a Cyclone once again! Find out what Griff is doing this summer, plus what he may be looking to do in the future based off a conversation on Mini Chirps with a recent signing

All-Star Wyatt Ege is back and this time the more-quietly known defenseman speaks at length about last season, plus what he's been up to this summer and what to expect for when the 'Clones drop the biscuit on a new season this October!

The 'Clones keep coming back! Matt Cairns joins the growling list of defenseman to return for a second season in Cincinnati, but his decision wasn't an easy one. Hear from Cairns as he details his off-season and what the final deciding factor was in determining the Cyclones were the right fit.

There's nothing mini about this episode! The big, 6'3" , 200+ pound Sean Allen has re-signed with the Cyclones and he's gonna tell you how he thinks the fans of Cincinnati will view the tough heavyweight this season. Hear about Allen's off-season routine, his choice to turn pro before pursuing college, and more!

Still trying to book your weekend getaway to Canada? You may wanna call Graeme Brown; the next Cyclones player signing! Hear about what Graeme is doing for work this summer, plus important details on his health following an injury in the playoffs last season and what he's doing now to prepare to entertain Cyclones fans once again!

Meet the newest face to the 22-23 'Clones! Lee Lapid is a super-talented, super-smart player out of Canisius College (wait 'til we list his academic accolades). Hear about how the forward got the attention of the Cyclones, the importance of good grades, and more!

How do you pronounce "Caron?" You're about to find out! Take a listen as Cody talks about pronunciations, rehabbing from season-ending surgery, being around Justin Vaive, and how the gritty forward is ready to return to Cincinnati and throw on a Cyclones jersey for year 2! 

Josh Burnside is back for year 2 and in his words, he's ready to take his game to a "whole 'nother level!" Hear about what Josh has been up to this summer, why he thinks he had a bad season, and the growth of diversity in the sport he loves.

Veteran Louie Caporusso is the next player to sign with the 'Clones! What's he been doing since you last saw him? Just eating some Fillet Mignon near Niagara Falls while becoming an influencer on twitter. No big deal. Catch all that and more here!

Back by popular demand, Dajon Mingo becomes our first repeat guest on the pod! Mings talks about living life in Cincy, including his first summer in The Queen City. Plus, hear about the all-star defenseman's journey through injury this summer and will this be the curtain call for Mingo's playing career? All that and more is loaded on this week's player signing podcast, or as we like to call them, Mini Chirps!

The CAP is BACK! Justin Vaive returns for year 8 in Cincy and his 10th as a pro. Hear Justin reflect on his time in hockey so far, plus learn about his new niece and a surprising food spot you have to try if you're near The Queen City! Vaive is the first of what will be many players we hear from as the 'Clones get ready for hockey back at Heritage Bank Center on October 29th!