Episode 10: Dominance, Diversity, and Dreamers

Emily

Welcome back to This Week in Blue & White! I'm Emily, and oh my goodness, I hope you're ready for this one. The Marlboros just dropped an absolute hammer on the Toronto Red Wings—11 to 1. Wait, let that sink in. Eleven. One. It honestly felt like one of those games where you keep checking the scoreboard because you’re, like, “Is this…really happening?” But it was real, and the Marlies just dominated every single shift.

Emily

Tops to bottom, it was a masterclass in all three zones. The shot count? Sixty-five to eighteen shot attempts. That’s, what, almost a fifty-shot gap? You don’t see that every day. Challenger put on a show—three goals, one assist, and he won seventy percent of his faceoffs. I always say controlling the dot changes everything, and man, he made every draw look easy out there.

Emily

Thompson—he was just relentless. Two goals, two assists, pure powerhouse energy. And then there’s Mancino, quietly running the game with four assists and a plus-six rating. Not flashy, just pure hockey IQ all over the rink. Hanson and Leung each with three assists, doing those little things that make a team tick. Leung especially—plus five, just always in the right spot, making puck possession look so simple.

Emily

Lamming was practically automatic—four shots, two goals, he did not waste a single opportunity. Hutchinson’s line chemistry? You could see it—one goal, one assist, six shots, just a smooth presence. Longo was a force on the puck, winning sixty percent of his draws and sparking all sorts of offensive chances.

Emily

I don’t want to forget Duke—he took three big hits and still found the back of the net. That’s grit. Zettas did his thing—goal, assist, five shots, and always making strong reads on the back end. Nadeau was straight-up dominant in transition, plus-six and constantly breaking up plays. Kalantzakos and Birch, both holding down the blue line with efficient, shutdown play.

Emily

Watching it, honestly reminded me of a game I played back in high school, way less talent on my end—believe me—but that feeling when your whole team’s just in sync and you’re swarming in all three zones? It’s almost like you can predict the next pass before it happens. The Marlies had that going all night—they made the puck look weightless. Alright, where was I going with that? Oh, right—just total team dominance. You love to see it.

Emily

Now, if you’ve been following the podcast, you know we talk a lot about what happens on the ice—but real success comes from what happens off it, too. This week, the team took part in something really powerful. Brock McGillis came in and ran a session about more than just hockey skills. It was about empathy, accountability, and creating a locker room that feels like home for everybody, no matter what.

Emily

Brock focuses on these three big ideas: Humanize, The Environment We Create, and Breaking Conformity. Like, how do you show up for your teammates, not just as players, but as people? He challenged the Marlies to lead with empathy, act with real courage, and stand up for each other, even when it’s uncomfortable. The session dove into mental health, anti-bullying, actually being an ally, and how language matters so much more than we sometimes realize.

Emily

They talked about what it means for a team to belong to everyone—LGBTQ+ players, BIPOC kids, girls, whoever. There’s no room for anyone feeling on the outside. Honestly, it’s refreshing. Youth hockey—at least when I was figuring out how to tape my first stick—didn’t have a lot of these talks. You mostly just went along, fit in, tried not to rock the boat. But the Marlies are making sure kids feel seen and safe, not just as skaters or scorers, but as, you know, people.

Emily

And yeah, it may sound a bit heavy, but it matters—a lot. We touched on mental health and belonging back in the Buffalo travel recap, and even that yoga session at ARMAGH House, but this is a deeper dive. It’s not just about supporting your line-mate because they block a shot, it’s standing up when those hard conversations come up. Hockey’s supposed to be for everyone—and the Marlboros are living that out, not just saying the words. I think stories like this are as important as a hat trick, and they’ll pay off, on and off the ice.

Emily

Let’s shine the spotlight now, because these are the stories that make you root for these kids beyond just the scoresheet. Today, we’re talking about Hunter Nadeau and Jake Mancino—two dreamers with big goals.

Emily

First up, Hunter Nadeau—this guy’s got NHL dreams and a really cool outlook. If he could pick any superpower, we’re talking total science fiction, he’d go with teleportation. I mean, skip the Toronto traffic, right? Plus, Dubai’s top of his travel list, which—side note—I still haven’t even made it out of North America. Hunter’s warm-up song is 'Hey Man' by Fikri Andriana, so if you’re looking to channel some Nadeau energy before your next game, you know what to cue up.

Emily

On the ice, he’s all about puck skills, passing, and speed. Think Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Lane Hutson as his role models. Hunter’s always got that offensive instinct, ready to break out on transition, and isn’t shy about making the creative play.

Emily

Then there’s Jake Mancino. Jake dreams of the NHL too, but if superpowers were on the table, he’s taking flight—literally, flying. I’m kinda jealous, honestly. He’d travel to Fiji, which sounds a lot warmer than Toronto in February. Outer Banks is his go-to show, and pre-game? 'Spotless' by Zach Bryan. Definitely a little country flavour.

Emily

Jake patterns his game after Matthew Knies and brings a serious physical edge. His greatest strength is playing tough, using his body, and just making life difficult for anyone with the puck. Those little details—the battles in the corners, absorbing hits and popping right back up—he’s all about it.

Emily

Makes me think of my own not-so-glamorous pregame routines back in the day, blasting something embarrassing like the High School Musical soundtrack—yeah, you heard it here. But honestly, these little rituals, the idols guys look up to, it all shapes who you become on the ice. That mix of swagger, skill, and character—makes for some fun hockey, and even better stories. Alright, that’s a wrap for now, but I can’t wait to see how these dreamers grow, and, well, you know there’s always more happening in Blue & White, so stick with us for the next one!