The Growler: Issue 1

2023•24 E-MAG

ISSUE 1

LET’S CELLY 5 YEARS OF GROWLERS NATION - ADAM PARDY

WHADDAYAT?

- NEW HEAD COACH MATT COOKE

THANK YOU FANS!

- JAMES MELINDY HEALTH TIPS KIDS CORNER

NLGROWLERS.COM

CONTENTS • ADAM PARDY CAREER MAP • a new cooke • THANK YOU • RECIPE • IN THE COMMUNITY • SERIES BREAK DOWN • KIDS CORNER

ADAM PARDY

2018-19 kelly cup

champ

“ it’s exciting to be back... i’m looking forward to it.”

Bonavista native Adam Pardy made quite a name for himself in his 10 seasons as a rugged NHL defenceman.

He made Newfoundland and Labrador hockey history when he returned to his home province to help the Growlers win the Kelly Cup in their inaugural season in 2018-19.

Pardy is back with the Growlers again to start their fifth anniversary season, this time as the club’s new Development Coach. Teaming up with fellow former NHLer Matt Cooke, Pardy is looking forward to his return to professional hockey and is hoping to continue the tradition of success while developing the next crop of future Maple Leafs.

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Sheet Pan Beef Fajitas INGREDIENTS • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning or make your own: 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper • 12 ounces fajita steak (thinly sliced uncooked, unseasoned flank steak) • 2 medium multicolored bell peppers • 1 1/2 cup sliced red onion • Cooking spray Optional for topping: • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves • 1 lime, cut into wedges • 1/2 cup light sour cream or plain greek yogurt • 4 (7-inch) tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS • Preheat oven to 375F. • Coat foil lined pan with cooking spray.

• Add pepper mixture to one side of pan.

• Add onions to other side of pan.

• Arrange steak in center of pan.

• Sprinkle taco seasoning over entire fajita mixture.

• Cook for 15-17 minutes or until steak reaches desired degree of doneness.

• Heat tortillas according to package directions.

Serve with sour cream or plain yogurt and salsa

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER 1 TORTILLA WITHOUT TOPPINGS) • Calories: 193 • Carbohydrate: 15g • Protein: 21g • Fat: 4.6 • Fiber: 2.2g Sport Benefits: Sheet Pan Fajitas are a super easy way to get a balanced meal and cook it in bulk! If you’re gluten free, try corn tortillas or put the fajita mix on top of 1 cup of rice, bulgar, quinoa or rice noodles and make it a fajita bowl! These freeze well too if you’re meal planning!

A New Cooke in the Kitchen

able to dive in on the development level and VETERAN NHLER MATT COOKE “Being get the opportunity to be a Head Coach and lead this was super enticing for me. I was offered other BRINGS LEADERSHIP, EXPERIENCE ship opportunities earlier in the summer and unfortunately wasn’t the right fit. Although transition to getting here AS GROWLERS NEW BENCH BOSS ithappened very quickly, this is an opportunity that is Just a few short weeks ago, former NHL veteran and 2009 Stanley Cup champion Matt Cooke was peacefully enjoying the final days of summer at his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when he got a phone call that would quickly change any plans he may have had for the fall.

very exciting for me that is all about helping players reach the next level.”

Cooke’s own playing career could serve as a great blueprint and motivation for new Growlers who have aspirations of one day playing in the NHL. The road to playing in the best hockey league in the world is full The call was from Ryan Hardy, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ of twists and turns and Cooke himself has navigated Assistant General Manager. With Growlers’ Head those roads and has the hardware to show for it.

Coach Eric Wellwood graduating to the Toronto Marlies as their new Assistant Coach this past offseason, the “I was a late pick who was never supposed to make the pair discussed the Growlers’ new coaching vacancy NHL,” Cooke said. during the Maple Leafs’ annual development camp in Toronto and soon put pen to paper to make Cooke the “I was constantly trying to improve, trying to get better fourth Head Coach in Newfoundland Growlers history. and trying to adjust. To be able to adapt and adjust was something that I did continuously throughout my A native of Belleville, Ontario, Cooke enjoyed an career and it’s also something I will do as a coach as incredibly successful playing career in the NHL, suiting well. I have been enamoured my whole life with the up for the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, nuances of the game. There are things that you can Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild for more control, like effort and attitude. That’s the expectation than 1000 regular season contests, culminating in a and the standard. Coaching is having the ability to lead.

I want them to be excited to come to the rink every Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009. day. I want them to be excited to go to work and battle Since retiring from professional hockey in 2015, Cooke every day.”

began honing his craft in player development as a highschool coach in Minnesota, helping prepare young While Cooke’s own playing career didn’t involve any players for the possibilities of playing college hockey stops in the ECHL, Cooke has done his Growlers homework and is up for the task of maintaining the and beyond. high standard of play that fans have come to expect from the 2019 Kelly Cup champions.

“I WAS A LATE PICK WHO WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE NHL,”

His role with the Growlers will be strikingly similar, as he is tasked with grooming the next crop of NHL hopefuls in Newfoundland. While he admits the last few weeks have been nothing short of a blur, he is excited for the new challenges that lie ahead.

“I knew that my path was coaching. I truly did,” Cooke said during his introductory press conference at the Mary Brown’s Centre this past week.

“The Toronto Maple Leafs organization is first class in Manager) Brian Burke years ago instilled in me an everything they do,” Cooke said. energy, a passion and a desire to be engaged in the community and I think my wife and I have done a great job over the years really doing that. We started our TEAM SUCCESS DOESN’T own foundation, I’ve been the spokesperson for Ronald HAPPEN OVERNIGHT McDonald House in the past, I’ve won community awards throughout my career, it’s something I’m very “Their support has allowed the Growlers to be passionate about.” successful from day one. Newfoundland has been an organization that has been uber successful. We have Team success doesn’t happen overnight and Cooke, already seen several players go up and play in the NHL. along with the Growlers’ new Development Coach That’s shows the commitment that Toronto has made Adam Pardy, will certainly be hard at work getting the that this is an entry point in to the NHL for all players.” team in top shape ahead of the season opener against the Reading Royals on October 20.

As the club’s Head Coach, Cooke’s job description has him focused on on player development and winning “I’m all about one percent better,” Cooke said of his hockey games, but he believes that being involved development mindset. in your community and engaging with fans is just as important as what happens on the ice.

“Every day, get one percent better. I don’t expect perfection. It’s not reality. We are a team that will play “My goal here is to win in three ways,” Cooke explained. fast. We are a group that is going to stay connected. We are going to want to possess the puck. I can’t wait to “That is to win in the community, to win in development get players in here and get started.” and to win in games. (Former Canucks General

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GROWLERS IN THE COMMUNITY

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GALLERY

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What a Way to Start a Season Growlers begin new campaign on home ice with plenty of action to look forward to!

Growlers fans rejoice! The 2023-34 ECHL season is North Division rivals, the Reading Royals, for the first just around the corner. game of a three-game weekend series on Friday and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

After a long offseason, preparations are well underway to make the Newfoundland Growlers fifth anniversary The squad will have a few days of rest and practice season the most successful in franchise history. before their next opponents, the South Carolina Stingrays, come to the Rock for the first time for For the fourth time in five seasons, the Growlers will be their own trio of contests beginning on Thursday, starting the new season at home at the Mary Brown’s October 26.

Centre. Let’s take a look at what we can expect to see both on and off the ice when the season begins This six-game stretch is the Growlers longest seasonin October. opening homestand in franchise history and is sure to provide plenty of action and excitement to kick off a milestone campaign.

SIX AT HOME TO START The Fifth Anniversary season officially kicks off on Friday, October 20 as the Growlers host their longtime

BIG DIVISIONAL MATCHUP TO KICK OFF the puck finally drops at the Mary Brown’s Centre on October 20, but if history is any indicator, we should be THE SEASON

in for some high-quality, fast-paced hockey and maybe The first opponents to grace the ice at the Mary Brown’s even a win or two.

Centre this season will be the Reading Royals, ECHL affiliates of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Growlers and Opening Night has been kind to the Growlers through Royals are certainly no strangers to one another, as four seasons of action. The Growlers have lost just once these teams met for 10 contests last season alone as on Opening Night and have a 3-1-0-0 record in the season’s inaugural game. The Growlers haven’t lost on North Division rivals. opening night since the 2019-20 season.

The Royals are sure to begin the season with a chip on their shoulders as they seek revenge against the Even beyond just the season’s opening game, the Growlers for eliminating them in the Kelly Cup Playoffs Growlers have historically been able to find chemistry early on in the season, thanks in large part to hot starts in each of the last two seasons. at home.

This season marks the third time in five years in which the Growlers have hosted the Royals to begin the season. The Growlers own a 5-1-0-0 lifetime record against the Royals in these season-opening series. Last season, the Growlers and Royals began their respective seasons at the Mary Brown’s Centre and it was the Growlers emerging victorious in all three contests to begin their season at 3-0-0-0.

Let’s look at last season. The Growlers swept their three-game opening weekend series against the Royals and used that momentum to help them win nine consecutive home games en route to the best start in franchise history.

With the Growlers roster once again expecting to be a young crew with several rookies playing their first professional games out of the junior or collegiate ranks, the season’s early games always hold a little extra NEWFOUNDLAND’S HISTORY WITH excitement when these players begin to score their first EARLY SEASON SUCCESS professional goals. These moments are ones that are cherished by the players, their families and fans alike It’s impossible to predict what may happen when and add a special allure to first few games of a season.

GROWLERS WELCOME STINGRAYS FOR COME FOR THE HOCKEY, STAY FOR EARLY SEASON TEST THE PROMOS The Growlers finish up their season-opening homestand with three games against a relatively unfamiliar foe in the South Carolina Stingrays, the ECHL affiliates of the Washington Capitals.

In addition to the high-flying action on the ice, fans can one again expect a number of fun and exciting promotions during the opening weeks of the season. In addition to the Opening Night festivities, the good times continue to roll into the second game of the season on Since joining the league in 2018-19, the Growlers have Saturday night against the Royals as the Growlers host faced the Stingrays just once – a 3-2 overtime win in a good old fashioned Kitchen Party.

Charleston way back on February 15, 2019.

On Sunday, October 22, fans are encouraged to wear While these two teams may not have much history their pajamas to the arena as the Growlers celebrate together, the Stingrays themselves have a long history Jamarama Night in support of the Janeway Children’s of success in the ECHL. Perennial contenders in the Hospital.

ECHL’s South Division, the Stingrays joined the league in the 1993-94 season and have missed the playoffs And on Thursday, October 26th and every Thursday just twice in their 29 seasons in the league. home game moving forward, the Growlers will be introducing Thirsty Thursdays. For every home game The Stingrays are three-time Kelly Cup champions, but played on a Thursday, in-arena beers will be only five haven’t won the ECHL’s top prize since 2009. While dollars. the Growlers were idle and waiting out the pandemic alongside the rest of their North Division brethren, the For all the details about the Growlers opening Stingrays made it all the way to the Kelly Cup Finals, homestand or to purchase your tickets, please visit only to lose to the Fort Wayne Komets. nlgrowlers.com

WELCOME TO THE ROCK SERIES PREVIEW

OCTOBER 20 • 21 • 22

FRI. 20 7PM - SAT. 21 7PM - SUN. 22 4PM

OCTOBER 26 • 28 • 29

THURS. 26 7PM - SAT. 28 7PM - SUN. 29 4PM

kids corner

IT SEEMS LIKE IT WENT BY IN THE SNAP OF A FINGER. It feels like only yesterday I was a young boy at 14 leaving everything behind in the Goulds to go chase my hockey dreams starting at Athol Murray College at Notre Dame in Saskatchewan.

I have finally had some time to reflect on the good times and reflect on some of the struggles that I’ve had too. It has definitely been a very rewarding journey that I am thankful to have been on.

The road wasn’t easy. It was one of those things that if I wanted to progress with my hockey career that I had to move away to the mainland. I moved onto major junior in Moncton and spent three years there then moved onto my professional career where I played everywhere from Newfoundland to California. It’s been amazing.

Looking back, I am very thankful I got to play in so many great places and experience different cultures and meet different people.

When you’re going through life, you don’t really understand how beneficial it is to you. In the moment, you’re just playing hockey but when you look back at it and see all the different places you’ve played and experienced, it’s been really awesome. I am super thankful for those experiences.

Once my entry-level contract ran out, I was in a crossroads of what I was going to do. I knew I still wanted to play hockey. I didn’t know if I wanted to take a step back from playing pro and go to university or come back and play senior hockey and go to school here. I had a full write up on my phone of letters I was going to send to coaches and see what kind of interest there may have been for me to attend Canadian university and try to get an education while still playing at a high level.

I SAT ON IT. AND I SAT ON IT SOME MORE. Being with the Growlers organization for five years was I decided to give it one last go. I took the chance and signed in Wichita at the end of that season and ended up getting called up to San Diego. At the end of that year they decided to sign me. So I said ok, one more year.

I went back to San Diego and played there and in Utah and that’s when I first started hearing rumours of an ECHL team coming to Newfoundland. Once I got home, I knew that there would never be another place I would want to play besides here.

so special to me. To be able to play and live at home for the first time in 11 years and solidify myself as a person and as a player is something I am very thankful for. I was able to start my life at home and find a wife and be close to my parents and friends and live a relatively normal life outside of the rink.

Being a part of Newfoundland history and winning the province’s first hockey championship was just amazing.

I have never been so proud to be from Newfoundland.

The players really got to understand what it means to be a Newfoundlander. It was just an incredible experience to be able to win a championship in my first season at home.

But when the pandemic shut everything down in 2020, I thought that was going to be the end of the road for me.

I was at peace with it. I had just gotten hired with the St. John’s Regional Fire Department. I really thought at that point that I was retired. I talked to John Snowden, our coach at the time. I gave him my spiel while sitting at Boston Pizza in Brampton when the season had just gotten cancelled.

I thought that I had just played my last hockey game.

But it ended up working out really well. Being a new, temporary firefighter, I wasn’t working all year and I got another two seasons out of it, which was amazing. In hindsight, I’m very thankful that things worked out the way they did. I thought I’d be playing less than five games this past season and I ended up playing just as many as I played the year before.

I was very thankful that I was able to do it that way and enjoy my last year.

I’m thankful I got to go out on my own terms and have my last game be at home.

When I got the call to come back to work with the Fire Department, I just knew with my new schedule combined with the number of contracted defensemen that we were going to get for the playoffs, there was a chance I wasn’t going to get to play. I decided that it was best for me to walk away at that point and enjoy my last game at home.

I touched the puck, it was a complete scramble. I remember just getting back to the bench and saying to myself “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Just play.

Don’t worry about anything else. Just have fun and see where things take you.”

The day was a bit hectic. There was no morning skate, so I went over to my parents’ house and they were the ones who drove me to the game. I thought that was kind of fitting. It was the way you started playing hockey and it was the way I was going to finish too.

I thought I was just going to skate in and split it up, then a punch came in at me. Next thing I know, I’m sitting in the box thinking to myself “This is my last game and I’m going to get kicked out of it.”.

I’m very thankful because the guys battled their asses off. It was kind of a nothing game for the team at this The final Sunday came and I had a ton of friends and point, but it meant a lot to me. family in the stands. I had known this was going to be my last game. I addressed the team and told the guys With my new full-time job coming up, the last thing I the situation. Everybody understood the magnitude of wanted to do in my last game was risk getting hurt. what it meant to me and my family. It was really special. Sure enough, what happens? There’s a big scrum.

And I would have been kicked out if it wasn’t for Zach It was a really weird feeling because I knew the guys O’Brien. He skated across the ice and looked at the ref were super excited for me and I was excited to play, but and told him “Give him as many penalties as you want, also there were a lot of nerves because I knew this is but this is Meller’s last game, whatever you do, don’t kick him out. Just let him play the rest.” going to be my last one.

My first couple of shifts were probably the worst shifts I ever played in my life. I had a turnover the first time

They had the conversation and let me serve my five minutes. I said to the refs “Thank you so much for letting me play it out.” I got out there and ended up scoring a goal at the end of the game.

I couldn’t have drawn it up any better. The boys were awesome. Going into the dressing room after the game, the boys had all kinds of beers there for us. We went out and celebrated. It was a great way to move into the next chapter. It was a picture perfect day in my eyes.

profession, it meant a lot to me to have her come down to the games and be the one to deal with my mood swings if I’m coming home cranky after a bad loss or coming home riding a high after a big win. She has always been one of my biggest supporters and pushed me to prolong my career. She has always supported me to play another year. We would always sit down every year and decide what’s best for us moving forward and she always pushed me to keep playing. I can’t thank her enough for her support along the way and being my number one fan.

Looking back at my career, there are too many people I need to thank for their support through the years.

From a Growlers organizational standpoint, I have to thank Glenn Stanford. I have known Glenn for years First, I have to thank my parents. They deserve a lot and he is an absolute stand-up guy. He was always of credit for taking a little boy from the Goulds and the most appreciative of what us Newfoundlanders giving him every opportunity to succeed. They put me brought to the organization, and was a big part of my in every hockey school and every program to make time with the Growlers. myself better. They are great parents who were always there to support me. As a kid, I saw the sacrifices they Here more than anywhere I had great relationships made for me. To pay them back and make them proud, with all of my coaches. Thank you to Ryane Clowe for I wanted to show that I was giving it my all and try to be bringing me in. I didn’t know where things were going the best I could be, no matter what level I was playing. to stand first trying to come home. I begged him to bring me on. He finally did, even though it took a little longer than I wanted to. He was the one who got my foot in the door to come home.

John Snowden is just an amazing person who gave me a lot of opportunities, not just to play the physical game, but to try to explore different parts of my game.

He really trusted me to be the player that he thought I could be. Big thanks to him.

From there, I have to thank the rest of my family and my friends. It meant a lot to me to be able to be able to play in front of my aunts, uncles, cousins as well as my grandparents. So many of my buddies were down there every single night to pump my tires. Big thanks to them. Looking through the stands each night and being able to see my family and friends supporting me is something special.

I’m so thankful for my wife who sacrificed a lot with me being gone for half the year playing hockey. With her working her own hectic schedules within the nursing

Obviously in these last two years with our coaches Eric Wellwood and Nate McIver as well as staff Brie Donelson, Nick Hornby and Gary Dowden, that was one of the funnest groups that I’ve played with from a staff perspective. I look at them more as friends than coaches or coworkers. I still talk to them almost every day. We have gained a really cool connection. I owe Welly a lot for letting me come back and play when I had to take time off. He was always finding ways to get me the time off to work my shifts and was super understanding of my transition period of moving onto the next part of my career. This was a group of people that believed in who I was as a person and a player and had a lot of belief and trust in what I brought to the team.

Where would I be without my teammates? From the time I moved away when I was 14 all the way up to now. I’ve played with so many different people and made so many great friendships. I could travel almost anywhere in the world and have a friend to call and meet up with for a beer and a bite to eat. You meet so many good people along the way that you take it for granted as you go along.

And of those teammates, coming home to play here with my buddies, Zach O’Brien, Marcus Power, Adam Pardy, Jordan Escott, as well as Todd Skirving and Derian Plouffe who became big parts of my friend group. These are the guys I grinded with these last few years. To be able to finish it off with these guys was really amazing.

And to the fans, it’s been one hell of a ride. From day one, the fans always supported this team and definitely always supported me. The fans always made it super enjoyable. I appreciate you all always coming down to the Mary Brown’s Centre and cheering loud when I got into scuffles or scored the odd goal. In my role of trying to create energy and pick up for my teammates, it was always a little easier when our crowd was so into it. It made it so fun to play in front of fans like that.

Thank you all for supporting me, supporting the team and supporting my journey as I take this step into a new chapter in my life.

Thank you, Growlers Nation.