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charlieconway · 09-26-2019, 05:14 PM

Langdon Alger,
PuckShack News
September 25

I’ve gone to many interviews with many players over the years. Some of them I come to find tedious, or stilted. Athletes that don’t want to open up with a media figure, for fear of rocking the boat or angering the wrong person on the wrong team.

When I was tasked with meeting Adam Barron and Karl Krashwagen of the Halifax Raiders, I had an idea of what I was getting into. Adam’s a well spoken kid out of Newfoundland, just a hop and skip over from Halifax’s Nova Scotia. Karl’s a bit of a mystery to a lot of people, a strapping teenager straight out of the German youth leagues. It’s hard to imagine they’d have a lot in common, but despite the initial language barrier and culture shock, I’ve been told they’re hard to keep apart.

* * *

Upon arriving at Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre, I was treated to the sounds of crossed sticks, shouting teenagers, and bodies slamming against the boards. On the ice were a team in red and another in white, chasing each other up and down a crisp sheet of ice. The stands were largely empty, save for a group of parents huddled behind the player benches, shouting encouraging words to their children below.

On the opposite side of the arena, I saw two figures sitting in seats just in front of the press boxes. One was leaning against the railing, dressed in all white and switching between raucous laughter and intense concentration. The other, of a slighter build but still large by normal standards, was leaning back in his seat, just as amused by his companion as he was by the action on the ice.

“Are you here to meet Adam and Karl?”

A woman in her thirties was motioning me toward the stairs nearby, a clipboard in her hand.

I followed her up to the balcony. There I was seated next to the two figures, now revealed upon closer inspection to be Adam Barron and Karl Krashwagen, my interviewees.

Adam was dressed simply, in a pair of jeans and a leather jacket. He stuck out a hand to greet me, but hurried to switch to the other after remembering it was in a cast.

“Broken?”

“Nah, training accident.” He brushed his hand against his back, as if to hide it. “Karl, the guy’s here.”

Krashwagen spun around, revealing an Italian sport coat and white linen pants. His shirt had the top three buttons undone, and around his wrist dangled a Rolex, everose gold with a face as green as a pool table’s felt. He looked straight out of Miami Vice.

“Nice to meet you. You should dress better.”

If I didn’t know it was a joke based on the tone, the goofy grin would surely have given it away.

I took a seat nearby, prepared my tape recorder, and began the interview.

* * *

“First thing’s first, tell me how you met.”

The two shared a laugh, and a moment passed before Karl decided to answer. “I guess the first day would’ve been on draft day, yeah? We took some photos with all the Halifax picks and Coach Balls, but we never really had the opportunity to talk to each other that day, just the two of us.”

Adam leaned forward. “I think with that first day, it’s really hard to make a connection with anyone new, since there’s such a hurry to get things set up for the team and the new guys coming in.”

Karl continued. “In training camp, they put our stalls next to each other – all the rookies were together for things like team bonding and more efficient hazing. We hit it off right away, and I knew Barry was a special player.”

“Yeah, I mean, we got off to a great start just because I think we both had the idea that if we were gonna survive those first few weeks on the team we needed someone to have our back. It’s a bit like when you’re new at school and you share a glance with some other kid in kindergarten. Something small like that can lead to a friendship that you wouldn’t have predicted.”

A cheer went up from the players on the ice, and Krashwagen waved a dismissive hand in the air before sitting down next to his teammate.

“Lucky goal.”

I pressed on. “How has the season been with the Raiders?”

Adam stopped to gather his thoughts, straightening out the cuff of his jacket. Before he could answer, Karl chimed in.

“A wild ride. We entered camp with no expectations for us, or the team. I think that showed in camp, especially when… when I think it was the second skate that [Atlas] Rush came into the locker room all furious, like,” he mimicked angry smashing “’What the hell were you guys doing out there?’ He was throwing water bottles and he even destroyed the garbage can.”

“Yeah,” Adam added. “That’s what makes him such a great leader. He’s willing to give that much of a shit about practice, of all things. That level of standards spreads to the rest of the team.”

“It was a wake up call for sure. We got our act together, and put together a pretty good season. Picked up a couple of good players at the deadline, had high hopes going into the playoffs.”

The two fell silent, memories of their seventh game loss to the Militia clear on their faces.

After a moment, it was Adam that spoke up. “It’s not so much that we lost, I think. You have to go in expecting that any team can beat any other, that sometimes it’s not just your day or season. It’s that we came so close to beating them.”

Karl nodded. “We pushed them the hardest out of any team. If we beat the Militia, I think it’s us celebrating with the trophy two series later. No doubt about it in my mind.”

On September the 8th, the Montreal Militia and Halifax Raiders met in this very arena for game 7 of their secound round series. The two teams were deadlocked to start the third period, but the visitors took the lead after just four minutes, on a goal by Gaspard Boone. The Raiders, like the fans in the stands, went home devastated.

* * *

“Tell me about your living situations here in Halifax.”

Krashwagen’s face lit up. “I’m living with a billet—Sweet Mamma June. She’s been taking care of Raiders for what… the past twenty years? I think it’s twenty. She’s a nice lady that cooks the best fried shrimp, and she’s always excited to watch us play.”

“You’ve met her, Adam?”

“Of course. Most of us have. She’s something of an institution for people that pass through here on their way to the SHL. One of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.”

Karl started to laugh. He looked like he was about to speak, then thought the better of it. A curious “What?” from Adam was enough to get it out with.

“I think she might have a thing for [Raiders Coach] Ed [Balls]. She always seems to purposefully hang around after practice… she says it’s because the streets of Halifax are dangerous at night, but she lives two blocks away from the rink…”

“Plus she’s only about this tall.” Adam held a hand out barely four and a half feet off the floor.

“Anyway, she has a basement suite that she lets me have the full run of. If we’re in town June will make sure we’re all well fed. She even gets into the team spirit: she can always be counted to welcome the away team by throwing eggs at their bus.”

“Uhh, yeah. And you know, for my—”

“Actually,” Karl interjected, “Maybe cut that last part out of the article. I don’t want her getting into any trouble.”

Adam went on. “For my part, I’m not lucky enough to have a Sweet Mamma June character to make my meals. There can only be one of her, after all. I have some family that lives here in Halifax, and they’re kind enough to let me stay with them until I can get more settled in. But it’s tough, you know? In juniors, you’re never really sure when you’ll get called up to the big leagues.”

* * *

At Saturday’s draft, Adam Barron went first overall to the Winnipeg Jets, the first Raider to do so in recent memory. Twenty-two picks later, Krashwagen was taken by the West Kendall Platoon.

“How did you guys handle the leadup to the draft?”

Mention of the draft seemed to quiet the two Raiders down a bit. I’m not sure whether it was because they associated the event with nerves and speculation, or because they just wanted to put the whole thing behind them.

“There’s something that a lot of people don’t really see when it comes to the SHL entry draft.” Adam motioned his hand in front of his face, as if to block something out of sight. “Every single person there in that building is totally and completely unsure of their future, no matter how high they’re slated to go. It’s nice to have family, friends, teammates there with you. But in the end, it’s you alone, and you’re facing down the rest of your career.”

Karl nodded. “Leading up to the draft is when the rumours really start to fly. It’s a bit difficult to keep straight. I was talking to a few different teams and I wound up answering the same questions over and over and over.” He made a spinning motion with his finger. “It’s the most boring job interview, and you have to do it again and again.”

“It’s boring, yeah, and it’s the last thing you want to do at the time. When I’m nervous or uncertain about things, I want to get out on the ice or get into a workout at the gym.” Adam looked to Karl, who nodded in agreement. “You wind up feeling claustrophobic.”

Karl continued on. “Some teams make it unique, and some others can carry on an enjoyable conversation. But mainly it’s just a drag.”

“Yeah, I think when you’re in that kind of a rut you come to appreciate the people you have closest to you. Those people that keep you grounded. And I’m not even talking about teammates here, though the shared experience obviously helps. Just sending a text or sharing a joke with a parent or sibling can lighten the mood and take your mind off this huge thing that’s about to happen to you.”

“Were you hoping to be drafted to the same team?”

The two shared a look. They nodded, neither surprised to share the other’s answer.

“There was hope for sure.” Karl sighed, his eyes wandering down to the play on the ice below. “A fair number of teams asked if there was anyone I wanted to be drafted with, and I said Adam. I think I knew it was a bit of a long shot; I always ended up just talking about how good he is and how good he’s going to be.”

“Same here. I mentioned Krash when I could, because I got the sense beforehand that he wasn’t getting the credit he deserved.”

Krashwagen clapped a hand onto Barron’s shoulder. “I knew this guy was going to be a high pick, but I had no idea that he was going to be first overall. The rumors started swirling a few days before the draft. As things got closer to draft day, I started to feel more and more like it was a sure thing.”

Adam had a look of embarrassment, like he was ashamed to be speaking about his position as first overall. “It was surreal. I’d made it a point to set first as a goal for myself, especially after the junior draft. Eighteenth overall felt like a slight, and I knew I had it in me to climb the rankings.” He paused to think for a moment, and then shook his head, as if to dismiss the idea entirely. “Whatever, it’s meaningless in the end if I can’t do anything to prove it was earned.”

Karl had a sly grin on his face as he watched his teammate squirm. “I really am immensely happy for him. I had a feeling us winding up in the same spot wasn’t meant to be when Winnipeg didn’t contact me before the draft, and then looking at the range I thought I would go in, and the teams that showed some interest. The stars didn’t align.”

“Winnipeg and West Kendall. You guys will be playing far apart. Your thoughts?”

Adam answered first. “It’s too bad, but maybe that’s for the best. The league couldn’t handle us being on the same team again. Give them a break, let ‘em separate us by thousands of kilometers. He takes the Eastern Conference, I take the West. We’ll meet in the finals.”

Karl laughed. “Geographically, yes, we’re far apart. We’re even in different countries, so visits will be few and far between. But I’m planning on buying a nice vacation house in West Kendall and Adam’s getting a key to come ‘train’ during the off season.”

“I don’t know about that…”

“C’mon. It has nice weather, and I hear the alligators aren’t all that bad.”

Adam shook his head. “I’ve lived my entire life in Canada. I don’t think I could stand the heat in Florida.”

A moment passed while I fiddled with my tape recorder. Krashwagen returned to the balcony railing and resumed watching the game on the ice.

“I think I’m about to score.”

I moved beside him just in time to see a large player—large for his age group, at least—peel off from the group and barrel toward the goalie on a breakaway, his number 9 jersey in plain sight. He got to the high slot before reaching back and letting loose a well-timed, well-aimed slap shot.

“Hey!” Krashwagen bellowed a laugh and pointed at the player, who was now celebrating his goal with his team. “He even celebrates like me!”

“Let’s get back to it. Both of you climbed high in this draft as opposed to the last one. Why do you think that is? Were you under scouted, or do you think there was a mark against you?”

Karl sat back down. “I don’t think I was under scouted at all. There were two teams that I was interested in joining based on their feedback, and I didn’t care when I went. I knew that coming over here I’d have to climb over some of the local players and I feel I did that through constant, consistent effort.”

Adam nodded. “I felt the same.”

“Adam was a actually a bit of a role model for me because he was our first pick, so I’ve been comparing myself to him and trying to emulate his work ethic.”

“People put too much emphasis on talent. When you get to juniors, pretty much everyone was at the top of their programs,” added Adam, “so the main thing to do is work that extra bit to make yourself stand out. I did what I could, and then seeing Krasher join me at the gym all the time or skate extra hard at practice pushed me even more, and we helped each other that way.”

“Yeah. It must’ve been effort that got me on some teams’ radar, because it sure as hell wasn’t my points!” Krashwagen elbowed his teammate in the ribs, and to his credit, Barron did his best to hide the pain. “I stumbled out of the gate a bit, but kept at it and I think the improvement was noted when I was talking with different SHL teams.”

“It felt like they were always watching,” added Adam.

Karl looked resigned. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear our locker room was bugged.”

* * *

In the upcoming S50 season, the Raiders roster has been competely overhauled from the past year. On September 22nd, Halifax traded winger Cody and centerman Conor Tanner to the Lethbridge Lions for five draft picks in the S50 SMJHL entry draft. The move signaled a desire to retool a team that lost several key players to graduation: veteran Esa Parmborg, winger Josef Kubinec, all-around centerman Taiseri-Tiikei Wawazat, winger Ricky Spanish, and S49 deadline acquisitions Noah Tedla and Jon Forty-One.

“Speak a little about your teammates that graduated. Esa Parmborg, Josef Kubinec, Ricky Spanish, TT Wawazat.”

“It’s a sad part of being in the SMJHL: the same time you’re coming, others are going. There’s no getting around it, you just have to learn to cope and make sure you don’t depend too much on others to improve your game. Not that there’s anything wrong with getting help, but there’s always the chance that a teammate will graduate or get traded out of nowhere.”

“Adam’s right, but while they were here, they were a solid presence all season. Esa lead us in points this year and helped me get started with my snap shot. He’s a great role model because he played such a big role on the team, and even when we brought in the guys at the deadline he was a mainstay on our top line.”

“Cooks a mean bowl of Parm, too” Adam interjected.

“Ricky was always buzzing on the ice, generated great offense. Just a real weapon on offense.” Krashwagen mimicked a gun firing. “Insane release that guy had.”

“And then,” Krashwagen continued, “Wozzy [Wawazat] is someone I’m currently modelling my play around because he came to the Raiders as a forward and he dominated on D this season. His adaptability was superior and I’m hoping I can channel some of his abilities in the upcoming WJC.”

“Kube [Kubinec], along with Esa, was one of the most supportive people in the locker room. I always felt like he was rooting for us to do well.” Barron interlocked his fingers. “We were a tight knit group and it went a long way toward us surpassing expectations in S49.”

Karl nodded, and then leaned in close to my tape recorder. “Best of luck in the big league, guys, and in a few seasons watch out! I’ll give you each one free pass.”

I’m not sure if he realized that the interview would all be transcribed afterward, but I pressed on anyway.

“The trade that sent Cody and [Conor] Tanner to the Lions. Could you talk to me about that? Where were you when you heard the news?”

“I was actually at the draft.” Karl sighed. “I was just talking with West Kendall management and meeting a few of the players who were at the draft as well, Andrey Barbashev and Jack Wilson. I got a text from Ed Balls letting us know a couple of minutes before it broke on TV, and they actually quieted down the room and put on SportsCenter to watch.”

Adam began zipping his jacket up and down quickly, and I began to wonder if it was going to tear. “I think I was talking with a couple of other draftees too, though I can’t remember who. I don’t know that I was particularly sad about it; I saw the writing on the wall with how last season ended. I’ll miss them, but in the end it was the right move, I think.”

“Yeah. It was a whirlwind of emotions: the high of being drafted, to the low of losing two huge locker room presences. I’ll see Cody during training with West Kendall, and when I get the call up, but it still feels a bit empty. At the end of the day, it’s a business, and Ed has to try to compete over seasons, not just one year. He gave us a real strong chance last year and his trade deadline moves showed confidence, this is just the fallout from that. We have to build ourselves back and we’re getting an opportunity to have some new studs join the locker room with some high picks this year.”

I figured I knew the answer to my question before I even asked it, but decided to go for it anyway.

“Does the trade give you second thoughts on your chances at a Four Star Cup this season?”

Adam sat up. “Not at all.”

Karl gave an incredulous laugh. “Hell no! Call me stupid for saying it, but we still have a really solid core, and we’re going to get some fresh blood to help build. When I joined the Raiders last year I heard the rumours and the jokes, but we rose all the way to finishing third in the regular season. This league is so fluid, anything can happen.”

“I agree. The difference between first and last is no where near what it is in the SHL. I think that’s natural given how raw the players are here in juniors.” Adam didn’t quite seem as confident as his teammate, but hearing Krashwagen’s answer seemed to boost him a bit. “Us being underrated just makes it all the sweeter when we overcome.”

“We’re still going to gou out there and dominate our opponents both physically and mentally. As long as we keep our home barn a tough place to play,” Krashwagen motioned to the entirety of the arena, “we can do great things this season.”

* * *

Topping off a whirlwind offseason, the World Junior Championship is expected to start in late September. Adam will be suiting up for his native Canada, while Karl is being given a leadership role in the DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) roster. This is likely to mark the first time these two will have played each other, at least since the prospect showcase, though they hadn’t met each other at the time.

“Talk about the WJC. You’re both playing for some pretty strong teams. What do you think it’ll be like to line up against each other?”

Krashwagen grinned his trademark grin. “It’s gonna be fun. I’m playing D so Adam probably won’t have to shoulder check every time he goes to pick up the puck from the corners, but who knows, I might still get to him. I’ve been working on my speed.”

“Maybe,” Adam added, “but we’re stacked. I’m not entirely sure I’ll be getting much ice time with some of the players on our blueline. Gabe [Johnson], Lyle [Odelein III], even another new guy in Wanger [Anchorage defenseman Augustus Wang]. Whatever happens, I just hope we can both make it deep.” He crossed his fingers.

I wasn’t surprised at their camaraderie, but sensed there was a hint of rivalry as well. “So who’s going to take home the Gold medal?”

Krashwagen scoffed. “Thanks for the easy question: it’s going to be DACH, where people speak German! I wish Adam the best as long as they're not playing us, though. I’ll be in the stands rooting for him.”

Adam didn’t seem so certain. “I want to say one of us will wind up with the gold, but there are some great teams at the tournament. UCORCAL and USA both have a shot, and team World is a strong one as well. Like the SMJHL, anything can happen in international hockey. I wouldn’t count anyone out at this point.”

* * *

“Finally, is there any message you’d like to get out to your fans?”

As had happened a few times in the intervew earlier, Adam went to speak but Krashwagen leaned in, his enthusiasm barely contained.

“Yeah absolutely. I want to thank you for supporting us, from the bottom of my heart. Your support for the SMJHL gives a ton of players an opportunity to achieve their SHL dreams and that is all we can ask for.”

“Like Karl, I’d also like to thank—”

“Erik the Red is out there somewhere so watch out rest of the league, ‘cause we’re about to have a Raiding Party!” Krashwagen flexed and grimaced at me, as if I was the other nine teams come to life. “No but seriously though, all Raiders fans are invited to a party in Mamma June’s backyard for the SMJHL draft. We’re gonna have a stage to watch it live, we’ll have some live music, drinks and food. Come on down and meet some of the Raiders and members of the Halifax community.”

“I think Krasher hit the nail on the head, we really owe all our success to the great people here in this wonderful city. I’d also like to give a shoutout to our management for fostering such a great locker room, and of course our families and friends. We can’t promise we’ll take home the Four Star Cup—”

“—I can—”

“—but we’ll do whatever it takes to turn this franchise’s fortunes around while we’re here.”

I motioned that the interview was at its end, and the two noticeably relaxed. They were candid, but it’s clear they belong more on the ice than they do in the stands.

“Thank you so much for your time.”

* * *

I’m not entirely sure that their enthusiasm was warranted. By most accounts, the Raiders are an organization set to continue the mediocre tradition they’ve set for themselves in the past decade.
All around them, teams have improved. Lethbridge, in particular, has added two of Halifax’ best players while seeing their massive S49 draft class gain another year of experience. Bolstered on the blueline by first rounder Disisde Dayudie and probable rookie-of-the-year winner Akira Ren, they’ll be a tough out for anyone in the playoffs.

But despite everything stacked against them, I can’t help but get the feeling that Halifax as a whole is a city willing to buy in. My trip from the airport to the Scotiabank Centre made it clear that there’s no shortage of Raiders fans here; everywhere you look, there’s a car flag, or a jersey, or a cap with the familiar viking logo front and center.

Though they may not be treated to immediate success, the future looks strong for the Raiders as a whole. Adam and Karl were right to point out the change in plan, as Ed Balls clearly sees this as a year to retool the roster and get younger. Halifax is fortunate enough to have the first overall pick in Wednesday’s S50 SMJHL draft, as well as a slew of picks in the first four rounds, and there’s no shortage of promising young talent to choose from.

It will be interesting to follow along throughout the season, to see if the two rookies can keep their promise of contention in spite of the off-season roster changes. I predict the S50 season will be seen as the coming out party for both players, as they have another chance to prove what they’re made of.

When interviewing the two, I was struck by their optimism. Halifax has been the laughing stock of the league, failing to win it all—indeed, failing to contend for most seasons in recent history. But maybe that changes now.

Maybe the Raiders future is looking bright.

One thing’s for certain: if Halifax is to succeed, Adam Barron and Karl Krashwagen will need to be at the center of it all. ■

[4,569 words. x2 Draft media bonus. This was a joint effort and as such I'd like to split the earnings 50/50 with @CementHands ]

Steelhead77 · 09-26-2019, 05:54 PM

Two great players, 1 giant article!

Great work! raiders

---> ParmBorg Highlights <---

#1 All-Time SHL Goal & Point Scorer
- First 2,000 TPE Player in SHL History -
- First 400 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- Only 500 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- First GM to Win 5 & 6 Challenge Cups -
Esa Anrikkanen Award - SMJHL ROY - Est. S34
Vidrik Onoprienko Award Winner - S45

Dragonite

mxman991 · 09-26-2019, 06:10 PM

Wow great article! Hope we turn around the team this year though!

JR95 · 09-26-2019, 07:33 PM

Awesome article guys! You two are gonna crush this league for a looonnnggg time!

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