StormCast Episode 11 | Storm Goalies ready to make AO Arena home

Manchester Storm’s goalies are counting the days until they can finally call the AO Arena home as they spoke of their excitement in working together again.

Drew DeRidder, Evan Weninger and Tyler De La Bertouche are all signed on for the new season, with the latter heading to NIHL National League side Hull Seahawks on a two-way deal.

But it hasn’t stopped the guys looking forward to a great campaign ahead on the back of a successful year that culminated in a maiden appearance in the play-off finals weekend.

All three were guests on the latest edition of the official podcast, StormCast as they looked ahead to life in the AO, with Evan Weninger more than happy to continue his stay for a fourth season.

Coach Critch did a great job in bringing so many of the guys back after having such a fun year and so much success

he said.

The move into downtown was a big part for a lot of us too

I just think the culture we’ve started to build and the success we had was due to everybody buying in and it speaks to what Critch and Finner (Ryan Finnerty) have built and the way things are done, it was non stop fun.

It’s hard to pick one or two things that made me want to come back.  We have amazing fan support and Manchester is one of the nicest cities in the world, in my opinion.  I bounced around different places, but in Manchester, I’ve definitely found a home.

Also back is Drew DeRidder who’s particularly excited for the new season and a chance to play at the AO Arena, which he says is a game changer, giving Storm’s new home some high praise.

It’s going to be incredible,

he said.

There are some rinks in the league you want to go to more than others.  It’s interesting in that sense where you might be one of the lesser rinks that seats only 2,000 people and another night, you’re in one of the big stadiums.

It’s going to make all the difference in the world, getting more fans in the building with nicer facilities.  It’s also going to bring better players to the team in the future and will attract more fans too.

Being downtown will naturally draw more people and I think our fans will follow us all the way from Altrincham.  Everything about it is just going to be so much better.

Being in North America, I’ve visited a few NHL and college facilities and this, for me, is rated on par with the best NHL facilities in the world.

Tyler De La Bertouche is also pleased to be part of the new era at the club and his awareness of the nostalgia around the place makes the anticipation of being there all the better. 

You’ve got guys like Mikey Mo (Mike Morin) who has been around the club for ages and you see the videos of what the arena used to be like back in the 90’s and it looks incredible.

It looks so packed, so loud and so energetic and I think that is what everyone is really excited for - to get a big crowd behind us and to go out and play our hardest every night to try and win for the fans.

Hear more from the goalies in the latest episode of StormCast which is available now wherever you get your podcasts. Download, subscribe and listen now!👇

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