Pre-Game | John Beecher – 19.11.25

Pre-Game | John Beecher – 19.11.25

maybe just uh talk a little bit about how you found out about the move yesterday and and what the travel is like to get here and how excited you are to join the planes. Uh yeah. Um you know I think first and foremost um you know extremely excited um you know I think it’s uh it’s a great opportunity for me here and um you know really hoping I can you know come in and you know solidify myself in a role and um you know help this team win and um you know as far as yesterday went it uh it was definitely you know a bit of a whirlwind. Um, you know, I was just kind of sitting around all morning and um, you know, hanging out at my my apartment just trying to keep my mind off things a bit and um, you know, 2:00 came around and um, you know, got the call that it was going to be Calgary and um, you know, I was I was super excited and you know, then I was I was on the phone for a little bit, you know, just talking to different people and um, you know, had a had a 5:30 p.m. flight to catch to to come out here to Buffalo to meet the guys. So, um, you know, it uh, it definitely went by quick once it happened. Um, but you know, just just super excited to be here and and ready to get going. Fans that aren’t familiar with your game, what are you going to be bringing to this team and what do you want to accomplish here? Uh, I think just to summarize, I mean, I’m, you know, big two-way forward. Um, you know, I mean, my biggest assets are, you know, my my size and my speed. Um, you know, a guy you can kind of rely on in tough situations. You know, whether it’s PK or, you know, a shift late in the game where, you know, you got to got to take a Dzone draw and get the puck out. Um, so yeah. Um, you know, I think I would just say, you know, a well-rounded 200 foot foot player. What was that range of emotions like um yesterday, just as you, as you mentioned, kind of sitting waiting and then maybe followed by the excitement that comes with a fresh start? Uh, it was a lot. Um, you know, it was it was a bit of a roller coaster throughout the afternoon. Um, you know, honestly, it was it was so busy once it once it happened. You know, I didn’t even really have too much time to kind of sit down and let it sink in. And um you know, it was nice to be able to to get in pretty early last night just to kind of you know, decompress a little bit and and sit down just just by myself and and let everything kind of sink in. Um but yeah, you know, I mean, by the time, you know, my my head hit the pillow last night, I mean, it was nothing but, you know, just excitement and and eagerness to kind of get in here and meet the guys and and get going. So, you said you grew up fairly close to here. Maybe just talk about the family that’ll be here tonight to watch you. Yeah, I’m from uh from New York, so about 2 hours south of here. Um, so yeah, I mean I’m sure you know my my parents, my brother, um, you know, some extended family and some friends will probably be in the crowd tonight, which is, uh, which is always fun. You know, get to see them afterwards for a little bit, give some hugs, and um, so yeah, it’s uh, it’s exciting to see. No pregame skate this morning, so you kind of just jump right into things. What’s the messaging been from the coaching staff just in terms of expectations and and kind of easing you in here? Uh, yeah, you know, I mean, I’ve talked to the coaches a little bit this morning. Um, you know, I think it’s just a matter of, you know, playing my game. um you know they they want to see me use my speed. You know they want to see me kind of you know try and get by defenders and and get the pucks in deep and you know put some stress on them. So um you know I think the biggest thing they’re looking for is just you know size and speed in the lineup and um you know I mean that’s just you know what I kind of have to focus on bringing tonight. Um you know might be a little rusty out there to start the game but uh you know just got to keep it simple and and go to work. [Music]

“It’s a great opportunity for me here”