1-On-1: with Ryan McGregor
Roadrunners Forward Ryan McGregor joined Adrian Denny and Kim Cota-Robles on this week’s Insider Podcast with his fifth season in Tucson coming up in 2024-2025. To hear the complete interview and how he got nominated for the podcast by Curtis Douglas, download the full show below.
Listen to “Straight Through To Ryan McGregor” on Spreaker.
What are you up to and who did you skate with today? How many hours a day are you training?
I just got off the ice a little bit ago with Owen Power (Buffalo Sabres) and Kent Johnson (Columbus Blue Jackets) and hanging out now. Owen usually gets the ice and we just go and do our own thing out there. We have a good group that likes to work hard and we have fun. It’s been a good summer. It’s usually pretty early mornings Monday through Friday, go into the gym around 7 a.m., workout around 7:15 a.m., usually around an hour and a half-ish; it’s been getting a little longer now that we’re getting closer to the season. Get on the ice around 9 a.m., on the ice for an hour, hour and a half. Then kind of the rest of the day is mine to go golf or hangout with some of my buddies from home that I don’t get see very often. Then on the weekend, I like to, either golf or go to my buddies’ cottages. It’s pretty much just train, and usually a nap in there somewhere and that’s about it.
Have you seen any former Roadrunners lately? Your roommate in Tucson Curtis Douglas?
I haven’t see Curtis for a bit. I was in Muskoka (Two hours north of Toronto) and I saw Bear (Travis Barron) and Wellsy (Dylan Wells). Wellsy’s dad is the drummer for a big Canadian band, The Tim Hicks Band. We went to that concert in Muskoka and got to see Wellsy’s dad play the kit and it was awesome. We got to go and talk to him after the show, so it was cool. It’s a country band, they have one song called Stronger Beer that’s pretty popular.
Roadrunners Rapid Fire Questions: Ryan described the below in one word or one sentence:
Hockey In The Desert: It’s fun, good fans.
Tucson, Arizona: Hot
Cameron Hebig: Gritty
Curtis Douglas: He’s a big ogre.
Best Roadrunners Jersey: Kachinas
Killing a Penalty: No pucks in the net.
Taking a Face-Off: Win
Favorite Thing About Playing Hockey: Getting to compete.
Favorite Thing About Being a Hockey Player: Being one of the guys.
Tumamoc: Steep
Summer: Time to relax
Favorite Color: Green
Tacos: Better in Tucson.
Favorite Food: Steak
Mullets: Dougie (Curtis Douglas)
Theme Nights: Fun time.
Road Trips: Hanging out with the guys.
Year number five in Tucson is coming up, do you remember your first ever day in Tucson and the first time ever that you walked into the TCC?
When I got sent down (from NHL camp), we came in the day before and I kind of just put all of my stuff in there and walked in the room and saw the facilities. I remember taking a picture of my stall and that was about it. We have a perfect facility there, we have everything we need and I’ve always loved playing there.
You and Cameron Hebig are both coming back for your fifth seasons, you’ve been in Tucson together the whole time.
He’s about as pro’s pro as you can be. He comes in and does his thing every day. When I come in every morning, I can tell you exactly where he’s going to be every day and every second of the day. He’s a great guy, he’s one of the best guys I’ve played with.
We have some new guys coming to town to join the team. Is there anything you wish that you had been told about moving to Tucson that would have helped in advance?
(During the season) make sure you wear a sweater in the morning and make sure you come out of the rink with it off. We get to the rink 7 a.m.-ish and it’s cold and you come out of the rink and it’s boiling. That’s probably the main one. Just enjoy it. It’s a great city and I’ve loved every second there. Enjoy the weather, enjoy all of the great people we have around and soak it all in.
Have you had a favorite game, a favorite moment so far with the Roadrunners through your first four seasons?
I scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal one year (2021), that was a fun moment; just to see all the fans. We clinched playoffs two years ago, it was a dog fight until the end. When we clinched, it was awesome in the room after and everyone was so fired up. I’ll remember that for awhile.
It’s your fifth year with Head Coach Steve Potvin too, what’s the biggest thing that he’s taught you involving hockey and outside of hockey?
Outside of hockey, he’s definitely helped me with routines and being a good pro; he’s not scared to do the work himself. He loves to be around the rink, he loves to be in the gym. When you have a coach like that who knows his stuff and he’s putting in the work; it makes you want to follow suit and play even harder for him. At the rink, lots of stuff with my own personal play, lots of stuff with structure; he’s really helped me know what they need from me and what the team needs from me to win. The skill stuff is good, all of the technical stuff. I talked to him a couple of weeks ago and he’s one of the best coaches I’ve had and I’m excited to play for him again.
What are you looking forward to most coming up this season with the group we have after the second place finish last year and the biggest win increase in the league?
I’m just excited to get back with the guys. We have such a great group of guys and a good core that we should be able to pick up where we left off, get going right away and get off to a hot start. I think everyone has got a bit of fire in their bellies after what happened in the playoffs last year and once we get there; be able to turn it on and remember what happened last year and not let it happen again.
