1-On-1: with Ben McCartney

Roadrunners Forward Ben McCartney joined Adrian Denny and Jonathon Schaffer on this week’s Insider Podcast. For the complete conversation and to learn about the results of Ben’s Buzzfeed Quiz on a new hobby, download this week’s show below.

Listen to “The Early Bird Gets The Worm With Benny” on Spreaker.

You were named an Alternate Captain again last season for the team. How big of an honor was that for you?

It was really cool; with that group of guys there could have been 20 different ones. It was an honor, but at the same time you just need to keep being yourself and not change the way you are. It was great being able to lead those guys again.

When you had injuries last season, how were you still trying to be a leader of the team off the ice?

It’s putting in the work; on the other side of things when people aren’t looking, that’s the biggest thing. It’s making changes at the same time and trying to improve as a human every single day. It was a tough season in some aspects last year, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Roadrunners Rapid Fire Questions: Ben described the below in one word or one sentence:

What examples will you try to set for the new guys coming to the team in 2024-25?

Just like the culture in Tucson, I think every single year I’ve been playing here it’s been getting better. The way we’re building a strong connection throughout the locker room with a lot of guys coming back from last year, I think we’ll have a great culture and just set the tone. For myself, I’ll try to improve every single day and hopefully that helps the rest of the team.

You’ve seen a lot of cultures with the teams you’ve been with over the years: being a part of building and growing while showing others the way. Would you say it was like that in Juniors and now it’s the same with you and the Roadrunners?

Juniors was the same process as it has been with my time in professional: at the start we were rebuilding in a way but then by year four, we were one of the better teams in the league. I find that is what’s happening here: it was a tough taste in our mouths last year losing in the playoffs in the first round, but that is what’s going to make us stronger for this year.

When you look at the jump from year-to-year, it was a huge regular season jump: going from seventh place to second place and the biggest win improvement in the league. Now this year, how do we make it be second place to first place with a playoff run?

That is exactly the goal; we just have to take it day-by-day and we know what we have to do to win hockey games now. We have a lot of guys on the team from last year so it will be really exciting.

You came to our development camps year-after-year when you were drafted really young. All of a sudden you are now entering your fourth professional season. How different is going home for the entire summer rather than breaking it up for the two-week camp?

You know what, I still feel like I’m young; it is definitely different now that I’m not considered a prospect anymore because I don’t go to those camps anymore. I go straight to the main camp and get right to work. I’m getting older now; time flies by and you have to take advantage of your opportunity when you get it. I’m really excited for this year to be back in Tucson.

When you see the Pacific Division this year and who we have acquired in the offseason, the Roadrunners have a shot to be the frontrunners in the division. What do you think the next step is for the team to win the Pacific Division?

It’s all about short-term memory; we lost a few guys like every other team, but we also added some guys. Last year was a difficult taste after playoffs but we know what do to and we know how to win hockey games. We just have to start on-time this year and I know we will again. On the same side of things, there are teams that will be hungry in the division that weren’t good last year so you can’t take any games for granted. We have to worry about ourselves come October and start strong.