CS: What first drew you into supporting the Storm?
GC: My wife bought tickets on Boxing Day 2022 for ‘something to do’ over Christmas. We got lucky—it was an 8-1 win over Guildford—but we loved the atmosphere generated by the crowd and the 90s pop music. The guys behind us in Block 114 let my 8-year-old daughter wave a big flag, which helped her have a great day too. I’m a cricket coach by trade, but from that moment on, I became obsessed with ice hockey and haven’t missed much since!

CS: Our biggest rivals in the league traditionally have been Sheffield, but which games do you most look forward to in the season?
GC: I love a win against a big team as much as the next person, but I just enjoy generally winning. Therefore, I often most look forward to the ‘easier’ games, but I won’t jinx anything by naming names here! The pre-season games against foreign teams were good too, just to see something different.

CS: What is the most memorable Storm goal you’ve seen?
GC: Scott Simmonds’ equalizer in the 2-2 draw against Sheffield in the 2023 play-offs was something else. I’ve never heard any sporting arena be that loud before; Ginner mentioned his ears were still ringing after the game, and it got pretty loud in 113 when Simmo bundled that one in!

CS: What are your thoughts on how the squad looks so far?
GC: I’m delighted we kept so many of the high performers from last year. I think that keeps the floor of the team pretty high this year. We seem to have brought in some good players on top of that. I guess it’s a bit early to say, as a lot of them are still settling in, and anything can happen. We’ve suffered some injuries early on, which makes it harder to assess. I’m excited that we can roll four lines this season, and I hope that means the players can get used to playing with line-mates a little more than last year. The sooner we can get Durflinger & Ulett back together, the better.

CS: Who is your current favourite player on the roster, and why?
GC: It’s hard to name just one, but if pushed, I’d go with Tyler Hinam. I think he is hugely underrated by the wider EIHL media, but he scored a good amount of points last year when all games at Altrincham were relatively low-scoring. He scores a range of goals; I particularly like his inside cuts on the breakaway, while he also plays with a bit of snarl.

CS: If you could bring in any player from within the league, who would it be and why?
GC: Some people might disown me for saying this, but I think we lack a big-hitting, heavy defenceman, and the best I’ve seen in the league is Kevin Tansey at Sheffield. Sorry! I’m a New York Rangers fan, and if Jacob Trouba ever wanted to form a stellar pairing with Joe Morrow, then I’d pay a few extra quid for my ticket!

CS: If you could make one change to the game of hockey, what would it be and why?
GC: In the EIHL, they could do with getting the refs mic’d up so we could understand what is going on with decisions. Otherwise, I like the rule adopted in some competitions where a short-handed goal kills the power play. I think it would create more drama and excitement, and probably benefit Hinam and Storm!

CS: What is your favourite away day within the league?
GC: It’s not something I’ve gotten properly into at the moment, with other family and work responsibilities. Nottingham was really enjoyable, and I didn’t know the UK had ice rinks that size until I went. I want to get to Cardiff and Glasgow this season… but then I’d also like to get back to New York!

I would like to thank Graham for his time to do this Q & A. If you would like to be a part of future chapters of ‘A View From The Glass’ please contact: schoracallum@yahoo.com