75: Soup’s On Interview with Carson Campbell

0:01Justin: Hey Andrew.

0:02Andrew: Hey Justin.

0:04Justin: Hey Soupy.

0:05Carson Campbell: Hey boys, how's it going?

0:07Andrew: Hey, it's Carson Campbell of Campbellford joining us. The legend. Build a statue.

0:19Carson Campbell: Welcome to the AudPod, where we're talking Kitchener Rangers hockey with the AudBalls themselves, Andrew and Justin. Take it away, fellas. Build a statue.

0:32Andrew: There you go. We've got him blushing already here on the pod. Just, yeah, just showering you with praise like we did all down the stretch run about your unbelievable step up in game, your development. It all blossomed as the Rangers blossomed. Welcome to the show, man. Thank you for being here.

0:53Carson Campbell: Thanks, guys. Appreciate it. Big fan. I've seen all the episodes, so it's exciting to finally Finally be on it.

0:59Andrew: Amazing. This is incredible.

1:02Justin: You and Andrew's mom have seen every episode.

1:06Andrew: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah, she's seen them multiple times. So, you know, I don't expect anybody else to watch multiple times, but she knows everything about you guys that we know. Not everything, but everything that we know. Speaking of which, I have to ask, Because you are Carson Campbell from Campbellford. Are you the first family of Campbellford or is that just a coincidence? I have to know.

1:31Carson Campbell: It's strictly a coincidence. It's actually funny because I feel like every time I introduce myself, that's the immediate question I'm asked. But yeah, no relation to the founding fathers of Campbellford.

1:44Andrew: Okay. Because I wondered, I'm like, oh man, you know, then like, is there already a statue of great-great-great-grandfather Campbell? You know, I don't know, but I'm glad that it's just a coincidence. That's fun. I know as a kid I would have been confused, but I'm not bright, so I'm glad that that didn't happen to you. Let's just get right into it, man. What a year. What a run. What a team. What was it like? I know we're going to— let's, let's get it out of the way because I hate goodbyes. What was it like going on that run and then having to say goodbye to that unit, that defensive unit, that team?

2:25Carson Campbell: Yeah.

2:25Andrew: But you were on top. What was that like?

2:27Carson Campbell: Definitely, definitely a whirlwind of emotions, Andrew. You know, like you said, it's tough because, you know, for the last kind of 3 years we built that, that core with, you know, kind of me, Ando, Reider, Nieler, all those guys. And then, you know, obviously bringing in Wolfe, that was a huge addition to our back end and stuff. And then Bill stepping up that last year and having an unreal season and getting drafted to the Leafs was obviously pretty cool for him as well. But Definitely bittersweet because even now sitting back and looking at it, it was just such a process. My first year I'm traded in there, we're bumped in the second. The year after we make it to the Conference Finals, we're bumped. And then finally last year we kind of see the whole journey come to fruition. It was pretty special. And I know I'm biased, and I'm sure if you ask the D-core and Flynn, we were the motor of that team, I like to think. And we brought it every night and it was pretty special what we had back there.

3:25Justin: Flinner 100% agrees. We talked to him a few weeks ago and he even— he was like, you could see the tears in his eyes. He's like, that group was so special.

3:34Andrew: Turns out he's a big softie.

3:36Justin: Who knew?

3:36Andrew: With all those, with all those ejections. Big softie.

3:39Carson Campbell: Yeah. At his core. Yeah. Yeah.

3:41Justin: At his core.

3:43Andrew: So you did. You mentioned that you came to Kitchener in a trade from Sarnia.

3:47Justin: So take us through that.

3:48Andrew: Like, you're— you're— I mean, you're very— you're still very young, but you're extremely young in the league. You've been drafted by Sarnia. You think you're going to be living in Sarnia, going to school, and then suddenly you're headed to Kitchener. What's that like for a young teenager?

4:02Carson Campbell: Yeah, it was tough. Like, yeah, so obviously as a 16-year-old, I was in Sarnia and I only played, you know, maybe half a season. We had a really good team that year. We ended up getting bumped in the conference finals against London, who was obviously— they lost in the finals that year. But then the next 2 years went on to, you know, win the league and then the Memorial Cup, obviously. So that was A pretty good team, but we were also a good team as well. So I didn't really get much opportunity, wasn't playing a lot. And so my second year as a 17-year-old, I went back and I think I was only there maybe a week and a half, 2 weeks, like just out of training camp. And I kind of remember like it was yesterday. I was actually in high school in chemistry class and got a text from our GM and I went into the rink and, you know, obviously as a 17-year-old, I'm thinking, you know, what did I do wrong? What's happening? I was obviously scared and nervous. He kind of sat me down and we kind of just shot the shit for a while. And then he kind of just was like, yeah, look, we're going to trade you to Kitchener. And obviously at the time I was pretty devastated because in my mind I was ready to spend the next 4 or 5 years of my life in Sarnia and kind of hopefully build a winning team there. But looking back now, I should have been laughing because I was being put in the best franchise and the best situation possible for me at the time. So it was, it was kind of a blessing in disguise, I would say.

5:24Andrew: You came here and you immediately played 58 games like you were. You had so much like opportunity here as soon as you got here. Did you feel like that took a weight off your mind in the sense of did that give you a confidence boost getting to Kitchener?

5:40Carson Campbell: Yeah. No, for me it was just a fresh start. It was a clean page. And yeah, I felt in my mind I was still an unestablished player in the league. No one really knew who I was. I hadn't played or proved myself. So coming to Kitchener and playing those 58 games right away was good for my morale and my confidence. And it wasn't my greatest year per se, but it was a good way to get my feet wet and get that foot into the league. And obviously the year after, I took another big step and that was huge for my development. So yeah, it was— It's a slow process, but yeah, it was, it was good.

6:16Justin: How was it coming into Kitchener, coming from, you know, I'm not super familiar with Sarnia when you were there, but Sarnia at that time and then coming into like this new, a new style of coaching for sure with, with Jussi Ahokas and Kyrzakos and, and Flynn are in there and then the crew that was there also learning these new systems. And how was that transition?

6:38Carson Campbell: Yeah, at first it was obviously tough. You know, it's, it's, it's tough, you know, For anyone, when you're learning a new system and you're trying to pick up and learn on the fly, you kind of feel like a fish out of water because everyone knows what they're doing and you're kind of, you know, second-guessing yourself and overhandling pucks and just bottling pucks because you're in your head. So those first initial 2 weeks were tough. And then once you start to settle in and get accustomed to the guys and the staff, it really helps.

7:03Justin: Yeah.

7:04Carson Campbell: But yeah, I think, you know, for me, like my first day at the Aud, just walking in, seeing the arena and the facilities, it's like you kind of think to yourself, like, there's levels to this thing. Like there's, there's good teams and good organizations and then there's like the top dogs. So I think I knew pretty soon and pretty early that I was, I was in a pretty good place.

7:24Justin: I like to think so too.

7:25Andrew: Yeah, exactly. Absolutely. Let's change gears a little bit here. At what point in your tenure in Kitchener did you start the foodie TikTok? Because this is what I heard. I heard— I actually watched another interview, so I'll give them credit. That you, you make— you do food reviews sometimes.

7:47Justin: I—

7:48Andrew: let me know, what, what's that about?

7:51Carson Campbell: Yeah, so I guess, uh, not last year but the year before, kind of the end of my third year, so it would have been my second year in Kitchener. I just, you know, I, I like food. I like to eat, man. So, um, I would just pull up the camera and I'd take videos of myself eating and I, I kind of give it a, a score out of 10 and my thoughts on it. And I kind of went around and And sampled stuff. And yeah, so I've got a TikTok page, which is obviously private because I don't want anyone to know about it. But, uh, yeah, I've got—

8:18Andrew: Well, everyone on The AudPod now is going to be looking for it now.

8:21Carson Campbell: Yeah, yeah. So I've got probably 30 or 40 videos of me just mowing down on food. And, um, yeah, it kind of just is something that isn't hockey and isn't, you know, my everyday life. So it just— it's kind of a scapegoat for me. It's good.

8:36Justin: Let's get some highlights from the, from the food reviews. Like, what's some mind-blowing food that you've eaten?

8:41Carson Campbell: I'm a big fan of, uh, of Lazeez shawarma. That's, that's a big one for me. That's my cheat. That's my cheat meal on a day off. Or, you know, after we would win a series, I'd go out and get Lazeez or something, have that ordered to the house. So that was a big one for me. And then I'm a big burger guy. Like, Burger Priest is always good. I've, I pretty, pretty well Tried everything there and shakes are good as well. So honestly, like anywhere in Kitchener, I've probably, I probably sat down and did a review at.

9:09Justin: So I mean, those are 2 pretty good options. Burger Priest, nice burgers, very nice. I got to try this Lizzy's now though. Andrew, maybe next pod lunch. Definitely.

9:19Andrew: I've had shawarma here, but I haven't had that. So we're definitely going to have to do that. I wanted to ask you about coming here to Kitchener. Like your setup, like with your billet family, were you with the same family throughout the whole thing? Because I know that this is a super important aspect that a lot of people don't realize, and especially being traded here from Sarnia. What was that like?

9:41Carson Campbell: Yeah, it was obviously tough. So like my billets in Sarnia were family friends and they were awesome to me. Great family, had some young kids. So it just felt like I was a part of the family, did everything with them. So just it was incredible. And then obviously being traded to Kitchener, having to leave them was— that was honestly the hardest part for me because, you know, I came home and they were crying and I was crying and having to leave them was tough. So yeah, when I came to Kitchener, I was put with a billet and, you know, super nice family, but it just— it didn't work out. So I spent kind of the first 2-3 weeks with my aunt actually who lives in Oakville. So I was commuting to and from there.

10:14Justin: Wow.

10:15Carson Campbell: And then I was finally put with my billet in October. And they were—they're incredible. So it's a couple, and they've got you know three kids, kind of a little bit older than me. And yeah, but just unbelievable family, man. Like, like they're like Pauline, my billet mom's like a second mother. Carrie's unreal. He was awesome guy. They were—they were so good to me. Like I have nothing but good things to say. And then Luke, he's actually rookie this year. He's—he's living there. So. And he's actually a Bowling Green commit as well. So it's a small world. But yeah. Yeah.

10:51Justin: So what's in the water?

10:52Carson Campbell: I don't know. But I told management, I told management whoever goes there better be a good kid because they deserve nothing but the best. So nothing but good things to say about them.

11:01Justin: Since you mentioned Bowling Green, we know, we know you're, you're leaving us this year. Heartbroken. But we won't dwell on that. Tell us about the process of deciding to go NCAA. What tipped the scale? I mean, probably winning a championship makes it a little bit easier, but—

11:21Carson Campbell: Yeah, I know. For me, Justin, in my mind it was like, if we won last year, I was going to go, and if we didn't, I was going to stay. Because obviously there was the whole expectation of getting a Memorial Cup bid for this year. So it was kind of a toss-up all year, and then once we went on the run and we won, it was kind of just like, you know what, like, I've done it. Like, I've won and I've brought it back to Kitchener. That was kind of my mindset. And, you know, the journey is— as hard as it was to say it, it kind of felt like it was over. All those guys that I came in with, you know, Ellie and all those guys my age and Reider, and they had moved on, and I just felt like it was kind of my time as well to— Yeah. To head out, but yeah, it was it was so special. But yeah, back to your original question, like kind of you know you do like your generic like like teams obviously like schools will will reach out and kind of present to you what they have to offer. And I guess for me, just like Bowling Green, their staff especially like Dennis Williams, Curtis Carr, all those guys, just just great guys, local guys actually. Curtis actually has a cottage in Peterborough, so he's a. It's a good local boy and he's a great guy. And obviously, like, Dennis Williams, like, coached in the WHL and Flynn coached against him. And I remember when I was kind of being recruited by them, I asked Flynn and he had nothing but good things to say. And I trust Flynn's opinion 100%. So when I heard that and kind of just what they had to offer, I couldn't really turn that down. So it was a no-brainer for me.

12:54Justin: Okay, I'm still heartbroken, but that sounds like a great— at least you did your research. I'm so happy about that. Yeah.

13:02Andrew: So that brings up a good question because we've talked a lot. We talked about this with, with, with Flynn. Do you think that this is kind of like the new OHL and the NCAA with this agreement and, and players being able to leverage it against, you know, getting signed to a pro deal and that kind of thing with their, with their commitment? Do you think that it's a, it's a great path to try and maximize your time in the OHL? And then move over to the NCAA? I mean, we see some guys who leave early, but you got to play so much hockey and we, we got to see like when the chips were down, you turned into— you went to another level. And I don't know if, you know, that probably happens for you and your game, of course, because you're you. But it's— does that happen in the same way if you don't have that kind of an opportunity of an extended playoff run?

13:55Carson Campbell: Yeah, I know. Like for me, Justin, like I was like it, like the whole, or sorry, like my point of view is, yeah, like I don't see the rush to leave for school, especially, you know, with the OHL being the best development league in the world, I feel. And obviously everyone else that's ever played in it and the people surrounded by it, like there's no rush. And I guess the rules and the stipulations make it tough because now there's like that 5-and-5 rule where at 19 your eligibility kicks in or whatever. So Eventually, you gotta leave if you want to get your four years of schooling. But for me, there's like personally, like I wouldn't be in a rush to leave at seventeen, eighteen years old to go play at school. Like you look at just kind of like the breakdown of it. Like you play sixty eight games in the OHL. You play thirty two, thirty three at school, and then it's like if you play forty, you win a national championship. Whereas in Kitchener last year, we played like ninety seven games. Like You're playing 3 times as much. And depending on, you know, where you are on the depth chart, you're maybe playing 3, 4, 5 times the amount of minutes as you would at school. So like, in my personal opinion, there is no rush and you should take your time and develop as much as you can before you take the next step. And that's just kind of my, my viewpoint on things.

15:14Justin: You played more hockey last season than like 20 NHL teams. So yeah, yeah, yeah, it's true.

15:22Andrew: It's true. It was pretty incredible. Let's let's rewind it a little bit back to year two with Kitchener, and you scored a humongous goal in the playoffs against Flint. There was a bit of a celebration though that may have got you in a little hot water. You're out of the league now, so we can talk about this openly. Did you get a lot of flak for that one? Or what did did did? Did Mama Campbell have something to say about that one, or was it just swept under the rug because you scored?

15:56Carson Campbell: Yeah, I think that one was swept under the rug. It's actually funny you mention that. So obviously my billets, like Pauline, her husband Carey, and their good friend Forry were at the game. So obviously I scored, and I don't know if you watched, but prior to me scoring in the far end, I think it was I don't know who it was. Might have been Clattenburg or someone. He kind of, kind of hit me late, knocked me over, and I think I jumped into the rush and scored. So obviously I was, I was pretty hot. So he skated by me and said something to me, and I think I— something along the lines of, you know, I—

16:33Andrew: There was a gesture. There was a gesture. That's all we have to say.

16:37Carson Campbell: There was a gesture, and I might have told him to, you know, whatever. And Without knowing that, the linesman was right there watching me. So yeah, I got to celebrate and then I didn't even sit down on the bench and they were like, yeah, you're done for the game. But the funny part about it is, so my billets were there, they're cheering, and then their good friend Forty, who's obviously paying more attention to them, saw me do that. And then I'm pretty sure Pauline, my billet mom, gave me more More hassle about it than my actual mom when I got home that night to the billet house. But nice, keeping you honest, keeping you honest. That's right. That's right.

17:19Andrew: You were young.

17:20Justin: The downside of having two moms, really.

17:22Andrew: That's right. Exactly. That's true. If one lets it go, the other one's definitely going to get you.

17:26Carson Campbell: Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Not much gets by the two of them.

17:30Andrew: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Okay. So moving into year three, I mean, we know how that that year ended. I know that everyone was super motivated to come back. But you actually started the beginning of the year, if I remember correctly, with an injury.

17:43Carson Campbell: Mm-hmm.

17:44Andrew: So, so battling back from that, but you also got to see how the team worked without you. I know you watched a lot of hockey. I mean, it wasn't a lot, but it felt like a lot because we were also up in the press box a lot of nights. And I remember seeing you sitting there. Was that frustrating or did you just, you know, did you just think, you know what, this team is going to go on a long run and I should just, you know, bide my time and And stay focused, and when I get back, it's going to be like a huge acquisition basically for the Rangers that I'm going to come in and just like eat minutes here.

18:14Carson Campbell: I think for me, just like the competitor I am and like the athlete in me, it's like it kills you eats at you because you know you're watching plays unfold and you're like man if I was out there I would do this I could do this and I wish I was out there for the PK to help the boys out and do this and stand up for guys and whatever so like. Just me, like the natural competitor in me is just like fuming because I'm like, I want to be out there. I should be out there. So yeah, like to answer your question, no, like I'm not the kind of person that can kind of just sit back and, and be content with watching. I want to be out there and I want to, I want to be a part of it. But yeah, that's, that's just one of the, one of the things that, you know, you kind of got to battle through with injury. So yeah.

18:55Andrew: Well, that brings up a good point. Ellinas, your teammate Luke Ellinas, also had to battle back through injury, came back, got injured again. What was it like seeing a teammate like that that you've been with, you know, for so many years come back and make such a huge impact? And also, you actually got an acquisition of a player that you played with, Jared Woolley. We didn't realize that until we were doing some research. So we had all these acquisitions. You had Luke Ellinas come back and And just, you know, absolutely the house came down, at least mine did, when he scored against Windsor. What was it like seeing this team being built, whether it become from recovery or from acquisitions? And what was it like getting Wolf back or working, you know, getting back with Wolf?

19:42Carson Campbell: Yeah. Yeah. So actually, like me and Wolf, like obviously, like you said, like we played minors together, minor midget, and we were D partners. That whole year, so we were pretty close actually. And he only lives in Port Hope, which is about maybe 45-50 minutes from Campbellford, so he's fairly local to my area. So we've always been pretty close, played against each other growing up, so we've always kind of known of each other. And obviously that last year in minor hockey became pretty good buddies, so I knew what kind of guy he was and the player he was. So to get him, that was huge. And then obviously Peanut, who's just a whole other animal, like just an incredible hockey player, getting him was massive. That whole deal set us up for success, but Kind of circling back, like picking up Eddie as an overager was just an absolute steal. Like just completely fleeced Yuri. And then getting Ellie back as well. Like I played with Ellie long enough to know that he's a dog and I wasn't worried about him coming back because I knew first shift he was going to go out and do something and make an impact. And sure enough he did. So that's just the kind of the guy and player he is. But yeah, it was really cool. I know at the start of the year when we got to training camp, Backer Sat us down, and he was like, "Listen, like the expectation is to win a championship this year." And you know, obviously in the back of everyone's mind, it's like, "Yeah, well we could get the bid next year." So you're kind of thinking, "Well, what's what's this guy saying?" And then when we lost the bid, that was when it was like, "Okay, well screw you. Like we're gonna we're gonna do it this year." And yeah, to kind of see that process of just bringing in a guy, filling up the gap, bringing two of our guys, filling up like. Just whatever, just building up our armory. And then it got to a point where it was like, I was like, we're untouchable, man. Like, it was just, we had everything. We had depth, we had skill, we had grit. It was just like, it was gonna take a whole army to beat us. And it was pretty awesome. It was unbelievable.

21:34Andrew: You guys were so deep and the effort level was unbelievable. That was the amazing thing is sometimes you get these really powerful teams and high skill teams and they fall a bit short because You know, that effort isn't there. You guys are the hardest team to play against all year. I mean, and not only that, one of the most physical teams I've ever seen. And brings me to a certain point, that 8-2 game against Brampton where it just went off the rails and I felt like the refs lost control of that game a little bit. You had an incredible tilt in that third period. You never stopped yourself from stepping up, even though you— it's so important for you to be out there on the PK and just Even strength, just so many minutes played. What's it like when you like, you know what, you're weighing the decision like, well, no, now is the time where I need to stand up. This is what the boys need.

22:24Carson Campbell: Yeah, that's a great question, Andrew, actually. I think for me, like, the first thing is, you know, time and place. You know, what's the score of the game? What's the period? What's the kind of situation we're in? You know, if it's a 2-2 game, I'm probably not going to go out and get an instigator and put us on the kill. But at the same time, if I were to step up and do something, I'm quite— I was quite confident in the 3 or 4 guys behind me that were on the kill. To get it done because you know we had our honestly our whole D core was very capable of of shutting any team down in the league and I felt comfortable that even if I was going into the box that we were going to kill off a penalty and we were going to be fine. I think for me like just the kind of person I am like if I if I feel like you know there's a sway to the game and we're on the bad we're on the bad side of it and I have to step up like I'm going to do whatever it takes like those are my brothers like I'm gonna. I'm going to— I'm going to die for those guys. So whether it's, you know, eating a big shot or jumping a guy or blowing a guy up or whatever, like, I— it's just for me, it's a no-brainer. You got to do what you got to do. And it's a man's game. That's like what we like to say.

23:29Justin: There's a— there's the emotion side of having a scrap on the ice. But you also have some skills on the ice. Like, it's not— it's not just like a, you know, we've seen the NHL, the OHL, we've seen some bruisers, but There's there's some there's some technique, some skill. How do you how do you get that in there?

23:50Carson Campbell: Yeah, I kind of I I appreciate you saying that because for me, like I was always taught by my old man, like it doesn't matter who they are, how big they are, what they've got going on. Like they breathe the same air as you. So for me, it's like I grab a hold and I you eat them and you chuck them, and one of one of you is eventually going to fall. And if it's you, then oh well.

24:09Andrew: And if it's Well, I can tell you, you looked like the man in the Memorial Cup. You and I— I'm blanking on the player that you were fighting, but you guys went like high-key viral for that fight and you both chucked them and you both ate some. What was it like? Not only are we winning this Memorial Cup, but I'm kind of going viral right now for a fight. Yeah, that was that was pretty cool.

24:38Carson Campbell: That that was that was a bagger of a fight, only because I played a whole shift and then decided to to throw that hit. So I was about a minute thirty deep into a shift, and then I got jumped. So I was already gassed off the get go. But when you get that surge of adrenaline, it really helps you out. But yeah, I know honestly for me, like it was it was pretty cool. Like I remember kind of the next morning, next afternoon, we had the day off, and I was kind of in the hotel room with. My roommate Prids, and he's like, "Dude, like you've got like a million views on Instagram right now for this fight." It's pretty cool, man. But like for me, like I've never been the kind of person to get wrapped up in that stuff. Like it's obviously cool, but for me, I was so focused on you know the the bigger thing at hand, and that was winning the championship, and and not quite frankly the next game. So it was cool, and it was nice to kind of to get my flowers. But I was so worried. I was just so focused on, on the next game and trying to win that it was like totally thrown on the back burner. But now it's, it's pretty cool. Sometimes I'll still search it up and check to see. I like to read through the comments sometimes and it just gives me a good laugh.

25:43Andrew: Oh no, not the comments. Not the comments, Soupy. You got to stay out of the comments. They turn quick. They turn quick on that.

25:49Carson Campbell: I know. It is quite crazy. Yeah.

25:52Justin: We were watching that game with, uh, with Jason Hagholm, who Who also calls MMA fights, and he couldn't help himself. He just started calling it like it was an MMA fight. He was eating a wing, he like dropped the wing and he just started calling it.

26:07Andrew: So yeah, he just is like fully commentating your fight. Yeah, it was a few times actually. There was moments with Jason. He's a beauty. But yeah, it's in his soul and in his— not just the fighting, but the commentating. So that was pretty cool. To have a front row seat with him calling your fight, I'll never forget it. There's also another iconic moment for me. We talked about this after you guys won the Robertson on the ice. You had an incredible pass breakup, and it's never gonna be like a highlight for anybody but Rangers fans. But I'll never forget that. It was in overtime. It was a two on one. I'm gonna be honest about three times, even though. I had faith that you guys were going to win that series. There was about 3 or 4 times in those 2 overtime games where my heart was literally in my throat and I was like, ah, no, this is where they lose. This is where they lose a game, right? Like, I just thought it was going to go back and forth a little bit because, you know, Barrie is a great team that I think you said that, you know, you just kind of stayed calm after you saw that, those, that coming down. But that will be a moment that we talk about forever is the Carson Campbell drops down and blocks that pass and breaks up that play. What's it like knowing that you're a part of a moment that's like one of those turning point moments where Justin and I kind of looked at each other and they were like, they're going to win this game?

27:33Carson Campbell: For me, it's pretty cool. I've always been the kind of player, Andrew, who's like, I'm not the flashiest. I don't do the pretty stuff. But I think if you watch my game, you'll see that I do all the stuff necessary to win my battles and help the team win. And it's the small things for me. So I think for me in that situation, it was like we were pretty deep into overtime. And in my head, I'm just like, you want to know what? I'm pretty gassed. These guys are probably pretty gassed too. So usually when you're that tired, your brain thinks a little slower. So I just kind of baited the puck and then slid across and poked it off him. It worked out well. If I had a slid and he sauced it over me and they scored, then I look like an idiot. So it was kind of one of those things where I was like, screw it, I'm going to try it, and it worked out in my favor. But yeah, it's pretty cool just being a part of something like that. And for me, like, even just like winning the OHL, like, it's such a big deal. And like, that doesn't really set in until like months after the fact. Like, even now, like, I'll sit around and I'm just like, man, like, We did something so special. Like, there has been so many incredible hockey players come through this league, and like, the fact that I, I was lucky enough to win a championship and a national championship, it's just like, it's unreal. And it just, it makes you giddy. Like, last week I was getting my ring sized for my, uh, or my finger sized for the ring, and I'm just, I'm grinning ear to ear because it's like, when I get that thing, it's not coming off. Like, I can't wait.

28:59Andrew: Unbelievable. Yeah, I would, I would sleep with that on. That's, that's for sure. Yeah. Uh, Before we let you go, because we've taken up so much of your time here and we're really grateful for you joining us, tell me, you said you were rooming with Prids. Was that all throughout the season and into the Memorial Cup? Like, because I know that he's— he kind of was like a Kelowna guy. So did he know the spots or like what was it like? We're, you know, we're familiar with Prids. Prids, you know, chats with us. So So is there any stories about Prids on the road?

29:32Carson Campbell: He's a pretty good guy. Me and Prids, we— it's actually funny on the road. We'll both FaceTime our girlfriends and we'll have like one big communal FaceTime together. But yeah, great, great, great guy. Like, we actually, we've been roommates ever since he was, you know, Brad in the kitchen. So we—

29:49Andrew: Wow.

29:49Carson Campbell: We got pretty close. Actually, a funny thing is, so last year, like last year at training camp, We were roommates like for training camp as well, obviously. And there's a video of me actually on the floor doing push-ups. And this is the first day of training camp. I kid you not. And then in the video, I'm doing push-ups and I'm like, road to West Kelowna, road to Kelowna, day 1 starts now. And I do 1 push-up. And it was funny actually, because after we won the Mem Cup, he went through his camera roll and found that. And it was kind of just like a full circle moment. It's like we had just like, we just like— You manifested it is what you did. You didn't know you were doing it.

30:31Andrew: You were, you know, it was half, might've been half joking, but that's sometimes the, you know, the best way to do it is like—

30:36Justin: Saying it out loud.

30:37Andrew: Yeah. Just saying it out loud. You made it happen. Uh, before, last question, I just want to know, what was it like playing with Cameron Reid? Uh, I know he was like, you know, uh, older beyond his years and, and matured and And you know, you were you were an alternate captain. He's the captain. What was that like getting used to his game and and kind of you know being that steady Eddie to to you know a little bit more of a flashy player? But I I do want to mention to everyone here that that is listening. You never scored more than three goals in a season, and in the playoff run you had four. So you know you it happens for you when it needs to happen. Did Cameron Reed? Rub off on you a little bit there on that playoff run, or was that just all you?

31:23Carson Campbell: He must have. One thing about Cam, and like it's it's obviously it's pretty apparent he's just an incredible guy and a great person, but he's such a motivator, man. Like the start of those playoffs, like he kind of sat the team down and had a conversation with us, and it's like when that conversation was over before we played Saginaw, like I was ready to run through a brick wall. Like he just he gets the guys going and. And the thing with Cam is he'll never ask you to do anything that he wouldn't do himself. So it's just— for me, it's so easy to play with a guy like that. Like, I would block a shot off the teeth for him. Like, but going back to your question, like, if I was in trouble, I would pass Cam the puck and 9 times out of 10, he'd get us out of trouble. So just an incredible, incredible hockey player. And I think I was so lucky for the last 2 years to be his partner. And, you know, off the ice as well, we became so close. Like, he's a guy that even now, like, if I want to chat or I have something to talk about, I'll call him up and we'll sit on the phone and talk for hours. So, great guy. We'll be, hopefully, at least at my end, we'll be lifelong friends. And yeah, it was special. He's one of a kind. So, and I'm looking forward to one day watching him in the NHL. It'll be pretty cool.

32:33Justin: Us too. But also, did he like Burger Priest?

32:36Carson Campbell: I don't know if he ever went with me, actually. What?

32:39Justin: Unfortunately.

32:40Andrew: He seems like he'd just be like, just making like protein smoothies and like eating lettuce. Dry noodles. Yeah. Like extremely healthy. Like, yeah, that's what it comes across. Maybe I'm wrong there, but yeah, you guys—

32:53Carson Campbell: Sounds about right.

32:54Andrew: Yeah, you guys are definitely, you know, the dynamic duo. Yeah, I, it was, I always felt good when you guys were out there. I mean, the whole defensive core was like that, but Truly, I think if things needed to settle down, you guys always stood up for that however you needed. And we were super grateful. And like I said, it's going to be a team that we talk about forever and it's going to be a defense core and a moment that we talk about forever. And it's just really incredible to have been on this journey with you guys and have started— we started a podcast not knowing that there needed to be a podcast and we're just doing it for fun. And yet here we are talking to you and we're so grateful that you joined us here on The AudPod. Justin, do you have anything else you want to say?

33:39Justin: No, I just— yeah, thank you. Thank you for— thank you for all the memories. I'm still going to be a little bit over here, but, uh, yeah, we're rooting for you down in, uh, in Bowling Green. And, uh, and yeah, we, we hope to see you maybe on the national stage there at some point too.

33:52Carson Campbell: Thanks, guys. Yeah, I know, like, Kitchener's a second home, so you'll, you'll see me around lots, I'm sure, in the future. So yeah, awesome.

33:59Justin: If you're ever at it— if you're ever at the Aud, come say hi.

34:01Andrew: Yeah, well, we'll go for shawarma with you if you're ever— oh yeah, you're ever in town. We'll make a video and you can review it on our