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Connie L . Wida: Greetings from Hershey Mike. How did you feel coming back to Hershey and playing against your former teammates on Sunday? We really miss you here and hope to see you back next year. How are Bridget and Julia? Congratulations on being named AHL player of the week. Mike Gaul: Thanks. It was exciting and difficult being expected to leave the Crunch. I've had a great history there and it was difficult to go back and compete against a lot of friendly faces.
Charlie Wilson Crunch Season Ticket Holder: Mike: Welcome to Syracuse .. glad to have you here. In spite of the slow start, how do you feel about the Crunch's prospects for the rest of the season and the playoffs ? Mike Gaul: I feel very positive of us having a successful season. I feel once we gel, we should have a good run at the playoffs.
Rosemary Bagot: HI Mike.. Great week.. I wanted to know what rink you think is the hardest to play in because of mean fans?? thanks alot Tom Mike Gaul: St. John's Maple Leafs have the most difficult rink. It's not because of the fans but because of the size of the ice and the general layout of the building. There isn't a lot of room to create a play and that tends to take away from my game.
Sally: Are you really happy playing for the crunch or would you have rather stayed in Hershey? Mike Gaul: I'm very happy where I am. I generally try to make the best of every sitution. Syracuse gives me a great opportunity of achieving my ultimate goal of playing in the NHL.
Stephen Nicholas: Congrats Mike.I'm a Pirate fan,sorry.How is it to go back and forth to the NHL and AHL? Mike Gaul: I don't have a lot of experience doing it, but it's always very exciting when the coach lets you know that you're going up. It's also disappointing when the coach lets you know that you're going back down. There are a lot of adjustments because the speed of the game is different from the American League to the NHL. I hope to earn a lot more experience in order to answer your question better next time in another chat.
Dan Michaud, 15: Dear Mike, Is it hard to go from a team like a Hershey who has a top affiliate with a team such as Colorado to Syracuse, which is run by the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets? What differences are there between Hershey, one of the oldest teams in the AHL, and Syracuse, if there are any. Thanks Mike Gaul: There aren't a lot of differences with the organizations. Both run their teams very professionally. The only differnce I am hoping to see is that being with an expansion team, myself and my teammates hopefully will have a better opportunity of moving up.
Dave McCormick: Mike, We Love You Here in Syracuse! Do you pay attention to what is said about yourself and the team on Forums and message boards online? Have you ever visited my Crunch website http://home.twcny.rr.com/syracusecrunch/ ....If not, please do and leave a comment! The fans want to hear from you! Best of luck the rest of the way! Mike Gaul: My wife keeps up to date on the message boards. She's online very often and enjoys reading -- hopefully the positive things about me. And she likes to tease me about the negative things she reads. It doesn't affect my game though. Now that I'm older, mature and more wise, you take the good with the bad.
Derek Meluzio: Hello Mike. As a Bears fan I want to thank you for being so kind when you returned to Chocolatetown. I was wondering how well your team is jelling considering there is a new affiliation and a lot of new faces playing together. What is your teams outlook for the year? Are you guys getting used to eachother already? Good luck we miss you here in Hershey. Mike Gaul: The team seems to be jelling well. We're starting to know and understand eachother's game. I feel that our outlook for the new year is very positive and that we definitely have the team to compete with the league's best.
Brian from Lebanon: Hi Mike, It looked like you were having some fun with your old teamates at times on Sunday. How did you feel when you took the ice for the first time at the Arena as an opposing player against the Bears ? Also it looks like you have not lost your scoring touch with your new team, any similarities between the Crunch and last years Bears ? Mike Gaul: I definitely had fun when I took the ice. It was hard not to with so many familiar faces cheering and holding signs. There are some similarities between the teams. Both are capable of scoring goals. I feel we have a lot of offensive power, which allows me to continue contributing from the defensive position.
Dean Turner MSGU Det Tokyo: Is this the Mike Gaul from Dorval? Just a quick question from a curious former Dorval resident, now working in Japan. By the way, there's a great Japan Pro Hockey League here, some former NHLers, AHLers and more. Mike Gaul: Yes it is the same Mike.
Vanessa: Is Sergei Klimentiev still playing for your team? When i saw Syracuse play against the penguins, you and he were the only ones that were actually playing It would be a shame if they let him go. Mike Gaul: No, he is playing in Houston of the IHL. I've heard he is very happy there and he is still a prospect for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Dale Purinton: Congrats! What is your most memorable moment in your hockey career? Mike Gaul: My first game in the NHL. I believe it was December 19, 1998 in San Jose, California against the San Jose Sharks. My first was about three minutes into the shift on a powerplay. I could go on forever about that game, but I won't.
Justin Leroy: Do you think you have a shot in the big leagues this year? Mike Gaul: I think I will be given a shot this year. Being an affiliate of an expansion team, they like to go through their organization and offer as many opportunities to their personnel so they know where their future is and know if they're going to sign certain players or let them go. Historically, expansion teams don't win as often as more established teams, so they tend to shake things up by adding more faces. I hope this is the time that I don't return to the AHL, and stay in the NHL. If not, I hope I get another chance.
Amy Walbridge: GOod job! What is your main goal this season? Mike Gaul: Aside from making the NHL, I'd like to help Syracuse achieve a winning record and do well in the playoffs.
Amy Walbridge: Congrats! Who is the toughest goalie you have had to face in your career? Mike Gaul: It would probably go back to my junior days when I played against Martin Brodeur, who is now with the New Jersey Devils. He was equally as dominant then as he is now.
Mike Hunt: congratulations.. Which player on the team do you get along with the most? Mike Gaul: I think I get along with everyone. It's nice this year that there aren't any cliques forming. We seem to all be getting along well.
Wolf Pack Suck: Hey I was wondering which team do you consider to be your biggest rival? Mike Gaul: Going on what I know of the past, I think Rochester will develop into our biggest rivals. They're relatively close to us in distance and they are a team that competes very hard, which tends to bring out the best in other teams. There was a big fight in the last game of the year last year, and even though we only have one returning player, our fans still remember it.
Go Falcons!!!: What else do you do besides hockey? Mike Gaul: I am a husband and father, and the father part takes up much of my day. I have a beautiful one-year-old baby girl named Julia and luckily we are both on the same play and nap schedule, which gives my wife free time. I'm also a reader.
George Steinbrenner: Hi! If you could play for any hockey team in the NHL which team would you play for and why? Mike Gaul: It would be the Columbus Blue Jackets. They've impressed me with their professionalism. They have a beautiful arena and facility and from what I know of the city, it's a great place to live. It just allows me to get more involved in the community. The players have a better opportunity of establishing themselves with the fans because it's so fresh and so new verses a more established team.
Beth Brewer- OH GINAT!: What hockey player did you look up to when you were growing up? Mike Gaul: Ray Bourque. He seemed to have a genuine love for the game and respect for it. He is a great man in his community, and a positive role model for kids, not to mention a trememdous hockey player. It's going to be hard for me to see him retire. If Columbus weren't to win the Stanley Cup (just kidding), than Colorado will, mainly because of Bourque.
Ted: Who is the dirtiest player in the AHL? Mike Gaul: Wow. I have to think about that one. I don't really know. A lot of players are very intense and compete very hard and sometimes their emotions get the better of them. They do things that have been given the time to think about it, they wouldn't do.
Joe Shetrom: Having heard you on Bears interviews(with Dave Mishkin) and doing some color commentary over the past few seasons, have you considered getting into the radio booth after you hang up the skates? Mike Gaul: I've considered broadcasting with different venues in radio and television, but that's hopefully something I won't have to consider any time soon.
Moderator: Thank you Mike for taking the time to speak with us. Good luck in the upcoming season.
Mike Gaul: Thanks to everyone who has written in and asked great questions. I'd also like to thank Sherwood for the honour and SLAM! Sports for giving fans the opportunity to speak to the AHL players.