About The Heated Take - Unofficial Guildford Flames Podcast
The Heated Take is an unofficial Guildford Flames podcast that feels like pulling up a chair in the pub after a game. A place for fans to join the conversation, share opinions and enjoy the kind of hockey chat every other club seems to have but Flames have been missing.
Eight games down, so it feels like a good time for our first proper check-in of the 2026/27 season.
Freddie, Rory and Will are back to look at the opening month of the Guildford Flames campaign and try to work out exactly where we are after September and the start of October.
We run through the results so far, including impressive wins over Cardiff, Nottingham and Sheffield, some more frustrating nights in the Cup, and give our thoughts on what we’ve liked and where we still think there’s room for improvement.
There’s also the small matter of a new signing, as we discuss the arrival of Alex Lavoie and what he could add to the Flames.
We each pick our Flame of the Month, talk through the current injuries, Dustyn McFaul and whether we could see any further changes to the roster, before looking ahead to a busy October.
Plus, we take our first look around the rest of the EIHL and discuss the teams, players and early-season stories that have caught our attention.
Eight games in. What have we learned so far?
21 Sept 2026
The Heated Take Episode 28: The Jake Willets Interview
This week we’re joined by one of the newest members of the Guildford Flames, defenceman Jake Willets.
We get to know Jake and his journey into hockey, from growing up in Michigan and playing junior hockey in the NAHL, through four years of NCAA hockey with Ferris State and Lake Superior State, before making the step into the professional game.
Jake talks about the reality of life in the ECHL, his first experience of European hockey in Romania and the season with Reading Royals that ultimately led to the opportunity to join the Flames this summer.
We then get into life in Guildford, how the move came about, his relationship with Paul Dixon and what he’s made of the EIHL, his new teammates and the Flames fans so far.
We also chat about the physical side of Jake’s game, why sticking up for his teammates is important to him, dropping the gloves and whether he actually enjoys fighting, before hearing his thoughts on the start the Flames have made to the season.
Plus, Jake gives us the lowdown on the Flames locker room before facing the usual Heated Take quickfire questions.
A great opportunity to get to know #59 and one of the newest members of the Flames D-core.
16 Sept 2026
The Heated Take Episode 27: From Flames Player to Legacy with Adam Franks
This week we're joined by Adam Franks, founder of Legacy, the company behind the Guildford Flames jerseys, clothing and merchandise.
Adam's connection to the Flames actually goes back much further than Legacy, having played for the club himself in the early years. We chat about how he first got into hockey, his memories of playing in Guildford, some of the best players and biggest characters he played alongside and how different the club is today compared to the one he remembers as a player.
Adam also talks really openly about being diagnosed with epilepsy, what that was like to deal with at a young age and the impact it had on his hockey.
We then get into the story behind Legacy, how the business started and how Adam ended up working with the Flames again all these years later. We chat about how the jerseys and merchandise come together, some of his favourite designs, how Flames merch has changed over the years and what he and Legacy are working towards next.
A really interesting chat with someone who has a pretty unique connection to the club, having gone from wearing a Flames jersey as a player to now being responsible for making them.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
19 ratings
Contact The Heated Take - Unofficial Guildford Flames Podcast
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
