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Here’s Craig Laughlin interviewing Alan May, the player, 32 years ago

By Ian Oland

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February 11, 2022 11:55 am

Ted Starkey of The Hockey Writers unearthed some vintage Home Team Sports footage that’s so incredible, it was fodder on NBC Sports Washington’s postgame show last night.

The clip features a recently-retired Craig Laughlin interviewing then-Capital Alan May in 1990. While May’s eyes seemed uncomfortable with the bright lights of cable TV, his fully-fluffed mullet was definitely ready for showtime.

The interview is awkward, but in a fun, not cringe way. You can definitely see the foundations of each analyst’s broadcasting philosophy taking shape.

The transcript of the interview is as follows:

Craig Laughlin: One of the toughest jobs in the NHL is to be an NHL enforcer. The Capitals fortunate to have one of the best. He joins me now, number 16, Alan May. And first of all, Alan, you’re playing the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, what sort of game can we expect from the Capitals?

Alan May: I think we’re going to try and slow the game down tonight. They’re one of the better teams offensively in the league. They’ve got John Cullen, Kevin Stevens, Mark Recchi. They’re all in the top 10. We’ve got to find a way to contain them. There’s going to be a lot of dumps, chase the defense, and just keep it down in their end more than our end.

Craig Laughlin: What about your role tonight and for the rest of the season with the Capitals?

Alan May: My role basically hasn’t changed from last year. Still be a physical presence out there, finish every hit I can, get involved in every skirmish I can. Any time another team gets momentum I need to slow it down with a hit or otherwise drop the gloves – whatever it comes down to.

Craig Laughlin: You’ve been a key guy. You’ve been injured… (others too). Why is the team doing so well?

Alan May: Defense. Terry Murray has stressed defense since the day he got here and so does Bryan. We’re a little more creative offensively. He doesn’t want anybody to hold back. Offensively, we still play a defensive style but individually you’re allowed more creativity.

Craig Laughlin: You spent three years in the minors. You came up through the system like I did. At any point did you get discouraged at all?

Alan May: No. I think most people do get discouraged but I wasn’t a draft pick so I was just happy to be there at the time. I set a goal for myself just not to be there. I had fun. A lot of guys just aren’t happy being there. They are not where they want to be, but I set a longterm goal for myself. Three years is long term for me. It just worked out. I always had a few things to rely on.

Craig Laughlin: You scored a big goal the other night against the Leafs. Is that something you’ve been working on during practice and over the summer?

Alan May: Yeah. I work every day hard. Trying to shoot the puck and hit the net. You play third or fourth line, you don’t get many offensive chances.

After showing the clip on-air, May and Laughlin reacted as Joe Beninati and Brent Johnson patiently waited to get their verbal licks in.

“All I know is we had a lot of fun back then,” Laughlin said. “He was one of the toughest customers ever and I think I was in my first year there and asking him these questions like, ‘My god, he might punch me out here.'”

“Remarkable talents. Remarkable,” a sarcastic Joe Beninati said, clearly amused.

“I’m in absolute shock that we have television jobs, Locker,” May replied. “I can’t remember anything about that. I don’t know what was going on in that thing.”

“You both are better looking (now),” Brent Johnson said. “Let’s just say that. Geez.”

“Isn’t there a saying, ‘Burn the tape?'” Beninati joked.

“BURN THE TAPE,” Laughlin, May, and Beninati all yelled together.

“Ted Starkey is going to get his ass kicked next,” May said.

(Hopefully, after this article, I’m next in line!)

The two hockey gentlemen have certainly cleaned up nice since then!

Photo: Ian Oland/RMNB

Starkey also dug up several old introductions from the HTS days.

What an amazing blast from the past.

Headline photo: @TedStarkey/Twitter, HTS

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