Columbus Blue Jackets Senior Advisor John Davidson joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren to discuss the young core emerging (Adam Fantilli, Marchenko, Mateychuk, Kent Johnson all popping at same time), Johnny Gaudreau's tragic legacy galvanizing team identity, Sean Monahan's underrated leadership, and why Columbus is positioned for genuine optimism despite missing playoffs. Hear JD's heartfelt tribute to Sam Rosen's 40-year Rangers career and charity work raising tens of millions, the white-knuckle 1994 police car ride to Canyon of Heroes with million people and zero arrests, Rangers implosion analysis with best players falling backward simultaneously, Mike Sullivan's unrelenting coaching impact, Will Cuylle smart business from Lias Andersson trade, Alexei Kovalev Mike Keenan shift story, Rangers not built for playoffs playing east-west, and comprehensive playoff predictions. Plus Doug Armstrong planting trees quote, Gabriel Landeskog's remarkable Masterton Trophy comeback from cartilage transplant, Connor Hellebuyck inexplicable struggles, goaltending lineage from Giacomin through Shesterkin, Lundqvist's first practice impact, and why NHL playoffs are completely unpredictable making them fantastic theater.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] - Welcome: From Blue to Blueshirt to Blue Jacket with John Davidson

[01:00] - Three Things: UBS Financial Services, playoff updates

[02:00] - JD back on NHL Wraparound: 1994 special with Glen Healy cathartic

[03:00] - Jogging memory: very special time, makes your day

[04:00] - Paul Maurice: trade deadline podcast, called away for Toffoli trade mid-show

[05:00] - Happy for Paul: looked out of gas Winnipeg, revived in Florida

[06:00] - Life expectancy with coach in certain city: runs out, doesn't mean bad coach

[07:00] - St. Louis Blues: JD president years ago, Doug Armstrong hire by Larry Pleau

[08:00] - Doug's edge: nice man, understands business, no fear making decisions

[09:00] - 2019 Cup: 10 of 20 players JD brought in when with Blues

[10:00] - Doug quote: "Somebody plants trees, somebody else enjoys shade"

[11:00] - Draft and develop takes time: 2-3-4 years battle, everybody loses minds

[12:00] - Columbus same thing: team coming, gonna be good, well coached

[13:00] - Young players JD drafted: Marchenko, Fantilli, Mateychuk, Kent Johnson

[14:00] - All popping primarily at same time: self-satisfaction seeing them succeed

[15:00] - Montreal nosing out Columbus: frustrating not getting there

[16:00] - Week or two prior: weren't scoring, weren't very good

[17:00] - Analyzing after disappointment: Columbus in good position, good shape

[18:00] - Scoring talent: two or three areas need shoring up, Don Waddell working

[19:00] - Genuine room for optimism: Fabbro picked up waivers, fit with Werenski

[20:00] - Werenski best season: top three defenseman in game for sure

[21:00] - Sean Monahan: tutored Fantilli, underrated very good hockey player

[22:00] - Jeff Gorton: when Monahan healthy, we were much better hockey club

[23:00] - Missing Monahan with wrist: when in, leadership with young players

[24:00] - Boone Jenner leadership group: fought through tragedy and adversity

[25:00] - Washington series: skill versus grit and grime, would've given very good battle

[26:00] - Not a chance they would've intimidated us: toughness when needed

[27:00] - 2024-25 behind, Johnny Gaudreau tragedy: spinning forward to next year

[28:00] - Not taking anybody by surprise: how work this forward into mindset?

[29:00] - Young players know they're pretty good NHL players now

[30:00] - Understand how much stronger they have to get: summer to work on it

[31:00] - Instead of shocking feeling after Gaudreau tragedy: team galvanized

[32:00] - Johnny's wife spends time in Columbus: team rallies around her, very special

[33:00] - Next year players older: know what to expect from coaching staff

[34:00] - Won't be predicted last in league: earned expectations, good pressure

[35:00] - Tre joined halfway through: top four defenseman already, just a kid

[36:00] - Better goaltending: Jet Greaves in Cleveland couple years, doesn't stop puck

[37:00] - Air of excitement: expectations good pressure, team earned it

[38:00] - JD in St. Louis twice: goaltender, team president

[39:00] - Columbus twice: same role both times, exit to Rangers back

[40:00] - Neil's 11 years together: Rangers season absolutely remarkable

[41:00] - President's Trophy to completely imploding missing playoffs

[42:00] - Majority of best players: all fell backwards at same time

[43:00] - Figure out why that happened: spent time trying to go through that

[44:00] - Mike Sullivan head coach: gonna help, gets it, deals with top heap players

[45:00] - EF Hutton: when he speaks people listen, will be very helpful

[46:00] - Strong summer: Sullivan's presence, smart, unrelenting

[47:00] - Players throughout league have off years: they had a lot of off years

[48:00] - Self-reflection strong summer: Sullivan will make world of difference

[49:00] - JD shouldn't say for sure: smoke means fire, lot of talk

[50:00] - Got to know each other Four Nations: relationship there

[51:00] - Chris Kreider important decision: staple of organization, terrible year

[52:00] - Banged up number of different ways: best players fell back

[53:00] - Knowing number of them: compete, will battle back, make noise

[54:00] - Rangers style: east-west, side to side, not built for playoffs

[55:00] - Need North-South: Laviolette tried, Peter Laviolette as well

[56:00] - Will Cuylle: north south player, plays hard, can score

[57:00] - Lias Andersson didn't work: Jeff Gorton traded for 60th pick

[58:00] - Smart business: first round pick to Will Cuylle, hindsight first rounder

[59:00] - Two or three more Will Cuylle's: complement Panarin type player

[01:00:00] - Alex Ovechkin lived with it: frustrated but skill, holy did he frustrate

[01:01:00] - Alexei Kovalev: Mike Keenan made him stay out, extending shifts

[01:02:00] - No whistles: came back three or four times, Kovalev thought doing well

[01:03:00] - Sam Rosen stories: working all those years together

[01:04:00] - Off ice charity work: New York area, Jersey, Long Island, all over

[01:05:00] - Days off or off season: runs auctions, raises funds

[01:06:00] - Tens of millions of dollars over 40 years: helped people who needed it

[01:07:00] - New York institution: not play-by-play, what he's done to help people

[01:08:00] - Never says no, never gets tired: just does it and loves it

[01:09:00] - Always got time for people: subway, restaurant, anywhere

[01:10:00] - Ranger fans everywhere: Key West Florida, recognized multiple times

[01:11:00] - True friend, family friend: kids grew up together, not just working relationship

[01:12:00] - Years of play-by-play: really good, helped understand game

[01:13:00] - Taught us the game: Sam was leader, true pro, big hearted human being

[01:14:00] - Sam always late: early years, good later on

[01:15:00] - Fighting debates: Sam hated it despite calling boxing

[01:16:00] - Sam came around: understanding sometimes players had to take care of business

[01:17:00] - Had fun: dinners on road, talk hockey, always good mood, always energy

[01:18:00] - Broadcasters build relationships: John Cooper Tampa Bay, Rick Tocchet Vancouver

[01:19:00] - Sam recognized rightly so all season: you could see it was real

[01:20:00] - Sam's Night at Garden: Tocchet with jersey, gift card, wine

[01:21:00] - Where's he putting all the stuff? Drink all wine couple years

[01:22:00] - 1994 Canyon of Heroes ride: JD steamed, not happy

[01:23:00] - Wanted to be where stuff happening: not studio at Madison Square Garden

[01:24:00] - Miserable: Sam always good mood, working along

[01:25:00] - Two New York's finest: pack your stuff, you're going downtown

[01:26:00] - White knuckle wide open eyes: slam turning, sirens, hit back and forth

[01:27:00] - Yellow Submarine: looked out, all you saw were faces

[01:28:00] - Million people down there: not one arrest in New York, not one

[01:29:00] - After game, at parade: other cities bomb and break, not one in New York

[01:30:00] - Special: sat back, watched, soaked it in, only in New York

[01:31:00] - One cup 16 teams eight great series: compelling in unique ways

[01:32:00] - Goalie injuries captivating: banged up, backup has to come in

[01:33:00] - Montreal, Carolina, Washington: resiliency of teams to battle back

[01:34:00] - Jersey without best player: amazing how many teams have injuries

[01:35:00] - Plan to have best players back start of playoffs: certainly helpful

[01:36:00] - Loved watching every day: can't make it all way through night

[01:37:00] - Montreal-Washington: reminds me of old time series

[01:38:00] - Tom Wilson hunter: out there hunting, lived that with Columbus teams

[01:39:00] - Alexander Wennberg hit: almost killed him

[01:40:00] - Montreal not backing down: David Savard blocking Ovechkin shots power play

[01:41:00] - Special to watch: good games, battles, love controversy in playoffs

[01:42:00] - League knows it's coming: when controversy, means intense

[01:43:00] - Players and coaches giving everything they have: only first round, fabulous

[01:44:00] - Rangers goaltending blessed: Giacomin, JD, Vanbiesbrouck, Richter, Lundqvist, Shesterkin

[01:45:00] - Sam broadcasted 40 years: never big question there, pretty good

[01:46:00] - Edmonton years: Fuhr, Moog, Billy Ranford, great goaltending when winning

[01:47:00] - Benoit Allaire goal guru: helped situation for number of years

[01:48:00] - Lundqvist first practice: stood at ice level, within five minutes "this is something"

[01:49:00] - Didn't get fanfare: first day showed up, you could see there was something

[01:50:00] - Vanbiesbrouck and Richter: imagine having two at one time

[01:51:00] - Decisions had to be made: where do you go, what do you do?

[01:52:00] - Tremendous goaltenders: Vanbiesbrouck to Finals Florida, Richter won with Rangers

[01:53:00] - Connor Hellebuyck: best goaltender statistically, won Vezina last year, this year

[01:54:00] - Can you explain it at all? No, I don't think I can either

[01:55:00] - JD's first playoff: St. Louis 19-year-old, so young, so nervous

[01:56:00] - 1979 Finals: shoulder injury, didn't play last two weeks, starting playoffs

[01:57:00] - Charlie Simmer partial breakaway: flipped puck, hit post, stayed out

[01:58:00] - Went to Stanley Cup Finals: if that gone in, would life been different?

[01:59:00] - Need little bit of luck: help get where you wanna go

[02:00:00] - Analyzing goals on Hellebuyck: weird deflections, something can't see

[02:01:00] - Three guys in front: all of sudden top corner, hope he battles back

[02:02:00] - Consummate pro: committed to Winnipeg, wanna see success in playoffs

[02:03:00] - Can make your career: loved playing playoff games

[02:04:00] - Philadelphia battle: Islanders battle, he's gotta find way and soon

[02:05:00] - Playoff paths: Carolina rested and healthy will help them

[02:06:00] - West tough: Vegas pretty good, Tampa showing winners there

[02:07:00] - Don't know if easy path: teams down ladder if healthy can battle

[02:08:00] - Montreal giving Washington everything: won't be easy to knock out

[02:09:00] - Minnesota: Eriksson Ek, Kaprizov changed dynamic of whole team

[02:10:00] - Sit down front room, game gonna fire up: no idea who's gonna win, that's good

[02:11:00] - New heroes: Hartman Minnesota stepping up, love watching that

[02:12:00] - Edmonton battle back: tremendous series, goaltending situation

[02:13:00] - Pickard replaced Skinner: goalie coaches asked hard questions, better have answer

[02:14:00] - Pickard found way, team found way: can't figure it out sometimes, just can't

[02:15:00] - Makes NHL playoffs so much fun: try to predict, so darn hard

[02:16:00] - Jersey beat up high-end players: Siegenthaler played 28 minutes after long time out

[02:17:00] - What you got left for next game? Unpredictability of NHL playoffs fantastic

[02:18:00] - Appreciate JD joining: insight in so many different areas

[02:19:00] - Mike Sullivan Rangers rumor mill: shouldn't be reading it

[02:20:00] - Unpredictable playoffs: don't have to feel bad about picks

[02:21:00] - Love to be involved: prediction to see whether can do it or not

[02:22:00] - Not forced straight every series: wouldn't be any fun

[02:23:00] - Game four Sunday quartet: St. Louis-Winnipeg biggest takeaway

[02:24:00] - Winnipeg can't handle adversity: none all season, President's Trophy

[02:25:00] - St. Louis nothing to lose: Winnipeg being frightened

[02:26:00] - 2011 Final: Canucks-Bruins, Vancouver can't win in Boston

[02:27:00] - Blues can win five or seven in Winnipeg: Jets can't go to St. Louis and win six

[02:28:00] - Carolina-New Jersey: most bland of four games, building quiet

[02:29:00] - Jacob Markstrom not particularly good: sharp angle Slavin goal, bad clear fourth

[02:30:00] - Freddie Andersen run into by Timo Meier: left early second, Pyotr Kochetkov in

[02:31:00] - Should have been penalty: Meier not pushed in by Nikishin

[02:32:00] - Anderson reevaluated Monday: injury problems in past, playing great

[02:33:00] - Special teams decisive: Carolina 4-for-13 power play, Devils 0-for-12

[02:34:00] - Washington-Montreal: atmosphere Bell Center beyond phenomenal

[02:35:00] - Tom Wilson theater: Josh Anderson comparisons, Demidov situation

[02:36:00] - Logan Thompson back from injury: didn't miss game, volatile Montreal

[02:37:00] - Original Six: galoshes thrown on ice showing displeasure

[02:38:00] - Jakub Dobeš: great story North America, US Junior League, Ohio State

[02:39:00] - Wanted it, pursued it: in NHL playoffs, hasn't embarrassed himself

[02:40:00] - Canadiens 2-1 lead third: Ylönen, Hutson, Caufield scoring lines

[02:41:00] - Present and future: young captain Suzuki, high picks, making right picks

[02:42:00] - Next year hard: gonna wanna make more advancement, temper expectations

[02:43:00] - Third period Washington: vintage regular season comeback wins

[02:44:00] - Goals four and five empty net: Montreal horrible job six-on-five

[02:45:00] - Tom Wilson blew up Carey center ice: screwed up line change

[02:46:00] - Andrew Mangiapane game winner: 3:37 left, Tom Wilson second empty netter

[02:47:00] - Being Montreal fan when 43 scores: oh my God what awful day

[02:48:00] - Wilson unbelievable player: admitted dumb things early career, dangerous

[02:49:00] - Fast, great hands, really good hockey sense: GM wants, everybody hates

[02:50:00] - Wanna see handshake with Josh Anderson when series over

[02:51:00] - LA-Edmonton: Oilers drop first two, come back even series

[02:52:00] - Kings showing holding leads difficult: mental thing for Kings right now

[02:53:00] - Play lot differently home in LA: always do, Edmonton different on road

[02:54:00] - Kings can skate with Oilers: counter, transitions really good

[02:55:00] - Out-shooting Edmonton 28-15 through two: 48-41 final, 33-13 third and OT

[02:56:00] - 7:51 third Evan Bouchard goal: muffed clear Drew Doughty

[02:57:00] - Joel Edmundson unforced icing: trying shoot empty net, not accurate

[02:58:00] - Quinton Byfield fatal error: tried go through Bouchard instead chip boards

[02:59:00] - Young guy: lot different in LA, just do

[03:00:00] - Leon Draisaitl overtime power play: Grzelcyk tripping McDavid deserved

[03:01:00] - Darcy Kuemper phenomenal: Calvin Pickard hot hand but will steal game LA

[03:02:00] - Tampa-Florida: championship pedigree Tampa, Matthew Tkachuk suspension

[03:03:00] - Skill versus grit and grime: equally good in far different ways

[03:04:00] - Chirping between coaches: "only players we hit are ones with pucks"

[03:05:00] - Paul Maurice sense of humor: he'll love it

[03:06:00] - Florida targeting Kucherov: getting under his skin despite three assists

[03:07:00] - Colorado-Dallas: Gabe Landeskog goal assist plus-two, relentless attack

[03:08:00] - Dallas missing Jason Robertson: don't know if Heiskanen back

[03:09:00] - Like Colorado: don't mind them on road, looking three-two lead

[03:10:00] - Tyler Tucker injury: right leg crumbled under him third period

[03:11:00] - Gabriel Landeskog human side: 34 months not playing NHL game

[03:12:00] - Last time fans saw: hoisting Stanley Cup 2022

[03:13:00] - Initial injury 2020 bubble: Kale Makar skate clipped right knee

[03:14:00] - Small procedure: felt pain 2021-22, cleanup March smoothing cartilage

[03:15:00] - Returned playoffs: felt pain first round, still hoisted Cup

[03:16:00] - Fall 2022: same procedure as March, still not seeing improvement

[03:17:00] - May 2023: unique cartilage transplant never done NHL player before

[03:18:00] - Jack Eichel comparison: Buffalo procedure dispute leading to Vegas trade

[03:19:00] - Club on hook for contract: if surgery doesn't work, still owe money

[03:20:00] - Colorado and Landeskog in it together: no dispute about procedure

[03:21:00] - Journey documented: TNT True TV Clean Sheet, ups downs, toll on family

[03:22:00] - Wife kept him in line: withdrawing when things not going well

[03:23:00] - Robotic hockey life: same thing every day, routine with teammates

[03:24:00] - Normal life not robotic: really hard for professional team athletes

[03:25:00] - Two-game conditioning stint Eagles: back game three, overamped beginning

[03:26:00] - Game four two-point effort: drop pass Brock Nelson, wired shot Jake Oettinger

[03:27:00] - Free flowing skating: couldn't think incredible journey, looked fabulous

[03:28:00] - Mario Lemieux comparison: missing whole year, best player again comeback

[03:29:00] - Kids at glass big sign: "Daddy we're so proud of you" game three

[03:30:00] - Masterton Trophy: dedication and perseverance, Bob Masterton only death NHL injury

[03:31:00] - Every club nominee: this story, work put in, 32 years old

[03:32:00] - Don't know how respond after adrenaline rush: but to get to this point

[03:33:00] - No better definition for trophy than Gabriel Landeskog

[03:34:00] - Devotion to craft: hope everybody recognizes, wins Masterton Trophy

X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound

Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil

Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/

NHL Wraparound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/

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