Shownotes
The Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, and Minnesota Wild have all been eliminated from the NHL playoffs. We perform funerals for their season (which is our version of a season recap 👀😂).
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Transcripts
Hello and welcome to Overtime Hockey Talk.
Speaker:My name is Mark Paul.
Speaker:My co host, Justin Baker, right there.
Speaker:How's it going, Justin?
Speaker:This is our
Speaker:Oh, hi, Mark.
Speaker:using, using Squadcast, so we've officially graduated from the
Speaker:stereotypical Google Meet, which there's nothing wrong with Google
Speaker:Meet, we just, Yes, here we are.
Speaker:we've graduated to the podcaster, video caster software.
Speaker:this is like moving from JV to varsity.
Speaker:Yeah, we were, we're like definitely super seniors taken us this long.
Speaker:four years.
Speaker:no, we're seven, yes, we, hopefully this is looking better for, for all of
Speaker:our listeners, our viewers, and, we're excited to just talk about hockey today.
Speaker:We're going to, once again, perform, oh, all the funerals.
Speaker:we gotta, knock these out before, we gotta do playoff stuff anyways.
Speaker:we're going to talk about the Minnesota Wild, the Buffalo
Speaker:Sabres, and the New Jersey Devils.
Speaker:As their seasons are and not that they're coming to a close any sooner
Speaker:than other teams in the national hockey league But let's face it.
Speaker:They're dead in the water.
Speaker:they're just playing these games for themselves and maybe for some
Speaker:pride So justin, where do you want to where do you want to start
Speaker:let's see, we got two teams in the East, one in the West.
Speaker:I say we start out East and, let's start off with a bang
Speaker:with the New Jersey Devils.
Speaker:I think, I think out of all the teams here, they were the one team,
Speaker:I think almost everybody penciled in to make the playoffs this year.
Speaker:very I mean the absolute maybe you know I think our last show we talked
Speaker:about somebody being having like super High expectations coming in
Speaker:and it being really disappointing.
Speaker:Maybe that was pittsburgh that we talked about but I don't know if There
Speaker:really is anyone more disappointing than the New Jersey Devils.
Speaker:not only, I don't think this was like, Hey, we're not gonna, we're not gonna make
Speaker:the playoffs, maybe like a bubble team.
Speaker:This was like, this team maybe could win this division.
Speaker:And right now they're second to last in the division.
Speaker:The only team that they are topping is the Columbus Blue Jackets,
Speaker:which isn't saying a whole lot.
Speaker:Basically the team that had to fire their coach five days before the season,
Speaker:I
Speaker:is the one team that they managed to trump.
Speaker:And I keep going back.
Speaker:There was this interview with, I believe it was Jack Hughes.
Speaker:I want to say he was on 32 thoughts.
Speaker:And he said something about it's exciting to come into a year where
Speaker:everybody's going to be chasing us and they know that we're good.
Speaker:And and we're actually, we're not just this team that's hoping to make the
Speaker:playoffs that we're, we've already won a round and blah, blah, blah.
Speaker:And then all this happened.
Speaker:So I just keep going back and thinking like, these guys went into this season
Speaker:thinking that they were really good.
Speaker:And they just have not been good.
Speaker:And I know, there's lots of reasons.
Speaker:Let's talk about them.
Speaker:what's your number one reason that the Devils missed the playoffs this year?
Speaker:mean, I think it's everybody's and it's goaltending, right?
Speaker:let's just face it.
Speaker:I think, you and I, I think in general, most people probably
Speaker:thought the goaltending was going to be good enough, right?
Speaker:Given the talent they had up front.
Speaker:I mean, you look at this loaded roster they had with Jack Hughes,
Speaker:Nico Heischer down the middle, on the wing, we had Timo Mayer, Jesper Pratt,
Speaker:Tyler Tufoli to start the season.
Speaker:A lot of freaking talent up front.
Speaker:And then they were going to get some, an infusion of youth in the backend.
Speaker:I mean, yes, they lost some key pieces on the backend.
Speaker:We knew that was happening in the off season and, but
Speaker:bringing in, Luke Hughes and.
Speaker:you would think that would be enough, right.
Speaker:Just enough to get it filled in.
Speaker:But unfortunately Dougie Hamilton and, injuries up front as well, but
Speaker:goaltending didn't do them any favors is essentially what I'm getting at.
Speaker:you
Speaker:look at the numbers.
Speaker:No, go ahead.
Speaker:nope, you go.
Speaker:I mean, the bottom line is, you look at these numbers, for most of the season,
Speaker:they've been relying on Vantechek, Nico Dawes, Akira Smith, and not a single
Speaker:one of them even touched a 900, say, percentage, which, to me is a must have
Speaker:for any team looking to make the playoffs.
Speaker:You got to have one goaltender in your roster.
Speaker:that's putting up decent numbers, right?
Speaker:You gotta have one above 900.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Simple as that.
Speaker:I mean, when's the last time a team made the playoffs with two goalies?
Speaker:or we'll say a team, say, percentage under 900.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:it's probably gotta be since like the 80s.
Speaker:yeah,
Speaker:everybody.
Speaker:got Hall of Fame players who have an 887 save percentage.
Speaker:What's Grant Fury's save percentage?
Speaker:Oh my gosh.
Speaker:I think his was like an eight
Speaker:90.
Speaker:that up.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:call that up.
Speaker:Yeah, It's terrible.
Speaker:and I, it was when they first, save percentage, I don't, I can't
Speaker:remember how far back they have save percentage for statistics.
Speaker:But I don't think it's, Any further back than maybe the 70s Yeah, it's
Speaker:By the way, eight 87 for his career, say percentage.
Speaker:887 My joke number, there you go, 887 I think the other issue and this may have
Speaker:affected goaltending more than People think is that you know this really this
Speaker:defense when you take a look at it.
Speaker:Yeah, there's some potential There certainly is some great
Speaker:potential like Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec tons of potential there.
Speaker:Joan Siegenthaler had a great year last year.
Speaker:And, coming in here there was high expectations.
Speaker:had 21 points in the 80 games and he just got hurt.
Speaker:And that, that never, never goes well.
Speaker:and you get rid of other guy, Severson.
Speaker:And, it's just been a mess on the back end.
Speaker:And I don't know.
Speaker:Why they thought that they could just go and say hey Luke Hughes You can just take
Speaker:over for these veteran guys who had really nice seasons for them I don't understand
Speaker:how you look at that decor and go.
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:This is a playoff team unless Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec were both
Speaker:gonna be candidates for the Calder
Speaker:I think early on, everybody had Luke Hughes as a candidate.
Speaker:And rightfully so if you, the way
Speaker:you look, he finished last year.
Speaker:Yes, but that's also Yeah, you can hope that a guy's gonna be a Calder candidate
Speaker:But there are very few players at the very beginning of a year where you go this
Speaker:guy's gonna be the Calder Candidate and he is yeah, you've got sure Connor McDavid.
Speaker:He was in that conversation and Austin Matthews or a Like right now a Connor
Speaker:Bedard, but even still you look at Connor Bedard and there was almost
Speaker:There's no guarantee that he's gonna win it because of the time that he missed.
Speaker:I still think he wins it But, it's going to be a close contest and when
Speaker:you consider how difficult it is to have a really great rookie season from
Speaker:the back end, I don't know, I think it was just asking too much over 82 games.
Speaker:did he have a nice little playoff there?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:But the playoffs are just, you're just hey, we gotta throw you in here.
Speaker:Just, let's just see what you can do.
Speaker:And you're just playing.
Speaker:But in the 82 game season, you're not just playing.
Speaker:that's the thing, right?
Speaker:Yeah, from a forward perspective, guys like Auston Matthews, Conor Bedard, you
Speaker:don't have to come in and be the savior up front and be like both responsibly,
Speaker:defensively and put up the points, right?
Speaker:You're just expected to come in, put the puck in the back of the net
Speaker:and the defense will work itself out over the next, 4 or 5 years, right?
Speaker:That's usually the expectation with guys like that.
Speaker:same with Conor McDavid, same expectation, right?
Speaker:he'll get the faceoffs, he'll get the defensive side of his game together
Speaker:eventually, but he can put up 100 points so we don't really have to worry about it.
Speaker:Whereas Guys on the back end like Luke Hughes, you have to
Speaker:be responsibly defensively or else it's going to burn you.
Speaker:And it's very, clear, even at 18 minutes a game.
Speaker:I mean, it's just.
Speaker:He's missing that part of his game right now.
Speaker:I'm guessing that had their head coach been anyone but someone like Lindy Ruff.
Speaker:Lindy Ruff's got, I mean, he's won a Stanley Cup.
Speaker:He's been to Stanley Cup Finals.
Speaker:he's been around forever.
Speaker:He's a highly respected guy.
Speaker:I think because it was Lindy Ruff, they went let's see if he can right this ship.
Speaker:I think it had been a lesser coach.
Speaker:Somebody that maybe this is just his first or second job.
Speaker:I think he probably would have been fired in December.
Speaker:How about this?
Speaker:they had Andrew Burnett, right?
Speaker:As an assistant the year before.
Speaker:Look what he's doing in Nashville.
Speaker:Imagine what he could have been doing.
Speaker:I mean, with
Speaker:more talented offensive players right now.
Speaker:It's almost like last year was a little bit of a blip.
Speaker:They got a little more fortunate and they, things went really well for them.
Speaker:They stayed very healthy.
Speaker:I mean, let's face it.
Speaker:Dougie Hamilton being out is probably the biggest factor as to
Speaker:why this team missed the button.
Speaker:not, they had Dougie Hamilton, Jack Hughes, and Nico Heischer all
Speaker:out at the same time at one point.
Speaker:How many, let's go down the list.
Speaker:That's top two up, top two forwards, top two centers, and your top defenseman.
Speaker:Let's talk about what that would mean for, that's Austin Matthews, John Tavares, and
Speaker:Morgan Riley are all out at the same time.
Speaker:granted Tavaris, Marner, and Riley were all out at the
Speaker:same time and they still won.
Speaker:But for a whole scene, for a good chunk of time, yeah, and due to injuries, I think
Speaker:there was a lot of sickness in that one.
Speaker:But I mean, let's, who, like Barkov, and imagine like a Barkov and
Speaker:Reinhardt are both out along with Aaron Eckblad, who, I mean, Aaron
Speaker:Eckblad's always out, They're used to
Speaker:it!
Speaker:I mean, what about Crosby, Malkin and Letang being gone?
Speaker:see ya.
Speaker:Pittsburgh's dead.
Speaker:Crosby.
Speaker:That's all.
Speaker:If Crosby's out, they're out.
Speaker:Speaking of which, what an insane accomplishment.
Speaker:to now have been a point per game player for 19 straight years.
Speaker:Unbelievable.
Speaker:Only guy to do it, aside from Wayne Gretzky.
Speaker:Dude, tip of the cap to that man
Speaker:19, and you know what probably made me more uncomfortable than
Speaker:anything is the fact that he's been playing in the NHL for 19 years.
Speaker:Dude, I can still remember us playing, tennis.
Speaker:I mean on a tennis court, right?
Speaker:And floating.
Speaker:And you showing up in that Crosby jersey.
Speaker:ooh, I, yeah, I have a nice, Team Canada Crosby jersey.
Speaker:I believe that was a 20, I think that was the 2010 Olympic team
Speaker:jersey.
Speaker:I will sport that jersey next show.
Speaker:It'll be on.
Speaker:Dude.
Speaker:on.
Speaker:We'll take a flyer from the hockey guy.
Speaker:If you've ever watched the hockey guy,
Speaker:Oh, I love him.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:He's got 800 jerseys.
Speaker:I was talking to these guys.
Speaker:Yes, he has a million jerseys.
Speaker:And yeah, his jersey collection is absolutely epic.
Speaker:I have a collection of jerseys.
Speaker:I have a collection of jerseys.
Speaker:that are like Salvation Army collection of jerseys and like
Speaker:Chinese knockoff jerseys, right?
Speaker:I, it was probably like 2008, somewhere in there.
Speaker:I was like, no way you could get these jerseys for 20 bucks.
Speaker:And hey, some of them are actually pretty cool.
Speaker:I have a Mario Lemieux, the like original penguin, not the original penguins
Speaker:logo, not the blue and white, but the 89 one, the cartoonish looking penguin.
Speaker:Oh,
Speaker:yeah.
Speaker:we'll pull it up.
Speaker:We'll pop it on the screen.
Speaker:that, I have that Jersey.
Speaker:The one that's a really weird yellow.
Speaker:I'll have to, I'll see if I can find it and drop it in here.
Speaker:But, yeah, it was, I'll wear that one too.
Speaker:we'll just start a parade of jerseys and we'll try to compete with the hockey guy.
Speaker:And then we'll run out after 12 shows
Speaker:Yeah,
Speaker:won't have any.
Speaker:We'll have to start recirculating.
Speaker:all anything else for the New Jersey Devils?
Speaker:Any, you think this is a team that next year.
Speaker:They just make the playoffs with a similar group, or are they
Speaker:going to make some big changes?
Speaker:I think the only big,
Speaker:already find through their coach.
Speaker:yeah, I think the only big change we're going to see for New Jersey
Speaker:is they're going to pursue a guy like Jacob Markstrom, right?
Speaker:I think they're going to go after a goaltender hard.
Speaker:We've got Capo
Speaker:Cacanin.
Speaker:Allen.
Speaker:so they got Jake Allen.
Speaker:Capo Cacanin's on an expiring deal, so he'll probably, I could see him
Speaker:potentially resigning, but I think other teams are going to give him more
Speaker:money than he would get in New Jersey.
Speaker:And I think New Jersey would rather go after a guy like Mark Strum and get his
Speaker:six million bucks on the book and maybe find a way to move, maybe move Timo Mayer.
Speaker:Cause he's just not pulling his weight in my opinion, but
Speaker:he's been playing a lot better with Travis Green.
Speaker:yeah, I'll give you that.
Speaker:that at least has been a silver lining, that's what you're hoping, right?
Speaker:You bring in Travis Green and you hope that the guys that
Speaker:are struggling find their way.
Speaker:I would say also for Timo Meier, some of the issue has been the
Speaker:fact that there's been so many guys in and out of the lineup.
Speaker:I mean, he's supposed to be playing with Timo Meier.
Speaker:Jack Hughes or Nico Hesher all year and they're just getting moved around and
Speaker:I mean, hey the A good player should be able to play with anyone, but, shoot, even
Speaker:a guy like Crosby, a guy like McDavid, they can't just play with anyone, either.
Speaker:I think you gotta, you've signed him to a long deal.
Speaker:He's not going anywhere.
Speaker:No, of
Speaker:think anybody, nobody, I mean, you're not gonna trade him at his low value.
Speaker:Also, I think a lot of teams out there would go, sure, I mean, we'll take him.
Speaker:I mean, he's still a good player, you know he is, you
Speaker:know there's something in there.
Speaker:Although, it seems as though there's been a lot of good players who have signed
Speaker:long deals that just fall apart, i.
Speaker:e.
Speaker:Huberto, i.
Speaker:e.
Speaker:Meyer, and it's an uncomfortable, a good row, like, when that happens, it's
Speaker:gotta make you go, I mean, I cannot, as much as you're like, oh, shoot, and
Speaker:Auston Matthews only wants to sign these five year deals, I just, some of these
Speaker:teams, I feel like you got to go, maybe it's better that we signed some guys
Speaker:to five year deals because these eight year deals, if they don't work out,
Speaker:they just wreck you for a long time.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Look at Pierre Luc Dubois in LA, man.
Speaker:They tried to trade him cause they instantly regretted that deal.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:And here's what I don't understand.
Speaker:I think we've said this before on the show, but I don't know Pierre Luc Dubois,
Speaker:but I can tell you what I've gathered from the fact that I've watched him play,
Speaker:I've seen what he said in the media.
Speaker:I mean, he's.
Speaker:He's a cancer to whatever room he's in.
Speaker:He just is.
Speaker:And I, it might just take several years.
Speaker:You would think that a room like that with Philip Deneault, with
Speaker:Andrzej Kopitar, with Drew Doughty, you'd think that room would be
Speaker:able to get that guy under control.
Speaker:And get him to buy in.
Speaker:He won't buy, he doesn't buy in anywhere he goes.
Speaker:Honestly, a little bit reminds me of Evander Cain in some ways.
Speaker:But I think Evander Cain was more of an issue off the ice that caused issues.
Speaker:in the locker room.
Speaker:Whereas Pierre Luc Dubois, I think, I don't know how else to say it.
Speaker:it sure seems like he's a dick.
Speaker:and just because you think you're great.
Speaker:I mean, that's fine.
Speaker:There's plenty of players in the NHL that know they're great.
Speaker:That doesn't bother me, but he's not that great.
Speaker:he's been a good player at times in his career.
Speaker:He's shown a lot of promise.
Speaker:I can't see why you would have ever traded for him in the first place.
Speaker:And that's how I've always felt about him.
Speaker:When he was in, what, he was in, in Winnipeg.
Speaker:before that in Columbus.
Speaker:I always felt man, there's just something off about this guy.
Speaker:get those vibes about people.
Speaker:kinda now it doesn't mean that he can't grow up.
Speaker:It's he can grow up, and hopefully he does.
Speaker:I mean, he signed a long term deal, so he's gonna be in L.
Speaker:A.
Speaker:but, it's That's unfortunate that's what it's come down to, but I don't
Speaker:even know him and I can gather that.
Speaker:I just can't believe that no one else was able to figure that out
Speaker:before they traded the farm for him.
Speaker:sometimes, man, you just want talent and or you want a certain player
Speaker:and you're paying up and regretting.
Speaker:Yep,
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:big regerts.
Speaker:big regerts.
Speaker:No
Speaker:All right, let's let's move on from the New Jersey Devils
Speaker:and we'll swing out west.
Speaker:We'll go to the Minnesota Wild.
Speaker:I think We had this team right on the bubble when we did our
Speaker:pre rankings, preseason rankings.
Speaker:I don't remember if I had them in the playoffs or not.
Speaker:I didn't look, but I know I, I would have had them on the bubble
Speaker:based on what the team is here.
Speaker:And I think if I remember, you had them out.
Speaker:yeah, I did.
Speaker:And I mean, mostly because we knew Dallas and Colorado were going to be there.
Speaker:I think we both put them in there.
Speaker:and It was really between St.
Speaker:Louis, Minnesota and Nashville at that point.
Speaker:And I think you and I both were leaning towards St.
Speaker:Louis.
Speaker:Um, Nashville was a mystery, I think going into this season.
Speaker:I don't think, anybody expected anything big from them, but I think all three
Speaker:of these teams, really, you and I had them, on the bubble, really just
Speaker:sitting there, seven, eight, that third spot, but you know, same with, I think
Speaker:you definitely had Winnipeg in the playoffs where I don't think I did.
Speaker:I did.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It's, their season has largely been, they've been playing from
Speaker:behind from the very beginning.
Speaker:And a lot of that started because Kirill Kaprizov had a really slow start.
Speaker:He did not look good.
Speaker:I mean, he's gone on fire and he's got 83 points in 67 games.
Speaker:he's been fine.
Speaker:He's been himself, ends up being basically on pace the same that he was
Speaker:actually last year, he had 75 points in 67 games, so he's even better.
Speaker:But he had a slow start, which hurt Minnesota and everything
Speaker:snowballed from there.
Speaker:I mean, they weren't getting the goaltending in the beginning.
Speaker:Philip Gustafson wasn't that great.
Speaker:Jared Spurgeon gets hurt.
Speaker:It just didn't look like they ever had it all together, and I think, ultimately the
Speaker:reason why is that you can't go this long.
Speaker:we're talking, when's the last time this team had even a guy who you would consider
Speaker:a really high end number two center?
Speaker:they have some, I would say, what are, like a Ryan Hartman to me
Speaker:is like a 2A, 2B type of guy.
Speaker:Yeah, okay, if he's gonna be your top center, Then you better, like
Speaker:Jo, j Joel, e Erickson Neck, Joel Erickson neck is, he's playing
Speaker:really well, 30 goals, 61 points.
Speaker:he's having a career a year right now.
Speaker:I just don't know that he's the guy that if your team's gonna be a playoff team,
Speaker:that he's gonna be your number one center like Joel Erickson Neck, Ryan Hartman.
Speaker:I think that's probably the issue right there.
Speaker:yeah, he's putting up 60 points.
Speaker:That's also, he's getting lots of ice time.
Speaker:He's playing with Caprizov.
Speaker:Like you got to think that a guy you're slotting in there is going
Speaker:to put up some numbers, but as far as carrying a team, none of their
Speaker:centers can do it carrying a line.
Speaker:And I think ultimately that's where it comes back to is they've been
Speaker:searching for that center and they cannot seem to find anyone that
Speaker:really moves the needle for them.
Speaker:So then they're playing this really defensive.
Speaker:sit back and try and pounce game and let Caprizov do his thing and hope
Speaker:that's enough and it just does not.
Speaker:I mean, now granted, hey, I guess the silver lining this
Speaker:season is Brock Faber, right?
Speaker:Nobody's going to complain about the kind of season that Faber's had.
Speaker:Nope.
Speaker:I mean, look, he's probably going to finish number two in the rookie season.
Speaker:It's a shame.
Speaker:I probably would put him number one considering the position he's in and,
Speaker:what he's been able to do playing 25 minutes a night with that wild team.
Speaker:But yeah, I go back to your point about Joel Erickson Eck.
Speaker:I do not think he is, he's not a number one center.
Speaker:He's a number two, maybe even, on a bad day, a number three.
Speaker:But again, regardless if you put him at two or three, he's not a number one.
Speaker:Let's face it.
Speaker:He's getting those points because he's playing with Kirill the Thrill.
Speaker:Boldy's been great.
Speaker:Zuccarello has been fine, but outside of that, they really
Speaker:lack that number one center.
Speaker:had a nice, 20, 20 goals from your rookie center.
Speaker:You're not mad about that.
Speaker:And I think that Marco Rossi can develop into that top center.
Speaker:But again, like we're still waiting here for a true top center and
Speaker:maybe Rossi does end up being that guy, but he's not this year.
Speaker:He's still, a middle six, maybe second, third line type of player.
Speaker:And I think this is what you expect.
Speaker:It's not even a knock.
Speaker:It's just they bought out their two huge contracts in Parise and Souter and
Speaker:this is has to be what you expected.
Speaker:That you're not gonna be anywhere close to the top.
Speaker:And you're probably going to miss the playoffs unless everything goes right.
Speaker:Absolutely everything has to go right.
Speaker:And it definitely has not this season.
Speaker:It could next year.
Speaker:these younger guys, Faber and Rossi.
Speaker:They're all a year older.
Speaker:But it's, they're still not going to be able to go out and do a whole lot.
Speaker:I mean, 9 million in cap space.
Speaker:And you've got to sign, a couple, you have to be thinking in the back of your head.
Speaker:Alright, we are going to have to sign Rossi.
Speaker:in two years.
Speaker:We are going to have to sign Faber in two years.
Speaker:So yes, do they have a whole bunch of cap space this year?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:But you have to be thinking that you have to re sign both of those guys.
Speaker:And it, those are probably going to be huge numbers.
Speaker:Faber's probably going to get, eh, maybe in the neighborhood of 9
Speaker:million when his contract comes up.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:That'll be
Speaker:there goes your
Speaker:That, I mean, it'll be interesting to see, how that one plays out.
Speaker:I think.
Speaker:a good measuring stick is going to be, is going to be most ciders contract, right?
Speaker:How does that play out?
Speaker:because he's been hovering around that 40 point 50 point Mark, these last
Speaker:couple seasons and was the Calder winner.
Speaker:So you've got a guy who essentially is, in my opinion,
Speaker:the Calder winner and Brock Faber.
Speaker:If, if he continues to play like this, yeah, I could see a short term, three
Speaker:year, 6 million deal, but maybe they go long term, And they give them, eight
Speaker:times nine and lock them up in a couple of seasons, but, but yeah, to your point,
Speaker:maybe you've got some money to play with next season to try to find a center, but,
Speaker:with, Jared Spurgeon being gone all year, and then, Ryan Hartman being up and down,
Speaker:I think, ideally in an ideal world, you want Joel Erickson Eck as your number two,
Speaker:Ryan Hartman as your number three center.
Speaker:And then you want somebody else in that number one spot.
Speaker:Now, I agree with you.
Speaker:I think Marco Rossi might get there eventually, but he's still three, four
Speaker:years away from that, in my opinion.
Speaker:And yeah, they need something now and it's sucks because
Speaker:you've got Kirill the Thrill,
Speaker:coming up on free agency in two summers.
Speaker:And if it, yeah, three years, yeah.
Speaker:But if, he's eligible for, to be re signed in two summers.
Speaker:And
Speaker:yeah, if he doesn't,
Speaker:have to, you'd have to trade them.
Speaker:yeah, you would
Speaker:absolutely have to trade him.
Speaker:And then at that point, it's okay, Let's, let's restart this whole thing,
Speaker:Yep, and, and that's the tough part about where they are, is that they did what
Speaker:they did, and continued to try to win, and they're just stuck in the middle.
Speaker:And let's be honest, the Minnesota Wild have been stuck in the
Speaker:middle for about 20 years.
Speaker:They made it to the conference finals one time, and I believe it was in 2003, right?
Speaker:yeah, I think you're right.
Speaker:they could, because they played the ducks in the conference finals and I think that
Speaker:they, that was like one of the lowest scoring conference finals of all time.
Speaker:we can pull that up, but, yeah, Minnesota wild.
Speaker:I think they, they definitely have some nice pieces.
Speaker:They've got all their picks outside of a third round pick and
Speaker:a seventh round pick this year.
Speaker:So they'll be taking their first round pick and, Hey, there's in some
Speaker:respects, there's always the lottery.
Speaker:Like, they are definitely down.
Speaker:they're down there.
Speaker:I mean, they're 18th.
Speaker:I guess they're not so far down that they're going to end up likely with
Speaker:a really good pick, but hey, you win a lottery, you push yourself into
Speaker:the top 10, you make a good pick.
Speaker:it's funny in the Eastern Conference had Minnesota been over there,
Speaker:they would be in a playoff spot.
Speaker:That tells you anything different about the East and the West.
Speaker:I think what it says is that the bottom of the West is so bad.
Speaker:Like they're, these top, these teams are just scooping up points.
Speaker:And the bottom of the Eastern Conference is not nearly what
Speaker:the bottom of the west is.
Speaker:the bottom of the east is Columbus and Montreal.
Speaker:And then Ottawa and New Jersey are the ne next two bottom teams.
Speaker:Yeah, and I would take all those teams over Arizona, Calgary,
Speaker:Seattle right now, maybe.
Speaker:yeah, the two bottom teams in the west and the two bottom in area in each division
Speaker:in the west and the two bottom teams in each of the division in the east.
Speaker:I mean, they just don't even stack up.
Speaker:I mean, Columbus has 62 points.
Speaker:San Jose has 42.
Speaker:those are the two worst teams.
Speaker:Anyways, a big disparity between the top and the bottom compared to these.
Speaker:All right, let's scoot over back to the Eastern Conference.
Speaker:One more team in the Buffalo Sabres.
Speaker:How do you feel about this season for the Sabres?
Speaker:I think disappointment is a good way to put it.
Speaker:I mean, they, obviously, I think, for me, anyways, after what they
Speaker:did last year, and, you goaltending was going to improve, right?
Speaker:So when you,
Speaker:the playoffs last year, honestly.
Speaker:yeah, they p
Speaker:and you,
Speaker:been for some unlucky things.
Speaker:yeah, Ottawa, Buffalo, these hav we've been looking at the have
Speaker:been out of the playoffs a while and are, rebuilding, regrowing.
Speaker:And to me, I honestly, out of the three of them, I figured Buffalo would be the
Speaker:one that would probably make the playoffs.
Speaker:and in my opinion, they're probably playing worse than any
Speaker:of all the three, in my opinion.
Speaker:Now, lately, they've been playing better.
Speaker:they've looked better.
Speaker:But, again, I don't think any time you, I mean, no knock on Rasmus Dahlien, but
Speaker:if he's your leading point guy on your team, it's just, It's not going well.
Speaker:I mean, he's
Speaker:no kale McCarr as far as production is concerned.
Speaker:and that is definitely due to some injuries.
Speaker:Casey Middlestad obviously isn't there anymore.
Speaker:There's been a lot going on with the Sabres, but it's like that every year.
Speaker:I'm like, there's always a lot going on and always these reasons why.
Speaker:Granted, hey, Tage Thompson, what, he only played in 65 games
Speaker:so far out of the, what, 76?
Speaker:So he missed 11 games, but those 11 games, I It's not like they would
Speaker:have won all of them by any means.
Speaker:So it's, I don't think that those 11 games made or broke the Buffalo Sabres.
Speaker:I just think, I think this is still a team that's growing.
Speaker:pretty crazy about Jeff Skinner, right?
Speaker:Getting to get to a thousand games.
Speaker:He's the only NHL player to ever play a thousand games
Speaker:and never play a playoff game.
Speaker:Poor fricking guy
Speaker:never made it to the playoffs.
Speaker:And his rookie season was with the Carolina, right?
Speaker:Like he played for the Carolina Hurricanes, back when he joined the NHL.
Speaker:And there's something that I, that season for the Hurricanes, I believe
Speaker:it was that year, like he had a fantastic rookie year, 63 points,
Speaker:on the calder.
Speaker:wins the Calder.
Speaker:And I want to say that year, I got to look up what happened to the Carolina
Speaker:Hurricanes, but I want to say that they.
Speaker:Barely missed the playoffs.
Speaker:Oh.
Speaker:let's see if I'm right.
Speaker:We'll see if my memory serves me correctly.
Speaker:Eastern Conference, Carolina Hurricanes.
Speaker:Of course, these are silly standings.
Speaker:They had What's these stupid standings?
Speaker:I hate you Google.
Speaker:I hate you.
Speaker:Google's standings.
Speaker:I don't know.
Speaker:Don't ask me why I'm looking at Google's standings.
Speaker:Oh, I hate the NHL.
Speaker:They don't even Oh wow!
Speaker:Why is the old Oh yeah, this is weird.
Speaker:yes, Carolina missed the playoffs by two, two points.
Speaker:Two points.
Speaker:they were 91 points and the Rangers made the playoffs with 93.
Speaker:I believe Was that the year?
Speaker:No, that wasn't the year that, that it was Philadelphia and, New York.
Speaker:Remember that?
Speaker:Philadelphia beat New York in a shootout or something like that
Speaker:at the last game of the season and
Speaker:Oh, God.
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:I remember that.
Speaker:the playoff.
Speaker:but anyways.
Speaker:Buffalo Sabres, they really are in this spot.
Speaker:They haven't had good goaltending.
Speaker:They had a lot of injuries.
Speaker:It's like very similar to the Devils.
Speaker:They have talent up front.
Speaker:They have talent on the back end.
Speaker:But it just isn't all coming together quite yet.
Speaker:To where this is a playoff team, especially considering, the other high
Speaker:end talent that's in this division.
Speaker:And frankly, the Red Wings built their team a little differently where
Speaker:they have the veterans in place.
Speaker:Who are the top players on their team?
Speaker:Like a Larkin, like they bring in Patrick Kane and that worked out amazingly for
Speaker:the Red Wings.
Speaker:I know there was some talk about Patrick Kane going to Buffalo and
Speaker:I wonder if he had gone to Buffalo is there's Buffalo in the playoffs,
Speaker:mean, that is his hometown, right?
Speaker:So that would have
Speaker:been, that would have been nice for them.
Speaker:But I'll tell you what, the one nice thing that, that Patty Kane
Speaker:has done, I mean, he's been able to hook up with Alex to bring it.
Speaker:He doesn't have that instant chemistry with anybody else.
Speaker:would he mesh well with a guy like Jeff Skinner or Alex Tuck maybe?
Speaker:but those things take time to
Speaker:develop, right?
Speaker:Thompson.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And, that's the other thing too, right?
Speaker:Tage Thompson, you're not having him most of the season.
Speaker:Whereas, JT Comfer and Dylan Larkin have pretty much been there all year.
Speaker:Larkin's missed a little, a few games here and there.
Speaker:But, for the most part, he's been in the lineup full time.
Speaker:And,
Speaker:Dylan Cousins.
Speaker:Tate Thompson.
Speaker:went from almost a 40, 47 and 47, last year, 94 points.
Speaker:And.
Speaker:Even in 65 games, he only has 27 goals.
Speaker:I mean, he's scoring at a far less rate, I mean, he almost has, it's almost half the
Speaker:amount of points in just 13 more games.
Speaker:The point per game isn't looking, it really matches up more with his year
Speaker:before, when he was at 38 and 30.
Speaker:68 points in 78 games.
Speaker:This year, 52 points in 65 games.
Speaker:The year before, 94 in 78.
Speaker:So when you consider that, you almost go, as now he signed a nice deal.
Speaker:he's only getting 7.
Speaker:1 million for the next seven years.
Speaker:Again, he's not a UFA until 23.
Speaker:So a 7.
Speaker:1 million, you will happily take a guy who's putting up, what would be
Speaker:if he played a full 82 game season, somewhere between 65 and 70 points.
Speaker:I mean, that's more than fine for a guy making 7.
Speaker:1 million.
Speaker:But, now, do you want to see him play better?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Did injuries play a factor in maybe why he hasn't been put up as many points?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Did the team around him make a difference?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:It seems as though, what are the Sabres gonna do?
Speaker:You can't fire your coach again.
Speaker:I don't think you want that.
Speaker:they just gave him a contract extension for two more
Speaker:years.
Speaker:So
Speaker:So you know they're not gonna do that, and they bring in Bo and Byram, and
Speaker:I think next year you're gonna have to Really take a good hard look in
Speaker:the mirror and figure out how you're going to take what their strength
Speaker:is, which should be their back end.
Speaker:Between Byram, Dawling, and Power, you gotta figure out a way to put the puck
Speaker:in these guys hands more and allow them to create from the back end.
Speaker:Cause I think that's the only way you're gonna win.
Speaker:I agree.
Speaker:and here's the other thing too, right?
Speaker:So they've clearly, I think they had the mindset now that they're going
Speaker:to start shifting the way they play.
Speaker:now whether or not that is Granado long term or, somebody else
Speaker:stepping in, to make those changes.
Speaker:we will see, but you make the move.
Speaker:You trade Casey Middlestat and you bring in Bowen Byram, right?
Speaker:So now you're putting the emphasis on defense a little bit more.
Speaker:you've got Devin Levi coming up.
Speaker:UPL has looked pretty good.
Speaker:the second half of the season, he's looked much, much better anyways, in
Speaker:my opinion, and you've also gotten rid of Kyle Ocposa, your captain, right?
Speaker:So there's a change in guard, change in leadership almost.
Speaker:a little bit with this team.
Speaker:shifting that focus, I think, towards the back end would be the
Speaker:best move this team could make.
Speaker:even if you want to take the mindset and play like, Oh, I don't know, play like LA
Speaker:or Carolina where you're a little bit more defensive, minded and not really focusing
Speaker:on those, let's try to get Tate Thompson a hundred points every year, right?
Speaker:Let's not focus on getting them 40
Speaker:goals and a hundred points.
Speaker:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I wanna see the Sabres in the playoffs.
Speaker:Honestly, like It's been so long.
Speaker:What has it been?
Speaker:15 years or something like that?
Speaker:15 or
Speaker:16 years?
Speaker:that's just
Speaker:been 11, but regardless, it's
Speaker:been too long.
Speaker:Let's look it up.
Speaker:Call it up.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:I'm
Speaker:pulling it up right now.
Speaker:Let's see.
Speaker:You're a faster taper than I am.
Speaker:yes.
Speaker:Either way, that's way too long
Speaker:gosh.
Speaker:oh, come on.
Speaker:2001.
Speaker:I think.
Speaker:No,
Speaker:wait, that was
Speaker:I
Speaker:This is the wrong site.
Speaker:memories of Chris Drury
Speaker:Oh gosh, yes.
Speaker:they haven't made the playoffs since 2011.
Speaker:Okay, so it's been 13 years.
Speaker:13 years.
Speaker:that's painful.
Speaker:If you are a Buffalo Sabres fan, that is just painful.
Speaker:I mean, it's akin to, I would say very similar to the Florida Panthers,
Speaker:who, really, it was what, 1996 was
Speaker:the last time they had won a playoff series before, like two years ago.
Speaker:Before last?
Speaker:Yeah, two years ago.
Speaker:Two years ago.
Speaker:And that is a, that's a freaking long time to not win a playoff series.
Speaker:and they also didn't really make the playoffs very much.
Speaker:In that stretch, especially after.
Speaker:in the, in this century, they hadn't made the playoffs that much.
Speaker:So that's a tough pill to swallow, but man, 13 years in Buffalo,
Speaker:a place where hockey is number two, like just past the bills.
Speaker:that's a really tough pill as well.
Speaker:And
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I really hope that the Buffalo Sabres can figure it out next year
Speaker:and make the playoffs as long as it's not at the expense of any team
Speaker:that either one of us cheers for.
Speaker:Yes, I absolutely agree.
Speaker:And I'll tell you what though, I mean, from a geographical standpoint, right?
Speaker:Toronto, I know is very close to Buffalo.
Speaker:So there's just a, there's always been a rivalry there.
Speaker:So I would love to see that again.
Speaker:And then even from a
Speaker:time they played each other in the playoffs was 1998,
Speaker:right?
Speaker:90 98, I believe.
Speaker:99?
Speaker:Might have been 99.
Speaker:99.
Speaker:Yes, it was 99.
Speaker:Because that was the year that the Sabres went to the finals.
Speaker:Because they played the
Speaker:Leafs in the conference finals.
Speaker:They beat the Leafs in five games.
Speaker:The Leafs couldn't score on Dominik Asik.
Speaker:I was going to say Hoshick beat the Leafs.
Speaker:and the Leafs were, they were a surprise team.
Speaker:I mean, really they made it there because of Kujo that year.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:Oh goodness.
Speaker:Yep, those were the days.
Speaker:okay.
Speaker:Should we Move to this Eastern Conference playoff race because I
Speaker:think that's our final thing of the show What who do you let's start here?
Speaker:Who do you think is not going to make who's the first team you're gonna knock
Speaker:off here because we've got loads of say There's the Pittsburgh Penguins
Speaker:the New York Islanders the Detroit Red Wings and the Washington Capitals.
Speaker:We've got four teams Vying for well and the Philadelphia Flyers are
Speaker:five teams vying for two playoff spots Who's the one team that you
Speaker:think no just Forget about them.
Speaker:they're done.
Speaker:I think the easy one is Pittsburgh to me, but I'm also going to say
Speaker:the New York
Speaker:have a huge game tonight.
Speaker:It's Washington Pittsburgh.
Speaker:I mean, by the time you're watching this show, you know the result.
Speaker:But, I mean, that, that game is likely, if Pittsburgh loses, it's over for
Speaker:No, I agree.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Definitely over for them.
Speaker:but for me, I mean, okay, I'm just going to come out and say it.
Speaker:I'm going to give you my prediction where I think everybody's going to fall.
Speaker:I ultimately think the Washington Capitals find a way to squeak in,
Speaker:but they're going to finish third
Speaker:in this division, right?
Speaker:in the Metro.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And Philly's going to fall out and miss the playoffs completely.
Speaker:John Torts is going to get fired.
Speaker:Red Wings make the playoffs in that final wildcard spot.
Speaker:yeah.
Speaker:and here's another kicker too.
Speaker:I'll just throw it out there too.
Speaker:I think the Toronto Maple Leafs finish in the first wildcard
Speaker:spot and the Lightning jump them.
Speaker:That last game of the season.
Speaker:oh, when the Leafs and the Lightning play in the
Speaker:last game of the year, you think they're gonna be, that's
Speaker:gonna be for the division,
Speaker:Absolutely.
Speaker:To be honest, I would take that.
Speaker:I would take that.
Speaker:Because that means that the Leafs are probably playing the Bruins.
Speaker:I think I would take the Bruins over the Panthers.
Speaker:Oh, I absolutely, if I'm a Leafs fan, I would rather play the Bruins.
Speaker:I'm I know the history isn't there,
Speaker:but I think,
Speaker:beat the f ing Bruins.
Speaker:I I mean, I don't think, I don't think the Bruins are going to go far regardless
Speaker:where they finish the season, because I think their lack of depth down the
Speaker:middle is just going to hurt them.
Speaker:we'll see how that
Speaker:They always play the Leafs tough.
Speaker:Although the Leafs did play really well against the Panthers on Monday
Speaker:night, but it was a Monday night.
Speaker:a random Monday night.
Speaker:they're like, oh look the Leafs look so much faster.
Speaker:it's a Monday night.
Speaker:It's just a random regular season Monday night.
Speaker:Who cares?
Speaker:I don't care where they finish.
Speaker:I think everybody's going to be talking about the Panthers taking the East again.
Speaker:So it doesn't
Speaker:matter where they place.
Speaker:And I don't think they
Speaker:care either really.
Speaker:now you, so you think that it's more likely that the Tampa Bay
Speaker:Lightning, who have no games in hand on the Leafs, that in seven games,
Speaker:14 points, that the Lightning are gonna get 12 points to the Leafs 8.
Speaker:I think the Leafs are only gonna get 8 points over the next, 14 possible points.
Speaker:Yeah, I,
Speaker:do.
Speaker:I,
Speaker:hell of a hell of a dip over the, over a seven game span.
Speaker:It's tough a team four points up.
Speaker:so here's the thing.
Speaker:I think, the lightning have a lot more to play for right now going into the playoffs
Speaker:than I think the Maple Leafs do right.
Speaker:The Maple Leafs.
Speaker:I think right now you're just you're looking.
Speaker:I think they're going to be looking to get guys some rest, right?
Speaker:I mean, they've got a couple of hard games coming up.
Speaker:at the end of the season when they've got to play, Florida and Tampa.
Speaker:And I don't think they're going to be meaningful games to the Leafs.
Speaker:I think the Leafs are just going to want to
Speaker:rest some guys, keep some guys healthy.
Speaker:what happened?
Speaker:You see now the Leafs have a game in hand on the Florida Panthers And they play the
Speaker:Florida Panthers one more time, right?
Speaker:They do.
Speaker:They absolutely do.
Speaker:But
Speaker:here's the thing though.
Speaker:I don't think Toronto cares where they, if they finish second or in the wild card.
Speaker:Because if
Speaker:I'm,
Speaker:so good
Speaker:yeah, if I'm Toronto, I just want to keep my guys healthy.
Speaker:I mean, they've been just, you've had Morgan Riley just coming back.
Speaker:you've had injuries to Marner and guys being up and down the lineup.
Speaker:So for me, I'm just more concerned about keeping my guys healthy and ready to go.
Speaker:Because, let's face it, regardless where you place, whether it's third or the wild
Speaker:card, you're still not starting at home.
Speaker:and I don't think they're going to catch Florida regardless.
Speaker:Cause I think Florida is just going to go full steam ahead.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So they're going to end up, cruising to that second spot and they're
Speaker:going to, they're going to try to take that president's trophy
Speaker:or at least, make a run at it.
Speaker:Yeah, 2 7 1 in their last ten.
Speaker:Things have not been going great in Florida
Speaker:But I got to imagine they're just like we're in so
Speaker:pretty much.
Speaker:need to we don't need to kill ourselves And that is a team
Speaker:that kills themselves to win.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:you think the Washington Capitals, which yes They've got two games at
Speaker:hand on the Philadelphia Flyers.
Speaker:They win one of those games over them and they make the playoffs.
Speaker:It is crazy to think the three teams after the two top teams in the metro, all
Speaker:the next teams, the next two teams have minus 35 goal differential, minus 27.
Speaker:Pittsburgh has a plus one right now.
Speaker:And then the Devils have a minus 13 Blue Jackets, minus 56.
Speaker:So really three teams have a plus and one of them is only a plus one and it's
Speaker:probably likely that it's a minus by the end of the year because they seem to get
Speaker:blown out when they have bad games but okay so let's say Washington capitals
Speaker:are in you have the Philadelphia Flyers So they, they continue their slump.
Speaker:how about this other, so that's the, takes care of the bottom part of the metro.
Speaker:Where are we looking at the wild card?
Speaker:How do you see that shaking up?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It's Toronto at the top spot.
Speaker:And then I think the Red Wings finishing that second wild card spot.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:No Islanders.
Speaker:No, I just, again, I go back to outside of Barzell and Horvat.
Speaker:There's no offensive depth there and it's been showing right.
Speaker:And right now, I hate to say it, but Sorokin has looked bleh, Varlamov's
Speaker:been getting a majority of the starts lately, and so I just don't think this
Speaker:team is, I mean, Patrick, Pat Roy's gonna push them, and they're gonna,
Speaker:they're gonna make an effort, they're gonna make an effort there, but I just
Speaker:don't think there's enough offensive firepower on this team to really, to
Speaker:get them over that hump to get in.
Speaker:My brain, I was like, who is Pat Roy?
Speaker:Oh, Patrick Law.
Speaker:Who's
Speaker:Pat Roy?
Speaker:Yeah, and I think Washington,
Speaker:a coach that I don't know about named Pat Roy?
Speaker:when it comes to Washington, I mean, listen, they've got a lot of
Speaker:young guys that just want to get in and just they're playing loose.
Speaker:They have nothing to lose right now.
Speaker:Washington would like to make the playoffs, but they don't care.
Speaker:I mean, I know they care, but really, if they miss it, it's not like
Speaker:it's the end of the world, right?
Speaker:For anybody on this team.
Speaker:It's not like anybody's playing for their jobs or anything big right
Speaker:now, other than Ovi scoring goals.
Speaker:In the salary cap era, how many teams have made the playoffs
Speaker:with a minus goal differential?
Speaker:Ooh, that's a good question.
Speaker:That would be a very good trivia question.
Speaker:I think.
Speaker:I would probably go half a dozen at the most, I think.
Speaker:I believe that it is, what, I think the Senators did the year they went
Speaker:to the Eastern Conference Final.
Speaker:But they were like a minus one.
Speaker:The worst, I think, was the Florida Panthers in maybe it was 2012?
Speaker:I think it might have been the lockout.
Speaker:I think they were minus 24.
Speaker:So that's, I think I heard that.
Speaker:So my, the Florida Panthers at minus 24.
Speaker:I mean, this will be a record if the Washington Capitals make it.
Speaker:Assuming that they continue their funny goal differential.
Speaker:They've only scored 203 goals.
Speaker:there is no playoff team right now that the next highest scoring
Speaker:team is the Flyers at 222.
Speaker:Oh, that's 20, basically 20 more goals than the next team.
Speaker:that's a pretty big difference over, I mean, even over the course of 80 games,
Speaker:I mean, that's, a big difference there, but, yeah, they do not score goals,
Speaker:but they are finding a way to do it.
Speaker:You think if they make the playoffs, that their coaching staff should be
Speaker:up for coach of the year, that Spencer Carberry should be considered for it?
Speaker:No, I don't think so.
Speaker:I mean, you could maybe put them in five or six or something like
Speaker:that in voting, but that's about the best I'm going to give him.
Speaker:I think,
Speaker:I think
Speaker:just because they've been so bad, every, all those teams down there
Speaker:have been so bad, that you're eh, it's
Speaker:you don't get points for being good.
Speaker:The second half of the season.
Speaker:And everybody else being terrible.
Speaker:but for me, the thing that
Speaker:annoys
Speaker:points for being just slightly not worse than the other guys.
Speaker:what annoys me every year in and out is John Cooper's lack of.
Speaker:accolades in this category because man, he does such a fantastic job with that team.
Speaker:And I know he has
Speaker:so much talent,
Speaker:been fired.
Speaker:yeah,
Speaker:Because he never wins Coach of the Year.
Speaker:As soon as you do, you're out of there.
Speaker:That means, and I have a theory behind that.
Speaker:My theory behind why Coach of the Year's often get fired.
Speaker:Because a lot of times it's a story of Oh, wow, this team was, it was
Speaker:unexpected that they do this well.
Speaker:And here they are.
Speaker:You could say, that's because the next year they went and they said,
Speaker:Oh, see, we're, we are pretty good.
Speaker:And so they don't make a lot of changes.
Speaker:it turns out you weren't that good.
Speaker:And it was just your coach.
Speaker:That's one side of it.
Speaker:The other side is that coach literally spent the entire year milking
Speaker:those little udders all year long and those things are raw as hell
Speaker:raw as hell,
Speaker:now you gotta, you just, you gotta get somebody else in there to
Speaker:lotion up the udders because it's just, he can't be trusted anymore.
Speaker:There's my,
Speaker:there's my cow milking analogy.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I'll give you that though.
Speaker:That is the problem, right?
Speaker:I mean, it consistently goes to somebody who takes a terrible team, get some, an
Speaker:extra 40 points in the standing somehow.
Speaker:And yes, you get coach of the year.
Speaker:I mean, look, it's probably going to happen in Vancouver with Rick
Speaker:Tockett, no offense to him, but.
Speaker:I don't think Rick Tockett's gonna get fired if he
Speaker:No, I don't think so either.
Speaker:But again, yeah, that's what ended up happening.
Speaker:You never see guys like, Peter Laviolette, or I mean, again, in New York, I mean,
Speaker:what they're doing out there, it's, they look fantastic, but he's not going
Speaker:to get any, he's not going to get,
Speaker:You don't think he's gonna get any love
Speaker:I think he might finish
Speaker:top three, maybe number four, but he's not
Speaker:gonna,
Speaker:but he also comes in and he takes over a team.
Speaker:That was already good.
Speaker:And they've been, conference finals a couple of years ago,
Speaker:they had 107 points last year.
Speaker:And this year they're at 106.
Speaker:They'll probably finish around what?
Speaker:112, 114.
Speaker:So a little bit better of a year, of course, but it's not as if he took a non
Speaker:playoff team and made them a playoff team.
Speaker:I think that's often the reason why you want to give somebody that coach of the
Speaker:year is, Hey, you come, you came in and you took that team that wasn't a playoff
Speaker:team and you made them a playoff team.
Speaker:that's impressive.
Speaker:if the Flyers managed to hold on here, I think that Tortorella should
Speaker:be considered for Coach of the Year.
Speaker:100%.
Speaker:well, listen,
Speaker:that had 75 points that went blatantly out of their way to tell everybody,
Speaker:we're rebuilding, we're gonna be bad this year, and he was like, oh,
Speaker:I got something to say about that.
Speaker:Let's go!
Speaker:he'll be able to,
Speaker:had his team under a gun all year long.
Speaker:yeah, he'll be the second guy.
Speaker:night!
Speaker:He'll be the second coach to win it for a third time.
Speaker:I mean, there's only been eight guys that have won it two or more times.
Speaker:So
Speaker:That's why he gets fired all the time.
Speaker:He milks them.
Speaker:Alright, I think that is our show.
Speaker:I guess I should give my predictions, too.
Speaker:yeah, I want to hear him.
Speaker:Absolutely.
Speaker:Yeah, I'm gonna tell you what I want to happen.
Speaker:Forget what I think's gonna happen, because it's always wrong.
Speaker:I'll tell you what I want to happen.
Speaker:I don't care whether the Leafs finish third or first Wild Card.
Speaker:We're always gonna win.
Speaker:All those things are pretty much decided, at least as far as,
Speaker:those teams are in the playoffs.
Speaker:I'm gonna tell you who's gonna make the playoffs.
Speaker:I think that the Red Wings are gonna make the playoffs.
Speaker:And I think that the Pittsburgh Penguins are going to make the playoffs.
Speaker:The Penguins are gonna beat the Washington Capitals.
Speaker:Now, this could be, you could be listening to this and be like, they didn't, bro.
Speaker:But, Penguins beat the Capitals tonight.
Speaker:They find a way to go on a tear here at the end of the year.
Speaker:And, it's kinda it's a little karma here.
Speaker:last year they had just the weirdest, worst ending to their season.
Speaker:And I think this year, You go, they had no business making the
Speaker:playoffs this year, and they did.
Speaker:Whereas last year, they should have been in the playoffs.
Speaker:They should have been.
Speaker:And, I think this year, we'll make up for it.
Speaker:I think the Penguins make the playoffs.
Speaker:And, I think these, the other teams just continue to free fall here.
Speaker:But I think that the Red Wings sneak in.
Speaker:maybe on the last day of the year, I'm going, Pittsburgh,
Speaker:bottom team in the Metro.
Speaker:They'll take on the Hurricanes and get spanked.
Speaker:We'll And the Red Wings sneak in there, second wild card, and they
Speaker:get to play the New York Rangers.
Speaker:I'll tell you this though.
Speaker:matchup.
Speaker:I'll tell you this.
Speaker:I would just, I wouldn't hate seeing Sidney Crosby in the playoffs.
Speaker:I think that would be phenomenal.
Speaker:again, you've heard it all year long, I think since the trade
Speaker:deadline, Is this it for Sidney?
Speaker:Is he going to eventually ask to move out?
Speaker:And I don't think that's going to happen, but, there's
Speaker:something else to play for there.
Speaker:Or what if the Washington Capitals get that, get in the Metro in the third
Speaker:spot, the Penguins sneak into the wild card spot, and then the Washington
Speaker:Capitals beat the Hurricanes, the Penguins beat the Rangers, and we
Speaker:get a Capitals Penguins second round!
Speaker:That's
Speaker:that's a pipe
Speaker:it up.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:how I'm dialing it up.
Speaker:That would be a fun one too.
Speaker:I'm
Speaker:tonight, yes, tonight is probably the most meaningful Capitals
Speaker:Penguins game we've had since What year did the Capitals win the cup?
Speaker:It was 2017?
Speaker:28.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:17.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:yeah, probably the most meaningful game since those two teams played
Speaker:each other in the playoffs.
Speaker:I
Speaker:I
Speaker:can't wait.
Speaker:can't think of a more meaningful game than they've had, so
Speaker:it'll be a fun game tonight.
Speaker:any final thoughts before we get out of here?
Speaker:boy.
Speaker:I'll tell you what though.
Speaker:I can't wait to, again, this is going to shake up to be a fun
Speaker:playoff tree, no matter how it
Speaker:turns out in the East, but, I can't wait till we start doing our predictions here.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Absolutely.
Speaker:Alright, next week will be our show and it'll, the playoff picture will probably
Speaker:start to reveal itself a little more.
Speaker:we'll look forward to that.
Speaker:We'll finish up our funerals and we'll get to some playoff predictions once we know,
Speaker:who's, who is where they're going to be.
Speaker:There could be some.
Speaker:By next week that we know like here's the matchup.
Speaker:All right.
Speaker:You can find us on Twitter and Instagram at OT hockey talk to our listeners.
Speaker:Thanks for listening to us, watching us.
Speaker:We are looking forward to the playoffs.
Speaker:Justin, have a great night and we'll talk to you guys soon.
