We preview the NHL's Central Division for the upcoming 2024-25 regular season.

Hello and welcome to Overtime Hockey Talk.

I am Mark Paul.

This is my co host, Justin Baker.

Justin, it is, we're back on the train here and getting out of

the summer vibes where we do a show every three or four weeks.

I know

man.

glad to be back at it.

it is.

and, this is our first show that we've done since the horrible tragedy, of the

Goodrow brothers, Johnny and Matthew.

And, I don't have a whole lot.

To say other than it's just freaking terrible.

And I, in my lifetime, don't think I ever remember someone who was

still really like playing and was this good and is just gone.

And it.

is, it's horrible.

Like from a hockey standpoint, horrible from a family standpoint, unimaginable.

Yeah, it's, it sucks, right?

that's the only way to put it.

It's just, it's a shitty thing and, another, I hate to say it,

but, you always harp all the time, don't drink and drive, call Uber.

there's reasons we have these options available, right?

And, Yeah, it's terrible, man.

I think that, the closest thing I was thinking about it the other day

was, just the Vladimir Konstantinov.

I know he, he ultimately didn't lose his life, but, it was still,

it's still hit pretty hard.

And,

And in a lot of ways he lost, he definitely lost the life he was living

before.

And as far as his hockey career, it definitely ended in a flash.

And I think he probably would have gone on to win a Norris.

Maybe Lidstrom has one fewer Norris if it's Not for

that, but as he was a very underrated defenseman.

but yes, our, of course our hearts go out to, the Goodros family.

And, and at this point, we just hope that something can.

out of what, what occurred that, impacts people in a positive way.

And I think we're seeing a lot of, a lot of hockey players and

people around the world showing a lot of love to their family.

And, it is cool to see how people rally around each other.

you just wish that you didn't have to do that.

All right, we'll leave it at that.

And, we will move into our central division.

Preview, for the 2024, 25 season and no easy transition between

that and, talking about a preview.

but we have the entire NHL to preview here before the regular season begins.

So we are going to start with the central division and, the, we'll just go

alphabetical order through the teams and.

Talk about what we think about what they did in the off

season and where they're going.

And ultimately we'll give some predictions and, maybe the order that we think

the central division will end in and, here and there, some surprise things

that we think will crop up, maybe some players that you might not expect to

make the team that, may be able to slide into the roster and make an impact.

And, Also some guys that have had good seasons and maybe we think,

Hey, this guy's going to slide off the bandwagon here a little bit.

And, different players hit 30, 35 and things can change real quickly.

So let's start with the Chicago black Hawks.

They once again, are maybe the easiest team to talk about in this

division, because I think once again, They are, if not the worst,

they're likely to be near the bottom.

Yes?

Yeah, that's an easy prediction right there.

I, I.

I think if just looking at it, obviously we could talk all day about, Utah.

I think that's going to be a big focus with this division.

But for me, really Chicago's right there at the bottom.

I, I think when you look at, what other teams have done and

it almost seems like, every team.

To me is going to almost take a step forward.

Whereas I think Chicago, even though they added pieces, I just don't

even see them taking a step forward.

The only thing to talk about really with this team is a dart.

And that's really, yeah, Todd Bertuzzi or Tyler Bertuzzi signed, they signed

a couple other, veteran pieces,

Yeah, Pat Maroon comes in there, which like, he's not moving a needle, he's

just Pat Maroon is a good luck charm.

That's really all he is.

a good guy in the room, but he is the four leaf clover.

he's the guy that you, he's the rabbit foot that you're hanging from your

locker room door in hopes that he does something positive for your team.

the decent little signings like Laurent Bressois.

I like that addition.

3.

3 million bucks.

he gets paid, I think probably more than he would have gotten anywhere else.

I'm sure that's why he went there, but yeah, he's been, he

was good behind, hello buck.

And I think that he maybe looks at this as an opportunity to finally

sneak his way into being a legitimate, at least a one B type of goalie.

I think we've seen those flashes from

Yeah,

him.

he was good last year.

he wasn't.

And I wouldn't, listen, we all know Murazic has a lot of health issues, right?

He constantly gets injured almost every year.

so I think this is a good signing for Chicago because they got a guy who, in

my opinion, he'll probably end up playing 30 to 40 games, so he'll be able to just

slide in there and, as bad as I think this defense is going to end up being

anyways, I don't think there's going to be any loss as far as goaltending

quality if it's Mrazic or Brassois, so either one, I'm happy with, I think

this is going to be a decent enough tandem for a team that we all know,

again, it's going to be at the bottom,

Yeah.

Goaltending is.

for a bad, for a team that is going to be bad or not going to be, I'll

say this, I don't think they're going to be easy to play against.

I think that's why they went out and went, let's target,

Hey, let's target a Pat Maroon.

Let's target a Tyler Bertuzzi.

Let's target.

TJ Brody,

is TJ Brody that great anymore?

No, but is he going to, is he going to give everything he's got?

Yes.

Alec Martinez, another guy who is he going to give all he's got?

Absolutely.

he's got a Stanley, he's got two Stanley cups.

He has a Stanley cup winning goal, I believe.

Yeah,

And,

and then, Hey, two votes here at Rynan, not a bad signing there either.

he's, he is someone I'll say he will push the needle.

No, he's, he isn't necessarily somebody that you can have be by

himself, but you get them with Bedard.

I think that's a lot better option than what Taylor hall

was coming in there last year.

I think a healthy Taylor Hall is going to help push the needle a

little bit, but is he the line driver heart trophy guy he once was?

No, but I still think he's capable of a 60 to 70 point season.

again, it depends on who he plays with, but he could still be a

guy that contributes well enough.

I think to, again, to make this team exciting, and tough to play against.

Yeah, And the, when you look up and down this roster, they bring in Ilya Mikheyev,

they re sign Dickinson, they've got, Nick Foligno there for another couple years.

It really is a team that they have done a really nice job at going,

we just need to surround Bedard with some guys that can play.

I'll say, I think they're going to be more competitive than last year.

That doesn't mean they're going to be better in the standings per se,

but I do think that there'll be more competitive because of the players that

they're surrounding themselves with.

They've done a better job this year than they did last year.

in terms of the talent, like Tara Vinan and Bertuzzi alone are.

Those are two good players to bring in on the wing and to fill out your top six.

yeah, let's I'll be honest, they're not going to score a league low

179 goals next year, so they'll do a little better than that.

Let's yeah, let's hope not.

That's you think you'd think that's a, that's not going to be the case, but

you there, maybe the issue isn't going to be, can the forward score the issue

really is going to be who is going to pass the puck up to those Seth Jones is

It's only Seth Jones.

Is Seth Jones.

I was thinking about Seth Jones, trying to go, where is Seth, when he got

traded to Chicago, there was still a lot of talk about, who Seth Jones, or

is it Wierensky who is driving that?

And I think a lot of people lean towards Wierensky.

Seth Jones and Darnell Nurse, are they not?

In the same conversation, like if Seth Jones is on a good team, because let's

face it, nine and a half million dollars is a lot, for a cap it, but does it do

anything having them there in Chicago?

No, actually it helps them because it gets them to the floor.

If he's on a good team, we're talking about how bad his contract is.

Nobody's talking about it.

Cause he's in Chicago and it doesn't matter anymore.

Yeah, I agree.

I don't give him, I don't think he's as bad as darn ill nurse, but, that

contract man is just not, he's not good, not fun to look at if again,

if he's on another team, right?

Yep.

Yep.

And yeah, I just, I don't look at Alec Martinez as a guy who's.

Going to drive play from the back end.

I don't definitely don't look at that way from TJ Brody.

Brody, if there's any redeeming quality, it's just his ability to lock things up in

the corner, but he's not moving the puck.

uh, Alex Vlasic.

He's, he can move the puck somewhat, but it's not as if he's somebody that

is going to go out and grab you 50 assists over the course of a year.

so I just don't know who's going to move the puck for them.

No.

the fact is the Blackhawks have a lot of young defensemen in the pipeline.

And I think even though.

Yeah, I agree with you.

These guys aren't going to move the puck.

They're not going to move the needle.

but Alec Martinez, TJ Brody, they're good veteran guys to have in there to

help mold and, help grow these youngsters and hopefully in, in the next, three,

four years now we're talking about, a team that's developed and these young

defensemen have come up and they've, again, developed and grown into, to,

capable top four, top six defensemen.

And, again, we were talking about a playoff Blackhawk team.

Yeah.

The, the athletic did rank Chicago with the number one prospect

pipeline in the NHL, which, Is,

a good and a bad, it's a good and a bad list to be on.

No, but Dard's not on the pipeline.

He's already in the, on the team.

So now he doesn't count, but, some, some nice guys that, that are going to

be coming up, Merrick, Menacker and, it's the Blackhawks are, of course,

you're going to have a pipeline of players because you've been terrible.

So you're drafting high.

Those players are all ranked high.

So yeah, the pipeline to me, there's been a lot of teams

that, Oh, they have the best.

Watch how good this team is going to be and it doesn't necessarily

mean that your team is going to go and win the Stanley Cup.

It just means that you have a lot of you drafted high.

And so you drafted a lot of highly rated players.

Anyways, Chicago Blackhawks.

I think we're in agreeance that they're going to be definitely near the bottom of

this division, but maybe more fun to watch

more competitive.

and you just want to see them score maybe an extra 40 goals, get up

above that 200, two to 10 mark.

And then you're probably winning an extra four or five games.

But, here's the real question, right?

Bidart, over or under 80 points, where you got him?

Oh, over under 80 points.

I think with the additions that they made this year, if he's healthy all

year, I say that he's over 80 points.

I think that, that.

The development arc and looking at where he was last year, I think it's

very safe to say 80 points is a, I think if he's less than 80 points.

I don't want to go as far to say that it would be a disappointment,

especially if he's showing some improvements defensively, I think

that if he's under 80 points, they, the Blackhawks probably didn't score

more than 200 goals again, right?

Like he only has 80 points.

Who else is going to get the other 120 goals?

Not that he's getting 80 goals by any means, but,

Right.

yes, they would have to, at 52 points last year, they won 23 games.

I think an extra five wins, with those, 30 to 40 goals.

And you look at it like 290 goals against, that's a lot of goals

against, only what the sharks, the ducks, the blue jackets had more

goals against than the black Hawks.

So it not with Bruce wall, you get that second goalie in there

who can play, maybe you let in 20 less goals throughout the year.

Yeah, maybe.

And if you can get 30, 30 or 40 more the other way, you're looking at least

a five, five, but even a 10 game swing, even with 33 wins, they're still only

at 72 points, which still has them last place in the central division.

Oh, they could be third to last in the Pacific, the way the Pacific was going.

Okay, let's move on from the Blackhawks and we'll ultimately, we'll give a full

prediction of the entire division, but let's, let's go to the Colorado Avalanche.

Ah, yes.

Yes.

The Avalanche are in a really.

Is it like an awkward position because of what's going on with

Natchooshkin and Landis Cog?

Those

are two key Cogs in your top six.

And I know Landis Cog, it's almost like, he he wasn't there last year.

So you're used to him not being there, but that's just a, you're

wondering, is he coming back?

what's going to happen here?

I, I.

What do you think about what with Landis Cog?

What do you think

I've heard he's coming back.

The rumor is that he's going to be available to season at what point?

That's a whole other question, right?

I think they're trying to get him back for training camp so he

can start the season with him.

But I don't, I haven't been keeping up on it if I'm being completely honest.

But, I think regardless, you still have to plan around him not being available.

Just like you have to not plan on Nachushkin being available.

And I don't know, again, if he's going to, once he gets out of, the NHL

assistant program, what his availability is going to be like, or what kind

of player he's going to be like.

And then, of course, does the team welcome him back in the room as well?

obviously, Landeskog, right?

It's an easy transition.

You can start him off with some less minutes and just slowly work

him back after being off for, Gosh, it feels like five years now, but

with Nachushkin, you got to build back that trust factor too, right?

And I think, a lot of that gets a little easier because if you just

show up, you go play and you produce guys will, Guys will welcome you

Yeah, people can get over it.

I don't, the issue to me with Natchooshkin is gonna be somewhat of

a trust issue and whether or not, I understand addiction is not a, oh, you're

all better now and You can say, you shouldn't, you can't be mad at somebody

because they struggle with something.

that, that's just, yes, you can say that it's just not rooted in reality.

It doesn't mean you can't be angry at somebody and it doesn't mean

that you ever have, you never have to trust that person ever again.

That's a, that's your right.

Yeah.

if you say, Hey, I understand like this person's working on this.

That doesn't mean that you have to want to be their teammate.

You could say, Hey, I'm rooting for you, but I can't have you in.

my life either.

there's, there are a lot of other people to consider.

And the fact that this is not just the first time this

happened, this is the second

time that this happened.

I think that it would be fair if some players said, I

don't want him on the team.

I don't trust that he's going to be here.

We're going to rely on him all season.

And what's going to happen?

We don't know.

unless you can, unless Natchushkin is willing to put himself onto a leash

and lock himself in a hotel room.

And there's going to be some people that don't trust them.

And

I,

hotel room.

you're not wrong that if a player starts to produce and they're doing

well, guys will, people have short term memories, people will go.

Whatever.

Okay.

he's putting a big points.

He's helping us win.

Let's see how, let's see if this lasts.

It doesn't mean that you necessarily believe that he's

going to, that it's going to last.

You probably hope that it will, but, that's a tricky situation

Yeah.

it's the second time.

if it, if this, if we're talking the first time that something happens,

people are far more forgiving.

and hopefully, hopefully they can all figure it out.

But, with Landis cog, actually, they're going to be doing an Amazon docu series,

and he's one of the 10 players that are going to be following.

So he will definitely be back if, if he's on board for some kind of documentary,

then he'll be, I'm assuming he'll be back.

So for me, if he's back, you've got a healthy McKinnon and Rantanen

and Nichushkin returns, which.

I don't think that Natchooshkin has been cleared from the assistance program.

So I think that, that's going to just be

seeing where that kind of all ends up.

Maybe he starts the season on.

I don't think that it's, do you start the season on IR?

yeah.

You,

LTIR and not count against the cap?

yeah, that's right.

yeah, but you don't get scammed, but the problem is for, a Colorado team that

lacks a lot of depth, they still can't spend that money because the, you don't

have any control when he comes back.

Once the NHL players, this is a program clears you that cap just

starts right back up, regardless if you want to have him on your team or not.

So for a

Yeah.

because they can't trade him right,

now.

that'll be it.

Like when he comes back, do they trade him?

No, and let's, 6.

125 for the next four years, it's a longer deal.

He's only 29.

So the deal ends when he's 33 at 6 million bucks.

maybe he, you go somewhere else.

It's not as if he's a bad player.

Like it's not as if he just got bad at hockey.

he's good.

he puts up almost a point per game.

He's valuable.

And I think if you can.

If you can bring him back into the fold, I think he's probably more valuable

to you at this stage of Colorado's, this iteration of the avalanche.

you need high level players and you're not going to trade in a Chushkin and

bring back up another high level guy.

You're going to trade in Chushkin and what, maybe get a prospect,

maybe like a.

second round pick, like no

bad teams giving up their first round pick, maybe a second round pick,

maybe a better team, you trade them to a team in the Eastern conference

that has some space that isn't worried about their first round pick.

Maybe they're willing to trade a first round pick

to

I wouldn't take that

Yeah.

But the, you look at the East and you go what if now, what if Boston is

willing to trade a first round pick and go up, I can't see it happening.

I, you're right.

I can't

see a team, Maybe Washington.

Utah could be the one team just because they like to make splashes.

I think

Yes, but I don't think they're trading a first round pick because the they'll know,

Hey, we're not, we're not projected to be.

Maybe they make the, there may be, maybe we make the playoffs is like,

Ooh, maybe we could make the playoffs.

Like it's very,

it's definitely top 10 protected if I'm trading it.

That's for sure.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

That's, and that's fair.

like a team like Carolina, they could use a guy like Rod Brindamore or,

I don't know, maybe do some things, but anyways, he can't be traded and.

And until he returns and we'll find that out, the other thing that is

going to be up for a discussion is going to be Miko Rantanen.

He's only 27.

He's about to be a UFA at the end of the year.

He's at 9.

25 million.

And Yeah.

I say that he's definitely due for a raise.

So

Colorado is going to have to figure that one out.

And that deal has definitely.

What was that?

A six year deal at 9.

25 and that deal has, it's worked out, I'd say for both player and team.

It was a good deal at the time.

It remains a good deal.

It's not like nobody's getting ripped off.

Nobody's getting huge benefits.

but I'd say that next year, we're looking at William Nylander kind of money.

I was going to say our Timmy Panarin money, right?

That 11

Okay.

Yeah.

11, which is, I think that's what me landers at 11.

So Yeah.

I, you're looking at least that now maybe he's willing to go 10, five or something

like that for on an eight year deal.

Yeah, we'll consider the fact that if they sign him to an eight year deal,

he'd be what, 36 at the end of it.

And even on an eight year deal, I think he'd probably want 11.

So that's going to be a tough deal for Colorado and he can sign an extension now.

And so you gotta, maybe be asking the question, what's

what's Colorado thinking here?

I would assume that they don't think that they can lose them.

No, you already.

you're hurting as far as death is concerned already, right?

you brought in Casey Middlestad.

You gave up a, Tremendous defensive product or prospect or player, whatever

you want to call him in Bowen Byram.

And then, again, you managed to keep Drury on the cheap.

And so that just to me is already proof that you're struggling cap wise to

maintain depth because you have guys like McKinnon and Rantanen and Landis

Gog who are going to eat up a ton of cap space and you just don't have the

money to bring them guys to replace them.

So if you lose a guy like Rantanen, you're not going to go out and free

agency and sign somebody to replace him.

So It's going to be a, it's going to be a hit and you can't even, I would be,

argue to say that even if you sign two guys at, five and five, you're still

not going to replace that productivity.

And and the cap's going to go up.

They've got 17 million available next year.

And there's a, there's not a whole lot of other UFAs that you're go,

they also got to sign this guy or like an RFA, Kovalenko's an RFA and

not like a huge deal for, money wise.

Brandstrom will be an RFA, but.

We're not sure what that's going to end up looking like.

And then really your only other question Mark going into next year

would be the goaltending situation.

Gorg, Georgiev will be a UFA.

but the goaltending situation to me right now is probably their

biggest question Mark, because can, do you trust that Georgiev can

win you not just a playoff series?

Cause this is a team that.

Has Stanley cup aspirations.

can he win you the, that big game?

he had some good games in the playoffs, but he had some rough games and his

regular season was not great, eight, nine, seven save percentage for a high

level team is not good enough and.

when you're having to rely on your backup goalie so often, you Frank

who's was hurt a bunch of last year.

And, I'm just wondering, is your, you have the answer or are you out

here looking for another goalie?

just waiting in the weeds, seeing what kind of, what transpires and

eventually you're going to go out and grab a guy, maybe at the deadline,

Yeah.

I definitely think they're going to give, gosh, how do you pronounce his last name?

And Noonan.

Yeah.

They're going to give him a shot at an opportunity.

he looked good in limited.

in limited opportunities last year, now if you put the pressure on him,

because I don't think you want to try to play, Gorgia have 60 plus games again.

So you're going to give this kid is 24 year old, untested,

goaltender, an opportunity to play 20, 30 games in this league.

And.

Can he hold up, right?

So if he doesn't hold up, I do think you're going to see Colorado

take a stab at a goaltender.

And they could even hit the free agent market, bring in a Martin Jones or

somebody like that, who could come in and give you 15 good games and,

hopefully provide some stability, especially if there's any kind of injury.

God forbid, Gore Gab goes down.

I think you're just, you're up shits Creek.

So

that's what I'm looking at is that

either guy goes down, who are you bringing up?

Cause you're two goalies that are, right now in the minors are

Kevin Mandoli's and Trent minor.

That's,

I'm not confident.

my guess is that they're out, there, there are some goalies that are out

there like a martin jones, so my guess is, they're, they've been looking

around and that those conversations usually at this time of year, training

camp comes in, we start to see some of those other goalies get snagged up.

Uh, my guess, maybe there's been some conversation with Rantanen And they're

going, are we going to sign into an extension or are we just letting

this, are we letting it hang out?

And as of right now, I haven't heard a whole lot about that

extension, but that doesn't mean that they're not in communication

about, I'm sure that they are,

Yeah.

And I'm sure Gore gives hope and he has a bounce back season for that contract too.

Because if you're his camp,

Oh yeah.

For him.

Yeah.

as low as it can be right now.

So

yeah, he played 60 games.

He won a lot of them.

So there's that, I don't think that he's not going to go out and be able

to get another 3 million contract, but I think the hope certainly was that.

Hey, I'm number one goalie in Colorado.

Let's go out, seize this.

And I can be a five, 6 million goalie.

And so far that has not happened.

where do you drop this avalanche team in terms of, where they

fall in the central division?

We didn't really hit a lot on defense, although I would say

that defense is their strength.

as far as their depth, they brought in a Shillington, they bring in a Dahan

and, Brandstrom as a, an experiment.

but Makar, Taves, Gerrard and Manson, there's few teams with

a better top four than that.

So it's almost like.

Yeah, we can talk about all these other things, but ultimately they've got a lot

of guys who can get their star forwards the puck and then, Mikhail Makar is

basically Conor McDavid on defense.

yeah, you could almost say that.

listen,

I did say it.

You did say that.

That's very true.

I still think, especially considering, I think the subtractions that Winnipeg

has, yeah, I'm confident Halibut's gonna have another sna like season

Willie win the sna, who knows?

But it's still gonna be a good season from him regardless.

and I'm starting to get worried too, because he's one of those guys that,

you know, over the, gosh, over the course of the last five, six years,

he's played more games than anybody.

So I start to wonder when we might start to see a little regression

or when they say, you know what?

We got to play this guy only 55 games, right?

We got to give him a break, but, all that being said, I think Winnipeg

fell a little bit in my eyes.

And so I still think Colorado is still capable of finishing in

that top three in this division.

Okay.

Yeah, I definitely don't see the missing the playoffs by any means, unless

the goaltending really falls apart.

but I think it's more likely that Georgiev bounces back a little bit.

And has a little bit better of a regular season.

If he's not playing as much, let's limit them to 50 games and then

see what else can come in there.

I just think they're just too dynamic offensively, not

to be in the conversation.

and if Natchooshkin comes back and you at, or you just add Landis cog and he's

healthy and he actually can, if he's just a shell of himself, it might be

tough to watch, but, it doesn't sound like that's, the case, I think that.

Hey, you didn't have your captain all last year and now he's back.

So that's a big boost.

All right.

let's go to the Dallas stars.

Definitely one of the favorites for the division once again.

And, he had a pretty decent season last year and, that they find

themselves in this, similar position.

They didn't have to go out and.

Do a whole lot in terms of it's not like they had to give anybody huge deals

or there, there wasn't a ton to do for the Dallas stars this off season as

they prepare for, what is going to, how their team's going to be shaped over

the next three years, because a Jamie Benz, a UFA at the end of this year.

And that's a huge anchor to take off.

It doesn't mean that he won't stay, but he won't be eating up.

9.

5 million of the cap.

And, that's, they bring back, do Shane's still there at 3 million bucks.

Dad and I was still there, Wyatt Johnson, he will be an RFA at the end of the

year, so he'll get a big deal there.

There's going to be some reorg of where guys fall in terms

of the salary cap structure.

Hey, walking into this next year, the Dallas stars look pretty similar.

to what they look like last year, other than Joe power tires.

Yeah, that's a big loss.

not only just from a production standpoint, just.

from a locker room standpoint, right?

But I think, again, this Dallas stars team, they're very well built.

They have a lot of, they have great leadership in that locker room already.

And yes, losing a guy like Joe Paz is going to suck, but I think they've got

enough guys in there that are leaders like Jamie Ben, for example, They'll be fine.

they're a well run organization.

They have a great culture there.

and, winning doesn't hurt, right?

So they've got guys who know how to win there.

they went out last year and beat Vegas in the playoffs, which I thought were the

two best teams in the Western Conference.

And somehow, that's why I hate the current playoff format.

They ended up playing in the first round and, it, it turned out to be a great

series, but for me, I'm interested to see how this backend plays out because

right now we've got, Harley not re signed.

He's an RFA still no contract in place.

I think they'll eventually get something done, but, if you start missing training

camp, history has shown us that guys that.

again, hold out on contracts and miss training camp.

They just have a shitty year.

So, when you've got to rely, outside of height, mural high skin, and

you've got Matt Dumba who joins in there, Brendan Smith on the back

end, Esalen Dell, I'm just on, he's an okay number four defenseman, but

outside of that, you don't have much.

how are these new guys on,

I was going to say, I really didn't love the two defensive signings this

off season for Labushkin and Dumba

Labushkin three years at 3.

25 million for a guy who is really a six defenseman is.

Not one of Jim Nils best signings.

maybe they feel like he's the perfect fit for something.

I'm guessing, after losing Tav, like Tav was a fantastic fit.

he goes and he signs in Toronto, I'm guessing that they went

well, we can't have Tav.

So let's like, let's go get Dumba and Labushkin and that kind of, there's

two guys that are tan of light a little bit, but I just don't see that at all.

Labushkin's not good.

And

I know, cause he's been on the Maple Leafs 17 times, they've traded for him.

Every year for the last three decades, it feels and, he just, he's never been good.

He has not been good.

I don't know.

why they brought him back and he just, he's pretty garbage, but maybe

they feel like he can fit some role.

Matt Dumba, I guess you're paying them for what he could be again.

Not necessarily what he was last year.

Cause last year he just, he wasn't a good fit anywhere he went.

but maybe they think they can turn that around.

they did need some right handed shots on their defense as well.

So that kind of fills that need.

I guess you're going, maybe we can have Labushkin play with Heiskanen and

it'll, because he did play with Morgan Riley and he still wasn't good, but it

freed up Riley to go and do some things.

Maybe they feel that way about Heiskanen and Labushkin.

I'm not sure.

I didn't like the signing at all,

no, I'm with you.

And I

not for three years.

no.

Oh God, no.

Yeah, no.

Take a one year flyer on a guy.

But you know what?

three.

I'm still hoping I'm, I keep waiting because Heiskanen to me is still a Norris,

a Norris level type defenseman in this league and they have to continually play

him on his off wing because they can't find anybody to play on their right side.

And I think that's really to me is what's holding him back is because they lean

on him a little bit too much right now.

Um, maybe Thomas Harley, will help, alleviate some of those minutes, but

they can't get him signed either.

that's, if you just get Labushkin 3 million bucks, what are

you gonna have to pay Harley?

So

Yeah.

Yes.

that's a good, that is a great point.

okay.

and all that to be said, Hey, Dallas still does have 6.

2 million left in cap space.

Most of that probably going to Harley,

but yeah, I think it is fair to say, they mostly stayed the same.

Yes.

They lose Pavelsky.

but.

Bringing back Duchesne at a low cost deal again, like he was very good for

the stars last year and I think with the rest of the, Robertson, the route Bay

hints like this team is still fantastic.

a top two team in the division for my money.

I don't see them going anywhere and we didn't even get to goaltending and

like Ottinger's going to be great.

And he's in a contract year and that means more money for my boy, Jake Ottinger, so

Yeah, that's a good point.

Cause to me, he was just, he was average last year.

and you look at his numbers, they again, just pedestrian.

So I think we're going to see more out of him.

I think he'll be better.

and thank God, no offense to Ryan Suter, but, they got that slow

fricking defenseman out of his way too.

So that'll only help out and you're for sure.

there we go.

Yep.

Yep.

Dallas, I think somewhere in the.

Definitely in the top three of that division.

I don't know, there's a scenario where they get, if they have

an injury on the backend, that could be really tough for them.

we'll see what happens.

I, there, I don't see them falling out of the top three.

Like I look at the rest of this division and I go, what, like who else is going

to see Colorado's in the top three.

And you've got Winnipeg, Dallas, and then Nashville.

that's about it for competing for the top three.

Okay.

let's move on to the Minnesota wild, who maybe are the most up

or down team in this division.

Like they might be the toughest team to pick where they're going to fall.

Cause it wasn't the two years ago they made the playoffs and last

year they really fell off a cliff.

But I think there's a scenario where this team could get back, you've got a whole

year of Boldy and Faber signs is big deal.

8 million bucks.

Like this team's ready to roll.

And, I think there's a chance that the Minnesota wild kind

of have a bounce back year.

Yeah, for me, it's all going to hinge on Marco Rossi, and really what he does and

what his development is because this team, we've talked about it for years, but.

obviously they've been hamstrung by Parisi and Suter's buyouts, but they've lacked

a true number one center for so long.

And you have guys like Zuccarello, who, in my opinion, their contractor,

his contract's way undervalued as far as what he brings in and gets paid.

And I think he's phenomenal on both ends.

And obviously Kaprizov is just a phenomenal.

he's phenomenal to watch.

So when you got those two guys and you have nobody in the middle who can really

dish the puck or nobody that just, provides that responsibility as far as

two way play goes, I think, that's the one thing I think this team really lacks.

And they got lucky last year.

I think with Faber, they found themselves the number one defenseman.

And this kid, I think he's gonna be a superstar in this league as

far as, defensemen are concerned.

yeah.

Gosh, that to me is going to be the biggest question mark, is whether or not

Marco Rossi can take another step and show that he is that guy that they drafted to

potentially be that number one center.

Yes.

Yeah.

and if he can be that guy, that's a huge, if he walks out and he's a

true number one center, that's a, that's an amazing boost for that team.

I'll also say maybe even more.

Kirill Kaprizov had a slow start, but I know he, he still had a, as

far as numbers go, he's, he had a great year, he had 96 points.

It's felt like he started a little slower.

I think that we need to see that.

Pace not be so back end heavy.

I think he started to pick up the pace once the season was gone.

No, you're right.

he traditionally does that.

I've looked at the numbers over the years and he starts slow.

And, again, in this league, you have to get off to a quick start because when

you're chasing teams like Colorado and Nashville and Dallas all year long,

it's going to be tough to get wins when, you're already behind the eight ball.

So I, just as a, just as an aside, I thought, you said they haven't

had a number one center in a while.

And I was like, who would I say are the best centers that the wild have had,

Oh

it's, yeah.

Miko Koivu is really the one number one center.

And he really was more like a, he was a really good number two center, I think on

a team that, that could have won something like he was not going to be the number one

center on any Stanley cup winning team.

Like he, he was good, but he wasn't great.

He was never a superstar, not one iota of a superstar.

He was very good.

like his brother Saku Koivu in Montreal.

He was very good.

He had some years where he was.

He put up some decent points, and.

He's a really good center and he got to play with Marion Gabrick and,

Marion Gabrick absolutely benefited from him being able to, he took

all the defensive responsibilities.

He was a true two way.

Centerman.

And, I'm sure that he was voted up there in the Selkie trophy voting at some points

during his career, but you've got him, I think Pavel Demitra was on the team at one

point and he played center a little bit.

Eric Stahl was a center on the wild.

And I think for

Yeah, he had a 40 goal season.

Yeah,

Yeah.

And, and then I think we're going, Jonathan Erickson, AC is probably the

next best center that's played there.

They just

have had no centerman, over the, and this is a team that's

been in the NHL since 1998.

So for those guys in the 25 years of your franchise's existence, those are

the four best centers to play for you.

I think you've got an issue.

He got to start identifying some centers.

Now they've had some great wingers, no doubt about it

on the wingers.

Um, can Kirill Kaprizov get going and from a goaltending

standpoint, it's Philip Gustafson.

Can he find himself again and be who he was two years ago?

And Marc Andre Fleury feeling the, in the rest, is Fleury

going to come back and still be.

serviceable.

he's getting up there.

He's 39 years old.

He'll be 40 this year.

So

not too many goalies have successful 40 or 40 year old career.

yeah, he was mediocre last year.

and so was their whole goaltending situation.

I'm not overly optimistic about it.

let me just put it that way.

All right.

yeah, their top six is fine.

Boldy, I think Boldy takes a step.

I think Faber takes a step on the back end and then, we'll see if Marco Rossi

can, and if some things fall into place, if players have really good years and

They're younger players take big steps.

I think there's a chance they Could be, a wildcard team because

more or less, because I think St.

Louis is like, sounds like St.

Louis shopping.

Some guys, they might take a step back.

I don't know that Utah is still very good.

Chicago is not very good.

And there might be a window there.

could

Probably not, but there's a window.

like we said too, if Gorgiev has a terrible year again, obviously Colorado

is going to score some goals, but maybe that costs them a few extra wins.

And maybe Minnesota takes advantage of that.

Yes.

And the best news for the Minnesota wild is that next year.

They get 14 plus million dollars off their cap from the buyout that.

they made a Parise and suitor who suitors just getting paid by a half a dozen teams

in the NHL right now, because he just keeps getting signed and bought out.

So yes, an additional 15 million in cap space next year.

and that.

Includes Brock Faber already being signed to an eight times 8.

5 million deal.

They don't really have other than Marco Rossi will be an RFA next

year, but it's coming off as an ELC.

He hasn't been super productive so far.

Even if Rossi goes out and What What did we say?

Like he had 40 points, let's say he goes out and gets 60 points this year.

He's still probably not getting more than like six, 6 million.

I like a little short term deal because you're going to go, Hey, yes, you had a

60 point season, but let's see you do it again before we sign you to a huge deal.

So I would suspect some kind of bridge deal, unless he's absolutely fantastic.

And in which case that does leave the wild, some room to go out and do some

things, in free agency next year.

That's where they are.

They're just a, like a sitting duck.

They have to wait and see, but I think there's a shot that they'll,

there'll be more interesting this year

because of the progress that their young players made last year.

All Right.

So we have done the first four teams in the central division.

And, I think we'll take a, we'll stop there.

You can head over to the next episode.

We're going to post these at the same time.

So you can head over to the next episode for, the second half of

the central division preview.

That'll be the national predators, the St.

Louis blues, Utah hockey team.

I know the hockey club and the Winnipeg jet.

So go over, listen to the next episode.

thanks for listening.

Don't forget.

You can find us on Twitter and, or X and Instagram.

Tick tock at OT hockey talk, and we'll see you at the second half

of the central division preview