Full Transcript for Icing it through the NHL Playoffs with David Amber

were a good team, but they were never good enough. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.560 And that seems to still be somewhat something that haunts the Leafs a little bit. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:56.080 But um, so I was a fan growing up and I always wanted to play. 00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:58.639 And then finally, when I was about nine years old, I was bugging my dad too much. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:00.800 He's like, Yeah, okay, we're gonna get you equipment, we're gonna play. 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:01.759 And and I loved it. 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:03.919 I played, you know, I still actually play in a beer league. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:06.639 So I'm I'm even as a grown man, I'm still playing hockey. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:07.680 Uh love it. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:11.280 I just, you know, I think that it's fast, it's physical. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:18.560 Um the guys to deal with, now that I'm sort of on the journalistic side of things, Mark, they're they're great guys to deal with generally. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:27.439 The fan bases are so passionate um about the game that it just makes it a real joy to be to be part of the NHL community and the hockey community in general. 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:29.199 Absolutely love hockey players. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:32.560 They are true gentlemans of uh professional sports. 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:33.840 I gotta be honest with you. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:48.319 Back in the day, I used to, when I was a lot younger, I used to get autographs and stuff, and and one bad experience, and we won't get into that, but uh, just about every guy, anybody from Lemieux to Gretzky, those guys are always so fantastic. 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:51.360 And and I truly understand where you're coming from with that. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:52.159 Absolutely. 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:54.000 I appreciate you you sharing that. 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:57.919 It actually, Toronto is probably my second favorite team, to be quite honest with you. 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:02.240 Uh I can't diversify away from my penguins, but I I do like the Maple Leafs. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:06.080 I hope they have a good run, but not at the expense of the Pens. 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:07.759 You know what? 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:11.840 The Penguins are having a great year this year, and I think it surprised many people, myself included. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:13.759 I wasn't sure how the team was going to go, Mark. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:19.120 I I looked at the team and on paper, whenever you have Crosby, whenever you have Malkin and Latangy, you have a shot. 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:19.360 Yeah. 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:20.160 But I just didn't know. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:22.160 I didn't know how the goaltending was going to work out. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:27.040 I didn't know if they were sort of one of those teams that's like got a foot in the pool but not fully immersed. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:28.160 Like, are they going for it? 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.959 Are

they, you know, trying to figure out their rebuild? 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:33.439 And I think just things fell into place. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:38.800 Without Crosby, without Malkin to start the season, the fact that they got some traction, Mike Sullivan's done such a good job. 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:43.839 They play in a system, they they work hard, regardless of who's in, who's out, who's injured, whatever. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:48.000 And once they survived without Crosby and Malkin, I went, wow, okay. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:49.839 This could be a team to keep an eye on. 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:53.279 And then they've just been getting better and better, more consistent, more consistent. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:01.439 And I don't know what's going to happen to them come playoff time, but I can tell you, no team is going to have an easy road uh taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins come come playoff time. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:02.959 So it's really a great story. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:09.360 And if that's a model franchise, I mean that that is right, what 15, 16 straight playoff appearances, the Stanley Cups. 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:14.160 Yeah, you know, they are sort of the the gold standard for NHL franchises. 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:15.439 And yes, they've had some luck. 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:26.399 You go from Lemieux and Jager to to Crosby and Malkin, but they've also surrounded those players with guys who know how to win and with a structure, a stability that's really lent itself to success. 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:27.600 So it's been really fun to watch. 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:33.199 And I'm sure every other NHL franchise has sort of looked at Pittsburgh as that example of like, how can we run our franchise? 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:38.480 Like, this is what we're striving for consistent playoff, uh caliber team, consistent Stanley Cup contender. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:39.680 It's been really cool to watch. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:43.040 Yeah, and I think uh and you hit the nail on the head, too. 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:48.240 I think uh Mike Sullivan is just a perfect fit for a coach for that organization. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:52.879 They seem to all have a very uh cohesive existence there. 00:05:53.040 --> 00:06:01.680 Um, from my perspective, as as a diehard for many, many years, um my jury's kind of still out a little bit on Hexall and Berkey. 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:14.959 I I want to see what they're gonna do with this team come this offseason when you know uh uh Letang and Malkin and Brian Rust and you know, even even the new guy, Rykel, is going to be free agent. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:18.639 How are they going to manifest that to keep things chugging ahead? 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:25.120 But you know, as long as you got Sid lacing them up and on the ice, there's gonna be there's gonna be some competition for that team. 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:29.600 So, you know, that's yeah, I'm your windows there once you have a guy like Crosby. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:32.879 And those are some big decisions for for Ron Hextahl and Brian Burke to make. 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:41.759 And I think Brian Burke, when when he decided to to leave Sportsnet and head back to the NHL and head back to the Penguins, I think he he's always made it clear he takes time assessing. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:44.639 He doesn't just go in there and knee-jerk, everything's measured, right? 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:46.399 So I think he wanted to see other team performed. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.480 I'm sure Ron Hextahl wanted to see the team perform. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:52.480 And if they didn't perform up to the level, you know, if they've been right on that precipice, right? 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:56.399 If they'd been on that cut line of making the playoffs, maybe they'd gone in a different direction. 00:06:56.560 --> 00:06:59.360 Maybe they wouldn't have gone out and added a Ricardo Raquel, right? 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:09.199 But I think they've seen enough from this team and they have enough belief in this team to say we owe it to the players, we owe it to the fan base, we owe it to the ownership group to make a legitimate run this year, and we'll see what happens, right? 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:13.120 As Brian Burke always, he says, I check my notes, and you know what? 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:15.040 They still only hand out one Stanley Cup. 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:23.040 So you know, you can make it all the way to the Stanley Cup final, and it's still going to be viewed as an unsuccessful year unless you're the ones raising the cup at the end of the year. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:31.839 And then you have to make some hard decisions, but they're good decisions to make, whether you know how many teams would love to have the opportunity to try and re-sign Yevgeny Malkin, resign Chris Letang. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:34.319 I mean, these aren't bad decisions to have to make. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:37.839 And those guys are still playing a really high level. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:38.319 Absolutely. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:46.879 I mean, that's you know, I mean, well, Letang is uh quietly having a Norse trophy type of season again, you know. 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:48.879 I mean, I I I I gotta appreciate that. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:50.639 And then one other thing, and then we'll move on. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:55.279 But you know, the the selling of the team was very calculated, in my opinion. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:08:08.399 Like they sold it to an organization who who's gonna come in and continue with not rebuilding from the ground up, but kind of reloading, and I think that's really important to the people in Pittsburgh from that perspective. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:21.040 Like you said, they got Lemie, they had Yager, you know, and you had guys like Francis and all those guys come through, and then you just kind of had a small lull period, but then you know, the Crosby, the Malkin, the Letang. 00:08:21.279 -->

00:08:22.240 Uh it's it's fun. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:24.639 It's fun to be a fan of that organization. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:27.199 Yeah, I listen, you guys are are spoiled. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:28.480 I mean, let's face facts, right? 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:37.120 How many, how many uh hockey fans in their mid, you know, uh mid-age basically can say, Well, I've seen not one, not two, not three, but five Stanley Cups essentially, right? 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:41.279 Five Stanley Cups in a in a what since 1990 uh to now. 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:45.039 Listen, it's a long amount of time, but to have five championships. 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:47.919 I mean, how many teams since 1990 have won five titles? 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:48.240 Right. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:48.639 I don't know. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:52.480 I don't know the answer to that, but my guess is it might just be the Pittsburgh Penguins, right? 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:54.399 Am I missing are my forgetting someone? 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:55.840 No, I don't think so. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.000 I really don't, I really don't think so either. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:08:59.759 Chicago, Chicago came close. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:01.360 Uh Chicago's at three, right? 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:02.879 Yeah, in the Kings as well. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:10.639 You know, Kings have had two, but I mean, five when you include the the Jagger Lemieux era, I mean, you're talking about five championships and incredible runs to the final. 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:14.399 Not all of them have ended up with championships, but and Tampa has three. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:17.279 Yeah, you know, and a competitive team, exactly. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:21.440 Tampa has three, a competitive team uh with superstars to watch. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:28.080 Uh, you know, some of it's been lottery luck, 1984 Lemieux, and then getting Crosby uh and Malkin and Fleury for that matter. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:35.919 I mean, yeah, uh you talk to fans in Buffalo and they'll say, you know, damn you, Pittsburgh, because you know, they finished last in the league a handful of times. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:41.519 And instead of getting McDavid and Eckblad, you know, they got great players, but they didn't get McDavid and Eckblad, right? 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:41.759 Yeah. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:58.879 Um, you know, so sometimes some of it's luck, but a lot of it is, as you say, an ownership group that's been very smart with how they've handled things and a leadership group on the management side that have done, you know, very many good things and have added the right pieces at the right time, have made the right coaching decisions at the right time. 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:07.360 Whether it was bringing in Dan Bowesma when they did, whether it was bringing in Mike Sullivan when they did, yeah, you know, these mid-season changes that have led to Stanley Cups, not every team pulls the right string at the right time. 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:11.200 And now Fenway Sports probably saw all of that and said, we want to be part of this. 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:16.080 Like, yeah, I like how they run things, and this could be that's a great hockey uh city, right? 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:18.320 Like they're uh they're devout hockey fans there. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:19.679 I I know it's always gonna be Steelers. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:26.639 I see the Rothelsburger shirt, it's always gonna be a Steeler town, but um the Penguins are right there, it's a good sports town. 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:33.600 The the fortunate piece we have too is we kind of roll right from penguin season to stealer season because the pirates, well, they're the pirates. 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:35.279 I love that park though. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:36.240 I like the NC. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:40.960 Yeah, it's a top five baseball parks in in the country, you know, in baseball. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:43.360 So hey, let's roll through the league a little bit. 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:44.879 Let's get some takes from you. 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:46.320 Uh let's start out west. 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:47.679 I do want to start out west. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:50.559 I want to ask you what what's going on with Edmonton? 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:54.000 I mean, does McDavid and Dry Siddle last a career together there? 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:56.399 It just it we're gonna. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:00.240 I mean, wow, that's a that's a they're they're still in their their mid-20s there. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:01.039 I mean, who knows? 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:11.039 Who knows if we're gonna see a a Crosby Malkin type situation, a Baxtrom OV type situation, a Sackett type situation where you know they're there their whole career. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:11.919 Who knows, right? 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:15.679 There's just so many different variables, but I think they're trending in the right direction. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:19.519 Um, you know, obviously the coaching changed helped maybe stabilize things. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:22.960 Um, you know, they've added the addition of Evander Kane has been helpful. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:24.159 I was gonna say that, yeah. 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:33.360 You know, I mean, it really the team rode how McDavid and Dry Siddle took them, and and clearly that's still probably a big part of the narrative. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:38.639 But if you look what they've now surrounded them with, you know, like adding Zach Hyman was a great addition, right? 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:41.279 Adding Evander Kane was a good addition for them. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:46.399 You know, I think it's taken some of the heat off those two, and those two are absolutely phenomenal. 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:59.840 And and the beauty of it is instead of having to play them, let's say 23 or 24 minutes, they they I think were one and two on ice time for forwards uh last season, and and you know, go into a bit of a uh a malaise, maybe

you you play them 21 minutes. 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:09.440 And in a game like last night, where you have a you know, you you beat Anaheim 6'1, you don't have to play them more than 18 minutes, and that makes a big difference uh come playoff time come down the stretch. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:12.399 So uh there's such a fantastic duo to watch, though. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:15.039 It's um it's pretty spectacular, and they're they've been pretty lucky. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:16.799 We talk about the fortunes of Pittsburgh, Mark. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:22.320 Well, Edmonton fans have been pretty blessed after you know all the Gretzky and Messier, and now you've got McDavid and Dry Siddle. 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:27.120 Yeah, and then you've got to throw in Nugent Hopkins and Darnell Nurse is a heck of a defenseman. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:28.960 I mean, they really have some pieces there. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:30.000 I totally agree with you. 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:38.240 And I love the fact that they gave Kane another shot, and I know he's got some off-ice issues, but man, I've always been a fan of his game, particularly. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.679 He's a big, strong, good skating goal scoring guy. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:47.039 So it it's good for him, too, as long as he keeps his head on straight when he walks away from the rink. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:47.840 You know, yeah. 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:52.480 I mean, how many power forwards are there in the game that have the skill set of an inventor, Kane? 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:54.720 And quite frankly, the returns have been exceptional. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:56.639 16 goals in 31 games. 00:12:56.799 --> 00:12:59.039 He opens up space, he gets to the net. 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:03.279 If you've watched their games, most of his goals come within about a five-foot radius of the net. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.679 A lot of guys don't want to be in that space. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:06.879 That's hard space to be in. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:12.159 But they've got him, they've got Hyman, they've got Cooly Arvey, who are big, strong guys, yeah, unafraid. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:18.799 Uh, it really opens up ice, opens up space for their for their other, you know, sort of white-collared players to do their thing. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:22.559 So uh, you know, the questions with Edmonton will never be about the offense, though, really. 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:26.399 It's about how can they defend, how can they keep the puck out of their net, and do they have the goal tening? 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:28.799 And that's going to be the big question because come playoff time. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.919 If you look at the Western Conference, you got Mark, Andre, Fleury, and Talbot now in Mini. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:33.919 You got Markstrom doing his thing in Calgary. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:36.080 Kemper's been very solid in Colorado. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:46.080 Now, the question is can Coskinen, can Smith, and

if they have to go to Stewart Skinner, can that trio keep Edmonton afloat when it, you know, it's not a 5-3 game, a 5-4 game, but it's a 2-1 game. 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:47.919 So that's a big question coming into the playoffs. 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:51.919 Yeah, I mean, you look at the last time they were in it, they lost to Winnipeg, what, four straight? 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:55.120 Yeah, I mean, three of those games were in OT, but but you're right. 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:57.279 Um, they they're their offense dried up a little bit. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:06.399 They went up against Connor Hellibuck, and you know, there's way less space, there's fewer power play opportunities, and that's so much of their success has been predicated on their special teams. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:08.320 You have to beat teams five on five. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:14.399 And if they find a way to somehow neutralize 97 and 29, yeah, it's gonna call on other guys. 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:17.840 But more importantly, again, I don't think scoring is the number one issue with them. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:22.559 It's how they defend, yeah, how much you know they can keep the puck out of their end and out of their net. 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:29.039 So I don't think they need exceptional world-class goaltending, but they need to have at least above average goaltending, and that's the big question. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:29.919 Can they get that? 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:32.559 200-foot game for the rest of them, though, right? 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.000 Absolutely. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:35.919 Uh, let's talk about Vegas real quick. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.600 Did do they miss Gerard Galant? 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:47.519 Because I I've been watching, I watch Vegas, I like to watch late night hockey, but they don't like they don't have that, I don't know, that certain Genesei Qua like they had under Galant. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:49.519 Uh, what are your thoughts on that? 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:50.559 You know what, Mark? 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:52.000 I I think you touched on something. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:58.000 Well, one thing I'll say about Vegas, and and you're based out in Washington, and and you know, that caps Vegas final. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:01.600 I had a chance to cover that final and two great hockey markets there. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:05.440 Yeah, they had that identity in their first year, us against the world. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:06.639 We're a bunch of misfits. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:09.759 Everyone cast us aside, let us get taken in the expansion draft. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:11.279 You know, damn it, it's us against the world. 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.879 We don't have any big superstars on this team. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:13.919 That was their identity. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.039 And then that was with Gerard Galant, who played that perfectly. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:20.080 He got every ounce out of every guy that year, right? 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:21.840 And that was who they were. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:22.320 Yeah. 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:31.840 And then, you know, guys wanted to get paid and they wanted to bring in, you know, whether it's Eichel, Pacciuretti, Petrangelo, and listen, those guys are stars. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:35.200 I would be making those guys the moves to get those guys in too. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:39.039 Uh, and they bring in Peter DeBoro, who's, you know, uh De Boer's a great coach. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:41.519 He's led two, three teams in the Stanley Cup final. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:43.519 Like his resume is exceptional. 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:46.080 But I wonder about the team's overall identity. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:48.799 I I do wonder, like, so who are they now, right? 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:53.919 You have the you have a$10 million guy in Eichel, and you have some other very high-paid guys. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:58.879 Um, and because of that, you have to have, you know, some guys who are making the league minimum, and it's got to work out. 00:15:58.960 --> 00:15:59.840 It's got to work out perfectly. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.000 It's like puzzle pieces falling into place. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:05.679 The fact that Mark Stone's out right now, that's huge. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:09.840 I mean, this guy to me is a perennial Selkie award candidate, right? 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:11.679 He plays, you talked about 200 feet. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:11.919 Yeah. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:17.519 He does everything, wins faceoffs, kills penalties, plays power play, shuts down the other team's top player, scores big goals. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:21.120 So, I mean, he does everything on the list the way that Patrice Bergeron does. 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:22.559 And they don't have him. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:31.840 And, you know, not having him in the lineup, and they won't be able to have him, I don't think, based on the salary cap situation until the playoffs, and hopefully in the playoffs, if they make it there. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:34.559 Um, you know, that's a tough situation for them. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.960 Um, so uh, there are some question marks there. 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:39.600 Robin Leonard, thankfully, is back from injury. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:45.279 Um, but I do still wonder, you know, there's something about Marc-Andre Fleury, and he's got this like allure to him. 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:47.919 And, you know, I don't have to tell a penguins fan that, right? 00:16:48.080 --> 00:17:01.519 Um, you know, and Robin Leonard's is an exceptional goalie, but uh there's something about, you know, they allow themselves to walk away from last year's Vesna winner and a guy who's won three cups and a guy who is, you know, arguably the greatest teammate anyone could ever talk about. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:01.840 Sure. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:10.160 And I always wonder if you lose a little bit of your identity when you let guys like

Fleury go, when you let Gerard Gallant go, when you make some of the moves that they've made. 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:12.880 And um, you have these great individual parts. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:20.079 I'm just wondering if the whole, you know, total of the Vegas Golden Knights is as good as as they hope it is. 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:21.359 Uh, that's something we're gonna find out. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:26.720 They got three weeks to figure it out, they're gonna need some work and need some help because Dallas is nipping at their heels here. 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:31.920 So yeah, uh, it's a bit of a litmus test, but they're right now rolling in the right direction, five straight wins for them. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:36.319 I I to me, Miss and Stone is probably in that locker room more than on that. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:38.720 I mean, I get what he does on the ice, don't get me wrong. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:39.839 I totally understand that. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:45.200 These are kind of but that lock that locker room piece of him, you know, is is so critical. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:46.480 I mean, true. 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:48.079 You know, I I I don't know. 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:50.079 I how about Colorado? 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:56.720 Here's a team I got to watch Saturday against my squad. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:59.119 And man, are they loaded with talent? 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:01.359 I mean, they are just from top to bottom. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:05.519 Cal Marker, uh uh wow, he's terrific. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.440 The wild factor's there, Mark. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:08.480 I think you hit it on the head. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:11.839 And and you saw them Saturday without Cadry, who's having a breakout year. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:12.720 Yeah, absolutely. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:17.119 A lot of money outside without their captain Landis Cog, who is out with a knee surgery. 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:18.799 He'll be back for the playoffs, they say. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:24.960 Uh, so you saw them without two of their key players, and they still just, you know, they come at you at waves, they come at you with skill. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:28.880 Their defensemen are both mobile and physical and smart. 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:30.799 And Kemper, you know, knock on wood. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.640 People have said, Oh, I wonder if Kemper's the guy. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.920 So far, so good. 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:38.240 Um, I'm just wondering the the question mark for them is psychologically, right? 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:42.319 Like they've had this problem in the second round, things haven't come together. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:46.880 We saw Vegas, you know, take care of them last year and and you know, the year before that. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:48.319 They've gone in as favorites. 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:53.119 They're gonna win a back-to-back president's trophy, probably for the most points in the regular season. 00:18:53.279

--> 00:18:54.640 None of that matters. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:19:01.200 They are going to have to get through probably a very tough, like Minnesota team, a very tough and physical Calgary team. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:06.000 The road to the Stanley Cup final is gonna be very difficult for the Colorado Avalanche. 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:08.319 Um, do I think they're still probably the favorites? 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:10.559 They're certainly one of the favorites for sure. 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:21.359 Um, but I'm wondering, you know, psychologically, when push comes to shove, uh, you know, where they're gonna stand up against some of these really formidable teams that, you know, maybe feel they've been there and done that a little bit. 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:24.720 And you know what the dream scenario might be from a hockey fan's perspective, Mark? 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:30.880 Might be if Vegas somehow can creep into the playoffs on this hot, hot, hot streak, first round against Colorado. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:34.160 Oh my goodness, that would be that would be incredible. 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:35.440 And we might be staring that down. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:43.119 Man, I'll tell you what, I was watching Colorado skate, and they not only are fast, but they're heavy and physical. 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:47.119 Like that, that the West is fast, heavy, and physical. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:52.160 And I don't feel like the east matches up real good with that, but we'll talk about that in a few minutes. 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:55.680 You mentioned Calgary, you mentioned Minnesota, you mentioned Dallas. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:56.720 I'm gonna say St. 00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:57.519 Louis. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:02.240 Who's got the best possible run there in the playoffs out of all them? 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:04.400 Because Minnesota, man, woo. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:09.279 That team just and you talk about fast and physical, especially physical. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:12.880 I mean, Nashville is probably the most physical top-to-bottom lineup there is in the league. 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:13.279 My God. 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:17.839 I mean, they certainly lead the league in penalty minutes, they lead the league in fighting majors, they are unafraid. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:19.599 Uh, and let's not forget about LA. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:20.720 Boy, do they play hard as well. 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:23.920 So, I mean, there's a whole group of great teams in the Western Conference. 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:31.680 If you were to ask me to pick one team, though, I am gonna, and maybe it's my hockey night in Canada bias shining through here, but the the Calgary Flames. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:37.279 I look at that team and I can't find a weakness. 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:39.759 Um, Markstrom is a world-class goalie. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:40.400 Yeah. 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:45.119 Um, Daryl Sutter, as their head coach, has won a couple of cups in LA. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:48.960 Uh, you talk about team toughness, top to bottom. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:55.759 Boy, they they will, they're not, they're unafraid and they very much are comfortable playing that brand of hockey. 00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:59.440 And then I look at the depth they have, both on the blue line and up front. 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:05.839 You know, the blue line, it's funny, they lost their captain, Mark Giordano, and the expansion draft goes to Seattle, and there was a lot of concern. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:06.799 And then what do you have? 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:10.720 You have, you know, Shillington comes up and has this great career year. 00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:14.240 Um, these guys, uh, you know, Rasmus Anderson is phenomenal. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:19.279 If you haven't had a chance to really keep a close eye on him, he is such a smart and tough player. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:21.920 Uh, you know, good Branson's been exceptional. 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:27.039 Like they've just had this co, they have this group of guys that have just been so good defensively. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:34.559 And and the problem with Calgary, we've seen in previous playoff runs is everything's come down to Johnny Goodreau and Sean Monahan offensively. 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:35.759 So put too much pressure. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:38.720 It's too easy to game plan against just Johnny Goodreau. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:39.839 That's not the case this year. 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:49.680 First of all, he's having his career year, but above and beyond that, you look around him, they go, they get Tyler Tefoli, they get Yarm Kroc, um, they they pick, they get Blake Coleman in the offseason. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:52.400 Lucich, you know, he's a menace, right? 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:59.440 He's every game, you're not going to see him do everything, but when he is on, he's still like the most feared player in the NHL. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.119 Many respects, right? 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:03.039 From that physical presence standpoint. 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:06.240 They just have so many good offensive talented players now. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:08.799 Monaghan's gone with the hip surgery. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:11.200 He's gone for the year, and they can still weather that storm. 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:12.640 They have 620 goal scores. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:17.920 You know, Mangi Apani, who comes off that world championship in the summer with Canada, has been exceptional. 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:19.759 They just have a lot of layers of player. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:22.960 They have a guy who I think might win the Selkie Award in Elias Lindholm. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:25.200 And I haven't even said Matthew Kachuk's name yet, right? 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:30.799 Like they just have so many good weapons and they play in a system they're very comfortable with. 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:32.720 This this team's made for playoff hockey. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:40.079 So if

you're going to ask me to pick someone coming out of the West, even above and beyond Colorado, I might take Calgary, who's beaten Colorado twice this year already. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:45.279 I think it's a, you know, and you said about Sutter coaching them and about what he did in LA. 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:49.920 Those teams that he has coached is a reflection of him as a player. 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:53.440 I mean, and you see that in football, right? 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:56.960 Like you talk about when Bill Cower was the head coach of the Steelers, right? 00:22:57.119 --> 00:23:00.880 And even Tomlin, like a team takes on the identity of its head coach quite often. 00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:01.359 Yeah. 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:07.599 We talked about Gerard Galant, who has this like kind of this kind of chip on the shoulder, but happy go lucky persona. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:09.519 And that was Vegas in 2018. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:09.839 Yep. 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:17.279 And you look at Scott Calgary in 2022, and it's just surly, aggravated, you know, like get off my lawn attitude. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:18.960 And that comes from Daryl Sutter, right? 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:23.440 Like he's just a he's a dozen mess around, you know, no nonsense guy. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:28.079 And the players, you know, he doesn't suffer fools and he doesn't suffer players who can't handle that. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:34.319 So he's has this lineup that Rad Tray Living has has blessed them with that, you know, really play into that system. 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:36.160 And they have taken on his identity. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:40.000 And quite frankly, that's scary news when you think about the rest of the NHL. 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:48.960 You just Daryl Sutter is, you know, personify sort of winning at whatever cost, and just we're gonna get it done, and I don't want to hear excuses. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:56.559 And um, and I think the team said, okay, we're good with that, and and that's why I think a big part of their success has come from that. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:58.160 So you're I think you're right. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:01.279 They take on the identity of their coaches, and we've seen that in Calgary this year. 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:04.480 Big shout out to you for for giving Gabranson some love. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:10.319 I I thought Gabranson always got what he he was in uh Florida, went to Pittsburgh, played well. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:11.119 They moved him on. 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:14.079 I'm like, man, why are you moving on from a guy who's playing this well? 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:16.240 He went out there, he's done well out there. 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:23.920 Like the guy just needs a shot to play where he's most comfortable playing his game and not try and make him play his game. 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:27.519 Don't try and make him uh a top-line pairing or something like that. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:28.640 That's not him. 00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:30.400 That's not what he is. 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:31.440 You know what? 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:33.119 He was the perfect peg, right? 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:40.960 Because you know, guys like Rasmus Anderson, Oliver Shillington, at times Noah Hannethan, they want to be up on the rush, they want to get involved, they want to be activated. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:46.720 But you have him, you have Chris Tanneh, you have some other guys, the Dorov, who are very comfortable playing back. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:48.799 And having said that, he's picked his spots. 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:50.319 I mean, I think he has a career high for goals. 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:56.000 It's not a big career high, but I think he's got his five or good brands in that is has his career, I think, five or six goals this year. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:00.880 Um, he's been able to pick his spots and he's been able to play the role that he's meant to play. 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:07.279 And maybe what's happened in the past is it's like we need you for 21 minutes or 18 minutes, and we need you to play against the other team's top line. 00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:09.440 And and you know, is he at that stage in his career? 00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:09.839 No. 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:16.240 But slotted in where he's slotted in, and with the partners he's been playing with, it's been the perfect situation for him. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:23.519 And um, it's great to see that because some of these blue-collar guys, you get they get lost in the shuffle, they get forgotten, they're certainly unheralded. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:31.440 Um, you know, you talk to the guys in the Calgary Flames dressing room, though, and they're gonna point out the Milan Luches, they're gonna point out the good branches, they're gonna point out the Chris Tanniffs. 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:34.000 These are the guys that allow them to do what they need to do. 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:37.359 Give them the space, give them the time, give them the security. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:39.119 And uh, it's very important. 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:41.200 And he's been exceptional this year. 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:45.759 Those are the guys that win the the the cup playoff games for you, too, to be honest with you. 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:46.960 You know that and I know that. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:48.079 There's no question about it. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:49.759 Hey, let's flip over to the east. 00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:50.799 Florida. 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:55.680 Florida, by the time I drop this, is which is probably going to be really early May. 00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:59.839 Uh we'll be in the playoffs because we got the month of April to go. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:01.920 Um, is Florida for real? 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.480 I I think so. 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:07.920 Um I I I've had doubts during the season. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:10.240 I'm like, can they win this with this style? 00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:12.079

Do they have the right makeup? 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:13.920 Do I trust the goaltending? 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:17.759 And every time I start to doubt it, you know, they just start ringing off the checklist. 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:19.440 I mean, no one's gonna doubt they can score, right? 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.960 They're gonna be the first team since Pittsburgh in '96 to average four goals a game. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:24.640 Scoring's not an issue. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:26.720 Uh, do I like their blue line? 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:27.599 I love their blue line. 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:30.079 I certainly love it a lot more where they're an eckblad. 00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:32.480 I mean, that that injury to me was devastating. 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:33.039 Yeah. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.079 Thank God. 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:37.359 What a day before or two days before they went and got Ben Sherrod. 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:38.640 And Sherrod is an Eckblad. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:42.880 I'm not saying he is, but Sherrod is very good and very cut, very coveted. 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.920 And we saw what he can do. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:46.640 We, you know, helped lead Montreal to the Stanley Cup final last year. 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:53.119 So you have a guy who's playoff tested, big, strong, nasty when he has to be, very uh comfortable in that role. 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:58.319 Um, Ekblad's a big injury, though, and that does that does concern me. 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:04.160 You know, high ankle sprain, whether A, he'll be back, and when he's back, how effective can he be? 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:08.160 It's so hard to come off an injury and then get thrust into the Stanley Cup playoffs, right? 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:13.200 Where it's not even one thing to come in and have a five-game landing spot in the regular season, feel comfortable. 00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:17.279 Another thing to jump in mid-series or you know, start of a playoff round. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:18.960 Like that, that's not easy. 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:21.920 Um, but yeah, their team, uh, fast. 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:26.880 Uh, I think you might say, you know, kind of like Carolina, they just come at you in waves. 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:27.359 Yep. 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:29.200 Uh, they have so many options, right? 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:32.640 You look at, you know, it's not just Barkov and Hubert O. 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:34.720 Huberto, by the way, might win the MVP, right? 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.319 So it would surprise me. 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:38.160 No, and I think he's deserving. 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:40.400 He's certainly a finalist as far as I'm concerned. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:46.960 Um, but then, you know, Duclair and Reinhardt and Bennett, like they've just got a lot of different weapons, Hornquist, et cetera. 00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:49.599 Um, I like the team, I really do. 00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:55.119 I think the the biggest problem Florida might face

is they're in a division with Tampa and Toronto. 00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:56.880 And let's not even forget about Boston. 00:27:57.039 --> 00:28:01.599 Like the road, the road, there's no easy road to the Stanley Cup, let's face it. 00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:05.119 But that Atlantic division is incredibly skilled. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:15.599 It might not be as tough as the Western Conference, but you'll you're gonna have a hard time, in my opinion, finding a more skilled top four than Boston, Toronto, Tampa, and Florida. 00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:21.680 Straight up, you know, offensive skill, you know, some some exceptional players, world-class players. 00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:27.839 And um, that's gonna be a tough road to have to to plow through those teams to get through the East. 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:29.039 Yeah, I agree. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:31.359 Uh Tampa can they three peat? 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:34.000 I'm not gonna be happy about it, but can they? 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.279 Absolutely. 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:40.480 I mean, anyone who anyone who's like, okay, make the case that Tampa can't repeat. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:42.960 I they're not gonna be able to because it's impossible. 00:28:43.119 --> 00:28:45.680 As we sit here, they have the best goaltender in Vasileschi. 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:55.119 Yeah, in my opinion, they still have the best defensemen in Hetman, and they have this great core of elite offensive, talented players, and they brought in the likes of the Corey Perry's. 00:28:55.200 --> 00:29:00.079 They've they don't have exactly that third line that they had last year, but they brought in guys who certainly have a resume. 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:03.440 You know, the Patrick Maroon Stanley Cup seems to follow him wherever he goes, right? 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:06.559 Yeah, so he's going for a what a four peat essentially right now. 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:10.799 Um, but they also, I think, have a will to win. 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:14.559 You know, um, John Cooper is great at motivating players. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:17.359 And we've talked about Gallant, we've talked about Daryl Sutter. 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:21.039 You know, John Cooper's the longest tenured coach in the NHL for a reason, right? 00:29:21.119 --> 00:29:27.039 It's not just because he's won back-to-back Stanley Cups, it's because I think his voice resonates with players. 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:31.279 You know, last year he found a way to motivate them. 00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:32.799 You know, we want back to back. 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:34.480 It's the last time this group's gonna be together. 00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.440 Guys need to get paid. 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:36.559 We got free agents. 00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:38.720 It's our last time together, it's our last hurrah. 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:40.720 And that motivated and galvanized the group. 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:43.039 And this year he's like, okay, now we have a chance to make history. 00:29:43.119

--> 00:29:46.400 Now we have a chance to do something that hasn't been done in 40 years, right? 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:50.400 You know, you and I remember the Islanders in 80 to 83, how exceptional they were. 00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:53.279 You know, Tampa can legitimately be a dynasty. 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:53.599 Yeah. 00:29:53.839 --> 00:29:58.160 And um right now they're you know, they're a great team, but they're not a dynasty. 00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:01.200 They win a third in a row with the salary cap and everything else. 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:03.839 At least to me, you can slap the dynasty tag on them. 00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:05.599 So he knows how to motivate the players. 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:10.799 And you know, they they're to me, you ask me the favorite in the West Coast, and I'll say Calgary. 00:30:10.880 --> 00:30:13.200 You're asking me who the favorite maybe in the East is, and I'll say Tampa. 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:15.759 I could see a rematch of the 2004 Stanley Cup final. 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:27.359 What's interesting about uh Cooper, in my perspective, is we talked about Sutter and how his team pretty much molded he molded his team to him as a player. 00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:32.319 I think Cooper molds himself to the group of players that they bring in for him. 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:36.640 You know, I don't know if he necessarily needs to go out and get guys to fit his system. 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:43.839 I think he just like you said, he knows how to motivate them and he adjusts himself to what's needed to be successful. 00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:45.839 And that that's a great coach, too, right there. 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:47.680 Oh, that's a great point, Mark. 00:30:47.839 --> 00:30:53.839 Uh, I I think, you know, I really think John Cooper's EQ is off the charts, right? 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:59.440 And anyone who's a parent or a teacher in your case, like that's what's so important, right? 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:12.880 You walk into that classroom, and it's not just about teaching X's and O's, it's about you know staring out to your class and saying, okay, this person might be going through something, and that person might not understand something, and how can I help them relate so that they can get the most out of what I'm trying to do here, right? 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:14.720 And John Cooper is brilliant at that. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:16.799 He understands people, right? 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:23.200 Which is maybe more important than his hockey IQ, is his intellectual EQ. 00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:29.519 And I think he resonates and knows how to get the most out of guys and put them in a position to succeed. 00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:44.960 Uh, you know, I can't say enough good things about him, and I'm glad he's had the success because now I think we're seeing a different group of GMs and coaches get opportunities that maybe in the previous, you know, iteration of the NHL wouldn't have had those opportunities because it's

just like, well, we need the you know, the hardcore hockey guy. 00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:46.640 And those guys can certainly be effective, right? 00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:50.880 Like Daryl Sutter uh is an old school hockey guy, but he can still be effective. 00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:54.480 But it's nice that they can bring in a guy who doesn't have a formal NHL background. 00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:56.400 John Cooper was a lawyer, right? 00:31:56.640 --> 00:32:02.480 Um, but he understands people and uh it's exceptional what he's been able to do with that Tampa team. 00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:03.519 You know what he did? 00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:06.079 I I watched him do this and I knew what he was doing. 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:15.200 You talk about him using his psyche with teams, he knew that that Penguins team, like you said, is you know, the they're they're a little unique. 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:18.960 Uh no matter who he's throwing out there, they they know how to win. 00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:25.920 And the last time the Penguins played Tampa, the Penguins ended up beating them, and he was inside his players' heads. 00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:40.799 Uh, I read a couple of articles about what he said post-game, and he just kind of laid the groundwork like, okay, if we have to play this team again down the road, I'm gonna go back to this, and this is what I'm gonna work off of to make sure that I get my guys ready to go. 00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:48.160 So uh Yeah, he makes he's a great in-game coach, he makes great adjustments, and I think he has a feel for his team. 00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:58.640 You know, I think some coaches aren't as tuned in to like who to ride at what time, and and you know, and listen, a lot of coaches, if they're watching this, would say, Well, that's easy. 00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:03.599 He's got Kutron and Stamcoats and points, and and I get it, he's got great players, right? 00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:08.079 You're not gonna find a great coach who doesn't have great players, but I also think he knows how to get the most out of them. 00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:10.240 And doesn't Edmonton have great players? 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:11.119 You know what I mean? 00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:12.480 Like that, this is my point. 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:14.000 You know, they have great players. 00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:16.000 We just we went through a whole handful of them. 00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:19.759 It's all on how you handle them, and and I 100% we're on the same page there. 00:33:19.839 --> 00:33:20.720 There's no doubt about it. 00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:26.799 Hey, why should I believe Toronto is gonna get out of the first round, besides the fact that's your squad, and I like them as well. 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:29.200 Why should we believe that this year? 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:31.359 Um, I I don't know. 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:39.039 I don't think I don't even think we can make a great statement because I feel like it's you know, talk is cheap. 00:33:39.200

--> 00:33:41.279 Like it's time for them to walk the walk. 00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:48.799 And and I'm not sure they're gonna get through the first round, and and that's a shame for them simply because I think they've they've shown they're a very good team. 00:33:48.880 --> 00:34:09.280 Yeah, but like I said about Florida, like, good God, they they're you know, I'm not sure exactly when this is gonna air, but you know, they could be staring down Tampa, you know, Boston, uh Florida, maybe in the first round, probably probably Tampa or Boston, and they're gonna go in as the underdog simply because Boston's beaten them twice in the last five years, yeah, and they still have their nucleus, pardon me. 00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:12.320 And Tampa's the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion. 00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:22.159 And quite frankly, the other reason they'll go in as the underdog is because they've lost five straight first-round playoff games, four of them in elimination fashion, one game elimination fashion. 00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:24.000 So the trust level is low. 00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:29.519 And all season the narrative here in Toronto has been, you know, you know, show me. 00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:38.320 Like, we don't want to talk about, oh, Matthews wins the Rocket Richard and Marners this great player, and Nielander, and no one wants to hear any of that. 00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:40.159 Like, what they want to do is say, okay, that's great. 00:34:40.239 --> 00:34:44.159 You have these incredibly talented players, they need to win a playoff round. 00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:48.800 So the the selling point of them winning it is essentially they have a ton of skill. 00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:50.159 They certainly have the desire. 00:34:50.239 --> 00:34:51.760 It's not a lack of trying. 00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:54.639 Like when people say, Oh, the Leafs, they're not trying, of course they're trying. 00:34:54.719 --> 00:34:58.719 But you know, I think some of it is, you know, they better get the team psychologist ready. 00:34:58.800 --> 00:35:01.119 You know, God forbid they lose game one of the playoffs. 00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:03.599 People are going to be losing their minds in this market, right? 00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:05.039 Like, oh, here we go again. 00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:12.480 And it's unfortunate that they have to essentially exercise the demons of not just the last five years, but really the last 54 years, right? 00:35:12.719 --> 00:35:14.159 Um, but it's been a long time. 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:17.199 It's been since 2004 that the Leafs have won a first playoff round. 00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:22.480 That has nothing to do with the current group because they only can talk about this last little run. 00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:24.880 Um, it's going to be very difficult. 00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:39.760 If Jack Campbell can play up to the level, it doesn't have to be the all-star Jack Campbell we saw in the first three months, but he certainly can't be the Jack Campbell we saw at the latter stages before he got injured and he's just coming back from a rib injury. 00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:46.000 If he could be a good above-average goaltender, like I mentioned with the Eventon Oilers, I think they have a legitimate chance. 00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:49.119 The Giordano uh addition is big, right? 00:35:49.280 --> 00:35:56.159 Because Mark, if you look at their balloon line now, one thing I'll say is they were overly reliant on Jake Muzzin to sort of be that shut down defender. 00:35:56.239 --> 00:35:56.480 Yeah. 00:35:56.639 --> 00:35:56.880 Right. 00:35:57.039 --> 00:35:59.840 And he unfortunately got injured the last two playoffs. 00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:01.440 He didn't finish the rounds with them. 00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:04.800 But now you have Muzzin, Brody, Riley, Giordano. 00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:06.400 That's a formidable top four. 00:36:06.559 --> 00:36:11.760 They added Labushkin, um, who also does not even like go into the offensive zone. 00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:13.760 He basically sits back at his own blue line. 00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:14.559 He's very comfortable. 00:36:14.639 --> 00:36:15.920 This is very tough. 00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:17.840 Hits hard, he plays hard. 00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:21.519 So they've changed the look and complexion of their blue line. 00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:30.159 It's maybe less skilled because you know they don't have the Jake Gardners and these in the Tyson Berries, but it's more playoff ready for what they need. 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:34.239 And uh, I think that's a reason why they might have greater success. 00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:40.000 Um, the blue line's uh shorn up a bit, they're not gonna have guys just roaming around their goalie and causing trouble. 00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:44.800 So if they can keep the puck out of their neck, kind of like Edmonton, uh, the Leafs have a legitimate chance. 00:36:44.960 --> 00:36:45.519 Yeah. 00:36:45.760 --> 00:36:48.719 Uh let's flip it over the metro a little bit then. 00:36:49.119 --> 00:36:56.480 And Carolina has almost been from uh drop of the puck to where we are right now as the the top team. 00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:58.480 Um, what makes them unique? 00:36:58.639 --> 00:37:06.960 Uh, I know we talked about waves of talent and things like that, but they're a rather odd team to watch because you know there's nobody that really okay. 00:37:07.199 --> 00:37:12.719 Stahl's been around, he's won a cup, he he kind of gets what he needs to do, but that was a long time ago. 00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:16.000 Sebastianaho, terrific offensive guy. 00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:18.000 What makes them so unique though? 00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:22.880 They don't really skinner is another guy, you know. 00:37:23.199 --> 00:37:30.880 They grind you, they they they grind you, they skate you into the ground and grind you out, and they do have a lot of talented player. 00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:33.119 Uh, there's two question marks I have. 00:37:33.280 -->

00:37:51.920 One, I'm I would have liked them to have added some toughness, and it didn't have to be some big, you know, fighter, but just someone who's tougher, like a little, it would have helped, I think, because I remember watching them in a game, I think it was in February against Florida, and Florida just did what they wanted when they wanted. 00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:56.159 You know, Hornquist was running around, hitting everyone, and and no one had a real answer. 00:37:56.239 --> 00:38:00.239 And I'm not saying they're not a, you know, they have guys who are very willing to engage, sure. 00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:04.719 But I really wish they had added uh, you know, Nicholas DeLaurier went for a third round pick. 00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:06.719 That would have been a great addition, in my opinion. 00:38:06.800 --> 00:38:17.119 A guy who can kill penalties, a guy who's absolutely unafraid, um, is not a liability on the ice and can watch over if someone takes liberties with Aho or Svechnikov or whomever. 00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:21.920 Um, and the and the second question, so I don't I'm the the toughness is a question mark to me. 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:27.679 And then the second thing I'm questioning is Freddie Anderson, um, who might win the Vesna trophy, right? 00:38:27.760 --> 00:38:33.679 Uh you know, as we're doing this, he leads the league and goals against and sure had a formidable year um by all accounts. 00:38:33.760 --> 00:38:35.679 But I've seen this before um here in Toronto. 00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:36.800 He's been exceptional. 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:40.239 And then get playoff time, he does let in a goal here or there. 00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:41.280 Uh, it wasn't easy. 00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:45.440 He had to go up, you know, against Tuko Rask, he had to go up against the likes of Raiden Hope. 00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:51.199 I mean, he had to go up against some very good goaltenders, uh, but he was on the short end of the stick in the playoffs. 00:38:51.280 --> 00:39:02.320 And I'm just wondering, you know, how is he gonna fare if he has to go up against Shisterkin, if he has to go up against Tristan Jarry, if he has to go up uh against Vasilevsky, you know, Babrowski. 00:39:02.480 --> 00:39:07.679 Like there's a lot of really solid goaltenders, um, you know, every team who makes the playoffs and is going to have it. 00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:10.639 And I'm just wondering, is he gonna be able to win these head-to-head battles? 00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:14.880 And if they can answer those questions, and those are two big questions, I think they'll be fine. 00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:20.480 But I do wonder about overall team toughness to grind out, you know, two, three, four playoff rounds. 00:39:20.559 --> 00:39:33.039 I really wonder if they have that because they're a beautiful team to watch, they're exceptionally skilled, they have a great coach, uh, they're very deep, but I'm I'm wondering in a seven-game, we saw what that Tampa Florida series was

like last year. 00:39:33.199 --> 00:39:35.280 My God, but that was an absolute battle. 00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:37.920 Can they survive a series like that? 00:39:38.159 --> 00:39:40.559 And I, you know, I guess we're gonna find out. 00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:42.000 And and I'm just not sure. 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:43.039 I'm just not sure. 00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:44.559 They're pretty resilient though. 00:39:44.639 --> 00:39:49.599 I I will I will tell you, watching them enough that I think they're a pretty resilient squad. 00:39:49.760 --> 00:39:53.599 And um, yeah, but Anderson's 40 years old. 00:39:53.760 --> 00:39:54.480 Am I correct? 00:39:54.719 --> 00:39:58.639 No, he's not he's not that old, he's probably 35, I guess. 00:39:58.880 --> 00:39:59.599 Okay, all right. 00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:02.639 Yeah, I just it feels like he's been around forever. 00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:05.039 It just feels like he's started young in Anham. 00:40:05.199 --> 00:40:07.119 You're right, but no, he's he's definitely not 40. 00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:09.440 I mean, Craig Anderson uh is 40. 00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:11.199 Okay, but Freddie Anderson, yeah. 00:40:11.280 --> 00:40:15.920 Freddie Anderson's I don't have it on me, but my guess is 34, maybe 33. 00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:18.800 I still feel like he's been around forever, honestly. 00:40:18.960 --> 00:40:20.239 It just it just feels that way. 00:40:21.760 --> 00:40:25.599 Is Galant gonna help to push the I I know we talked about Gallant already. 00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:28.320 Is he gonna help to push is he gonna help to push the Rangers forward? 00:40:28.400 --> 00:40:31.679 Because they're they're another that squad has got that right. 00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:37.599 I feel like they've got the right mix of youth, veterans, and veteran leadership. 00:40:37.760 --> 00:40:41.119 And Shisterkin, man, talk about the guy. 00:40:41.440 --> 00:40:43.519 Yeah, they're an interesting team. 00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:48.400 I I'm I think they rely a little too heavy on Shisterkin, quite frankly. 00:40:48.559 --> 00:40:51.519 I think that he has saved them in some games that they would have lost. 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:53.840 And sometimes there's a bit of smoke and mirrors involved there. 00:40:53.920 --> 00:40:55.840 It's like, oh, Rangers won three to one. 00:40:56.079 --> 00:40:57.119 Wow, they must be a great team. 00:40:57.199 --> 00:41:06.800 And then if you kind of, you know, you look at the highlights, you don't really see the whole picture, and that's Chesterkin making a bunch of five alarm saves and going, wow, it could have been six-three against them. 00:41:06.960 --> 00:41:08.239 Uh that's happened a lot. 00:41:08.320 --> 00:41:10.079 That's been one of the large storylines here. 00:41:10.159 --> 00:41:13.360 That's why a lot of people are considering him one of the favorites to win the heart. 00:41:13.519 --> 00:41:18.159 Um, his play has slipped a little bit of late, and their results have slipped a little bit of late.

00:41:18.320 --> 00:41:20.320 So I like the makeup of their team. 00:41:20.480 --> 00:41:25.679 I'm, you know, I think often we see this teams have to lose before they win, right? 00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:27.519 We have to get over that hump. 00:41:27.679 --> 00:41:30.159 You know, we saw it with Washington, all those disappointments. 00:41:30.239 --> 00:41:31.519 Oh, they'll never win, they'll never win. 00:41:31.599 --> 00:41:34.320 And then suddenly, wow, okay, they found a way to figure it out. 00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:36.320 Maybe we're gonna see that with the Maple Leafs. 00:41:36.400 --> 00:41:37.039 I don't know. 00:41:37.280 --> 00:41:41.920 Um, maybe we're gonna see that with Colorado, who've had this bad spell three straight years in the second round. 00:41:42.079 --> 00:41:46.719 I'm not sure this group collectively has had to deal with that yet, right? 00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:48.800 Like everything's been great. 00:41:48.960 --> 00:41:56.639 Yeah, like two years ago they were declaring, all right, we're rebuilding, and then you know, some good lottery balls fall their way and some player development goes a little quicker than than usual. 00:41:56.719 --> 00:41:59.119 And Adam Fox was an incredible deal for them. 00:41:59.280 --> 00:42:01.119 Yeah, wow, and it accelerated things. 00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:02.239 So I'm just not sure. 00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:18.480 Uh listen, if if they're probably gonna match up against Pittsburgh, you know, if you're asking me to put money down, I'm gonna take Pittsburgh a team with Crosby, Malcolm, Letang, and guys who've been there done that over a team that, and I love, you know, if we're gonna rattle off, you know, the Panarins and the Zabanajads and Cryders having a career here, et cetera. 00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:29.119 I I like the makeup of their team, but I I think this could be one of those times where it's like, oh wow, so the playoffs, and this is what a series is like against, you know, a world-class team and guys who've done it before. 00:42:29.199 --> 00:42:34.800 So I I'm I'm putting them down a little bit as a tier down, just because I think in two years the Rangers might be the best team in the game. 00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:38.400 They might be if they continue on this space. 00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:44.639 But right now, I'm I think they're still be like, okay, we're gonna, you know, we're gonna lose a little bit and learn how to win. 00:42:45.280 --> 00:42:47.440 Kreider has what, 40, 41? 00:42:47.519 --> 00:42:48.559 How many does he have? 00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:50.000 44, I believe. 00:42:50.239 --> 00:42:50.639 44. 00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:53.119 He's third in the league right now. 00:42:53.199 --> 00:42:58.639 As it stands right now, he's at 44 or 45, and Matthew's at 51, Dry Saddle at 50. 00:42:58.719 --> 00:43:00.639 So yeah, he's been exceptional. 00:43:01.280 --> 00:43:04.800 That's insane to think about Chris Kreider having that many goals. 00:43:06.159 --> 00:43:08.800 I I don't see him

as that kind of player, but you're right. 00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:11.920 Like that's that veteran leadership that that they need, though. 00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:18.159 You know, hopefully they can keep hopefully they keep him around to to lead them into that next uh step. 00:43:18.239 --> 00:43:21.519 Um yeah, I mean they're they're a really interesting team to keep an eye on. 00:43:21.679 --> 00:43:26.159 And listen, would Shisturkin be the first goalie to to kind of lead a team out of nowhere? 00:43:26.239 --> 00:43:28.239 I mean, we saw it with Kerry Price last year, right? 00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:31.280 Without Kerry Price, Montreal's not getting to the Stanley Cup final. 00:43:31.519 --> 00:43:41.199 So anything can happen, and that would be really fearful when teams are game planning for going up against the Rangers come playoff time, they're gonna be like, oh God, we gotta deal with Shisturkin for the next four to seven games. 00:43:41.280 --> 00:43:42.480 This is not gonna be easy. 00:43:42.719 --> 00:43:48.480 Um, but I I am, you know, I still just think there's that that the growing pains inevitably. 00:43:48.639 --> 00:43:54.719 Uh, and it's not that they're a young and mature team, but it's just this collective group hasn't been together to to get into the trenches. 00:43:54.960 --> 00:43:57.199 So I'm interested to see how they do. 00:43:58.239 --> 00:43:59.360 Uh you probably know this. 00:43:59.440 --> 00:44:01.440 I I I should have done my research on this. 00:44:01.519 --> 00:44:03.840 How many games has Shisterkin played this year? 00:44:04.079 --> 00:44:05.920 Ooh, I don't know that. 00:44:06.000 --> 00:44:16.559 Um, I know we had a nine, yeah, a week ago we had a nine three-four save percentage, which would just like Marc-Andre Fleury won the Vesna last year, I think, with a 918, right? 00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:18.880 And he's at 930, or he was at 934. 00:44:18.960 --> 00:44:20.800 I think it's dropped maybe into the 20s now. 00:44:20.960 --> 00:44:22.639 So, I mean, that's how good he's been. 00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:26.079 Um, Georgiev hasn't played an exceptional amount. 00:44:26.239 --> 00:44:32.000 Um, and I'm sure they're gonna be playing Shesterkin down the stretch because they probably want to have home ice advantage. 00:44:32.159 --> 00:44:33.519 So we're gonna see a lot of them. 00:44:33.599 --> 00:44:34.960 Are you wondering about fatigue? 00:44:35.119 --> 00:44:37.679 Yeah, yeah, and that's a question for a few teams. 00:44:37.760 --> 00:44:39.679 We were asking that on Saturday on Akinite and Canada. 00:44:39.760 --> 00:44:46.960 Elite Friedman was saying, you know, with Calgary, we're talking about them, they've lost a few in a row and said, I wonder if Markstrom needs a little bit of a rest. 00:44:47.199 --> 00:44:52.079 You know, we're seeing that a few teams, you know, that's why Minnesota could be that sleeper team. 00:44:52.159 --> 00:44:54.639 They've got one A and one B in Flurry and Talbot. 00:44:54.719 --> 00:44:54.960 Yeah. 00:44:55.119 --> 00:44:56.800 And they're able to kind of go back and forth. 00:44:56.880 --> 00:44:57.519 They don't lose much. 00:44:57.760 --> 00:45:00.639 Either guy they put in there, the team's very comfortable around either of them. 00:45:00.800 --> 00:45:04.480 I mean, I say going into the playoffs, that's probably the best tandem you have. 00:45:04.639 --> 00:45:09.519 And I know you'd rather, you know, have one superstar and you can just like Vasilevsky will play every minute. 00:45:09.599 --> 00:45:14.559 Um, but if you're not gonna have a Vasilevsky to have a Flurry Talbot tandem isn't damn bad. 00:45:14.800 --> 00:45:16.079 Yeah, no, not at all. 00:45:16.239 --> 00:45:18.000 I flurry cracks me up. 00:45:18.079 --> 00:45:23.920 I know they uh uh the capitals are putting a push on for him, and he's like, I don't really want to go there. 00:45:24.159 --> 00:45:27.599 Okay with it, you know, which I I mean that's his choice. 00:45:27.679 --> 00:45:28.800 He's been around long enough. 00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:31.840 Yeah, and I don't know if I don't think it's a knock on Washington. 00:45:31.920 --> 00:45:35.119 I think maybe he's just, you know, his heart was in Pittsburgh for so long. 00:45:35.199 --> 00:45:41.280 The idea of staring down, and it's like, you know, Sid and Malkin on the other end in a seven-game series and going, oh man. 00:45:41.440 --> 00:45:48.400 And you know, maybe if you have the choice between Minnesota and Washington, he looked at the two teams and sort of said, you know, I'm 37 years old. 00:45:48.480 --> 00:45:53.920 I have a better shot to win a cup with this group over here as opposed to that group over there. 00:45:54.079 --> 00:45:58.960 So um it's interesting, though, that I mean, I'm sure there was more suitors than just Washington and Minnesota. 00:45:59.280 --> 00:45:59.840 Yeah, absolutely. 00:45:59.920 --> 00:46:03.920 I'm surprised Pittsburgh didn't didn't take a sniff there, but I know their caps tight. 00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:06.960 Hey, let's talk about old faithful penguins and caps. 00:46:07.199 --> 00:46:10.800 Which one of those teams can get out of that first round from that perspective? 00:46:10.960 --> 00:46:16.000 Because I know I know Pittsburgh we talked about them, but the caps have been struggling. 00:46:16.079 --> 00:46:19.440 They they really they just got scorched last night by Minnesota. 00:46:19.599 --> 00:46:27.360 Uh, you know, we're we're talking here it's April 4th, and they got scorched last night, uh, April 3rd, uh, what uh 5-1? 00:46:27.760 --> 00:46:30.880 You know, they just haven't looked like the caps, they just haven't. 00:46:31.199 --> 00:46:32.800 Yeah, they they really haven't. 00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:34.320 Um I don't know. 00:46:34.480 --> 00:46:38.960 There's something just seems off a little bit about that team right now. 00:46:39.280 --> 00:46:47.519 Uh I, you know, I think they're gonna go in as the prohibitive favorite, they're gonna finish

fourth in that division, so they're gonna play either Florida or Carolina, most likely. 00:46:47.599 --> 00:46:49.760 And I think their work's gonna be cut out. 00:46:50.000 --> 00:46:59.360 And um, yeah, I just it's funny when I've heard other people talk about the East, they sort of say, Oh, there's five or six Stanley Cup contenders, and Washington isn't on their list. 00:46:59.519 --> 00:47:01.199 And I think that's fair at this point. 00:47:01.360 --> 00:47:04.880 The goaltending's been an issue, and they've had a series of injuries, right? 00:47:04.960 --> 00:47:17.119 Baxter missed the first half of the year, and Oshi's been in and out of the lineup, and you know, it's just it's asking a lot of a of a veteran group um to grind it out the way they've had to grind out this year to see where they're gonna end up. 00:47:17.280 --> 00:47:19.199 Carlson's been banged up a little bit too. 00:47:19.280 --> 00:47:20.559 So I I like their team. 00:47:20.639 --> 00:47:23.280 I mean, they're an exceptional team, and can they turn it on and win a series? 00:47:23.360 --> 00:47:23.920 Absolutely. 00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:27.679 Yeah, um, but uh, they're not gonna go in as as the favorite at all in the east. 00:47:27.760 --> 00:47:36.960 I imagine every series they're gonna have, even if they win the first round, they'll go into the second round as the underdog again, I would imagine, just because I think it's so top heavy in the east right now. 00:47:37.119 --> 00:47:40.480 I don't feel like Kuzi's been the same guy he was when Baxtrom was out, though. 00:47:40.559 --> 00:47:42.880 Like he's kind of hot and cold. 00:47:43.039 --> 00:47:43.440 Yeah. 00:47:44.000 --> 00:47:45.840 And you want guys to be consistent. 00:47:45.920 --> 00:47:49.360 And he he when he's hot, he is extraordinarily hot. 00:47:49.440 --> 00:47:52.320 But yeah, the cold spells sometimes do kick in. 00:47:52.719 --> 00:47:53.360 All right. 00:47:53.679 --> 00:48:02.880 Pivotal players, give me three pivotal players from the west and from the east that you think will change the dynamic of what may happen in the playoffs. 00:48:04.239 --> 00:48:08.079 Well, when it comes to, I mean, the playoffs, it's always goaltending. 00:48:08.159 --> 00:48:10.320 So I'll put Jacob Markstrom's name on there. 00:48:10.400 --> 00:48:13.119 I mean, Calgary will need that exceptional goaltending. 00:48:13.199 --> 00:48:16.559 If Vegas gets in, clearly, Robin Leonard has to be exceptional. 00:48:16.639 --> 00:48:17.760 He can't just be okay. 00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:26.000 They have a little bit less firepower consistently scoring-wise than Calgary or Colorado for that matter. 00:48:26.159 --> 00:48:34.239 Uh, on Colorado, if Kale McCarr can keep playing up to this level, you know, he controls the ice, he controls the game. 00:48:34.400 --> 00:48:36.480 Um, similar to Roman Yossi. 00:48:36.559 --> 00:48:38.480 I mean, those are guys that control the ice. 00:48:38.639 --> 00:48:43.280 You know, I'm naking goalies in defense, which is funny because there's so many good offensive players. 00:48:43.440 --> 00:48:49.039 But really, when push comes to shove, and you don't have to look any further than Tampa, it came down to Vasilevsky and Headman. 00:48:49.199 --> 00:48:51.440 When Headman's on the ice, he controls the pace of play. 00:48:51.519 --> 00:48:53.440 Vasilevsky makes all the big saves. 00:48:53.519 --> 00:48:53.679 Right. 00:48:53.920 --> 00:48:57.119 If you get those two things happening, you're gonna have great success. 00:48:57.280 --> 00:49:07.199 And especially when you're running a guy like Hedman out there for 27 minutes a night, and you can do that with Makar, you can do that, you know, certain teams have that ability, the Petrangelos, the Yosis, et cetera. 00:49:07.280 --> 00:49:10.079 Those are the guys that are the difference makers, whether it's the East or the West. 00:49:10.400 --> 00:49:12.480 It really, you know, the same thing holds true. 00:49:12.639 --> 00:49:14.639 So those are the guys I'll be keeping an eye on. 00:49:14.880 --> 00:49:15.199 Okay. 00:49:15.440 --> 00:49:16.320 Who do you see? 00:49:16.480 --> 00:49:18.159 Who do you see coming out of the East and West? 00:49:18.400 --> 00:49:21.840 And I know we talked about this, we talked about a bunch of different scenarios. 00:49:22.079 --> 00:49:25.199 Who do you see coming out of either one of those and who might be your winner? 00:49:25.360 --> 00:49:29.519 Just just well, I'll preface this, Mark, by saying, I suck at this. 00:49:30.239 --> 00:49:34.559 I just want you to know, like, don't don't go and lay money down based on what I'm about to say. 00:49:34.719 --> 00:49:41.760 But again, and I said it earlier, I could see a Calgary, Tampa, 2004 rematch of the Stanley Cup final. 00:49:42.320 --> 00:49:48.480 Listen, you could slot in Florida and you can slot in Toronto and you can slot in Pittsburgh and you can slot in Colorado. 00:49:48.559 --> 00:49:52.480 Like, there's a bunch of different things, and I wouldn't be like, oh my God, I can't believe that happened. 00:49:52.639 --> 00:50:04.079 But right now, if you're asking me, and again, it's it's early April, just to be clear, because I know this isn't going to play maybe till May, but this is early April, and right now, uh, Calgary to me, I don't see any weaknesses. 00:50:04.239 --> 00:50:06.800 If they're healthy going into the playoffs, I love that team. 00:50:06.960 --> 00:50:12.480 And Tampa, like, you know, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, you know, shame on me. 00:50:12.559 --> 00:50:16.639 And, you know, for all those doubters, you know, they've proven us all wrong. 00:50:16.719 --> 00:50:19.360 And I actually have liked Tampa very much the last few years. 00:50:19.599 --> 00:50:20.960 Why would we bet against them? 00:50:21.039 --> 00:50:26.239 I just, you know, they have all the makeup of a championship pedigree team, right? 00:50:26.480 --> 00:50:29.920 And I'm not betting against them

until someone knocks them off. 00:50:30.079 --> 00:50:37.280 So I'm gonna stick to Tampa, I'm gonna stick to Calgary and say if we get a final like we got in 2004, which went to seven games, which was unbelievable. 00:50:37.440 --> 00:50:39.199 Uh, I'm not gonna argue with that. 00:50:39.440 --> 00:50:44.480 Well, we know what to expect with Tampa, there's no doubt about it, and they know what to expect when they step on the ice. 00:50:44.639 --> 00:50:46.480 Hey, final segment. 00:50:46.559 --> 00:50:59.440 We just gotta know your favorite places to go to and uh be part of their hockey action there, whether it's just watching the game, whether it's you know, being reporting on the game, whatever, your your favorite places. 00:50:59.760 --> 00:51:06.639 Well, one of my career highlights, Mark, last year, and it was under weird circumstances where you know the pandemic was still kind of rearing its head. 00:51:06.719 --> 00:51:20.960 Yeah, uh, it wasn't exactly how it would have been under normal circumstances, but going to Montreal, uh, for anyone who hasn't gone to Montreal to experience what an NHL experience is like there, go get some tickets Saturday night. 00:51:21.119 --> 00:51:23.519 Uh, the fans are smart, they're sophisticated. 00:51:23.679 --> 00:51:25.920 The surrounding area, it's right downtown Montreal. 00:51:26.079 --> 00:51:34.079 There's a ton of restaurants and clubs and bars and lounges and great hotels, you know, within a mile of the Bell Center. 00:51:34.239 --> 00:51:46.719 Uh, the in-house entertainment, whether it's the music or whether, you know, they have the Oregon, whether it's the anthem singer, uh, people are dressed to the nines, it's date night, it's you know, it's guys on bachelor parties, it's got everything together. 00:51:46.800 --> 00:51:48.880 It's a very fun hockey environment. 00:51:49.039 --> 00:51:52.960 Um, Vegas for a new destination is a lot of fun. 00:51:53.039 --> 00:51:59.840 Uh, I've been there uh mostly at the Stanley Cup final in 2018, but I really thought they did a great job, the in arena presentation. 00:51:59.920 --> 00:52:04.559 And you know, it has all the pageantry and glitz and glamour you'd expect uh in Las Vegas. 00:52:04.719 --> 00:52:06.079 So that's a fun destination. 00:52:06.239 --> 00:52:08.000 There are so many good spots though. 00:52:08.159 --> 00:52:10.400 Um those two come to mind. 00:52:10.559 --> 00:52:12.320 You know, Nashville's a lot of fun. 00:52:12.480 --> 00:52:14.159 The crowd gets very into it. 00:52:14.320 --> 00:52:16.400 Uh, you feel like you're at an event. 00:52:16.480 --> 00:52:20.079 And again, you walk out of Bridgestone Arena and you go to Broadway. 00:52:20.159 --> 00:52:27.119 And if you are into country music and you want to go get crazy with your friends at whatever bars, there are many options there. 00:52:27.280 --> 00:52:30.239 So that's always a fun place and a fun destination. 00:52:30.400 --> 00:52:32.480 Uh, I mean, there's so many I enjoy though. 00:52:32.559 --> 00:52:36.719 Uh Los Angeles, I, you know, and granted it's been at playoff time mostly. 00:52:36.800 --> 00:52:39.360 I've been there to cover games, but I think they do a great job as well. 00:52:39.440 --> 00:52:43.280 I'm sure that building will be rocking come playoff time again this year. 00:52:43.519 --> 00:52:45.280 Um, you know, those are to name a few. 00:52:45.360 --> 00:52:47.760 I'm trying to think of some more uh good ones. 00:52:47.920 --> 00:52:49.920 Uh I like so many of them. 00:52:50.079 --> 00:52:55.119 Uh I'm very interested, and we won't see them in the playoffs this year, but I'm interested to get to the new arena in Seattle. 00:52:55.199 --> 00:52:57.679 I'm interested to get to the new arena on Long Island. 00:52:57.840 --> 00:53:03.119 I think those venues are supposed to be very good and viewer friendly, which is nice too. 00:53:03.360 --> 00:53:06.559 Um, you know, I think you get to a good place with rivalries. 00:53:06.639 --> 00:53:13.599 I'm naming a lot of places here, but yeah, uh, you know, like if you get to go see a Boston-Montreal game in Boston, like that's fierce. 00:53:13.760 --> 00:53:18.400 Like, you know, you know, be careful, look around you because you don't know what's gonna be happening around you. 00:53:18.639 --> 00:53:20.239 Yeah, brawls happening everywhere. 00:53:20.320 --> 00:53:23.440 And I've seen some fun stuff in Boston when those two teams play. 00:53:23.599 --> 00:53:27.519 Um, when the team's doing well, Vancouver's another fun spot, you know. 00:53:27.599 --> 00:53:28.480 And I'd say Toronto. 00:53:28.559 --> 00:53:31.519 I've been to so many games in Toronto and Toronto come playoff time. 00:53:31.599 --> 00:53:37.440 I mean, you know, they've got a lot of the sort of golf clappers during the regular season because the tickets are so incredibly expensive. 00:53:37.599 --> 00:53:40.320 But come playoff time, Toronto can hold its own. 00:53:40.559 --> 00:53:45.760 Um, you know, there's just a lot of history in that, you know, with that team, with that franchise. 00:53:45.840 --> 00:53:49.280 And uh, so there's no shortage of great places to go, quite frankly. 00:53:49.440 --> 00:53:51.039 Um, but those are some of my favorites. 00:53:51.280 --> 00:53:59.360 You just gave our our audience a wide array of uh places to go check out, and they'll have to put it on their map so they make sure they do it as well as myself. 00:53:59.519 --> 00:54:04.480 I have a 12-year-old son who plays hockey, and we try and travel around and see some hockey as well. 00:54:04.559 --> 00:54:06.800 It doesn't even have to be our favorite team. 00:54:06.880 --> 00:54:08.880 We just like we just like hockey, you know. 00:54:09.039 --> 00:54:09.280 Right. 00:54:09.519 --> 00:54:10.400 We just like hockey. 00:54:10.639 --> 00:54:15.599 David, it's been awesome you taking the time out of your busy schedule, especially this time of year. 00:54:15.760 --> 00:54:17.519 You you sitting down and talking with us. 00:54:17.599 --> 00:54:21.440 And uh, like I said, this is gonna air uh at the very beginning of the playoffs. 00:54:21.519 --> 00:54:24.400 So it'll be fun to follow along with what you said. 00:54:24.480 --> 00:54:29.119 Um, it sounds like I'm gonna have to stay up late night a lot, though, and see some of the Calgary games. 00:54:29.199 --> 00:54:31.119 You've really got me fired up to watch them now. 00:54:31.360 --> 00:54:32.239 They're a good team, Mark. 00:54:32.320 --> 00:54:33.599 Yeah, I mean, it's exciting. 00:54:33.760 --> 00:54:35.519 And and listen, thanks for having me on. 00:54:35.599 --> 00:54:36.480 I really appreciate it. 00:54:36.559 --> 00:54:40.800 And I'm glad we have uh great hockey fans like you around North America and around the world. 00:54:40.960 --> 00:54:43.920 It makes the game, you know, what it's the fabric of the game, right? 00:54:44.000 --> 00:54:44.960 It's just so important. 00:54:45.199 --> 00:54:51.039 I can't wait till it jumps to be number one instead of one B in my book because football's one A, I guess. 00:54:51.119 --> 00:54:52.000 I don't know. 00:54:52.400 --> 00:54:53.280 Have a great day. 00:54:53.440 --> 00:54:54.559 Thanks again for your time. 00:54:54.880 --> 00:54:55.760 Thank you, Mark. 00:54:58.239 --> 00:55:04.960 Can't find anyone better with hockey knowledge than what we got today from David Amber. 00:55:05.039 --> 00:55:09.360 Uh, you can stay in touch with David by following him on Twitter at David Amber. 00:55:10.159 --> 00:55:16.480 Connect with us here on the original sports podcast with Mark Meriday by checking out our website, apps, and much more. 00:55:16.559 --> 00:55:20.239 Our website is original sportspodcast.com. 00:55:20.320 --> 00:55:26.000 Uh, like our Facebook page, join our conversation on Twitter, and reach out to us on Snapchat. 00:55:26.079 --> 00:55:28.000 All that is OSP with MM. 00:55:28.239 --> 00:55:35.840 And you can also follow us on Instagram, like our TikToks, and please subscribe to us on YouTube. 00:55:36.159 --> 00:55:38.800 All that is original sports podcast. 00:55:38.880 --> 00:55:49.599 Hey, feel free to let us know if you have any comments, questions, suggestions for potential guests by emailing us at original sportspodcast at gmail.com. 00:55:49.760 --> 00:55:54.079 Uh, I'd like to thank our voice intro done by Matt Noble. 00:55:54.239 --> 00:56:03.599 I want to thank our intro and outro music done by Charlie Hodgson, our social media manager Will Franciscus, and our webmaster Terry Meriday. 00:56:03.760 --> 00:56:10.159 Join us each week to experience the O on the original sports podcast.