KRAKEN WEEKLY: Moving on without Montour, mailbag (12/22)

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Speaker 1: Gone debt back of the airline.
00:00:01
Speaker 2: Rking Revins halts stoos, Riker Evans left point flutters a.
00:00:08
Speaker 3: Shot toward the goal over the shoulder of Ascarov and the Seattle crack in retie the game to two eighteen oh five to go.
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Speaker 4: On the third well, Riker Evans with an elite keep right at the blue line. His skates got outside the blue line, but he caught the puck, knocked it down inside the blue line. The linesman waves it, it's onside. He gets a shot off. It's a flutter. It goes off the stick. Beat tasker rob.
00:00:32
Speaker 1: This game's tied at two dred left circle.
00:00:34
Speaker 2: That say shot stoods Ryan Lendrin from the left circle may have deflected in, but the Seattle kracking back on top.
00:00:44
Speaker 4: It's a three to two cracking lead. Well, if this goes down his Lingeran's goal if he is first of the season. It was a great shot by him as he waited for the screen going to the front of the net. I believe it was toven him heading towards the front. It may have gone off of him. We're having to look here. It didn't redirect, but it could have gone off of a shark player pass.
00:01:04
Speaker 3: In front, knocked away, Elle tolban in from the red line, torban in ahead, Shannler Stevens in left circle, cuss in front, schools Shandler Stevenson two points Tonight the Kraken with the insurance goal. It's a four to two Seattle lead with one twenty four to play in this one.
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Speaker 5: This is Jordan Eberley. This is Vince Done. This is Jayden Schwartz. This is Jared McCanns. Yes, this is Ryan Lindren.
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Speaker 1: This is Maddie Banier's.
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Speaker 5: You're listening to Cracking Weekly with Mike Benton. Cracking Weekly.
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Speaker 6: Yep, we're doing it live kind of sort of here for the Seeds at Honda Center, the Cracking getting step of the Anaheim Ducks. Mike Benton, Al Kaniski ever I fits you were doing this round.
00:01:46
Speaker 5: Table as usual.
00:01:47
Speaker 6: Were also gonna have a bit of a jump in here from Evan Pivnick, appropriate because his home base is about roughly forty five minutes away from here. He's a broadcast voice of the Coachella Valley Firebirds. In getting this deep end of the season, pretty good time here to bring on prospect talk as a crack and looking to wrap up these last two games before the holiday break with a pair of victories.
00:02:08
Speaker 5: That would be a terrific gift as well.
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Speaker 6: Once again, you can catch this podcast on demand anytime anywhere via the iHeartRadio app and the Crack and Audio Network. Gonna again sign up for free to get this at sports radio kjer dot com. Evan Pivnik joining us here a little bit later on here for the show. Without further ado, We're gonna jump into this because Monday and Tuesday back to Bag Bang Bang.
00:02:31
Speaker 5: It's gonna fly so ever it fits you.
00:02:34
Speaker 6: Alconiski with me here from the seats in Anaheim, and I want to recap this week fellas. But before I do that, the recapping of this also includes the joys of going on the road. Vince, we had some good dinner time last time. I think al Kaniski has some great time of the happiest place on earth.
00:02:50
Speaker 1: Yeah, it was fun.
00:02:51
Speaker 3: It was it's you know what, we work hard, but it's also very nice sometimes when you can find these holes in the schedule. I know, Alan, Jay and Piper they went off to Disney yesterday. I found myself over on Newport Beach watching my line.
00:03:06
Speaker 5: You eventually.
00:03:07
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, washing my lions revert back to their early two thousand cells.
00:03:11
Speaker 1: Took a nice reflective walk along the beach. It was it was nice.
00:03:16
Speaker 3: It was a good day to just relax and unline before the craziness of the schedule continues to pick it up.
00:03:24
Speaker 4: Yeah, Sunday was a rest day, and my rest day. I mean I walked over ten miles at the happiest place on her How many steps did you get in by the way, it was north of eighteen thousand, and it sneaks.
00:03:34
Speaker 1: Up on you. At the end of the year.
00:03:35
Speaker 6: You had about four workouts and in one day with Mickey Mouse in the house.
00:03:38
Speaker 4: Well, Piper jten, I didn't realize that. But at the end of the day there was a thirty minute ride back to the hotel and we both we all got into the car stiff after walking so much yesterday. So yeah, all of us put some time in on our shoes yesterday. But I had a good time. Enjoyed some Disney Fair in terms of corn dogs, churros, and even a little barbecue. I mean I could find barbecue at Disneyland.
00:04:04
Speaker 5: It really isn't too hard.
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Speaker 6: And hey, yea also have Tony Romas across the street, which I think is one of your hotspots.
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Speaker 4: Also, absolutely, it was on my list, but we had a big group there, so I'm gonna put that one off till next trip.
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Speaker 5: Yeah.
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Speaker 6: Look, if you're looking back at Piper Show's fiend, you guys had a great time. I think Carlman Bate part of the Kings broadcast team. She and Piper go way back. That added to the vibe as well. And I mean, I can't be happier for someone like Piper who just loves this to death. And she she she comes in completely decked out with the Disney garb up and down.
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Speaker 5: I mean, she really is the happiest.
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Speaker 4: Please notice a few different people, Hey, Piper, shot can get We're in Disneyland.
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Speaker 5: There's a one hundred thousand people here.
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Speaker 6: Now these are cracking fans in Disney, fans who listen to her podcast also, right.
00:04:47
Speaker 4: Absolutely, but yes, they did absolutely notice. Piper and JT and I were just in the background.
00:04:52
Speaker 5: Yeah.
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Speaker 6: Yeah, I had a brief meet up here with a friend and mentor of mine. We've done a lot of Dodgers games before and he lives up more on the north side of of the area here with the greater Los Angeles area. So we had a quick detour right through Dodger Stadium and had a great time with photos and walking around the ballpark as well.
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Speaker 5: Of course you did, yes, yes, because I know that, Hey, you went to Detroit and you're lying.
00:05:17
Speaker 1: You do the exact same Lions.
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Speaker 3: Lions have to get to a super Bowl before we can talk about the exact same thing. Man, Lifelong Dodgers fans and twenty come.
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Speaker 5: Well, you get some new jokes for one.
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Speaker 6: Seriously, Yeah, yeah, yeah, happiest place on Earth, they I'm taking.
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Speaker 5: I'm owning it here.
00:05:36
Speaker 6: Let's let's recap this last week lost of Buffalo or loss against Buffalo, loss against Colorado Los at Calgary, and it feels like maybe the bottom is dropping out at one nine and one, but things pick right back up at San Jose. What a refreshing win that was. And I'll kind of go about this in the way that we did about a couple of weeks ago. The pros and cons, the upside, the downsides, the things that you enjoyed, the tough scenes, however you want to slice this year for me, the pros you had to like where their game was trending, I think not so much with San Jose, but with Colorado, with Calgary the first two periods and let's just face it here San Jose you got a heavy dose of goaltending and a heavy dose of shot blocking as well. So I think if you take up maybe out the play under the hood of San Jose where the Kraken didn't you know, Benpa didn't break, you had to like again, where this game is going into lane Lambert's credit, he raised a good point about this, even Jordan Eberley as well. The cons For me, of course, there's still the lack of offensive production. But things picked up of course at San Jose. But yet when you're scoring about roughly two goals a game. Again, Jordan Neberley said this himself. I mentioned this is one of my favorite quotes from him, is that the line is super razor thin, meaning you have little to no margin for air heads. You had the two back to back blown third period leads. Well, but again you find a way at San Jose that at least gets the mood going back in the right direction.
00:07:06
Speaker 3: Yeah, that the win was crucial, and I think, you know, it's been very frustrating and disappointing these last handful of games, and Lane Lambert even said it himself.
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Speaker 1: He goes, the irony is that we're playing, in.
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Speaker 3: A lot of instances better in these losses than we've had in some of our wins. And that's the most frustrating part, is because this game is a game of inches, and how many times have we heard Lane and other players say we have to be damn near perfect in order to win these games, and if we're not, it's it's always one mistake, it's one let down, it's never man. The Kraken are just playing awful tonight. I cannot think of too many. I can maybe count on one hand the number of stinkers this team has had all season long.
00:07:52
Speaker 1: So that's the frustrating part.
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Speaker 3: You're still, you know what, two nine and one in your last twelve, so you're you're trending in the right direction. You can't start a win streak until you win the first one, and they did that in San Jose a couple of nights ago. But now you've got a back to back coming up this week, and you play six games in ten days. You've got a back to back, two days off, a back to back two days off, and then another back to back coming out of the brink, so it's not like the schedule is going to lighten up. So that win, I think was it was a really good way to release a little bit of that pressure, to loosen the valve a little bit. But they got to keep on finding ways to rack up these points.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, I would add to that that that San Jose game, you know, we talked to Jordan Eberley between periods and it was great that you you heard from the captain because it was one one going to the third period, they're on a tolven And goal and I got that got that goal from the San Jose Sharks, and you just we wanted to know from Jordan, like you've seen a couple of a bunch of close games going to that third period, what's it going to take for this team to to get pushed over the top up And you know, he talked a lot about you know, discipline and focus and stuff. But it was great to see the go ahead goal, the goals from defenseman Riker Evans Ryan Lingern both getting goals. You know, we always talk about depth and scoring with his team, and they weren't snipes like obviously it's difficult to score on the NHL, but it was putting the puck on net, and the Cracket ended the game with thirty two shots on net. That was huge. They've been shooting a lot more lately. I think I did the stat a few games ago where they've been averaging five or more shots per game over the last ten games prior when you compare to the ten games prior to that. So they're putting a lot more pucks on net. And those two goals were just that, they were shots on net through screens that found their way through ends up helping the team win the game.
00:09:45
Speaker 5: So that was huge.
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Speaker 4: And you know, you say it's a game of inches, I think it's a game of mistakes. You know, the more mistakes you make, the more likely you're going to lose the hockey game. But it's also you have to take advantage of those mistakes. You have to force those mistakes if you're pushing the other team. So if you can cause a team to make more mistakes and you can take advantage of those, you're gonna win the hockey game.
00:10:06
Speaker 6: See here's where I get at with the San Jose game two also got through passed Joey to court, but they weren't clean goals, and san Jose had to work for one of them. The second one was a free play and a freak bounce, and I chocked that second goal up just right to that. San Jose got a ton of looks here, don't get me wrong. And this is where I think something that where the krack and want to, you know, lock down a little bit more here ahead of Anaheim in LA. But this is where goaltending can stabilize you if you're plug chasing. And we're right back to this once again, where goaltending is going to keep you in games.
00:10:38
Speaker 5: And there's seven points out right now back of the cut line.
00:10:41
Speaker 6: But if you want to drag yourselves back into the fight goaltending has to be a big part.
00:10:46
Speaker 7: Of this here.
00:10:46
Speaker 3: Yeah, one thing we've always said is looking at this team, defense and goaltending have never been the problem. And I think if you look at Joey's numbers and Grubauer's numbers, they even though on paper they might not, you know, look the best we're looking at one goal games here from Seattle. A lot of these games, I think the Kraken now have played in six of their last seven have been essentially one goal games if you count the if you take away the empty netters. So you know, Joey Decord Philip Grubauer are letting in one to two goals a night and then they're finding ways to to to keep the team in games. Joey Decord last game in a nine to seven two say percentence, right, so he's he's continuing to play well.
00:11:30
Speaker 1: But you're right.
00:11:31
Speaker 3: I mean, your goalie a lot of times has to be your best player. And that goes back to the comments that we've heard from multiple guys as that man, our.
00:11:39
Speaker 1: Goalie was big tonight. He was really huge back there.
00:11:41
Speaker 3: So that's gonna be a huge key and a huge factor for Seattle moving forward. Is you know, fairly or unfairly, your goalie on on most nights is going to have to be your best player.
00:11:55
Speaker 6: We're gonna get to some previews here, lineup updates as well that are coming down the pipe here for today. But I want to go also here to the roster component of this. Here the Mason Marchman trade which happened right before the San Jose game.
00:12:09
Speaker 5: And listen, I mean there there are some there, there are.
00:12:12
Speaker 6: Some trades which work out, some that don't and I think just based on the production aspect of this here off the top, this wasn't gonna be a good fit. And the reason why that a move was made, and you know, I think in another in other senses here is that you put Mason Marchman on a different team. There's there there's something going with him and Don Wald, Don Wandell here from the past. That's something that that works out for him. But now you have more room opening up for players like Yanni Newman when he's back in healthy, Berkeley Catton, and then you have to solve who goes where when you plug Jayden Schwartz in Jerry mccannon right back here into this mix. So, I mean tough to see Marchman go from the fact that there were some big plans for him back in the summer. But what you do is that you move on and now all of a sudden, you move some cap space open and not not not also just that, but also the draft picks that you get back from a turn, which also includes one second rounder.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean you've in improved your your second round draft pick on on that trade, and it does create opportunities for others. I don't think it was a good fit. You know, for whatever reason, it just didn't look like it was working with Mason Marchmant. You know, we see obviously much more than the game itself. We see the practice, we see you know, the office stated they tried moving him up and down the line. Yeah, yeah, so all over, for whatever reason, it just didn't work out. And you know, it wasn't just you know, two games ago that you saw it wasn't working out. It was you know, a dozen or more games ago when you started to think, I don't think this is going to be a long term situation for Mason marchmanth So, I don't think it was a surprise for any of us to see him moved off the roster to another team.
00:13:48
Speaker 6: There's conversation of where are you right now in relation here to the standings? Does that may be affect you know, where this team moves with trade activity, and I mean listen, we said this before, we'll say it again. You know there'll be more moves in store. Potentially he could have helped this team, I think, certainly. But you know, if you're if you're somebody asking me, if you're this far out, why don't you just go ahead and tear it down. Well, the thing is is that you've still got a lot of games here to play in January, and I think there's a sense of what this team wants to look at when they can get mc cann back, when they can get Schwartz back once they're healthy, and see if they can give a real, real solid kick at this thing once they come out of the roster freeze period of this and then right back into January, because you look at this here from what they've got going there are seventeen games in January.
00:14:37
Speaker 5: Which will be a lot of hockey. I couldn't believe it when you said that way.
00:14:44
Speaker 1: Yep, nineteen and thirty five if you start out the Christmas.
00:14:47
Speaker 6: So we're hearing again that the Olympic break is going to be maybe I think a big checkpoint where a lot of teams are at with the temperature of their season, the temperature of their roster. And I think it if you if depending upon which the stream you go to, going all in or tearing it all the way down. It's still a bit too early right now in the season.
00:15:08
Speaker 3: It's early, but I mean the kracket had been playing with a shortened roster, and we're gonna break some news right now.
00:15:15
Speaker 6: We just found out all right, Everett, youah this stage, Yeah, I don't, I don't have the breaking news, flopper, but zero.
00:15:25
Speaker 3: Brandon Montor four weeks on the shelf with with hand surgery, like come on and like it. That to me has been the most frustrating part about this season is you know that if you had a full compliment of players for thirty forty game, thirty four tonight, whatever it is, right, if you've had a full compliment of players, you're not You're not losing nine of ten games.
00:15:51
Speaker 1: You're not doing that right.
00:15:52
Speaker 3: So now you find out today that Brandon Montor is out for four weeks with with with with hand surgery. Every injury there's been no data day with the sniffles, it's all been four to six, six to eight, like these have all been long term injuries that have kept you know, your best players McCann and Schwartz and Coppocaco and now Brandon Montor. So we decord missed a couple of games, like all of your best players have been on the shelf, and you know that's the that's the very frustrating, maddening part about this schedule.
00:16:23
Speaker 1: But you're right. I mean the schedule doesn't get it easier.
00:16:26
Speaker 3: Like I said before nineteen and thirty five, coming out of the break six and ten to start with three back to backs, and Alan and I were talking, I cannot remember a time where a team has had three back to backs in a row. I mean that this is this is an EHL schedule when we're playing seven and nine, so like this is in Yes, this is insane.
00:16:47
Speaker 5: People.
00:16:47
Speaker 6: If you're ever wondering what it takes here to reach the NHL, you've and you've got to go through the grind. And this is what they call the grind in the minor leagues. A lot of bus rides, a lot of three and threes. The NHL does not have.
00:17:00
Speaker 5: Three and three.
00:17:01
Speaker 3: And listen, I understand that we travel better than most and we're treated very very well, and I know this is kind of first world problems here, but I'll give you a scenario. The Kraken have a home game against the Minnesota Wild on January eighth. They play in Carolina on the tenth, so they have a cross country flight to start a five game road trip. Usually you're allowed to go out two days early. If you have to cross two time zones, two or more time zones, and we do.
00:17:29
Speaker 6: There will also be a game in Calgary on a Monday, and then right back home against Boston on a turn on Tuesday.
00:17:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, so, I mean, the back to backs are crazy.
00:17:39
Speaker 3: But you know, I'm getting off my soapbox here, but it's just I think for this team, when going back to your initial question, when you're looking at buying, selling, trading, whatever the case may be, I mean, I think January fifteenth, that might be the cut line for me, because you're still early enough before the dead line. Some teams out there are a bit desperate. If you're Seattle, you can maybe look at leveraging some pieces, or if you're right back in this thing, the Kraken could go from sellers slash standing pat to buying. So but I do think that you're gonna have to see a positive movement North in the standings over these next two weeks three weeks.
00:18:20
Speaker 4: Yeah, you know this team that struggled, well, let's be honest, let's struggle all season long to put pucks in a net winning games, you know, in low event style three two two to one, going to a shootout with the Islanders zero zero, both goaltenders getting shutouts. A lot of that struggle comes from having guys like Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz, and now Brandon Montour out of the line lineup long term. So you know, you think about the month of January coming up, these nineteen games after the holiday in thirty five days, this team's really gonna have to lean on this defensive structure and find a way, even with this schedule, to play each and every game that way, to continue to win hockey games three to two, two to one, four to three, because they're just not gonna get the offensive output they would get if they had Montour, McCann, and Schwartz in the lineup.
00:19:12
Speaker 6: There's no assumption that you're gonna run the table. And of course this season has had a lot of updill battles here, but getting to game forty eight, which will be January nineteenth, the Kraken have just played through game thirty three. They'll be right through game forty eight by January nineteen. There are a lot of points on the table to be had and to be swiped. So I think based on how much you're treading water right now and again We're gonna get more into the loss of Montour in a bit, but the fact that you could still be getting Jayden Schwartz back soon, maybe getting Jared mccannon back soon, sooner than later, I should say. But then also Berkeley Catton and how well he's looked as well. I think again this last week told us that there is something maybe that they can dig deeper with here for this lineup and for how they play to get these matters back on track and put this one to nine and one slide right back in the rearview mirror. And I think fits you said a great that middle point in January is going to be I think a big check pointer for a lot of teams to decide what they want to do with their season.
00:20:19
Speaker 1: Yeah, it is.
00:20:19
Speaker 3: And again I think it's it's for not only for Seattle, but the saving grace right now is that, yeah, you're seven points back, but everyone's.
00:20:27
Speaker 1: So bunched up.
00:20:29
Speaker 6: This is why you have good goaltending, Yeah exactly, This is why Bultennan keeps.
00:20:32
Speaker 5: You in the game no matter what.
00:20:33
Speaker 1: Yeah, one hundred percent.
00:20:34
Speaker 3: So you know a lot of people maybe were scoffing at the crack and keeping the three goalies. But now it's looking like a pretty genius move with the injuries that we've seen, and now you've got three.
00:20:43
Speaker 5: Matt Murray could be back. Murray could be.
00:20:45
Speaker 3: Back soon as well, So now you could go back to having a three goalie, more fresh rotation, hopefully in the next couple of weeks here. And you're in a very busy part. You're in a very busy part of the schedule as well, exactly. So it's not it's not easy. It's not going to be easy for Seattle. But like you've said before, I think these games have a potential. Just as the Kraken have slid a little bit, you can get on a roll and keep on going. And I mean I think sometimes players will tell you like, man, I don't want to break, Like you know, how many times have we seen teams going into the All Star break having won five of six or seven of nine, whatever the case may be, and then they have a five day break and you're like, oh, man, no, I want to keep going.
00:21:26
Speaker 1: We're feeling it.
00:21:27
Speaker 3: So you're hoping that for the Kraken, that win against San Jose, maybe that sparks a streak for Seattle that can continue here tonight.
00:21:36
Speaker 6: So I'll get to Brandon montor now, and this is the part where we get to how it affects the lineup because he eats up so many minutes and he produces so much five on five power play as well.
00:21:52
Speaker 5: Some argue he could be on PP.
00:21:53
Speaker 6: One right now, and I think there's certainly merit here to it. But where do we see the bigger effect that will challenge this the most five on five where you manage Vince done, Adam Larson's minutes and then throwing in Lindra and alexiak in there as well. Or is this more more of a power play thing?
00:22:10
Speaker 4: No, I think I think it's it's five on five because you know, Mantour plays a lot, a lot of minutes overall in the game. Yeah, he's on the power play as well, but if you only get one or two power plays, that's four minutes you know of hockey, and and yes he does have an impact there, but the five on five is really where it's gonna show. Not having him jump into the rushes, turning a two on two into a three on two, not jumping into a one on one situation where he goes to the back door and he's available for a pass, and I'm talking about offense, but then he's also he also gets back on defense, and it doesn't leave his deep partner hung out to dry. So I think that's what I'm gonna miss seeing while he's out of the lineup right now, is the impact he has on the offense.
00:22:51
Speaker 3: I think that too, And also what we've seen from Brandon Montour is is his demeanor off the ice in the locker room, and I think it's it's that leadership. Even though he doesn't have a letter, guys gravitate toward him, and he's he brings this light energy, this levity to the room. Things are never too low with Brandon Montour. He's always got a smile for you. He's always joking, and I think when you're in the thick of it, like the crack of our right now, whether that be the strength of the schedule or the lack of results, you need that person to calm things down. So he's a calming presence. I talk so much about how Jane Schwartz on the ice is a very calming presence, and you know that whenever he's on the ice, you're gonna be fine. I think with Brandon Montour, you get the same thing, but also in the locker room as well. So and then I'm not devaluating his importance on the ice, but just from what we see of from him on the bench in the room, that part is gonna be missed as well.
00:23:52
Speaker 4: Yeah, you're not devaluating. I think you're placing just as much value off the ice as he is on the ice. And you make a great point about Montour, you know, not being in the locker room. Same thing with Schwartz, same thing with McCann. Like, these are three leaders on this team. That puts a lot more of this leadership responsibility, if you will, on Jordan Eberley's shoulders. You know, he's got to be the one that's engaged with the other nineteen guys in the room. Whereas when you have that leadership spread amongst those other three guys, it's a lot easier to manage. So it puts a lot more responsibility on Everley while these three guys are out.
00:24:25
Speaker 6: All right, before our mailbag segments, let's jump right here to the Beacon plumbing hotline, the radio voice, the Coachella Valley Firebirds checking in. All right, been a while since we turned the attention here to the prospects side, but it's always a good time to bring in our friend Evan Pivnik here to Cracking Weekly. He is on with us quite a bit because he is the radio play by play voice of the Coachella Valley Firebirds on the American Hockey League side. Evan joins us here on Crack and Weekly. Evan, Happy holidays, Merry Christmas. I don't think that you're bundling up too much out there in the Palm Desert area. But what are you looking forward to here with the holidays coming up?
00:25:04
Speaker 7: You know what I have been. I broke out the sweatshirt and the sweatpants. As of late, it's been colder in the mornings around fifty five when I when I, when I come outside.
00:25:16
Speaker 5: That's double layer weather for us up here.
00:25:18
Speaker 7: Fella, no but fits and al. You guys were just in Calgary. We were just in Calgary as well a week before you guys, and it was it was seven below. So we went through the uh, you know, the the two extremes. So everyone's still trying to get their equilib room is back on track, but yeah, looking forward to the holidays. A few days off I get to see you guys, which I'm excited about in Anaheim, and you know, you guys get to get some nice Southern California weather.
00:25:46
Speaker 6: It's always good to bring the connection up here with the Firebirds and the Crack and when the Crack can come on down to visit Southern California here for the visits against the Ducks and the Kings, and turning our attention here to the Firebirds side, because right now kind of in the middle of the Pacific Divisi, but still with a pretty good and pretty solid winning record as we have this conversation, so it seems as if every year, and this is for the folks who are still understanding the nuances and the context in between the NHL and the AHL, a lot of success in the American Hockey League is determined a course, with the amount of prospects that you have in the system and not so much on the continuity of veterans like you would have at the NHL level, and things can certainly change year by years. So under year two of Derek Laxtall, where have they gone so far with regards to meeting the bar as a collective unit with their prospects here this season so far.
00:26:45
Speaker 7: I think everyone's been pleasantly surprised about what's been going on so far with you know, with the way the team has been building. You know, you looked at the offseason even you know, the writing was on the wall last year going into this season of this is going to be a young team. It's going to be a team that is going to be mostly twenty year olds, very little veteran presence. And you know, and that was counting on having Max McCormick back this year too, but he's he's out for the year. So now you're down to two veterans right now in the lineup with Mitchell Stevens and John Hayden. Gustaf Olofson is working his way back from an injury. Ben Myers was just called up, So you know what, there's kudos to those guys because you know, those guys are the ones who are kind of not so the voice of reason in the locker room, but they're setting such a big example for these young players, and you know what, it even brings the onus a little bit more on guys like Jacob Malanson who's now called up, but Logan Morris and even you know, Ty Nelson and Jagger Furcus David go. Yeah, guys who have been there for at least a year. They're the older guys in the room. Now. There are these older presences that these young guys can learn from. And Derek Lackstaff says all the time, you know, as you get to game twenty, you know, these guys aren't really rookies anymore. And I think they've been settling in nicely. There's been, you know, a lot of things that have brought this team together. And one thing I've really liked so far is how resilient this team has been. And I don't know if that's be because, you know, you just have a bunch of rookies who maybe don't know any better. So they're coming back from two goal deficits every single game, or at least keeping themselves in every single game rather than just you know, getting down on themselves once they give up a couple of goals. But you know, that's kind of been them for this team, is there never never give up sort of mentality. I don't know if that's just you know, in tribute to to John Cena who had just retired, but I think that's that's kind of been what this team has been all about.
00:28:38
Speaker 5: That's wrestling reference.
00:28:40
Speaker 4: Yeah, pim couple. You know, a couple of guys that stand up to me from from training camp in preseason, Oscar Fisker Mogard who has come up a little bit as well as Tyson Jugnat. Juggnat's got eighteen points, four goals, fourteen assists. What's his season been looking like?
00:28:57
Speaker 7: He's just been stronger and stronger after every single game. And I think, you know, there are a lot of guys who still make mistakes here and there. You know, I think Lane Lambert said it during your guys training camp, errors of enthusiasm. There have been plenty of those. Yeah, there have been plenty of those. But you know what Tyson is is a guy who he is an experienced player, one of the most more experienced players as as Molgard is too, just from where he's played before, not only playing junior but playing a year in college as well. For jugg Nat, and he's just been a strong, steady presence and every single game he's gotten a little bit better. You know, he makes a ton of assists. You know, he had a four point game in Calgary last week, four points in the first period, two goals and two assists, and not often do you get that from a defenseman, so he can turn it on where it need be. He's clutched too. He has I think four overtime points this year as well, so you know, he's fun to watch and he's still growing into his game at the pro level. So he's uh. I think the ceiling's really high with him. And he mentioned Oscar Fisterer and Mulgard who you know what. He came in last year from from overseas and he played his first few games with us and we were kind of astonished about how mature he looked out there, and obviously that's a big credit to the SHL and then playing against grown men over there compared to guys who maybe play against you know, the guys their agent junior. But you could see that he is probably three or four years maturity wise ahead of a lot of the other rookie players. You know, his hockey IQs off the charts. He scored a highlight reel goal the other night to give the Firebirds the lead late in the third period. He's he's just been consistent and I think that's really what he drives after it's just consistency, same thing every day. You know the effort you're gonna get out of him, you know the skill that he brings, and just the positive energy he brings to the team as well. And I think, as I said before, you know, you have so few older guys on this team. So for him to have that maturity and then be at that level right now, I think is helping not only just himself, and you know, he earned himself an NHL call up this year, but other guys who are looking to get that call up to the NHL and just kind of watch what he does every single day from a young player's perspective.
00:31:12
Speaker 3: You know, it's funny you're talking about the guys who have been earning spots and a guy like Oscar Fisker Mulgard, who the players up here even said, you can tell he's played pro hockey for a number of years. And we're getting to that point now year five where we're starting to see these first and second round draft picks, these first Craken picks start to make their way into the NHL and looking up and down the roster, when you see a Jagger Fercus, when you see a villi Odoviyan and a Carsons, Raycoff, David Goyette, how close in your opinion, even though a lot of Aden's got a game last year, but some of those guys who are now in their second third year pro how close do you feel a lot of these guys are to making that next.
00:31:55
Speaker 7: Jump, whether it be temporary or permanently. Well, I think you see all those guys you mentioned, I think if you put them into an NHL scenario, I think they could they could at least tread water.
00:32:05
Speaker 3: You know.
00:32:05
Speaker 7: That's and I think that's compliments to just the whole development right and and the cohesion of the NHL to AHL relationship where the NHL team kind of operates very similar. The AHL team operates very similar to the way the NHL team does in all aspects, including on the ice. So if there is a call up that needs to be needs to be made, then that player feels a lot more comfortable because the systems are similar. Power plays, penalty kills, breakouts, all those little things can really just kind of you know, plug in place in ways. And you know these guys too, they think they do. I think they do such a great job. But I've said this before, just the way that the Firebirds and the Kraken. They bring all the young players and unfortunately, you know, we've had really long playoff stints the first and second year, and we went to the second round last year. But you look at how many guys came out and saw what the Firebirds were all about and what the Crack can expect of them. They were there as black aces, but they were practicing every game every day and taking warm ups and and all that stuff. So they got to get that pro experience right out of the gates. So they know the expectations, they know what the Cracking organization wants from them. I think Corey Murphy's doing a great job. Justin Rice, who the same sort of people. Just compliments the Krack and development staff because they've done such a great job of having everyone ready for that call up. And you know, I hope Villi gets a few more games. I hope Jagger gets an opportunity this season at some point, because he's definitely earned it. He's been about a point of game player all season long. You know, even Logan Morrison who's waiting in the wings for his next NHL call up. There are so many guys who I think it's probably pretty fun for Jason Bartow right now to say, oh, let's let's give this guy a chance, and then it's exciting right to be like, Okay, well, we have four or five guys that can definitely go and play the nast Hockey League.
00:34:01
Speaker 3: On a similar topic, I was going to save this question for later, but you kind of went into it a little bit there.
00:34:05
Speaker 1: In the minor leagues, there is there is a lot of.
00:34:08
Speaker 3: Differences between organizations, right, Some organizations they want to win. Other organizations don't care about results. It's all about your prospects. And I think with Seattle you get a bit.
00:34:20
Speaker 7: Of both, right.
00:34:20
Speaker 3: Obviously, in Coachella Valley, you want to grow the hockey product. You want to make money. We are a for profit business. We want to have success. But also you're trying to develop those prospects as well. What have you seen from the hockey side and the business side that has made Coachella just so successful in four years time now?
00:34:43
Speaker 7: I think you look at the investment right away, you look at the arena, the Firebirds playing, and you know Fits and Mike, you guys have been there al still waiting for you to make your appearance at Arista now yeah, yeah, yes, it's a great spot and I wish you guys were in town a bit longer to come to a game. But you know, I think just from the ground up of the expectations of a beautiful, brand new building that at Oakview Group helps that help get off the ground, and this area too that doesn't didn't have a hockey team, and now everyone's rallying around him, and the success of the first two seasons. The bar was very high from the get GOI you know, bringing in Dan Bielsma as the head coach and in year one, a guy who won a Stanley Cup before, and then bringing in Derek Laxtall after him, a guy who's had plenty of success in junior and kind of paving the way for what the Firebirds are going to become, knowing they're going to be a younger team, you know what, from a business side and from from an odd ice perspective, the expectation is to win, which is really a great thing to see, especially in the American Hockey League because you mentioned it fits there are some teams in this league that you know operate just as as a feeder, right. It's just a way that you know they don't care if you win a championship or exactly games. Sub is to get players to the NHL exactly, And some teams don't care how many people in the building are there to see it as well. So we care about all that stuff, the on ice products, it's all. It all relates. Winning helps fill seats, and you know, our our players love when the place is filled, and then that is something that they feed off of as well, So it all goes hand in hand. And I think just the expectations are always so high and we always try to live up to the expectations as much as we can.
00:36:31
Speaker 6: I think a big question here for Jagger Fercus as evan pitman joining us right now on Crack and Weekly the broadcast voice for the Firebirds. Is Jagger Fercus going to reach the NHL? The question could be a matter of basically when, not if point per game totals right now leads the team in scoring. He's five to eleven, one hundred and seventy pounds. I'm not sure if that is accurate based on website info to date, based on where he's tipping the scales right now. But the ultimate question is what is separating Jagger furcus from becoming an NHL regular.
00:37:06
Speaker 7: You know, you mentioned his size, and I think that's something that he's definitely been working on. He's bulked up even last summer and still continuing to do so. And I think that's something he knows as well. You know, he's not in junior anymore. He can skate around players as much as he can, but you know you're gonna run into a guy who's you know, seven years older and has seven more years experienced and seven more years of working out and getting himself to be an AHL or NHL player, right, So I think he's doing all those little things to help himself get better. And I've noticed too, even this year he's so much stronger on the puck than he was last year. A lot of times he go to the corner and get bumped out and you know, have to kind of work a little bit extra to just get the puck in the offensive zone and keep it that way. But this year it's it's more he's standing his ground on the corner. And I think that's just the work that he's put in during the offseason, all the extra stuff he does in the weight room. So I think it's just a matter of time. As you said, it's it's more of a when, not an if. And I think he's going to get those He's going to have those tangibles at some point. You know, some people grow faster than others, develop quicker than others. Jagger's just about there. But again I think maybe a couple more trips to in and out will do him well.
00:38:23
Speaker 4: For me in college at least, yev is the is the most old school person on this panel of speakers. I would be remiss if I did not ask about Caden Hamill. Four goals, four assists and a couple of big bouts with Alex as of late. Tell me about this kid what stands out to you? Obviously he's a tough kid to get in there with Glan, but just expand on what maybe we or others have seen on the on the highlights on on X.
00:38:52
Speaker 7: Yeah, and I think something that I think really flies under the radar with Cayden Hamill is his leadership experience. He was the captain in Everett, which I'm sure a lot of cracking fans know, and I'm you know, we get all the people sharing for for Hamil on on social media whenever he laces up the skates here, so he maturity wise, he he has it right. He has that leadership quality and guys kind of gravitate to him, and he's kind of one of the leaders for the for the younger cores of Firebirds. But yeah, that fight with Alex, at least the first one. You could hear it if you watch the highlight in Grant Fear's voice. He he was a little worried for him. And you know what I'm if you. I was looking back at Cayden's stats and he's not a fighter. That's not really his going. He didn't have a ton of fights, he didn't have a ton of penny minutes at least last year, and we saw it kind of develop and Grant kind of like tap me. He was like ohh and like okay, we'll see how this goes. And then he knocked him out and in these three five punches and you know, Hamil's landed the best of the of the ten combined, and we didn't know, no one knew what he had him in him at that point, and you know, that was really cool to see. And of course you have the gladiator celebration after which you know right away you're like, well, I don't think Alex Galan's gonna like that very much for the Wranglers, but you know, kudos for for Hamil. He started that fight and then in Calgary had to answer the bell again and he did willingly and it was a pretty good scrap too. Held his own again, you know, kind of lost his balance towards the end of it. But you know, he's another guy who's who's a smart player. He's he's a he's a mature guy on the ice, just solid, you know, four goals for assists, uh, you can find the back of the net. Can help out quite a bit. And he's a physical guy, as we've seen plenty of times on on our social media channels and whatnot. So he's to kind of have in the locker room for for a lot of these players as well. And you know what, I I just think he has a really great future. And again we didn't know he had that physical side until he dropped the gloves with one of the league stuff is. So we'll see, we'll see who else would want to go toe to toe with them.
00:41:02
Speaker 6: Evan, do you think that this comes from more of the players the crack and are drafting and signing are more from the edict up above to get tougher, drop the mit start to develop more of a rough, round the edge type of game.
00:41:14
Speaker 7: I'm not entirely sure what the message is physicality wise, but you know, if you want to separate yourself from others right now, I think that is kind of the best way to do it. And you saw it over the first couple of games that Jacob Alonson's played this year, right he had seven hits in his first game, which is a that's a crack and single game record, I believe it was. And that's just the style of play that he kind of works with. And Hammel similarly, you know, they're there are guys who are you know, they bring their physicality to separate themselves. So there's you know, the NHL there, there's not a ton of guys like that anymore. It's kind of staying away from, you know, the big open ice hits, which obviously are dangerous that they're not done correctly. If you're not you know, obviously you don't want to aim for a guy's head or whatnot. But there are still there's still room for you know, getting into the core and winning battles, and I think that's really what has been kind of the separation for some of these guys is the physicality and their ability to win.
00:42:09
Speaker 6: Those players at Calgary, by the way, the crack and had twenty four hits. Guess who had eleven of them? Ty card Shape, Ben Myers, Jacob Malanson, fourth line.
00:42:17
Speaker 7: The firebird way, maybe the way.
00:42:20
Speaker 3: You know, it's funny a lot of times you see players change and alter their game by adding that physical element. I remember hearing a story about Jamal Mayer's longtime NHLer who was a goal scorer in junior and couldn't quite crack it in the NHL, and then he started taking boxing lessons. He started his ticket to the NHL. Is going to be a tough guy. Maybe not so much with the toughness of the fighting, But who else down in CV have you seen their game evolve and.
00:42:50
Speaker 1: Change maybe from when you first saw them to where they are now in terms.
00:42:55
Speaker 3: Of the strides they're taking to get to this level.
00:42:57
Speaker 7: Oh that's a really good question. I'm gonna have to think about this for a second. Uh who and you know what if it is Malanson?
00:43:07
Speaker 1: Who listen? Molanson was a fifty goal scorer two years ago.
00:43:10
Speaker 7: I think that's gonna be my answer, because you know what he you just mentioned he scored a lot in junior and he's always kind of played that way with physicality and fighting, what that and whatnot. But he is a guy who has embraced the role. He knows that, you know, he's not a first line guy in the in the American Hockey League right now, but he knows that, you know, he can make more of an impact by throwing the body around, and you know he does score goals too. He can kind of do it all. He's he's a kind of a Swiss army knife in terms of his style of play. So just to see like him evolve in the way that he can kind of pick and choose the situation of what he uses for everything, I think that's that's been really cool to see. Right off the top, I got one more for you, PIV.
00:43:56
Speaker 3: You know you have had the privilege of following in a long line of great bowling Green falcon Here we go, here we go, here, we could wrap it up.
00:44:07
Speaker 5: We're on this trip.
00:44:08
Speaker 6: By the way, in LA there'll be plenty of a ZEUSA specific talk to balance all.
00:44:11
Speaker 7: This outs I'm just continued with Steve me.
00:44:14
Speaker 5: Warning shots, warning shot.
00:44:20
Speaker 1: No, that's all I got.
00:44:22
Speaker 7: I just wanted to bring it up again.
00:44:23
Speaker 4: Huh.
00:44:25
Speaker 5: Ye had to hit his quota daily quota.
00:44:27
Speaker 7: Yep, that's fine.
00:44:28
Speaker 1: I was, I was.
00:44:29
Speaker 7: I was talking about Bowling Green today. I was on a call, uh, because we have our Cactus Cup coming up January second and third at Acriture Arena. It's four college hockey teams, Yale, Saint Clouds State, UMass, Lowell in Minnesota State, and uh, you know, they were they were talking to me about a couple of things. I was like, hey, I know, college hockey lived through it. I love to go back to college.
00:44:51
Speaker 1: We got to get Bowling Green in one of these tournaments.
00:44:53
Speaker 3: Though.
00:44:53
Speaker 7: I'll to a tournament. I'm coming down. Yeah, I'm in it.
00:44:58
Speaker 6: You're not just gonna be there, You're gonna be the on the bench, guest, celebrity, coach.
00:45:04
Speaker 1: Listen.
00:45:04
Speaker 7: I've not been to a fan I've not been.
00:45:07
Speaker 6: Updated odds courtesy Crack and Weekly minus nine hundred.
00:45:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, I've not been to a Bowling Green game as a fan since my sophomore year at college. So that's two thousand and seven to eight sophomore junior year, So I'm overdue.
00:45:22
Speaker 7: I don't think. I don't think I've ever been to a Bowling Green hockey game as a fan. Yeah all, wow, yeah? Could you start the freshman year? Wow? Yeah, I don't think I've ever been as a fan.
00:45:33
Speaker 5: When was your last games?
00:45:35
Speaker 7: Going to hang out here and talk talk BG hockey.
00:45:38
Speaker 5: Forv When was your last game as a fan?
00:45:40
Speaker 7: Though?
00:45:41
Speaker 5: Period?
00:45:41
Speaker 7: Like in general? When we were in Calgary last week we went to a Flames Buffalo Sabers game.
00:45:49
Speaker 5: How many folks ask you is it different? Is it weird? Not working versus watching?
00:45:54
Speaker 7: It's it is weird. It people do ask me that, and it is weird. I'm sure you guys can relate to it as well. You kind of feel like you're missing out on something. It's like I should be doing something right now. But also, like I think, working in it too kind of opens your eyes to all the other stuff that's going on in the arena. Like I always notice, like even if I'm in a baseball game or other sporting event, like I pay more attention to the game presentation and the stuff they had on the scoreboard, the music they're playing, the sponsors and stuff like that. I think that working like from the ETHHL standpoint, working my way up, but like you're more involved in that stuff. So it's cool to see how they do all that stuff. And then you get some ideas and bring them back to people who are like, oh, well that's great, We're not going to do it, but it's fine.
00:46:34
Speaker 5: We're going to be in the build.
00:46:35
Speaker 6: Yeah, we are going to be in the building coming up tomorrow night for a game against Sannaheim, the side of one of my most favorite stories ever of me watching the game as a fan. And again, it does get bizarre trying to separate work from pleasure and experience.
00:46:51
Speaker 5: But this involved my wife.
00:46:52
Speaker 6: When my kid, my oldest kid, was six months old, we were at my parents' house in Los Angeles. They moved since then, and I wanted to take Amy out just for a night to get away. She was open to this, and through a friend in the Ducks organization back then, he got his ticket to Game five of the Western Conference Final between the Blackhawks and the Ducks. It was our first night out without our oldest son, and of course Amy bean mama. And there's a lot of moms who can relate here to this. Your first night out is not exactly your easiest. But Lucas was in good hands, Grandma, Grandpa taking care of him, having a good time. They're sending his photos everything. She could not wait for this game to end. And Hi tail at back up, I five north at eighty five miles an hour to get back home to our first born son. I'm telling her he's fine, he's in good hands. He's fine, he's in good hands.
00:47:47
Speaker 5: For Blackhawks. Yeah, biggest DA mistake I made it. I made at that point, and there have been Dad mistakes.
00:47:55
Speaker 6: The Blackhawks go up three or the Ducks go up three to one, and thinking, okay, great, this game is the bagger.
00:48:01
Speaker 5: We can get out here, we get out of here.
00:48:03
Speaker 6: All of a sudden, Jonathan Taves turns into full blown Mark Messier and scores two goals extra attacker in the last one minute and thirty seconds of regulation. Game five is tied, and she's losing her mind. So then intermission over time. Long story short, Matt Bulaski scores the game winning goal.
00:48:21
Speaker 5: For the Ducks. I kid you not.
00:48:24
Speaker 6: By the time the puck was halfway going into the net, I'm seeing her sprint right down the stairs to get out of her like wait, wait, wait, it's just a fun story to point out, Like up there in the upper corner of Hanness Center was where I had to race after my wife trying to get back home after Game five.
00:48:40
Speaker 7: It's like that one. I think it's the Boston Red Sox season ticket holder. Have you guys seen the one where like he leaves, like as soon as the game ends, you can see him like get up, And I think it was like David Ortiz had a walk off. I'm running the playoffs and the second and left his bat like he ran to the exit. Yeh, hey even celebratings.
00:49:00
Speaker 5: Ran before we get out of here.
00:49:03
Speaker 6: By the time we wrap this up, of course, in the wake, we'll be another Teddy bear Toss game. What's so special about this event? Year after year on the Firebirds side out in the desert.
00:49:15
Speaker 7: It's really cool to see our fans, especially some newer hockey fans, adapting to the teddy bear toss tradition. Every year it's gotten better, and I think this year where we're kind of honing in on why the Teddy bear Toss has done instead of how many bears can we bring to the game, Right, So we've partnered with local fire departments, paramedics, police departments to get these bears to children and need children who have gone through something maybe traumatic and need a little bit of cheering up at, you know, in certain scenarios. So that's what our Teddy Bears are going towards. That's why we are We're doing what we're doing, and we're trying to make it the best as possible. We've had Teddy Bear collection going on pretty much for the last week so people can bring even more airs to the game. So looking forward to seeing them fly and it should be, uh, it should be a lot of fun. And then I'm curious to see who's gonna be the the goal scorer tonight.
00:50:10
Speaker 1: Do you have your call ready?
00:50:12
Speaker 7: No, I I don't. I mean I I could go into the ever it fits you bag of tricks and do the show me your Teddies. I could do that. I won't because I have to show me your teddies.
00:50:26
Speaker 1: Yeah, my favorite one.
00:50:30
Speaker 7: I don't know, there's I gotta find some something. I'm not a huge catchphrase guy, but I gotta feel that one's an appropriate one because it's just if all.
00:50:39
Speaker 6: Else fails, he shoots, he scores is totally fine, you know what I mean.
00:50:42
Speaker 5: The crowd all else fail, but I.
00:50:47
Speaker 7: Wants to highlight for for the Crack and Audio network, so I won't. I'm not gonna dip out and let the crowd take control of the whole.
00:50:54
Speaker 6: Have it locked and loaded CV, Firebirds dot Com or info right there on what was again a great Teddy Beard toss game. PIV looking forward to having around our parts as we fly into not too far away from your parts as well. But in the meantime, Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and when that bowling green game gets going, I'll leave it to you into fist to arm muscle here who for who takes the ceremonial face off?
00:51:16
Speaker 7: Hey yeah, off against each other? Yeah all, I appreciate it, guys, thanks so much.
00:51:22
Speaker 6: All right, what a beauty Evan Pivnick joining us broadcast boys of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, as we're gonna wrap this up in just a bit here from Honda Center, Cracking Ducks here tonight, Crack in Los Angeles Kings tomorrow at Crypto dot Com Arena, and.
00:51:34
Speaker 5: Then we say happy Holidays to you. For four days our.
00:51:38
Speaker 6: Mailbag segment, we're gonna revide this once again. You can find me on Twitter and next at Benton Underscore Mike, and we're gonna jump into it right now. Scott palis saying, we have some good players every montour Baniers, McCann, Schwarz, Accord, Larsen Wright. But what's the likelihood of adding to that where the crack and either trade for superstar talent or acquire one as well in free agency? He raises questions here on the roster.
00:52:03
Speaker 3: That from Scott, Yeah, you know, it's it's funny. I always I answer this question the same way every time I hear it. You have to work the problem backwards. Okay, if you're trying to trade someone, okay, look at who you have and if you were Team X were in Anaheim. Let's say you're the Anaheim Ducks. Okay, I look at the Krakens roster. Who on the Krakens roster do I as Anaheim one? That is where that trade discussion starts. You're not gonna get Connor McDavid for two seven cent a bag of pucks, right, You're gonna have to give up some good players. So I do think when you're talking about trades that always comes plays a factor free agency wise. When when you're adding pieces, especially in the summer or whatever the case may be, it's it's a sales job, right. You're trying to sell people on the market. You're selling your family. You know, you're selling the wife and the kids on coming to Seattle. And you know, I go back to what Brandon Montur said this summertime, Seattle really wanted me my family. We felt at home here. Chandler Stevens in same thing. The team wanted me my family and I felt comfortable, We felt welcome and warm here in Seattle. That's where I think a lot of that starts. And also winning helps, and I think unfortunately the Kraken haven't gotten as many wins as I think a lot of us would have liked the scene. But you're still a fairly new team. You're still trying to grow and build in that direction. So there's always a possibility to add, but you have to work the problem, I think from both sides.
00:53:27
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's a great point. I like the analogy of working the problem backwards. I think about the Quinn Hughes trade. I mean, every team is interested in Quinn Hughes, but Vancouver wanted a certain return on that trade, and it sounds like there were five or six teams that were interested that we're talking to Vancouver, but not all of them could provide what Vancouver wanted. So to your point about working the problem backwards, if you're looking for a certain piece, you've got to find the team that has that piece. You've got to talk to them about are they interested in moving that piece, and if they are, what do they want in return? And if you don't have what they want, trade's not going to happen.
00:54:04
Speaker 6: It's also a relationship based game two as well that matters the most, And I think some folks have the presumption that it works like fantasy football, baseball, hockey, whatever, you can just call any GM up. But it really is an arbitrary business here where it depends on the relationship and how much you've worked with opposing GM and how much that can also warm the pot and affect the pot as well well.
00:54:28
Speaker 3: That too, and also I think it's easy to point the finger at the GM and say he's not making moves, he's not improving this team. It takes two to tango. I can call as much as I want, Hey, Team A, B or C want to do a deal, if they say no, I can't force you to make a trade. So how so we don't know And that's the problem or not the problem. That's that's one of the big things in the NHL is that there is so much secrecy. Guys don't want stuff getting out, which I can understand and I get that.
00:54:57
Speaker 5: So you know, they're in the information the act it makes as part of it.
00:55:01
Speaker 3: So just because there hasn't been any movement made doesn't mean the Kraken aren't trying to improve, doesn't mean gms aren't trying to improve.
00:55:11
Speaker 1: For all we know, Jason Bostrell could have.
00:55:13
Speaker 3: Called all thirty one teams with trades and with proposals and they could have all said, eh, thanks for no thanks.
00:55:19
Speaker 5: We don't know that.
00:55:20
Speaker 1: So I think a little bit of understanding in that realm is required.
00:55:25
Speaker 6: To And this leads me into this next question from Tyler saying, what can you point to within the organization here? This is going to get better And we can answer this in about six different ways here at this point, but I want to go back here to ultimately the very top and that there is a desire to win. I mean, you heard this from Jason Botteroll way back in his opening press conference. You heard it again about a few weeks ago as well, how much young players are going to pay the way here for this so when they worked their way up the lineup, matter of question. But ultimately there is the end game here to have Bertley Catton become a catalyst here, to have Shane Wright take the next step, to add Matty Beneer take the next step. Maybe Jacobrien as well slides in and he's one of your top six guys here on this roster. Where you add to that, I think depends upon where each person plays. To say, I'm just throwing this out there. For example, say if you make a trade here for a top line center that could move someone like Beneer's down right down, that's a pretty solid spine you got going up and down. Then factoring and also Chandler's team's in here to this mix, not a bad equation right now.
00:56:37
Speaker 5: So I think there's there's.
00:56:40
Speaker 6: Ultimately, from from what we've learned, what we are told, what we've heard as well, there is a resistance here to stand pat with what's going on right now. I mean, I would say this last eleven games, it has been very, very frustrating for a lot of people.
00:56:54
Speaker 5: We hear from the inside. Al you've heard it.
00:56:55
Speaker 6: Vice, You've heard it as well, And I think this is why they are still maybe exploring a move to shape things up. And I think Mason Marshman might have been to the iceberg.
00:57:05
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think that.
00:57:06
Speaker 4: You know, you can rest assured that the Jason moderl will never stop calling those other thirty one teams to find out what they're looking for, what we might be looking to sell. That's number one, So those conversations are ongoing. To the earlier point. It has to work for both people, though, so the conversations continue whether or not it works or not, that's the part that needs to be sorted out. Number two, there are lots of lots of youth in the in the in the pipeline, and you know you can talk about who can play right now that can positively impact this team. I think that's a tougher question to answer than if this team is not in the playoff picture come March, come late February, do you bring a Jacob Brian up and let them play a few games, Because now you're you're talking about development, you're not talking about winning.
00:57:56
Speaker 8: Because that play and they'll be ahl eligible this next season because that picture has closed, and you know, as much as you don't want it to, at a certain point, you understand it has and you have to start thinking about, Okay, now, how can I develop that pipeline.
00:58:10
Speaker 4: I got to start thinking about Tyson jug Knaf so I gotta start thinking about Oscar fiscoolers to get them ready for the next season, because you want to give them as much NHL experience as you can, so that come training camp, come preseason, come those first few games of next season. You know they don't have, you know, eyes like teacups going wow, the NHL. They've already seen it. They've already seen it in February March, and they're they're good to go. So you're trying to do that if it's the other way around and you are in that hunt for the playoff spot, now you're only looking at who can positively impact this team this year, can help them get that playoff spot, could potentially be in the playoffs and have an impact. And I think that's a different answer than if they're not.
00:58:50
Speaker 6: This leaves me here because you hinted at this. Our next question from Pierre is there anybody in Coachell Le Valley who can give the crack and a jump start at the pemn that kind of gave us a little bit of a taken Standing.
00:59:01
Speaker 1: Right here, we can probably ask him right well, I.
00:59:05
Speaker 6: Go back to again, how much of an impact that Oscar Fisker Mulgard made in this couple of games up here, and there have been so many I think great takeaways from how his game translates at the NHL level, Jagger Fercus.
00:59:19
Speaker 5: If you want to make the argument.
00:59:20
Speaker 6: That he's got to grow a little bit more, maybe, surefine, but he is producing right now and I think eventually that's going to earn a look. But I'm really curious down the road if there's another injury bug going through the defensive corps what this might mean for saying somebody like Tyson Jugnaut as well.
00:59:37
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think too, you're getting to the point now year five of this team's existence, you've got five drafts.
00:59:44
Speaker 1: Under your belt.
00:59:45
Speaker 3: You're starting to see these prospects come up into pro hockey, either graduating from juniors or their European leagues, whatever the case may be. And again, unfortunately because of injury. Unfortunately, because of State Ending's placement. You're going to start seeing more of these guys come up, and you really don't know what you have until you see what they can do with this level. So, you know, I love that Jaggerfercus is crushing it down in CV and that Oscar Fisker Moleguard is doing well, and you're seeing these guys start to put it together from the pro hockey level, But at the end of the day, you want to see what they can do with the NHL level, and you're hoping that, Hey, you know, they're coming up and they're producing well. Unfortunately, when you do see a lot of prospects, that usually means your season isn't going the way that you want it to go up here at the big club. So it's kind of a catch twenty two. I want to see what these prospects have against NHL talent, against bigger, better, stronger competition. Because we've been saying now for so long, the kids are coming, the kids are coming. Well, the kids are here, right, and we've seen what Maddy Beneers can do, Riker Evans, Shane right, Jonny Newman's.
01:00:51
Speaker 5: Way basically a hit every shift.
01:00:54
Speaker 1: Yes he did.
01:00:55
Speaker 3: Ryan Winterton, Ty Karchi, all of these Joy Decord, all of these guys have spent years in the minors and we've now seen what they can do at the NHL level. So we've seen that first wave of kids, and now you're going to start to see a lot more of the skill players that we've heard a lot about coming in right your your Jagger Fercuses, Your, your Carson Ray Coops, Jake O'Brien. I think he's second in the OHL in scoring, right so Berkeley Catton. We we've gotten a five five assists to his first twenty some out of games. So you're starting to get a look at these kids. But I want to see more of what they can do with this level, and you know, hopefully under the right circumstances, we'll be able to see that by the end of the year.
01:01:42
Speaker 6: Next time we get through to our next show, we're going to have four more games lopped off, which means for the Kraken after this one, you have Los Angeles coming up. You take the break, and then you had the Philadelphia Flyers and the Vancouver Canucks right back at home.
01:01:59
Speaker 5: There were a point within that whole sphere.
01:02:02
Speaker 6: They played Anaheim well but Anaheim is a lot more talented, even though they are still young. The Kings are always a tough out, especially with how they played defensively. But I think the last game showed some promise. The Flyers, I think got even better than the last time that we saw them back in Philadelphia.
01:02:19
Speaker 5: And the Canucks.
01:02:20
Speaker 6: We'll see if this is going to be a new and improved team or if this is only just a sugar rush after the whole quinn Use trade. But you factor in eight points off the table. Are you setting the bar at five points, six points or something else?
01:02:32
Speaker 1: Oh?
01:02:32
Speaker 4: I think I'm setting the bar at a winning streak, like again, eight points. Then this team, this team has to think about what they need to do to get in the playoffs. And I understand you've got injuries right now, and that's that's hurting the lineup. But you've got to come into each and every game saying this has to be a win. We've got to go on a run. We've got to do we've got to do what we were able to do in the first part of the season, you know, best starting franchise history to try and get back into the playoff hunt. And and nothing short of that should be accepted. Yeah, this team's gonna win games. I mean, I'm looking. I'm gonna say six, six of eight should be the low bar. Minimum six of minimum.
01:03:12
Speaker 1: I think six that minimum should be the low bar.
01:03:14
Speaker 3: And if you can push, you know, game four to to overtime and get a seventh point in there, if you can final way to get a half point, maybe seven and a half points of those eight, I think that would be ideal for Seattle. But I mean, listen, your you're seven points back of the cut line. Teams ahead of you, they're only gonna keep winning, They're only gonna keep getting better. So you know, you need to find a way to keep pace. And I think for Seattle, they've done it. We've seen them do it. The schedule is not easy you're looking now. Tonight begins four consecutive back to back series for Seattle, Anaheim, LA, then the break Philadelphia, Vancouver, then two days off Nashville at home, then at Vancouver, Calgary on the road, then Boston at home. You've got four eight games coming up in the next two weeks. Eight games in thirteen ish days. That that is hellacious, to just say the least. So for the Kraken, you gotta get wins.
01:04:13
Speaker 4: And I would just add to my eight point expectation is, yeah, putting together a four win run five if you include the Sentos eight win is difficult at the NHL level. I get that, but these are all games that are in division. Mike, Yeah, like you need these wins.
01:04:29
Speaker 5: So yeah, absolutely, Anaheim LA and then Vancouver as well. Back at home. All right, three stars and we're gonna get out of here. I'll just start off here with this.
01:04:37
Speaker 6: My third Star of the week will be Chandler Stevenson, writing an eight game points scoring streak heading into the Anaheim game. He is like more dialed in, he has like more productive and it's making a difference. I think both at five on five and as well how this team moves the puck additionally on the power play. And I can't help but think of many more goals he's scored. And granted it was the finish, but how exquisite that goalies scored in Calgary was. If it's the call, you nailed it. And I think that the high level of play that they've got to get from him, plus a face off circle and what he can do is going to make a big difference as well coming up short term and also long term when this gets really crazy and really busy coming up in January. My second star is going to be Shane Wright, who earn the praise of Lane Lambert. There's been more of a jump in his game. But I think that the goal he scored against Colorado in that rally back in the second period, it wasn't off the prototypical Shane Wright shot. It was just a mere dig, deep, compete goal, and I thought if they had a chance, and they had the fighters punch chance against Colorado, that's where they had to win.
01:05:46
Speaker 5: That battle was the front of the net.
01:05:49
Speaker 6: Third period, of course all fell apart, but I think again we saw the blueprint that they have to put into place, and granted it's got to get put in the place asap consistently here, but you'd now have a roadmap, you have something, and I think a goal like that Shane RD scored is certainly a blueprint for him and a blueprint here as well for this team. My first star is Joey Decord, sensational as San Jose, sensational at Calgary as well. I think from what we saw this play around the injury that is now dissipating, and the more and more that he's looking dialed in, especially from the get go, there's a confidence, there's a swagger of Joey Decord that has come right back, which gave the Crack and once again a fighter's punch chance against San Jose. And when you face what has it had here for two Pacific Division games, tonight's short term. You get back home. We'll see how they sput this up with Philip Grubauer with Philadelphia and Vancouver.
01:06:43
Speaker 5: But then again, the schedule gets busy.
01:06:45
Speaker 6: That's the kind of game that you got to give from Joey to Cord, and he gave this team a chance against Calgary and help pull them through against San Jose.
01:06:52
Speaker 4: Joey Decord is my first start. Yeah, for my third star, I'm going to start with Ryker Evans. I thought that was a big goal last game for him in the San Jose win. And you know again, I will always highlight the importance of getting some of your offense. The Crack can get about thirty percent of their offense from the blue line, and last game two big goals from the blue line liningred and Riker Evans. So Ryker Evans is my third star. I like the grit of his game. I think with Montur out of the lineup, he's going to get more minutes as well. He's going to anchor that second power play. So maybe giving him my third star also gives him a little confidence going into the next week. Second star is going to be uh Chandler Stavenson because again, you know when you're when you're getting points in eight games goals in four, it puts a lot more, you know, responsibility on his shoulders when we Can and Schwartz are out of the lineup, and he seems to be embracing that. He's your best face off man. I love how he works out there with Freddy Gadrou Depending on which side of the ice is on, he'll throw Freddie into the face off off because he's stronger on that side. So that shows leadership on his part. Channer Stevenson is my second star, and then I agree with you, Mike. First star has got to be Joey to Court. I think that when your goal is putting you in a position to win hockey games, two goals or less, three goals are less if your goaltender can keep you to three goals or less every single game he puts you in a position and I think Joey gives more than that. Often it's two or less and that nine seven to two save percentage in San Jose was a big part of that.
01:08:19
Speaker 1: Yeah, my this this was a tough one.
01:08:21
Speaker 3: There's there's a few ways I could have gone with this, but I'm gonna I'm gonna get my third start of the power play. They've got goals in three of the last four, seven power play goals in the last seven games. And we've talked about how special teams has been so up and so down this season.
01:08:36
Speaker 1: Well we're seeing the up from the power play in a recent games. So they're my third star.
01:08:40
Speaker 3: La to olvan end He's got points in six of eight, three in a row coming into tonight, so I think he's been playing well. We asked him the other night how he's liked his game, what he's been noticing about his games in recent weeks. He feels he's harder on the puck. He's got a lot of confidence rowing right now. So I love how he's playing. And then Chadler Stevenson for me, and he's my number one star, you know, career best four game goal streak, eight game points streak for him, and I think he's been quietly continuing to be a leader on this team, both.
01:09:11
Speaker 1: On the ice and off the ice.
01:09:13
Speaker 3: He gets so much undeserved hate from the fan base and from other folks in the media about his goals above expected under the sixtieth percentile. I don't I don't know, I don't understand it, but I think that he has continued to be one of the best players on this team on a nightly basis. And you know, if you watch him play the games, forget about what the advanced stats say, open your eyes, watch him play the game, and he is one of the better players on the ice every single night.
01:09:43
Speaker 1: So he gets my number one star very quick.
01:09:45
Speaker 6: Any holiday plans and he holiday greetings also out there well.
01:09:49
Speaker 3: Sansa Kaniski was very very kind and thoughtful and bought myself a new collection for my bourbon from a new piece from my bourbon collection, and so I'm gonna try some of that. And Wes is so excited for Christmas this year, so I'm gonna be at home.
01:10:06
Speaker 6: Santa Kiniski also dropped into He treated us very very well in the event and house.
01:10:11
Speaker 3: My plans, My plans are to have a full glass, a full belly, and a full heart with my son and my family.
01:10:18
Speaker 4: Yeah, Mike, I've got a twenty pound roast sitting in the fridge, rooling right now, resting, just resting and waiting for me. Right now. I'm gonna cover that thing with a little olive oil, some salt and pepper, sear it on the grill, just to get a little crust on the outside, and then in the lowest temperature in my other at one seventy until that thing hits about one oh five one ten, take it out, wrap it, let it sit for half an hour, and then slice that beau.
01:10:41
Speaker 6: See, when we all grow up, it's all about food and beverages and family. Right That's that's that's the real deal here. I also my family will be around too, and we'll yeah, yeah, yeah, party going down to the Kiniski household. Anyway you want to wish my family as well, happy holidays. We're gonna keep this very small, very intimate. And then once Christmas is all done, a couple of days is Great Wolf Lodges coming up here for a family vac and then we'll jump right back into the bat to back.
01:11:05
Speaker 1: Hold on real quick, Mike, where are you gonna be tonight tomorrow?
01:11:10
Speaker 5: In the radio?
01:11:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, let's go.
01:11:12
Speaker 6: I have been in this building and in LA one hundred times. It never gets old, right back where I grew up nearby.
01:11:20
Speaker 3: This will be your second NHL game here tomorrow will be your second NHL game broadcast in your home building. It'll always be staple sa sorry in crypto dot com arena, Buddy.
01:11:34
Speaker 1: Let's go, Mike.
01:11:35
Speaker 6: I got a million stories here where we're already running out of time, and we'll do this here for the next podcast maybe, but it's gonna be a blast. Ever's got the TV side, He's gonna crush it here tonight and for tomorrow. Al Kaniski myself on the radio side, Pug dropping seven o'clock both nights on air six thirty this evening and tomorrow cracking at Ducks and cracking at Kings and then next two home games of twenty eighth and twenty ninth against Philadelphia and Vancouver. I hope you'll be there with us no matter where. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas as well to each and every one of you forever it fits you and Alkiniski, Big Banks, Evan Pinick, imke bet and see you You're.
01:12:10
Speaker 7: Home for the Kraken.
01:12:11
Speaker 5: Sports Radio ninety three point three k j R FM