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