Devils Can Be A Juggernaut

[00:00:06] Hey everyone, Mr. Devil here, Kenny Danico, three-time Stanley Cup champion of the New Jersey Devils.

[00:00:12] And you're listening to the Uncle Puckers, New Jersey Devils Podcast with Chris, Dan, Bobby, and Tony, the Uncle Puckers.

[00:00:20] Let's go Devils!

[00:00:24] Hi Bob.

[00:00:25] Hi Chris.

[00:00:26] How are you?

[00:00:28] I'm good, I'm in a good mood.

[00:00:30] That's wonderful. I was thinking about sending a message over to Ken Danico.

[00:00:36] And just having them change our opening to the Uncle Puckers Podcast with Chris and Bob.

[00:00:44] The occasional guest host.

[00:00:47] Because, yeah, I mean I feel bad for Tony. I mean it's the time changes.

[00:00:52] That's logistics, that's tough.

[00:00:54] Dan just is out. Not taking this podcast seriously is what he's doing.

[00:00:59] Oh, he's just living his best life.

[00:01:01] My best life is right here talking Devils Hockey with my BFF Bobby.

[00:01:06] Well, I'll tell you what.

[00:01:07] All of our listeners, Tim.

[00:01:09] It's going to be even better when it actually gets close to the hockey season.

[00:01:12] That's actually what put me in such a good mood.

[00:01:13] I woke up this morning, come downstairs, first thing I do, open up the big curtains.

[00:01:18] You know, we've got the blackout curtains all throughout the house.

[00:01:20] It really helps.

[00:01:21] I open it up, and right as I do that, shit you not, just all bunch of like yellow leaves just flowing right off the oak tree.

[00:01:29] It's just a little splattering on the yard.

[00:01:32] I'm like, here it's coming.

[00:01:33] It's coming.

[00:01:33] I walk outside of it.

[00:01:35] I walk a dog, right?

[00:01:36] And it's going to be hot today.

[00:01:37] It's definitely going to be hot today, but it wasn't hot yet.

[00:01:39] It's like it's not hot all day anymore, right?

[00:01:41] Nice.

[00:01:41] So it was crisp in the morning, and I'm watching the leaves fall, and I'm like, here we go.

[00:01:45] It's almost September.

[00:01:46] Kind of did it for me tonight, actually.

[00:01:48] It was at work, and, you know, I usually get done around 9 o'clock when I'm working late.

[00:01:55] And for the most part, it's dark, but it's, you know, it's still, you can still see.

[00:02:01] It was like 7.30, and I looked outside, and it was dark.

[00:02:04] And I was like, all right, it's coming.

[00:02:05] And then I woke up this morning, didn't open any blackout curtains because I don't have any.

[00:02:11] But the first thing I thought was, one week from today, the NFL starts.

[00:02:17] Game one, week one, one week from today, Baltimore at Kansas City.

[00:02:22] And I'm just super psyched that football's starting.

[00:02:25] We're a month or so out from hockey.

[00:02:28] Maybe what?

[00:02:29] Devils play October 4th, right?

[00:02:31] So we're like five weeks away.

[00:02:34] Yeah.

[00:02:35] And I do like the beginning of football season, too, because it's wherever I go, it's always like TVs in the backyard.

[00:02:42] You know, it's starting to get chilly.

[00:02:43] We're grilling.

[00:02:45] Everybody's bringing different food, different beers, watching the games on big screens.

[00:02:49] And then before you know it, like you said, just a couple weeks of that to tide you over.

[00:02:53] And then it's hockey season.

[00:02:54] I know.

[00:02:55] I'm so excited.

[00:02:56] But so we're the Uncle Puckers, Chris and Bob, in case you haven't already figured that out.

[00:03:00] I mean, you hit play, so you must know who you're listening to.

[00:03:04] We have game five of the 2000 Stanley Cup finals.

[00:03:09] Game four.

[00:03:09] Okay.

[00:03:10] I'm sorry.

[00:03:10] Game four tonight.

[00:03:11] We're doing it a little different, which is fun because I don't remember anything about game four.

[00:03:17] So this is all you, Bob.

[00:03:21] Please educate us.

[00:03:22] Okay.

[00:03:23] This was one of the games that stood out to me.

[00:03:25] I mentioned to you, I actually remember this game.

[00:03:27] And much like the game winning or the Stanley Cup clinching game, we were also at Captain Hooks for this one.

[00:03:34] I remember very specifically.

[00:03:35] Yes.

[00:03:35] And I think this was during our time where we would order pizza from the couch.

[00:03:40] So we were definitely very comfortable at Captain Hooks.

[00:03:43] So we're going to take you back to June 5th, 2000.

[00:03:48] We're in Dallas.

[00:03:49] It's game four.

[00:03:51] During the first goal was scored in the second period by Joe Neuendijk.

[00:03:55] It was his seventh.

[00:03:56] I think that was his first goal of the finals.

[00:03:59] It was from Daryl Sidor and Brett Hall.

[00:04:01] Power play goal at 1802.

[00:04:04] This was actually a really good looking goal, right?

[00:04:06] They had a, it was a great breakout by Dallas.

[00:04:08] They had a smooth transition over the blue line, kind of a nice point to point play.

[00:04:13] Sidor takes the shot from the left circle.

[00:04:16] It's a low shot.

[00:04:17] I believe it hits like Niedermeyer skate.

[00:04:19] There's a quick scrum in front of it for it.

[00:04:22] Neuendijk was the first one to get to it.

[00:04:24] And he backhands it in past Rodor.

[00:04:27] A little bit of a broken play, you know, not the cleanest thing.

[00:04:30] Rodor wasn't beat clean or anything like that, but it's just, you know, hardworking goal.

[00:04:35] But Dallas went nuts.

[00:04:37] And I want to take you back to where we are at this point in the finals, right?

[00:04:40] You throw away the first game if you're Dallas, because, you know, it was an ass whooping, right?

[00:04:44] The second game they won.

[00:04:46] The third game we won, but it was only two to one.

[00:04:49] At this point, this is a very close series and has all the makings of a bunch of 2-1 games straight through like a game seven situation.

[00:04:56] When Dallas scored first, man, that building was jumping.

[00:05:00] Like here, here has got to be the mindset, right?

[00:05:03] Okay.

[00:05:03] We just scored first.

[00:05:04] They were a great defensive team that year too.

[00:05:06] They're probably also playing extremely confident with the lead.

[00:05:11] And they're at home.

[00:05:12] They're at home.

[00:05:13] It really seemed like that whole place was going nuts.

[00:05:17] And that was a second period goal.

[00:05:19] So the Devils were off the board until the beginning of the third period.

[00:05:24] So we start the third period and at, let's see, at 2-27, Breeland, his third from McGilney and Malikov.

[00:05:31] It was a nice wrist shot.

[00:05:34] McGilney actually comes down the right wing off.

[00:05:36] Off the boards.

[00:05:38] Dangling the puck a little bit.

[00:05:39] Showing a lot of patience and skill.

[00:05:41] Really specifically the patience.

[00:05:42] He kind of cleared the blue line.

[00:05:44] And he was just kind of deacon with that puck.

[00:05:46] By in a couple more seconds.

[00:05:48] He passes to Malikov at the top of the slot.

[00:05:51] And right there, he fakes the shot, which gives him time to kind of skate over to the top of the left circle.

[00:05:59] When he does that, McGilney then fades back over to the middle of the slot.

[00:06:03] So he improved the shot.

[00:06:04] So Malikov was like upper edge of the slot.

[00:06:06] McGilney comes in.

[00:06:07] Now he's dead center in the middle of the slot.

[00:06:09] So he got a beautiful pass back from Malikov.

[00:06:13] McGilney takes a shot.

[00:06:15] Belfort makes a nice save.

[00:06:17] But he does give up a small rebound.

[00:06:18] And I mean pretty small.

[00:06:20] Like maybe a foot outside the crease.

[00:06:22] It wasn't anything that he couldn't pounce on.

[00:06:26] Unfortunately for him, Sarge was already coming off the wall.

[00:06:29] And he got to it before Belfort did.

[00:06:31] And within a blink, it's tied 1-1.

[00:06:35] I mean, for Devil fans that might not have watched these teams or be familiar.

[00:06:42] I mean, we're all familiar with the big guys, right?

[00:06:44] Like no matter when you were born, no matter when you became a Devil fan, you know Niedermeyer.

[00:06:50] And you're familiar with his play and Brodor and Stevens and Danico and Lemieux and all them.

[00:06:54] But if you're not familiar with Sergey Breland, look up his catalog of work.

[00:07:01] His goals.

[00:07:02] Every goal he scored was just a hard-working, you know, blue-collar kind of player.

[00:07:08] And the guys that you need to win Stanley Cups.

[00:07:12] And it's crazy.

[00:07:14] We had him for all three Cups.

[00:07:17] He was with the Devils for many.

[00:07:18] Like never went anywhere else.

[00:07:19] He would be nowadays the kind of guy that, well, you get rid of Breland, we can get another guy like him.

[00:07:25] Right.

[00:07:26] But, you know, Lou knew how important he was to keeping that bottom six and effective bottom six.

[00:07:32] And he was the type of player you can even throw up in the top six.

[00:07:35] And he would never let you down.

[00:07:36] Anything you ask for Sergey Breland, he did it.

[00:07:39] He had an uncanny ability to just appear.

[00:07:43] Like you didn't think he would be there.

[00:07:45] And this play is an exact version of that.

[00:07:48] Nobody's focusing on Breland during this play.

[00:07:50] And, I mean, the passes were so crisp and beautiful.

[00:07:53] Like maybe why would you?

[00:07:55] But these are the types of goals that Breland had.

[00:07:56] I wish I had the stats.

[00:07:57] Because this is their goal of this particular playoff run, right?

[00:08:00] I don't know.

[00:08:01] I don't recall if he got any more in this playoff run.

[00:08:03] But I know he had a game winner, I think, in 95, right?

[00:08:07] But I'd like to know how many of his goals were like a tying goal, a game-winning goal, or maybe an insurance goal.

[00:08:13] Because that tended to be the types of goals that Breland would give you.

[00:08:17] You're right.

[00:08:17] Like you said, he was the everyman player.

[00:08:21] You can absolutely play him anywhere.

[00:08:23] He had his strengths where he's best suited.

[00:08:25] But you could have an injury and put Sarge up on the top two lines for a few weeks.

[00:08:28] And, you know, maybe you miss a beat.

[00:08:30] I don't want to say you don't miss a beat if like a guy like Ilyas goes down.

[00:08:33] But he was very serviceable and deserves all the recognition for, you know, being one of the five with all three cups.

[00:08:39] I mean, he played with the Devils from the 94-95 season through the 07-08 season.

[00:08:44] So he was with him for, I mean, a lot of hockey.

[00:08:48] His playoff numbers.

[00:08:51] Let me just find those real quick.

[00:08:54] Do playoff stats.

[00:08:56] Okay.

[00:08:58] So, no, that's –

[00:09:00] All right, go ahead.

[00:09:00] Keep going on the game and I'll see what he's gotten.

[00:09:02] And I'll see if I can find his playoff numbers real quick.

[00:09:05] Right.

[00:09:05] So that is early now in the third period.

[00:09:08] Up until this point, it seemed like Dallas' game.

[00:09:10] I didn't chart the shots specifically, but I know in the first, I think we got like the first shot or two, maybe three.

[00:09:17] And then it was six, seven, or eight for Dallas.

[00:09:20] They were taking this game to us for a little bit there until, you know, we get to the third and Breeland ties it up.

[00:09:27] This is when things really got interesting because now the ice starts to tilt.

[00:09:31] So it's 1-1 in the third right now, right?

[00:09:34] It's 1-1 in the third.

[00:09:35] Okay.

[00:09:36] And then it was – if I did my math right, I believe it was just a few minutes later, but that's not working out because I have the third goal being there.

[00:09:45] So forget that part.

[00:09:46] But anyway, midway through the third period, it's John Madden, shorthanded from them, Chinoff and Danico.

[00:09:54] So Colin White is sent to the box for interference.

[00:09:57] Madden and Pandolfo, who were our star penalty killers for years, right?

[00:10:02] They started the penalty kill, got off, and came back on all within the two minutes.

[00:10:09] So when they come back on, there's something like 40 plus seconds left.

[00:10:12] Danico's in the corner.

[00:10:14] He gets the puck.

[00:10:16] Dallas is trying to – he's in the corner on the defensive zone.

[00:10:18] Dallas tries to pinch a couple guys and misses it, misses the puck.

[00:10:24] So Dano's pass sends Nim Chinoff up the boards, and his pass up to Mad Dog sets up a two-on-one.

[00:10:30] Madden comes down the right wing, and he just takes a great wrist shot.

[00:10:35] It was far side, stick side.

[00:10:37] It was actually the same spot that in the first – his first portion of this penalty kill, he tried that same shot, and he missed it wide.

[00:10:45] And I don't know if you remember, but I remember this very specific quote.

[00:10:48] We were listening to it.

[00:10:49] In the first third of the power play, the announcer said, just put him out there shorthanded, and you'll get a chance.

[00:10:55] And that was when he whiffed on it.

[00:10:57] And then again, within a minute, he's back on the ice to finish the penalty kill.

[00:11:00] And he does the – it's almost the exact same play, and this time he scores on it.

[00:11:05] But, I mean, it was just incredible.

[00:11:08] At this moment, it was enough for you to think like Dallas was starting to get demoralized.

[00:11:15] Another guy.

[00:11:16] Another guy that – John Madden.

[00:11:18] Just, I mean, what an amazing player, amazing penalty killer.

[00:11:22] You know, Selke caliber play every single year.

[00:11:25] He was fantastic.

[00:11:27] Yeah, it was like foreshadowing when he missed that goal and then to come back and get it again.

[00:11:32] That's awesome.

[00:11:32] So now we're 2-1 Devils.

[00:11:34] Now it's 2-1 Devils.

[00:11:36] And again, you've got to take some of our newer listeners back, you know, a few years.

[00:11:42] It's a different game back then when it's 2-1.

[00:11:45] You're scared.

[00:11:46] You're still scared as hell.

[00:11:47] Of course, you want that extra goal.

[00:11:48] All that stuff is all still in your head.

[00:11:51] But more often than not, this was a win.

[00:11:54] And not just for the Devils.

[00:11:56] For a lot of teams that played similar styles, Dallas included.

[00:11:58] So when you get a chance to pile on, as we did just a couple minutes later, it was Rafalski, his second of the playoffs.

[00:12:09] Right.

[00:12:09] From Giliash, which was his 12th assist already.

[00:12:13] Wow.

[00:12:13] Really sealed the deal.

[00:12:15] This was just a nice wrist shot with 6-8 left.

[00:12:20] Dallas, basically, oh, this was great.

[00:12:22] Dallas actually tries to break out and they're just going straight up the middle of the ice.

[00:12:26] Like straight through the funnel, right to the blue line.

[00:12:28] And Giliash is right there.

[00:12:29] And he just kind of pokes it with his stick.

[00:12:31] Just perfectly positioned.

[00:12:33] He doesn't take it away at that moment.

[00:12:35] But he did enough on the zone to break up play and to interrupt what was going on.

[00:12:40] But the puck still actually comes out of the blue line, which allows Rafalski to get it and start driving back into the offensive zone.

[00:12:48] While all of Dallas is still heading north thinking they're going to have possession of the puck.

[00:12:54] So Rafalski just has to go back.

[00:12:56] There's one D-man left up the ice.

[00:12:58] He actually goes around him towards the left wing circle.

[00:13:02] Goes wide.

[00:13:03] The defender was actually Zuboff and just gets to the top of the left circle.

[00:13:08] And he just beats Eddie Kling on the stick side.

[00:13:10] And that's it.

[00:13:11] Now it's 3-1.

[00:13:12] There's six minutes left of the game.

[00:13:14] That's it.

[00:13:14] This game is over.

[00:13:16] This is a devil's game at that point.

[00:13:18] Devil's got a two-goal lead back then.

[00:13:20] It's over.

[00:13:21] With six minutes left, it's over.

[00:13:23] Yeah.

[00:13:24] It's over.

[00:13:25] Now the series is three games to one heading back to New Jersey.

[00:13:29] Which means the next time we talk about these games, we will do that knowing that the cup is following them wherever they are at this point.

[00:13:38] And that game five, even though we know this thing ended in six, but that game five was such a fucking nail-biter.

[00:13:47] Oh, my God.

[00:13:48] What a...

[00:13:49] I mean, sucks how it went.

[00:13:50] And you thought game six was going to be the exact same thing.

[00:13:54] I mean, the next two games are just marathons of just great hockey.

[00:13:58] I loved that Stanley Cup run.

[00:14:01] It was a great run.

[00:14:02] And if ever there was a run that showed you what it means to just be that much better.

[00:14:07] If anyone could see me, I'm holding up like an inch mark.

[00:14:10] Just that much better everywhere.

[00:14:13] Just one better shot, one better play in the corner, one better defensive play, one better save.

[00:14:18] That's what this series really came down to.

[00:14:21] So fascinating.

[00:14:22] I remember, absolutely remember exactly where we were when this was happening.

[00:14:26] And that's awesome.

[00:14:27] Well done.

[00:14:28] I was listening to Marty Bieran in an interview today.

[00:14:33] And they were talking about the Jeremy Swayman contract or lack thereof.

[00:14:38] And that the rumors are out that he wants like 10 or 11 million dollars, something crazy.

[00:14:43] Now, I don't know if that's a legit number or if that was just something that was thrown out there.

[00:14:48] But regardless, he was asked about it in an interview.

[00:14:52] And I didn't hear the interview.

[00:14:54] The guys were just talking about it.

[00:14:55] So I might be butchering some of this.

[00:14:59] But the gist of it was, I think it was Dave McCarthy on XM was saying like, you know, it's not just that Jeremy Swayman wants to get paid for himself.

[00:15:10] Of course, he does.

[00:15:11] But it's also for the guys behind him.

[00:15:14] It's also for the goalies that are coming up.

[00:15:16] You know, you take less.

[00:15:18] And he kept going to this reference of you put your house on the market for $2 million and a guy next door to you sells his house the exact same house for a million and a half.

[00:15:26] He's screwing you over.

[00:15:26] And they asked Marty Biron about that.

[00:15:30] So Biron says, well, I have back whatever year was 98, 99 around there.

[00:15:37] He's like, I had the same agent as Marty Bordeaux.

[00:15:41] And he said the guy's name.

[00:15:42] I don't remember who he was.

[00:15:43] And the Bordeaux and him split up because apparently, and I had no idea about this, but we've talked about how Bordeaux has, you know, always kind of taken less money to stay with the team, to keep the team together.

[00:15:57] This is also before salary caps.

[00:16:00] So this was just, you know, hey, we have X amount of dollars to spend.

[00:16:04] That's it.

[00:16:05] And his agent got really pissed at Bordeaux because apparently, according to Biron, like Bordeaux and Lou were hammering out a contract that was for a lot less money.

[00:16:16] And, you know, the guy's saying, Marty, what are you doing?

[00:16:19] I'm your frigging agent.

[00:16:20] What are you doing talking to him?

[00:16:21] He's like, I just want to play.

[00:16:22] I just want to stay here and I want to win.

[00:16:25] So I don't care about all the other bullshit.

[00:16:29] What player would do that now?

[00:16:31] I don't know many.

[00:16:32] Yeah.

[00:16:32] Well, I think Bordeaux even took it a step further because at one point he got rid of his agents altogether and it allowed him to also take less money without giving up 10 or whatever the standard percent is.

[00:16:44] So he could, you know, if he wanted 7 million and he settled for 6 million, 600,000 would have went to his agent anyway.

[00:16:51] So he just figured out how to represent himself.

[00:16:53] And Bordeaux still needed to be careful because there is a players association.

[00:16:56] So you can't be too low balled because it does affect everybody else.

[00:16:59] But he's a prime example of being fair and doing what it takes to win a championship.

[00:17:05] I don't think Lou had any intentions of ripping Bordeaux off.

[00:17:10] And Bordeaux didn't have any intentions of, you know, maxing out the most he possibly can and bleeding him dry.

[00:17:17] It was, all right, this is fair.

[00:17:19] And, you know, I think that's where most contracts are.

[00:17:22] And they were talking.

[00:17:23] And then they got into like the Mercer contract.

[00:17:26] And it was reported that apparently Fitz and Mercer's agent are pretty far apart.

[00:17:32] And it looks like the bridge deal that Mercer, that the devils are kind of leaning towards around $3 million.

[00:17:40] I don't know the term, but around $3 million.

[00:17:44] And from what these guys were reporting, Fitzgerald basically said, you know, that he's got to prove it now.

[00:17:52] Like did last year hurt Mercer, I think, more than anybody else on that team.

[00:17:57] If he would have had a season like he had the year prior and not dropped off 20-something points like he did, I think he gets...

[00:18:04] Now, where do you stand on that?

[00:18:05] Is that fair?

[00:18:08] You know, negotiating tactic-wise, sure.

[00:18:12] But when you have...

[00:18:14] Look, if this team went to the second round of the playoffs and Mercer did what he did, I think then you can say, look, man, you just didn't pull your weight.

[00:18:24] But I don't know how you can look at one man on this team and say, you didn't pull your weight and not look at the other 19 guys and go, none of you pulled your weight.

[00:18:33] Right.

[00:18:33] So, you know, I'm just saying like last year should be a mulligan for everybody involved.

[00:18:39] It should be.

[00:18:40] And that's how it should be seen.

[00:18:42] I think $3 million for Mercer is a little bit low.

[00:18:45] I kind of saw him around the $4 to $4.5 million range.

[00:18:49] And maybe that's where him and his agents see him.

[00:18:52] Yeah.

[00:18:53] So...

[00:18:53] I wonder if Fitzgerald is trying to do something in the three-ish for three years to around nine and Mercer's more in the two years around close to four-ish for around eight.

[00:19:04] And then that...

[00:19:04] Right.

[00:19:05] Now that's actually a big separate.

[00:19:06] It doesn't seem like it, right?

[00:19:08] But now you're going an extra year to get to nine where he wants a year less to get to eight.

[00:19:12] So that way the numbers do start to separate.

[00:19:16] Hopefully they get it done.

[00:19:17] I feel that it is fair enough to use the previous year, your most recent year, as part of the barometer.

[00:19:24] But it's only a part.

[00:19:25] It's got to be the full package.

[00:19:27] You know what he did the year before.

[00:19:28] You know what he did as a rookie.

[00:19:29] He's still a very young kid.

[00:19:31] His potential's there.

[00:19:32] His hockey IQ is there.

[00:19:33] I think everybody knows that if it wasn't for the particular situation that the Devils are in cap-wise, this would probably already be done.

[00:19:42] I think Fitzgerald is saying, listen, I do want to pay the kid.

[00:19:44] He's going to get a great payday.

[00:19:46] At some point, if it's not this bridge deal.

[00:19:48] But at the same time, we want to be champions.

[00:19:50] We need to leave a little bit in the tank for a trade deadline.

[00:19:54] Let's work it out.

[00:19:55] I mean, I'd like to see Mercer.

[00:19:59] I don't think we should sign him to a long-term deal.

[00:20:01] I'm talking not six, seven, eight years.

[00:20:04] I just feel like you have to give yourself a little maneuverability when you have so many guys locked up long-term.

[00:20:10] But I'm fine.

[00:20:12] Three years, four million, if you could afford it.

[00:20:15] I think that's fine for Mercer.

[00:20:16] I think it's a good deal.

[00:20:17] He makes good money.

[00:20:20] And part of his regression last year could also, some of it be attributed to the fact that he's another guy that was not really put in a place where he was best suited to succeed.

[00:20:30] You know, third line and bouncing all over the place.

[00:20:34] No consistency with anybody last year.

[00:20:36] That's why I have no faith that the Buffalo Sabres are going to make the playoffs coming up.

[00:20:39] Because I just don't know if Lindy Ruff is going to be able to change things over there.

[00:20:44] Listen, I got Mercer, assuming he's signed, on time.

[00:20:48] Well, he's playing either way, right?

[00:20:50] He's on the team either way.

[00:20:51] No, he could sit out.

[00:20:52] Okay, he could sit out.

[00:20:53] But I got him penciled in for 30.

[00:20:54] I do.

[00:20:55] And that, again, I'm projecting him on second line.

[00:20:59] But regardless, even if he bounces up and down, I've got him.

[00:21:02] His 27-goal season was two seasons ago.

[00:21:04] Last year was an absolute shit show.

[00:21:05] I don't see any reason why he can't score three more goals when he plays all 82 games.

[00:21:10] He's another year in, another year more confident, more mature, stronger.

[00:21:14] I think that's where we're getting from him.

[00:21:16] You get Dawson Mercer locked up for three years, four years maybe, like $3.5 million, $4 million.

[00:21:22] And he's a 30-plus goal scorer.

[00:21:24] That's just another amazing contract.

[00:21:26] You know, two years' time, salary cap's going up.

[00:21:29] It might as well be $2 million a year for a guy that's going to score you 30, 35 goals.

[00:21:34] That's one way to look at it.

[00:21:35] But more than anything, it's the player it has to happen for the type of player he is.

[00:21:40] He has the potential to be a stalwart on this team for a super long time.

[00:21:46] And I think I want him here because I think watching him turn into the player, he's going

[00:21:51] to be a fantastic player.

[00:21:53] He could be that under-the-radar guy that scores 30-plus every year and nobody talks about.

[00:21:58] Because we're talking about all the other guys on the team.

[00:22:00] Yeah, 100% right.

[00:22:01] And I think Dawson Mercer also has the character and the way that he plays, that snarl.

[00:22:08] He's young.

[00:22:09] I mean, he's only like, I think, 22, 23 maybe.

[00:22:12] So he's still growing into himself and figuring out what kind of real – really what kind of

[00:22:16] player he's going to be down the road when he hits his prime another three years or so.

[00:22:20] But he, to me, has the potential of being a playoff stud.

[00:22:25] And you kind of see that in certain dudes, right?

[00:22:28] And I think Mercer has it.

[00:22:30] So I lock him up.

[00:22:32] Let's get him.

[00:22:32] Let's get him signed.

[00:22:33] I don't want any bullshit.

[00:22:35] Let's get him in camp.

[00:22:35] And let's go and win a Stanley Cup this year.

[00:22:38] Speaking of Stanley Cups, let's just wrap up our 2000 talk for the day with a little chapter here on our good friend that we just mentioned, Colin White.

[00:22:48] Nice.

[00:22:49] This one's called Beginner's Luck.

[00:22:50] It says,

[00:23:09] It was an incredible year for Whitey.

[00:23:15] As a late-season call-up, I don't know if you recall that.

[00:23:17] Yeah, I do.

[00:23:18] So he played just 21 games in the regular season.

[00:23:22] Then when the playoffs started, it was Larry Robinson that put him in the lineup for all 23 playoff games.

[00:23:28] I was so happy to be in the NHL, White said.

[00:23:31] Once we kept going each round, I was like, oh, my, we're getting closer.

[00:23:36] I guess I never realized how much work and effort went into winning the Cup.

[00:23:40] I just kind of stepped into that team.

[00:23:43] And a lot of those first-year guys kind of said the same thing.

[00:23:45] If you pump in and win it right away, the next couple or at least the next one is even sweeter.

[00:23:52] And the failures are even worse because you realize now how hard it is.

[00:23:56] So he goes on to say,

[00:23:57] The first year, I wasn't as nervous in the playoffs just because I didn't really know what was at stake.

[00:24:04] And the Devils just kept winning.

[00:24:06] With White in the lineup, New Jersey beat Florida, then Toronto, then Philadelphia, and then Dallas.

[00:24:11] A few months earlier, he'd been taking bus rides on road trips.

[00:24:15] And now here he was skating around the rink, holding the Stanley Cup above his head.

[00:24:20] Playoffs are the best time of year, White said.

[00:24:22] That's what you play for.

[00:24:24] That's when hockey's fun.

[00:24:25] Everything's a challenge.

[00:24:27] Every game means so much.

[00:24:29] So there you go.

[00:24:30] A little something from Colin White.

[00:24:31] And one of the nicest guys I've ever met.

[00:24:33] He was just awesome.

[00:24:36] So, yeah, I love Whitey.

[00:24:38] All right.

[00:24:38] So before we go forward, let's give a little shout out here to our sponsors.

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[00:26:07] The crown is yours.

[00:26:08] This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

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[00:27:12] Excellent.

[00:27:14] Excellent.

[00:27:14] Let's see.

[00:27:15] I know you've got a few things on your radar.

[00:27:19] I would like to bring one up that will not take but a second.

[00:27:22] Go for it.

[00:27:23] It appears that I had a post about 12 years ago.

[00:27:33] Oh, no.

[00:27:34] That aged very well.

[00:27:36] Oh, okay.

[00:27:36] And this is one of my favorite things about social media, these memories.

[00:27:40] So in 2012, on this date, in 2012, I simply said,

[00:27:46] I think the show Oil Change was and still is a bit premature.

[00:27:52] Now, for anyone who doesn't know, this show came out in 2010.

[00:27:56] So I waited two years.

[00:27:57] I think it ran for two seasons, miniseries like on NHL Network,

[00:28:02] about the Edmonton Oilers because of some of the first round draft picks that they had gotten

[00:28:08] and that this was supposed to be a springboard for them.

[00:28:12] So two years into this, I'm saying I think it's still early and it will be for quite some time.

[00:28:18] So I decided to take a stroll down memory lane.

[00:28:20] So since the show came out and I said this is definitely premature, again, this aged well.

[00:28:27] In 2009-10, the Oilers had 62 points.

[00:28:31] In 10-11, 62 points.

[00:28:33] In 11-12, this is right when I said it, 74 points.

[00:28:38] In 12-13, 45 points.

[00:28:41] In 13-14, 67.

[00:28:44] In 14-15, 62.

[00:28:46] For our younger audiences, this is when Edmonton got a first round draft pick like every year.

[00:28:50] Every single year.

[00:28:52] Then they got a 15-16, they got up to 70.

[00:28:55] Right?

[00:28:56] 16-17, a little bit of an anomaly, 103 points.

[00:29:00] Okay.

[00:29:01] Okay.

[00:29:01] So they definitely had a successful season there.

[00:29:03] Then they quickly dropped back to 78 for 17-18, 79 for 18-19, 83 for 19-20.

[00:29:12] So you're getting respectable.

[00:29:13] But then fall back again, 20-21 to 72.

[00:29:16] And it wasn't until the 21-22 season and above that they have gotten 104, 109, and 104 points.

[00:29:23] So I had a post that aged well for 12 years.

[00:29:27] You sure did.

[00:29:28] Before they started actually turning this thing around.

[00:29:30] I mean, I didn't realize how bad they were.

[00:29:35] I mean, they were really bad.

[00:29:37] It was laughingstock bad.

[00:29:40] I'm going to make another hot take right now.

[00:29:42] I love it.

[00:29:43] And I could be very wrong.

[00:29:44] Connor McDavid will not win a Stanley Cup in Edmonton.

[00:29:51] I do believe that he might have to go someplace else.

[00:29:56] I don't trust that team.

[00:29:58] Okay.

[00:29:59] Go ahead.

[00:29:59] So do you – I mean, how do you let him go?

[00:30:02] And this is the organization that traded Wayne Gretzky, so I get it.

[00:30:05] I don't know.

[00:30:06] Well, let's say this.

[00:30:07] Okay.

[00:30:08] So he's available.

[00:30:09] They have him for two more seasons.

[00:30:10] I'm pretty sure, right?

[00:30:11] Next year he's available.

[00:30:13] He could sign an extension, same as Drysaddle does now.

[00:30:16] Why is Drysaddle not signed yet?

[00:30:19] Like, that to me – that Mr. Sturkin thing boggles my mind because if –

[00:30:24] I think maybe he wants to be top dog somewhere.

[00:30:27] Well, if that's the case, is Connor McDavid sticking around if Leon leaves?

[00:30:32] I don't think he's sticking around if Leon leaves.

[00:30:35] Yeah, I don't know.

[00:30:35] I get that he has roots in Edmonton and I get that he loves Edmonton, but you are still the greatest player on the planet Earth.

[00:30:42] You have your pick.

[00:30:43] Yeah.

[00:30:43] And you have not won a Stanley Cup.

[00:30:45] It's not – there are 32 teams in the NHL.

[00:30:48] All 32 teams would sign you in a heartbeat.

[00:30:50] And they would give up basically anything.

[00:30:54] As much money as you want, wherever you want to play, whatever you want to do, okay, they'll do it.

[00:31:00] You want the owner to come and give your dog a bath every week?

[00:31:04] They'll probably do it for him.

[00:31:06] So I'm just saying, if they don't win the Cup this year, Drysaddle goes someplace else.

[00:31:12] I think Edmonton is done because there's no – I would say honestly,

[00:31:18] Connor McDavid doesn't seem like the kind of guy that's in it for money because he's got to be making probably more

[00:31:23] out of endorsements and everything else that he's even making playing in the NHL.

[00:31:28] So I don't think money is going to be an issue as far as – even if – I think winning is more important is my point.

[00:31:36] Like if Drysaddle leaves and Edmonton says, we'll pay you $20 million a year,

[00:31:40] I still think McDavid might say, I want to go win a Cup.

[00:31:45] I mean that's what it's about.

[00:31:46] Here's the problem.

[00:31:47] Good players from the great players.

[00:31:49] Yeah, but here's the problem.

[00:31:50] What's the problem?

[00:31:50] McDavid is going to be on a team that is going to have huge regular season success,

[00:31:57] probably going to be multiple playoff round bound.

[00:31:59] So maybe they don't win this Cup, but they're not going to be doormats.

[00:32:03] You're talking conference finals, you know, semifinals.

[00:32:08] It's not like you're stuck on a bad team.

[00:32:10] You're like, oh, I want to go to Detroit like everyone did in the 90s, right?

[00:32:13] But if they go to the second round this year and they play Vegas in the second round, right?

[00:32:18] Vegas beats them.

[00:32:19] And I see a world where that's absolutely possible.

[00:32:22] There are several teams in the Western Conference that can beat the Edmonton Oilers in a playoff series.

[00:32:26] They have got the LA Kings in the first round for the last three years and they just own LA.

[00:32:31] And every year they're getting better and better at beating them.

[00:32:35] So let's say they don't get LA this year.

[00:32:38] Let's say they get, you know, like I said, what you want to call it, Vegas or Colorado or Dallas.

[00:32:46] You know, who knows?

[00:32:48] Winnipeg.

[00:32:49] You don't know where these teams are going to fall.

[00:32:51] Edmonton, let's say, loses in the first round and dry saddle walks.

[00:32:55] That's my point.

[00:32:56] Even if they make it to a cup final again and dry saddle walks.

[00:33:00] I'm just saying you take that away.

[00:33:04] McDavid, if you're McDavid, you're looking at yourself going, we couldn't win a cup with him.

[00:33:08] How the hell am I going to win one without him?

[00:33:10] I see your point.

[00:33:10] Michael Jordan never won a championship without Scottie Pippen.

[00:33:14] You know?

[00:33:14] He's arguably the second best player in the NHL.

[00:33:17] Yeah.

[00:33:17] So that is quite amazing.

[00:33:20] Yeah, interesting problem.

[00:33:21] If I'm Edmonton, I'm not looking at Leon dry saddle as we have to have him on our team because he's the second best player in the world.

[00:33:31] I'm saying we have to have him on our team because the best player in the world might not be here if we let this guy walk.

[00:33:36] So I think that I would have paid that dude right away.

[00:33:39] So why isn't he signed?

[00:33:41] Does he want to test the free agency market?

[00:33:43] I know I would.

[00:33:44] I would want to test it.

[00:33:45] I believe so.

[00:33:47] You know, I mean, they bargained for this, right?

[00:33:49] I have it.

[00:33:49] But, you know, if you are that good, you know, let's see who else is out there.

[00:33:54] I think he's also smart enough to know that his bargaining with Edmonton might be slightly not in his favor with another looming contract for McDavid that will be so much higher.

[00:34:05] He might know they might not be able to reach what I want to reach already.

[00:34:09] You might already be thinking, I'm not going to tell anybody, but I'm just going to go test the market.

[00:34:13] Yeah.

[00:34:13] I mean, speaking of teams that would go up anything for McDavid, like if it's right now, today, you lose Hughes and Heischer for McDavid on the Devils.

[00:34:21] You do it?

[00:34:22] Hughes and Heischer for McDavid.

[00:34:25] So you're going to get one center.

[00:34:27] You got to get rid of the other.

[00:34:29] And I keep the team I have now.

[00:34:31] So I still have Timo.

[00:34:32] I still have Dawson.

[00:34:33] I still have Jesper Bratt.

[00:34:35] No.

[00:34:36] I don't.

[00:34:37] I know that that might be just foolish.

[00:34:40] I don't know, but.

[00:34:41] I don't think so.

[00:34:43] I don't think it's foolish.

[00:34:44] I mean, yes, he's the greatest player in the world, but you're giving up two of the best players in the league.

[00:34:51] You're taking a guy like in our case, Jack Hughes, who are as Jack goes, the Devils goes.

[00:34:56] He can drive this team.

[00:34:57] He won't put up the amount of points that McDavid does, but he'll put up the appropriate amount of points for this team.

[00:35:04] Right.

[00:35:04] So you have that.

[00:35:05] And then you're also, then you'd also have, in my scenario, have to just get rid of a guy like Heischer too.

[00:35:10] I don't think it needs to be done to put all those eggs in one basket.

[00:35:13] Best thing I like about our team right now is just how deep they are through and throughout.

[00:35:18] So I wouldn't do it.

[00:35:19] And in two years when the Rangers give the entire team to Edmonton and they get McDavid over here and we have to play him four times a year.

[00:35:27] That'll be fun.

[00:35:28] And we'll see how good Jack really is.

[00:35:30] Still like watching.

[00:35:34] I wouldn't do it because you look, I mean, if you had a team that was, had no superstars or just had really good players, like Jack Hughes is legit, dude.

[00:35:41] Like you, I mean, yeah, McDavid's McDavid, but Jack Hughes is fucking good.

[00:35:45] I mean, I think there's 32 teams that would take Jack Hughes too.

[00:35:50] So, yeah.

[00:35:51] I mean, realistically.

[00:35:53] Yeah.

[00:35:55] McDavid could realistically outscore Hughes by 40 points again this year.

[00:35:59] Yeah.

[00:36:00] But at that point, like, listen, no points, no goals aren't important.

[00:36:04] But at what point one of those four, let's say, you know, he gets 140 and Hughes gets 100 points.

[00:36:09] Right.

[00:36:09] How many of those 40 points were, you know, fluff, like extra?

[00:36:13] You're already winning five to two.

[00:36:15] Like, where does it really count?

[00:36:16] I don't know.

[00:36:16] I haven't done all the stats, but it's enough for me to say, yeah, we have our 100 point center.

[00:36:21] We've got a solid two way leader in Hughes here.

[00:36:23] I wouldn't do it.

[00:36:24] And, you know, Jack will have a cup before Connor does.

[00:36:27] I believe that.

[00:36:28] I believe it too.

[00:36:29] Yeah, I believe that.

[00:36:30] All right.

[00:36:31] Let's get into, this is a cool little article.

[00:36:34] And again, I have not read this.

[00:36:36] I did scroll through just to see who number one was.

[00:36:40] So this is Lyle Fitzsimmons for the Bleacher Report.

[00:36:43] Wrote this up.

[00:36:43] Ranking the NHL's top 10 goalies since 2000.

[00:36:48] Since 2000.

[00:36:49] Okay.

[00:36:49] So 24 years.

[00:36:51] He has some honorable mentions.

[00:36:52] If you want, I'm not going to read what he writes about the honorable mentions.

[00:36:56] If you want to hear any of them, I'll read them.

[00:36:57] Well, let me just, I got to be clear.

[00:36:58] I have to take my biases, which are obviously there and basically forget about any accomplishments up through the 99 season.

[00:37:06] Yeah.

[00:37:07] Yeah, you do.

[00:37:07] All right.

[00:37:08] Well, that's, that's not going to be easy because there were some major accomplishments there, but okay.

[00:37:11] But that is not what this article is about.

[00:37:14] That will do what the assignment says.

[00:37:15] That's it.

[00:37:16] Brayden Holtby, honorable mention.

[00:37:19] He writes here, this is Saskatchewan native.

[00:37:21] I guess I will read him.

[00:37:21] Interesting.

[00:37:23] This is Saskatchewan native.

[00:37:25] Burned brightly across a four season run in 2014 to 18, winning 40 or more games three times and capturing a Vesna in 15-16.

[00:37:33] One Jennings trophy the same year and the Stanley Cup in 2017-18.

[00:37:38] He has Ryan Miller.

[00:37:39] One of the best U.S. born net miners ever.

[00:37:42] Miller is seventh in wins with 391 among all goalies since the start of the 2000-2001 season.

[00:37:48] He won the Vesna, was a first team all-star with Buffalo in 09 and 10, and was hockey MVP at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

[00:37:57] Igor Shosturkin, certainly among the best of the league's active goalies.

[00:38:01] Shosturkin was a first team all-star and a Vesna winner after the 21-22 season in which he won 36 games, posted a 2.07 goals against alongside a 9-3-5 save percentage.

[00:38:11] Tim Thomas, not going to read him in, and then he has Linus Olmark.

[00:38:15] Now we get into the top team.

[00:38:17] Wow, he jumped to Olmark too, huh?

[00:38:19] Yeah, he wrote,

[00:38:20] Linus Olmark, the lanky Swede, climbed the ladder in obscurity in Buffalo, but zoomed to the stratosphere upon signing with Boston in 2021.

[00:38:29] He went 88-26-10 with the Bruins before a summertime trade to Ottawa, grabbing a Vesna and Jennings after going 46-1 in 22-23.

[00:38:42] It is very impressive for a small sample size.

[00:38:45] I just, that name stood out to me as not as consistently great as some of the other ones.

[00:38:51] Holtby too.

[00:38:51] I remember Holtby being on top of the league, but like you mentioned, it was really just a four-year kind of period.

[00:38:55] Yeah.

[00:38:55] But all right, honorable mentions.

[00:38:57] We'll take it what it is.

[00:38:57] Number 10, Pecorine.

[00:39:00] Yeah.

[00:39:01] Nashville, he played from 2005-2006 season to 2020-21 season.

[00:39:08] He says, as eighth round picks go, a team could do a lot worse than Pecorine.

[00:39:13] The towering Finn, who stands 6-5, was drafted in 0-4, reached the NHL soon after, ultimately taking over as Nashville's starting goalie with 29 win seasons in 2008-9.

[00:39:23] He reached 30 wins five times, exceeded 40 on three years, including a 42-13-4 run in 2017-18.

[00:39:33] And he won the Vesna.

[00:39:35] Finished his career with 369 wins in 683 appearances.

[00:39:39] And he retired in 21-22 and has had his number 35 sweater, retired by the Nashville Predators.

[00:39:47] I love it.

[00:39:48] I've been a big fan of him.

[00:39:49] I don't know where he's going to stack with some of the other nine that you're going to go through.

[00:39:53] But I believe he should be on the list.

[00:39:55] So that's great.

[00:39:56] Number nine is a guy I really like playing, Carey Price.

[00:40:00] Oh boy, yeah.

[00:40:01] Montreal, 2007-8 to 21-22.

[00:40:06] So let's see.

[00:40:08] He's won the Vesna, the Jennings, along with MVP honors, Ted Lindsey Award in 14-15 after he went 44-16-6 with a stingy 1.96 goals against and a 9-3-3 save percentage.

[00:40:24] 90s numbers right there.

[00:40:26] Jesus.

[00:40:26] He's not kidding.

[00:40:27] Took them to the Cup Final with 13 playoff victories in 2021.

[00:40:33] He won the Masterton Trophy a season later for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey after he returned to the ice following a knee injury and a stint in the league's player assistant program.

[00:40:46] I love this pick.

[00:40:48] Carey Price, at one point in his playing career, I absolutely said he is legit the best goalie in the league right now.

[00:40:55] Where Peke Rene, I felt like he was one of the top, but I don't know that I've ever said that.

[00:41:00] Like, I've said it for Price.

[00:41:02] Like, Peke Rene is how I feel about UC Soros now.

[00:41:05] And I think, you know, just coincidence that they're, you know, both in Nashville.

[00:41:09] But no, there was a time where Carey Price was the best footballie on the planet.

[00:41:13] Yep.

[00:41:13] So, yeah.

[00:41:14] And so was this guy.

[00:41:15] Number eight, Jonathan Quick.

[00:41:17] Of course, playing with the Los Angeles Kings, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the New York Rangers, winning cups in two of the three.

[00:41:24] The year's active 2007 and eight to present.

[00:41:28] He was the third round pick of the Kings in 2005.

[00:41:31] He debuted in 07-08.

[00:41:34] And he hoisted both the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy by the end of the 11 and 12 season.

[00:41:40] He stayed in L.A., won another cup, was traded to Vegas, where he backed up Aiden Hill and won another cup.

[00:41:48] Free agent deal brought him to the Rangers, providing something of a rebirth for the now 38-year-old who started 26 games alongside Sesterkin and won 18-6-2 last season while posting a 2-6-2 goals against any 9-11 save percentage.

[00:42:03] I'm going to go on and say he'll probably be the most underappreciated top 10 on your list.

[00:42:09] This guy does not get nearly the credit he should for how freaking good he was.

[00:42:13] You just don't think of him.

[00:42:15] I don't mean casual fans.

[00:42:16] I don't mean people really deep into hockey and thinking about it.

[00:42:21] I just don't think he ever got the recognition he fully deserves.

[00:42:24] I think that Jonathan Quick is the greatest American goaltender of all time.

[00:42:33] I really believe that.

[00:42:34] People still point to Richter.

[00:42:35] I believe talent-wise it would be Quick.

[00:42:37] And above anything else, how absolutely awesome is it for you to be a goalie with the name Quick?

[00:42:43] I agree.

[00:42:43] That's just killer.

[00:42:44] You're born to be a goalie.

[00:42:46] Number seven, a guy who could take the reins of the best American goalie of all time, Connor Hellebuck.

[00:42:54] Oh, yes.

[00:42:54] Winnipeg Jets started active in 15-16 to present.

[00:43:00] He was a middle-round pick who turned into a gem.

[00:43:03] The Jets drafted him number 130 overall in 2012.

[00:43:10] He was a 26-game winner by 16-17.

[00:43:15] He went 44-11-9 and was a second-team All-Star a season later and since won 30 or more games four times,

[00:43:23] earning Vesna trophies after both the 19-20 and 23-24 seasons.

[00:43:28] Copped the Jennings trophy last year, too, with her 37 wins, a 2-3-9 goals against, and five shutouts across 60 starts.

[00:43:38] Let's see.

[00:43:39] He's played in four All-Star games.

[00:43:42] He was a first-team All-Star twice, been a finalist for Vesna four times in eight seasons as an NHL regular.

[00:43:50] Look, Connor Hellebuck, we all see it, but look, for Connor Hellebuck to be in that category, Jonathan Quick, he's got to do something in the playoffs.

[00:43:58] I mean, what they did last year against Colorado was just embarrassing.

[00:44:02] This dude was, you know, one of the frigging Vesna this year.

[00:44:06] The best goalie is a workhorse, dude.

[00:44:09] Like, he has Marty Brodeur-type years as far as his starts go.

[00:44:14] And you let, like, 25, 26 goals in from the Avs in five games?

[00:44:19] That's bad, dude.

[00:44:20] It was bad, but I still look at this guy and I absolutely love him.

[00:44:23] I love his frame.

[00:44:24] I love everything he did.

[00:44:25] Like, if we would have jumped on him and got him when we could, like,

[00:44:28] nothing against Markstrom now, but this guy's an elite level above that.

[00:44:33] He's just that – he's huge.

[00:44:35] He's – Vesna again last year.

[00:44:37] Like, I would love to have him, and he's absolutely one of my favorite goaltenders.

[00:44:42] Jacob Markstrom has had some bad years in his career.

[00:44:46] Connor Hellebuck has never had a bad year.

[00:44:48] And, look, I was one of the biggest guys pounding the table to get him over here last year.

[00:44:53] I really wish we would have done it.

[00:44:55] So, number six, Hendrik Lundqvist, the king.

[00:44:59] New York Rangers from 05-06 to 2019-20.

[00:45:07] Let's see.

[00:45:08] He was a seventh-round pick in 2000.

[00:45:11] He was 18 years old.

[00:45:12] He won 30 games as a rookie with the Rangers in 05-06.

[00:45:16] And that was – never look back.

[00:45:18] He won 35 or more times in each subsequent season through 2011-2012.

[00:45:23] 39 victories in that year.

[00:45:26] A Vesna trophy.

[00:45:27] Posted a 1.97 goals against and a 9.30 save percentage on his way to a first-team all-star selection.

[00:45:35] His 24 wins in the strike short in 2012-2013 season was tops in the league,

[00:45:43] and he added 13 playoff wins in 2014 during New York's run in the Stanley Cup final.

[00:45:48] He retired in 2021 with every significant Ranger goaltending record, including wins, shutouts, playoff wins, and games played.

[00:46:00] So, I'm glad he wasn't any higher on this list, too, because to quote one of my favorite bands,

[00:46:06] where's your crown, King?

[00:46:07] Nothing.

[00:46:08] I just love to bust his balls.

[00:46:10] But, yeah, excellent goaltender for sure.

[00:46:12] I don't honestly know, and it's not just Ranger hate, that I could put his accomplishments above Quick, who has three cups.

[00:46:20] So, I kind of question that, but I get what he's done for the franchise, and I do love to bust his balls.

[00:46:25] You know, went to Lunkwa's house, no cups, that kind of thing.

[00:46:28] But, man, he was good.

[00:46:29] He really was.

[00:46:30] He was amazing, but he's not above Jonathan Quick.

[00:46:34] No.

[00:46:35] Not at all.

[00:46:36] He does have nice hair, though.

[00:46:37] Number five, Sergey Bobrovsky, Philadelphia, Columbus, Florida.

[00:46:42] Drafted in 2010-2011.

[00:46:47] Let's see.

[00:46:49] The second of what will ultimately be five cup winners on this list.

[00:46:54] Sergey Bobrovsky holds the distinction of being the most recent starting goalie to hoist, the chalice,

[00:46:58] following this year's Panther run, where he won 16 games and had a 2.32 goals against average.

[00:47:06] Let's see.

[00:47:07] This year, he went 36-17-4 with a 9-15 save percentage.

[00:47:14] Let's see.

[00:47:15] He won two Veznas across seven seasons with Columbus after spending his first two NHL seasons in Philadelphia,

[00:47:22] and he went 42-23-10 his first two years in Philadelphia.

[00:47:27] So, look, I mean, the guy's amazing.

[00:47:29] We watch him every year.

[00:47:30] And every, I mean, last two seasons, he brought Florida to, you know, right there on his back.

[00:47:36] He's amazing.

[00:47:37] What's scary about Bob is that if any of his previous teams had done right by him and actually put a team around him,

[00:47:45] like the Flyers giving up on him way too early, going to Columbus,

[00:47:48] like if these actually had quality teams, like contending teams, where this guy can be?

[00:47:54] I'm going to, I agree with you, but I'm going to actually throw that over with something in number four.

[00:47:59] Okay.

[00:48:00] Number four is goalie.

[00:48:01] He's a guy, he's still playing, but nobody's talking about him.

[00:48:06] And this dude is like, I think he's being kind of forgotten about.

[00:48:10] It's all the goalie talk and none of it is about Andrew Vasilevsky.

[00:48:14] And I'm sorry.

[00:48:16] He's the type of dude that can just come out this year and be the best goalie again and take Tampa really frigging far.

[00:48:24] So as long as Tampa Bay has him, they have a chance.

[00:48:27] I think the best goalie, I think Shesterkin is the best goalie right now, but Vasilevsky is right there.

[00:48:33] Spoiler alert.

[00:48:34] One of the things we're going to go over a little bit here is a quick version of kind of where we think all the teams are going to wind up.

[00:48:40] Yeah.

[00:48:40] Right.

[00:48:41] We're going to get to that in more detail probably later in the fall.

[00:48:44] But he was the main reason I couldn't drop the bolts as far as I wanted to.

[00:48:50] Yeah.

[00:48:50] Yeah.

[00:48:51] He's just that good.

[00:48:52] And I agree.

[00:48:52] He can come out right now and basically put you on a run to a Stanley Cup just because he feels like not letting anything in.

[00:48:59] I think he's one of the best goalies.

[00:49:00] He's still top, yeah, two or three in the league.

[00:49:02] No doubt.

[00:49:03] He was a first round pick of the Lightning in 2012.

[00:49:05] He was a 44 game winner by 2017 and 18.

[00:49:10] Let's see.

[00:49:11] He was 39, 10, and four the next year.

[00:49:14] Won the Vesna for a record-setting Lightning group on the way to its president's trophy.

[00:49:19] It says here, but the legend of number 88 really began forming the following spring on Florida's Gulf Coast where Tampa Bay won first of its two straight Stanley Cups.

[00:49:28] Vasilevski won 34 of 48 starts across those two trophy-hoisting postseasons, registering six shutouts along the way.

[00:49:36] Vasilevski won a Conn Smythe after their second cup run and helped the Lightning back for a third straight title round appearance in 2022 where they lost to the Colorado Avalanche.

[00:49:46] This dude, look, man, he's just fucking amazing.

[00:49:49] Amazing.

[00:49:50] It's kind of like Brodeur's last cup was 2003 after, again, winning in 2000, losing in 2001, winning it again in 2003.

[00:49:59] And then they kind of had their years that they had until the cup run in 2012 where Brodeur, now older, and I'm sure a lot of people would not write him off because he still had the pedigree.

[00:50:10] It's still Martin Brodeur, but he wasn't prime, right?

[00:50:13] Right.

[00:50:13] Martin Brodeur.

[00:50:14] And he still put together a run that was for the ages at what, 35, 30?

[00:50:18] I don't remember exactly how old he was at the time, but old by, you know, hockey player standards, I guess.

[00:50:24] And this is exactly what, you know, a guy like that can do too.

[00:50:26] You just, you think maybe it's getting a little long in the tooth.

[00:50:29] He's already got some cups.

[00:50:30] Where's the team going?

[00:50:31] And then boom, he just, you know, takes care of business.

[00:50:34] He does.

[00:50:34] And the thing is they want to repeat.

[00:50:36] They have to keep him fresh.

[00:50:38] So I don't know who their backup is right now, but they need to make sure that they can get a solid backup in there to give this guy, you know, 30 starts and let Bobrovsky be ready for the playoffs because he is getting up there.

[00:50:50] And that's the only, one of the only weaknesses I can even find with that team.

[00:50:53] And I have to reach for that one.

[00:50:54] Yeah.

[00:50:54] You know, number three, Roberto Luongo played with the Islanders, Florida, Vancouver, 99 to 2000.

[00:51:03] He retired in the 18, 19 season.

[00:51:05] History has been a constant companion for the Montreal born Roberto Luongo, whose fourth overall draft selection by the Islanders in 97 was the team's highest ever for a goalie before Rick DiPietro was taken first overall three years later.

[00:51:18] How'd that work out for you?

[00:51:20] That created a log jam that resulted in Luongo being sent to Florida where he won 108 games across five seasons before another deal sent him to Vancouver.

[00:51:29] He was an instant smash with the Canucks, winning 47 games in his first season with the team, won 47 games and finishing second in voting for both the Vezna and Hart trophies.

[00:51:39] He led the league again with 38 wins in 2010 and 11 and stayed with Vancouver until the 14 trade deadline when he was dealt back to the Panthers and ultimately retired with them after the 18, 19 season at number four on the league's all time goaltending wins with 489.

[00:51:55] He was voted into the hockey hall of fame as part of the class of 2022.

[00:51:59] I think it's that last part for total wins that maybe will change my mind a little bit.

[00:52:04] I mean, whoever put this together, the name you said, they got the benefit of looking at all the stats.

[00:52:08] I'm just hearing it.

[00:52:08] That'd be good.

[00:52:09] My initial instinct was three's a little high for him, but I don't know who the next two are.

[00:52:14] But then when you put it in the perspective that you put it in, I mean, who do you move?

[00:52:18] We're splitting hairs at this point anyway, when you're talking top 10, I just think there's some other guys that maybe you can give him a run for that spot, but good for Luongo.

[00:52:26] He was a hell of a goal.

[00:52:27] Yeah, he was really good, but he never won a cup.

[00:52:31] He, you know, was kind of in that Cujo mold.

[00:52:36] Yeah.

[00:52:37] Hoppin mold and, you know, great goalie wherever they go, but they just weren't good enough.

[00:52:42] Three is kind of high for him.

[00:52:43] I mean, at the very least put Vassie in front of him.

[00:52:45] That's, that's where I'm kind of getting, you know what I mean?

[00:52:47] And he's above Vassilovsky's a little, yeah, that's not right.

[00:52:50] Number two with this guy, I'm not going to argue.

[00:52:53] Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh, Vegas, Chicago, and Minnesota from 0304 to present.

[00:52:58] And now we move into the truly historic portion of the list.

[00:53:02] A Quebec native, Marc-Andre Fleury became the third goaltender chosen first overall when the Penguins grabbed him in 2003.

[00:53:09] He stepped on the NHL ice and got into 21 games with Pittsburgh in the 0304 season and was a big part of a youthful infusion that saw the team in the Stanley Cup final by 07-08 and hoisting the trophy a year later.

[00:53:23] Fleury wound up with three championship rings by the time he was selected by the Golden Knights in the 17 expansion draft.

[00:53:29] And he was instrumental in that franchise's instant, instant credibility, reaching the final round again in the spring of 18 and capturing his first Vesna trophy after going 26-10-0 with a 1.98 goals against average in 2020, 2021.

[00:53:47] He'll begin his 21st NHL season as a netminder of the Wild this fall and will celebrate his 40th birthday in November as the league's active goaltending leader in games played, wins, shutouts, and time on ice.

[00:54:01] The flower is quite amazing.

[00:54:04] I very inappropriately said many years ago when they were just, when Pittsburgh was just kind of getting started that he was just a byproduct of a great team.

[00:54:14] That was just my in the aivete, right?

[00:54:16] Back then, before I really settled down and said, get rid of the hate.

[00:54:19] Like, this guy is legit.

[00:54:21] He's awesome.

[00:54:22] He's been playing for so long.

[00:54:24] He's an excellent goaltender.

[00:54:27] And to think how much he's accomplished, what did you just say, 21 years?

[00:54:31] Yeah.

[00:54:31] Right?

[00:54:31] And just, I mean.

[00:54:32] 20th year.

[00:54:33] 21st.

[00:54:34] 21st year.

[00:54:35] And he's got so many records and yet he's still so far behind Brodeur in some of these things.

[00:54:39] It's absolutely amazing.

[00:54:41] But yeah, I gave him all the credit to that guy.

[00:54:42] And he's also an awesome dude.

[00:54:44] Like, if you ever hear like his stuff outside of just playing, he's just an awesome dude.

[00:54:47] So good for the flower.

[00:54:48] I'll take him at number two.

[00:54:49] Why not?

[00:54:50] Yeah, I love him.

[00:54:51] I love him.

[00:54:51] And he's the most fun goalie in the league to watch.

[00:54:54] Who do you think number one is, Bob?

[00:54:56] Who do you think number one is?

[00:54:57] I mean, honestly, Brodeur didn't make this list, right?

[00:55:01] How do you know?

[00:55:01] So I'm wondering, like, the only spot for him would be at number one.

[00:55:06] But it wasn't.

[00:55:07] Brodeur played it well into the 2000s.

[00:55:09] He did.

[00:55:11] That's when he started getting his Veznas.

[00:55:13] That's when he started getting most of his Jennings.

[00:55:15] So I'll say it is Brodeur.

[00:55:16] Number one, Martin Brodeur, New Jersey and St. Louis.

[00:55:21] Why did you even put St. Louis on there?

[00:55:23] I hate that part.

[00:55:23] From 1991 to 92 to 2014-15.

[00:55:28] When it comes to history, no one compares with Martin Brodeur.

[00:55:32] Make no mistake.

[00:55:33] The first round pick of the Devils in the 1990 draft had plenty of success before the new century officially arrived,

[00:55:40] including two Stanley Cups, two Jennings trophies, and a Rookie of the Year selection.

[00:55:44] But he was plenty prodigious afterwards, too.

[00:55:49] He won the first of two straight Vezna trophies and snatched a third cup after the 0-2-0-3 season

[00:55:55] and had four nods as the league's best goalie by the close of 2007-2008,

[00:56:01] when he won 44 times in 77 starts with a 2-17 goals against average and four shutouts.

[00:56:08] 77 starts in one year.

[00:56:11] Holy shit.

[00:56:12] Oh, God.

[00:56:12] Good old days.

[00:56:12] Brodeur stayed with New Jersey through 2013-14 before spending his final NHL season with the Blues in 14-15.

[00:56:20] He hung up his skates with his name strewn across the league's record book,

[00:56:24] including 691 wins and 125 shutouts in 1,266 games,

[00:56:31] and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.

[00:56:35] And that's the list.

[00:56:37] Yeah.

[00:56:37] I like that list.

[00:56:38] That was a fun list.

[00:56:40] Can't argue there.

[00:56:41] In my mind, I got twisted a little bit.

[00:56:43] For some reason, I started thinking we were going from 2000 to 2010.

[00:56:47] Yeah.

[00:56:48] Obviously, when you're looking at that long of a sample size since 2000,

[00:56:53] most of Brodeur's accomplishments, actually, you can say, occurred after that.

[00:56:58] I mean, I just said the number two guy behind him is still so far, and yet he's the closest.

[00:57:04] It's amazing.

[00:57:04] I just saw something the other day about it was NHL records most likely not to be broken.

[00:57:11] I think there were –

[00:57:12] It has to be a shutout.

[00:57:12] Say there was 10 of them.

[00:57:15] Brodeur was on the list four or five times because it was the wins.

[00:57:20] It was the shutouts.

[00:57:21] It was the shots against.

[00:57:22] It was the games played.

[00:57:23] Those are the four I remember.

[00:57:25] So maybe he was just on it four times, but out of a list of 10, right?

[00:57:29] And that is extremely impressive.

[00:57:31] I feel – I seriously feel bad for Devil fans that didn't get to watch him.

[00:57:35] It was a show every night.

[00:57:38] If you went to a game and Brodeur didn't start, you were actually disappointed.

[00:57:42] Even if the team won the game and you had a great backup goalie that you loved, you were disappointed.

[00:57:47] That was our superstar, and he was just money.

[00:57:50] I don't think I can count on one hand how many games I went to that he wasn't starting.

[00:57:54] I'm not even kidding.

[00:57:56] In the time that he played, not many.

[00:57:58] I mean if you want to actually say that, legitimately count on one hand, you're probably right.

[00:58:03] I'm probably the same.

[00:58:04] Yeah.

[00:58:04] Because you just said it.

[00:58:05] He played 77 games in the one year.

[00:58:07] I mean what's the chances you went to the four or five that he didn't start?

[00:58:12] They're probably on the road after back-to-backs.

[00:58:14] I was going to say hopefully they were road games.

[00:58:16] Yeah.

[00:58:17] All right.

[00:58:17] So before we wrap this thing up, we got one more little exercise here.

[00:58:21] So Bob, what we did was we took our – for where we stand right now, how we think these conferences are going to – divisions are going to pan out.

[00:58:31] Okay?

[00:58:32] So why don't we – I mean we did them separately, so we'll see where each of us go.

[00:58:37] Right.

[00:58:37] So we'll start with the Pacific Division.

[00:58:39] Okay.

[00:58:39] And we'll go eight to one.

[00:58:42] Sure.

[00:58:43] All right.

[00:58:43] Who do you have slotted to be last place in the Pacific?

[00:58:46] I still have the Sharks.

[00:58:48] I went with Anaheim.

[00:58:50] I thought about it.

[00:58:51] Okay.

[00:58:51] I think that San Jose is just – you know what?

[00:58:54] I heard a stat today about Anaheim.

[00:58:56] They have like over $20 million in salary cap space.

[00:59:00] And all I thought about was how serious are you to win if you seriously have $20 million in salary cap space still.

[00:59:08] So I'm going to give San Jose the push.

[00:59:10] I think they put enough stuff out there right now to not end up dead last.

[00:59:15] I'll be fair.

[00:59:16] I almost did that as well.

[00:59:17] I just figured another year of some of the Ducks.

[00:59:20] I got some young kids that another year of experience.

[00:59:22] I just figured they'd stay ahead.

[00:59:23] Last year, San Jose was eighth.

[00:59:25] They had 47 points.

[00:59:27] Anaheim was seventh with 59 points.

[00:59:29] So Bob and I just flipped them.

[00:59:30] We do think they're probably going to end up right there again.

[00:59:32] Who do you have for number six?

[00:59:34] I put the Flames in six.

[00:59:35] I have the Flames in six.

[00:59:37] Yep.

[00:59:37] They were fifth last year with 81 points.

[00:59:40] We both think they're going to drop a little.

[00:59:41] Yeah, I even have some of the points.

[00:59:43] We can save it for later.

[00:59:44] But I did have them dropping down to like a 73 type of margin.

[00:59:47] Okay, good points.

[00:59:47] That's a good like four or five wins less.

[00:59:50] I have a feeling that me and you are going to have four and five swapped out.

[00:59:54] Who do you have for five?

[00:59:55] I actually have the Kings falling all the way down to five.

[00:59:58] I was wrong.

[00:59:59] Okay, I have the Kings too.

[01:00:00] Last year they were third.

[01:00:01] You thought I had the Kraken?

[01:00:03] Yeah, I thought you had the Kraken.

[01:00:04] So I guess you have the Kraken four?

[01:00:06] I do.

[01:00:07] I had them rebounding a little bit and coming back up.

[01:00:09] Yep.

[01:00:09] I'm agreeing.

[01:00:10] I think I got them for about a 10-point swing.

[01:00:13] They were sixth last year with 81 points.

[01:00:16] It was a big jump off.

[01:00:17] I mean, that's not a lot of points.

[01:00:18] So I think that four wins and two more overtime losses is an easy 10 points for them to pick up.

[01:00:23] I'm with you.

[01:00:24] I think Seattle's going to be a lot better than they were last year.

[01:00:27] It's going to be more like the team two years ago.

[01:00:29] Yep.

[01:00:29] Number three.

[01:00:31] I got the Knights coming up just another point or two over last year for third.

[01:00:36] I have Vancouver at third.

[01:00:39] And the reason I have them at third right now is that Thatcher Depko's still hurt.

[01:00:44] And they don't know if he's going to be ready to start the season.

[01:00:47] And then their guy who played the playoffs for him, Archer Silyev, is that his name?

[01:00:53] Something like that?

[01:00:53] Yeah, I believe so.

[01:00:54] He got injured at like an Olympic thing in Latvia.

[01:00:58] So I'm a little nervous about their goaltending right now.

[01:01:01] So full disclosure for me, I just did this strictly on surface value.

[01:01:06] I didn't...

[01:01:07] Fair enough.

[01:01:08] I was brain dead.

[01:01:08] I'm like, I don't remember who even traded for who.

[01:01:10] This was the late night thing that you said, hey, I think we're going to talk about this.

[01:01:13] And it's late now for anyone listening.

[01:01:16] So yeah.

[01:01:17] So Vancouver won it last year with 109 points.

[01:01:20] I do have them slipping a little bit because I think their beginning of this year could be a little dangerous.

[01:01:23] So who do you have for number two?

[01:01:24] Number two, I have Vancouver also slipping a little bit to the tune of five or six points.

[01:01:29] Just coming down to earth a little bit.

[01:01:30] They had 109.

[01:01:31] That's a lot.

[01:01:32] Yeah.

[01:01:32] Fantastic year.

[01:01:33] I still think they're going to break the 100.

[01:01:34] So I put them at number two.

[01:01:35] I have Vegas as number two.

[01:01:38] So we both have the Edmonton Oilers winning that division.

[01:01:40] Yeah.

[01:01:41] All right.

[01:01:41] I got them.

[01:01:42] I got them putting up.

[01:01:43] I'm going to put them as the highest point total team this year at about 112.

[01:01:47] Wow.

[01:01:48] They had 104 last year.

[01:01:48] Everybody else doesn't touch that.

[01:01:50] Yeah.

[01:01:51] All right.

[01:01:52] So we're at central division.

[01:01:54] Okay.

[01:01:54] What do you got for eight?

[01:01:56] I'm going to stay with the Blackhawks at eight.

[01:01:58] They have a lot to prove to me yet.

[01:02:00] Yeah.

[01:02:00] The Blackhawks, I think, are going to be that team that is in every game this year.

[01:02:04] Or let me say it.

[01:02:05] They're not going to be getting blown out every game.

[01:02:08] And they're not going to win a lot.

[01:02:09] But they're going to be in every game kind of.

[01:02:11] Like, they're going to play hard.

[01:02:13] I think they're going to catch it.

[01:02:15] The wins they're going to get is because they're catching a team napping.

[01:02:18] But they're going to be out there playing hard every night.

[01:02:21] And I just – I'm with you, man.

[01:02:22] They don't have enough.

[01:02:23] I mean, at 52 points last year, even if I give them a 10-point buffer, that's still 62.

[01:02:28] And you're like, okay, who's not going to get more than that?

[01:02:30] Right.

[01:02:31] Who do you have for seven?

[01:02:32] I have the Wild dropping down.

[01:02:34] Oh, okay.

[01:02:35] I took the Blues.

[01:02:36] Oh, my God.

[01:02:36] I forgot to put the Blues.

[01:02:39] So you have a seven-team conference.

[01:02:41] All right.

[01:02:41] Let me – hold on.

[01:02:44] Let me just see if I would change that.

[01:02:46] I actually only have seven teams in this conference.

[01:02:48] Yes.

[01:02:49] So Blues –

[01:02:49] Blues are forgettable.

[01:02:50] That's why I have them at 7.

[01:02:52] Yeah, 92 last year.

[01:02:54] I would definitely put the Blues below the Wilds.

[01:02:56] So excuse me.

[01:02:57] I will put the Blues at seventh as well.

[01:02:58] All right.

[01:02:58] So then we both have the Blues at seven.

[01:03:00] We both have the Wilds at six?

[01:03:02] Yes.

[01:03:02] Yeah.

[01:03:02] I'm with you.

[01:03:03] Who do you have for five?

[01:03:05] I got your team, buddy.

[01:03:06] I got Utah.

[01:03:08] All right.

[01:03:08] Utah going from like a 77 points, if that's what Phoenix had, I believe.

[01:03:12] Yeah.

[01:03:13] I got them pushing up to 90 for fifth.

[01:03:16] All right.

[01:03:17] I don't know if it's a playoff team like you believe, but that's where I think they're fitting.

[01:03:21] And that's why I don't have them at five.

[01:03:23] I have them at four, and I have Winnipeg at five.

[01:03:26] Yeah.

[01:03:27] Wow.

[01:03:28] I just, Winnipeg, man, that playoff last year really put a bad taste in my mouth.

[01:03:33] I just don't know who the hell they are.

[01:03:35] I think that, I think that, I think they're going to fall a lot this year.

[01:03:39] And I think that Utah is going to take their place.

[01:03:42] I have Utah at four.

[01:03:43] Who do you have before?

[01:03:45] A team I did not want to put it for, but I just don't know.

[01:03:48] I still think they're one of the top teams that will make the playoffs, but I have them falling down to the tune of maybe 10 points or so just because it eventually has to happen.

[01:03:56] You put the abs down there?

[01:03:57] I did, but still with 97 points.

[01:03:59] I'm not calling them crap.

[01:04:01] I'm just, I got a couple of teams in front of them, I think, just had that mojo this year.

[01:04:04] All right.

[01:04:05] So who do you have for three?

[01:04:06] I have Nashville at three.

[01:04:07] Okay.

[01:04:08] I want to see it.

[01:04:08] Just a couple.

[01:04:09] I got a two-point swing from 99 to 101.

[01:04:12] All right.

[01:04:13] Well, I think, yeah, I think that's fair.

[01:04:14] You have Winnipeg at two then?

[01:04:16] I do have Winnipeg at two, even though I have them coming down in points because 110 points was a big year.

[01:04:21] Yeah.

[01:04:21] I still have them at number two, not to be dethroned yet by the Stars, which I have no reason to feel would fall off at all at this point.

[01:04:28] It's much more likely that Winnipeg is going to be better than Utah, but because of my bold statement, I'm going to stay with Utah coming in at fourth.

[01:04:37] Go for it.

[01:04:37] And we both have the Stars winning the Central.

[01:04:40] Mm-hmm.

[01:04:41] All right.

[01:04:41] Yeah.

[01:04:41] They deserve that until proven otherwise.

[01:04:44] I agree.

[01:04:45] They're going to be really good this year.

[01:04:47] The Atlantic, number eight.

[01:04:49] I think we're going to have quite a few disagreements on this one.

[01:04:52] Number eight.

[01:04:52] I agree.

[01:04:53] I think this is the one conference where we might move around a lot.

[01:04:56] Yeah.

[01:04:57] I actually put the Senators all the way down at eighth.

[01:05:00] Okay.

[01:05:01] I have them reducing by a few points.

[01:05:03] They were 78 last year.

[01:05:05] I'm giving them 75.

[01:05:06] I wanted to think that they were going to put something together, but then I was looking at the other teams, and somebody had to go down to the bottom.

[01:05:14] That would be disastrous for Ottawa.

[01:05:18] I know.

[01:05:19] But who I have there, you're not going to agree with this at all.

[01:05:23] I have the Detroit Red Wings at number eight.

[01:05:26] You're right.

[01:05:27] I am way off from that.

[01:05:28] Yep.

[01:05:28] I have the Detroit Red Wings at number eight.

[01:05:31] I just don't think they've done much at all.

[01:05:34] I just, I don't just Patrick Kane and Terrence Janko.

[01:05:38] And you're saying they have no reason to pop.

[01:05:41] Yeah.

[01:05:41] Okay.

[01:05:42] Yeah.

[01:05:43] That's what I'm saying.

[01:05:44] Okay.

[01:05:45] So who do you have for number seven?

[01:05:47] Number seven is actually a statistical tie with number six, but I'll put them in seventh maybe for a tie-breaking game.

[01:05:54] And that's the Habs.

[01:05:56] Yeah.

[01:05:56] Me too.

[01:05:56] I got a four-point upswing.

[01:05:59] I actually like their team, and I think this is another team that's going to be super competitive.

[01:06:03] Don't take it lightly.

[01:06:04] But at the end of the day, you're going to beat them by that one goal.

[01:06:07] You know, you're just going to come out on top.

[01:06:08] I agree.

[01:06:09] Number six, who you got?

[01:06:11] The Sabres.

[01:06:12] Oh, okay.

[01:06:13] So I'm not buying high on them.

[01:06:15] I have them actually dropping a few points.

[01:06:17] Lindy Ruff coming in.

[01:06:18] I just don't trust what they're going to do.

[01:06:20] I have the Senators at six, and I have Buffalo at five.

[01:06:25] I agree with you.

[01:06:26] I think they're going to be around the same points.

[01:06:27] I think they're both going to be around 80 points.

[01:06:30] I think they could swap out those five, six spots.

[01:06:33] They're the same team to me, and I think that Lindy Ruff does nothing.

[01:06:36] Linus Olmark's going to make Ottawa a little better, but they don't have enough stuff there.

[01:06:40] I think there's going to be too many nights that Linus Olmark's going to wish she stayed in Boston.

[01:06:44] Yeah, and you know, when we're doing these things, it's so hard.

[01:06:47] You got to remember where everybody's mind was last year going into the season with a team like the Devils.

[01:06:52] Nobody, if they were doing this right now, would have put them in the 98, 99, 100-something points,

[01:06:56] and then it was a disastrous season.

[01:06:58] So when I put the Senators at eight, it's not that I'm saying they're a shitty team.

[01:07:02] They've got great players, but it's just sometimes these things happen,

[01:07:06] and it just looks like the team that's going to be forgotten this year.

[01:07:09] I could see it happening.

[01:07:10] Who do you have for five?

[01:07:12] I have the Tampa Bay Lightning coming down to fifth.

[01:07:15] I wanted to put them further down.

[01:07:17] But again, it was all about Vasilevsky.

[01:07:20] I just have them losing a couple points.

[01:07:22] Why do you think the Red Wings are going to be that good?

[01:07:25] Listen, I only gave the Red Wings six or seven-point swing, like three more wins.

[01:07:30] I'm not doing anything earth-shattering here.

[01:07:32] They had the – let me just look.

[01:07:34] They had what?

[01:07:35] How many wins did they have last year?

[01:07:36] Yeah, and 41 wins, which is not bad.

[01:07:40] So I'm just saying that they can get the 44 wins and 98 points.

[01:07:44] So yeah, I got the Red Wings being a bubble team.

[01:07:47] I just see every other team kind of doing stuff and trying to be a little better,

[01:07:51] and I just kind of see Detroit as this team going nowhere.

[01:07:55] I don't know.

[01:07:56] It could be.

[01:07:57] All right.

[01:07:58] So I have Buffalo at five.

[01:08:00] I have the Lightning at four.

[01:08:03] You have Detroit at four, I'm guessing.

[01:08:05] Yeah, that was Detroit.

[01:08:06] Okay.

[01:08:07] Yeah, I think the Lightning are going to be a playoff team again,

[01:08:10] but they're going to be a wild card again, and no one's going to want to play them again.

[01:08:14] I mean, I haven't laid this out in a conference situation or in a playoff situation,

[01:08:19] but that might actually have them not making it.

[01:08:22] That'll be an exercise for later in the year.

[01:08:23] I could totally see that.

[01:08:25] Oh, this, I'll disagree.

[01:08:26] And I might change my mind.

[01:08:27] I will disagree with this list by like the end of tomorrow.

[01:08:31] I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning and be like, what did I do?

[01:08:33] I'll just be thinking about it all day, and I'll be like,

[01:08:35] what the hell was I thinking?

[01:08:37] Detroit's going to be better than Montreal, and I'll flip it around.

[01:08:40] All right, so number three.

[01:08:41] I got Boston taking a drop, 10-point drop.

[01:08:44] Same here.

[01:08:45] They didn't want to kill them, but they got to come back down to earth.

[01:08:48] 109 last year.

[01:08:49] If I give them 99, I feel it's still kind of charity.

[01:08:52] So that's where I'm at.

[01:08:53] Yeah, I'm with you.

[01:08:54] Number two?

[01:08:55] The Leafs.

[01:08:56] Same.

[01:08:57] I think they're going to be right behind the Panthers,

[01:09:00] but at this point, I can't dethrone the Panthers,

[01:09:03] although I will also bring their point total down from like 110 to like 104.

[01:09:08] Magical season and all, Stanley Cup included.

[01:09:11] So that kind of spreads out the points a little bit for the Atlantic for me.

[01:09:14] And we still have the same.

[01:09:15] We all have, me and you have, even though we disagree,

[01:09:18] we just disagree on the bottom.

[01:09:19] We have not disagreed on the top at all.

[01:09:21] We have the same teams in the playoffs.

[01:09:23] I think we actually thought about even putting the Leafs because just point wise,

[01:09:27] just regular season Leafs.

[01:09:28] I could see the Leafs winning that division.

[01:09:30] Yeah, it's a safe bet.

[01:09:31] That's exactly what I was thinking.

[01:09:32] But Panthers deserve the nod.

[01:09:34] Yeah, that's exactly where I was with this.

[01:09:36] I know you're not going to agree with my eighth place team in the Metro.

[01:09:40] So I'll let you go first.

[01:09:42] Your eighth team in the Metro would probably be the Islanders.

[01:09:45] No.

[01:09:46] Okay.

[01:09:47] Well, I am going to stick with the Blue Jackets.

[01:09:50] I am going to give them more points, five, six, seven more points,

[01:09:55] because they can't continue to be that bad.

[01:09:57] But I don't see them breaking anything higher than the eighth seed.

[01:10:02] The only reason I have this eighth seed, this team as the eighth seed,

[01:10:06] is because I still have this fucking bad taste in my mouth that this team of just this boring-ass,

[01:10:15] horrible team made the fucking playoffs last year.

[01:10:17] Washington Capitals, number eight.

[01:10:19] Oh, this is very surprising, because I thought you were more bullish on them than me.

[01:10:23] I'm the one who normally hates them.

[01:10:24] No, I'm bullish on Pittsburgh.

[01:10:27] Okay.

[01:10:27] That's who I'm a little bullish on.

[01:10:29] But the Washington Capitals, I just don't like anything that they did.

[01:10:34] I think the Pierre-Luc Dubois thing is going to blow up in their face.

[01:10:37] I just feel validated.

[01:10:39] Yeah.

[01:10:40] I don't know why they're as high as they are on everybody's list.

[01:10:43] Yeah, not a fan.

[01:10:44] Number seven, I put the Blue Jackets.

[01:10:47] I got the Flyers taking a few points down right about where they were last year.

[01:10:52] So it's a little less magic.

[01:10:53] Yeah, I'm with you.

[01:10:54] I have them at six.

[01:10:55] Who do you have at six?

[01:10:56] I actually dropped the Islanders from 94 to 86 points for six.

[01:11:00] Okay.

[01:11:00] I don't know what to make of that team.

[01:11:02] I hate to do that because I think Sorokin is one of the best goalies in the world.

[01:11:09] Somebody had to move.

[01:11:10] I don't know.

[01:11:11] I have the Islanders at five.

[01:11:14] So I moved them there.

[01:11:16] And I'm guessing you have Washington at five.

[01:11:17] I did.

[01:11:18] I still dropped them a few points.

[01:11:19] But again, I think part of me is listening.

[01:11:23] Like I hear the chirping in my ear about other, you know, so I just, I kind of kept them a

[01:11:27] little bit higher maybe to not fail this exam.

[01:11:30] But in all honesty, I don't believe in the caps at all.

[01:11:33] I would not be surprised if you're right.

[01:11:35] And they're just nothing next year.

[01:11:36] Yeah.

[01:11:37] I think there's a very good chance they're going to be dog shit.

[01:11:39] And you look at like how I was, saw these stats about them today and stuff.

[01:11:43] Like they've won so many one goal games.

[01:11:46] They got so many charity points, you know, participation points.

[01:11:51] It actually ebbs and flows.

[01:11:53] I get so angry with that.

[01:11:55] And they've just won close games every time.

[01:11:58] They hung on by their ass hair.

[01:12:01] And it's just like, no, I'm done with you.

[01:12:03] So at five, I have the Islanders.

[01:12:05] Okay.

[01:12:06] I think they're just a middling team.

[01:12:09] I'm not expecting much.

[01:12:10] You know, they're going to go on a little stretch and they're going to be bad for most of the

[01:12:13] year.

[01:12:14] They'll go on a little stretch here and there.

[01:12:15] Number four, I have the Pittsburgh Penguins.

[01:12:19] I do as well.

[01:12:20] I have them actually increasing their point total by about four or so.

[01:12:24] I think that this is kind of like their one last push.

[01:12:28] Yeah.

[01:12:29] Just to do it.

[01:12:30] I actually have them as a statistical tie with the Hurricanes that I'll have third, but the

[01:12:35] Hurricanes, again, taking the top seed for game tiebreaker or whatever it would be at the

[01:12:39] time.

[01:12:40] Yes.

[01:12:40] I'm with you.

[01:12:40] I have the Canes at three as well.

[01:12:43] Any idea on where you think their point total will be?

[01:12:46] They had 111 last year and we all know they have to come down from that.

[01:12:49] But where do you feel comfortable with it?

[01:12:51] I think they're probably going to be around 92.

[01:12:54] That's exactly what I put.

[01:12:56] 92.

[01:12:57] I wanted to give them almost a 20 point swing down.

[01:12:59] I really did.

[01:13:00] So instead, I made it 19 just to kind of cover the spread a little bit.

[01:13:04] And I think Pittsburgh is going to probably have, I mean, they got an 88 last year.

[01:13:08] You know, I think you give them, you know, they get 90 points.

[01:13:11] It's going to be a battle for that wild card spot.

[01:13:13] Yeah.

[01:13:13] That's what I was saying.

[01:13:14] It's almost like a gift to the Canes that they might be able to get in with that.

[01:13:21] Right.

[01:13:21] Which is why I kind of gave them the tie with the Penguins because I feel like they're really

[01:13:25] going to feel the pressure this year.

[01:13:27] And that's going to be a pretty cool race to watch at the end of the year.

[01:13:30] Rod Brindamore is going to have his work cut out for him.

[01:13:32] We're going to see how good of a coach he is.

[01:13:33] We all know he's a great coach.

[01:13:35] I mean, but he's going to have to do his best coaching to get this team into the playoffs

[01:13:39] this year.

[01:13:40] Number two.

[01:13:42] So here it is, right?

[01:13:44] Here it is.

[01:13:45] Are we the happy homers?

[01:13:46] Are we realistic based on last year?

[01:13:50] So I think we both had the Devils at two.

[01:13:54] Incorrect.

[01:13:54] Oh, shit.

[01:13:55] I say fuck the Rangers.

[01:13:57] I put the Rangers down.

[01:13:58] I put them dropping from their 114 points to about 102.

[01:14:03] And I got the Devils winning the division with 103.

[01:14:07] All right.

[01:14:08] I just, I went with, they are the president's trophy winner.

[01:14:13] I don't see them getting too, but they didn't get worse.

[01:14:17] So, I mean, my, you know, an issue that the Rangers have to worry about though, is some

[01:14:22] of those, their big name players are kind of getting up in age a little bit.

[01:14:26] And, you know, is that a reason why late in the playoffs last year, they were nowhere

[01:14:30] to be found.

[01:14:31] So, you know, I think this is it for the Rangers though.

[01:14:34] If the Rangers don't win the Stanley cup this year, I'll even say this.

[01:14:37] The Rangers don't play for the Stanley cup this year.

[01:14:40] They're going to be down to my fourth or fifth seed in the Metro next year.

[01:14:44] I'm done.

[01:14:44] Yeah.

[01:14:44] I just think that, I mean, their season was beyond magical for the team they have.

[01:14:51] I understand nothing changed.

[01:14:52] So why would they not be at least as good?

[01:14:55] But I think they easily got maybe five more wins above expected.

[01:15:02] So let's start with that 10.

[01:15:03] So I take the 114, subtract 10 points.

[01:15:06] That's 104.

[01:15:08] I dropped them down a few more points to account for the Devils kicking their ass and a couple

[01:15:12] other teams getting good.

[01:15:13] And I'm just, I had to find a way because I truly honestly believe after thinking about

[01:15:18] it for a while that although they wanted the Rangers and they should be top dog for a

[01:15:24] I just think the Devils truly and honestly have a better team and can eclipse them in points.

[01:15:30] And we had 112 two years ago, right?

[01:15:33] Yeah.

[01:15:34] And I'm only putting them at 103.

[01:15:36] So I'm still giving them basically four less wins than our magical season.

[01:15:40] And this is not arguably, this is definitely a better team than that team.

[01:15:45] What we have right now is it's not even close.

[01:15:48] So it doesn't mean that we're going to explode and get 114 points or anything like that.

[01:15:52] But I just firmly believe it's going to be in the first place.

[01:15:55] It actually reminds me of something I got to tell you real quick.

[01:15:56] I got a text from Derek the other day.

[01:15:58] And he's like, he's like, I'm watching last year's playoff run and I'm so psyched for opening

[01:16:04] day and the next season.

[01:16:06] And I thought to myself, this guy is so traumatized.

[01:16:09] He doesn't realize there was a year in between that playoff run because we were absolutely

[01:16:13] shitty last year.

[01:16:15] I didn't have the heart to tell him.

[01:16:16] I'm like, you go buddy.

[01:16:17] You're right.

[01:16:18] Oh shit.

[01:16:19] He's going to call you out tomorrow and be like, dude, we just won the Stanley cup.

[01:16:23] Yeah.

[01:16:24] Yeah.

[01:16:24] Derek, you're listening.

[01:16:25] I'm sorry.

[01:16:26] I missed the fucking year.

[01:16:27] I'm sorry, the pitcher's so bad.

[01:16:28] The guys sound like they're underwater.

[01:16:31] But I agree with what you're saying about the Devils and the Rangers.

[01:16:34] I really do.

[01:16:35] My whole thing was, I do feel like sometimes I have to put the brakes on how I feel about

[01:16:42] this team.

[01:16:43] Because in all honesty, when I look at this Devils lineup and we have a, we're not a great,

[01:16:51] we're not experts, but a good idea of the makeup and players on every other team for the

[01:16:55] most part, especially when it comes to our division.

[01:16:58] Yep.

[01:16:58] But I look at this Devils team and all the pieces that are in place and if they can actually,

[01:17:03] when they get together.

[01:17:04] And I do have a fear, like maybe the beginning of the year, there might take a little bit

[01:17:09] of time before they start gelling, which is fine.

[01:17:12] But when they do, I think this team can be un-frickin'-stoppable.

[01:17:16] I really do.

[01:17:17] I look at this makeup, I'm like, who the hell has a blue line like we do with that makeup?

[01:17:23] And look at our top 12, look at all our forward lines.

[01:17:26] Like, and then I start thinking about a person, I get all excited about them.

[01:17:30] I'm like, fuck, I forgot.

[01:17:31] Stephon Mason's on this team.

[01:17:33] And I start getting more excited.

[01:17:35] And then I like think about what all these dudes are going to be able to do this year.

[01:17:38] And if everyone stays healthy, they can win the Stanley Cup.

[01:17:41] You just nailed exactly where my mindset is because we have spent so much time this offseason

[01:17:46] talking about just how well the team has been filled out and rounded out and talking about

[01:17:51] like bottom six contributions and, you know, depth on defense and stuff like that.

[01:17:55] You forget that a guy like Jesper Brett may not have popped yet.

[01:18:00] Right.

[01:18:01] This guy might put up 40-something goals in addition to Cotter on the third and Mason

[01:18:06] and a fourth line that can shut him down or score.

[01:18:09] It's incredible.

[01:18:10] What's this team going to look like if Timo Mayer plays like Timo Mayer?

[01:18:13] Like, seriously.

[01:18:15] The dynamic of what this team can put together is just ridiculous.

[01:18:20] All right.

[01:18:21] Hot take.

[01:18:21] Like, it is absolutely not out of reason that Timo Mayer could flirt with 50.

[01:18:27] Yeah.

[01:18:28] I agree.

[01:18:28] Based on his pace just at the end of last year.

[01:18:31] I mean, he's already scored 40-something in his career, right?

[01:18:34] I think it was 48 was maybe as high.

[01:18:35] I don't know.

[01:18:36] I'll have to look.

[01:18:37] But, yeah, I mean, he could do 50.

[01:18:39] Like, we forget about him.

[01:18:40] Everyone talks about just Heischer and Hughes, and they should.

[01:18:44] But, yeah, we have all these other guys.

[01:18:46] And then guys that we know we're super excited about, like Paul Cotter and Brendan Dillon and

[01:18:51] Brett Pesci.

[01:18:52] Like, this is, oh, fuck, dude.

[01:18:54] We got a goalie.

[01:18:55] You know?

[01:18:55] It just kind of gelled together, and I believe that Sheldon Keefe is absolutely the person

[01:19:00] who can do that.

[01:19:01] I'm totally with you.

[01:19:02] Like, we watched all last year going, are we the only ones that could see this chemistry

[01:19:07] is not working?

[01:19:07] I remember saying on more than one occasion, too many cooks in the kitchen, right?

[01:19:12] And I was referring to some guys scoring and other guys not.

[01:19:16] I just didn't understand the balance of what was going on.

[01:19:19] There was none.

[01:19:20] This guy's smart enough to say, regardless of what you think the optics should look like

[01:19:25] on a line, this is what I'm going to do to actually win games and to maximize production.

[01:19:30] So, super excited.

[01:19:32] I do think there might have been some voices of dissent last year in the locker room,

[01:19:36] you know, when it comes to Lindy Ruff.

[01:19:38] But at the same time, like now, I don't think any...

[01:19:42] I think that they are all so disappointed in how last year went that they're going to

[01:19:46] buy in.

[01:19:46] And if you do that and the system works, man, they could win the cup.

[01:19:52] Doesn't it feel like the coach, too, is kind of that great combination of sergeant and,

[01:19:58] you know, down-to-earth guy?

[01:20:00] You know what I mean?

[01:20:00] Like, don't do me wrong and we'll be good, but do me wrong and you'll pay kind of thing.

[01:20:05] So, he won't overdo that message.

[01:20:07] I just think he's really a great addition.

[01:20:10] And I think that Toronto sorely screwed up.

[01:20:13] I agree.

[01:20:14] I agree.

[01:20:15] It's going to be a lot of fun.

[01:20:16] All right.

[01:20:17] We're going to wrap this thing up.

[01:20:18] It's getting a little late.

[01:20:19] So, and tomorrow I got a big day.

[01:20:21] Got to bring my baby girl to college.

[01:20:24] Oh, my goodness.

[01:20:25] Holy shit, dude.

[01:20:26] Yeah.

[01:20:26] Wish you luck for me, man.

[01:20:27] I will, man.

[01:20:28] Thank you very much.

[01:20:29] And wherever you are listening to us, they like it five-star review and all the shit.

[01:20:33] All right.

[01:20:33] So, we're the puckers.

[01:20:35] Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

[01:20:36] Bye-bye.

[01:20:36] Thanks for listening.

[01:20:37] We'll see you when we see you.

[01:20:43] It's over, Johnny.

[01:20:45] It's over.

[01:20:46] It's over.