Devils Depth Is The Key

Chris (00:00.522)
going. All right, well, it is officially hockey season, Bobby. I know it was Friday and Saturday because we got to watch our wonderful New Jersey Devils take all four points out in Prague. But today is actually the first day of the NHL season. How does that make you feel,

Bobby (00:19.32)
It makes me feel great. There's two wonderful, wonderful things about October. The first is hockey, specifically Devil's Hockey. And then the second is it's like no utilities month. I love this month. You're not cool in your house. You're not heating your house. You're just kind of sitting there saving a couple hundred bucks. And maybe you get this a little bit in April too. Yeah.

Chris (00:36.148)
You're right.

Windows... Windows open. I have had my windows open downstairs for like the last two, two and a half weeks. No air, no heat, no nothing. And it's glorious. It is so... yeah.

Bobby (00:51.096)
It's very glorious. have oil heat, which is a pain in ass to keep track of, pay for. So yeah, this is a, love this month. It kind of preps me up for everything. But yeah, real hockey's here. We've got three games out today, right? We've got the Blues, the Kraken. We've got Bruins at Panthers. Is that not going to be canceled? I mean, I guess they're trying to get that in, get everybody out. mean.

Chris (01:11.392)
Well, I just saw that the storm is, which is why Tony's not here today. He's freaking out because he's got that property in Tampa. He's got family in Tampa. So he's worried about that. But it looks like the, the report that I just looked at, it looks like the storm is heading a little bit further south. So it does look like Tampa is going to be spared on this. So thank God for Tony. hopefully he doesn't have any damage, but they said they were going to get the game in and then, like you said, just get everybody out.

Bobby (01:18.498)
Yeah.

Chris (01:40.746)
Tampa Bay, I know like the Buccaneers I think are playing, I think they're playing the Saints next week or something. And I think they already went out to New Orleans or wherever they're playing and got away. They were also talking about the lightning and this game, the lightning game, guess whenever that is tomorrow, I guess they play, they weren't sure about what they were gonna do or there was a bunch of, I didn't hear too much about the Florida Boston game though.

Bobby (02:07.36)
just curious because even if they're not in direct path, this thing's gotten bigger and it's still dealing with a lot of her. We've dealt with the weaker edge of hurricanes. It's still no picnic. Hopefully, they're to get that game on and they're saying Swammin' may start. One practice.

Chris (02:10.857)
Yeah.

Chris (02:20.8)
Okay, that's okay. So that to me is setting up for Jeremy Swainman start the game tonight, pulling a hamstring or something and being out week to week after today and his new eight by eight and a quarter million dollars a year. Yep.

Bobby (02:32.405)
Yeah.

Bobby (02:37.614)
Wait a quarter million, right? So he did that and then to finish off the games we got Blackhawks at Utah tonight. So that's the set for tonight, but let's talk about Swamen for a second. So yeah, he signed on the dotted line for eight and 2.5 by eight years. I assume you heard this just Sturken news.

Chris (02:43.776)
That's the one I'm really looking forward to.

Chris (02:58.536)
Yeah, I did hear this is Durkin news.

Bobby (03:00.984)
So for anybody who hasn't, apparently, per Kevin Weeks and a few other sources, he turned down a record-breaking, especially for goalies, mean, eight-year, $11 million average contract per year for $88 million. He said no. Now we've heard rumblings he wants $12 million. Apparently, he really does. This is bad for the Rangers and great for us.

Chris (03:30.72)
It's really bad for the Rangers. I mean, let me just pose this one simple question. So let's say that Igor Shusterkin is a New Jersey devil and we're in the exact same position the Rangers are now. Do you sign him for $12 million? Like would you want to is really what I say as a fan.

Bobby (03:43.426)
Yeah. Yeah.

Bobby (03:48.608)
I'm glad you asked. Because seriously, here's the thing. We said they're screwed. We've been saying this forever. They are. Literally, there's no out here. Because you have to sign them because he's the best in league. And if you don't sign them, you're going to lose them for nothing here. At best, you trade them now when the other team knows he's going to want $12 million. Honestly, dude, I mean, I don't.

think that a $12 million goalie is worth it right now. When you look at our team as a build, for an example, we've got barely anything left in the cap. We've got a very full team, very balanced lineup. We're assuming things are going to go swimmingly this year. If you had a $12 million goalie in there, we easily have three or so less players.

Chris (04:37.6)
I for the Rangers, and I don't know their entire salary cap situation, and I don't know what their contracts are, what I do know is that Lafreniere and Keandre Miller are both up for extensions after this year. You drafted Lafreniere.

Bobby (04:50.742)
Right, and Trubas refusing to release his no movement clause, so he's not helping the team at all, Shosturkin's not helping the team at all. They really have to win now.

Chris (04:54.238)
Yeah, he won't leave. Yeah.

I mean, you can buy Truba out, but you still have to pay that. The nut is still on your books. So what's the point? Unless you can get this guy to agree to a trade and even if you had to eat some of the money, it's still better than all of the money. But having this dude who, look, you just got offered $88 million. You got offered to be the franchise goalie for the next eight years on a team that, look,

other than Toronto and some other Canadian markets, I throw maybe Boston in there. There is no bigger media market. There's no place he's going to make more money. And not just talking about a salary on the NHL level, I'm talking about everything that comes with being a superstar in New York. yes. So I mean, and we talked back in the summer, like, it's just Erkin going to be the kind of guy that says, I really want to win a Stanley Cup.

Bobby (05:43.982)
You can double it. Yeah.

Chris (05:56.57)
And I understand that I can't take the entire pie and go sit in the closet and eat it when everybody else wants a piece of it. And I'm not going to be able to do that. And we talked about that. What kind of guy is Igor Shostrkin? Is he going to be the kind of guy that says, me around Bobrovsky at 10 million? We were even saying, does he deserve more money than Connor Holobuch at like eight and a half or whatever Holobuch's getting, whatever Sorokin's getting.

And we thought that that was a good comp for Igor Shosturkin. And now we know what kind of guy he is. He's a guy that says, I don't care about winning a Stanley Cup. I want $12 million and you better pay me or I'm going to take my services elsewhere.

Bobby (06:28.91)
That's at least a benchmark for sure.

Bobby (06:33.422)
shattered.

apparently.

Bobby (06:42.488)
I mean, record breaking. You got what you want. You want to be the highest paid goalie. That's always a good thing. I know these players come up and they, that's sometimes their goal. I want to be the highest paid shortstop. I want to be the highest paid goalie. I deserve it. Fine. Okay. Maybe you do. Maybe you are the best, but that would also been true at 10 million, nine and a half. Like 11 million, the Rangers to their credit, we're really trying to say, we know what this guy wants. Let's, let's give them a really good offer and show them we're serious. And I mean,

It's beyond fair. It really is.

Chris (07:14.514)
It is be unfair because look, the bottom line is the man has played in two Eastern Conference finals in his career. That's it. As far as he got, he's never hoisted a cup, never even took him to a cup final. I understand how great this guy is. He's fantastic. He's a treat to watch when he's not playing the Devils. He's a great goalie. I enjoy watching him. But you're talking about

so much money in a salary cap league and I get it the caps going up and everything else but you know if Lafaniere has a year like he did last year right what's he worth? Nine? Ten million? know what's Keandre Miller who's one of your stud D I mean he is basically him and Adam Fox are your two best defensemen what are you gonna pay him? There's just not enough to go around so these guys are gonna this I agree with what you said earlier like this is in my opinion

This is it for the Rangers. If they do not win the cup this year, think that window isn't just closing. I think it's slam shut and locks and that's it. You're not getting it open again.

Bobby (08:21.214)
If especially if they pay them, I mean, if they do go up to pay them, that's it. It's this year. And as far as, you know, what the question you post to me, like, all honesty,

You might just have to, you might just have to trade them. Like you're going to really let them walk for nothing if you can't sign them. And I know they want to try to win this year, but beyond that, this is just a terrible spot for them.

Chris (08:42.687)
Well...

You know, it also comes down to you're going to look around and say, can we win a Stanley Cup with Jonathan Quick? I think if Quick is healthy in playoff time and he's not a guy that started 50 games for you during the regular season. And yes, I do think Jonathan Quick still has it in him. He's done what Igor Shisurkin has and he's won Stanley Cups. Do you make that, do you make that move? I mean, if it really does come to an, an pass where you can't

lock this thing up and he really is firm on 12 million you're gonna find teams that'll pay him but you know I

Bobby (09:20.334)
Sure. Well, it's not going to be the best contending teams because they're not going to have $12 million for a goalie.

Chris (09:25.362)
No. mean, look at, know, so, so Boston has a great goalie. They have them for eight and a quarter. You look at Florida's got Bobrovsky 10 million, but Bobrovsky won you a Stanley Cup. Like you can't argue the $10 million. No matter, and everybody bitched about the $10 million before two years ago, right? Well, Bobrovsky's getting paid this much money. He hasn't done anything. Then he took them to a cup final and then he won the cup. So you're willing to say, okay, that's, you know,

what this guy's worth, he's a proven winner. But if you haven't won anything and your ego is just circling, I know your numbers are great, I get it, you've won a Vezna. Well, so has, know, Connor Hollebuck has two Veznas, you know, he's at eight and a half, whatever, like that's the number you should be at. The fact that the Rangers are even, like you said, saying, look, we appreciate who you are and what you can do for this team, we're gonna give you 11 million, and he still, still thumbs his nose at you.

Bobby (10:22.958)
Yeah. Right. I don't know about their farm system and I don't know about, like you mentioned, all of their current contracts. But if you put it in this like a devil situation, we would at least be able to say, well, you know what? Our core is all locked up for very long time. That's not going to change. As far as, look at the defense we're already trolling out there. We could literally move a few guys and millions and millions of dollars and maybe not miss a beat the way Casey's playing, you know, with Luke and Nemec.

Chris (10:24.8)
I don't know how...

Bobby (10:52.972)
And then forwards to we just have the depth. I don't know if they have the depth. Like this would be hard for us to do and we can do it and still be good. They haven't gotten to pay in their players yet. Like you said, the Lafayette hasn't been paid yet. Like those guys. So I don't know.

Chris (11:02.602)
date.

Chris (11:07.614)
And you know, most organizations believe that, well, if it's going to be $10 million for a goaltender or maybe look at like where New Jersey is, right? Where we have 6 million for both our goaltenders and a strong defense. I think most ownerships and most management would say, give me the money to bolster the defense, to get my blue line good. And I'll show you a

goalie who maybe is middle of the road and I can make them really good because you know, look, and it's, you you look at Colorado winning the cup with the Kemper or you're looking at, you know, Aiden Hill winning the cup with Vegas. Like these are not guys that are Igor Shostrkin type players, but they're just on great teams with really, really good defenses.

Bobby (12:00.948)
It's literally an advantage to have the best goalie, absolutely. But is it that much more of an advantage over a balanced team with great defense? I don't know. I don't think so. It's not. So, pardon me if I'm a little distracted. I believe Starley Marte just hit a two run single to make it four nothing Mets in the sixth. So, going well.

Chris (12:10.368)
It's not. It's not. I hope.

Chris (12:19.208)
Nice, nice. Have you gotten around to watch any of the Amazon Prime series, the open ice or what is it called? Inside the... You haven't seen this.

Bobby (12:32.383)
no. No, I totally forgot that that's available.

Chris (12:37.16)
So I binged at this thing yesterday, every episode. So I think it's eight episodes. It's really, really well done. follows around most of the playoff teams from last year, a few players on each one where it starts off really kind of talking about going into Jeremy Swamen and his run last year.

A lot of behind the scenes stuff, tons of behind the scenes stuff, which is pretty cool. I like Swainman's attitude. Like he was saying like last year he went to arbitration and you know, it was going on about how terrible it is. We've talked about arbitration, how awful it is for players. You know, nobody likes to go and sit down and hear your bosses tell you how much they hate you. You know, and he's like, you know, and everything they were saying, I just kind of wrote it down, like has not performed in the playoffs. Check.

Bobby (13:17.666)
Yeah, totally.

Chris (13:31.754)
did that this year, know, everything. So, so he's kind of taken his receipts and I'm sure that that played into his hard line stance this summer of not signing right away with them. Like you, we went to arbitration last year. I know how you guys really feel. And so I'm going to try and get as much as possible from you, but it was like his story, you know, where he grew up in Alaska and then where, you know, the Boston Bruins went last year.

They got a really great thing on the Colorado Avalanche and Gabriel Landiscag and everything he's been through with his injuries and everything. And that was really awesome to see. But the last two episodes, then they had this one episode that was just called The Captains, which focused on Truba, Quinn Hughes and Gabriel Landiscag. And that was a good episode, just kind of like the different ways that they all lead and everything where you have

One guy who leads through his physical play and being a big mouth and Jacob Truba, the very quiet, subdued Quinn Hughes, who's, know, and then Gabriel Landiscock, who tries to lead that team from basically the locker room, because he's not out there with them, which is got to be frustrating. The last two episodes were Cupper Bust part one and part two, and it was Connor and Matthew Kachuk, essentially.

Bobby (14:54.2)
Right on.

Chris (14:54.578)
That was really interesting, especially seeing Connor McDay. I'm sure you've heard the, yeah, of his complete meltdown after I think it was game two of the final in Florida. You know, just, you know, really having a meltdown, rightfully so. And then they had, started the episodes with Edmonton.

Bobby (14:59.96)
Scene clips, yep.

Chris (15:20.606)
going after the loss of game seven, like just going into the locker room and like nobody says saying anything. And Connor McDavid just broke down crying. Like it was like, you get it, right? I mean, this guy.

Bobby (15:27.776)
man.

Bobby (15:35.478)
Yeah, totally. It's real life stuff.

Chris (15:38.772)
When you know they showed a little bit of Connor McDavid's life from like 10 years old to today. This guy has never not had all the pressure in the world on his shoulders. And. No. You know, like he says, like I've been wearing a suit and tie to game since I was 10 years old. Like this is who he is. He's always had media around him. He's always had, you know, he's.

Bobby (15:50.816)
right yeah this ain't me and you playing wiffle ball man like this is like

Chris (16:05.216)
It's got to be a horrible way to live. It really has to be terrible. And then all the pressure too of, you know, being in Edmonton and living in that shadow of those four cups and Wayne Gretzky and all that. And after watching that, I know I had said this this summer, Edmonton's not making it back. I don't know, man. I think Connor McDavid is going to have a season this year like nobody's ever had. I really believe that.

because I watched that and I'm like, there's nobody more focused. Nobody takes this job as serious as Conor McDavid does. And I think that is gonna behoove him and the Edmonton Oilers this year.

Bobby (16:44.802)
Yeah, it's very possible he continues to have statistically better seasons for the next several. You look at some of the numbers that Gretzky put up in a single season and you look at what, you know, David's been able to do. And yeah, he is one of the most driven people I've ever seen. And when your entire life is that one dream to win that Stanley Cup and you're there, I mean, it's game seven. You got, there's no way you can tell me that everyone to a man isn't going home saying,

What more could I have done? Just one more little thing. You know what I mean? Because that's all it may have taken. One more little thing. One shot that goes in the net. One save. One block shot. Man, to be that close is awful. You really do feel for them because we're all sports fans and we go through things where I don't just want my team to win. Like, screw you and your feelings. It's about me and my team. But when you really break it down, you look at the human element of it, man, that's just got to be tough.

Chris (17:18.938)
sure.

Chris (17:42.216)
It was great because Gabriel Landiscage is talking and he's like, you know, I've, I've gotten like now I watch the playoff games and I'm, on the edge of my seat and I'm, you know, holding my breath through every play. And I'm, when you're on the ice, you're not doing that at all. You're playing hockey. It doesn't matter the situation out there. You're in the moment. And the guy says to him, so you're basically a fan now. And he's like, yeah, I have been resorted to being just a fan. And yeah, that's what fans do. We live and die with every single thing that our teams do.

And it's a ton of fun, but 99.9 % of the time it ends in epic disaster and a giant fail and you're miserable, but it's the ride, right? It's just that journey. Like we don't know who's going to win the cup this year, but we're really looking forward to the 80 games the devils have left. You know, but I highly recommend it. It was very well done. It was very cool to see Matthew Kachuk is a complete and total douchebag.

Bobby (18:22.541)
It's the ride.

Chris (18:39.84)
on every level I mean the guy is just such a ball buster and He loves being that he takes such pride in it like he him and McDavid they were going back and forth in the finals and there now they're miked up so you actually hear some of the stuff you know like he just skates by McDavid this one time McDavid's like talking to the ref about so he's like what the fuck are you bitching about now and like just skates by him and gives him a little elbow you know and they're like in each other's face all the time

Bobby (19:06.829)
Love it.

Chris (19:09.012)
talking shit to each other. It was really cool to see. I definitely recommend.

Bobby (19:14.254)
I'll be on it for sure.

Chris (19:17.642)
So, I mean, I guess that's the housekeeping around the league, right?

Bobby (19:23.47)
Yeah, yeah for the most part that's the big news. We're out of league.

Chris (19:25.6)
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Bobby (21:05.164)
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Chris (22:00.488)
I like low price guarantee.

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Chris (22:47.334)
Is game time, Now, Thursday at 7 o'clock, it will be game time for our devils. Let's talk a little bit about this game, and, you know, I'm super excited for it. This is a big game for a home opener. You know, like last year...

Bobby (23:04.662)
No, yeah. Are the expectations higher now that we're 2-0? Because we're taking a little break? Or is it more acceptable? Like, they came back overseas, they might lose. It'll be 2-1.

Chris (23:18.12)
I think that the, I think that not so much that the fact that they've already played in one, two games. I don't know if that's what makes it kind of a little bit more pressure on this game. I think it's just also the fact of who you're playing. I mean, you're talking about a team that is perennially in the playoffs. Like, you know, Toronto is going to be good. And not to mention the Sheldon Keefe factor. I mean, I'm sure that...

Bobby (23:42.274)
Great storylines, right?

Chris (23:43.294)
Yeah, I mean, look, I know that we play him a couple of times a year, three times a year, he's going to get a couple of cracks at him, to have it as your home opener. This is Sheldon Keefe's first introduction to the Rock, first introduction to the crowd, and he doesn't want to lose to this team.

Bobby (24:01.42)
and the crowd's gonna be manic. We are gonna be animals at this game.

Chris (24:05.728)
I am really looking forward to it. And is there, go ahead.

Bobby (24:08.174)
The stories have been great too because even the coach storyline for the first two that we just played, that has its own storyline and now we're coming in and kind of the inverse of that. I know home openers, I know how well the devils tend to play. Everybody knows when you're a home opener, you're talking about major enemy, the crowd gets behind you. I fully expect a win. I really do, not only for the entertainment value of it,

I just feel like they're going to have the jump and I think the team as a whole is just really on mission this year.

Chris (24:46.834)
I agree with that. mean, they really, looked great in Prague and I understand they weren't playing a very good team. This is definitely a big, much bigger test for this team. But I also think that they're ready for it. I just think that this team, Sheldon Keepe isn't going to say, Hey guys, I really want this win. But everybody in that dressing room knows that we're playing his old team and they're going to want to go out there and take a win. But you know,

Just getting those two wins up front is huge. Now I want to go over their games in October and let's see where you think that they might legitimately finish. And we have a small sample size. We've seen it through, you know, two games. We know they have the Maple Leafs on Thursday. What do you think, Bob? Is that a win?

Bobby (25:37.806)
I will say that is a win. That is a 4-2 win.

Chris (25:41.82)
4-2. Okay, 4-2 win. I think it's a win as well. I think this team is gonna be, you know, you gotta keep in mind too, Toronto's playing Montreal, I believe, tomorrow night. So I don't know who we're gonna get in goal. They're gonna get Markstrom. So I do think we win. Score wise, you got a 4-2 win. I'm gonna go 5-3.

distinctly, you're not going to keep Toronto off the board, but I think we can put five. And then Saturday, we have a big game against the Caps and this is in Washington, our first real away game. So Saturday night against the Capitals. I expect that they have to win that game. They've got to beat Washington. Washington embarrassed us in almost every game last year.

Bobby (26:23.758)
Mm-hmm.

Bobby (26:37.89)
forgot about that. Yeah. And I just don't know what this team is. I will continue that. I believe they're on the downward trajectory. So yeah, I want this one too. And now we're getting to that territory already, right? And we're all ready for an O. And just mathematically, now you start to question, you know, but we have an advantage because we already know two of them were actual wins. Yeah.

Chris (26:53.672)
Yeah, we're.

Chris (27:01.086)
This is true. And, you know, we would have probably said three weeks ago, we did say it, most likely going to get a split in Prague, right? That didn't go that way. We won them both. Now we get Toronto in our home opener. We beat them. I'm not sure if this is Washington's home opener or not. I hope so, because I think that we have to go and beat them. And I think we will. I think that the Capitals are going to be

The first team of the Metropolitan Division that's gonna realize, shit, this isn't last year's Devils. This is still a-

Bobby (27:34.806)
Right. You're coming from the standpoint of like, okay, enough's enough. These are teams we're supposed to beat. Let's actually beat them this year. You know, and maybe throughout the full series you might drop one, but kind of urgent in beginning of the year.

Chris (27:41.844)
Yep

Chris (27:48.254)
And then we get a really fun game on Monday, October 14th at one o'clock in the afternoon against the Utah hockey club. this is a game I'm really looking forward to. I didn't realize why it was at one, I guess it's Columbus day on Sunday, Monday. So I have no idea what this team's going to look like. really looking forward to watching them tonight against Chicago, but again, it's a home game against, you know, look.

Bobby (27:55.598)
Mmm.

Bobby (27:59.224)
Me too.

Chris (28:16.778)
The Coyotes came in and beat us in game two last year. So do we have that in the back of our heads? I say Devils are gonna win this one too. I think the Devils are gonna be 5-0 by the time Monday rolls around.

Bobby (28:19.714)
Yes, they did.

Bobby (28:29.856)
Yeah, it's tough to pick against them on this one. mean, it's still basically the Coyotes and the Devils should be mad. They should really want this game. And again, I mean, it's an inferior team. So let's just go happy Homer. I'm going to go with the W as well. We're going five and 0 to start.

Chris (28:48.096)
Alright, John Marino comes back to the Rock and he gets pounded. Devils win that game.

Bobby (28:53.102)
It'd be a good story for Utah to win. I don't know what their schedule was before that, if that's only game two for them or what. But if we are already 4-0 and expectations are going through the roof and they come in here and beat us, would be a hell of a story for them.

Chris (29:10.046)
It would be. are playing, let's see, Utah, they have the Blackhawks tonight. Then Thursday night, they have the Islanders. And Saturday night, they have the Rangers. And then they play us on Monday. So they're not a back-to-back, but it is for us. Well, no, this is a first of a back-to-back. We play again on Tuesday against another team that I'm super curious to see how they're going to be playing this year, and that's Carolina.

are we going six and

Bobby (29:43.182)
I'm not. I do think we're going to be a better team than Carolina. I don't think they're going to be near us in the end of the standings, but 5-0, back-to-back, it's still tough even though Alan, my confidence is back with him. I just feel like I have to put a loss somewhere. I'll take a 5-1 start.

Chris (30:02.432)
All right. I'm going to still sticking with them. I'm going six and and then Thursday night, the 17th of October, we're in Ottawa to face the senators and Travis Green revenge game. Again, I'm going to go with the devils on this one. Like you got to you want to be you want to make the playoffs this year. You want to compete for the Metropolitan Division and you want to make a long run in the playoffs. You got to beat the teams that you should be.

Bobby (30:15.106)
Hahaha.

Chris (30:32.0)
And Ottawa is definitely one of those teams. So I'm 7 and 0.

Bobby (30:37.228)
Yeah, I'm agreeing we're going to beat them. We should beat them. They're up and coming as well. we literally last year shouldn't even play into anyone's thinking. We should be an extension now of the team from two years ago that actually is better and playing a better brand of hockey. So I'll go with the win and keep me in six and one.

Chris (30:56.864)
All right, this stretch gets a little bit, you know, I could see a loss or two in here. Then on Saturday, October 19th, we're back at home playing the Capitals again, the second over fourth. I still think we're gonna win that. I think we're gonna be seven and And I believe Tuesday, October 22nd is we drop our first game and that's against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Bobby (31:25.208)
This is not a back to back or anything.

Chris (31:26.726)
Nope. Saturday night we play the caps and then Tuesday night we play the lightning.

Bobby (31:34.008)
Yeah, I'm going to say Caps take out a little revenge on us. And we get a second loss, but we beat Tampa. We really play up for Tampa. So I'm still one loss more than you.

Chris (31:43.666)
Okay. Okay.

You are. And then we get into the third back-to-back of the year. already, we're still in October and this will be our third back-to-back. October 24th is in Detroit. I'm calling a win there. We gotta beat Detroit. And then we are on the, and then we're, I'm sorry, we're in Detroit and then October 25th we're home against the Islanders.

Bobby (31:55.073)
Already, we're still in October.

Bobby (32:04.92)
Me too.

Bobby (32:20.462)
Hounders play us tough

Chris (32:22.015)
Yeah.

Bobby (32:23.603)
back traveling from Detroit

Bobby (32:29.358)
I hate to do this. I'll go with a loss because it does happen.

Chris (32:33.212)
Alright, I'm taking the win against the Islanders. So right now I only have them dropping the Tampa Bay game. The last two games of the month are home against the Ducks on the 27th. That's gotta be a win. Gotta beat the Ducks. Can't be doing this shit like we did last year. Dropping games to Sharks and Ducks and, you know, Coyotes. Yeah, exactly. Just giving points away. Can't do it. And then we finish up the month of October on the

Bobby (32:46.616)
Yes.

Bobby (32:54.125)
Lotta games.

Chris (33:01.172)
30th where it looks like we are heading out West for our first Western Canadian road trip where the Hughes boys will be reunited in Vancouver on the 30th. That's going to be a good game. So what do think?

Bobby (33:10.67)
Cool.

for sure.

It's going be a good game and it's going to be this is the start of a big road trip. I'm going to give them the win though. Just like this summer when they win for the Stanley Cup.

Chris (33:21.726)
Alright, so you got

Chris (33:27.188)
I like it. I don't, I still don't see Vancouver getting there in the West.

Bobby (33:32.174)
I know. Well, now things have changed. My prediction was based on a healthier goaltender and just one of those teams that just picks it up. By no way am I saying they're going have a better regular season than like the Oilers or Dallas or anything like that. just was picking a team that I thought could kind of get hot and get through. So I've been saying it at least five times. So I'm going to stick with it. Devils beat them for the Stanley Cup, but it's going to look pretty hard now.

Chris (33:34.067)
Yes.

Chris (33:54.796)
I think Vancouver is going to be a really good team. Again, I still think the one team that people aren't talking about, if Landis Scott comes back, watch out for the avalanche, because I think he brings a whole different element to a team that they have not had since he left. And I think that they could be a really dangerous team. So you have them the month of October losing two games. I have them losing one.

Bobby (34:23.872)
I have three. I got the Carolina game, the second capitals game, and the Islanders.

Chris (34:25.122)
you have three losses. And the Islander game. And I have the Tampa Bay game and that's it.

Bobby (34:34.072)
So I got him going 10 and 3. I got him going 10 and 3 and that's great. You got him. Yeah.

Chris (34:39.996)
I got him going what? 12-1. Yeah, I got him going 12-1. You get out of... No, was 8-0. 8-0, wasn't so many games in October. But yeah, mean, if you can bank wins in October, we know how important it is to just bank them. Doesn't matter where the standings are. None of that matters in October. But if you can just bank...

Bobby (34:45.806)
Didn't you say 11-0 last year? 8-0.

Chris (35:09.564)
because you're going to hit some skids. know, the season is long, you're going to go on losing streaks, other teams are going to go on winning streaks. The Rangers are going to be really freaking good this year. And I think that if you can keep them at bay, I think you can have a stranglehold on the Metropolitan division next year and moving forward for the next three or four years. I really think that they are set up, the Devils, to be the best team long-term in that division.

Bobby (35:20.93)
this year.

Chris (35:40.414)
This year's going to be tough because the Rangers and I think a lot of those players know it. I think they know like, look, man, the only way I think the Rangers drop a little bit is if they really cannot get this thing settled with Shusterkin and if management does say, look, even though we might like what's, what's, what's more valuable to us keeping Shusterkin and maybe winning a cup and then him walking in June or July.

Bobby (35:40.524)
I agree.

Chris (36:09.652)
for nothing or we can't get this deal done. You know, I don't know name, pick any middle of the road team that needs a, that wants a goalie that's willing to pay the guy and they're willing to give up a King's ransom to get him. Even if it is only for a shortened period of time, you gotta weigh those options. You know, if your management for the Rangers, I think the Rangers, no matter what, they will not trade Schuster. I think that they would.

live with the consequences of him walking in July or do everything they can to make sure they can keep him, pay him, whatever, I do not see a world. And the only way is if something happened to the Rangers that like happened to the Devils last year, where they're ravaged by injury, they're not going to make the playoffs, it looks really bad, then possibly if the deal's not done yet.

Bobby (37:02.606)
Yeah, I'm with you. I really don't see them trading them. think that the Rangers as a whole will let their ego take over and they're going to give them the 12. They're going to do whatever it takes to keep them. And then they're going to have to do some major cap gymnastics. listen, I don't think it's the right move. Like all things said and done. really, I don't think I would let a player dictate that you're going to hamstring my franchise.

Chris (37:32.606)
I agree.

Bobby (37:33.1)
Or maybe you're looking at it going, and again, in four years, that contract doesn't look so bad. You got a different team. You know, I don't know. I don't think I would do it.

Chris (37:41.278)
think saying four years, 10 million doesn't look so bad. Nine and a half doesn't look so bad. 12 is a lot of money no matter who you are. It is a lot of money. Look, Jack Hughes, if he was up for a contract right now, is probably not getting 12 million. He's the best player on our team. I get Shasterkin is the best player on their team, but still goalies are generally undervalued.

Bobby (37:51.15)
Still bad.

Chris (38:09.256)
to an extent, you know, there is the few guys that get the money, but for the most part, they're underappreciated. They're underpaid. But 12 million is just talk about resetting the goalie market. I just don't know the next guy that goes and wins a cup, you know, what's like if Markstrom wins a cup this year, the devils win the cup.

And Markstrom is due for another contract. Let's say he wants to play another three or four years. Let's say he wins a Vezna and a cup in the next two years. Is Jacob Markstrom going to want $12 million, $10 million, $11 million? Maybe. He ain't going to get it from us. But I'm just saying, like, it resets everything. And I don't like it. Yeah.

Bobby (38:49.006)
Yeah. It resets it too far too. And I've never liked those types of contracts. And I think I've used the Shohei Otani contract as an example in baseball. Best player in the game. Yes. Might possibly go down as the best player ever the way he could play his two positions. But the leap from like the biggest player getting whatever, 360 million or what, to 750 million. Like it was an unnecessary.

Like 75 % increase. just now the markets are really following that because that was a unique situation, but I don't think giant leaps like that are good for any particular sport. And again, I'm sitting here as a person with you. Like we said, 10, 12 regular season games on average all those years and then playoffs. Okay. You want to go to a game, not go to a game until it got to the third and fourth rounds when tickets just were absolutely impossible to get, at least for the money we were making at the time and stuff.

It is affecting me. My drive here from Pennsylvania is maybe 10, 15 minutes longer than it used to be from Tom's River. It really isn't much longer. That's not my hindrance. It's the overall cost of the entire thing. So, you know, every year when I'm buying the tickets for the guys, I'm like, is this going to be the year where we like, let's go a little bit lower on the bowl?

and get a little bit different experience or is it like no I'm gonna just buy my hundred and fifty dollar ticket so I can enjoy myself an American whiskey and you know reds and just have a little pregame fun you know

Chris (40:17.92)
it

but it's still crazy ass expensive. And you're talking about to go to a game, we've talked about this million times, like back at the old metal lands, with the ticket, with beers, with parking and tolls, you're maybe in for 50 bucks the whole night. And now it's three times that and that's going by yourself, let alone you wanna bring a family of four. It is ridiculous, but that's why.

Bobby (40:23.104)
It's crazy as expensive.

Chris (40:48.499)
We have nice TVs now, so we can just watch them on there.

Bobby (40:50.094)
And we're talking about the sport with the lowest payroll. mean, if anything, like I said, our athletes deserve more overall. To me, you give me a hockey player, the average hockey player should be making more than the average basketball player. That's just 100 % fact.

Chris (40:54.514)
Yeah.

You

Chris (41:03.488)
That's never gonna these basketball players get paid unbelievable amounts of money but like, know that but contracts like you talked about with like a tani and stuff like you look at like in football when

Bobby (41:06.53)
I

Chris (41:18.688)
Whatchamacallit, Watson wanted to leave Houston. He said he wasn't playing there anymore. He didn't want to play. He had all those sexual assault allegations against him and everything like that. And Cleveland traded for him, gave up, I think, three first round picks, a couple of other picks. I think there was even a player in there, I'm not 100 % sure. So Houston got all that, which ended up becoming like, I believe, Nico Collins.

Tank Dell and a defensive guy or whatever Or one of them it might even be this year's first round and they paid the Sean Watson guaranteed fully guaranteed 245 million dollars the only only player in NFL history to have 100 % of his contract guaranteed this guy had Like 20 something 30 something sexual assault allegations against him hadn't played football in two years and you gave up

everything to get this guy and look at their record. I think they've won one game. I think he maybe if he's not dead last in every major statistical category for a quarterback that's played all five games, he's close to it. Like that's yeah, it's a that's just a bad, terrible contract. And any time any team does a big leap and make somebody the highest paid anything.

before they're kind of, you know, when you're just kind of projecting of what they can do, I just think it's, you're living on the edge. I don't think that it's smart for any organization because you are putting the entire future of your organization on the hopes that this is going to work out. That in two years time, you're not just carrying bad contracts on teams that can barely make the playoffs or do whatever.

And I just see that with, I don't care that it's the Sturken, the Rangers, any time, any team, if they were going to pay their goalie that kind of money is how I would feel. It's just mind boggling to me. And you know, they're going to do it.

Bobby (43:25.528)
You yeah. You know what else? Like we always say the business side, like it's a bad thing. Well, you know what? Sometimes I'm happy there's a business side. Sometimes I'm happy there's really a guy sitting there going, this is going to blow up our franchise. Now, do you want a contending team for 10 years with actual chances to say, win a Stanley Cup? Or do you want one shot at the window this year so that we can keep whatever? And that's why some of these decisions are hard and they're awful. And again, Devils fans, we're going to have them.

No doubt we're gonna have them. We're gonna be cutting players, not cutting, but not being able to sign some players that are your favorite player because we gotta keep the other somebody else's favorite player. That's the price you pay for having this much talent when everybody deservedly so should get at least what they're worth. But at some point, you gotta make hard decisions. I'm glad it's not me. I get so emotionally attached to the players. I don't know who I'd wanna go first.

Chris (43:57.184)
Mm-hmm.

Bobby (44:18.862)
You know, we've talked about like the two or three absolute don't goes, but then that other whole other level, I don't know. I love them all. But the reality is, you know, those decisions have to be made and you, you owe it to your fan base and to all the other players to say no once in a while, because it's not in the best interest of the long-term view of the franchise. We all know what rebuilding is. Everybody gets there and rebuilding sucks. The only good thing about rebuilding is that you know you're rebuilding and then you watch the games differently.

Chris (44:19.178)
Now.

Chris (44:36.052)
Yeah.

Bobby (44:48.312)
You watch and say, listen, I wanna see an entertaining product. I wanna see these kids trying hard. I wanna see them without fear because they don't know what it's like to lose a game seven of a playoffs. And you deal with it. Right?

Chris (44:57.042)
And you want to see him get better. We saw it with the Devils, right? We were all excited when they got Nico Heasher. Nico Heasher is still growing into the player he's going to be. feel like he's finally kind of arriving this year, I think will be a big step for him. And then you add Jack Hughes. You also have to hit a couple of diamonds in that rough, a la Jesper Bratt. And Dawson Mercer, nobody expected Merce to make the team when he did.

Bobby (45:18.719)
Always, always.

Chris (45:25.844)
He was, you know, that was Alex Holt's spot. And Mercer said, no, uh-uh. And, and took it. And you have, you know, you, you, you have to be able to draft well. You have to hit on your top picks. That's the biggest thing. You have got to hit on your topics. Cause look, if Jack Hughes, we, we picked twice in the top spot, right? Jack Hughes or Nico Escher, one of those guys don't hit. We are talking about this devil team completely different.

Bobby (45:40.684)
At least two out of every three. mean, yep.

Bobby (45:52.706)
Let's say, like go back to Nolan Patrick. Let's say we chose him. We want the big body, big center man. no, you know, what he could have became is not the story. He was actually a very talented hockey player. It just didn't work out health-wise and all that. But we know we picked the right person. I think everybody wanted the Heesher person, but personality. Yeah.

Chris (46:07.998)
or Capo... Capo-Caco. Capo-Caco going second and there was, I mean, the fact that there were even people saying, you guys should not take Jack Hughes, you should just take Capo-Caco. Like, you imagine if Hughes was on the fucking Rangers right now? Like, they would have, I think they probably would have won the Cup last year. If they had him, they probably would have won the Cup last year. But yeah, so I mean, it's...

Bobby (46:23.992)
Yeah, exactly.

Chris (46:34.152)
You don't, know, rebuilding is very hard and the last thing you want to do, and this will be the last thing I'll mention about the Shastrkin thing. But like we heard that he turned down 11 million and we know that that's what the Rangers offered. Now I didn't hear 12 million. I don't think you heard 12 million. I think this is what everyone's assuming. What if it's like 13? What if it's more than 12 that she's saying, no, no, no, no, no, no. I want to get paid.

Bobby (47:03.48)
You're right, think I just kinda heard it in passing on NHL Tonight, they're like, this probably guy's a $12 million, yeah, who knows?

Chris (47:03.834)
and you know

And I'm

I'm sure that that's the number because we heard those numbers getting thrown around back in like July and August and we were like we're hearing that he's camp is talking like 12 million and we were like I don't know if that's legitimate or not but apparently it is definitely over 11 so

Bobby (47:26.51)
He's definitely not waiting for 11.1. You know what mean? He would have taken it.

Chris (47:29.46)
You know, it just really puts and it puts the fact that nothing got done and their hockey starts tomorrow. think the Rangers play tomorrow. That is also something that's very worrisome as far as management goes, because nobody wants to deal with a contract before the end of the door in the season. So now the next time you have to maybe sit down with him and his agent to try and work out a deal is when he doesn't have one. Like that's scary.

Because if they don't get something done before July, everybody is going to be offering this guy 12 million plus.

Bobby (48:06.278)
I don't know. mean, listen, I don't know everything about the guy, but I honestly can tell you that I'd want to win. I would really honestly and truthfully want to win. You have a very small amount of time. You're playing in the best league in the world. It's all you've ever wanted. And I mean, if the Rangers came to you and said, listen, I can't do 12, but I can do 11 and still give you a possible Stanley Cup team and you still say no, then...

That's on you. Go play for whoever can pay you.

Chris (48:36.55)
How much more is your life changing if you have $88 million or you have $96 million? Right. It's probably less than that. It's probably less. Yeah. Exactly. If somebody told you, okay, now you're getting 10,000 more a year, that's a nice chunk of raise. But you're talking about...

Bobby (48:42.816)
Yeah, I don't even know what the equivalent is to what I make. is it? it like another 10,000 a year? Like, don't know. don't know what that... 10,000 to me is probably way more important than another million to him.

Chris (49:02.688)
88 million to 96 million is the difference between 8 by 11 or 8 by 12. And to me, it's really you're going to play hardball over that. Like you're about

Bobby (49:14.1)
And like you said, in New York City.

Chris (49:17.054)
Right. You have, you know, it's, now look, it couldn't happen to a better fucking franchise. I cursed. I shouldn't have done that. Sorry. We're trying to watch our, and I guess we have to this time. And we do every time, but, but anyway, what are you looking forward to? What do you want to see for Thursday night from this team? Like, what are you expecting? And then give me kind of your score, first goal and all the other shit. So give me your breakdown.

Bobby (49:23.611)
That's twice anyway. We're gonna check that explicit button for this show

Bobby (49:45.422)
I am actually expecting a continued improvement from game two, which would be very awesome to watch. I want to see a lot of pressure. I want to see them taking shots where they have them. I want to see them blocking shots when they can. Kovacewicz on record today talking about the team doing that and specifically, Nico Hescher and how it's firing up the team and making everybody follow through. If our captain's doing, he's like, as a defenseman, we do it. But when I see Nico doing it, and then just trickles down a lineup. So just want to see that, I want to see that full desire.

Chris (50:11.784)
Nice.

Bobby (50:14.936)
to win to remember every single point is so valuable and to go out there and catch it. So again, I've said I think it's going to be four to two. First goal, home crowd. Let's go with our boy Mercer. First goal, Mercer.

Chris (50:35.336)
Okay. I mean, one of the things that I noticed in the last two games was just the fact that they are willing, not just willing to for check and not, and not everything has to be on off the rush. think they had more offensive zone time off their for check in those two games than they did off the rush, which is huge for this team because that was one thing last year they just couldn't do. And we talked about how abysmally boring and

Bobby (50:54.648)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Chris (51:04.714)
predictable their power play was for so much. It was so nice not seeing that stupid drop pass and know, Jack coming up through the neutral zone with it. It was just so nice to see them actually saying we can dump it in and go get it and we can outwork you for it. And you look at most of the goals, that's how they were scored with offensive zone pressure.

I think Toronto is going to be flying. Toronto wants to beat Sheldon Keefe so bad. These guys do not want to go home and listen to the Toronto media talk about how Sheldon Keefe just beat you. So I expect them to be playing super hard, but we went over it on the last show, right? We have the advantage on the blue line. We have the advantage in net. We probably have the advantage or we're tied when it comes to our forwards. I think bottom six, we have the advantage.

Our top six, I'll say, is pretty much a wash. mean, I love Austin Matthews. He could score from anywhere. Mitch Marner is, you know, guys ridiculous with the puck. William Nylander also on that show, the one on prime, the inside the NHL one. They did a really awesome thing on William Nylander. Very, very cool dude. I like him a lot. So, you know, that team's going to be really good. I expect that this to be a really

If I expected to be high flying, I expect the teams to be up and down the ice. I really do. I expect lots of chances. And if that's the case, I give us the edge. I think that Markstrom is a better goalie than Wall or whoever their backup is. I know we talked about it, but I don't even know who it is or who will be playing on Thursday against us. I do think we have the advantage. I'm, what did I say the score was going to be? Five to two? Five, three. Five, three.

Bobby (52:52.302)
5.2 or 5.3.

Chris (52:54.976)
I'm going 5-3 and I do think that it was the first two games were kind of like the Devils unveiling all our new players, right? It was like the, you know, New York Auto Show and we just showed you all of our new cars and look how nice they are. Look how good they work and they do everything. But now I think we're going to get into this is what our team looks like and you're going to start seeing some of the

Bobby (53:08.014)
Mm-hmm.

Chris (53:21.664)
you know our main guys coming through. I think the first goal goes to Bratt. I think it'll be set up by Meyer and Hughes. That'll be it. I want to see our power play start clicking. And yeah, I saw this really cool interview on NHL tonight with Seamus Casey. I don't know if you saw this yet. It was a good interview. You know, they were just kind of talking about his first goal and

Bobby (53:40.417)
No.

Chris (53:45.152)
And he was in a car and Kevin Weeks asked him, he's like, well, where are you right now? He's like, well, we just stopped for something to eat and Jack and Luke are inside eating pizza. So I just came out to make the call. So like the fact that he's hanging with them and then, you know, like, I like that they seem like a tight group out there in Hoboken having fun. And yeah, so I expect more from him. And do we know if Brett Pesci is playing?

Bobby (54:11.084)
Yeah, well again, speaking of Casey and the depth and defense, Luke was skating today with the team doing drills with Pesci. We still don't know if he's playing, but just the fact that he's skating around is excellent. Pesci is going to come back in. Casey's still here. mean, my God, an embarrassment of riches. This is going to be something.

Chris (54:17.504)
Ugh.

Chris (54:30.048)
The depth on the blue line is so good, so nice to see. know, when our guys that were supposed to be our stalwarts on D last year weren't, know, look, Marino had a bad year, Seigenthaler had a bad year, Hamilton's out, and we had no depth. I mean, was, it's okay, two 18-year-old, 19-year-old kids, you're our guys. You're playing in situations that you...

should never have been put in. But at the same time, I think what they did go through is going to do nothing but help them going forward. I mean, I expect to see even more so than Simone Nemec, a huge increase in production in Luke. I expect his game to go up another level. So I cannot wait to see him get back on the ice.

Bobby (55:24.268)
Yeah, and then the only other thing you kind of touched on it, I want to see the continuation of that Hughes line, build a chemistry. I want to put that narrative to bed for a while. And it looks like he's not going to rush anything anyway. He's going to give it time to gel. I really want to see that gel because that could be magical by mid-season.

Chris (55:40.808)
It's gonna be. It is gonna be. I don't have a doubt at that. I really don't. And I think it would have worked last year. I think it would have worked when we first got him. Lindy Ruff had no patience. I don't understand. Like that's one thing you can see in just the two games that Keefe has played. He's much more patient. He's willing to say, look, it's a long season. We don't have to throw everything in a blender right away. Let's let things work out. I want to know.

This isn't going to work before I go and pull the plug out.

Bobby (56:13.55)
I had such a problem and I voiced it last year, seeing Meyer on the third line. I thought that was absolutely ridiculous. You're so worried about, you know, supposed chemistry somewhere else that you really are to put Meyer down on the third line. That was just ridiculous. Just let them play.

Chris (56:31.328)
I mean, Lindy Ruff had some problems with a couple of players and nobody will come out and say it, but it was obvious. And I think Timo was one of them. Obviously, Alex Holtz was definitely one of them. Whatever the reasoning was, but like, yeah, you got a guy who's our highest paid forward. mean, he was, yeah, he's our highest paid forward.

Bobby (56:44.355)
Yeah.

Bobby (56:52.706)
Get? He is.

Chris (56:55.358)
He, you know, has pedigree. He's been on long playoff runs. You know what you're getting with him. And we were using him for like 30 seconds on the second wave of the power play and on the third line. It made no sense. And then bitching and moaning that the guy's not producing. You know, you take two tires off the car, it's not going to fucking go.

Bobby (57:15.436)
Yeah, I'm with you. It's so nice to even listen Devils fans. You saw it last year, right? I mean just two games in known they haven't been lines haven't been shuffled Really is a wonderful thing

Chris (57:25.992)
It was, it was really nice to see. So I am so looking forward to this game on Thursday night. I'm really hoping that they pull out a big dub because I think that sends, it also sends a message. You beat Buffalo. Okay. I think we're kind of expected to beat Buffalo and everybody talked about how great the team looked, how good Markstrom looked, how good the new guys all looked. Well, now you're playing like a, know, you're playing a contender. want to see how this team comes out and competes. So, all right.

Bobby (57:52.334)
Yep. It's going to be awesome. Listen, final thing for me, dude, a little football news here. Did your Vikings get the Jets coach fired?

Chris (57:55.456)
What else you got? Yes. Ooh.

Looks like it. But.

Bobby (58:04.386)
I mean, is 2 and 3... I know you told me they're supposed to be pretty good this year, but is 2 and 3... I know his overall record was negative, but is that a rush?

Chris (58:10.752)
I think it's a rush. But it's also like, I don't know how much that Viking loss had to do with him getting fired. More so than, there's been a couple of stories I heard that I think are really crazy. So apparently Robert Sala, I believe like two days ago, had called, or on the way back from London had called

What's his name? Woody Johnson, I think is the owner of the Jets and said that he was thinking about making a move and getting rid of Nathaniel Hackett as the offensive coordinator. Now, Nathaniel Hackett, like most of those offensive weapons on the Jets were brought in specifically for Aaron Rodgers. Nathaniel Hackett was his offensive coordinator when he was in Green Bay. Then he got hired as the Denver Broncos head coach two years ago, where he showed

over I think 10 or 11 games that he is the most inept, incompetent head coach that there is and he got fired before the season even ended. He was a clusterfuck. He couldn't manage the clock. His players had no respect for him. It was a whole bunch of shit that went on. But anyway, Aaron decided that he wants to come to New York and he wants him as his offensive coordinator. So they go and hire him.

He wants Alan Lazar, he wants this, he wants all the players he wanted, he got. And now he'll probably get Devontae Adams because he wants him too. So, apparently Robert Sala was planning on firing Nathaniel Hackett. Their offense is just vanilla. another big problem is, like, let's just call a spade a spade. Aaron Rodgers is 40 years old, hasn't been a good quarterback in three years, four years. So, they were gonna fire him.

Bobby (59:55.117)
Yeah.

Chris (01:00:01.48)
And then Woody Johnson comes out and says today that he spoke with Aaron Rodgers yesterday on the phone where, but he says, well, we didn't talk about the Robert Solis thing. Bullshit. You, what I think happened is he said, look, Solis thinking about firing Hackett and Roger said, no, you can't fire Hackett. He's my guy. Sol is the problem. Blah, blah, blah. And they fired Sol.

Bobby (01:00:30.67)
see.

Chris (01:00:30.868)
That's what I think happened. think this was a lot more Aaron Rodgers being the manipulative little twat that he is and pulling the strings and everything. They have, like I said a million times, capitulated their entire organization to this one guy who is an egomaniac and literally has not played like, you you fired, you, everyone's like, well the, the jets, this Robert Sala is a defensive guy. All right. He was the, defensive coordinator for San Francisco.

had that defense as one of the best in the leagues, got that job for the Jets at because of what he did in San Fran. Their defense is stellar. All right, Robert Salah's defense isn't the one that threw a fucking interception on the last play of the game when you were going down to score a touchdown. He didn't do that. He didn't throw three interceptions in that game. You know, no, Aaron Rodgers did. Your offense did. But the problem is, so they got rid of Nathaniel Hackett. So I mean, they got rid of Robert Salah. So I mean,

Bobby (01:01:08.45)
Gotcha.

Bobby (01:01:22.104)
See you

Chris (01:01:28.512)
It's nice to think that possibly it was because of the Vikings beating them. But look, the bottom line is that organization, like so many in sports that we see are just run like shit. you know, as a devil fan, it is so nice knowing that ownership knows what they're doing, or at least knows enough to put the people in charge and let them just do what they do.

Bobby (01:01:31.1)
you

Bobby (01:01:42.008)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Chris (01:01:57.982)
You know, Josh Harris and whoever's in charge of the team and everything. I mean, they seem to be very hands off and let Fitzgerald and his crew run the team. I mean, they bought them Washington commanders. Look at that fricking team right now. my God. Jaden Daniels is doing shit that we never thought a rookie could do. They're playing fantastic. But I like my Vikings this year. We're five and Got a bye week this week.

Bobby (01:01:58.188)
Yeah.

Bobby (01:02:21.602)
Five and O.

Chris (01:02:26.058)
There's some talk though, it's weird. There's some talk that like possibly Minnesota might be in the market for Matt Stafford from the Rams that apparently they might bring him over to take over. I guess they're not trusting Sam Darnold to go deep into the playoffs. And to me, if you make a move like that, that's a, we expect to be in the Superbowl kind of move. And look, I've watched this team for a long time.

Bobby (01:02:48.632)
Gotcha.

Chris (01:02:52.506)
know when they're frauds, know when they're good, I know when they're bad. This is a good team. This is a good team that I'm not saying they're gonna go to the Super Bowl. There's a lot of good teams. think Detroit and Green Bay are really good. But yeah, it should be fun to watch. But the Jets are just watching them just fall apart. I didn't want to see it because I like the Jets. But this is what happens when you bring a guy like Rodgers onto your team.

Bobby (01:02:57.528)
Good team.

Bobby (01:03:07.393)
Awesome.

Bobby (01:03:16.106)
It reminds me very much, as a Mets fan, just seems like bad decision after bad decision for the most part. Now, Steve Cohen owns the Mets and he, to his credit, does try to make the right hires, but sometimes they go off and they get these first year GMs and they just get all these guys who just, don't have the feeling for it. And then finally they get a guy last year, like a baseball and a little guy from Milwaukee, a small market team who makes all these little moves that nobody cares about, nobody hears about. And everyone's like, the big market Mets, what are they going to do? And then of course they start off shitty.

So everyone's like, yep, here they go again. And he just needed his guys to just become what they were. And like we've talked about, best record in baseball since May 29th. Hopefully soon here, maybe a win away from advancing to the National League Championship season. But yeah, it's a hard team to be a fan of because for a long time, was such disarray and the Willpons didn't want to spend money, then they did. And it was always the bad contract too late. It was Jason Bay for four years and 60 million who was done.

Chris (01:03:47.392)
Mm-hmm.

Chris (01:03:58.869)
So what?

Chris (01:04:08.98)
Right.

Bobby (01:04:12.238)
There was always these guys that were done just enough to make it shiny and they last for even Pedro Martinez. I love to pay Pedro Martinez, but there's a reason Boston said, I'm not giving you four years. And then we got him. did everything. He did everything he should the first year or two. He was as advertised better, brilliant, but then completely broke down and the rest of the team followed suit. So yeah, you got to just have a little more, you know, hindsight.

Chris (01:04:21.471)
Right.

Chris (01:04:34.462)
complete opposite of what Lou Lamarrella did for all his years of success in New Jersey, where we would be like, why is he getting rid of that guy? He always seemed to dump the guys a year earlier. Like, I know that Scott Gomez is going to go here and he's going to have a good year, but then I think that I see there's going to be a dip in the production. He's always right. He was always right. And that's just a guy that wasn't even old, but the older guys, he would dump.

Bobby (01:04:45.015)
Yeah.

Chris (01:04:59.826)
a year early, they'd have one good year and then they'd fall off the face of the earth and you got out of it just in time. And you know, so it is there, there's a reason that certain general managers manage teams in the managing those leagues forever because they're good at what they do. You know, so when you're plucking new guys out or, you know, the jets are just, they, the jets got themselves to a point where they were so desperate and that's really what it came down to.

And they had these blinders on, like we have wide receivers, we have running back, we have a defense. We just need a quarterback. So let's sell our soul for the quarterback. You know, look, you had Josh Darnold, you had Zach Wilson, you had two guys that probably could have taken you where you wanted to go if you would have developed them properly. If you would have actually done the things that you have to do when you draft a quarterback. But no, we're going to go out and get a 39 year old grumpy.

from Mudgeon with an ego problem and we're gonna give him the keys to the car and you know, well when he drives it off, yeah. So I mean, it is nice to see that like we actually have stable ownership, stable management in New Jersey and that's huge. That is huge or else you end up like the fucking Ottawa senators, you know, and that's truly what happens. So nothing else for tonight.

Bobby (01:06:04.47)
Watch his Achilles snap.

Bobby (01:06:23.854)
That's it,

Chris (01:06:26.036)
Bob, where are we sitting on Thursday? You got the section?

Bobby (01:06:29.275)
I do not. Remember, let me double check. It should be right here, actually. Because we actually went a little lower.

Chris (01:06:31.891)
Okay.

We will be at the Rock on Thursday. We will have tons of Uncle Pucker stickers with us if you happen to be around or near section. I'm sure super high up.

Bobby (01:06:47.16)
Coming.

No, it's not that bad this time. Well, it's 210, but we're only row six.

Chris (01:06:52.116)
No?

Okay. All right. So section 210, row six, that's where the puckers will be. So yeah, anybody wants to stop by, say hello, talk some hockey, have a drink, we will be there. Really looking forward to it. If anybody else is going to the game, drop us a line. Let us know what your experience is like before or after. We are going to be on again on Friday night. We'll talk about the game on Thursday. We'll talk about the upcoming game against the Capitals. And look, now we are in it.

We are in the season, so let's go. So far, so good.

Bobby (01:07:25.016)
Last year, Billy from the trap found me just because I had an Uncle Pucker sticker on the back of my jersey. Just a tiny little sticker. Comes running down the hall. He's like, Uncle Pucker! Yeah, he's usually there.

Chris (01:07:30.144)
Nice Nice I'm sure Billy will be there on Thursday so Alright, so wherever you're listening to us a like a five-star review a positive comment a download a subscription helps a little podcast that could he's Bob I'm Chris. do you uncle puckers? See you when we see you Let's go Devils