Jiggle The Handle

[00:00:00] .

[00:00:02] I'm going to make myself a note.

[00:00:07] Hey everyone, Mr. Devil here,

[00:00:10] Stanley Danico, three-time Stanley Cup champion of the New Jersey Devils.

[00:00:14] You're listening to The Uncle Puckers NJD Podcast with Chris Dan, Bobby and Tony,

[00:00:20] The Uncle Puckers. Let's go, Devils!

[00:00:24] There it goes.

[00:00:28] What a long clock.

[00:00:32] My toilet doesn't have a metal.

[00:00:36] So, is the title of the episode Jiggle the Handle?

[00:00:40] That was an 82 game flush there.

[00:00:44] That was an 82 game flush.

[00:00:48] What's up, Dan?

[00:00:52] What is going on, Chris?

[00:00:56] Devils are now...they're actually winning.

[00:01:00] The first period just ended in the game two of the Toronto Maple Leafs

[00:01:04] and Devils are up three to two.

[00:01:08] Same old.

[00:01:12] Yeah, some pretty goals. It was nice seeing Nolan Foot in the lineup.

[00:01:16] I like to think maybe if he had stayed healthy this year,

[00:01:20] he could have been a productive player for us.

[00:01:24] I do think though that he will be on this team next year.

[00:01:28] But real quick, I was telling you my wife and daughter

[00:01:32] out in California so they're on their way back.

[00:01:36] So last night I got home from work a little late and my son was upstairs.

[00:01:40] So today, you want to come down and watch a movie or something?

[00:01:44] He's like, yeah, what do you got in mind? Come down and figure it out.

[00:01:48] He comes down, he likes South Park but he's never seen the movie.

[00:01:52] So I put bigger, longer, uncut on.

[00:01:56] He laughed his ass off the whole movie.

[00:02:00] And he's like, that's where you got the fucking name for the podcast?

[00:02:04] That's it.

[00:02:08] It probably explains like 500 other things that you say on a daily basis

[00:02:12] that I know you do and I do too.

[00:02:16] I've probably heard never know what the hell is he going on about.

[00:02:20] That's what Dan and I always called each other.

[00:02:24] Even look at my phone, his name is Uncle Fucker.

[00:02:28] When we were coming up with names for the podcast,

[00:02:32] it was like I had a bunch of stupid corny ones and stuff

[00:02:36] and then you had said, like, Puck Off or something.

[00:02:40] I wanted to be crass in some way.

[00:02:44] As soon as you said that it clicked, I'm like, oh wait, Puck runs with Puck.

[00:02:48] It's got to be the Uncle Puck. There's no other show title for it.

[00:02:52] It might be a little goofy and I do feel for people who are like

[00:02:56] what the hell is this stupid name if they didn't know the movie?

[00:03:00] I think enough people got that.

[00:03:04] If you don't know the movie, that's on you. You've got to go watch it.

[00:03:08] I feel like you're someone who probably never heard this movie.

[00:03:12] Greatest musical ever. I know. I got to say, I don't have a long list of favorite musicals,

[00:03:16] but this is at the top for sure. It's number one.

[00:03:20] It is number one. Every song in it is fantastic and hysterical.

[00:03:24] The whole movie, the plot, everything about it is just so ridiculous

[00:03:28] and hysterical. I was laughing my ass off last night

[00:03:32] because I hadn't watched it in forever. So it was funny.

[00:03:36] We did a family viewing with at least a few of the kids. I don't think they were all watched.

[00:03:40] Maybe a year ago, two years ago.

[00:03:44] I had kind of waited for a long time.

[00:03:48] I'm like, okay, I can't show them that movie when they're five, seven.

[00:03:52] They're like, yeah, you're talking grade school is going to be

[00:03:56] the clitoris.

[00:04:00] But we actually had a viewing not too long ago of a movie that we should not have

[00:04:04] watched as a family. What? Poor things.

[00:04:08] I wanted to see it. It's good movie. It's very strange,

[00:04:12] very interesting and it's totally not a family

[00:04:16] friendly watch. It is at some places borderline porn.

[00:04:20] This is getting uncomfortable to watch with.

[00:04:24] We all just sat there uncomfortable. Usually, Evie is the one who acts

[00:04:28] like the adult and she'll look up and she'll turn to me and the wife

[00:04:32] go, oh, we can't watch this together.

[00:04:36] The voice and reason it has. Yes, exactly.

[00:04:40] We all sat there very awkwardly like, that's a good movie.

[00:04:44] I haven't seen it. My wife and I were going to watch it together.

[00:04:48] Check it out. I think you're like, it's very bizarre.

[00:04:52] I heard good things about it. I love Emma Stone. Willem Defoe

[00:04:56] is in it. Oh, he's in it. He's got this crazy character.

[00:05:00] It's good and it's kind of a unique movie. It's not like a lot of other

[00:05:04] movies. Yeah, definitely. I'm going to check it out. It was funny

[00:05:08] because I knew some of the things in the South Park movie

[00:05:12] is dated and he had no clue.

[00:05:16] He goes, who the hell are the Baldwin's?

[00:05:20] Oh yeah, the Baldwin's are dead.

[00:05:24] The Baldwin's are dead?

[00:05:28] The Baldwin's are dead.

[00:05:32] It's like he's from Stranger Things.

[00:05:36] Oh, Warman.

[00:05:40] And then I fucking line up,

[00:05:44] America's getting ready to invade Canada after the terrible

[00:05:48] toll that the Canadians took on the Arquette family.

[00:05:52] Yes, exactly.

[00:05:54] That's great. That geniuses. That's great. I don't know if...

[00:05:58] I know he was in their TV show, but I don't think OJ was in that movie. Did he make an appearance in that movie?

[00:06:02] No, he wasn't in the movie. I was going to say that kind of timely too.

[00:06:06] That's all that thing that Tony sent out as Ford, Branco, as a

[00:06:10] hearse. Yeah. That was a hearse, right?

[00:06:14] Yeah and I'm sure everybody's passing that around because that's a good one.

[00:06:18] That is a good one. He should go to the services

[00:06:22] and that would be amazing. OJ's last ride.

[00:06:26] Yeah, exactly. But it's almost time to bury the devil season too.

[00:06:30] You can bury it with OJ. This season, thank goodness it's over.

[00:06:34] There are a couple of things though.

[00:06:38] They talked a little bit about something I wanted to bring up to you and they were talking about it.

[00:06:42] A bunch of people, the pups in pitchforks

[00:06:46] and all the articles that are out there. Some of the stuff that I think is okay

[00:06:50] but somebody had written an article

[00:06:54] I don't even know who it was but it was just guys that have to go and stuff.

[00:06:58] One of the guys that they had on there to go was Curtis McDermott.

[00:07:02] I think the devils need to sign Curtis McDermott.

[00:07:06] Yeah, if not him, somebody who can fill that role.

[00:07:10] I mean I think what he was needed for

[00:07:14] is still needed and he's pretty good at

[00:07:18] that role. Do I wish he was maybe a little bit more skilled too?

[00:07:22] Sure, but he does his job pretty well.

[00:07:26] We haven't seen enough to know like

[00:07:30] you're not going to be in a box all the time are you? There was a little bit of adjustment. We took some penalties

[00:07:34] that I didn't really love. But I thought

[00:07:38] he was net plus in a lineup all said and done.

[00:07:42] Having guys like that on your team, sometimes

[00:07:46] people don't appreciate that he's there for what doesn't happen.

[00:07:50] He's there because Nico is not getting his face smashed into the ice

[00:07:54] and things like that that guys will be

[00:07:58] more likely to take liberties when he's not in a lineup. And since he's gotten in the lineup

[00:08:02] you've seen those liberties go down a lot on what guys were doing

[00:08:06] and also with the element that it brings

[00:08:10] go back to last summer we were talking about how Toronto had got

[00:08:14] a lot tougher when they went out and they got Domi and Brutusie and Ryan Reaves

[00:08:18] and I remember listening to an

[00:08:22] interview with Mike Rupp and they were interviewing him talking about the Maple Leafs

[00:08:26] and saying how much tougher is this, or these guys going to be as a team

[00:08:30] and Rupp was like look Ryan Reaves is one of the toughest guys

[00:08:34] in the league but that doesn't make the team tough.

[00:08:38] He recalled a story about when he was playing

[00:08:42] and he wouldn't say who the team was that he was playing with, he wouldn't say who the player was

[00:08:46] but somebody had come up to him on the bench and was like Rupp this guy's just bugging the shit out of me

[00:08:50] he won't let me, you know, Bobo can you just take care of him

[00:08:54] and Rupp was like no that's not my job

[00:08:58] and I don't watch enough Toronto Maple Leaf hockey

[00:09:02] to know if they kind of transcended into a tougher team because of those guys

[00:09:06] but I can see that the devils have

[00:09:10] a lot of the players are just determined and I'll go to the Ranger game

[00:09:14] not only do I not think that everybody drops the gloves if he's not in that lineup

[00:09:18] but there's no way that Dawson Mercer goes after Cooley

[00:09:22] if he's not in that lineup, if he didn't bring that

[00:09:26] and kind of give the whole team that little bit of confidence

[00:09:30] and stuff that doesn't happen. It's not just him running around as like the bodyguard

[00:09:34] he's adding an element of toughness that permeates the whole team

[00:09:38] a minimal salary for a guy that yeah he's not going to play all 82 games

[00:09:42] No, you bring him in the lineup when it's more likely he's going to be needed

[00:09:46] and even if you don't have him in one game okay let's just say you're playing

[00:09:50] the I don't know fucking Tampa Bay Lightning and it's the first

[00:09:54] of three games you have to play with them and let's say McDermott's

[00:09:58] scratch the first game and things get a little out of hand and they

[00:10:02] take it a little too far. Game two that they

[00:10:06] play and McDermott's in that lineup that ends but my point is too even

[00:10:10] knowing that he's on the team

[00:10:14] maybe you don't take those liberties because you know

[00:10:18] eventually that bill is going to have to be paid like

[00:10:22] like Rempe did. Every team has a book on them and let's face it the book on the devils

[00:10:26] is they're physically soft so when you change that book

[00:10:30] going into the pregame preparations

[00:10:34] that's no longer something they're saying where hey guys we got to hit this team

[00:10:38] give them a little extra they fall apart. You'll take that off

[00:10:42] the books there and it won't be their store anymore. It does not mean you're going to automatically win every game

[00:10:46] and you definitely don't want him in there

[00:10:50] taking bad penalties and slowing down the offense and putting you on the

[00:10:54] pk all the time but I think that guys like him

[00:10:58] definitely still have their place in this league. Yes, it's not like

[00:11:02] it was years ago where you expected every night you're going to have your

[00:11:06] fight or fight a game and you know but they still have a place

[00:11:10] on the team. Sure. Well I mean I think they should sign them

[00:11:14] I do. Yeah there are guys out there that can do that job but you have

[00:11:18] him already he's already here the guys they all seem to like him he seems to

[00:11:22] fit in with this team I say sign the guy

[00:11:26] there was a couple of guys though like

[00:11:30] a little bit of a list of a couple of UFAs that are

[00:11:34] after this season that maybe

[00:11:38] we just want to kind of get your opinion so after this season

[00:11:42] Devils are going to have I think between 21 and 22 million dollars of salary cap space

[00:11:46] it's around 12th in the league

[00:11:50] so they're on the upper 50% of that in the salary cap

[00:11:54] which is fantastic. Now we talked about

[00:11:58] a true second line center

[00:12:02] to play and I was looking at some of these stats and looking at some of these

[00:12:06] numbers and there are actually a couple of guys that listener Tim Wood

[00:12:10] he sent us a DM of some players to keep an eye on

[00:12:14] and these two guys were on it and that's Sean Monahan and Chandler Stevenson

[00:12:18] so Monahan is a center he easily

[00:12:22] shoots lefty 6'2", 196 pounds

[00:12:26] he's got 24 goals, 32 assists

[00:12:30] and he gets, who was that, Monahan

[00:12:34] less than 2 million a year, 1.985

[00:12:38] so maybe a guy like Sean Monahan

[00:12:42] if he doesn't re-sign

[00:12:46] who do they send him to? Vegas?

[00:12:50] some western team from Montreal I don't know

[00:12:54] so he's a UFA and if they don't end up signing them these are good numbers

[00:12:58] and this is a bigger dude. The other guy who I really like is Chandler Stevenson

[00:13:02] who also comes in at 2.75

[00:13:06] AAV right now. So again these are very manageable contracts

[00:13:10] and guys that you can sign for 2 or 3 year deal

[00:13:14] and Chandler Stevenson again another left handed

[00:13:18] shooting centerman 6'2", 210 pounds

[00:13:22] 3 goals, 31 assists and 2 cups

[00:13:26] so Chandler Stevenson is coming in with some pedigree we don't have enough guys

[00:13:30] on this team that have Stanley Cup experience I think that definitely helps

[00:13:34] and I also think, and I know we're going to talk about this a lot more down the road

[00:13:38] but you had said about, we were talking a little bit about coaching

[00:13:42] the last show and you said something I think is

[00:13:46] an absolute prerequisite do not hire a head coach

[00:13:50] that has not made a Stanley Cup run.

[00:13:54] He'd run preferably a cup win but yeah definitely

[00:13:58] I mean Tom McClellan has won a cup but it was as an assistant coach

[00:14:02] but still he was there as an assistant

[00:14:06] and I think that's huge and you know Lindy Ruff has never won a Stanley Cup

[00:14:10] and he never will

[00:14:14] I don't want to take that kind of baggage

[00:14:18] because the team has its own so you want somebody to help shake that baggage

[00:14:22] That's it, that's it

[00:14:26] and I think maybe one of those two guys or whoever else

[00:14:30] maybe is available we find out a little bit later on that aren't on this list

[00:14:34] but I really like Monahan or Stevenson for that second line center

[00:14:38] to play with Jack and whoever you throw in there

[00:14:42] now let's say that you got a guy like Chandler Stevenson

[00:14:46] that could potentially be you know Hughes

[00:14:50] Stevenson Mercer Meyer

[00:14:54] Heesher and Bratt

[00:14:58] that's a really solid top two lines if everybody can stay

[00:15:02] healthy

[00:15:06] then you got some guys on the defensive side

[00:15:10] a couple of these guys are with Carolina right now

[00:15:14] and that's Brett Pesci

[00:15:18] right handed shooting defenseman big dude 6'3 206 pounds

[00:15:22] and Brady Shea is a left handed defenseman 6'3 210 pounds

[00:15:26] we've had a lot of success with Carolina

[00:15:30] and Pesci is a little over 4 million a year

[00:15:34] Brady Shea is 5 1⁄4 AAV so they're a little higher price

[00:15:38] this is very true

[00:15:42] but yeah having a guy like him on the lineup

[00:15:46] do you think that they need one or two defensemen

[00:15:50] okay so Hamilton's coming back

[00:15:54] right we want to see Hughes in the lineup

[00:15:58] we want to see

[00:16:02] Nemechin in the lineup

[00:16:06] exactly now then we got some question marks surrounding others

[00:16:10] Kevin Ball I think is going to be there

[00:16:14] I understand why they might give him another year development

[00:16:18] this is his first real full year

[00:16:22] maybe technically second because he was in fairly early last year

[00:16:26] but I believe it's his first full year from the beginning of the season

[00:16:30] yeah last year he didn't really get into the lineup every day until

[00:16:34] probably after the trade deadline last year

[00:16:38] so in and out of the lineup him and

[00:16:42] Brendan Smith and then kind of when they

[00:16:46] got a huge upside we know that

[00:16:50] his size is great we've seen him do some really smart things

[00:16:54] but we've seen him be really inconsistent too

[00:16:58] you're probably right you think there's no chance he's not going to be in this lineup

[00:17:02] next year as I was saying it's

[00:17:06] yeah so I think that you

[00:17:10] pretty much pencil in Luke Hughes

[00:17:14] Dougie Hamilton, Shimon Nemech, Kevin Ball

[00:17:18] maybe that is only four yeah that's only four

[00:17:22] so we need two more

[00:17:26] of the people we have had I mean I kind of feel like maybe it's time to cut

[00:17:30] Seagant Dahl or Loose

[00:17:34] Steve Replacement for him

[00:17:38] and Brendan Smith you know like Brendan Smith sometimes he gets

[00:17:42] a big heart award for me because I appreciate his

[00:17:46] efforts I think like some of the things I

[00:17:50] used to complain about with other defensemen one thing I can't complain about with him

[00:17:54] is he's always got his heart in the game but man between some of the penalties

[00:17:58] and just stupid quality defense

[00:18:02] I get him all the credit and world for being a utility player

[00:18:06] and just being an all around great guy but

[00:18:10] to be honest with you I would like to see his position filled too

[00:18:14] so maybe two yeah maybe we're looking for two defensemen if at all possible

[00:18:18] definitely. Chris Tanev is still going to be

[00:18:22] a free agent after this year if Dallas doesn't sign him

[00:18:26] I think he would be a really good

[00:18:30] player on this team and for what he brings just that

[00:18:34] solid big stay at home dude I'd really

[00:18:38] like to see them go and get him

[00:18:42] I mean you still have Seamus Casey now too do you really want to bring in another rookie

[00:18:46] to play on the back end after what we went through this year

[00:18:50] I just don't know if that's something that

[00:18:54] Devils management and fans have an appetite for right now

[00:18:58] and goaltenders I mean I'm watching Alan and I'm looking

[00:19:02] at his body language of the last game and I could see

[00:19:06] it like boy this seems familiar doesn't it like we're just eating up these goalies

[00:19:10] they come out and then just the constant mistakes you can just see it get into them

[00:19:14] so yeah I mean we need somebody with some experience if we're going to have

[00:19:18] guys with great potential but let's face it maybe they're not the rookie year anymore but

[00:19:22] damage and hues are not going to overnight stop making some mistakes

[00:19:26] so we need some responsibility and some experience

[00:19:30] so what about John Marino so yeah I mean

[00:19:34] I want Marino from last year and I don't know if that guy's coming back

[00:19:38] this year's Marino I'm not impressed I don't he has not

[00:19:42] been consistent he's had a couple good games he's had a lot of really

[00:19:46] rough games and I don't know what's going on I don't know if it's

[00:19:50] just the system and the coaching see you know if you're a big Marino fan

[00:19:54] you say listen there's nothing wrong with him he was used incorrectly the defensive

[00:19:58] system is not working it's in that and there is some truth to that argument

[00:20:02] I'm sure that guy's in there somewhere from two years ago and I think

[00:20:06] he was just amazing two years ago he was this last season he was

[00:20:10] I think our most solid guy

[00:20:14] to be honest with you I mean Hamilton was always great for the goals and stuff but

[00:20:18] as far as responsibility making smart plays being great on the

[00:20:22] penalty kill as well as the power Marino was great and

[00:20:26] so I don't know that's why I just don't I go back and forth with him

[00:20:30] would you think or do you think that it's enough if the devil's come

[00:20:34] into 24-25 season with

[00:20:38] Luke Hughes, Shimon Nemitz, Dougie

[00:20:42] Hamilton, John Marino, Kevin Ball

[00:20:46] and player X let's say it's now really yes Elias

[00:20:50] and then home would be the guy I say you go and get but you're going to have to pay that guy a fortune

[00:20:54] and Vancouver's going to pay him so maybe

[00:20:58] a guy like Brady Shea, Joe Pesci, Brent Pesci

[00:21:02] or you know a Tanniv or maybe even a Hannafin if you really want to go

[00:21:06] and try and get a stellar really good

[00:21:10] blue chip kind of guy, blue chip kind of guy

[00:21:14] maybe you go after Noah Hannafin because I do think they're going to have the money for it

[00:21:18] so let's say it's Noah Hannafin

[00:21:22] are you okay with that as your blue one

[00:21:26] I think so, I mean there's enough

[00:21:30] in that you know there's enough experience mixed in with some of the younger guys

[00:21:34] we were talking about having

[00:21:38] the big stay at home guy maybe two or

[00:21:42] originally we were talking about pairing them up with every one of our

[00:21:46] score type defensemen does make sense yeah right to balance out

[00:21:50] and you know when these guys want to pinch in you know the other guys back

[00:21:54] so let's say it's not Hannafin then

[00:21:58] let's say it is a guy like Tanniv okay

[00:22:02] so you have Dougie Hamilton and Chris Tanniv in pairing one

[00:22:06] and you have Luke Hughes and John Marino in pairing two

[00:22:10] and you have Kevin Ball and Shimon Nemitz in pairing three

[00:22:14] ah boy

[00:22:18] Ball is also inexperienced if I'm going to put Nemitz with somebody I kind of want somebody more

[00:22:22] experienced than Ball and it's not that I don't want Ball but it's weird so like

[00:22:26] if we were to just throw out things I would say it's possible to do all this

[00:22:30] but you get a guy like Hannafin

[00:22:34] and Ball I mean if Ball is going to

[00:22:38] end up being defensively responsible it's more stay at home

[00:22:42] okay and Hannafin is you know the one who's going to go up there and score

[00:22:46] in the future that could be a good pairing but I do worry about

[00:22:50] him with Nemitz you know because he's like I get it and I'll tell

[00:22:54] you though like we talked about it Kenny was talking to

[00:22:58] Danico was talking about it on the last broadcast about Kevin Ball

[00:23:02] and Kevin Ball needs to become that stay at home

[00:23:06] defenseman yes that's he needs to be developed in that

[00:23:10] way that this is your job okay you are just you know forget

[00:23:14] about the offense take any delusions of grandeur that you

[00:23:18] have of being a you know scoring defenseman he needs to sit down and watch

[00:23:22] some Kenny Danico that's what he needs to do yeah because and I said it you do

[00:23:26] that you play in this league for as long as you want to play in this league

[00:23:30] and I agree I believe that so and Kevin Ball has

[00:23:34] every other attribute has all the physical attributes yep

[00:23:38] and who can a coach come in develop him to just be that

[00:23:42] big solid stay at home defenseman who can use his body

[00:23:46] use his long reach and long stick and take care of

[00:23:50] you know do his job that way because right now I don't know what Kevin Ball is

[00:23:54] and I feel like this year that direction was never given to him because

[00:23:58] the proof I give for that it's not like how do you know maybe they were working with him

[00:24:02] why because he was never really scratched you know he didn't spend a lot of time in the best

[00:24:06] way so if he was not doing what they were telling him you think there would have been some kind of repercussions

[00:24:10] and I didn't see that so I just feel like he was kind of mismanaged

[00:24:14] there by coaching staff so you're absolutely right he could involve

[00:24:18] into that guy Kenny Danico type guy with by the way

[00:24:22] longer reach and better shot so it's very good

[00:24:26] and I would like to work on you know outlet passes and just make

[00:24:30] people pay in our end he's got the size he needs to make sure he finishes

[00:24:34] every check he doesn't always do that when he does it makes a huge

[00:24:38] difference with that size and when he doesn't it you notice it you're like

[00:24:42] up yeah I mean I don't know what is going on between his ears that he doesn't use

[00:24:46] the body that he has but it's like it's a coach needs to come in here

[00:24:50] whoever's gonna be that defensive coach and just work on this guy

[00:24:54] just being that big physical stay at home dude

[00:24:58] and I think that that could change the blue line so I'm okay like

[00:25:02] back and forth on so many players like this devil year this year

[00:25:06] whole season has just completely confused me there's guys that I was

[00:25:10] big on and now I don't want on the team guys that I didn't want on the team

[00:25:14] that now I kind of do and one of the guys that I was putting

[00:25:18] up a bit of a defense for recently you know a few weeks ago

[00:25:22] and stuff but the last handful games I'm watching

[00:25:26] is dog shit is Alex Holtz like

[00:25:30] this guy I'm sorry I don't know if he's ever gonna get it

[00:25:34] I just don't like if you were to take him and say

[00:25:38] put them on the top six line and basically

[00:25:42] tell them none of your you know don't worry about your defense you're out here to score

[00:25:46] goals I don't know any team that's going to tell a top six forward they don't have to play defense

[00:25:50] but they're not going far that's not a playoff team right so I don't know

[00:25:54] if that's gonna happen but I watch him get beaten

[00:25:58] on the boards almost every single time

[00:26:02] honestly there's no place at NHL for that kind of stuff he needed to

[00:26:06] work harder to make his case you're right yeah and I'm

[00:26:10] just you know it's already I think a foregone conclusion that he's

[00:26:14] out the door he's going to be packaged up for

[00:26:18] with whoever we probably send to Nashville for UC Soros

[00:26:22] I think it's for the best I mean I know that a lot of the shit that was

[00:26:26] like obviously raw between him and Lindy it was very easy to take

[00:26:30] his side on it because everybody's getting pretty you know wearing their

[00:26:34] patience Lindy was wearing everybody's patience then for a whole bunch of reasons and

[00:26:38] the way he let's say misused Holtz was part of that

[00:26:42] but I think like there's also something to me that says look you're a young player

[00:26:46] and you can't get along with Lindy Ruff the rest of the team can

[00:26:50] what's your deal I mean he was Lindy was like

[00:26:54] really good with having young guys under his wing and like even if he didn't get the

[00:26:58] greatest results he didn't ever seem like you know like this guy got to put him in

[00:27:02] the doghouse I feel like there's maybe more of a reason than we really realize

[00:27:06] yeah there's something is not clicking with him and and you know

[00:27:10] yeah we all know everybody's spoken about it

[00:27:14] you know all season long how Lindy Ruff has misused

[00:27:18] guys and then you kind of see when these guys are put in more

[00:27:22] favorable positions and more you know look at

[00:27:26] Humomire now being up on the top six playing in the right side

[00:27:30] on the first power play and great things happened

[00:27:34] you know you see it with a couple of different guys but with Holtz

[00:27:38] right and then Holtz got the opportunity

[00:27:42] when you didn't do it like you had as soon as Green came in

[00:27:46] it was you were on that top six you were playing with Jack

[00:27:50] and you did nothing you weren't you know put him in the box guy anymore

[00:27:54] you got a fair shot and I know it was like a super long term but

[00:27:58] other guys managed to use that time to show okay there's

[00:28:02] hope here you know then you know but you're right and another team

[00:28:06] totally okay with them cutting the hem list and I think another team will have more patience with

[00:28:10] Holtz too he ends up going to Nashville this isn't a Nashville first round draft pick

[00:28:14] this is a guy that they just got in they're going to treat like everybody else

[00:28:18] having that hanging over his head his whole career is that

[00:28:22] you were a first round pick like you were picked early in the first round

[00:28:26] you're expected to do more than this and he just hasn't I don't

[00:28:30] think that you know I think Holtz and I'm fine with that but the thing is too

[00:28:34] I do think from the rumblings that I'm

[00:28:38] getting that I would not be shocked if Barry Trotz

[00:28:42] and Tom Fitzgerald pretty much had the framework of a deal for you see Soros

[00:28:46] laid out and it's just a matter of you know

[00:28:50] getting done with the season here for Nashville

[00:28:54] Wow now I believe that there's

[00:28:58] very well could be framework for that maybe I'm completely wrong

[00:29:02] it is reckless speculation Thursday but what are these

[00:29:06] rumblings you just seeing little things here and there or yeah I mean

[00:29:10] I got a dude that is in Nashville and kind of told

[00:29:14] me that you know with the predator organization that it does

[00:29:18] Barry Trotz has said many times that UC Soros

[00:29:22] is most likely going to be traded at the end of this season so

[00:29:26] yeah so again if it's to the devils who else are we giving up

[00:29:30] like Barry Trotz isn't going to let this guy walk out for nothing and he's not going to let this guy

[00:29:34] do a once point swap for Alex Holtz I was going to say I'd be

[00:29:38] perfectly happy with that but that's not going to happen so yeah that's a great question

[00:29:42] you don't think it's going to be muddy in picks and we could just

[00:29:46] get out of just losing no just maybe a Holtz no

[00:29:50] there's got to be more to this because you're going to want somebody even better

[00:29:54] than Holtz that we're going to have to pay to price for like like a Mercer or somebody I do

[00:29:58] I think it is going to end up being a Mercer or

[00:30:02] I don't know maybe you package a few guys up and send them out but like

[00:30:06] if it's a Mercer and a Holtz I mean I'm okay with that look

[00:30:10] it's it is what it is I think Mercer is going to be an extremely

[00:30:14] good hockey player in this league and I think Mercer is going to have a great career

[00:30:18] I would like to see him do it here because

[00:30:22] I do think this was just a down year yeah I still believe he's got a good

[00:30:26] career ahead of him it's too bad we couldn't like like to be honest with you I'd feel

[00:30:30] better about you know Holtz but I don't know how much he's looking at

[00:30:34] needing a Holtz you know I mean the other and we

[00:30:38] have Holtz like I don't know if you're going to be able to dump a guy like Holtz

[00:30:42] or a guy like Pallott like the more I look at it it's I think those

[00:30:46] guys are there and I think we're stuck with them and maybe

[00:30:50] Holtz was just a third line center and played with let's

[00:30:54] say you know Curtis Lazar and Andre Pallott

[00:30:58] I'd be fine with that but then you also have to look at like we do

[00:31:02] have other dudes like Nolan Foote and you know Nate

[00:31:06] Bastion coming back and the kid Shane Bowers I like

[00:31:10] everything I've seen from Shane Bowers I like everything I see every time I've

[00:31:14] seen Nolan Foote play with the big club I like him and I think he's going

[00:31:18] to be I think it could be a really valuable piece on this team

[00:31:22] there will be a point where you know like we're gonna like have that

[00:31:26] spot blocked up because we got Paula and to some extent Pallott

[00:31:30] and that's longer contracts for agent guys we kind of knew this going in and that could happen

[00:31:34] hopefully it's not next year but I can see as possible. Like I'd be fine

[00:31:38] if you shipped off Hala I would be totally fine with that and you move a guy like

[00:31:42] you know even if you put Curtis Lazar centering a third line with Pallott

[00:31:46] and you know Nolan Foote and a fourth line of

[00:31:50] I don't know if no sick is coming back but let's just

[00:31:54] say that we do sign him for another year he's centering line four with

[00:31:58] Nate Bastion and I don't know

[00:32:02] who else you throw on that maybe I mean Shane Bowers seems to be a little bit too good to be pulling

[00:32:06] up on the fourth line Curtis McDermott you know but but like

[00:32:10] I see like these big contracts for older guys like Pallott

[00:32:14] and Hala like you just said blocking up spots where

[00:32:18] I feel like we need to get better but I don't know if we're going to be able

[00:32:22] to because of those guys. Yeah and you know to some extent

[00:32:26] you kind of want to have the problem before you plan for it because

[00:32:30] you don't end up in a position our defense was which is oh we like these guys

[00:32:34] can't wait to get them in the lineup and then you finally know like hey they're not ready

[00:32:38] you know so if you could work one at a time and just

[00:32:42] you know somehow manage that that might be better than

[00:32:46] just cutting them loose and you know I'm kind of disappointed

[00:32:50] to some extent with both of them but just because we needed that leader to come

[00:32:54] in this year when people were out and

[00:32:58] they both have the experience they both have you know cup and playoff

[00:33:02] history that you know you wanted them to bring that to the team

[00:33:06] didn't really materialize so like to some extent like based on that I'm

[00:33:10] not sorry to move on from those guys

[00:33:14] maybe sooner than I had hoped but

[00:33:18] I don't think you also want to just jump the gun and go okay we got these

[00:33:22] rookies we're ready to throw them in you know and have a

[00:33:26] third and fourth line you know that would be a trouble. Yeah

[00:33:30] you're right so you know maybe then you hold on to them for another year

[00:33:34] and you know maybe you bring because maybe if Hala is strictly

[00:33:38] that bottom six third line die and he like to me

[00:33:42] I'm a big proponent on keeping lines

[00:33:46] that work together I know that that's not the norm anymore in hockey

[00:33:50] you know everything gets you know thrown in a blender and it's just a matter

[00:33:54] you know everybody every coach wants to have players that can play with everybody

[00:33:58] and I agree with that but that's all the analytics they're looking at the analytics

[00:34:02] and they're trying to set up lines with math you know right

[00:34:06] kind of weird it is that's what's happening you know I feel like

[00:34:10] you know a true second line center

[00:34:14] is absolutely needed on this team a guy

[00:34:18] or two for that bottom six absolutely needed on this team

[00:34:22] I don't not even saying that you have to go out in trade for them they could be in the system

[00:34:26] it could be you know foot and bowers it could be foot and insert

[00:34:30] other player it would definitely need

[00:34:34] at least one good defenseman

[00:34:38] maybe more depending on what they decide to do and you got to get the goalie

[00:34:42] and all these moves like they might you know complicate things

[00:34:46] so you make your priorities let's say the priority for the sake argument is the goal tender

[00:34:50] a lot of people would agree with you know like what do you got to give up and

[00:34:54] then you know you're looking at getting some guys that you know

[00:34:58] that you're going to you know have to give up so now you have another spot to fill

[00:35:02] like we're talking about hey losing Mercer if we're lucky maybe

[00:35:06] Hala both those are two spots that you know I really did not

[00:35:10] a lot of Mercer but you know it may force us into needing more

[00:35:14] people than we you know are talking about

[00:35:18] as the team stands right now right I mean can you entice a team like

[00:35:22] Nashville who let's say they want Dawson Mercer and

[00:35:26] Alex Foltz can you entice them with okay not Mercer but we'll give

[00:35:30] you Graham Clark and Holtz

[00:35:34] and I don't know somebody else say

[00:35:38] you know somebody from Utica developmental guy you know

[00:35:42] Jonas Seagant Daller and you know maybe we can package a little bit more

[00:35:46] if it's needed for them I mean I don't know how many teams are really going to want

[00:35:50] Jonas Seagant Daller I do think he's going to end up just kind of being a piece

[00:35:54] an extra piece but we have to move on from him

[00:35:58] we absolutely have to move on from him and I'm up in the air about whether or not

[00:36:02] we have to move on from John Marino I do feel

[00:36:06] I know if it's for the right deal I'm going to be like damn I wish

[00:36:10] had worked out but I'm going to understand it you know

[00:36:14] this is stay and comes back I'd be so happy we kept him

[00:36:18] because I'm telling you I can't remember too many players where it was such a night

[00:36:22] and day difference between one season he was such a plus for us

[00:36:26] last season and just has not met anywhere near that

[00:36:30] level this year so you know I kind of you know hard of hearts I want

[00:36:34] him to stay I like the way he plays he's a cerebral kind of player

[00:36:38] when he's on this game he's a thinker he kind of reminds me of

[00:36:42] Niedermacher and he had some of those qualities not quite the speed but

[00:36:46] a thinker and he made some amazing plays and passes and it was just

[00:36:50] so solid this year none of those things are consistently true

[00:36:54] no I don't know what's going on with him this year

[00:36:58] but yeah I don't know better he had like concussion like drama

[00:37:02] somewhere or something I don't remember an incident I don't know like it is just so

[00:37:06] crazy how every single player on this team just went

[00:37:10] you know and I don't I so I'm working on

[00:37:14] an article now for the website I'm hoping

[00:37:18] probably not going to get it on till after the weekend because I got to tighten it up and I was kind of waiting until

[00:37:22] after the season that's UnclePuckers.com right? The UnclePuckers.com

[00:37:26] The UnclePuckers.com so I was originally

[00:37:30] going to do at my idea was early on

[00:37:34] in the season that I was going to do at the end of the 82 game season

[00:37:38] I was going to do a part pie chart of praise where I was going to

[00:37:42] divvy up who were the best you know what

[00:37:46] we're making it to the playoffs and you know this was our season why was our season so good because I was expecting a very good season

[00:37:50] called Punch and Pie you can have the negative

[00:37:54] and then the positive punch in the pie and then I figured

[00:37:58] probably not going to win the cup so let's say whatever series we lose

[00:38:02] in after that I do a pie chart of blame

[00:38:06] just a pie chart of blame for the season which is not something I originally

[00:38:10] planned on doing. Nobody planned on that yeah

[00:38:14] but here we are. Yeah and I'm hoping to put that up

[00:38:18] probably on Monday but you know a lot of the

[00:38:22] this pie chart is going to look like this person gets

[00:38:26] 30% of the blame this one gets 22% of the blame. Exactly and then I'll explain

[00:38:30] why I feel like those guys are

[00:38:34] getting that percentage like the percentage like the injuries

[00:38:38] of course the immaturity slash youth the goal tending the coaching

[00:38:42] the management off ice problems all those things are all going to get certain

[00:38:46] percentages. Nobody's safe the mascot anybody could be. The mascot was the only thing this year

[00:38:50] I kind of liked. I don't know did he do anything different? He's okay.

[00:38:54] No I do have to say it took two seasons

[00:38:58] but Bill Spaulding is really growing on me.

[00:39:02] He'll always be grateful that he is not Steve Ganglisi so he's always got

[00:39:06] that you know just not being cangy.

[00:39:10] That's great and he's a little goofy at times but he's right it's a sink some

[00:39:14] extent he's been growing on me a little bit too I think he's kind of like finding his way

[00:39:18] especially Dylan McKenn. Look Dylan McKenn is not the easiest

[00:39:22] thing in the world. Oh no. I mean I love him but he's just like

[00:39:26] he'll just like stuff like just noises come out

[00:39:30] sometimes. He'll be in the middle of a sentence and I know

[00:39:34] Spaulding's like should I hop in and finish the sentence or move on.

[00:39:38] Today Junior? Yeah exactly so you know and I'm sure

[00:39:42] Kenny's is probably like just just this big guy breathing all over

[00:39:46] him you know he's not the same kind of guy as Kenny he's like

[00:39:50] and you know that say it's like nerdy you know. Kenny wears, Danica wears his emotions

[00:39:54] on his sleeve so whether his team is doing terrible I'm sure he's absolutely miserable

[00:39:58] to be next to you know especially when there's stoppage is a play

[00:40:02] I can only imagine that he could do it on a regular basis flips out

[00:40:06] Oh yeah as soon as they go to the Cuma can you fucking believe this

[00:40:10] and throwing shit and then when they're doing good he's like

[00:40:14] the biggest cheerleader in the world so it's a roll up and down not going to sit off the desk

[00:40:18] Yeah I can totally see that you know probably putting balding in a

[00:40:22] headlock balding in a headlock and shit you know just being a fucking

[00:40:26] fat boy but yeah I could totally see that and you know what I like

[00:40:30] about Spalding too like he doesn't seem to have a filter and I've kind of

[00:40:34] noticed this like with certain things like he was talking about

[00:40:38] Samsonov today Samsonov for Toronto

[00:40:42] and look Samsonov had a bad year in the beginning of the year and he was

[00:40:46] sent down to the Toronto Marlies to work on his game. Yeah right yeah

[00:40:50] and normally a play by play would be like yes you know Ilyas Samsonov

[00:40:54] he had a lot of struggles you know in the beginning of the year he wasn't playing great

[00:40:58] and then Spalding was like he was absolutely awful

[00:41:02] he was just like he was terrible

[00:41:06] That's awesome. He's been a player so long you know you don't

[00:41:10] talk other players out loud in the media and this guy

[00:41:14] there you go yeah I'm sure that on some level was thinking

[00:41:18] man if I heard you say in this shit about me I would have met you in the hallway back then

[00:41:22] but you could tell because Dano just goes silent

[00:41:26] he'll say something really shit about it and he'll just leave him there and he won't

[00:41:30] change the subject he'll just say nothing until Spalding says something else

[00:41:34] Yeah it's so funny because he doesn't do it to devils

[00:41:38] but he does do it to other teams oh god yeah did you see that player

[00:41:42] that was terrible what the hell was he thinking like he just has no filter on stuff

[00:41:46] I imagine sometimes Danico just looks at him and goes

[00:41:50] like he even last year like when he first started

[00:41:54] he was like the biggest jinx like the shit that you're not supposed to say

[00:41:58] he said it all the time guys there's only three minutes

[00:42:02] shut the fuck up are you kidding me anybody's

[00:42:06] the least superstitious is like dude please don't do this to us

[00:42:10] that's just common etiquette in hockey

[00:42:14] you don't mention the shutout not anything 10 minutes left in the third

[00:42:18] you don't talk about it right but yeah I like

[00:42:22] him you know he's I think he's better than Matt Laughlin I have

[00:42:26] a hard time listening to him the only time I put the radio so much better on the

[00:42:30] radio than when he was on TV but I know what you're saying Matt is not high energy

[00:42:34] no it's not a level kind of way of announcing the game

[00:42:38] and to me it kind of suits like a radio voice a little bit it's almost like a baseball kind of call

[00:42:42] the way he is you know right baseball guys are a real love level you know

[00:42:46] but like maybe Sterling yeah he's just a tool but like

[00:42:50] when a play-by-play guy for whoever your

[00:42:54] home team is there you know that goal is the one that you have

[00:42:58] all the energy behind and then when the opposition scores

[00:43:02] you're like and yeah they score however you call it but you're no way

[00:43:06] Matt Laughlin has that same call on whoever scores

[00:43:10] and it's not exciting it's just and he scored

[00:43:14] that's the 20th goal for Jack Hughes this year dude that was one of ours I'm like

[00:43:18] listening to radio and I'm like oh we're down now no wait that was our goal I had no idea

[00:43:22] the only reason I can you know think that it's us it's because Chico's happy

[00:43:26] in the back a failure radio guy was definitely Mike Miller he was the

[00:43:30] best yes it was very good a little older to remember him

[00:43:34] because he's been gone a while but he was he was the best and a

[00:43:38] programming note to our listeners Stanley Cup champion

[00:43:42] and New Jersey native Jim Dowd is going to be joining the show I believe

[00:43:46] sometime next week we're gonna get that schedule so yeah

[00:43:50] so he's gonna come on and I cannot wait to pick his brain

[00:43:54] about I know we love to have him on the first time but I'm gonna tell you I'm even more excited

[00:43:58] about him coming on now I wanted I need to know what he thinks of this season

[00:44:02] and not only do I want to know what he thinks like I want to know like

[00:44:06] you've been on teams that underperformed right you've been on teams like

[00:44:10] what is it like in that dressing room both ways like whether

[00:44:14] you just don't do it when he's been on teams that you know we're down

[00:44:18] and came back and made playoffs and ended up going on runs and stuff like

[00:44:22] I'm gonna have my bullshit detector out because I want to ask him dude

[00:44:26] how much are you also going right now I cannot wait for this season

[00:44:30] to be over right I'm gay you know what some of these guys are going on this

[00:44:34] fucking playoff run I don't even fucking care I'm gonna go enjoy my life

[00:44:38] with you know as an actual player is all fine exactly what I want to know like what is going on in that locker room

[00:44:42] what's being said to these guys you know does it get to a point

[00:44:46] where the coach just throws his hands up and he's just like you go out there and do whatever the fuck you want

[00:44:50] I don't know you know I cannot wait to talk to him about this

[00:44:54] and remind me he never had a chance to play with green did he

[00:44:58] I gotta look this up I don't think he ever played with Travis Green

[00:45:02] I mean sure they were at the same era so I'm sure they played tons against each other

[00:45:06] between green being on the Islanders and the Maple Leafs

[00:45:10] and Dowd with New Jersey and then the other 25

[00:45:14] teams he played for right so yeah but

[00:45:18] I definitely cannot wait to hear what he has to say about that because you're right

[00:45:22] like it is you know does it get to a point where the guys are just like

[00:45:26] I don't even want to put my skates on today like I don't even want to I just want this over

[00:45:30] like as a fan I just want this over like I mean I'm gonna watch every

[00:45:34] game but it's like what does it really matter

[00:45:38] yeah I get it it's like and it's disheartening because

[00:45:42] you know we've had high and low points throughout the season but this is a little

[00:45:46] different it kind of moves into it's so hard to fight the apathy

[00:45:50] you put the game on and the finality of it you know it's

[00:45:54] it doesn't matter even when

[00:45:58] even when you had a point two percent chance there was still a point two percent chance

[00:46:02] and now you've got that red X going through your name you're not going to play

[00:46:06] off it does the only way you're going to play off is if four other teams

[00:46:10] somehow cannot play and you know you're

[00:46:14] you're asked to come in need some planes to go down or yeah

[00:46:18] something horrible and I didn't want to go there but yeah that's what you need

[00:46:22] you do might need a bunch of them because I don't even know if they are sitting

[00:46:26] at least four because you know you're gonna need to get them in and maybe that

[00:46:30] would be us but yeah it's just it's not good

[00:46:34] but and I love hockey and I love Stanley

[00:46:38] Cup playoffs and I watch a ton of it I do not

[00:46:42] have any interest in the Stanley Cup playoffs this year

[00:46:46] I am so I'm gonna try to get in but it's not well I battle it's going to be

[00:46:50] you know it's a little bit of going to be rough because exactly

[00:46:54] like two years ago I want you know of course you want I watched every

[00:46:58] game devils weren't in the playoffs but you didn't have any expectations going into

[00:47:02] that season that's what made last year such a great

[00:47:06] awesome surprise because we didn't have high expectations and that's what we got

[00:47:10] so going in this year like especially

[00:47:14] if the Rangers have a good run or something like I do not

[00:47:18] it makes me so fucking angry I don't want to see it

[00:47:22] and I also want to get to the summer I want to get to free

[00:47:26] I want to get to the draft I want to see what the devils are going to do and I swear you

[00:47:30] can have some fun hating because we have some we have plenty of enemies

[00:47:34] you know Rangers probably top of the heap there as far as

[00:47:38] he's in the playoffs and maybe in general and just bad things could

[00:47:42] befall these teams and I'm gonna enjoy that. Is this true? That's something to look forward to

[00:47:46] possibly. Will Toronto shit the bed yet again

[00:47:50] I hope so. It's always fun to watch. And I hope the Rangers do

[00:47:54] the Rangers draw Tampa Bay in the first round and Tampa Bay smokes them

[00:47:58] and they lose in the first round again. Exactly you know and that's the one thing like

[00:48:02] Devil fans could at least hang their head okay you played five more games than us

[00:48:06] go fuck yourself you know what difference does it make. Enjoy some play of hockey and let's

[00:48:10] face it sometimes you gotta embrace a little hate here you know it's probably better to be

[00:48:14] positive but when you're a fan it's kind of tough

[00:48:18] you know and so no one worry the other I'm gonna try to enjoy these games

[00:48:22] you know what I'm really looking forward to watching

[00:48:26] the Western Conference teams. I enjoy watching

[00:48:30] the Colorado Vancouver you know and stuff like that

[00:48:34] but I have to say like as terrible as this season

[00:48:38] was and how there was not a ton of joy in this season

[00:48:42] I am so looking forward to next season. I know

[00:48:46] That is the part too it would have happened if we were in the playoffs and the moment

[00:48:50] you got out of the playoffs and honestly even if you win the cup yeah there's all that

[00:48:54] great joy in everything but you can't wait to get the next season well we started

[00:48:58] early with us. I already I feel like I cannot wait for

[00:49:02] October you know. Yeah because I do think that this team

[00:49:06] if the right moves are made they're

[00:49:10] gonna be right back in it. You know I think

[00:49:14] look at like what this team would be like this year

[00:49:18] you see Soros and Jake Allen where you're starting tandem from day one

[00:49:22] I mean they're in the playoffs. You know

[00:49:26] Jack Hughes worries me so much about his health and like we said

[00:49:30] a couple of months ago like dude if you need surgery on that thing

[00:49:34] go get it now if by some reason maybe it should have been done a month ago

[00:49:38] I don't know. You know at least he's gonna be back for training camp so that's good

[00:49:42] I just hope that this fixes that problem because you know you could see it

[00:49:46] here. I'll tell you what if he needed it all along and he's not ready to go

[00:49:50] because he needs more than the summer to recover makes you think that that was

[00:49:54] mismanaged as well they should have got it done especially if

[00:49:58] the management wasn't making the moves we needed anyway it's like right

[00:50:02] yeah you apparently didn't have a really way. Yeah you didn't have belief in the team

[00:50:06] didn't why didn't you just shelve Jack in February but

[00:50:10] yeah I mean it's just so much that they have to do

[00:50:14] I can't wait to you know finally after the

[00:50:18] cup is won and free agency hits I just I cannot wait to see what this

[00:50:22] team goes out and does because they do have the money

[00:50:26] you should have a team still that people want to come play on

[00:50:30] oh yeah. You know every NHL player has been in up and down

[00:50:34] seasons and I don't know many guys that would look at the devils and say I can help

[00:50:38] this team and this team can win a cup and that's you know that's got to be

[00:50:42] the goal next year it's got to be you know I'm not saying

[00:50:46] of course not cup or bust but it can't even still be like

[00:50:50] I just hope we make the playoffs no like this should be

[00:50:54] the anomaly last season should be the mindset going in like

[00:50:58] no that last season this season last season wasn't the devils now

[00:51:02] two seasons ago that was us now let's be that again and go out there and do it

[00:51:06] and you know it's gonna be so much fun to watch but and the person most in the hot

[00:51:10] season is gonna be Tom Fitzgerald you know this this off season

[00:51:14] so much bigger than last off season you know these problems are exposed

[00:51:18] and you have to make deals and you know yes you're working

[00:51:22] with what you said was with the 12th best cap space but

[00:51:26] still you got some needs and you gotta make it work I

[00:51:30] would hope he's got a super busy off season I'll tell you this I don't think there's a devil fan

[00:51:34] out there he's gonna be happy with minimal moves

[00:51:38] and you know it's gotta be you gotta fill those roles we've been talking

[00:51:42] about and if you're not damn close to most fans

[00:51:46] like obvious wish list on this and what are you doing

[00:51:50] it's not done it's not a quality of players we're not saying

[00:51:54] go get six new guys on this team next year it's the quality of player

[00:51:58] that's what it comes down to don't shortchange yourself like I think everybody

[00:52:02] thought that you know Jake Allen was just that throw away

[00:52:06] to keep the fans happy that you actually did something and you know

[00:52:10] you just couldn't put the three dudes that we were putting on the ice and what you just couldn't do it

[00:52:14] especially at home like you cannot put those guys out there they're gonna get

[00:52:18] booed they're gonna the fans are fucking turning on them and that's why he

[00:52:22] fired Lindy Rupp before the home game after that West Coast trip I don't think he wanted

[00:52:26] to do it I honestly don't I think he was still holding out hope

[00:52:30] but you know the fans you could feel it in the building and

[00:52:34] like dude they're gonna fucking kill you if you don't make a move here

[00:52:38] and you know so it is it's about the quality of player

[00:52:42] like there are a handful of goalies out there that are

[00:52:46] what we're looking for we all know who they are right the big four

[00:52:50] is Soros it's Mark Strong Mark it's all mark and it's

[00:52:54] Brasov those are like the four guys that you want to try and go after

[00:52:58] and if you can get one of them with Jake Allen now next year you know

[00:53:02] but as long as they stay healthy your goaltending is set

[00:53:06] there's it set if this is there will be zero question marks

[00:53:10] going into the season with the goalie and you're talking about the Jim Dow thing

[00:53:14] what's the one thing Jim Dow said when he was on this show last time said hey Jim

[00:53:18] with the great season we had how do you feel about going he goes I worry about that goal

[00:53:22] it was before fucking puck was dropped and you know this is an exit NHL guy

[00:53:26] that was everybody's concern was the goalie

[00:53:30] you know Schmid yeah he saw the playoffs he had but you know

[00:53:34] untested you know you say the playoffs he had Dan it was just

[00:53:38] a really good one he came back down to earth and he was

[00:53:42] against Carolina yes we played five games against Carolina are goalie

[00:53:46] same goalie started and finished only one of them so four games

[00:53:50] between Van Aetzeck and Schmid whoever started got pulled and the other one was in

[00:53:54] that is not a recipe for success and I will say unlike

[00:53:58] this season the defense was not the problem in the against Carolina

[00:54:02] I mean everybody could have played a little bit better and you know it's a team sport

[00:54:06] yada yada yada but this season I'll be on I understand why

[00:54:10] you know for the first few months you know you're watching going

[00:54:14] okay well how much can I judge Van Aetzeck

[00:54:18] by the defense that we're putting up here the team defense

[00:54:22] that wasn't the case last year in the playoffs no and

[00:54:26] you can't you should he shouldn't have gauged

[00:54:30] this team going forward and the two goaltenders in particular over

[00:54:34] the 82 game season that happened because we all know look the game

[00:54:38] 83 on is a different sport it's a different game you made it through

[00:54:42] a very emotional series that for all intents and purposes you probably should

[00:54:46] have lost and you played with a lot of hard games yeah

[00:54:50] took seven and you played great and you get through that series

[00:54:54] but then everything that you didn't want to happen happened in that second series

[00:54:58] and all your weaknesses were exposed within the playoffs I'm sorry your weaknesses are going to be

[00:55:02] exposed a hell of a lot more than they are throughout the course of an 82 game

[00:55:06] season where you're playing a different opponent every single night

[00:55:10] this is now the same team you have to beat them four times

[00:55:14] trust me your weaknesses are going to be exposed how you walk out of that series

[00:55:18] against Carolina and say our goaltending is good

[00:55:22] and the only thing that's going into the 23-24 season is beyond me

[00:55:26] because you know we all we Dan me and you said it

[00:55:30] the day we were knocked out of the playoffs they've got to get a goalie

[00:55:34] and like I just so we knew going in these are some huge

[00:55:38] huge hole we had let's hope and that was everyone's fucking

[00:55:42] hole my mind said let's just hope it holds up right Devils can outscore

[00:55:46] their problems let's just hope it holds up but you know what dude

[00:55:50] you know we lost injury 37 38 or 39 game man games

[00:55:54] lost injury this year for the Devils that's a lot of games

[00:55:58] and the guys that were out you're talking about your fourth line center

[00:56:02] you're talking about you know no sec who is out most of the season you lost Dougie Hamilton

[00:56:06] for the entire season I think he only played 20 something games

[00:56:10] you lost Jack Hughes for a huge chunk of time Timo Meyer for a big chunk of time

[00:56:14] Nico Heeser for a big chunk of time you know

[00:56:18] we lost a ton of guys to injury this year and

[00:56:22] you cannot score your problems when we're not healthy so the defense

[00:56:26] everything was magnified tenfold this year because we couldn't

[00:56:30] help ourselves spotlight shown yeah so if you

[00:56:34] go in a position where we're gonna have to win a lot of games fairly low scoring

[00:56:38] yeah which is not like last year it's not our style like hey come back

[00:56:42] third period we're down to goals who cares we're gonna score four in a third

[00:56:46] game we lost this last year that would at least you know we played some tight games

[00:56:50] but you know if we needed goals we'd manufacture with those guys out

[00:56:54] you needed to play a good hardworking tight game yeah

[00:56:58] you know a lot of pitching contribution from everybody and make a team

[00:57:02] defense work and it was far from that yeah and you're gonna have to

[00:57:06] somehow moving forward if you really want to be a contender you're gonna have to marry those

[00:57:10] those two aspects you're gonna have to be able to score

[00:57:14] you're gonna have to be able to dig down on a tie game late in the third and get that

[00:57:18] game winning goal but then if you're up by two or three you're gonna have to lock it down

[00:57:22] then they have to learn how to do that you know much better than they did

[00:57:26] this year because there was no lead safe to the New Jersey

[00:57:30] Devils yeah and it just you know I think it says a lot about where they're at

[00:57:34] mentally how like out of control things are

[00:57:38] when you have those breakdowns where goals are scored quick bunches and I was kind

[00:57:42] of bummed with the last game yeah because I think it was goals three and four they gave up or like 15 seconds apart

[00:57:46] like what do we do this is so familiar guys you know

[00:57:50] what are we these collapses and it's usually involves one

[00:57:54] that like on the service might look like oh what was that goal was like let's say it was bad goals

[00:57:58] unexpected there's that weird knuckleball puck that was almost from the blue line

[00:58:02] that beat Allen and when you look at the goal it wasn't like

[00:58:06] I don't think it was a bad goal but then it you know it's

[00:58:10] a good goal to pull it up right away with another goal and when you examine

[00:58:14] every one of those goals you see a player at a

[00:58:18] position you see where if they were coached properly

[00:58:22] if they knew a strong system in place

[00:58:26] executed it I get it everybody makes fucking mistakes

[00:58:30] once in a while but this was all season long

[00:58:34] almost every game there was a stretch there where it was just

[00:58:38] they were every game giving up two to three goals in a matter of

[00:58:42] two or three minutes and that's unacceptable like you

[00:58:46] cannot do it so yeah the coaching again that's going

[00:58:50] to be to me the number one thing like but as far

[00:58:54] as the big off season goes if it's not one of those

[00:58:58] four guys like the devil fans revolt here like if you go and get

[00:59:02] just some guy you know and

[00:59:06] that's our goal tending issue you know we're fixed like I don't know man

[00:59:10] I think everybody's going to flip out a little bit like you went and said

[00:59:14] you use the term big game hunting and even even to some devil

[00:59:18] fans I think Lorraine Bressois they would look at and say this is not big

[00:59:22] game hunting this is just a cop out clearly number four on that list

[00:59:26] but I don't think necessarily it's the worst choice to make but I mean as far as like

[00:59:30] desirability ranking among most people you probably take the number oh yeah

[00:59:34] I think so and there probably would be some people not satisfied

[00:59:38] without anything less than you know an all mark or a marks from

[00:59:42] but um yeah I mean look if

[00:59:46] you got these four guys that I would say are at the top of the heap

[00:59:50] they gotta go somewhere with the cap space we got

[00:59:54] with the team we got I don't see why we can't land one of those guys

[00:59:58] so I think I yeah it's kind of a must for Fitzgerald I think you have to

[01:00:02] be one of those four guys um and even

[01:00:06] like you said like as much as I do think Bressois a fantastic goalie

[01:00:10] and I would be me personally totally fine if he was that 1a

[01:00:14] I would not have a problem with that I think he can do the job to me he has he's the fourth one

[01:00:18] like it has to be a guy there are only a handful of

[01:00:22] goalies that every year are in that conversation you know

[01:00:26] and UC Soros is one of them you know he is

[01:00:30] a fantastic goalie he's the youngest one out of the four

[01:00:34] I think he's not even 30 yet um you know you are gonna have to pay

[01:00:38] the guy I think he's got a nice chunk of change I think he makes

[01:00:42] I don't even know what I don't think it's that much I think it's in the 7s

[01:00:46] it's the high 6s or 7s you know but that's a goalie

[01:00:50] that's a lot of money for a goalie um I just want to check real

[01:00:54] clear at this point you're gonna have to do it I mean

[01:00:58] I think the fans who remember you know the Marty Bourdour days really feeling

[01:01:02] right now how good we had it to have a

[01:01:06] in-house guy grow up through your team in one season

[01:01:10] basically take the job and and

[01:01:14] give you a whole 20 years of play I mean it just doesn't happen

[01:01:18] that often it's almost impossible um think of the other

[01:01:22] greats up with them you know it was very amazing that we had him as long as we did

[01:01:26] and most teams if they had other you know

[01:01:30] wah he did not stay with Montreal you know it's et cetera so

[01:01:34] on the greats you know you're lucky to have him for to arrive

[01:01:38] with your organization you didn't have to go trade firm like we're looking to do now

[01:01:42] like to stay with you for over a decade that's amazing you know

[01:01:46] and I will I will fucking put the gloves on and fight anybody

[01:01:50] that says that Marty Bourdour is not the best goalie to ever play the game

[01:01:54] it's just you know and we got to see him in his prime

[01:01:58] you know and not just like on TV like we were at

[01:02:02] so many of the games and you never like walked in there was

[01:02:06] I've been this hundreds and hundreds of games and in the Marty Bourdour era

[01:02:10] I can honestly say maybe three or four games that I showed up that he wasn't in that

[01:02:14] right you know he played every night

[01:02:18] it was it was so amazing to have him as like the core of the team which

[01:02:22] you know those are great teams so there's a lot of people you could you know

[01:02:26] it's got Steven's et cetera but in the end it was built around Marty

[01:02:30] and he you know it's the kind of thing you're just not likely to get anymore

[01:02:34] who has an next Marty Bourdour I mean where is he in the league

[01:02:38] he's not there well I mean I think you could say Vasilevsky

[01:02:42] Vasilevsky is the closest and Tampa has been blessed similarly

[01:02:46] to have him I guess he's the Marty of this era as close as you're going to get

[01:02:50] yeah and that's about it you know

[01:02:54] UC Soros he signed a six million

[01:02:58] dollar contract back in

[01:03:02] I don't know what it was but it doesn't matter right now it's he's got a five million

[01:03:06] dollar cap hit this year and next year and he's a

[01:03:10] UFA after next year so the total value

[01:03:14] he told me the last contract he signed

[01:03:18] where the hell is it I can't find it right now

[01:03:22] but um yeah he said

[01:03:26] so and yeah it was five million dollar cap hit now it was a total he signed a one to four

[01:03:30] year deal at five so it was a twenty million dollar contract

[01:03:34] so he's going to be a free agent after next year like this you're going to trade

[01:03:38] whatever it is that you're going to trade which is probably going to overpay

[01:03:42] in terms of prospects and everything else for a guy that you only

[01:03:46] have for the one year does that worry you yeah

[01:03:50] now I get it's not ideal but um

[01:03:54] I mean you have to make a move you know right but I mean you'd like to

[01:03:58] at least if you're going to give this up at least have that verbal agreement

[01:04:02] that you know as soon as you get here we're going to work on an extension right like that

[01:04:06] has to at least be in the works here you're not going to give everything up to have this guy for

[01:04:10] one year I yeah I mean as much pressure

[01:04:14] as we're putting the fans are putting on Fitzgerald to get something done

[01:04:18] it can't be something stupid like right it can't be where March from has two years

[01:04:22] left on his deal and that definitely looks better and you

[01:04:26] got time there to do good things with him to where you know okay he's going to want to come

[01:04:30] back that's right um you can't give away the farm for that

[01:04:34] you know rental position um I get it it is definitely

[01:04:38] something that I can't and to some extent that's kind of why

[01:04:42] I mean I would guess if you asked him that's where Fitzgerald said

[01:04:46] no I'm not going to give away the farm to go get somebody

[01:04:50] um you know and that's what his rationale was

[01:04:54] last summer yeah and to some extent that's what his rationale was maybe

[01:04:58] on the March from deal that didn't happen right like

[01:05:02] yeah I mean everybody's got the pressure he just fucked around with it too much

[01:05:06] well I want to kind of do want to answer that real quick I'm just going to do a

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[01:07:06] with code THPN the crown is yours so

[01:07:10] just doesn't work out we're gonna write copy for DraftKNG yeah I gotta email somebody

[01:07:14] I got an email Mr. DraftKNG and ask him about

[01:07:18] yes so yeah I mean that's that's the thing you

[01:07:22] don't be stupid right I think that's like

[01:07:26] and don't get cute like you know the markstrom thing was I think

[01:07:30] he just got cute and you know was just had

[01:07:34] that big chest out you know I'm gonna fleece another team

[01:07:38] because that's what I'm known for and Calgary got sick of it and said

[01:07:42] now did you know what you know you can have fun with VTechBand and

[01:07:46] check for the rest of the year buddy we're gonna hold on the markstrom

[01:07:50] you know so you know don't get stupid because UC Soros

[01:07:54] look out of the four guys UC Soros is my number one

[01:07:58] he I think yes he is my number one that is who

[01:08:02] I would pick I like his youth I like his play definitely

[01:08:06] boy and you know let's let's look at this

[01:08:10] too who do we got with the most playoff experience of the four

[01:08:14] because that's worth discussing um that's a good

[01:08:18] question okay so when the furthest playoff runs when

[01:08:22] we got well when Nashville made their run

[01:08:26] uh when they made it to the finals that wasn't

[01:08:30] UC Soros right that was Pecorini yeah

[01:08:34] right so I don't know how many games he's had

[01:08:38] let me um let me look at UC Soros

[01:08:42] I do a lot of his play and I'm not you know I get it you know you're not gonna necessarily land

[01:08:46] Veseleski with all the playoff experience in the world

[01:08:50] okay so UC Soros has played 17 games

[01:08:54] in the playoffs he has a 3 7 and 0 record

[01:08:58] a goals against average of 2.63 and a save

[01:09:02] percentage of .914 this is a very good little exercise

[01:09:06] here Dan yeah so that's UC Soros in the playoffs you want to do

[01:09:10] Jacob Marks from next oh we have to

[01:09:14] if I can learn how to spell that's all right you're doing better than me

[01:09:18] trying to find it

[01:09:22] I'm basically treating you like Siri right now

[01:09:26] tell me all of Marks from stats

[01:09:30] Jacob Marks from has a

[01:09:34] 1313 and 0 record in 26 games

[01:09:38] with a goals against average of 2.90 and a save percentage

[01:09:42] of .911 in the playoffs in his career

[01:09:46] all right so that's Jacob Marks from better

[01:09:50] postseason numbers 26 games to the 17

[01:09:54] played by UC Soros how about we do Linus O'Marke

[01:09:58] Linus O'Marke career postseason stats

[01:10:02] he has a 3 5 and 0 record in 8 games

[01:10:06] with a goals against average of 3.54 and a save percentage of .888

[01:10:10] so far the worst of the three

[01:10:14] numbers I'm not saying he's the worst goalie necessarily but

[01:10:18] playoff record so far and then of course we mentioned

[01:10:22] LaRaine Versois has a 5 2 and 0 record in the playoffs in 9 games

[01:10:28] I think that makes him the only one with a winning record

[01:10:32] that's true a goals against average of 3.26 are all around the

[01:10:36] three threes high in the higher ones

[01:10:40] and he had a 2 something

[01:10:44] well if you Jacob Marks from had the best numbers in the postseason

[01:10:48] but he's played more games

[01:10:52] I think Marks from goals against was the one you were saying was in the 2s and I think he's the only guy

[01:10:56] if I remember that has a save percentage above 9

[01:11:00] so Jacob Marks from

[01:11:04] he's got the best postseason stats I think you can say

[01:11:08] and LaRaine Versois with 8 and 9 playoff games respectively

[01:11:12] they just don't have any experience in the playoffs and UC

[01:11:16] Soros is like middle of the road at 17 games not many

[01:11:20] but you know and not a great record

[01:11:24] I mean I don't know how did you make your whole decision based on their playoff numbers

[01:11:28] I'm not saying that but you know it's good to know them and Marks from

[01:11:32] got that locked up and you did that as a factor

[01:11:36] and he's not that old

[01:11:40] and he has 2 years on his contract

[01:11:44] makes him very desirable I get it

[01:11:48] to me even if Marks from only plays out his contract

[01:11:52] and then explores free agency retires

[01:11:56] I would be okay with

[01:12:00] Mercer holds a deal like that

[01:12:04] I think he's got 2 years

[01:12:08] that's going to be huge and in that time you got time to

[01:12:12] hopefully you've got even more reasons for people to come play for this team

[01:12:16] I think that because of that

[01:12:20] I think Jacob Marks from might have to be the guy

[01:12:24] that you're white whale on this I think he might have to be

[01:12:28] everything that you want from a goalie he has

[01:12:32] he's not the white whale

[01:12:36] UC stores is the smallest of the bunch too

[01:12:40] usually small for NHL stats

[01:12:44] part of me is like rebelling against the stats because

[01:12:48] as a 5-side both had there

[01:12:52] I can only relate to these 6, 5, 6, 7

[01:12:56] when they're about as tall as I am on my skates

[01:13:00] it's like at some point we're getting to like

[01:13:04] it's almost like watching basketball these guys are so huge

[01:13:08] it's still hard to dribble, puck though

[01:13:12] it doesn't bounce right but I don't know

[01:13:16] it's just the way the league has gone and I guess the numbers don't lie

[01:13:20] I still would love to see a Curtis Joseph stature guy

[01:13:24] with quick complexes making up for everything

[01:13:28] the rest of the guys like the thing is about and why I like UC Soros so much

[01:13:32] I feel like when I watch UC Soros play I'm actually watching another

[01:13:36] goalie I'm not watching the same guy because I feel like they're

[01:13:40] all the same size I mean they're like yeah there are the

[01:13:44] dudes that are the upper echelon the Connor hollow bucks to Vasilez

[01:13:48] and those guys are just ridiculous but they're

[01:13:52] that middle where most of the goalies stick and stay

[01:13:56] most of these teams are interchangeable so yeah UC Soros plays

[01:14:00] a little bit more of that throwback

[01:14:04] his legs are extremely fast and

[01:14:08] that's I think what makes him successful at and play as well as

[01:14:12] some of these much bigger guys and you know

[01:14:16] goalie guru stuff would tell you like that's all nice

[01:14:20] it's fun to watch I know why you like watching that little guy dart around

[01:14:24] do the stats look at it smaller and even just from playing

[01:14:28] less is more sometimes you know when the guy looks like the puck is always

[01:14:32] coming to him it's maybe because he's big but it's also because of good

[01:14:36] positioning and so the smaller guy has to catch up with that

[01:14:40] positioning is so much more important to get out of some position it's a bad day

[01:14:44] there's a reason that the styles of the Marty Brodors

[01:14:48] were what was taught and not the style of Dominic Haschick

[01:14:52] and the reason for that you know but one is much more efficient

[01:14:56] so but yeah UC Soros I do enjoy watching him play

[01:15:00] again unless you can get

[01:15:04] an extension done before trade for him

[01:15:08] there's okay so I think as far as

[01:15:12] the Uncle Puckers stand of where we are

[01:15:16] on coach prerequisite they absolutely have to have

[01:15:20] a family cup and secondly with goal tending

[01:15:24] they absolutely have not they've got to have an extension

[01:15:28] or be here for longer than a year right like you can't we can't give away

[01:15:32] the farm for Tom Fitzgerald big game hunting for UC Soros

[01:15:36] to walk out the door next year yeah I think

[01:15:40] you know that would be like the kiss of death for his you know to give away a bunch of assets

[01:15:44] and then the guy's gone yeah so it's it's gotta be Mark

[01:15:48] remember you gotta work out an extension with UC Soros and we know

[01:15:52] what we'll dive a little bit into Briss baswa and all marks contract

[01:15:56] on the next show and we'll talk to the guys because it's getting a little late

[01:16:00] so I think we're gonna wrap it up I'm gonna go finish watching the double game sure you're gonna do the same

[01:16:04] yep absolutely wherever you guys are listening to us we do

[01:16:08] first of all thank you we really appreciate it gotten some really nice feedback

[01:16:12] from some listeners lately and just so you guys know y'all know who you are

[01:16:16] we appreciate the hell out of you guys thank you absolutely and so

[01:16:20] a like a five star review a download subscription

[01:16:24] goes a long way to help the little podcast that could for

[01:16:28] Dan and Chris we are the Uncle Puckers go watch

[01:16:32] South Park if you want to know where we got our name from and we'll see when we see it

[01:16:36] we'll see you guys next time