A look at the state of the NJ Devils so far into the season
[00:00:02] Hey everyone, Mr. Devil here, Kenny Danico, three-time Stanley Cup champion of the New Jersey Devils, and you're listening to The Uncle Puckers, New Jersey Devils Podcast with Chris, Dan, Bobby, and Tony, The Uncle Puckers. Let's go Devils!
[00:00:18] Dan, were you saying something?
[00:00:20] No, I was just locating the new buttons that we have here.
[00:00:23] Did you find your dongle?
[00:00:24] Oh, got it. Okay, I have to stop it manually on this one.
[00:00:30] All right, it's always the intro.
[00:00:32] Yeah, so yeah, we're the Uncle Puckers, Chris, Dan, Bobby, Timmy.
[00:00:36] Yeah, so we have, we're recording this on a new platform.
[00:00:41] We're in a new studio, and it's a little confusing and weird.
[00:00:45] I'm not used to it yet, and I don't do well with change, so hopefully this goes smoothly.
[00:00:50] Yeah.
[00:00:51] So guys, how's everybody doing?
[00:00:53] That manscape money really paid off.
[00:00:54] What'd you say, Tim?
[00:00:55] That manscape money really paid off.
[00:00:57] Yeah.
[00:00:57] You should see my bush.
[00:00:59] It's a fucking beautiful little landing strip.
[00:01:02] Yeah.
[00:01:03] Sometimes you gotta be artistic about these things.
[00:01:06] Yeah, I make crop circles.
[00:01:09] Pretty freaking cool.
[00:01:11] Moving on.
[00:01:12] There's a fucking bug flying around in here.
[00:01:14] It's fucking 12 degrees in here.
[00:01:16] Why is there a bug flying around?
[00:01:17] It's too cold for a buck.
[00:01:18] I know.
[00:01:19] And I'm in like the coldest part of the house.
[00:01:21] That's why I wear sweatshirts and woolies while I fucking podcast.
[00:01:25] So how's everybody doing?
[00:01:28] Pretty good.
[00:01:29] Yeah.
[00:01:30] I'm excited to get through this podcast and watch this game.
[00:01:33] Yeah.
[00:01:34] So we're playing the Kings right now.
[00:01:36] Devils are on a two-game losing streak.
[00:01:39] I, unfortunately...
[00:01:40] Did I tell you what happened with the game on the Toronto game?
[00:01:44] You couldn't play, and that's why they lost.
[00:01:46] Well, I was working.
[00:01:47] And so I went on to Hulu at work on my phone just to see if it had like a start over or
[00:01:55] start at the beginning button, which it did.
[00:01:57] So I was like, all right, cool.
[00:01:58] I don't have to watch it now.
[00:01:59] I'll watch it when I get home.
[00:02:01] So I get home and I put it on and I'm watching the game.
[00:02:04] Halfway through the game, like 10 minutes left in the second period, Hulu just shits the
[00:02:07] bed.
[00:02:08] Oh, really?
[00:02:09] Yeah.
[00:02:10] Just shits the bed.
[00:02:11] It didn't turn into a porno.
[00:02:12] There's no recovery or anything like that?
[00:02:17] No, because the game was over.
[00:02:18] So they were like, once it's over, they just got rid of any way to access it on Hulu.
[00:02:24] So I was screwed.
[00:02:26] And then I went on my phone and saw that we had blown it in overtime.
[00:02:30] So since I didn't get the full effect of the game other than watching highlights, what did
[00:02:36] you guys think of the game?
[00:02:37] Well, did everybody watch the game other than me?
[00:02:39] I did watch the game.
[00:02:40] I missed some of the first, but I watched the game and I thought that it was a much
[00:02:45] better performance.
[00:02:46] It was very frustrating because, you know, it's a game that you could say, oh, they were
[00:02:50] out goalied.
[00:02:51] The goal that decided, you know, that allowed him to tie was really annoying because, you
[00:02:57] know, the five hole goal shouldn't have happened.
[00:02:59] The whole play was annoying, but they were just, you know, denied on a great chance.
[00:03:03] And that's the way it goes.
[00:03:04] You come back and score after a huge save at the other end.
[00:03:09] And, but, you know, by and large, like we talked about this before, a little concern
[00:03:14] going into this game because of the flat performance.
[00:03:16] You can't say that.
[00:03:17] They were all over Toronto.
[00:03:19] As far as like who deserved to win, the Devils deserved to win.
[00:03:22] It didn't go in the back then that that can happen sometimes.
[00:03:25] You know, I got my concerns.
[00:03:27] I'm just not happy with the goaltending at our end.
[00:03:29] You know, it's hard to say when your guy only lets two in, but come on, you know, I have
[00:03:34] problems with them.
[00:03:36] And but, you know, what it wasn't was a repeat of the previous performance, which was what
[00:03:41] I was worried about.
[00:03:41] Another flat.
[00:03:42] You know, we don't we can't even get more two shots in a period kind of game.
[00:03:46] It was not that at all.
[00:03:48] So, you know, it's a loss I'll accept.
[00:03:50] And it's we got to snap the streak tonight.
[00:03:53] Yeah.
[00:03:54] I mean, the little bit that I saw was half a game.
[00:03:56] They were flying.
[00:03:57] I mean, they had tons of chances.
[00:03:59] They completely outplayed Toronto.
[00:04:01] No, I'd say skating them in the ground when they have two shots in the first period.
[00:04:05] I mean, that was that was so unfortunate that, you know, the Jersey boy comes in and just
[00:04:12] steals it, just fucking steals it.
[00:04:14] So what was your impressions of the game, Bob?
[00:04:17] Yeah, I have absolutely no problems with that game.
[00:04:19] It was everything Dan said.
[00:04:20] Listen, I mean, they played a great game.
[00:04:22] They dominated the game.
[00:04:23] You do lose games that are rightfully yours to win.
[00:04:27] It happens.
[00:04:27] We got goalied again.
[00:04:28] All the same stories.
[00:04:30] But complete effort.
[00:04:32] Domination for the most part.
[00:04:33] Yeah, we can nitpick.
[00:04:34] Should have got that goal back.
[00:04:36] Tim had mentioned, like, what happened to Mercer on that play, too.
[00:04:39] It did look like he was kind of taken out of play, maybe.
[00:04:41] But even still, I know it's a little broken.
[00:04:43] You explained it to me because I didn't see that.
[00:04:45] Tim would obviously do a better job at explaining that from a hockey standpoint.
[00:04:48] Yeah, so they were on the power play.
[00:04:50] There was a flurry in front, like, just fucking chaos.
[00:04:52] Sorry, snowing?
[00:04:54] Yeah.
[00:04:54] That was that.
[00:04:55] Yeah, people were doing cocaine everywhere.
[00:04:57] It was wild.
[00:04:57] Nice.
[00:04:59] Just, like, just bodies everywhere in front of the net.
[00:05:01] It was a scrum.
[00:05:03] The puck popped out.
[00:05:05] Dougie was deep, kind of looking for a rebound.
[00:05:07] And the puck popped out.
[00:05:09] So Mercer was the first guy back.
[00:05:10] And Dewar and Mercer is basically the puck kind of got flipped into our zone.
[00:05:15] And Markstrom didn't have time to come out.
[00:05:17] And it was basically a foot race between Mercer and Dewar.
[00:05:20] Dewar's fast as hell.
[00:05:21] So he caught Mercer from behind.
[00:05:25] Kind of bodied him a little bit.
[00:05:26] To me, like, at first I was like, Mercer, you fucking pussy.
[00:05:29] Like, it's told you to work out this summer.
[00:05:32] And clearly that didn't happen.
[00:05:33] I watched it again.
[00:05:33] And it kind of looked like Dewar slew-footed him a little bit.
[00:05:38] Yeah.
[00:05:38] Not a little bit.
[00:05:39] Okay.
[00:05:40] And there was no call, I'm guessing.
[00:05:42] It happened really quick.
[00:05:43] And it was kind of sneaky.
[00:05:44] But Mercer could have also done a few other things.
[00:05:47] I'm not really going to kill Mercer on that.
[00:05:49] You know, he could have just swatted into the corner.
[00:05:50] Swatted him in the corner, right?
[00:05:51] That's what I was thinking.
[00:05:52] I don't think he expected Dewar to be on top of him as quickly as that.
[00:05:56] True.
[00:05:56] So Dewar was able to kind of drop the puck back to Holmberg.
[00:06:00] And Dougie's controller just fucking died.
[00:06:03] Like, he just, you know, like, love Dougie.
[00:06:06] But, like, he just didn't.
[00:06:08] He's one more step.
[00:06:10] And he takes Holmberg's dick.
[00:06:11] And Holmberg kind of sent, like, a little floater shitty shot at Marstrom.
[00:06:17] Looked like he was surprised again.
[00:06:18] And he said to himself, he just whiffed on it.
[00:06:20] It was a shit goal for all around.
[00:06:23] Like, Mercer probably couldn't be the only star in the puck.
[00:06:25] Dougie's controller died.
[00:06:26] Marstrom needs to have that.
[00:06:28] And like Dan said, like, Marstrom was good for most of the game.
[00:06:32] It was a one-goal game.
[00:06:34] But, like, man, you've got to have that one.
[00:06:36] Like, I'm sorry.
[00:06:37] Like, it's – the game was on the line right there.
[00:06:41] And even though we only scored one goal, you need to stop that.
[00:06:45] Like, it just – particularly that shot.
[00:06:48] It just squeaked right through him.
[00:06:50] And it annoys me because he's, you know, known for going down on his knees with a perfect butterfly and getting beat up high.
[00:06:56] In this instance, it looked like he was surprised by the floater.
[00:06:59] Now, you know, I get it.
[00:07:01] In any one situation, as surprising as that, when the other team gains possession right there in the slot, you know, 15 feet out like that, or, you know, 20, whatever it was, it was pretty close.
[00:07:11] He can go anywhere.
[00:07:12] So, I don't expect him to drop, but it's just kind of ironic because he's getting beat, you know, going to his knees with a perfect butterfly, leaving the top up.
[00:07:19] And this was between the legs.
[00:07:21] And in a way, like, see how he closed them, like, a little late and, you know, to the point where his, like, pads were down, face down.
[00:07:28] You know, like, as he was reacting to it, it looked like an old-time goalie between the legs, see?
[00:07:34] Like, you just don't see goalies get beat between the legs that way.
[00:07:37] That's how out of sorts he was with that because, like you said, leading up to that, there was, like, four different things that should have happened before the shot even was able to be taken.
[00:07:46] But, yeah.
[00:07:47] Yeah.
[00:07:48] And that was in the third that they scored that goal, right?
[00:07:50] That was in the third, yeah.
[00:07:51] Yeah.
[00:07:52] And we were, you know, every period we were on top of them.
[00:07:55] I mean, we were dominating this game.
[00:07:58] You know, Stolarz made the saves that he needed to.
[00:08:02] I don't think we really challenged him with a lot of, like, really, really, really difficult chances.
[00:08:08] Like, he made a couple of good saves.
[00:08:10] But the one goal where we made a move, where it was, you know, a cross crease or a cross slot pass, was we scored on.
[00:08:17] And we didn't get a lot of cross slot movement.
[00:08:19] We didn't get a lot of goal line movement.
[00:08:22] You know, we didn't really make him move.
[00:08:24] And we were just shooting, like, right into his red basketball.
[00:08:26] But I think that's kind of a...
[00:08:27] I would have liked to have seen one of the Heischer or Jack's breakaways.
[00:08:33] You know, one of those guys to bury that.
[00:08:35] At least one of those.
[00:08:37] Yeah.
[00:08:37] And Cotter hit the crossbar.
[00:08:39] So, yeah, like Bobby was saying, it's just like there's luck mixed in there.
[00:08:43] He made the sops.
[00:08:43] He should have stopped.
[00:08:44] Marshall let in a softie.
[00:08:46] And you get a Matthews OT goal.
[00:08:47] You know, like, I like Pesci's effort on that.
[00:08:50] He almost buried one right before it.
[00:08:51] But, you know, overtime's a coin flip, especially when you have guys on the other side like that.
[00:08:57] Yeah.
[00:08:57] And Stolarz did come out and say he grew up a Devils fan.
[00:09:00] And he was pumped for this game.
[00:09:01] He's always big to go up against a team that you rooted for as a kid.
[00:09:05] So, to me, he showed it.
[00:09:06] Maybe we're the highest quality.
[00:09:08] Being so up to beat the Devils.
[00:09:09] Like, Jesus Christ, man.
[00:09:11] What do you, man?
[00:09:12] Is there any other team that, like, has this going on?
[00:09:15] I don't think so.
[00:09:16] I'm sure.
[00:09:17] I'm sure in each market there is.
[00:09:19] But it does seem like a curse.
[00:09:20] Hey, real quick on the Dougie Hamilton thing.
[00:09:22] Tim or anybody, really, is it fair to say he's got a little bit of a history and a pattern of kind of stopping one step short or one second short of the final play?
[00:09:33] I'm just, now that you said that, like, I'm seeing Dougie.
[00:09:36] I've seen some history where he just kind of gives it, like, pull back when there's just a little more to give at the end.
[00:09:42] I don't know if that's just me seeing that or if you've noticed that as, like, a pattern.
[00:09:47] Yeah, I'd say that's fair.
[00:09:49] You know, and it's kind of the Dougie Hamilton adventure that you're going to get.
[00:09:55] You know, it's a lot of good and some bad.
[00:09:58] And that was the bad.
[00:10:00] And he's, you know, he's tightened up his defensive game already, not to spoil anything.
[00:10:06] But he actually made a pretty good play on by field just now that I was just watching before I paused the game.
[00:10:12] So, you know, yeah, he probably should have put a little more effort in.
[00:10:15] But, like, he does, you know, it's kind of one of those chain reaction things where he doesn't think Mercer is going to get beat that badly.
[00:10:20] He doesn't think the puck's going to come to Holmberg.
[00:10:21] But he's still got to cover Holmberg, you know, like, you can't just assume something.
[00:10:26] And that leads to Markstrom.
[00:10:28] It's like, Markstrom can't assume.
[00:10:30] And that's kind of chemistry between Markstrom and Dougie.
[00:10:32] It's like, Markstrom can't assume that Dougie's going to get that guy.
[00:10:34] And I think now Markstrom might be seeing, like, to your point, like, oh, yeah, Dougie's going to let this fucking guy shoot because he kind of gives up at the last minute.
[00:10:41] So, I don't know.
[00:10:42] There's a shitty goal.
[00:10:44] We should have won, but we didn't.
[00:10:45] It's definitely one of those things, like, given everybody's personality involved in the play,
[00:10:49] if they knew each other better and they'd be better by the end of the season, I think they would all kind of feel that coming.
[00:10:55] Right?
[00:10:55] Like, you know, like, oh, you know, Mercer's not invulnerable.
[00:10:58] And if he gets beat, you know, and if I'm Markstrom, I'm thinking, you know, like, recognize each other's strengths and weaknesses.
[00:11:05] Right.
[00:11:06] Yeah.
[00:11:06] You know, Mercer is, again, playing tonight with Meyer and Heischer.
[00:11:11] So, apparently, you know, Sheldon Keefe.
[00:11:13] The thing I like about Sheldon Keefe is he is a complete opposite of Lindy Ruff in the sense that not only is he not juggling lines every third shift,
[00:11:22] he is willing to give lines a couple of games.
[00:11:26] He's willing to see if the chemistry can develop.
[00:11:28] And I think that is extremely smart.
[00:11:31] And I think that was part of Lindy Ruff's downfall was the fact that it got to a point with these players that they were just like,
[00:11:38] I don't know who I'm playing with at any given moment.
[00:11:41] So, you know, OK, another game up there.
[00:11:43] I personally think that, you know, Mercer just hasn't really shown me a whole lot this year.
[00:11:49] I'm hoping playing with those guys can turn it around.
[00:11:51] I was super happy to see Palat finally get on the scoreboard.
[00:11:55] And it was a beautiful goal.
[00:11:57] I mean, that was an absolute snipe.
[00:11:59] And, you know, but the bottom six, these depth guys have got to turn up.
[00:12:05] I was doing the preview for this game, the video, and I was going over some stats.
[00:12:12] And Thomas Tatar has three goals.
[00:12:15] And Andre Palat has four goals.
[00:12:18] And Eric Hala has five goals.
[00:12:20] Seamus Casey has three.
[00:12:22] And he played eight games.
[00:12:24] And he's a defenseman.
[00:12:25] And enough said about our depth scoring, right?
[00:12:29] Yeah.
[00:12:30] I mean, that just blew me away.
[00:12:33] Yep.
[00:12:33] I mean, we were calling for that weeks ago.
[00:12:35] We started.
[00:12:36] Now it's everywhere you go.
[00:12:37] It's kind of like the number one thing that they're pointing to.
[00:12:41] Definitely need to step up big time because it should be a strength of this team.
[00:12:45] Yeah.
[00:12:45] And the power plays that I get back on track.
[00:12:47] Yeah, I think they're now 0 for 11.
[00:12:49] I think something like that.
[00:12:50] It still looks pretty good.
[00:12:52] It was a little disjointed against Toronto.
[00:12:54] But it still looks okay.
[00:12:56] And that flurry right before the goal against was like, that was just like, they had like three or four kicks to the can on that one.
[00:13:02] And not to beat a dead horse with the Lindy thing.
[00:13:04] But like the only kind of mechanism I think that he had in his bag as a coach was to change the lines.
[00:13:13] Like we had so many injuries.
[00:13:15] Like he didn't change systems.
[00:13:16] He didn't change, you know, any kind of defensive posturing, which he needed to do.
[00:13:20] He tried to run that run and gun system.
[00:13:22] We need another personnel to do it.
[00:13:23] Not to beat the guy up, but like fuck him.
[00:13:27] Yeah, well, actually, you could beat him up a little bit because I'm wondering what's going on there in Buffalo.
[00:13:31] I'm not, I don't watch them, you know, all that closely.
[00:13:33] But I got to figure the blenders going nuts over there with eight game losing streak.
[00:13:37] I think the rough experiment is failing pretty quick.
[00:13:41] It's not great.
[00:13:41] It's rough.
[00:13:42] I watched the Buffalo Ranger game last night.
[00:13:45] Timmy, I know you did too because you and I were texting a little bit throughout the course of the night about it.
[00:13:50] And the Rangers, I'll say this, they're not a good team.
[00:13:55] And Buffalo is a lot worse.
[00:13:58] You know, I watch the Rangers and I watch a team that just doesn't seem like they give a shit.
[00:14:03] Like there's just no hustle.
[00:14:05] There's no, you know, there's no fight.
[00:14:07] There's no compete.
[00:14:08] They're flat.
[00:14:10] Buffalo is completely out of sync.
[00:14:13] Like, and again, maybe I don't watch enough of the Sabres, but maybe that has something to do with what you said, Bobby.
[00:14:19] I don't know.
[00:14:19] Maybe he, if he is juggling the lines, like he is, you could tell by watching that game that nobody seemed comfortable playing with anybody else.
[00:14:27] You know, you have Thompson, who's just a dog who's going to make plays happen.
[00:14:31] I thought Tuck played a really good game and I wouldn't mind seeing him in a devil uniform.
[00:14:37] But other than that, I mean, yeah, eight game losing streak.
[00:14:41] And the crazy thing is this Eastern Conference is tighter than a frog's ass.
[00:14:45] Like they're only like four points out of a playoff spot, which is ridiculous.
[00:14:50] It's funny to me how Ottawa, Detroit and Buffalo literally, I think they have the exact, yeah, 28, 26, 26 in terms of the points that they have.
[00:15:01] Like the three teams that are supposed, one of these guys was supposed to emerge and they're all just still in this kind of murky, shitty middle.
[00:15:10] And I don't think any of them have any real defined direction.
[00:15:12] If any of them were to emerge, I think it would be Ottawa.
[00:15:15] They seem to be playing a little bit better.
[00:15:17] But Detroit and Buffalo are in a bad, bad way.
[00:15:21] I would love to see one of these teams take a spot away from, you know, right now, what is it, Tampa and the Rangers are in the wild card spots right now.
[00:15:30] I'd love to see Pittsburgh take one of those teams out because I just look at the standings, look at maybe where we are.
[00:15:38] And I'm looking at, of course, potential hypothetical, reckless, speculatory first round matchups.
[00:15:43] I wouldn't mind Pittsburgh.
[00:15:45] So I'd like to see them do it.
[00:15:46] I don't think Ottawa is going to do it or Buffalo.
[00:15:48] I mean, or Detroit.
[00:15:51] I think that Philadelphia might pull off the upset or even watch out for Columbus.
[00:15:56] Like they're playing good hockey, you know.
[00:16:00] So I'd love to see one of those teams come and take a wild card spot.
[00:16:03] But I don't think it'll be any of the Steve Cooley calls them three stooges from the Atlantic.
[00:16:10] Yeah, and that's why I'm kind of pretty confident where the Devils sit right now.
[00:16:15] So, you know, there's just this, the bottom half of the Eastern Conference is such trash.
[00:16:21] I think they'll be fine.
[00:16:22] If they can stay above this 600 kind of winning percentage, it's like a 98-point pace, I think they'll be fine.
[00:16:29] They may not win the division.
[00:16:31] So what?
[00:16:32] That's all right.
[00:16:32] You know, I think we just need to get back to the playoffs, get back into the routine of getting back to the playoffs.
[00:16:36] I mean, the Blue Jackets are 12 and 13.
[00:16:39] They have 27 points, and they're three points out of the last wild cards.
[00:16:42] Right.
[00:16:43] So, I mean, yeah, you're right.
[00:16:44] Any one of these teams could just string it together for a little while.
[00:16:47] You can firmly plant yourself in there.
[00:16:49] I mean, they're in a great position to make the playoffs.
[00:16:51] So, I'm just, you know, it's kind of early to worry about it.
[00:16:54] But I'm just, I want them to grow and develop.
[00:16:56] And we were just talking about, you know, knowing each other as players, you know, getting Keith's system down 100% where they've seen all different kinds of situations all year.
[00:17:05] And they know how to go into, like, that's more important.
[00:17:08] Last year, we were thinking, can we make the playoffs?
[00:17:11] And I think, you know, there's no way we don't make it unless there's a total collapse, in which case we weren't ready for them anyway.
[00:17:17] I mean, that's not going to happen.
[00:17:19] It's not very likely.
[00:17:20] But, frankly, more importantly, I just hope that they – I don't even mind this last loss.
[00:17:24] Like, if that's a learning experience that they don't repeat later on because they've been there, that's a plus.
[00:17:29] So, I'm just hoping they gel as a team that way.
[00:17:31] I totally see what you're saying there, too.
[00:17:33] And I think they are still learning and getting better.
[00:17:35] I think Toronto game was a great game for them to lose, you know, if that makes sense.
[00:17:40] Because they – you can show that you can go out there and you can dominate a team, a top team, you know, a contending team.
[00:17:45] And you just didn't come away with it just because of, you know, little things in the game.
[00:17:49] But you should take from that game that we can absolutely play with and beat Toronto.
[00:17:54] Right.
[00:17:54] I mean, you play that way, you beat 90% of the teams you play with just the way that they played against Toronto.
[00:18:01] So, you know, they have not had too many games where they've come out flat.
[00:18:07] Like, last year we saw it so many times.
[00:18:09] You know, especially with the whole getting scored on first thing.
[00:18:13] Like, it seemed like every time we got scored on first, which was basically every game, the team just deflated.
[00:18:19] And it's not there anymore.
[00:18:21] Now it's like, all right, you know, we can come back from the one.
[00:18:23] Like we talked about against Colorado.
[00:18:25] Maybe we kind of think that way when we're down two.
[00:18:28] Right.
[00:18:28] And that's the problem.
[00:18:29] That's got to change.
[00:18:30] You know, like maybe it's not one, but it's two and then they collapse, you know.
[00:18:34] Like that was where I have.
[00:18:36] And so, you know, the growth out of that stage is welcome at this point.
[00:18:41] I think it's going to happen.
[00:18:42] I think all this adversity has happened at the right time.
[00:18:46] And, you know, you just want to see them not repeating mistakes.
[00:18:49] I have a feeling this team won't.
[00:18:50] We'll see.
[00:18:51] It's easy to say that, but then hard again, hard to say it when they're strung so many shutouts against, you know, that's not good.
[00:18:59] But we'll see if that's not.
[00:19:00] You know, you take the Toronto game in isolation, throw it somewhere else in the schedule, not coming off the 3-0 loss to Colorado.
[00:19:07] I feel a lot better about it.
[00:19:08] You know, and that's kind of what I was thinking when I woke up in the morning.
[00:19:11] I was like, it only feels worse because it came off of the Colorado 3-0 loss.
[00:19:15] I think that that was their worst game of the year, I think.
[00:19:17] Maybe that and the Calgary game.
[00:19:18] The thing that popped to me about it was it was just two in a row in the middle of our five-game homestand.
[00:19:24] Like, this is a homestand that I know, like, we were really hoping they can kind of set that tone that the Rock is a tough place to play and they just haven't done it.
[00:19:34] Now, maybe they can salvage these last two games tonight and Saturday.
[00:19:38] I have a question for you guys about the Saturday game.
[00:19:41] We're playing the Blackhawks.
[00:19:43] It's our last of our homestand.
[00:19:45] Do you put Isaac Poulter in to start that game?
[00:19:47] I do.
[00:19:48] But what do you guys think?
[00:19:50] It makes sense.
[00:19:53] See what the kids got, right?
[00:19:55] Absolutely.
[00:19:56] If there's a place in the schedule to do it, it's against the Blackhawks.
[00:19:59] I agree.
[00:19:59] I agree.
[00:20:00] And the little bit that I've seen of Isaac Poulter, I liked him.
[00:20:04] Poulter, not Holster.
[00:20:06] I liked him.
[00:20:07] And I'm real curious to see how he does in front of a team that can play competent team defense in front of him.
[00:20:14] And, you know, I say throw the kid in.
[00:20:16] I wish we had a more mature Dawes coming in in this situation with Allen out.
[00:20:21] But, you know, because that would be great.
[00:20:23] I thought he showed a lot of potential.
[00:20:25] And he seems to be more around the corner.
[00:20:27] You know, everybody's saying that.
[00:20:29] But, yeah, Poulter, I did like what I saw out of him.
[00:20:32] So I'm excited to see him.
[00:20:33] Yeah, he hit a great run in, I think it was the ECHL playoffs last year.
[00:20:39] Yeah, he lit it up.
[00:20:40] Put up multiple shutouts.
[00:20:42] Just, you know, like 950-ish save percentage.
[00:20:45] So, yeah, I hope that Keefe does decide to put him in.
[00:20:48] And also, just because Allen's hurt, I don't know if you get Markstrom off of his schedule.
[00:20:54] I think it's too early in the season to say, okay, you know, we're going to just run Markstrom until he drops here.
[00:20:59] It's not the time or place to do it.
[00:21:01] There's no reason, especially against Chicago.
[00:21:02] There's absolutely no reason to do it.
[00:21:04] Yeah.
[00:21:04] So I would really, I really hope that Poulter is in that game.
[00:21:08] I'm excited to see him if he does get the start.
[00:21:12] So, all right.
[00:21:13] Well, we'll do a little shout out here to DraftKings Sportsbook.
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[00:22:23] The crown is yours.
[00:22:26] Tell us about game time, Bobby.
[00:22:29] You know, there's nothing quite like the sensory experience of a live hockey game.
[00:22:34] I can't think of anywhere else that you go that you get to hear skates on ice and shoulders crunching on glass.
[00:22:39] So you want to go to a hockey game, you want to use the Game Time app.
[00:22:42] Game Time has a new feature called Game Time Picks that makes getting tickets to see your New Jersey Devils easier than ever.
[00:22:49] Game Time Picks filters out all the fluff to show you all the incredible deals on great seats
[00:22:53] so you don't have to waste time searching through thousands of tickets,
[00:22:56] whether it's for a sporting event, a concert, a show, anything.
[00:23:01] I've personally been on the site.
[00:23:02] I do like it.
[00:23:03] One of the really cool things I have are the super deals.
[00:23:05] Really cheap tickets.
[00:23:06] In fact, our friends at the Hockey Podcast Network posted just today for $5 tickets for this game that is on right now.
[00:23:14] Now, obviously, our listeners aren't going to hear this until after the game,
[00:23:16] but start listening and go check out the Game Time app because the super deals are great.
[00:23:21] They have a few other features like the all-in pricing toggle that you can just flip on
[00:23:26] so you'll know exactly what you're going to pay at checkout and have no surprises.
[00:23:29] They have a great panoramic view of your sight lines, the lowest price guarantee,
[00:23:34] or they'll credit you up to 110% of the difference,
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[00:23:56] Download Game Time today.
[00:23:58] What time is it?
[00:23:59] Game time.
[00:24:01] Game time.
[00:24:02] Speaking of the sounds of the game, the Buffalo Rangers game last night,
[00:24:07] one of my favorite new kind of genres of video that people put out on social media
[00:24:12] is football players sitting on the glass at hockey games.
[00:24:15] It's the funniest shit I've ever seen.
[00:24:18] There's a Bills offensive lineman that was sitting right in the corner during the Trotec fight,
[00:24:23] and he was going fucking nuts during the fight.
[00:24:26] It was fun.
[00:24:27] I just love seeing that.
[00:24:29] Do we get many Jet or Giant players at Devil Games?
[00:24:33] I don't know who they align with.
[00:24:37] The Devils went to the Jets game, I think, before the outdoor game,
[00:24:40] and the Rangers went to the Giants game.
[00:24:42] That kind of feels like it aligns more appropriately.
[00:24:45] Notice it's usually like Jets, Mets, Devils, and Rangers, Yankees, Giants.
[00:24:53] Yeah.
[00:24:54] Yeah.
[00:24:54] Can we talk about something ridiculous?
[00:24:56] Sorry.
[00:24:57] Sorry.
[00:24:57] Speaking of the sights and sounds.
[00:24:59] The ESPN broadcast, they did this rush thing where the commentators stopped talking,
[00:25:05] and they do the sights and the sounds of the game.
[00:25:07] Oh, they played music from a terrible Canadian band?
[00:25:12] Not that rush.
[00:25:13] It just skates on ice.
[00:25:15] How dare you talk about it that way?
[00:25:17] Oh, God.
[00:25:18] Stop.
[00:25:19] I hate Rush.
[00:25:19] They're so bad.
[00:25:20] I'm fucking leaving.
[00:25:22] Bye.
[00:25:22] Okay.
[00:25:24] Timmy's a Rush guy.
[00:25:25] All right.
[00:25:25] You like Rush?
[00:25:27] I enjoy Rush, yes.
[00:25:29] Now that I'm one of the best drummers of all time.
[00:25:32] Yeah, I get that.
[00:25:33] But Geddy Lee is the worst.
[00:25:36] I hate it.
[00:25:37] I hate it.
[00:25:37] I hate it.
[00:25:37] I hate it.
[00:25:38] All right.
[00:25:39] Anyway.
[00:25:39] Are you a Nickelback fan, Tim, before we go any further?
[00:25:41] Come on.
[00:25:42] I have some pride.
[00:25:43] That's just, yeah.
[00:25:44] That's a little bit.
[00:25:45] Dude, I see a poster right behind him.
[00:25:46] He's lying.
[00:25:47] Nickelback.
[00:25:48] That's a treat.
[00:25:49] That's Rage Against the Machine with special guest Wu-Tang Clan.
[00:25:52] That's pretty fucking cool.
[00:25:53] That would have been amazing.
[00:25:54] Were you at that show?
[00:25:56] No, no.
[00:25:57] I bought it on the boardwalk in Bethany Beach.
[00:25:59] You know those little stores you can go in, you go through the posters?
[00:26:03] I was like, oh yeah.
[00:26:03] I'm going to pretend like I was cool.
[00:26:07] But this Rush thing that they did, it's cool in theory, but the camera angles they used.
[00:26:11] Thanks, Bob.
[00:26:11] I appreciate that.
[00:26:12] You're welcome, man.
[00:26:12] The camera angles that they used were fucking atrocious.
[00:26:15] I thought I was going to get sick watching this shit.
[00:26:19] It was awful.
[00:26:20] Are you taking a shit, Dan?
[00:26:21] No, I'm petting a cat right now.
[00:26:23] It's not a euphemism.
[00:26:24] You're farting?
[00:26:26] Oh, no.
[00:26:27] That's probably the chair as they lean over and pet this guy.
[00:26:29] Looks like he had a stroke.
[00:26:32] Speaking of sights and sounds.
[00:26:34] Yeah.
[00:26:35] Yeah, Tim.
[00:26:36] The Rush thing I kind of liked when it first came out, you know, because you listen closely,
[00:26:40] you can hear kind of the players yelling at each other and all that, like what's going
[00:26:42] on live during the game.
[00:26:43] But I find it to be a little interruptive when all is said and done.
[00:26:47] Like, to me, it's just I like the call of the game.
[00:26:49] Yeah.
[00:26:50] No, I agree with that.
[00:26:51] And Bob Wischusen's just, he's awesome.
[00:26:54] Like, if it's not Spalding, at least it was Bob Wischusen as opposed to his other clowns.
[00:26:58] So, guys, the Uncle Puckers have a new game.
[00:27:01] It's, yeah, new game time.
[00:27:03] It's, yes, and we're going to start it tonight.
[00:27:05] Hopefully, it works.
[00:27:07] It is the Garbage Goalie Challenge.
[00:27:10] Okay?
[00:27:10] So, what we're going to do is here at the Uncle Puckers, we are to celebrate the lower
[00:27:17] than usual save percentage around the league.
[00:27:19] We are also going to celebrate the play of bad goalies.
[00:27:23] So, what we're going to do is every Thursday, each one of us will pick a goalie that is going
[00:27:29] to play on Saturday.
[00:27:31] Whoever has the lowest save percentage wins and we'll do our next order.
[00:27:38] They'll be able to pick first next Thursday.
[00:27:40] If you pick a goalie, you can't pick them again.
[00:27:44] If by some reason your goalie doesn't start, you automatically get their backup.
[00:27:49] If you had already used their backup, well, then you just kind of default to the league
[00:27:54] average and that's your save percentage for the week.
[00:27:57] So, the objective of the game is to pick the lowest save percentage.
[00:28:02] Now, we did a little random drawing to see who goes first and if I remember correctly,
[00:28:07] Bobby goes first because somehow he was in charge of picking the numbers and his exact
[00:28:12] number came up.
[00:28:13] Yeah, he has this numbered generator.
[00:28:15] It was randomly like a calculator app.
[00:28:18] Hit the button three times.
[00:28:19] It went from 15 to 10 to 9 and then when you guys said go, I said 7 before I hit it.
[00:28:24] We just saw the screenshot of 7 that you saved on your phone.
[00:28:26] We can do it again right now live for all I care.
[00:28:30] So, the order is going to be Bobby, Tim, me and Dan.
[00:28:35] So, Bobby, you're first.
[00:28:37] Who is your goalie that you're going to go with in the garbage goalie challenge?
[00:28:42] My garbage goalie.
[00:28:43] He's not a garbage goalie, but his current goals against are 2.93 with an 8.97 save percentage
[00:28:49] and he's going up against the Dallas Stars.
[00:28:52] So, I'm going to take Jordan Bingington.
[00:28:55] Oh, wow.
[00:28:56] Wow.
[00:28:56] I didn't know we had to rattle off stats.
[00:28:57] Give me a second.
[00:28:58] You don't.
[00:28:58] Yeah, I'm already.
[00:29:00] It's coming.
[00:29:01] Yeah, I'm not.
[00:29:02] I'm not doing the stats.
[00:29:04] Okay.
[00:29:04] I got mine.
[00:29:06] I got my guy.
[00:29:07] Tim?
[00:29:08] I am going with, speaking of Lindy Ruff.
[00:29:12] I'm going with Uka-Paka-Lukinen.
[00:29:14] Okay, I can't spell that, so I'm just going with UPL.
[00:29:18] UPL.
[00:29:19] They are playing the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.
[00:29:23] Okay.
[00:29:23] Okay.
[00:29:24] That's a good one.
[00:29:25] All right.
[00:29:25] It was originally my number one.
[00:29:26] I moved it to number two.
[00:29:28] Just got a feeling for the Stars.
[00:29:29] Well, if you had taken my number one, I would have called this game rigged.
[00:29:34] Fair enough.
[00:29:35] I'm kind of going back and forth.
[00:29:38] I'm going to go with Sam Montembeau, Montreal Canadiens, against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.
[00:29:47] That's my number three.
[00:29:48] Look at this.
[00:29:49] That was my number two.
[00:29:50] He was my number two, too, but I decided to go with him instead of my number one.
[00:29:55] What do you got, Dan?
[00:29:59] I'm going with Linus Allmark.
[00:30:02] Now, I think overall, he's looking not too bad, considering he's with the struggling senators.
[00:30:07] He's got a 2-7-0, 9-0-3, and he's got eight wins, seven losses, two overtime losses, and a shutout this season.
[00:30:16] So, you know, not horrible numbers, but, you know, this Saturday, he is playing Pittsburgh,
[00:30:22] and I just feel like he might have a rough night, so I'm going to go with him.
[00:30:26] There you go.
[00:30:26] Pittsburgh's been on the rise a little bit.
[00:30:28] They've been kind of bouncing out of their funk.
[00:30:29] I like it.
[00:30:31] And, you know, we got a reminder, buddy, what Chris said, too.
[00:30:34] Yeah, it's easy to just say you want to pick kind of the worst goalie, but the point of this game is you can't repeat a goalie,
[00:30:39] so you've also got to look at some matchups and all that.
[00:30:41] Right.
[00:30:42] This is maybe not normally a guy I'd want to put first in this game, but there's other goalies I want to save.
[00:30:48] Also, every Ottawa loss, we get closer to Brady Kachuk.
[00:30:52] This is true.
[00:30:53] I was thinking that last night watching the Buffalo game.
[00:30:55] I'm like, a couple more losses, and Tuck will be on the trade block.
[00:30:58] So, yeah, I mean, look, I mean, the Brady Kachuk thing, we should discuss this real quick.
[00:31:05] Like, I don't see it happening, right?
[00:31:06] Because now, like, the owner comes out and he says that the Rangers are tampering because Larry Brooks wrote an article saying that they should get Brady Kachuk.
[00:31:15] Like, look, I'm not ever going to really defend the Rangers, but I don't know how there was tampering involved there.
[00:31:20] I mean, it just sounds like just sour grapes or, you know, whatever.
[00:31:25] Or maybe, to me even, maybe there is some truth to that.
[00:31:30] You know, that he wants to leave, possibly.
[00:31:33] I'm not saying he would go to the Rangers, but, you know, I would love to get Brady Kachuk on this team.
[00:31:39] I'm going to say it until he's a devil.
[00:31:42] I want Brady Kachuk.
[00:31:44] Yeah, I don't know what the odds are of that, but I don't think they're great.
[00:31:47] And, you know, love it if it happens.
[00:31:50] Yeah, Sam.
[00:31:52] Go ahead.
[00:31:52] Of course, everybody would love to have this guy in their team.
[00:31:57] That's why he's thrown into every single trade river because Ottawa is kind of fledgling.
[00:32:02] And they look and they're like, that guy is the guy that I want.
[00:32:05] Of course.
[00:32:06] Yeah.
[00:32:06] Like, to call that tampering is ridiculous.
[00:32:09] And Brooks said, you know, he was on spit and checklists and said, three different people confirmed it to me that the Rangers are interested.
[00:32:15] Doesn't mean they're going to trade him.
[00:32:17] The Rangers could be interested in whoever the fuck they want.
[00:32:19] Oh, yeah.
[00:32:19] I mean, how is a writer tampering anyway?
[00:32:21] Well, you know, Ottawa is a smaller market.
[00:32:24] You know, everybody is compared to New York.
[00:32:26] And they're defensive.
[00:32:29] You know, that's a defensive kind of comment.
[00:32:31] Also, like, remember, he's telling his fans that are pissed off and they don't want to have their, you know, marquee player sold off to the fucking New York Rangers.
[00:32:40] You know, I think how pissed we would be without even the rivalry if you're just somebody like Ottawa.
[00:32:44] So he's kind of saving face to his fan base, I think.
[00:32:47] Yeah.
[00:32:48] Well, yeah, I agree.
[00:32:50] And yeah, I think that there would be 31 other teams that would be lining up to make a move for Brady Kachuk.
[00:32:57] And let's be honest, like, if there was seriously a possibility of him being able to pick where he wanted to go, he's going to end up in Florida.
[00:33:05] I mean, that's where he's going to want to go.
[00:33:07] But not that they could make the move.
[00:33:09] I understand all that.
[00:33:10] Salary cap purposes, there's no way they could afford him.
[00:33:12] But, you know, I don't know if the Rangers would really be his first pick.
[00:33:17] But, you know, we also talked a lot about us having the capital to pull off a move like that, which is true.
[00:33:23] And it probably would be deeper than what we've offered.
[00:33:25] You know, we've offered decent starting packages that probably wouldn't be enough.
[00:33:29] But that also doesn't mean there aren't other teams that would throw everything at, you know, Ottawa to get a better chance at landing them, which, you know, raises the value or just raises the assets that you start putting into the pool.
[00:33:41] So if he does become available, he has a partial no movement or something?
[00:33:47] Or did I?
[00:33:47] He probably does.
[00:33:49] He doesn't have one.
[00:33:51] I'm looking at his Puckpedia page right now.
[00:33:53] He doesn't have one this year.
[00:33:55] Kicks in next year, which is actually pretty interesting.
[00:33:59] So he makes $8.2 million.
[00:34:03] You know, we have the assets to trade for him.
[00:34:05] But at what cost?
[00:34:08] You know, it's like, yeah, we got to put a roster player in there.
[00:34:12] Yeah, like Luke's going to need an extension.
[00:34:14] What's that going to look like?
[00:34:15] You know, Fitz better get that done soon before, like, before he starts really popping off.
[00:34:22] I'm looking more at, like, reasonable guys that we can get in season right now.
[00:34:27] Like, like Tuck.
[00:34:29] Like, I saw he picked Panarin's pocket last night.
[00:34:31] It was gorgeous.
[00:34:32] I seen a text message about that.
[00:34:33] Fucking Drake Batherson had a frigging hat trick last night.
[00:34:36] Drake Batherson had a hat trick.
[00:34:37] McCann I still have my eye on.
[00:34:39] And I'm looking at the Devils cap situation.
[00:34:42] And I thought I understood this shit.
[00:34:45] I don't.
[00:34:48] Like, fucking five minutes ago, Puckpedia said they would have had the space for a $6 million player at the deadline.
[00:34:54] Now it says they have space for a $1.2 million player at the deadline.
[00:34:57] You must have lost another raise?
[00:35:00] I don't get it.
[00:35:02] Yeah.
[00:35:02] Well, it's because they had to put McDermott in the lineup tonight.
[00:35:05] Oh, yeah.
[00:35:06] That's right.
[00:35:07] Why is McDermott in the lineup tonight?
[00:35:09] Tuna's out.
[00:35:09] I don't know if he's hurt or what.
[00:35:11] But it probably just needs a moment to reflect, you know.
[00:35:16] I'll watch a pie for a minute.
[00:35:18] He's a very introspective young man.
[00:35:20] You know, the Devils schedule before Christmas is not – it's pretty tough.
[00:35:26] You know, I'm curious.
[00:35:28] I want to just go through some of these games.
[00:35:30] We'll exclude tonight's game because, you know, it's going on right now.
[00:35:34] But, all right, so Blackhawks on Saturday.
[00:35:37] Like, for all intents and purposes, you can't lose to the Chicago Blackhawks.
[00:35:40] It's just that simple.
[00:35:41] Like, I understand anybody can beat anybody.
[00:35:43] You cannot lose.
[00:35:45] They win tonight.
[00:35:46] And they go, you know, one and three in their last four with a loss to the Blackhawks.
[00:35:51] You know, my concern-o-meter does click up a couple of numbers there.
[00:35:55] Sure.
[00:35:55] Yeah.
[00:35:56] So, and then Tuesday night, we go out to St. Louis and play the blues.
[00:36:01] And they shut us out last time.
[00:36:03] They made us – you know, they just skated us into the ground that night.
[00:36:07] And then Thursday night, December 19th, we have the Blue Jackets.
[00:36:12] We go down to Columbus for them.
[00:36:14] Can't take them lightly.
[00:36:15] No.
[00:36:16] No.
[00:36:16] They can score goals.
[00:36:18] And then Saturday, the 21st, you have the Penguins.
[00:36:21] And that's at home.
[00:36:22] The next two are at home.
[00:36:24] So, you got the Penguins at home.
[00:36:25] Yeah, they should beat the Penguins.
[00:36:26] So, disadvantage Devils because we're at home.
[00:36:29] Right, at this point.
[00:36:30] And then we finish it up on the 23rd with our home game, second of the year against the Rangers.
[00:36:36] And a 1 o'clock.
[00:36:37] That's a 1 o'clock.
[00:36:38] Yeah.
[00:36:38] Screens upset for me.
[00:36:39] Oh, goddammit.
[00:36:40] I hate the 1 o'clock.
[00:36:41] That sucks.
[00:36:41] Oh, wait.
[00:36:42] It's a Monday?
[00:36:43] Never mind.
[00:36:43] That's perfect.
[00:36:44] I'm off.
[00:36:45] Okay.
[00:36:45] Hear that, everybody.
[00:36:46] It's good for Chris.
[00:36:47] It's good for me.
[00:36:48] Yeah, so everybody who can go fuck themselves because it works for Chris.
[00:36:51] It works for me.
[00:36:52] And none of these games work for me.
[00:36:55] I watch them all on frigging tape delay or on my stupid phone.
[00:36:58] Sometimes not at all.
[00:36:59] Hulu fucks me over.
[00:37:01] Yeah, that's true.
[00:37:02] I mean, I am off Tuesdays and Thursdays nights.
[00:37:05] So, I am happy about that because it is pretty much a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday league.
[00:37:09] So, I do get most of the games.
[00:37:11] But, anyway, the Blues worry me.
[00:37:14] The Blue Jackets worry me.
[00:37:16] And the Rangers, of course, worry me because you just don't know what's going to happen
[00:37:20] and how are the rain down.
[00:37:21] The Rangers, are they coming alive?
[00:37:23] Like, I don't think so.
[00:37:24] I don't think they're that good, but still.
[00:37:27] Even if they're not, I mean, they still do have the Schusterkin factor for as much as we've
[00:37:31] been kind of busting his balls a little bit.
[00:37:33] Like, he can always take a game and completely shut you out for it.
[00:37:36] He did last night.
[00:37:37] Buffalo wins that game if it's, you know, any league average goalie in there.
[00:37:42] You know, he played great.
[00:37:45] And the Rangers didn't.
[00:37:46] He didn't.
[00:37:47] Yeah, but he hasn't fallen too many of the first of us, but he could.
[00:37:50] What was that?
[00:37:52] Go ahead, bud.
[00:37:53] Oh, as you say, to finish up your week, you know, after Christmas, you have those back-to-backs
[00:37:56] with the Canes.
[00:37:58] That's true.
[00:37:59] Yeah.
[00:37:59] Home and home with the Canes.
[00:38:00] I like that.
[00:38:02] And then we got the Ducks.
[00:38:04] You know, and I don't want to get too far ahead.
[00:38:06] But then we head after the home and home against the Canes.
[00:38:08] That's a New Year's Eve game.
[00:38:10] It seems like there's been a curse in the New Year's Eve game lately.
[00:38:13] Well, then we do our Western California trip, right?
[00:38:16] Okay.
[00:38:17] And you got the Ducks, the Kings, the Sharks, the Kraken, and then the Rangers in MSG.
[00:38:22] You know, the schedule doesn't get any easier.
[00:38:24] That's for sure.
[00:38:25] But I like we don't really have a lot of back-to-backs.
[00:38:29] You know, the schedule is starting to spread out a little bit more, which is kind of nice.
[00:38:34] So, on a scale of 1 to 10, where are you guys with your just comfortability with this team right now?
[00:38:44] 10 being they're fantastic and going to win the Stanley Cup.
[00:38:48] One is they're like the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks had a baby.
[00:38:55] So, where is your concern-o-meter on a scale of 1 to 10, Dan?
[00:39:00] You mean, so 10 being the best?
[00:39:02] Yes.
[00:39:03] Honestly, I'm at like an 8.5, let's say.
[00:39:06] Okay.
[00:39:07] I'm pretty hot on this team.
[00:39:08] Yeah, definitely.
[00:39:09] I'm going to do decimals.
[00:39:10] Maybe 8.538 if I want to get really serious.
[00:39:14] Yeah, let's go with the thousands, if you don't mind.
[00:39:17] But, you know, I think, like, the team has all the pieces it needs.
[00:39:21] It needs to gain the right kinds of experience.
[00:39:25] Maybe one or two personnel changes, if they become available, that can really help us.
[00:39:29] That's a possibility.
[00:39:31] But even with the roster we got, I think they got everything they need to do great.
[00:39:36] I don't think you can give them a 9 because there's some concerns.
[00:39:41] You know, just the response in certain areas.
[00:39:45] We talked about when they're down 2-0.
[00:39:47] The timely, let's have our goaltenders, you know, steal some games.
[00:39:52] I don't think that's out of 10 at all.
[00:39:54] You know, that's probably below my 8.538.
[00:39:59] Yeah.
[00:39:59] And so, like, you know, there's some concerns there, here and there.
[00:40:03] But I think it's all very improvable.
[00:40:05] I have no reason to panic.
[00:40:07] I'm looking pretty good at it.
[00:40:10] You know, anything could happen.
[00:40:12] Knock on wood, we've definitely, you know, stayed away from the injury bug.
[00:40:17] And if that continues and this team has the time and space to gel as a team, I don't see why they can't fix the little quirks here and there that I see and don't like.
[00:40:28] I do expect Markstrom to, you know, be the man and have a playoff that's going to, you know, make him look like the kind of goaltender we paid for.
[00:40:37] And, you know, it believes him to be, which is, you know, better than league average.
[00:40:42] And I think that that'll come to pass.
[00:40:44] If not, you know, we will regret it, I'm sure, at some point that we couldn't get anybody else.
[00:40:50] But I do think it was the best move that could be made at this point, you know.
[00:40:53] So, I love the way the team's coming on.
[00:40:56] I like that, you know, kind of what you just said is a big reason why I really want to see Isaac Poulter on Saturday.
[00:41:04] Like, we only have Jake Allen for this year.
[00:41:07] And we don't know what's going on with the injury.
[00:41:09] Hell, he might be back in the lineup on Saturday.
[00:41:12] He might be playing.
[00:41:12] And Poulter might be back down in Utica.
[00:41:14] I don't know.
[00:41:15] But we don't know about this injury.
[00:41:17] Markstrom we only have for two years.
[00:41:20] This team is going to be good for a long time.
[00:41:22] And that's why, like, in my head, I'm like, how just great would it be if Poulter's the guy?
[00:41:28] Like, if it's, you know, next year.
[00:41:29] He comes up and he plays so great, he stays up this year?
[00:41:32] Maybe.
[00:41:33] No, not this year.
[00:41:34] But maybe he makes the decision really easy for next year to say.
[00:41:38] You like him better than Dawes.
[00:41:39] You know what?
[00:41:40] I haven't seen barely any of Poulter.
[00:41:43] And I have seen.
[00:41:44] I know what we have with Dawes.
[00:41:46] I want to see if we have a Poulter.
[00:41:47] That's all.
[00:41:48] What about you, Tim?
[00:41:49] Scale of 1 to 10.
[00:41:51] 8.3583 is the 8.538.
[00:41:55] I'm going 7.777.
[00:41:59] All right.
[00:42:00] 7.
[00:42:01] 7.
[00:42:02] You're going out to the 10,000th?
[00:42:03] Holy shit.
[00:42:04] No, no, no.
[00:42:05] Just 7,000.
[00:42:07] Just a lot.
[00:42:09] 7.7?
[00:42:10] 7.7 repeating.
[00:42:14] Everything Dan said.
[00:42:15] You know, there are some, you know, issues.
[00:42:18] But in the grand scheme of, you know, what could be issues, they're not that big of a deal.
[00:42:24] Like, the process is there.
[00:42:25] The underlyings are there.
[00:42:27] This team is playing really well.
[00:42:28] The decor is good.
[00:42:30] Markstrom is above average.
[00:42:32] You know, he's not great.
[00:42:33] You know, but how many great goalies are there in the league?
[00:42:36] Three?
[00:42:37] You know, like, and we don't have one.
[00:42:39] It's not going to happen.
[00:42:40] Marty's not walking through that door.
[00:42:41] I think the forward lines, you know, there's a lot of consistency.
[00:42:44] Jack and Bratt, like, are just fucking unbelievable together.
[00:42:47] Nico and Timo are unbelievable together.
[00:42:49] I'd like to see more out of that third line.
[00:42:51] I was actually poking around, like, third line centers to maybe see what it looks like if we bring in a third line center along with a scoring winger to bump Hallow down to that fourth line center, which I kind of think he may be there.
[00:43:05] And another thing Dan was saying about the goal turning in the playoffs.
[00:43:08] Like, if you have a good goalie that plays great, that gets you well.
[00:43:12] You just need your goalie to play great in the playoffs.
[00:43:14] And I think Markstrom has that in him.
[00:43:15] There's been a few games this year where he's really risen to the occasion, particularly in the third period, where he's come up big for us when it mattered the most.
[00:43:22] And I think that's all you need from your goalie.
[00:43:24] So, you know, we saw it with Aiden Hill did it.
[00:43:26] You know, Bennington did it.
[00:43:27] You know, these kind of above average guys that kind of, you know, that really carry their team.
[00:43:32] So I'm pretty happy with where they are.
[00:43:35] You know, like, it was an absolute clusterfuck last year.
[00:43:37] And, you know, we're well beyond that now.
[00:43:42] Bob?
[00:43:44] Yeah.
[00:43:44] I mean, I'm just going to come down from the high of the nine that I was at a little while ago.
[00:43:48] And I'm definitely in the eight range if you want to be very specific, probably somewhere right below Dan's assessment.
[00:43:55] I'm really kind of bullish.
[00:43:58] 8.537.
[00:43:59] Give us a number, Bob.
[00:44:01] Yes.
[00:44:01] 8.537 too.
[00:44:04] I think they're really fine.
[00:44:05] I really do.
[00:44:06] I think that if we're seeing some adversity right now, let's look at how good of a minor bit of adversity that is after beating the Rangers 5-1, Seattle 3-2.
[00:44:16] We had a clunker against the Avalanche.
[00:44:18] And, I mean, we came back and played exactly how you're supposed to play after you basically didn't play up to your game the day before.
[00:44:24] And, you know, the hockey guys just had their way and they just didn't win that game.
[00:44:28] All the reasons that Sim mentioned, I mean, specialty teams are top in the league in, you know, one way or the other.
[00:44:34] The 5-on-5 plays good.
[00:44:36] I think that our bottom scoring is going to come back a little bit.
[00:44:39] I'm a little more concerned than I was before because I know what's there, right?
[00:44:42] We saw it in the beginning of the year.
[00:44:43] So, we know what the bottom two lines are capable of doing.
[00:44:45] The problem is we may not actually get Lazar back.
[00:44:48] So, that does kind of change things, right?
[00:44:49] So, now we're talking, like Tim said, maybe we can move Hall down and we got to find something else to get them going.
[00:44:54] But I think they will.
[00:44:56] And I think our top two lines are fine.
[00:44:58] Like, I just – there's no glaring, glaring weakness for me.
[00:45:01] So, I just think right now they're temporarily in that 8.537.
[00:45:05] And I think they're going to be back up to a 9, you know, easily by January.
[00:45:10] I'm not good at math, so I'm giving them an 8.
[00:45:12] Just an 8.
[00:45:15] Yeah.
[00:45:16] Story for dummies.
[00:45:17] I love this team.
[00:45:17] 8.000.
[00:45:19] 8.000 infinity.
[00:45:22] I love this team.
[00:45:23] I think they're – I say it all the time.
[00:45:26] I love their makeup.
[00:45:28] I love when they wear makeup.
[00:45:30] I think they're sexy.
[00:45:31] And, you know, I just – I think that our bottom six right now is a problem.
[00:45:36] And guys like Holla worry me a little bit because the season's not getting any shorter and he's not getting any younger.
[00:45:43] And I think that, you know, I didn't really think about the fourth line for him.
[00:45:48] I think that might be the right move.
[00:45:51] You know, knock him down.
[00:45:53] And get a third line center, a legit third line center.
[00:45:57] But I also think that we have a smart enough front office to understand these weaknesses and fix them.
[00:46:03] So if whatever Fitz decides to do, I'm on board because I think he's going to absolutely do what's best for this team.
[00:46:10] I love Sheldon Keefe.
[00:46:11] I love his style of coaching.
[00:46:14] I think that he has a really good pulse on this team right now.
[00:46:17] And I think the guys are playing really hard for him.
[00:46:21] So, yeah, not everybody – you're not going 82-0.
[00:46:24] We know that.
[00:46:25] You know, every team's going to lose 20 to 30 games a year, the good ones.
[00:46:29] So, yeah, you're going to drop a few.
[00:46:31] They got a point out of the other night.
[00:46:34] And I think that that's at least, you know, a plus.
[00:46:38] Yeah, you outplayed them.
[00:46:39] And you got a loser point.
[00:46:40] Yeah, you got a loser point out of it.
[00:46:43] But I love this team.
[00:46:44] I think that they can go on a run when they get into the playoffs.
[00:46:48] But I think there's a lot of other good teams there.
[00:46:50] But I think they can hang with anybody.
[00:46:52] That's what I like about this team.
[00:46:53] There's nobody on the entire league, the other 31 teams that I look at and I say,
[00:46:58] they definitively will beat our asses in the playoffs.
[00:47:02] I don't feel that at all about any of them.
[00:47:04] And, you know, you look at the run that they went on against Florida and then Carolina,
[00:47:09] then the Rangers.
[00:47:11] That was a big, big moment for this team to kind of what you guys had said earlier,
[00:47:17] like to at least for them, they know they can hang with anybody.
[00:47:22] So I like this team.
[00:47:23] I think they're going to be okay.
[00:47:26] Injuries withstanding.
[00:47:27] I like them.
[00:47:28] I'm happy with them.
[00:47:29] Two follow-ups real quick on your assessment here.
[00:47:32] Number one, who is the sexiest devil?
[00:47:34] Guys, each comes to your mind.
[00:47:36] Sexiest devil.
[00:47:39] The sexiest devil?
[00:47:40] Sexiest devil.
[00:47:41] For you, it's Meyer, right?
[00:47:42] You always call Meyer sexy.
[00:47:44] Meyer's, I mean, anybody's Swiss.
[00:47:46] Like those guys are fucking handsome as hell.
[00:47:48] Brad's pretty handsome.
[00:47:49] Brad?
[00:47:50] You know, in an Aryan sort of way.
[00:47:53] I like them.
[00:47:54] Dan?
[00:47:55] You know, it's kind of like, he could be, I hate to say it, but he could be like a Nazi
[00:47:58] guard.
[00:47:59] Yes.
[00:48:00] Aircut and everything.
[00:48:01] Absolutely.
[00:48:02] Yeah, I didn't even think about that.
[00:48:05] Yeah, no, I'm going to stick with Glenn Chico Rush.
[00:48:07] He's just sexy.
[00:48:08] He is sexy.
[00:48:10] I love that he just always reminds me of Gomez.
[00:48:13] Gomez, yes.
[00:48:14] Yeah, from Nat and family.
[00:48:16] Well, Bob, now that you asked the question, you know, who is the sexiest devil?
[00:48:21] I'm going to go with Dylan.
[00:48:22] And congratulations, by the way, right?
[00:48:24] He just had a baby girl again today.
[00:48:25] You think Dylan is the sexiest devil?
[00:48:27] I'm just going sexiest devil.
[00:48:28] I just picked a name, dude.
[00:48:29] I don't really, you know.
[00:48:30] Yeah, I'm going Dylan.
[00:48:31] We got a problem with that?
[00:48:33] No, dude.
[00:48:33] That's it.
[00:48:34] It's your taste, man.
[00:48:35] That's what you like.
[00:48:36] All right.
[00:48:37] I'm with that.
[00:48:37] He likes to be the little spoon.
[00:48:39] You know, Dylan seems like it could be a big.
[00:48:41] Oh, yeah.
[00:48:42] Absolutely.
[00:48:43] Dylan is the alpha in this relationship.
[00:48:45] I was wondering who's filling the hole in your heart since we lost Graves?
[00:48:50] Ryan Graves.
[00:48:51] Yeah.
[00:48:52] Ryan Graves.
[00:48:52] Yeah.
[00:48:53] I don't know that Dylan's filling that hole, but we'll, you know.
[00:48:55] Yeah, but he was filling a hole for you.
[00:48:58] I'm pretty sure.
[00:48:59] You want to go with that?
[00:49:00] But you want him to, right?
[00:49:01] You want him to fill that hole.
[00:49:03] I don't think that's what I'm saying.
[00:49:06] Graves is my favorite lesbian, too.
[00:49:08] Don't worry.
[00:49:10] Yeah, right?
[00:49:11] He does have very feminine features, which is why I didn't understand why Bobby liked him.
[00:49:17] Like a Lilith Bear concert or something.
[00:49:19] Definitely.
[00:49:20] You know?
[00:49:21] He has a cottage in Vermont and a Subaru.
[00:49:23] Yeah.
[00:49:24] He has Birkenstocks all the way.
[00:49:27] Yeah.
[00:49:27] That's Bob's type.
[00:49:28] All right.
[00:49:29] Anything else you guys want to add?
[00:49:30] I'm going to cut this one slightly shorter than usual so we can go watch a hockey game.
[00:49:33] Just got the good stuff.
[00:49:35] Oh, shit.
[00:49:37] Pancakes.
[00:49:38] Breakfast or the dessert of breakfast?
[00:49:40] Just curious.
[00:49:42] Wait, what?
[00:49:43] Pancakes.
[00:49:44] Are pancakes, do they count as a breakfast?
[00:49:46] Or is it your dessert of breakfast?
[00:49:48] I guess if you're trying to be health conscious, you go for those protein pancakes to pretend
[00:49:53] that it can really be breakfast.
[00:49:54] Because we all know it's not a healthy thing.
[00:49:56] Is it part of your meal or is it something you save for the end?
[00:49:58] Kind of like the dessert breakfast.
[00:50:00] Oh, okay.
[00:50:00] So if I get like a full breakfast.
[00:50:02] Yeah, let's say you get eggs, baking, the whole thing.
[00:50:05] You get pancakes with it.
[00:50:06] You eat them at the same time or are you reserving that to the end?
[00:50:08] Like the sweets.
[00:50:09] I probably would reserve it to the end.
[00:50:11] And here's the other thing I'll say that's similar to that.
[00:50:13] I would not bother getting pancakes if you're not going to fucking do the butter and
[00:50:17] syrup.
[00:50:18] I agree.
[00:50:19] I've seen people eat dry pancakes and I think they're fucking crazy.
[00:50:22] Don't even waste your time.
[00:50:23] That's a waste of time.
[00:50:24] If you're going to like think that's like, oh, I don't want those calories.
[00:50:28] Then don't eat the fucking pancakes.
[00:50:29] It's stupid.
[00:50:30] If you're one of those people, you're on my list.
[00:50:33] I was really hoping that's like three boats.
[00:50:36] Let's see here.
[00:50:37] Tim, what do you think?
[00:50:38] I mean, if I'm and I've done it before, like at a nice like Sunday brunch, hammering
[00:50:43] a couple bloodies, you know, you have your bacon, eggs, potatoes, meal.
[00:50:47] And you split some pancakes for dessert afterwards.
[00:50:50] Butter.
[00:50:51] Just lather that shit up in syrup.
[00:50:53] And maybe throw a little chocolate chips in there.
[00:50:56] I'm doing the math right.
[00:50:57] I'm getting three out of three so far that I think it's kind of like the dessert.
[00:51:01] I mean, I think it has to be.
[00:51:04] I mean, what other breakfast food do you put fucking whipped cream on besides maybe Belgian
[00:51:08] waffle, which is the same thing?
[00:51:10] Well, this was my.
[00:51:11] I mean, I'm not a pancake guy.
[00:51:13] It's a standalone for my primary breakfast order.
[00:51:16] I'm salty bacon, eggs type of person.
[00:51:18] I just sent you guys a picture.
[00:51:19] And that was my dinner the other night.
[00:51:23] And those fucking French toast was like a four foot thick cinnamon bond.
[00:51:29] It was like I fucking got diabetes just looking at it.
[00:51:33] Yeah.
[00:51:33] But it was my dessert.
[00:51:36] I ate the eggs.
[00:51:36] I ate the bacon.
[00:51:37] And then I ate those.
[00:51:39] And but I do like pancakes.
[00:51:41] But that's French toast.
[00:51:41] Your question was about pancakes.
[00:51:43] Same realm, you know, and you can have it as a standalone.
[00:51:46] That's fine.
[00:51:47] If that's your breakfast, whatever.
[00:51:48] I'm not going to judge.
[00:51:49] French toast is a better standalone because it's got the egg in it.
[00:51:51] And I know you can make pancakes with eggs inside the batter.
[00:51:54] Most people don't though.
[00:51:56] No.
[00:51:57] But I'm kind of with Dan, like Kodiak cakes.
[00:51:59] Like those are delicious.
[00:52:01] Yeah, there'll be a stand in for like a home, like quick, like standalone breakfast, I guess.
[00:52:05] Or at least, you know, you wouldn't say, oh, this is my dessert.
[00:52:09] It's just a pancake.
[00:52:10] I do eat pancakes occasionally just by themselves for breakfast.
[00:52:13] But it's always a mistake because I'm always starving afterwards.
[00:52:17] So I prefer something.
[00:52:19] I've had pudding by itself too, right?
[00:52:20] But after dinner, that's dessert.
[00:52:21] I love pancakes.
[00:52:23] I want to go to fucking IHOP now.
[00:52:24] I just like making Chris hungry every time I talk about breakfast.
[00:52:27] I haven't been to IHOP shit, ever.
[00:52:29] I haven't stopped eating bagels for like three weeks, by the way, guys.
[00:52:32] There's like there's aren't real bagels, Bobby.
[00:52:34] You can't say that.
[00:52:36] I don't know.
[00:52:36] I have a bagel that doesn't have a bottom yet.
[00:52:38] Yeah, exactly.
[00:52:40] My kids are like, I'm going to IHOP.
[00:52:42] You know, we're all going to IHOP.
[00:52:44] And I'm like, that's still open?
[00:52:45] I haven't been to IHOP.
[00:52:47] It was there the other night.
[00:52:48] I sent you a picture of it.
[00:52:49] My dad took us to IHOP for dinner.
[00:52:51] That's awesome.
[00:52:52] I mean, I just haven't been there forever.
[00:52:53] I was talking to like my son.
[00:52:57] Go ahead.
[00:52:58] Go ahead.
[00:52:59] The last time I did the pancakes for dessert at brunch thing, me and a couple buddies were
[00:53:04] hammered.
[00:53:04] We went to a batting cage and it didn't end well for us.
[00:53:08] You all got hit bean in the head.
[00:53:10] I got I got bean by the batting cage and I yelled at like this stone 16 year old kid being
[00:53:14] like this fucking machine.
[00:53:16] Why can't hit me?
[00:53:17] And he's like 45 year old.
[00:53:19] I yelled at the stone 16 year old kid.
[00:53:21] It was like on the West Side Highway in New York, like downtown.
[00:53:24] This kid's like, what the fuck, man?
[00:53:26] I make six bucks an hour.
[00:53:27] Fuck you.
[00:53:29] That's not right.
[00:53:30] My son was saying like, how come we're going to IHOP?
[00:53:33] Like, we should just go down the road.
[00:53:35] Go to the Tom's River Diner.
[00:53:36] And I was like, I started talking.
[00:53:38] I'm like, there was a good telling him like two year chunk where we were at the diner every
[00:53:45] single night.
[00:53:46] We lived there.
[00:53:46] Every night.
[00:53:47] I mean, I worked there.
[00:53:49] I mean, you worked there.
[00:53:52] Every night.
[00:53:53] We all.
[00:53:54] Yeah.
[00:53:54] I mean, I remember everybody who worked there in that whole like, yeah, that span of time.
[00:54:00] And it sucks that they're not even they close at like nine o'clock at night now.
[00:54:03] So I can't even have it.
[00:54:04] They're not open 24 hours.
[00:54:06] That's crazy behavior for a diner.
[00:54:07] I agree.
[00:54:09] But it's like bars are like that too.
[00:54:11] It's crazy.
[00:54:11] I don't understand.
[00:54:12] Like, I just feel really sorry for people like, you know, who were our age then.
[00:54:19] Like, what the fuck do they do?
[00:54:20] Like the bars closed earlier.
[00:54:23] The diners, they're no longer 24.
[00:54:25] It's like you had this whole other nighttime life that you could.
[00:54:28] That was your time out there.
[00:54:31] You know?
[00:54:31] Our time.
[00:54:32] Down here.
[00:54:33] Yeah.
[00:54:33] Now that's all fucking dead.
[00:54:35] They go to IHOP.
[00:54:37] I guess they're going to IHOP.
[00:54:38] I guess they are.
[00:54:39] That's what the kids are doing nowadays.
[00:54:40] Even them.
[00:54:41] They don't stay at 24 hours, right?
[00:54:42] Yeah.
[00:54:43] They're open 24 hours.
[00:54:44] No shit.
[00:54:45] Really?
[00:54:45] Yeah.
[00:54:45] I'm going to go right now.
[00:54:46] Except the kids call it I Hizzle.
[00:54:48] I can do that.
[00:54:50] I can.
[00:54:52] Hey.
[00:54:54] I'm going to go wrap this thing up and go get some French toast and pancakes at I Hizzle.
[00:54:59] And go watch hopefully a devil victory over the La Kings.
[00:55:04] We are the.
[00:55:05] Oh, wait.
[00:55:06] I forgot to do the whole spiel.
[00:55:07] Wherever you're listening to us.
[00:55:08] Say like a five star review.
[00:55:10] Positive comment.
[00:55:11] Download.
[00:55:12] Subscription.
[00:55:12] Subscription.
[00:55:13] Helps the little podcast that could for Tim, Dan and Bob.
[00:55:17] I'm Chris.
[00:55:17] We're the Uncle Puckers.
[00:55:19] And we'll see you when we see you.
[00:55:20] Puckers out.
[00:55:21] Bye-bye.
[00:55:22] Eat a dick, Velocat.
[00:55:25] Nice.
[00:55:28] Hey, everybody.
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