Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: All right, everybody, welcome back. This is the good old Hockey podcast. This is episode number 23. We are wrapping up the NHL season, coming to a close very quickly. We've got about a month left, really, but we're gonna be getting into some playoff teams later, talking like, who's a contender? Who's pretending in terms of who's actually in the playoff race right now. But before we get into that galley, you just came back from Cal three. How the hell was that? It looked a lot of fun.
[00:00:27] Speaker B: Calgary is a good time, man. It's always a good time to go up there. Calgary's. I feel like Calgary kind of gets bad rap around the NHL as a smaller market, not as fun of a city to play in or be in. But gosh, man, I really like going up there. It's always a good time. They have a really good nightlife scene. And not only that, it's clean city, beautiful views of the canadian Rockies and Cherry. On top is the Calgary Flames game. But yeah, man, it was sweet. Went up with my girlfriend, went up with my brother and a few of his friends. They're crazy 19 year olds, so they were totally off the hook. They could go to bars and whatnot. But the flames game was my highlight, though. Also had dinner at the top of the Calgary tower, which was really cool. It was like a sky 360 bar and restaurant, and it rotated while you had dinner. So you see the whole city 360 view. Yeah, I've never been to a restaurant like that. I don't think it's like too much of a rare thing. I think they have them in a lot of cities, but that was my first time going to one of those things. Food was atrocious, but the views were immaculate. Yeah, the food could have been so much better. And it's like they have such a good opportunity super high up in the sky at the Calgary Tower. They have such a good opportunity to make that a good restaurant. But go nuts to the hockey part. The game was really cool. It was a Saturday, 05:00 p.m., game, so the dome was absolutely packed. There was a lot of Canadians fans there.
All sorts of stuff was going on there. I saw some vloggers and probably some people that have podcasts there. I saw this one guy from the Montreal Canadiens that had a sign, and I saw all sorts of content he put out from that game, which was pretty cool.
[00:02:20] Speaker A: Was it the AbsTv guy?
[00:02:23] Speaker B: Yeah, it was that guy.
[00:02:24] Speaker A: I saw him in. Yeah.
[00:02:26] Speaker B: Yeah, dude, that guy had your Tate McRae is bigger than your team sign and he was in the flames warm up zone during warm ups.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: Hilarious.
[00:02:37] Speaker B: Yeah, it was brutal. It was tough to see that, but it was a pretty funny sign and some truth behind it. But yeah, man, the game was awesome. Flames ended up winning five two.
City was buzing of the biggest club there in Calgary. Cowboys club and casino. So fucking fun. Dude. We had a kick ass time there two nights in a row. Worst part about the whole trip, though, was I did miss my championship beer league.
[00:03:03] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
[00:03:05] Speaker B: And yeah, they ended up winning. So we're back to back champs. Let's go, the hooligans.
[00:03:11] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:03:12] Speaker B: Which I'm super stoked on, but was a part of the season. Just missed the freaking championship game. So it's kind of a tough pill to swallow, but hopefully we can get to the championship game in threes.
Yeah, that was kind of a wrap up of my trip and weekend and kick ass time up in Calgary. How was your weekend, though?
[00:03:31] Speaker A: Yeah, no, we had a good time.
Okay.
I got back to my house last night at like 03:00 a.m.
And Sunday, I left my house on Saturday at two p. I wasn't home for over like 36 hours. So Saturday I went over to my budy's house in Meridian, and we just had a barbecue. Enjoyed the nice weather out here. Got up to like 65, and we were just.
I felt like all winter, you just wait for a nice day out. And then that day hit on Saturday, and I'm like, outside and I'm like, fuck, I need to go inside.
It's too hot. I don't know, it's just weird. But yeah, we did that barbecue. Super nice out. Then we went to the meridian bars.
That was as per, you know, Greece fest, dance circles everywhere, crazy people. But Sunday I went golfing, and that's why I stayed over my budy's house, because I was like, I got to get up in the morning and go golf. I don't want to drive or uber back to Boise and then drive back all the way out here. So I just stayed the night on the couch and then went to Cole. Grant was actually in town, moved back and met up with Grant after.
[00:04:53] Speaker B: Oh, shit.
That was my fault.
I didn't mean to that.
[00:05:00] Speaker A: Yeah, I saw myself disappear. I was like, what?
[00:05:05] Speaker B: Continue, though?
[00:05:08] Speaker A: And then one of my other friends had a barbecue for St. Patrick's day, so I was out, like, all weekend. I never got to really sit at home, but well worth it. Fun weekend, but I'm ready to actually be able to relax this weekend or this week. And just chill at home. But I don't really do that a whole lot during the week.
[00:05:30] Speaker B: Sick Grant moved back. I'm stoked on that.
[00:05:33] Speaker A: I know, me too. Yeah. He'll be in Idaho Falls, but I mean, you know him. He'll probably be here every other weekend.
[00:05:39] Speaker B: Yeah. Oh, definitely. Dude, no way is he going to be in or twin Falls, Idaho Falls, whatever the hell he where he's at.
[00:05:47] Speaker A: But enough of us. Let's get into it. Kick it off for us with the three stars of the week.
[00:05:53] Speaker B: Yeah, 100%. Just going on to our coast to coast current NHL news from the past week, but we'll just start off with our three stars. Those are from the NHL. We've been kind of consistent with this.
But rounding out the three stars, we got Kuchrov at first, bedard at two, and flurry at number three. I think this is the first time Bedard has cracked the top three in the, you know, just starting off with Kuchrov. Nikita Kuchrov is making a strong argument for MVP. Right.
Top. Towards the top of the NHL in points throughout the whole season. The Lightning are playing mean. Seven points in two games is mean. You are, in a way, putting the team on your back.
Out of two games, seven goals are part of you. You're assisting on it or scoring them. It's pretty crazy.
I don't think he's underrated, but I feel like he's just not talked about as much as elite players are in the league. And I think part of that's because he's russian, doesn't have much of a personality.
[00:07:06] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't think he's as flashy. Well, he does have some good highlights, but he's just not as. Yeah, like, you like, his personality isn't also, I mean, like, Conor McDavid doesn't have a freaking personality. That guy's a.
He's. He just has more attention on him just because he is the best player in the league. But, yeah, Kucherov? Definitely.
Definitely.
It's hard to say that he's underrated because everyone knows how good he is, but he just doesn't get talked about. Like the.
His attention for what he does.
[00:07:50] Speaker B: He's very interesting player to me. I'm always like, what is this guy? Actually seems like a hell of a player, though.
Probably a hell of a teammate, too. But yeah, I mean, Kucherov, well deserved spot. I want to say he's gotten first this season already. I don't know how many times, but next name on the list, probably one of the biggest names in the league right now, and we've talked about him a lot. Conor bedard, seven points in three games. He's really turning on, I think this past week.
It's a walk. He's going to win the mean when you're scoring at a point per game pace throughout the season. And after this past week, I think he's there.
He's going to win that and definitely solidifies his spot. But I don't know. Do you want to touch anymore on.
[00:08:49] Speaker A: Kind of.
Obviously when he got hurt, we were like, I don't know, the race could tighten up and Brock Faber was pushing up there.
Titanic boy, your boy from Calgary, he was getting up there, too, in the talks, but obviously Badard is a special player and he's definitely living up to the hype, I would say in terms of just like a lot of his highlight plays are awesome to see from an 18 year old, especially.
Yeah, I think it's cool to see we're witnessing the next great one. I guess you could say come we're watching his rookie year and I mean, if he keeps us up, I don't doubt he'll be on that mount Rushmore in a couple decades.
So we'll see what he does.
[00:09:39] Speaker B: But I will say titanic boy is ygor. Sharon Govich. He's not a rookie, but Connor Zari is. Who you're referring. Who I got a jersey of. Not a big how to get a.
[00:09:53] Speaker A: Blasty one after last if no one saw it. If you don't follow our socials, you should. But we did a ranking of the best alternate jerseys, or I guess older NHL jerseys and galley left that one spot open. He got blasted at number one. So that jersey is sick, though. I like that a lot.
[00:10:14] Speaker B: You did try to trick me, too. I saw it.
[00:10:18] Speaker A: I was so close. I don't know if I told you this, but I was so close I almost put, I wish I did this, but I was going to wait and double trick you and be like, oh, blasty's coming up and it was going to be an Edmonton Oilers alternate jersey.
[00:10:34] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh.
[00:10:35] Speaker A: You put that at number one, but I couldn't find one that justified it enough. That was cool. I don't know. Their alternates aren't the coolest.
[00:10:46] Speaker B: Jerseys. I do like the one that is like dark blue with the, like, it looks like a comet, but it's like, I don't know what the hell it is. You know what I'm talking about?
[00:10:56] Speaker A: I think it's a piece of a drop of oil I don't. You're. Yeah, I know what you're talking about, but I don't know exactly what that even.
Yeah. What were we talking about? Oh, yeah.
[00:11:10] Speaker B: Just rounding up that third star we got. Mark Andre Fleury, who went 20 and one the past week and did have a shutout, was obviously the best goalie in the league last week.
I think he's still one of the best goalies in the league this year. It's going to be interesting to see if the wild do make the playoffs. If they do make the playoffs, get hot at the end of the season, they're going to push the flames out, which is going to make me pretty sad. But also, Mark Andre Flurry being in the playoffs, everyone knows he's in different beasts, different animal in the playoffs. So I think they're a little bit of a sleeper.
[00:11:46] Speaker A: Except for when he played the Sharks in 2019 with the Knights. He choked it. Yeah, no, you're right.
[00:11:54] Speaker B: 100%. But, yeah, well deserved. Three stars of the week.
From my opinion, there was nothing too crazy of a performance that stood out.
But yeah, those are the three stars of the week.
Just to move on to our next segment or not next segment, next thing on the list, we got an interesting story that came out of Pittsburgh for the yarmeer Yager night. His bobbleheads, Yarmer Yager's bobbleheads were stolen on the way to the Pittsburgh arena.
His yogur night got canceled because of it. Supposedly it was cargo theft. Planned shipment never arrived. So I think it's very interesting that this shipment of hundreds, if not thousands, probably thousands of bobbleheads just goes missing.
But not only that, they're already surfacing on eBay. So someone has them.
[00:12:50] Speaker A: Really?
[00:12:50] Speaker B: And someone's trying to make profit off them. Oh, yeah. Big time.
Kind of an interesting story. It's pretty funny. But I do wonder if they're ever going to find the culprit.
[00:13:03] Speaker A: Yeah, nowadays, I feel you could track most things, especially if they're posting it. If they're dumb enough that they're posting on eBay. I mean, I don't know where else you'd sell them, but nowadays I feel like you can find anything. So I feel like they'll find that guy, whoever it you who's like, your number one suspect.
[00:13:24] Speaker B: I think my number one suspect out there is the Philadelphia flyers mascot, gritty. Gritty.
Yeah. He's been involved in some past things, and he's a devious mascot and Penn's rival. If anyone were to do it, I'm pointing the finger at gritty. 100%.
[00:13:44] Speaker A: 100%. I'm pointing my fingers on him.
Yeah, I think it's gritty's fault. It's 100% his fault.
Yeah.
[00:13:52] Speaker B: But not too much more to talk about that issue.
[00:13:56] Speaker A: I think what's funny about that is just like, the whole nature of it. Someone literally planned, like, a heist to steal these bobbleheads and somehow we're able to track this truck down. It seems like it's very intentional. If they're putting it up on eBay, they know what was in there. It wasn't just like a random, like, oh, there could be cigaretes in here, or who knows? It wasn't like a typical stick up. They knew what was in that shipment. So, yeah, I don't know. I think it's kind of hilarious, but also sucks. I feel bad for all those fans that were ready to go to that game and get a bobblehead.
[00:14:28] Speaker B: Oh, I know, dude. Especially yogur bobblehead. Yeah.
[00:14:31] Speaker A: Like a rare one. It's going to be rare. It's one of. One or one of whoever's there that night.
[00:14:38] Speaker B: I will say. I think their strategy is they're going to sit on them and maybe sell them. Who knows how many years down the road. Because those things I feel like, are going to be worth a lot of value. Like the stolen and famous bobbleheads. I don't think there's really been a bobblehead heist before, but no, I feel like that's got to make the value of those go up.
[00:14:57] Speaker A: The first bobblehead heist in NHL history. Wow. Be in the record.
Um, but on to our.
I don't know where I read this, but I forget where we heard it, but the NHL has announced that they have signed on to a deal with the TV show that's going to very similar to full swing that Netflix does with golfers and quarterback. Like they did with NFL. Yeah, it seems like Amazon's doing it, though, this year.
[00:15:27] Speaker B: Yeah, Amazon's doing that. And I think that got brought up at the owners meeting for the NHL, possibly. I think that was last week. So that just got brought up. It was something that was kind of out of the blue, but very interesting piece. No doubt.
[00:15:43] Speaker A: Yeah, no, I'm excited. I feel like that's going to be a really good show. I am kind of bummed, though. It's on Amazon prime.
It's like such a B team thing to be on Amazon prime. No offense to them, but if you're not on Netflix, it's not good. Like I don't know. Think about movies that get released. If it's an Amazon prime exclusive like Conor McGregor's movie coming out Roadhouse. I don't know, like prime exclusive TV shows. I'm just know they have a couple.
[00:16:16] Speaker B: Good ones, but I feel like Amazon probably flashed their Jeff Bezos money at the NHL and the NHL is like, okay, sounds good. Gary Ben's like, sounds good.
[00:16:26] Speaker A: Yeah. More money than he's ever seen. But yeah, I think it'll be know they kind of do this in the playoffs, the quest for the cup. I always think those series are awesome on ESPN plus and it's very similar, a little bit more playoff focused, obviously. But if they just brought it up though, it's supposed to come out what fall? 24?
[00:16:53] Speaker B: Yeah, supposedly. I mean, that's kind of the rumors. It's supposed to come out in the fall. So it should be happening right now, which is really cool. If it is.
[00:17:01] Speaker A: It is cool. Yeah. Especially like this playoff hunt. But I don't know if they just do it like a playoff. I'm curious if they'll do it like an offseason. I don't know.
[00:17:11] Speaker B: Yeah, it's going to be interesting how they're spinning it all and maybe this has kind of been under wraps for the whole year and they're just starting to get some word out about it. But I think it's going to be really good exposure for hockey and just continue building that word of what it's like to be an NHL player and kind of get in on the side of what it's like in the league and whatnot.
I'm just curious who they're going to pick. I mean, who would you like to see know on this.
[00:17:44] Speaker A: Mean when I watched the quest for the cup, watching Matthew Chuck do mean I'm biased, but he was cool to see.
I think it'd be cool to see. But again, it all depends on what they're doing. If they're, I don't know, doing a playoff run thing, they can't go out and get Sidney Crosby or follow him around. But I don't know that Badard would be cool to see just with his rookie year and everything and following him.
I don't your who's your number one that you'd want to see on that show, dude?
[00:18:19] Speaker B: Number one that I would want to see.
I feel like it would be very interesting to see high caliber players, obviously, and they're going to be choosing um, I would really want to see what Connor McDavid does day to day because he's kind of like a mysterious guy. I feel like it would definitely bring out a lot more of his personality.
[00:18:43] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
[00:18:45] Speaker B: I do feel like they're going to pick players like Nathan McKinnon, maybe like Kale McCarr. So I thought maybe like Artemi Panarin Kachuks.
Austin Matthews will probably be in there. I would be very surprised if they don't pick Austin Matthews just because how big of a profile name he is. Sidney Crosby could be in there, too. But I hope they pick some players that are 3rd, 4th line guys, maybe third, Perry D kind of some grinders more. I feel like it would be really cool to see that sort of thing, and this could be totally off a limb, but like a player like Matt Rempe going in there, I mean, that would be very interesting to follow his day to day, just seeing an enforcer and whatnot. But it's too bad the NHL didn't get one of the best personalities back in the league this year. Phil Kessel would be like, one person I would love to see, man, but I hope they take the route that I know. HBO used to do the Winter classic series every year and they did a really good job on those. So I hope they continue with that sort of documentary style. And yeah, I'm really excited for it. I think that they should do a good. Just. It kind of worries me. It's on Amazon, too, because like you said, that's not as sick as like HBO or Netflix or Hulu even.
[00:20:05] Speaker A: Yeah, no, it's mean. I don't know.
Looking back, like full swing, I know did wonders for the PGA. Obviously, golf is a pretty popular sport, especially with everyone. Really. I feel like it's gotten a lot more popular, especially after COVID.
But I mean, golf has always been very popular, but I know it did wonders for the PGA and it helped them out a lot with viewership. Just being able to see that behind the scenes stuff.
And then obviously with football, that's the biggest sport in.
Yeah, I think. I think it'll be good for hockey, but I wish it was on.
Yeah, more people would watch it if it's on Netflix. I'm curious what the viewership is going to be like on Amazon prime, but that's just a personal thing. But yeah, last thing before we move on talking about the playoffs is relocation talk. So I know we've brought this up a lot this year on our podcast, but I feel like it's also, like you said galley earlier, it's a pretty hot topic this year.
Big time Arizona Coyotes, they've been thrown around whether or not they're going to stay in Arizona, and we'll see if that happens.
If they do want to expand. I don't see going over 32 teams, like how that would make sense.
I don't know. I don't think any league in sports has over 32 teams. Like, a lot of them don't even have over 30. NHL and I think NFL are the two with 32. Everyone else is 30. I want to say not positive.
[00:21:44] Speaker B: Yeah, I think the NBA might have 32, and I feel like there might be.
[00:21:50] Speaker A: They have 30.
[00:21:50] Speaker B: Oh, they have 30. Yeah, there might be some soccer leagues overseas that have 32 plus, but yeah, it would be interesting to see Betman's approach on it. But also, it could be good for the game if there's 34, 36 teams.
I think it's really going to come down to Arizona for at least this season in the imminent future.
Because just to start off with that, we'll talk into, obviously, Arizona had some news, and also Atlanta had some news recently, this past week about relocation and whatnot.
But yeah, the Coyotes, there's a report saying they're probably going to relocate if they lose this last land auction that's in Phoenix. It's like a 95 acre plot. It was approved by the state, so coyotes have the green light to bid on it. But this has also happened a lot in the past, and this exact scenario has happened which has made them play in the mullet arena, NCAA arena. So it can be interesting to see if this actually pans out. And if it doesn't, they're definitely going to relocate. Do you think they're going to relocate if another land thing falls out for that?
[00:23:05] Speaker A: I don't know how much money the coyotes are bringing in playing at that arena. I mean, ticket sales are a big way that they drive in money, obviously jersey sales, too. But the coyotes, I hope they do stay because it's a cool, mean. They haven't really done a whole lot.
[00:23:21] Speaker B: But I don't anything.
[00:23:24] Speaker A: Yeah, I think they've made the finals once, which I guess the sharks have, too, but yeah, like the coyotes, I don't know if you can't sell at your damn arena, which again, the sharks can't right now, but it's because they suck.
They used to sell out when they were good, but I don't know. I think, I don't want them to move the Coyotes, but if another land deal falls out and they can't get an arena, they might have to, like the Salt Lake Coyotes or like Anson Carter, he's been, what is it? Anson Carter in the Alpharetta sports group? That's right. I think that's.
He's a part of that. Right? That sports.
[00:24:02] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. It's like a few other businessmen, but they're actually trying to. Yeah, going on to that. They're trying to bring an NHL team back to Atlanta for the third time, and that happened this past week. They formally requested from the NHL to start the expansion process for Atlanta. This would be, like I said, third NHL franchise in Atlanta. Third time is a charm, but it is the second request of the season, which I feel like that has not happened in a long. I don't know if that's ever happened in the season. So this is obviously why we're bringing this up. I know we've talked a lot about relocation, but it would be crazy if Atlanta got another mean. I feel like there's a lot of cities and cities that have gotten teams taken from them, like Hartford or like Quebec City that would be outraged if Atlanta got a third franchise. I will say TNT has drove a lot of popularity and looks towards the NHL. They're headquartered in Atlanta, so that might help as well.
6 million people in the metro. I mean, that's one of the biggest metros in the US as well. But I don't know if they're necessarily trying to hop on this for the Coyotes. I mean, it would be crazy if the Coyotes fold or need to relocate. There's Salt Lake, Houston, and like, which one would know league? Yeah, you could probably get away with putting Houston in the Eastern Conference, but Atlanta would definitely be in the Eastern Conference. I don't think there's going to be another Western Conference team. So I feel like it's kind of between Atlanta and so, yeah, I think.
[00:25:44] Speaker A: Also there's some teams that can shift to the east in basketball. The Bulls, Chicago are in the Eastern Conference, but the Blackhawks are in the western conference in hockey.
So there's definitely some teams that can be probably pushed over to the east. Like Detroit was a west coast team for a while, I think, until they did some realignment and then now they're in the east. But I think there's some teams that can be pushed over east. If a team, well, if the Coyotes move to Salt Lake, then they're just still in the west. But yeah, I think it'd be interesting.
I don't know. Atlanta, like you said, third times, I guess, is a charm.
If they did it with the Braves play, maybe. I just don't know.
Even the Falcons don't do too hot. They're not crazy. The Hawks are good right now, so they've been able to get some attention. And even the Braves, like the Braves, have been good the past, what, three, four, five years since they moved into park. So I don't know. It's a tough say. I don't know that it's the right, I mean, I don't know that Houston's any better. Do you?
[00:27:00] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I feel like Houston hasn't really put too much effort into talking if they're going to have an NHL franchise there. So I feel like the NHL might want someone that's NHL ready right now. I mean, if shit goes down in Arizona and they lose their know, it's between Salt Lake and mean, that is a huge population difference, and that's a huge differentiator. I mean, that potential to grow hockey in Atlanta is probably a lot more attractive than Salt Lake. Salt Lake is already a winter city. I think their fans would be great, but just from an NHL standpoint, I mean, Seattle wasn't a big hockey market whatsoever or grown. Hockey's grown there a lot, so it would be interesting to see what happens. I do think the location in Atlanta is going to be the deciding factor, though. I don't think they can go downtown Atlanta. I think they're going to have to do something like the Braves, where it's kind of a little bit off site.
[00:27:59] Speaker A: They could build it in that park, in that area, but again, that's building a whole new stadium for them because they have the baseball park, but you're not going to play a game there, obviously.
But, I mean, they'd have to either move into the Hawks Atlanta Hawks arena if it were to happen this maybe, I mean, also with and Carter, like, kind of pushing, maybe they want to be an expansion team because they can see what teams like Seattle and Vegas has done. I mean, yes, Seattle is not doing too hot this year, but like Vegas, for example, six years, they got a, you know, if you take on the Coyotes, you have all their problems in the, like, they do have a good prospect pool. So it's not like it'd be, you know, if you can get a relocate and kind of steal what the Vegas Golden Knights have been mean. I don't know. If I was them, I'd rather expand than take on the Coyotes franchise.
[00:28:55] Speaker B: Yeah, that is an interesting question. Expansion or relocation? Any, any of these teams? Because, yeah, the Coyotes do have some issues, but they do have a pretty deep prospect pool, so it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
I feel like it just would have to come down to the GM, what the GM would want. I feel like someone won an expansion and someone won this scenario. Know lots of young players and players that could step up, but it's kind of funny to think, know, going from Arizona Coyotes to Atlanta, which has failed twice already.
[00:29:29] Speaker A: Yeah, no, it's true. Like failing in Phoenix and then you're like, oh, let's move it to Atlanta, which I don't know. When was the last? What, 2012 was when they left.
[00:29:40] Speaker B: Yeah, 2011 was when they left.
[00:29:42] Speaker A: Okay.
I don't know. It's not crazy. I mean, it's over almost 15 years now since they've had a team, so stuff changes, but I don't know. I'm so mixed on it. I think it'd be cool to see an Atlanta team, but realistically, I don't know. What's our final verdict?
[00:30:02] Speaker B: They got to bring back the Thrashers, dude. But I really think that the NHL, it wouldn't hurt if they added more franchises. I think it would just grow the game a little bit more and say if they were to expand, say if they were to keep Arizona. I know we've been talking about relocation a lot, but say if they had added Atlanta and Salt Lake, that brings the NHL to 34 teams. I don't think it would dilute the style of play or that level of play in the NHL. Open up 40 roster spots to people that are close to cracking the NHL. So I think it would be good for the league and it would grow hockey in non traditional hockey markets. So I think it would be awesome if they do. But I just feel like people are seeing Seattle and Vegas's success and they're like wanting to jump right onto that bandwagon. And they haven't seen teams that have failed with expansion. And to be fair, a lot of those were in eighty s, ninety s. And then obviously, like the Thrashers too, they failed. So I don't know. It's going to be interesting. What do you think? Do you think the NHL needs more teams?
[00:31:18] Speaker A: I think having 34, like you said, would open up the prospect or the pool for more roster spots available.
I just don't know that this is the time right now because, yes, hockey is growing with Vegas now, I'm sure got kids that want to play hockey out in Vegas that are 1012 that are maybe going to turn into future prospects.
But as of right now, I don't know. It's like really fast. It was just really quick.
I think they should if Arizona just fumbles the bag, then yeah, they're going to have to move on. But if Arizona gets to keep it, I just say wait a little bit longer till they start that expansion because, man, 34 teams is a lot, and I don't know, that just ups the competition, I guess, which I think is good for the game. So I don't know. But any last thoughts on that?
[00:32:19] Speaker B: Yeah, no, but if they do bring a team back to Atlanta, they'd better go with the Thrashers just because those jerseys, that logo is so sick, and I just feel like that'd be a good throwback.
[00:32:30] Speaker A: Yeah, no, I think the Thrashers should come back if they go to Atlanta, but we're going to move on. Talk about these playoffs. So we've got a month left, I think almost to the date as of today of regular season hockey. So we're going to be taking a look at just the standings right now and kind of seeing what teams we think are some pretenders, some contenders, maybe a couple like two dark horse teams that maybe we're not talking about. And then also some bubble teams, too, try to see where they're going to fit in. But to start off, let's pick these contenders, I feel like we can get some consensus, obvious contenders. I'm going to share the screen here so we can pull it up.
[00:33:13] Speaker B: Yeah, we could probably just start off with like Eastern Conference. Go down. What teams are in the playoffs right now?
[00:33:18] Speaker A: Yeah, no, totally. All right, so Eastern. I would put contender. I'd put the Bruins. The Panthers.
You agree with that?
[00:33:28] Speaker B: Yeah, no, I think the Bruins and Panthers are definitely contenders this year.
[00:33:35] Speaker A: We'll get to you guys.
[00:33:36] Speaker B: The Leaf. Yeah.
[00:33:40] Speaker A: Let's lock in if we can. Eight contenders.
[00:33:43] Speaker B: Yeah, 100%. I think the Rangers are a contender as well. I think they had an off year in the playoffs last year, but I think they're going to come back with.
[00:33:53] Speaker A: They came. They also ran into a New Jersey team. Mean, that's a rival. That's a cross the river rival. And playoffs are tough, but I do think they are legitimate contenders this year in the central. I think Winnipeg is a contender. Honestly. Yeah, I think all three of these guys are contenders. Winnipeg.
[00:34:13] Speaker B: Yeah, I think all three in the central are definitely contenders. We've touched a lot on all three of these teams, too.
[00:34:21] Speaker A: Okay, that gives us six. We got two more spots.
[00:34:24] Speaker B: Yeah, I think the Canucks are definitely contenders as well. And then going back up to the east, I think the Lightning, I think they're a quiet contender just because they have one of the best players in the league. Kucharov. They have a lot of good playoff experience. Brayden point. Steven Stamikos. They have a deep defense and they have the best goalie and arguably one of the best goalies in the league. Vasilevsky, and he's good in the playoffs. So I really think that if they squeak in, say, that first wild card, or maybe if they do squeak into that third spot, that would be huge. And I think that they're going to do good in the playoffs, and I just feel like they've been on a pretty good tear as of late.
[00:35:12] Speaker A: Yeah, that's what you mean. I think what's tough is that first matchup they're going to have being a wild card team. And I don't know, though, the east is so stacked, like, looking at all these teams, as much as some of these guys might just be dark horses to fit our, we we don't necessarily.
[00:35:33] Speaker B: Need to stop at mean. Do you think the Oilers are a.
[00:35:40] Speaker A: Mean. I don't know, dude. I'm so back and forth with the like, sometimes I think they can do it, and then other times I'm just watching them and seeing what's going on, and I'm just like, I don't know. Their goaltending just needs to change. Something needs to happen with that team. Yeah, I don't know that I want to give them a contender spot. Neither do I want to give it to the Kings, but we also forgot another team right here, the Golden Knights.
It's really hard not to give it to them with just their roster.
[00:36:12] Speaker B: It is. I think I would put contender for the Knights. So, I mean, that gives us about nine teams ish that are contenders, which is a decent amount going into the playoffs. But, yeah, I'd say the Knights are contender, too. Just their past success.
[00:36:27] Speaker A: Yeah. Do I think that they're going to win? I don't personally, but they are a contender for the Stanley cup for like, I wouldn't say that they're not deserving of the spot. Well, I mean, they're wild card. They might not even make the playoffs, so I guess it really depends on that. But I think they had a rough midseason patch, I think because they started off pretty good.
So I think they've just kind of hit a little wall there with their captain getting hurt.
So I don't know. But let's label them as a contender now. Let's get on to the dark horses, too. If we see anyone on here, the Maple Leafs.
[00:37:08] Speaker B: I know we've talked a lot of smack on the Maple Leafs.
I think that they've been going through a lot of hardship in the playoffs. I think that they're a dark horse. If anything. I think a lot of people are saying that they're going to get knocked out 1st, 2nd round, which is very much a possibility. But I do think that if they can turn it up in the playoffs, say if they have a really good first round, it's not a seven game series. I think they're a dark horse to be.
They could potentially make the Stanley cup final. I think they have the best scorer in the league. They have a very solid forward group. I think their D could have need a little bit of a shake up and I thought that was going to happen at the trade deadline. But they do have some veteran presence back there. Especially with a player like a Mark Giordano. It's going to come down to the goalie though. Samsunov. Is he going to be the answer for the Leafs? I don't necessarily know. He's very inconsistent. But if he does get know, I think the Leafs could do something. So I'm going to put him as a dark horse.
[00:38:11] Speaker A: What about. I would.
I don't know that I want to put them as a dark like to me in my head all I can think of is the fact that they can't get past the second round.
I think I texted you this last week or something, but the Maple Leafs have never gotten past three rounds of a playoff.
Because what was it when they won back in 1967, before my dad was even born.
Back then there was only three rounds. Or maybe it was two rounds. I don't remember.
I want to say it was two rounds back then because there was in the Stanley Cup.
[00:38:56] Speaker B: I think it might have been three rounds. 1967 just actually no, I think it was just two rounds because I was still back with their original six.
[00:39:04] Speaker A: Yeah. I'm like thinking of how that's possible that they've never gotten past three rounds of hockey.
Stanley cup hockey. That's just baffling to me for a team that's been around that long. But I guess it makes sense back in the day.
[00:39:21] Speaker B: I think they have in the or ninety s I think they made a Stanley cup final.
[00:39:26] Speaker A: Hold on. Let's look it up.
[00:39:30] Speaker B: That would be brutal if they haven't won. They made a final since 67. I want to. I want to say the last time the Leafs made a final was in the 80s. So.
[00:39:44] Speaker A: The Leafs have never won a third round series from 1922 to 23. Original cup era. Had to win up to three playoff series to win a Stanley cup.
Won two cups.
Where's the actual.
I don't know, but we'll get back to this. I'm getting sidetracked.
What I was saying though was I don't know that I just can't look past this curse that they have.
I don't know if they maybe don't win the cup this year but get to the third round and play a game seven, I can kind of forget about that curse. But shit. Last year made it past the first round, then couldn't get past Florida, which they were a good team, but it's hard. I'm not going to put them as a dark horse. They're pretenders to me. But that's just what think.
Okay, agree to disagree.
Rangers. Obviously, we already did them. Carolina Hurricanes. See, this one's tough, too. I wouldn't put them as pretenders, but I also don't know that I'd call them a dark horse team. They are a good.
I mean, do you think they're contenders?
I feel like they could be labeled as contenders.
[00:40:57] Speaker B: I feel like they could be labeled as contenders, but I feel like they're kind of pretenders in terms of they're not going to beat the Bruins, Panthers, Rangers. I just feel like it's going to be hard for them to get past or the Lightning even. I see them playing those teams and it's just going to be such a hard hurdle for their roster, what they have right now to get across those teams. They have been playing some really good hockey as of late. So this could totally bite me in the ass. But I want to say pretenders who.
[00:41:30] Speaker A: You called, okay, Kuznetsov, which you called that. This is the comeback of Kuznetsov. He's been honestly dominating the past couple of weeks that he's been playing with them. He had a couple awesome goals, which is good to see from him. But I'm going to give Hurricanes another contender. I don't know if I can.
[00:41:49] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:41:50] Speaker A: I don't know. I wouldn't give them pretender, but not dark horse. Okay. But the Flyers, I can confidently give them a pretender badge. We've been saying this for a while, since I think the season started. We did like a contenders or pretenders thing and I'm going to stick with it. I think they're frauds. I don't know how the hell they're in the third spot right now for the metro.
Just looking at their roster and everything. I don't know. What do you think?
[00:42:16] Speaker B: I think the Flyers are a pretender, too, 100%. I just feel like it's going to be really hard for them to beat any of those top teams in the eastern conference. I feel like there's not too much more to be said about it. I will say I think everyone's kind of surprised how far they've made it.
[00:42:37] Speaker A: 100%. Yeah.
[00:42:38] Speaker B: But yeah, I think they're going to get bounced first round. That's my guess.
[00:42:42] Speaker A: Okay. Bounce first round. Yeah, I could see that. If they're playing the Hurricanes, I think they're definitely getting bounced first round. But next one, Tampa Bay. We already did that. Contender. Red Wings, though.
[00:42:57] Speaker B: Interesting. Okay. Why is that?
[00:42:59] Speaker A: I think that team as a whole, dark horse is hard. I don't know pretenders is such a hard thing to label them, only dark horse because they don't fit into either pretender or contender.
I don't know. It's not like I would put any money on them to win the Stanley cup, but I feel like they can make a decent run.
But again, it depends on who they play. If they're playing in the atlantic spot, like playing these teams here, I don't know that they're going to go very far. But if they end up playing metro teams, which I don't know how that all but. Or where they would.
[00:43:46] Speaker B: I mean, if their second wild card, they're going to play the first team in the whole. I mean, it would either be the Bruins or the Rangers or potentially the Panthers too.
[00:43:57] Speaker A: Yeah. It depends more. Yeah. How these guys do. So I guess it's hard to label that for me. I don't know. What do you think?
[00:44:06] Speaker B: I think the Red Wings are a pretender. I also see them getting bounced in the first round and these bubble teams that are just right on the cusp of making the playoffs, like the Capitals, the Islanders, I think the Capitals are a pretender. I think the Pens are also a pretender. This year they got rid of gensel, too, and I do think that out of these teams, the Islanders, though, could be a dark horse. I just want to label them as a dark horse just because they have a very good goalie. They have a gritty squad that always somehow does stuff in the playoffs.
So I think they're a dark horse to go far in the playoffs if they make the playoffs, but we'll see if that happens.
[00:44:50] Speaker A: All these bubble team, I feel like Tampa is, they're not locked in, but I would say they're kind of safe if they keep it.
This, this race right here between Detroit Capitals and Islanders I feel like it's definitely a tight race, obviously being one point apart from each other, but I don't hate the Islanders being a dark horse.
I wouldn't I wouldn't put them pretenders, though, so I would somewhat agree with that, but I'm not going to give you my full thing.
All right, so we gave these contender, contender, contender. Obviously, all these teams are Dunzo.
[00:45:28] Speaker B: Blue jackets are a contender.
[00:45:30] Speaker A: Yeah. Do you imagine sharks are contenders? No, but let's see here. So, Edmonton, what did we give them? Do?
[00:45:39] Speaker B: You said we didn't say that they're a contender.
I think the Oilers are a pretender this year. I just think they got to figure out their D and their goalie situation if they do want to get to that contender status. So I don't really see the Oilers making it past the second round. But anything can happen when you have two of the best players in the know.
[00:46:02] Speaker A: Yeah, no, very true. They could turn it on and carry think that. I don't think carrying a team on your back works all throughout the playoffs, especially with how, I don't want to say mid, but how mid the Oilers roster really is.
So we're going to slap the pretenders on them. I'll agree with that. The Kings, this one's tough. I mean, I don't want to give them contender, so I'm in between like a dark. See, dark horse is like, it's tough. I wouldn't say that they're a dark horse for the Stanley cup, but I could see them if they're playing the Oilers, I could see them getting to the second round, maybe third if they're freaking lucky against the Canucks, but I don't know. I'm leaning more towards pretenders, though.
[00:46:53] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm thinking pretenders, too. I just feel like they added a lot of pieces in the offseason, especially like Pierre Luc Dubois, and he has been underperforming.
I think they're a total mean. There's always a chance. The mean right now, the Knights are tied with them for third in terms of points, so I could see the Knights potentially making that third spot if they start winning a little bit more than they have been. But, yeah, I just don't think the Kings really have what it takes to make a deep playoff run, so I'm going to definitely slap pretender on there, as well.
[00:47:32] Speaker A: Yeah, I agree.
The mean, they're not sitting too far behind. It's because of that central division. Yeah, that's where they're at, but they're not far behind the Oilers, they're ahead of the kings, but again, I wouldn't put them as contender.
[00:47:50] Speaker B: If anything, I'm going to slap dark horse on the creds. I think they've been playing really good hockey since the trade deadline and they're proving that they at least should be in the conversation of playoffs. It's a rowdy atmosphere there. I mean, we both know Bridgestone arena gets crazy, especially during the playoffs. Predators have made some deep runs with teams that don't look that good. So I do think that the Predators, they could definitely have a good run. So I'm going to slap dark horse on the Predators.
[00:48:23] Speaker A: I would too. I mean, looking at that team like on paper, it's honestly not that bad of a team where it's know the Kings. I would say otherwise, but they got UC Soros, who's a great goaltender, maybe not having the best season he could be having, but still a great goalie.
[00:48:42] Speaker B: Is roman Yossi still been he's been running shit lately for yeah, he's there.
[00:48:51] Speaker A: Philip Forsberg still there. He's having a pretty good know. I don't think that mean they got Matthias Eckholm too.
[00:49:00] Speaker B: Yeah, Ryan O'Reilly's on that team.
[00:49:02] Speaker A: Yeah, it's really not that bad of a team. I thought beginning of the year that they weren't going to do as good as they have been.
So I think they could definitely be a dark horse to make a deep run out of the west. I just don't think they're going to be in the cup finals, but who knows? I feel like I would have been saying the same thing about the Panthers last year and we saw what happened. So who knows? If you get a hot goaltender in the playoffs, that's all you need.
[00:49:28] Speaker B: Yeah, 100%. And I feel like Soros could be that type of goalie.
[00:49:32] Speaker A: You can see it happen. But with the Knights, we gave them contender with the team that they have, but they have to make the playoffs first, so we'll see.
[00:49:42] Speaker B: Yeah. Do we even want to discuss any of these blues wild? Our flames. The Flames just lost to the Capitals fucking tonight. I can't believe it. They're looking like they had momentum, but they've been so inconsistent this year. I want to slap pretenders on the Flames 100%.
[00:49:58] Speaker A: Okay?
I don't want to upset you, but yeah, I will too.
The wild and Blues, though, I really want the Blues to hit 79 point or just like I want them to catch up to the Knights. I think that would be hilarious if knights did all this stuff at the trade deadline and then didn't even make the playoffs.
But I just don't know that the Blues can do mean. I don't know.
[00:50:23] Speaker B: I think with the wild, I'd give a dark horse. The blues, I think, are pretenders. I don't know how they're still kind of in this playoff conversation with the wild. I will say they're dark horses just because they have a pretty good team on paper. They have a young team, too, and having flurry back there playing mean, that would be sweet. And that would be even cooler if they knocked the Knights out of the playoffs. Who screwed flurry over after he had a, um. That would be the cherry on top for the night's shenanigans of ltir stuff and trade deadline stuff.
[00:51:01] Speaker A: It'd be karma. It'd be full fledged karma.
But we'll see what happens. We'll kind of keep doing this in terms of not exactly, but we'll keep looking at this playoff race because it's already heating up, but we'll see some shifts and some movement. A couple of teams I'm honestly shocked are where they're at.
I thought the Kraken were going to do better this year. Yeah, and honestly, the flames, too. I didn't think that they were going to be so inconsistent, but I'm shocked.
[00:51:34] Speaker B: About the Devils, man. The Devils and the Sabres and the both.
[00:51:38] Speaker A: Both. I'm shocked about the senators, too. Yeah, the senators I thought were going to have a pretty decent year, but again, that Eastern Conference is so mean. Those teams maybe would do well if they were in the west coast, but yeah, I'm honestly very shocked. I think the Devils are the most shocking to me out of all these. Pittsburgh, no surprise to.
I mean, I thought they were going to at least crack the playoffs this year, or at least maybe had a hope to crack it, but they need more time.
But they're right there. They're so close.
I don't know if they have a couple more years like this where I don't know what's going to happen with them. I feel bad.
They've had these small moments as know Jack Eichel.
I want to say Sam Reinhardt around that time, but he wasn't really producing at that know I. They've been so close, and then it just falls apart and then they're back right there. So close. So I hope they can do it. I like Buffalo, and that team's fun to watch, but any other last thoughts before we kick it on out of here?
[00:52:51] Speaker B: Not really. I mean, go flames. It was an awesome time up there. I was really stoked that they took the dub, and I was really hoping maybe this is the start of a winning streak because they basically have to win out to make the playoffs at this point, but pretty bummed that they lost against the Capitals tonight. But, hey, I'm still a loud and proud Flames fan no matter what happens. And go hooligans, too. Back to back champions of the B League ICE world Hockey League. So those are kind of my closing remarks. Thank you for everyone watching. And don't forget to sign up for our March madness bracket, too.
[00:53:29] Speaker A: I was just about to plug that. I forgot to at the beginning of the show, but, yeah, by the time this comes out, it'll be Wednesday, so you guys have less than a day till those games start. I want to say I don't know because Boise State is in the first four, which is atrocious, but we'll see how that all shakes up. So you guys go sign up now. Link will be in the bio.
Make sure you're in that because you don't want to miss it. There's a $100 cash prize if you win or if you're a state of fan of Boise State, you get to come to the game with us.
You get two tickets, you and a friend.
It's game in September in Oregon, so Boise State versus Oregon. Don't want to miss that. But if you do want to miss it, you get $100. So it's really a win win. There's not much of a.
There's no real downsides doing it. You just got to sign up and pick your teams.
Getting a perfect march madness bracket is, I think, impossible. I don't think anyone's ever done it.
So don't be discouraged because you don't know basketball, because I've seen plenty of people who don't know what the fuck they're doing. Somehow they end up winning or getting close to win. So definitely go sign up for that. We can watch along our picks, all that stuff, but till then, we will see you guys next week, and we'll be talking more playoff hockey once it starts coming up. And we got some fun stuff planned for you guys, so keep an eye out following us on everything so you can see all those updates. But other than that, I will see you next week. Talk more hockey and peace out.
