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Roscoe / National Biehnographic / Chris Hurley
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Opinions are our own!
Can you guys hear that or is it just me?
Just making sure.
No, I can hear it.
Okay.
Because there are definitely a bit of
times where only I hear it.
Anyway, welcome back.
Welcome back to Lose Late Night.
It's been a bit of a break.
I apologize.
But I have some news.
I got engaged last weekend.
So thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Appreciate it.
So I was not watching a lot of preseason
as you know.
doing other things like planning and
visiting family and such.
So I'm back now and happy to talk about
Leafs as we are the week of the first
games.
It's so exciting hockey is back for real.
And we also have a friend joining us
today.
Chris Hurley.
How you doing, buddy?
doing fantastic and congratulations on
that big achievement.
Oh, thank you so much.
Beaner, I see it seems like you are
finally back at home broadcasting from the
basement again for a change, which must be
nice.
Yeah, I just got back from a week in
Myrtle Beach for training, so there's
definitely worse places to go for
training, but it is a million percent
better to be back at home.
Hell yeah.
So I guess there's a couple little leaps
and news things we should touch on before
we get into our main portion of the show,
which is the season previews.
But we found out today that Jake Muzzin
and Curtis McElhaney have both been moved
over to the staff side.
So Jake Muzzin, I guess, retiring, which
is good, I think, for his long term health
and his body, because, you know, we've
talked about it over the years of the show
that
it's important for him to be able to, you
know, walk and function for the rest of
his life.
And I don't think playing hockey was on
the table again.
So I'm happy that the Leafs were able to
find a position for him.
I guess he's a pro scout.
So good for Jake and good for MLSC.
Yeah, and he always had a very good pulse
on the room, right?
Like he had a very good connection with a
lot of the younger guys from when he got,
right from when he got traded there.
So I think it's good to keep him around
for that kind of thing.
So as of today, Muzzin, obviously Matt
Murray with his surgery, both placed on
long-term injured reserve.
Also, Connor Timmons placed on LTIR as
well.
Missed that one.
Oh, and backup.
So does this mean that Muzzin is on LTIR
and working for the team at the same time?
Yes.
I didn't catch that.
I thought he retired.
Okay.
It's very like, uh, like, Pronger-esque.
Like, uh, I think he was still on LTIR
when he started then working on the front-
in the front-off.
Oh man, okay, well, I missed that detail.
Interesting.
So, McElhaney is obviously not hurt and
joining coaching of goalies, which is
cool.
So, I mean.
he's definitely been around the league.
He knows what it takes to be an everyday
NHLer.
He was never a superstar, but he knows
everything else about the game besides
being a superstar.
So he was definitely a very valuable
goalie to a lot of teams over the course
of his career.
Yeah, I mean, he played everywhere, right?
But just one thing back to Muzz and two, I
guess losing Spezza in the offseason, it's
nice to have like another veteran leader
like still around the team, like somebody
that everybody liked, like you mentioned
that was a good presence in the dressing
room.
So yeah.
One, if I'm not mistaken.
did we lose Curtis Sanford in the sense as
well?
Maybe?
We might have, I haven't heard his name in
a while, but like if I'm not mistaken,
McElheny was the backup for Matthews and
Marner's Rikier, was he not?
I was trying to remember when he played
for the Leafs, but you might be right.
I think he was.
Yeah, I'm sorry.
I should know this stuff.
It's been a summer of trying to focus on
family, so I'm a little rusty.
he would have been around the...
Obviously, we sacrificed him for Garrett
Sparks, and we know how that turned out.
So I'm pretty sure that was around that
same time.
Oh, geez, it was.
Wow.
Good call.
Other Leafs news, we got Nikki Bobby
getting sent down to the Marlies while
Frazier Minton's making the opening
lineup.
A lot of people said they saw this coming.
It was nice to see, you know, Frazier
Minton being a little breakout star.
But I mean, it hurts.
You know, Robertson's had a really tough
couple of years stunted by, you know,
like what was it, mano and a broken leg
and then there was COVID.
It's just the guy has not had a good like
full season.
So it's really rough to see that, you
know, other people are gonna start
surpassing him and maybe it's gonna be the
end of the road soon.
Well, I don't know if I would go as far as
to say the end of the road.
Like, he showed, to me he showed a lot of
promise this preseason.
Like, that's what you want to see from a
guy in his position.
Because he was flying all over the ice, he
was very dangerous offensively.
Um, but it might just be the fact that
they want him to try to have a full
season.
And if you're gonna have a full season...
the type of player that he is, get him top
six minutes down on the marlies rather
than bottom six minutes with the Leafs,
right?
Yeah, I just think that with these other
guys, like, obviously, I don't think
Minton's gonna be a full-time guy.
Like, they're probably gonna wanna put
these, you know, him and Cowan in the same
positions.
Like, I think what we're getting to, and
what I mean, I guess, by the end of the
road is maybe the end of the Leafs' time
with him.
Like, I think they might look at moving on
from him with all these other prospects
starting to maybe take the spot where they
thought he'd be.
I wonder if it's a because with Minton,
you have the nine games where you can try
them out before you can send them back.
There's been a lot of talk I know in TSN
where they're talking about him really
just dominating juniors getting a crack at
Team Canada World Junior.
So I wonder if that's still on the table
and it's more so let's get him nine games.
Let's get Robertson nine games and let's
maybe then on the flip side go back to
putting
Robertson backup.
It's not about there either.
Yeah, so there is that chance that they're
going to give Minton and Cowan both nine
games.
Like, have I missed something?
Have they?
Is Cowan still in camp?
I don't know, I haven't heard anything on
Easton Cowan.
Let me just check.
at all the transaction pages that I can
see and I have not seen them send him
down.
He wasn't at the game that Patrick and I
were at before I went away to training, so
I know he was still in camp then.
from Kyle Cushman nine hours ago, for the
time being, Frazier Minton, Easton Cowan,
and Mikko Koken remain on the Maple Leafs
roster.
Still cuts to come.
Well, today they sent coconut down.
He's on the list.
from cap friendly an hour ago, it appeared
that McCann and Cowan are on the Leafs
roster for now.
All other players who were in camp have
been assigned to the minors and Timmons
was placed on IR.
This left Toronto $11.4 million dollars
above the cap.
Okay.
So, like you could reward Cowan for having
a great camp, give him four, five, six,
hell, you can even give him the nine games
and then send him down because I think,
ultimately I think the plan for him is to,
like you were saying, Chris, just to
dominate Junior.
Like he can go back and he can be a part
of that London team and you saw with how
the hunters were using him towards the end
of last season, they have a lot of faith
in him.
So it's not like they think he's just, you
know, a plug.
They're going to give him the type of
minutes that the Leafs want him to get.
So he can go down there.
He can rule the roost, kind of give him a
couple NHL games to say, thanks for you
know, doing what you were supposed to do
in the off season for putting on a good
show in the preseason and we'll see you
next year.
fair.
Okay, last thing we got to touch on with
the Leafs before we go to the next is Sam
Lafferty goes to the Vancouver Conox in
exchange for a fifth round pick.
A lot of people saying this not great
because of what they gave up to get him
and McCabe.
But I mean, obviously there's salary
retention involved and a whole bunch of
other things.
But yeah, it feels like
we got less than he was worth.
But I mean, the Leafs aren't exactly in a
position to get value for anybody being
like I said, 11.4 million over the cap.
So I mean, you get what you can get.
Lafferty was a good fast piece, but I
think we've got a lot of like we've been
talking about all these kids that are
coming up that can replace him.
And I mean, he's 28.
So I think thanks for your service.
But like Ilya Mikhailov, have fun in
Vancouver.
Yeah, like I was a little shocked when I
saw it at first because his speed is
definitely a valuable asset, especially in
the bottom half of the lineup to have
someone that's that fast, but it's almost
like the cap and factor.
Like he has all that speed, but he doesn't
like it's like his brain can't keep up
with it.
He doesn't know what to do when he gets
there.
Yeah, and like Mikheyev too, they're fast,
but they can't finish.
So, you know.
at least with Lafferty, he did play the
physical edge a little bit more than
Kapanen and Mikheyev did, but at this
point in time, I definitely do not mind,
you know, giving that extra chance to
McCann or Robinson, Minton, whoever, over
Lafferty because unfortunately those type
of players are the type of players that
you can easily go and get if you need it.
Exactly.
Hell, even nigh as we haven't mentioned.
I think it's got a play factor into two is
having some guys that are waiver exempt on
this roster that if we do need to maneuver
pieces around throughout the season, we do
have the younger guys who can go up and
down and it just creates a little more
flexibility in terms of the roster where
as we've seen in previous years, we're
kind of stuck with what we're stuck with
and there's not much we can do about it
throughout the year.
Yeah, and I mean really, what was I gonna
say?
I had a thought and it just disappeared
like poof out of my head.
It'll come back to me.
Oh shit, anyway.
Oh yeah, the waiver thing.
So it would be, we're probably gonna lose
Lafferty to waivers anyway, so getting a
fifth round pick back for him is better
than just losing him to nothing.
Like we're probably gonna lose Martin
Jones for, so I mean if somebody wants
him.
He cleared?
Oh, shit, I missed that.
Well.
if I had to go to Tampa or something.
I don't know if it was maybe just the fact
that it was Dubis doing it, like we'll
have to see if he puts anybody on waivers
with the penguins, but this is maybe this
is a sign that things are changing.
The Leafs that were actually able to clear
someone.
How does Martin Jones clear waivers?
But what's his name?
Last year, the fucking Harry Satari
doesn't like it.
This must be a do this thing.
There's no way like this doesn't make
sense.
We've been living in a world where
absolutely nobody clears waivers just
because.
And now Martin Jones goes down.
OK, whatever.
The old boys club heard Dubas say we can
and we will and decided, you know what?
That little fucker, we're not going to let
him wave anybody.
Oh, fuck.
Okay.
Who's this 30 year old nerd coming in here
telling us how to do it?
You know what?
Let's band together and let's give this
guy a piece of our medicine.
We don't even want that player, but we're
gonna claim him.
Yeah, they're not gonna play.
that's why I don't get this.
Like, it seems like there's a lot of teams
that could use Martin Jones.
Like there's a ton of teams that are not
in super solid goaltending position.
So I don't know, man.
Thanks, I guess.
Let's go to it.
So the Pacific Division, we'll start with
the winners, the Vegas Golden Knights, any
there's not really any changes to this
team.
They're kind of running back the victory
squad, if I'm not mistaken.
And.
see what they can do.
I don't know what else to say about this
team.
They lost Kessel, they lost Smith.
Now Smith was a factor like.
that was the one.
I knew there was something I was
forgetting, but yeah.
Full year of barbacheve though will be
good.
absolutely.
Yeah, I was going to mention that.
He was an under the radar pickup for them,
definitely.
It'll be interesting to see if you ever
hear anything from Robin Leonard again.
Because technically he's still on that
team.
Is Aiden Hill going to be able to be a
full time goalie now?
that he led them to the promised land?
Or is Logan Thompson gonna come back in?
Like Thompson was an all-star, played
great, and then got hurt.
They did have Lorraine Brosseau as well,
but now he's back in Winnipeg.
Yeah, and you've got Logan Thompson on
766K.
And I mean, they paid Aiden Hill, so he's
making almost five mil.
But it's the that's why I think it's
interesting that somebody like Martin
Jones clears because this is not a super
solid tested goaltending thing.
They got lucky twice.
And, you know, here they are kind of feels
like where the Leafs are at, which is why
they have Martin Jones.
Anyway, Patrangelo and Shea Theodore are
still in the back end.
Like it's going to be it's going to be a
good team.
Like they're going to be good.
I don't know if they'll be as uncontested.
What did they only win by?
What was the point difference here?
They won by two points over Edmonton.
I think that might be a little tighter
between them and L.A.
just with the additions on L.A.
side.
But I don't know.
I think Vegas is still going to do well.
I still have Vegas leading the Pacific, I
think, going into next year.
So what I want to do with all these teams
though is link it back to the Leafs
somehow and what we should watch for in
the two games that they'll play against
Vegas this year.
So I mean, it's not like there's really
any, well, Michael Amadio, Ben Hutton.
start.
would more so say like, because you had
those two years in a row, you had McDavid
and Eichel and then you had Matthews.
So does, is Eichel now the better young US
sentiment?
He's won a cup.
Interesting.
Yep.
So that's how I would look at it.
Like obviously you have the Amadio thing,
you could poke fun at that, but
realistically, that's probably the way I'd
lean, because now everybody always said,
you know, McDavid's better than Eichel,
Matthews is better than Eichel, because
Eichel never even made a playoff series.
Well then now he goes to the Knights and
they win the damn cup.
Good point, I like that one.
looking at that game is we've
quote-unquote have added snot to our
lineup to be more prepared for the
playoffs and the Golden Knights current
Stanley Cup champions do it better than
nobody else so I think that's a good
measuring stick in terms of you know how
can our stunt and this toughness that we
added and moving on the back end with
Klingberg how does it stack up to you know
the defending Stanley Cup team.
Yeah, exactly.
I think at the end of the day, the biggest
thing to take away from it is, how do we
stack up against the Stanley Cup champs,
right?
Like on every level, like you said, it's
going to be the measuring stick.
So, nothing else there.
I think let's move on because I don't want
to spend too much time on the West because
we only got a couple of games against
everybody.
It's just the way it is, you know, we're a
leaf show.
Okay, next up Edmonton Oilers.
Same deal.
It's going to be, you know, who's better
between Connor and Leon and Matthews and
Marner.
We get the return of Zach Hyman always.
Connor Brown, Cody Cece, the Edmonton
Maple Leafs.
Yeah, I'm going down this list, it's
insane.
Cody, oh, Jack Campbell, but I totally
forgot Tyson Barry's not there anymore.
Nope, he's in Nashville now.
He is, well, that's the only significant
change I'd say is here.
We got Matthias Ekholm coming in.
Um, that's going to be pretty tough, I
think.
Having a full season of Ekom I think is
gonna do wonders for the Oilers.
I think you might see a little bit of a
bounce back with Gamble.
I know it's only one guy, but having a
large minute munching defenseman.
He's gonna eat up a lot of those hard
minutes on the back end because that's
what he's always done.
He's been consistent.
That's the type of defenseman that
everybody's been saying the Leafs have
needed forever.
So if Stuart Skinner keeps progressing the
way he has, and if Campbell can have a
little bit of a bounce back, I think they
have a very good chance of challenging
Vegas for first in the division.
And unfortunately, it's about, like you
said, about the same narrative, in my mind
anyways, between the Leafs and the Oilers,
that, you know, McDavid, Dricidal,
Matthews, like obviously McDavid's on a
tier of his own, but.
You know, a couple years ago, there was no
question Matthews was above dry saddle.
A couple years before that dry saddle was
about Matthews.
Like it's, it's that, that swinging
pendulum, right?
Yeah, that matchup this year is going to
be really the Battle of Ontario, or the
Battle of Ontario, Battle of Canada in
terms of really who's going to come out in
terms of, you know, that could be a
Stanley Cup final matchup right there in
terms of the teams.
I'm curious to see as to how it kind of
seems like throughout the offseason, you
could see McDavid talk in interviews that
he needs to take his game to not only just
another level, but on the defensive side
too.
And to just, you know, it's not about
putting up, I think
This was his like, hey, look, I can go and
score at will.
If you think you're just going to hand out
the heart trophy to Matthews because he
puts up 60 points.
But he's going to, I think, going to turn
his game around and go, look, we don't
need to win 5-4.
Let's win 3-1.
Let's win these tighter games.
Let's play stronger defensive systems.
And that's what I'm interested to see
Edmondson break out and take it another
level in that system.
Yeah, exactly.
Like I think the combination of having
Darno, Nelson, Tyson, Barry is kind of
like the same problem that Leafs ran into
where they were leaving their goalies hung
out to dry.
So I think having like a more solid
defense behind what is obviously like a
powerhouse offense, it's going to be a
really dangerous Oilers team for a change
instead of just McDavid feeling like he's
scoring, like you said, like a seven five
game just because they have to so I'm
looking forward to it.
Not to mention you have another full
season of Bouchard being in the NHL.
Like I saw him play a couple of times for
London when he was in the OHL.
That kid's an incredible young defenseman.
Like it really annoys me that he went to
Edmonton because I don't want to see
Edmonton do super well.
But yeah, having him have that extra year
under his belt, I think that'll go a long
way as well.
OK, so next up, we've got the LA Kings,
who I think are going to be a challenge to
both the Vegas Golden Knights and the
Edmonton Oilers for first place here.
It's going to be so tight with the
addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Their centers are just stacked.
And of course, the Leafs...
There's always somebody on every team.
We got the Trevor Moore thing, which just
comes and bites us in the ass.
I swear, every time we play them.
Trevor Moore, Carl Grundstrom.
Oh yeah, Grunström too.
At least, uh, Dersie's not there anymore.
Yeah, yeah.
That one was horrible every time we played
them.
But one big thing, I guess technically,
you have David Riddick as well.
Or has it, no save Dave for the last
couple of years.
Yeah.
Sorry.
Their goaltending lineup is Phoenix,
Copley, Cam Talbot and Dave Riddick.
OK, I take it back.
They have some issues back there.
That's what I was just gonna get at.
The media loves to poke fun at the Leafs
and oh Samsonov's not proven, Joseph Wall
is not proven, but neither is Phoenix
Copley and Cam Talbot.
Yeah, Camp Talbot who spent all of last
year injured.
Not, well, that's part of being in Ottawa.
Surprise, you're not injured all the time.
But.
Ha ha ha.
goes to Ottawa just like falls apart.
I don't get it.
You guys even had Dominik Hasek and he got
hurt.
Every Goldie in Ottawa falls apart, I
don't get it.
they should probably stop trading away
goalies.
This is true, Philip Gustafson, Ben
Bishop, Robin Lennar.
What was I saying?
Like even Cam Talbot, when he was in
Minnesota, they had so little faith in
him, they went out and got flurry.
Right.
Holy shit, I didn't realize Talbot was
that old already.
he's a good serviceable defense or goalie,
but he's not, I haven't seen anything from
him in the past four years that has said
he's a top of the line starting goaltender
for a team that seriously thinks that
they're contenders.
I mean, the last one I would say, like, I
mean, his run from 19 to 22 here with the
Flames and the Wild played 10 playoff
games with the Flames with a 2.42 and
9.24.
So, I mean, he was at least good in the
playoffs there.
And the next year with the Wild, he played
seven playoff games with a 2.45 and a
9.23.
So, he's, it was good until the next year
with the Wild, I guess.
Shit the bed.
So I mean, yeah, you got to get there.
But I mean, at least he's proven that in
the playoffs he is pretty good.
Otherwise, yeah, he's old.
So no telling that he could do it this
year.
I don't know.
It's like, I'm not convinced that between
him and I didn't realize Dave Riddick's
only 31.
I thought this guy was like 40 years old.
Like anytime these goalies have been on
every single team, I figure it's like
they're at the end of their career, not in
the middle of it.
But like LA's in a weird situation.
They've got some good young defensemen,
Mikey Anderson, Tobias Bjornfoot, Brant
Clark looks like he's gonna be a stud.
You still have Doughty kicking around.
They signed Gavrikov, they got Gavrikov
from Columbus last year and extended him.
So they do have a half decent decor.
You've still got Kopitar, who is maybe one
of the most underrated centers of the last
10 years.
Like I don't think that's a stretch to say
that defensively the guy's been
incredible.
Yeah.
And I mean, he just signed for a $3
million less deal for them.
So that's nice.
Yeah, they added Dubois.
You have Kopitar, Dubois, Denois are top
three centers.
And if, okay, even if you want to put
Denois on fourth and have Bifield in
there, if he can actually do what he's
supposed to, like they do have some good
young talent mixed in with some guys
who've been around.
So they're, they're a dangerous team.
Yeah, and the other thing is they got a
lot younger this year.
They were a team that over the last few
years had, you know, been swaying to the
older side and that was kind of their
trouble.
But Kopitar at 36 is really the oldest one
and then it kind of skips down to 30
before, you know, anybody else is there.
So, I think they've done a good job of
getting faster and younger.
Doughty as well.
Trevor Lewis.
Yeah, but I mean, doubt is only 33.
So.
Yeah, not for defensemen.
Anyway, moving on, let's go to Seattle.
So the Caracken had a pretty good year
last year with former Leaf, Jared McCann.
And I don't know, what do we think about
how they're going to do this year?
We've had a lot of, yeah, they've lost a
lot of players.
I'm just looking over their list.
They lost, you know, if you listen to Jeff
Merrick, Daniel Sprong, an absolute
legend.
I think Carson Sousi on the back end,
Martin Jones, who kind of anchored them to
some wins and really all they brought in
was Kyler Yamamoto and Pierre Edward
Bellamyre.
And I just don't see them, I don't see
them progressing in a forward progression.
I think Baniers will take a step.
In terms of how this links up with the
Leafs, the McCanbowl, I guess.
You know, that horror of a trade, I guess,
in hindsight.
But I don't think it looks good for them
personally.
Yeah, I don't think they'll be able to
maintain what they did last year.
I think they kind of got lucky with a lot
of guys having really good offensive
seasons that weren't really supposed to.
So, I don't know, I'm not saying Jared
McCann is not going to score what was a 40
goals again, but we'll see.
I think realistically you have to just,
you have to just hope that a couple of the
young kids, like if McCann can even do a
little bit less than what he did last
year, I think that'll be golden because
nobody expect him to come in and get 40.
Like Ty Cartes looks like he's gonna be a
good young player for them, came in
towards the end of the season.
Matty Beniers needs to keep progressing.
Belmair is a sneaky addition because he's
one of those players I always hated
playing against when he was on Tampa
because he just he doesn't do anything
spectacularly but he does everything
right.
And then Ellie Tolvin and like the fact
that they got him for nothing from
Nashville.
Like this kid is yeah he's supposed to be
a sniper so a full season with the Kraken.
maybe get some chemistry with some of the
other kids like Tolvanin, Cartay, and
Benirs, that would be a deadly line.
What's crazy, I'm looking at they still
have nine guys from their expansion on the
team, which is drastically different than
what Vegas did, where by the time they hit
the ice, I don't think there was anybody
left from their expansion draft.
Yeah.
And then if I'm not mistaken, I think Joey
DeCord was injured before the start of
last season, was he not?
Like from the World Championships from the
year prior.
years with 1.2 with them as well.
Yeah, so like I know he's a backup, but
even though Jones was getting wins, I
don't think his numbers were that great
last year.
No, I think he was high.
If I remember correctly, high twos and it
was like low nines or actually just even
below nine.
It wasn't stellar.
Yeah.
one was really complaining, right?
So if you have Grubauer, go at least even
somewhat to what he's supposed to be.
Decord's healthy, you know, give a 60-40
split, like just over 50-50, and I think
that they maybe not do exactly what they
did last year, but I think they'll still
be respectable and probably...
I'd say they'll make the playoffs.
I mean, they have to beat Calgary,
Vancouver, San Jose, and Anaheim.
So it's not like it's a tough road for
them, but I do think Calgary and Vancouver
are going to be a little tougher than they
were last year.
So that's, I think, the only challenge for
the Kraken.
Anyway, let's go on to Calgary.
So a new coach and some, I guess, a fresh
start for some newer faces there.
So do we think that Hubert O is gonna turn
it around?
Yeah.
think he can.
I think he has that in his repertoire.
I think unleashing him a little bit, like
when you hear back to what Carol Sutter
was doing in terms of like never even
practicing power play in a sense.
And, you know, certain decisions where
it's like, hey, we're going to send out
Nick Richie to go take a penalty shot goal
or a...
Yeah, shoot out and it's just like, what,
what?
Yeah.
What decisions are we making here?
It's like, Oh, but he's a good working
kid.
Like, no, he's a stone hand.
he was working real hard in the practices
and I wanted to give him a chance to show
the team what he's got there and sometimes
things.
It's a great oppression.
But it's nice to see some of these
dinosaurs leave.
And I think players overall will be
happier.
It'll be interesting to see how some of
these guys let loose a little bit more and
to see what potential we can get out of
some of these, how they can get potential
out of some of those other guys that
they've spent a lot of money signing.
Hubert O'Enn and Kadri.
I think Kadri had a down year comparison
to what he was coming off of, obviously,
with Colorado.
So.
Yeah, and I mean, Michael Backlund taking
a bit of a pay cut to stick around to
helps the team out a bit.
You know, one of those things that
everybody says Leafs should do.
Nice to see that some people do it.
another player that a lot of people don't
realize wasn't even there last year was
Oliver Schillington.
Like, he is a good young defenseman and he
took a year away for I don't know if his
personal reasons or family issues or
something he went back over to Sweden to
be with his family.
So there was some stuff he had to get
sorted out and he's back like that is a
big piece on their blue line from the year
prior.
So this is on LTIR.
Maybe he got hurt during the preseason,
but he is back over this year But so if he
can be healthy like the Kind of under the
Babcock situation and I'm not gonna get
too deep into that but some of the things
that Sutter does Is just a cancer to the
team like wasn't it late in the season
last year Jacob Pellich Peliche
came up and played a great game for the
Flames and the reporters asked Sutter
about it afterwards and he's like, who?
Like, if you're a veteran on that team,
that can, that's gotta be so demoralizing
to see your coach just completely
embarrass this young kid who came up and
is busting his balls to try to make the
team.
Like little things like that can just be a
complete killer in the room.
You have Matt Coronado looks like he's
gonna be making the team.
Jacob Peltier, like you do have some young
kids.
And then you have, you know, Kadri hoping
to make an impression and have a good
season to warrant his contract that he
signed.
Huerdo, I cannot see him not bouncing
back.
Yeah, I mean, the guy broke records with
Florida.
I think it only makes sense that he
rebounds with a new coach there.
But just an update on the Schellington
thing.
This is from four hours ago.
Oliver Schellington personal was placed on
LTIR on Monday.
He missed the entirety of training camp
and is unclear when he will be available
to return.
So he has not come back.
The story was that he had come back, so
that's not good to hear.
Hopefully, whatever it is gets sorted and
he can come back.
That's rough.
Okay, so San Jose sharks.
Chris, you wanna start this one?
San Jose Sharks I have honestly bottoming
out.
There's nothing interesting about this
team whatsoever.
I think Carlson's gone, Burns is gone,
obviously two years ago now.
I feel sorry for Logan Kachur, who's just
over there on an island by himself.
On LTIR apparently too.
Just, this is what I'm finding out.
This is why we do these because we learn
things in the moment.
Also, did we touch on, what are we looking
for from Calgary and the Leafs this year?
I guess the return of Calgary.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's about all they've got.
Logan Couture lower body was placed on
non-roster injured reserve, given week to
week tag earlier in the off season.
Oof, was injured before training camp.
Ew, that's rough.
Yeah, they're not gonna have a good year.
So on LTIR, they've got him, Radim Simic,
Jacob McDonald, season opening injured
reserve, Mitchell Russell and Nikita
Okotek, and buried.
Oscar Lindblom, it's just like dead cap
Brent Burns, Eric Carlson, Buyout Jones,
like this team is a disaster of money.
Yeah, they've got some young kids that are
supposed to be decent prospects Um that
it's looking like I've potentially made
the team at a camp Excuse me, but There's
not many storylines with this team this
year like
2 million in cap space somehow, even
though they've got Mark Edward Vlasic for
7 mil for another 3 years.
That's insane.
My god.
right now and it is depressing this year.
Yeah, like you look at the money they're
spending, it's they got 37 million
forwards, 18 million defensemen and five
million goalies and they somehow have no
cap space left.
Like horrible.
Thomas Hurdle's regretting resigning that
contract.
Oh my God, yeah, I'm looking at, he's
there till the end of 2030 unless he asks
for a, he's got a no move.
2526 to 2728, three team trade list.
Interesting.
I wonder what three teams he would go to.
More like what three teams could actually
afford them.
But like William Eklund, he was their high
end draft pick from a couple years ago.
If he can make the team and make an
impact, that might be a little bit of a
bright spot.
I'm just trying to go through the names
here.
Philip Sedena.
That was the player.
It'll be interesting to see if he can do
something, right?
Like when he was drafted, he was chirping,
saying that all the teams had passed him,
he's gonna fill their net.
Clearly it never happened with Detroit.
But the fact that a player that young is
willing to mutually terminate his contract
and bet on himself to go sign somewhere
else, like that's saying something.
Fabian Zetterlin.
win more than eight home games like they
did last year, because that is fucking
embarrassing, man.
That's so bad.
Like what are your season ticket holders
are rioting at that point?
Eight for what's the eight out of 41 at
home?
They went eight, 22 and 11.
Can you imagine watching 11 overtime
losses at home?
They do have one of the best names in the
league on the team.
Shakir Mukhamadulan.
And also one of their goalies, Etu
Makenyemi.
Yes.
But then they've also got Kapo Kakenen
still and they sign Mackenzie Blackwood.
So.
Eh, I don't, honestly, I don't want to
waste any more time on the San Jose
Sharks.
Okay, Vancouver.
Um...
Oh, yep, bare bon of, always.
So obviously the big news out of Vancouver
is that they finally named a captain, but
uh, uh-oh, it was not Elias Pettersson,
it's Quinn Hughes.
Awkward.
Awkward?
I think that's awkward.
Yes and no.
I think Hughes is probably the better
choice.
Like, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but
Pedersen to me doesn't seem like the type
of player who even wants the
responsibility of being a captain.
Like some players just don't want it,
right?
Actually, yeah, he's also an RFA at the
end of this year, so I don't think you
want to give the seat to somebody and then
immediately go to negotiation with them.
Yeah, I think.
well, I'm the captain, so you're gonna pay
me more for that.
The thing too is while we see like, hey,
this player is the best player, you know,
who talks in the locker room, who's
leading the guys day in and day out.
And that's what we don't see.
So I'm sure them selecting Hughes,
obviously 23 year old, probably not a bad
pick at the end of the day.
And obviously with them not having Eliza
Pedersen locked up for long term, it kind
of makes sense.
leaves captaincy if we're talking about
captaincy in terms of when does that
handoff happen?
Because I think we all know which way it
should go at this point in time.
Yeah, yeah.
It's just, I feel like if we, am I wrong
that if we start that, they're gonna bring
up the reason that he wasn't in the first
place again, and we're gonna have to go
through that whole thing.
Probably.
Like, as soon as anyone starts talking
about it, they go, well, there was that
time.
And then, I don't know if that'll be good
for Matthews.
And I feel like they might be trying to
protect him from that.
I don't know.
That's tough.
I don't know man.
Mikheyev's hurt or I would say it's the
Mikheyev bowl.
I don't know.
What do we got for Vancouver?
Ah...
Not really a whole ton.
There's nothing, man.
It's like, I never care about our games.
shorthanded goals and lose the game.
Bull.
Oh yeah.
The bald head bull.
who frees up number 28 that everybody
thinks should go to Domi, which I agree
with.
should.
100%.
You have Dakota Joshua, who was a Leafs
draft pick, who was on the Canucks back in
2014.
Like we're stretching a little bit here.
Okay, so last one here, the Anaheim Ducks.
I mean, who?
They got a lot of draft picks this year.
They got a first, two seconds, three
thirds, and all the rest of them.
So, I don't know, man.
Leo Carlson, Mason McTavish, that'll be
fun.
They got some fun young kids.
I don't know, man.
This team's not good though.
Thanks for watching!
them finishing actually above the sharks.
They should fall backwards into that
realistically.
But I think that...
with them, you're going to have a lot of
young talent there.
Troy Terry, I would like to see him get
back to where he was.
I kind of want to leave the trade for him
if I'm being honest.
But other than just seeing some good young
talent and some exciting hockey, maybe
some more Michigan's flip over the nets,
anything in that nature.
Other than that, there's yet again,
they're fighting for draft picks.
you know what I'm looking forward to for
Leaf's ducks?
Reeves beating the shit out of Rat Go
Goodas.
Oh yeah.
baby, yes, there is something there.
They were minus, they were minus 129 gold
differential last year, holy shit.
Hahaha
They would have beat San Jose, but it was
all the overtime losses that San Jose had.
They ended up having more points.
16.
actually will fight, if we're being
honest?
Um, Reeves is kind of the cocky person
that I think he would, like he, he was
asked and he mentioned it.
Like he brought the scenario up.
I feel like he might just because he feels
like that's why he was brought in here
specifically.
That was one of the things at the top of
the checklist is get revenge for this.
It's like, well, we only got two games
against him.
We're not going to face him in the
playoffs.
Why the fuck not?
Yep.
Also, we're going to hear another season
of Where is John Gibson getting traded?
Oh, well he gets hung out to dry again.
Oh well.
So, I guess that finishes off the Pacific
Division.
Do we think, what are the changes gonna be
here?
I mean, we've talked to the top three are
obviously the Golden Knights, the Oilers,
and the Kings.
Any shifting there?
I actually-
I think Calgary sneaks in.
I agree with that.
Yeah, that's what I had too is Calgary
leaf frogs the Kraken and then it goes
kind of Canucks, ducks, sharks.
Yep, I agree.
Vegas, Edmonton, LA probably stays about
the same.
Maybe Edmonton comes in first.
It's pretty up.
That's pretty much a toss up.
I don't think LA is going to beat either
of them, though.
Yeah, Calgary probably makes that last
one.
Agreed.
OK.
We should go through the central a little
quicker because I didn't think we.
Oh, my gosh, it's all right.
Yeah, we're going.
OK, so Colorado.
Any changes and any leaf storylines?
Oh, Jonathan Drewin's on Colorado now?
Man, this guy just fucking hops around the
league.
Thomas Tatar?
Part of me thinks Druid might actually be
a decent sleeper this season.
He's already 28.
My god.
Him and McKinnon were gold and the juniors
together.
Yeah, could be.
I didn't know they played together.
Forgot about that.
Yeah, for the Halifax moose heads.
There you go.
Uh, buh buh.
Yeah, I mean, they got- wasn't Bowen Byrom
hurt last year.
Yeah, he battled injuries.
They got Ryan Johansson in from Nashville.
Jiren, they picked up Ross Colton from The
Lightning.
Miles Wood, Thomas Tatar, round out the
bottom six.
wow, they made a lot of changes here.
Yeah.
So, my car had a lot of injury problems
last year as well.
So, even if you get health out of my car,
health out of Byram, health out of Taves,
I think that they're going to do just as
well, if not slightly better.
Is there any word on any news on
LandisCog?
I don't think he's gonna play.
Yeah, done for the season?
Yeah, that's right.
That's a shame, because he's...
I mean, didn't he just re-sign with them?
Fuck yeah, till the end of 29.
Oh my God, poor guy.
Well, anything with the leafs here, just
best on best, like McKinnon and Matthews.
I think that's really it.
There's no X leafs on this one.
Yeah, nothing.
I'm even trying to pull the beener and see
who they got in the miner system to see.
Hehehehe
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hehehe hehehe
Okay, the Dallas Stars.
Sagan, Ben, Hintz, Robertson, and Mason
Marchment.
Mr.
X-Leaf that everyone thinks we should have
kept.
So that's always the fun one to play
against because he's really good, except
last year he was meh, but still pretty
good.
Goaltending's right there.
Did you say he's mid beyond belief?
Yeah.
fantasy, had to drop him really early on.
Same.
That's why I'm remembering he was meh last
year.
I was like, wait a sec.
Yeah, other than that, there's nothing
interesting here.
Oh shit, I dropped a thing on my guitar.
Sorry.
So, wasn't it last year against the Stars
that it was the Battle of the Robertson
Brothers, where Nicky Bobby had an amazing
game?
Hopefully we can turn that into a
storyline.
Maybe Cowan plays a couple games, gets
sent down, and Nicky Bobby comes up.
They're a good team.
They're a legitimate contender.
Wyatt Johnson, Tidal Andrea, obviously,
Robertson, Pivowski, all the big boys you
named.
Like...
There's not a lot of holes in this team.
And then you have arguably one of the
best, if not the best goaltenders in the
league.
That's well, definitely the best.
That's not Russian.
Yeah, and best it's healthy probably.
Hmm, valid point.
Yeah, they also added Matt to Shane in the
offseason, right?
Oh shit, true.
It's going to be dangerous team, man.
I mean, they got to go up against
Colorado.
They're loading up.
Next one, and also dangerous team, the
Minnesota Wild.
Rocking Philip Gustafson and that with
Marc-Andre Fleury backing them up.
It's a good tandem.
You know, I'd love to see Kirill Kaprizov
just absolutely explode this year because
I've got him in a lot of my fantasy teams.
But otherwise, there's no...
I don't see any X-leafs on here, am I
wrong?
Um, they definitely don't have any studs
defensive defenseman wise.
Sorry.
I'm just scrolling through the team here
um
has been there forever.
Jacob Middleton.
like Kaelin Addison's young.
He's supposed to be like he's supposed to
turn out to be a good player but There's
definitely some questions defenseman wise
But they have been a solid team for a
handful of years now and they've been
pretty successful with If they lose a guy
they have a prospect or they're able to
find someone that they can plug in Like
who would have thought zuccarella would
have came there and done as well as he
did?
Oh, he's been fantastic.
And again, somebody who's taken a pay cut
to stick around for another two years.
They got, uh, Dardy's boy, fat pat.
Um,
Yeah, Patty Maroon.
Love to see that one.
So maybe it's that we don't have Shen
anymore, but the Leafs have always loved
getting at it with Maroon.
Or you could have the fact that Mark-Andre
Flurry gave Keefe his job.
So there's that as well.
Yeah.
And I mean, also of note, this is one of
the two years where they're taking a $14.7
million cap hit for Parise and Suter.
So it makes sense that there's some holes
on defense here and they're not completely
short up.
But like, like they've got the guys, you
know, that have been there, Caprizov,
Boldy, Zuccarello, Ericsson, Akk is
consistent.
Like, I think they'll make it up, but it's
still going to be a tough year where
they're kind of handicapped by their own.
Insane contracts.
Okay, the Winnipeg Jets who just resigned
Connor Hallebuyck and Mark Shifely today
to identical seven times 8.5 deals.
What do we think of that?
That...
Okay.
Hehehehe
Hahahaha
Shifeley's not worth that anymore
whatsoever.
Um, I saw that today and I was like, oh,
they locked them up.
Okay, that's great.
And then I saw it was 8.5 and my jaw hit
the floor.
They are both 30 years old.
Like it's, that is astonishing.
The fact like Halibut can still hold it
and probably regretting that contract four
to five years down the road.
But Mark Shifely, I don't know, like I
just plays less and less defense every
year.
Not to mention they've also lost everybody
else.
So it's just.
he's going to play more defense when he's
37 years old?
Yeah, guys, you're just going to stand at
the blue line and just wait for pucks.
38, sorry, because it kicks in next year.
Both these guys will be 38, making $8.5
million.
That is, that's painful.
That's gonna be a shitty bio.
unfortunately it's basically that, that
stay in winter peg contract, right?
Like.
that's pretty much it.
But even if you wanted to, say you talk to
Hellebuck and you're like, hey, if we want
to trade you, we got to get you on an
attractive deal to move at least.
You can't even get him out on that.
Everybody was talking about where is
Hellebuck going to go if they can't
re-sign him.
On this deal, he's fucked.
He's going to waste away no matter what
Winnipeg does.
He's stuck there.
See, honestly, I could see a team biting
on Halibuck at 8.5.
Because wasn't the rumors like 9.5 to 10
is what he wanted?
Isn't that what the rumor was?
three years, maybe I would do that.
But the fact that it's seven means that
like, at some point, you're gonna have to
buy this thing out, or someone's gonna
have to you're gonna be paying somebody to
take it on retained or something like it's
not gonna be fun when he's 36, 37, 38.
I mean, I could be wrong.
He could hold it together that long.
But fuck like, especially Shifely, Shifely
more so than Hellebuck, you're gonna be
stuck with this deal.
Like this is gonna this is like Paris a
2.0.
Like why?
Why are you paying?
Oh my god this hurts.
I hate it.
managers are not going to be in the same
position they're in when that contract
ends.
So even if you trade for it, like it's not
a smart career decision if you want to
become a general manager again in the
league.
But
give a shit about that anymore.
Well, no, right?
So you kind of had to do it, because
you're not going to get someone worthwhile
to replace either of them.
The team thinks they're still a playoff
team anyways.
I'm not going to say they think they're a
contender, but they think they're a
playoff team.
And if you're going to give up on your
number one center and your star goalie,
then that's going to just send a ripple
effect on your entire team that, no, we're
rebuilding.
I'm looking.
everyone thought they were going to
rebuild though.
Yeah, like outside of those like, okay,
you have Kyle Connor, you have Mark
Schieffeli, you have Nikolai Ziegler.
It's just like a bunch of guys that are
just essentially mid.
Like it'll be interesting to see what
steps like whole Profetti takes and Gabe
Velardi in their games.
But like, it's, yeah, but like, I think
what?
Nino Nidoraitis 31.
Right?
Like, there's no, like, what does the
bottom of this team look like?
It just...
Vlad Domenicov, 30, right?
Like there's a lot of this, like you
should be amply turning it, like turning
it over.
Like your last year of Shifely, six years,
trade them at the deadline, retain half,
three million.
That's it, a problem's done.
Take the picks, run with it, build your
team.
You know, we saw them.
I feel like they built something that just
didn't work.
Like we're at the end of the road for
this, this team, and it feels like they're
doubling down and re signing a bunch of 30
year olds for extended deals to say, no,
we can still do this.
And I feel like it's you just got to rip
the bandaid off and move on.
They're doing the Penguins without Crosby
and Melkin and Letang and...
Exactly.
And like Josh Morrissey is not going to go
for a Norris season again.
Like, I mean, we'll see, but him and
Pionk, they're the only things holding
down the back end.
Like, what do you got?
Nate Schmidt, you're paying $6 million to
like great.
Brendan Dillon, Dylan DeMello, like it's
all old, aging blue line.
Yeah, and you still, they got dead cap
from Blake Wheeler, like, oh.
At least they got their pics.
Kidwise, you have Brad Lambert from a
couple years ago.
He's a promising prospect.
They got Kupari and Vilardi in the Dubois
deal.
So you have them coming up, but yeah, it's
a pretty dry pipeline.
Vili Henola is supposed to have been a
stud defenseman coming up through the
pipeline for them for a while, but he just
hasn't been able to stick.
You always have Logan Stanley, right?
Like nothing's better than beating the
Leafs.
Well, speaking of beating the Leafs,
moving on to the Nashville Predators,
we've got Ryan O'Reilly, and Tyson Berry,
and Luke Shen.
There's your storyline, everybody that
left us.
Yeah, pretty much.
that O'Reilly and Shen both went in the
same place.
I mean, good for Shen getting, what was
that, 2.75 for three years?
Yeah, great.
I still swear to God I would have given
him eight years by two million.
Like...
really, I wish they'd done everything they
could to keep him around, especially now
that we're looking at the defense and it's
like, fuck, someone's hurt already.
talking.
That's my heart talking, because I love
the guy.
Well, honestly, I mean, I would have given
him 2.75.
I think, well, maybe they couldn't,
whatever.
He wanted to leave.
Ryan O'Reilly got what, four times, four
and a half?
It's not bad.
They gave him the A.
The more I look over their roster, the
very abysmal, their front end look.
O'Reilly Nyquist's Sizzling Glass.
Whoa, yeah, it falls off real quick, eh?
Ryan O'Reilly's there at highest paid
forward at four and a half million.
Philip Forsberg's on IR.
yeah, he's on IR, so he's hidden down a
little bit, but that's not a pretty
looking...
because Duchenne's gone, Johansson's gone,
Matthias Ekholm gone.
You're basically hoping that some of these
kids can fill into some of their
potential.
Like Luke Evangelista, good young player.
Cody Glass was, if I'm not mistaken, he
was the Vegas Golden Knights first ever
pick.
He's never really stuck in the league.
Kiefer Sherwood.
Sizzence has bounced around for a while.
Actually, he's getting up there in age
Philip Thomas, you know good young player
like they do have some promising players
But it's not looking good
So I was just quickly looking, based on
forwards, they have 28%, so Philip
Forsberg's not included in this, but 28%
of their cap is allocated towards
forwards.
The next closest team is the Blackhawks at
46.7.
So even if Philip Forsberg comes back,
they're still under the Blackhawks in
terms of what they spend on forward.
I mean, I know they're a defensive team,
but that's ridiculous.
But we say that about their forwards with
predators, but you look at their defense,
Roman Iosi, you have Barry who defensively
he's nothing but offensively he is good.
Alexandra Carrier has been a serviceable
defenseman, Dante Fabro, Ryan McDonough,
Luke Shen, like they've got a pretty
decent decor to be honest.
Oh yeah, but you know, not all those guys
other than Tyson Berry really are going to
be scoring you a ton of goals.
Well, Yossi's a borderline 100 point
defenseman.
Yeah, but well, yeah, I guess if you're
doing that, then what's Tyson Berry doing?
Like, I feel like they're with him, you
run into the same thing that the Leafs
did, unless you're putting them on PP1,
like giving them all the minutes that you
already give to Yossi, like it's going to
be one or the other.
Yeah.
Um, do, do Nashville.
Okay.
St.
Louis, St.
Louis blues.
They should for the love of God do better
this year.
They had a really bad season last year
after a really good year where like
everyone scored a ton of goals and they
signed everybody because of it.
And then they just went like under 500.
So, um, do we think they bounced back?
Honestly, I don't think so.
What, like, no, I really hope that Reeves
has some little tension left towards
Bennington from the Minnesota St.
Louis fiasco that was going on there
because they played a lot out in the West.
But like the team's been slowly losing all
the valuable players that played such a
big role in that cup team.
like O'Reilly, Steen, Bozak, Patrangelo,
Tarasenko, like they're all gone.
So, okay, Bucinevich is a good player.
Kapiton's over there now.
You have, like, Breeden-Shen's our new
captain.
Robert Thomas is supposed to be stepping
up, Kyra is supposed to be stepping up.
They do have some players, but I don't see
it.
Like Perunovic has been a defensive
prospect for them for a while that Blues
fans have been wanting to come up.
And he's just, he's never succeeded.
on is Sammy Bias and what he can do in
terms of being healthy and playing a full
season.
He only got into 31 games last year, had
20 points in terms of a depth, probably a
third-line left-winger.
Plays a heavy game as well.
Blake, yeah.
Oh yeah, yeah.
They got them on a million, so it's a
pretty good deal.
Yeah, it seems like they're taking a
chance on a couple of guys, but really
this, oh, Jakub Vrana's there.
Wow, yeah.
I don't know, Kyru, Tomas, and Shen,
Buchnevich, like they all had those
20-goal seasons, and they locked Kyru and
Tomas up for, till the end of 2031 at $8
million each.
So, they got a...
FD.
They got to build something around these
guys.
I think we're going to see them, if they
don't start off well, they're going to
have to make some moves to build a better
team here.
I don't think they're going to bail on
this.
They're going to have to figure out how to
help these two out.
They've really doubled down on a few guys.
I was just looking.
that I wanna, oops, sorry Chris, go ahead.
just going to say, I was just looking at
actually like a lot of the guys are taking
risk on, they brought on kind of late in
the year, like Jacob Rana had 14 points in
20 games with St.
Louis, 10 goals, 4 assists.
So it's interesting to see, like I think
it'd be nice to see if Bennington can
figure something out, either fight, get
that monkey off the back or do what you
need to do.
But it's interesting because that team,
like to your point at the beginning was
you know, everybody was scoring goals and
whatnot.
And it got them their contract.
And then everybody on that team was like
minus 30.
If you had them in fantasy last year, it
was like they would still kind of put up
points, but ultimately it was like minus
30 minus 25 was those guys, Thomas and
Kyru and it almost made them a detriment
to your team in terms of the plus minus.
So they had their they have their woes.
And then you look at their defense court,
Justin Falk, Tori Krew, Colton Pareko,
like
three staples on their blue line.
And you just kind of wonder how does this
go awry with this team?
But somehow it just did.
I don't understand what happened last
year.
Like I don't watch a ton of their games
unless they're playing the Leafs really.
So I don't know what it was.
I would just, like you said, watching them
in fantasy, I tried to grab Thomas and
Kairu like I had the year before and it
just was a disaster.
So.
this is where it went wrong is Jordan
Bittington in 61 games was a 331 and an
894.
Whoa.
That's, you know, do they want Eric
Shulgren to go play for them?
Like probably put up better numbers at
that point versus, you know, playoff time,
we're talking 32 games, 1.89 in a 9-2-7.
So.
and all they've got behind them is Joel
Hoffer?
Oof.
So if you look at Bennington's numbers,
it's just been a steady decline.
Ever since he had his, their Stanley Cup
run and they won, it's just gone nothing
but downhill.
Went to his head.
All right.
Last one here.
The Yodes who.
Oh boy.
The Salt Lake City.
Coyotes maybe.
I don't know.
We'll see what happens with these guys.
This to me is the, I'm gonna watch to see
what Alex Kerfoot does, not in stuck
playing left wing with John Tavares and
William Nylander.
And to see Alex Kerfoot get some power
play time.
I liked him here in Toronto.
I may have been one of the few, but I'll
be interested to see what they do with
them.
They've added Jason Zucker to this team.
So that's...
You know, Nick Bustead's back there.
And they've got a couple of young players
that I think will be interesting to watch
going into this year as well.
Logan Cooley if he plays as well as also
Matthias Maselli to see if he can build
off his season last year as well.
I just love that Sean Dursey and Alex
Kerfoot are playing together.
It's gonna be like, there's your storyline
guys.
Like they're obviously gonna score
together.
And Travis Dermott.
Another player that I'm interested to see
he spent a little while with the Marlies
is Curtis Douglas That's that forward
who's six foot nine Like
oh sorry, go ahead and finish yours.
I was just gonna say, as much as I wanted
him to succeed with the leaves, almost
strictly just for his size, it'll be
interesting to see him get a chance to get
full-time NHL minutes.
I was going to say without looking, can
you guys name the three players taking up
$21 million of injured reserve space for
the Arizona Coyotes?
Oh, injured reserve?
I'm Shay Weber.
I can't think of the other two.
The only names that keep popping in my
head are Datsuko and Pronger, but I think
they're all gone.
They're all gone now.
Yeah, I think that's it was ended just
last year.
or check.
Yep, Vorechek, one more.
Uh...
Um...
I'm drawing a blank.
Brian Little.
Oh Jesus.
$21.4 million in injured reserve between
these three guys, just so they can hit the
floor.
Because even with that, they've still got
$5.6 million in cap space and one, four,
seven, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13 draft picks
this year.
That's fucking crazy.
They have three seconds this year and
four, three seconds this year.
and four seconds the year after and three
seconds the year after that.
Like, what the hell?
Okay, so that's the end of that division.
Do we see any change happening here?
Oh, we didn't talk about the Black Hawks.
to your point that was the end of that
division.
Yeah.
I mean, outside of Bidard, there's nothing
to watch there.
So I don't see just because of that.
They might be better than the coyotes, but
it's going to be a battle for the bottom
between those two again.
St.
Louis, probably still going to be sixth.
What do we got then?
Nashville.
I don't I don't know.
It's that middle ground there, the like
Minnesota, Winnipeg, Nashville.
I see Winnipeg dropping down, but fuck, I
don't see Nashville overtaking them.
Honestly, with regards to playoffs, I see
five from the Pacific and three from the
Central.
Yeah.
Dallas, and then Minnesota's like good,
and then it just drops off.
It's gonna be rough.
Okay, that's the end of the West.
That is the hour mark.
Should we maybe do the East in a separate
portion or are you guys down to do another
like 45 minutes?
You're the boss, man.
game.
Mmm.
Okay, let's do it.
Carolina Hurricanes.
They're good.
They're really good.
They're actually really, really good.
And now they've got Michael Bunting.
So that's just a pain in the ass.
And Freddie Anderson, who's like
apparently good again.
Eh.
Another year in the league for Seth
Jarvis.
Like, there's not a lot of holes on this
team.
No, it's like, fuck, I'm going down Ajo,
TeraVine and Kotkanyemi, Bunting,
Nietzsche.
Geez, yeah, Seth Jarvis and Slaven, Burns,
Brady Shea, Pesci, Tony D'Angelo.
Like, fuck, this team's gonna be annoying
to play against.
Who is Ryan Suzuki?
I think it's Nick's brother.
Well, they've got them on season opening
inter-reserve.
All right.
And Pyotr Kachetkov on buried.
Anyway, yeah.
gosh, they've got Robita's son on their
team.
Justin Robita.
Holy shit.
The island returns.
Yeah, look at that.
He's on their minor league.
The island returns.
Yeah.
So amazing.
Yeah, so, I don't know, it's gonna be a
fucking pain in the ass team to play
against, we're gonna have to play them a
lot.
I don't know, I don't like it.
This will be just the return of former
Leafs, right?
You'll have guys going at Bunting.
Bunting will be trying to get under Marner
and Matthew Skin.
You have Matthews.
It always seems like he tries extra hard
to score on Freddie.
So that'll be the storyline here.
They're a really good team.
The hockey news pegged them as the cup
champions to start the season, so let the
fun begin.
Another fast annoying team, the Devils,
who've locked up Timo Meyer.
They got Jack Hughes locked up.
They got Jesper Brott locked up.
Nico Heesher's there.
Andre Pallat, Tyler Tafoli, Eric Halla.
Like it's, oh my God.
Pain in the ass team.
Yeah, they're another team that's going to
be absolute nightmare to play.
I actually, I completely respect what they
do too, in terms of how they roll their
lines, where they're not heavy top six,
you know, kind of rough bottom six.
I like that they roll a good solid four
lines.
I watched them play here and it was just
when they played Toronto and they were on
that streak
It was just relentless hockey.
They were just coming in wave after wave
after wave.
And it's hard to keep up with them.
Their average age in their forwards group
is 26 years old.
On the defence, 27.
Goalies, 25.
Like this has to be one of the youngest
teams in the league.
Like they...
There's always that...
their oldest player.
He's gotta be one of them.
I mean, Eric Halla at 32, Andre Poulat at
32.
Oh, here, Brendan Smith, 34, is like the
oldest person on the team.
That's insane, and they really know how to
take advantage of this.
Like they, like you said, it's wave after
wave because they know these guys have the
energy to do it.
Next, the Rangers.
Honestly, I think the Rangers are gonna
take a step back this year.
What do you guys think?
Yeah, I could definitely see it.
A lot of load on Sorokin over the last
couple of years.
Because they kind of...
Yes, wrong New York team, sorry.
Damn Russians.
Wrong Russian goalie for the wrong New
York team.
They were both Vezna finalists, so come
on.
But like, it's that thing, what's going
on.
Yeah.
Wow.
And I think they're friends too.
Like what's going on with Lafrenier,
what's going on with Kako?
You have these high end picks that, you
know, potentially aren't turning out to be
what you were hoping they were gonna be.
With regards to the rebuild, it kind of
got fast-tracked because you had people
like Panarin and Fox, or Panarin and
Truba, sorry, wanting to come to New York.
So it's kind of that interesting scenario
that yes, they're good.
they got good a lot quicker than I think
they thought they were going to.
So is this maybe the year that they do
take a little bit of a step back?
Like some of their kids are pushing Braden
Schneider, young defensive prospect, like
Keandre Miller, you know, I keep waiting
for him to step it up and be the stud on
the back end that he, he should be forward
wise.
Like we already touched on it with
Laffernay and Kako.
They, they need more from them.
So it'll be interesting, but I kind of
agree with you that I think they're gonna
take a little bit of a step back.
Well, especially when you have Jonathan
Quick as your backup now to Shisterkin.
Like we've been talking about, they've put
too much of a load on him and if they're
gonna split it with Quick, I mean, he's
been pretty shaky and kind of aging out of
his prime.
So there's not a ton of option there.
And I'm looking, they're still paying Brad
Richards?
Are you joking?
For like a couple more years too.
Wow.
Yeah.
I think just quickly with this team, I
think it'd be interesting to see, like,
they've got Blake Wheeler at 800k, they
brought in Eric Gustafson, who is, who
should be good on the back end in terms of
adding some additional scoring touch, and
they didn't really lose much in the
offseason.
I think Keon-Ju Miller, I think to your
point, will take a step.
I, he...
at 20 points, he followed up with 43
points, I think he's going to be more of a
staple on that team.
One I'm hoping because I have him in a lot
of fantasy, fantasy teams.
But I also heard too, that Lafreniere was
very against playing, I think it was right
wing, where they saw an opportunity for
him.
And they've actually started, he's
actually opened up now to that idea to try
it.
So they're going to get them a little
higher in the lineup and get them going.
in a different role.
So I think without them really losing
anything, yes, I think Quick maybe hinders
their performance on the back end, but
just Sterken is still gonna play probably
62 games in the season anyways.
So I think, you still got Fox, you got
Truba, Conjury Miller, I think takes that
step.
They paid the heavy price for, I believe
it was, yeah, Lindgren, and then I think
to your point, if Brendan Schneider steps
into that bottom six,
playing alongside Eric Gustafson.
Like I think you're looking at a pretty
solid team where I don't see them actually
stepping back if anything, just kind of
holding Pat in the Metro in terms of kind
of holding that third spot.
Okay, and leave storyline here other than
I mean Eric Rostovson, but what are we
really looking for in the What is it four
or five games will probably play against
the Rangers this year?
Um, I, Jimmy PC.
Yeah, no, just how they can handle.
It's always been a big battle between the
blue shirts and the Leafs, right?
Like even you go back to the King Hank
days, they was always good teams or always
good games, or even if the Leafs were
garbage, they were still good games
against this team, um, two original six
teams.
They've.
Even some of the kids that we haven't
really talked about, like I forgot to
mention Brennan Othman, like a pickering
boy, he's a good young player.
So just kind of that, how we stack up
against the teams that have been some of
the best in the East.
And also on a other side note, there's two
more sons of former NHLers on this team.
Brian Burrard's son, Brett Burrard, he's a
former Leaf.
And then Peter Socorra as kid, Adam
Socorra.
Oh shit.
I've seen all these names and it's giving
me flashbacks.
also Riley Nash buried in there.
First brief stint with Toronto.
But also in this matchup, right, it's I
think to your point with all those, being
here with all those former games, it was,
you know, Toronto versus Henrik
Lungenfuss.
And, you know, in short time, it's now the
Toronto We Believe versus Igor Shosturkin,
right?
So it's original six matchup.
It's going to be that battle you've got,
you know,
the two big spotlights in terms of New
York versus Toronto, it's gonna always be
a big show regardless.
So next, Islanders.
So Pierre Engvall, the new favorite of Mr.
Lou Lamarello, getting a massive $3
million deal for, what was it, seven
years.
So I mean, that's fun.
Good for him.
Happy to see him get paid and become one
of the boys that is going to stick around
on the Islanders forever.
But other than that, I mean, the
Islanders, they look.
I'm.
interested to see if Horvat and Barzalk
can put something together.
I mean, they lost Josh Bailey, who was
even cut by the senators.
But I don't know, it's a little different
looking there.
I mean, Lee and Nelson are still kicking,
but I don't know.
I'm hoping they can get a little more
offensive and a little faster because
they've been pretty boring team to watch.
Yeah, they've had a...
Oh, go ahead.
Oh, I was just going to say, they've had
some trouble scoring goals, and it's
interesting that obviously they didn't
bring back Zach Parise, who scored, I
think, 20 for them last year, and also
losing Bailey, and really handing out
these absurd, you know, Lou handing out
these absurd kind of seven-year contracts
to the giraffe, and you know, if he wants
to...
Yeah, if he wants to pay me seven years at
Liebman and I'll shave my beard, that's
fine.
I'll do it, but for him to do that, it
just doesn't seem, they're not gonna take
a step forward in my mind if anything
they're gonna hurt.
They were only two points ahead of
Pittsburgh last year and I can't really
see any changes that they made to be in a
positive line site.
Yeah, I mean, we played this game a couple
of months ago.
They've got a total of like, what is this?
$46 million locked up until 2030.
That's crazy.
Like half of their salary cap was already
spent.
One thing you can say about a team that
Lou builds, which is funny because he
didn't do it with the Leafs, is he gets a
goalie, locks him up, and then he gets the
defense score.
Like realistically, the Islanders, Ryan
Poulak and Adam Pellek, great defensive
tandem.
Both are very good defensemen.
Noah Dobson's coming up.
He showed last year he can shoulder some
of the load.
Good young promising defensemen.
You have Alexander Romanoff, who they
punked from the Canadians, who I think can
be a very good young defenseman.
Scott Mayfield's still there.
Sebastian Aho.
Like...
The defense core is good.
It's just, it's always this team who is
gonna score.
Well, that's what I'm saying.
Like they got they brought Horvat in like
it's got to be Bo Horvat and Matt Barzol
finally, you know, being able to score
together like this.
This is what he was brought here for.
This is what they spent all this on.
Like, I don't know why it just doesn't
work.
I mean, they need somebody else there.
But maybe we see them go out and get it.
I'm not optimistic that Lou will do that
either.
Yeah, he doesn't seem to be the person
that tries to fix things mid-season
usually.
So I think this is kind of what we're
gonna see.
or he already did it and just hasn't told
anyone yet.
Yeah, they're just gonna ice a team on
opening night.
Like, who the fuck is this?
So many guys.
There's so many guys that are still
sitting without contracts.
I mean, fuck, Josh Bailey just got cut by
the sends.
He could be back.
Has anybody checked on him?
Like if you get caught by the senators,
like that's not good.
Nope.
from an emotional state.
Thanks for watching!
Oh god.
Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh.
So, I mean, obviously.
them to the promised land and we're all
going to be wrong.
Yeah, that's the biggest thing to watch.
We've got the average age of 32 year old
forward group here under Dubus.
His new core four that are like almost 40
years old.
They're all basically his age.
And it'll be interesting to see.
I don't know.
I don't like this team he's put together
so far.
I don't think a lot of these signings make
sense.
Eric Carlson obviously is the biggest
crazy.
question mark here because who knows if he
can continue what he has.
I don't know man Tristan Jarre and Alex
Nadelkovich like there's just so many
question marks.
Yeah, there's definitely a question mark
in net.
If Jari can stay healthy and Nadelkovich
has had problems with two teams now, can
he get back to where he was ahead of time?
But it's also funny, too.
The bottom six for Pittsburgh was
horrendous last year.
And realistically, all that they lost was
that horrendous back end.
And then added in Riley Smith into that.
Nola Chari as well.
and added Eric Carlson to the back end.
And I don't know, it'll be interesting to
see how it works for him.
Oh, and Ryan Graves, they added to the
back end as well, which I didn't hate.
I'm just waiting for the year that I'm not
saying, ooh, Crosby and Malkin getting
old, but are they still like, it's the
fact that they're doubled down on them
being the first line, like they haven't
really looked at maybe moving on in the
next couple of years to replace them.
Like there's no next wave here.
Like I'm just always concerned about
Pittsburgh.
Like if that's what you're going with,
like.
You really got to trust that these guys
are going to keep it together all season
and stay healthy because you don't have
much behind them.
They're very dependent on that top three.
The only thing with players like those is,
like, think back to the early thousands,
or right after the lockout, right?
You had Sakkik, you had Aizerman, you had
all these legendary players, Lemieux, that
were rolling it down to the end of their
career.
They were still relied upon heavily.
Like they were still producing, not to
their All-Stars years, but they were still
producing.
But...
You have that presence and you have to
kind of still treat it the way you've
always treated it.
Like I don't think if you went and told
Crosby, no look you're going to be second
line center now.
I don't think he would put up a fuss
because I don't think he's that type of
player.
But as long as you have them on the team
you have to keep treating them the way
they are because it's not.
Like it's not like we're looking at a
player that's a fan favorite, but
everybody in the league is kind of mad.
Like these are players who are going down,
are going to be some of the best players
we've ever seen play this game.
I agree completely.
They also both have injury histories.
And I'm just saying that after them, it
drops off.
So I'm just, if my point is you're putting
a lot of your eggs in a somewhat risky,
fragile basket, it could very well work
because this basket has been made of gold
for a long time.
But, you know, I just feel like it's a
risky play to keep running this back.
But we'll probably find ourselves in a
similar position in 10 years too, so.
I feel like some of the players on this
team is Dubas getting players that he's
wanted when he was with the Leafs but
never got a chance to get, like
Nadalkovich, because there was all the
rumors when he was leaving Carolina that
we were going to go after him and we never
did.
But he's got that comfort factor, right?
He's got a knee-lander on the team.
So...
Yeah.
Good one.
And he brought Noel Achari back, his
favorite.
So I would say for me the biggest
storyline here is don't let Crosby do to
us what he's been doing to us since 2005.
And I was just going to say let's try and
make Dubas look stupid.
Like, and it's not anything personal
against the guy.
I did like him as a Leafs GM.
I've come on here and said that a lot of
times.
I do like some of his ideas.
But he's not our GM anymore, so let's make
him look stupid.
Yeah, nothing would be more fun than
putting a new team together and just
kicking their ass.
I couldn't agree more.
Okay, Washington, kind of the same story,
but minus Kyle Dubas.
We've got pretty much the same team with
Rasmus Sandeen.
So that'll be fun.
I don't think we ever, did we play any
games against Washington after he went
there?
I don't think so.
he might have been hurt.
He was hurt when we did.
Yeah, I don't think we ever played against
him.
So it'll be, that'll be a fun matchup.
I was always sad to see him go, but
especially with the state of the defense
now, it would have been nice.
I don't know.
What did we end up getting with that first
pick though?
Was that Cowan?
Uh...
I think we got Cowan with the Bruins pick,
did we not?
Who did the Rasmus Sandin trade become?
Ba ba ba, traded from the Maple Leafs,
Eric Gustafson and aha, Easton Cowan, all
right.
So do we trade the Boston one then?
No, it was Boston's pick, but Washington
had it.
they got it for Orlov.
Ah, that's why I keep thinking of them.
Yep.
There you go.
So we were all right.
I'll take that.
Um, so I think that, I don't know, that
seems like it could pay off a lot sooner
than we thought it would.
That's a plus.
Yeah.
Same thing, aging team, they're still
dangerous.
You got a couple local Ontario boys, like
Connor McMichael might try and put on a
show when he comes back, because everybody
seems to when they come to Toronto if
they're a local kid.
Aside, yep, Tom Wilson's back and
hopefully healthy.
Like I myself, if I'm the Leafs, I would
just like, yeah.
Basically playing the Washington, don't
let Ovi set a record against you.
At this point.
I'm opening bet 365.
Let me lock that in.
Hahahaha
Um, do you guys know which players on LTI
are for the Washington Capitals right now?
Because I didn't know this.
Uh...
Max Patcher ready.
He is a Washington Capitol.
Did he get hurt right away after they
signed him?
didn't...
Signed July 1st, 2023.
And what, did he just like never make it
to training camp?
Ha ha
What the fuck happened?
I totally missed that he signed with them.
So it was like in the flurry of the
opening of free agency, they got Max Patch
Ready for $2 million.
Seven hours ago, Capitals placed Patch
Ready on LTIR.
Like this guy.
I feel so, this is awful.
He's gonna come back and play six games
and get 12 points and then get hurt again.
save them for the playoffs.
I don't think they're making the playoffs.
maybe, probably not.
The only upside that they will have, so
they obviously had 80 points last year, is
John Carlson, if he can stay healthy all
year, obviously they lost Dmitry Orlov and
that force on the back end, but Sandin
with his size and stature doesn't like to
throw the body quite a bit, is going to
play up with Carlson from what we've
heard.
Outside of those two, it really drops.
off between Nick Jensen, Trevor Van
Roosdijk.
Not a lot of, I think, upside there.
You know, Tom Wilson being a force back
all year might be interesting and then
maybe they can get something out of
Backstrom and Kuznetsov to kind of get OV
across that finish line.
But other than that, they're just the
worst version of the Penguins at this
point.
Patch already has two torn Achilles and
doesn't have an exact timetable for his
return and he has not shown up to training
camp.
Like.
retire.
What did we give him $2 million for?
Oh, that is brutal.
This poor guy.
And like I said, if he does come back,
they said it could be like a month or two
into the season.
He'll be great for a couple of weeks.
Like I had him in fantasy.
I think he played 28 games and had 38
points or something.
Like it was insane.
When he was there, he was fantastic for
Carolina.
Okay, the flyers I really don't want to
spend much time on this shitty team
They're like the San Jose of the East Or
like the Anaheim of the East
Keturye and Atkinson are both supposed to
be healthy, so that'll make a little bit
of a difference with them.
They had a full season.
Yeah, I don't think you'll ever see him
play again, unless something's changed,
but I haven't heard anything regarding him
at all.
Ristalainen is also on LTIR.
CapFriendly has it both on just IR, not
LTIR.
Oh yeah.
Well, the team probably doesn't need to
put them on LTIR for the relief, because I
don't think they have.
also, it looks like they needed to hit the
floor.
Yep.
Um, Cam York could be a good bright spot
young defenseman for them.
Um, but aside from that, it's just
Tortorella trying to get something out of
these kids.
Like Owen Tippett looks like he should
finally get a good, decent chance.
He wasn't getting it in Florida, but you
got Tippett, Frost, Noah Cates.
Like there is some good kids there, but
it's, they're, they're going to struggle.
So, just financial-wise, they are paying
Cal Peterson, Kevin Hayes, Tony D'Angelo,
Oscar Lindblom, and Ilya Brizgalov to not
play for them.
That's fucking wild.
They're still painting Praskolov.
Until the end of 2027.
Wow.
What does this buy out?
It's not on the cap, but like they still
owe him money.
Oh, because that would have been one of
them compliance buyouts after the second
lockout they brought it out
So where is this?
GMs can just not help themselves
sometimes.
It's so weird.
Buyout history here.
Yeah, till 26, 27, they own $1.6 million a
year.
The buyout was from 20, is a 14 year
buyout.
Bought out June 25th, 2013.
Oh my God.
That's insane.
Anyway, yeah, nothing exciting there with
the flyers, just some funny little stats
to watch.
Columbus man they got to turn something
around bringing in Goudreau but I don't
know Adam Fantilly will be fun to watch
Kent Johnson was fun to watch so another
year that'll be cool oh Damon Stevenson's
there?
Yep, they got Severson and Prorov over the
summer.
So, you know, I've always loved Liam
Foody.
The kid is just ridiculously fast.
Like they've got some good young players.
But I don't know how well they're gonna
do.
Pascal Vincent as their head coach.
Yeah, it's just they're gonna be a mid
team really, unless like, I don't know,
Goudreau and Leinay have a breakout year,
but I don't see it happening with Jack
Roslavik and Boone Jenner.
I heard that they had the line-A taking
reps at center as well during the
preseason in between Goudreau and I want
to say it was Jenner.
Well, that's the tough thing is like
you've got Gajro and Lainé, but neither of
them are a center.
So like really your choice is if you don't
move one of them to the middle, are
Roslavik, Jenner or Sean Karali like you
until Fantilly is ready, I guess that's
probably the plan.
Well, I thought I heard it was Fantilly
with Tech CA and, was it Benstrom or
Chinakov?
That was gonna be a line?
Like that'd be a good young line.
Yeah, I'm just talking like for the
future, obviously they probably want to
have Fantilly move into 1C, but it's like
for now, you're really, your choices are
either move, like you said, who is it,
which one?
Line A to center?
Like...
Goudreau to left wing, and they had
Marchenko on right.
Oh.
Okay, I mean, it probably wouldn't be
Marchenko come regular season, but still,
it's interesting that.
Yeah, that would push Roslavec off the
center probably.
I don't know.
Strange team.
Leafs wise.
for...
Lion Avers Matthews.
Yeah, they don't like each other.
written in the stars.
Yeah, like, Dubois is not there anymore,
so it's not like you can do that from the
bubble.
Yeah.
All right.
So that is the end of the Metro.
What do we think here?
Any changes from last year's standings
where we had Carolina and New Jersey
Rangers, Islanders, followed by Pittsburgh
Caps, Flyers, and Blue Jackets missing the
playoffs.
I don't really think so.
only change I really had was I think
Pittsburgh over the islanders.
Yeah, I mean, having Carlson in there, if
that works out, and if the Islanders can't
get it together with putting some goals in
the back of the net, like they were so
tight last year, that could be one that
changes.
I think even if the Rangers take a step
back, I think they're still in that third
spot.
Maybe Columbus overtakes Philly.
Philly comes in last there.
And then Columbus might overtake
Washington too, we'll see.
But I think that all depends on how...
how good of a year OV has.
But yeah, the top, it's Carolina, New
Jersey all the way.
I think, which I guess really, which one
do we think is coming in first, Carolina?
It was one point difference last year.
Yeah, I would still go with Caroline.
I realistically, the Devils don't go on a
14 game winning streak like they did last
year.
That's fair.
That's fair.
OK, so from one crazy season to another,
the Boston Bruins, who very sad end to the
year and we got to love it as Leaf fans.
They have no first, no second and no third
round pick this year.
And they have no centers either.
I was like, who's going to grab that low
hanging fruit?
We got Charlie Coyle, Morgan Geeky, John
Beecher, and Matthew Poitras are listed as
their centers.
is going to play as their center as well.
Oh, Pavel Zaka was listed as a centre
right wing and left wing cat friendly.
Oh god.
they signed JVR, so it's all good.
This team, man, what do we think?
They went from having an insane season to
really losing some core members.
I mean, it's not often that retirements
take this much of a hit on a team, but
man, that's a big hit to the Bruins.
65, 12 and five last year.
That's frigging crazy.
Yeah, they're definitely going to be
taking a step back.
I think that's written all over the wall.
I do still see them as a playoff team.
I think I wouldn't be surprised if you
actually see some interesting things from
Zaka.
I think a lot of people are selling low on
him, but I think you could actually see
some good upside to his game.
He had a career high in 57 points last
year with Boston.
And then still, you know, the lift you're
going to get from playing with along those
guys of Pasternak and Marshan, it's, you
know, you could be looking at it easily,
breaking 70 points and maybe stop gapping
some of that of what Patrice Bergeron
brought to the team.
So do we think Allmark and Swamen can keep
it together on the backend?
Cause really if everything else holds the
same, and like you said, if they can just
kind of, if Pasternak and Marshawn can
lift somebody else into that center
position, really it just comes down to do
they repeat this duo from the stars with
their fun hugs.
I think the tandem is still one of the
better tandems in the league, but I don't
know if you're going to see Almark getting
Vezna numbers.
Like he's always been a good goalie, even
when he was on crappy teams, he had really
good underlying numbers.
But like everything aligned perfectly for
this team last year.
Everything.
And if you look at the turnover they've
had from the roster that they had in the
playoffs last year, like Orlov's gone.
Obviously Bergeron's gone.
Kraytche's gone.
Taylor Hall's gone.
Foligno's gone.
Um, Tyler Bertuzzi's gone.
Like it's been quite a big turn turnover.
They went all out last year.
Um, they did bring back fan favorite Mila
and Lučić.
So I.
Yeah, they're still gonna have some
danger, like some dangerous players.
Obviously with Marshawn getting the C, I
think that might even give him a little
bit more of a boost, to be honest, as much
as I hate the guy.
But no, because he keeps getting better,
which is just asinine.
Like, yeah, they're a shell of what they
were.
they're still gonna be dangerous, like you
can't take them lightly, but they're
definitely a shell, and I think they're
potentially gonna be in tough to make the
playoffs.
So I think the thing to watch for with the
Leafs against them this year is if Boston
trying to figure things out with having
new people at centre and Tampa starting
off the season without Vasilevsky, I think
really what the Leafs have to do is take
the wins in the Atlantic division early
and try to make it so that everybody's
chasing them.
Because really it's once you have that
first spot come Christmas, it's tough to
lose it.
So if they can get out ahead, you know,
not have to worry about.
playing either Boston or Tampa in the
first round, those things matter.
Yeah, the one thing with them though, that
I will just say is like a lot of their the
players that they did loss were a few of
them were deadline additions.
So they didn't start the year with them
like guys like Bertuzzi and Orlov.
So there is obviously they don't have a
first, second and third this year, I'm not
sure the value of this draft class.
But you know, is there potential to move?
Obviously, they don't have a great
prospect pool but
You know, they still have their first for
2025.
They have, and then the first for 2026 in
terms of if they need to go out and get
those pieces to continue to be
competitive.
Cause as you said, Fred Marshand is 35 and
you know, two years left on his contract
could be the tail end of his career as
well.
So you could just see the final, you know,
we saw the go for Bergeron and Cricci can
you do that for Marshand as well?
Just by emptying the tank of kind of picks
and adding what you need now.
Yeah, it's a good point because Boston's
never been shy to add mid season or at the
deadline.
Like I mean, like they did last year,
they're always open to spending, to bring
in huge pieces and big players are always
open to going there.
So they have the advantage of that
negotiations.
Like, without knowing if there's any
hardcore injuries going on, wouldn't you
think that Bergeron and Kurechi would want
to give it one more shot?
This is the Bruin Centennial year.
Yeah, I find it odd that they just went.
Yeah, nope, that was enough of a
heartbreak.
We're not doing that again.
But come on guys, you can, you don't have
one more in you.
Sounds like a Justin Williams sign prior
to the playoffs kind of deal.
Thanks for watching!
Yeah, I mean, didn't Crayche only just
come back last year?
Yep.
You know, Tampa, let's talk about Tampa.
Obviously same storyline as like I just
said, we got to get wins early against
these teams that are starting a little
handicapped.
Vasilevsky is going to start the season
probably two months on IR, just had back
surgery.
I mean, you know, obviously hoping that
for, on a personal level that he gets back
to form, but on a, I'm a Leaf fan level,
let's take advantage of this while we can
and get out ahead.
Yeah, I think you're totally right there.
We need to take advantage of these guys.
Kind of down and out with injuries or
missing pieces to start and, you know, try
to win October, November and kind of coast
the rest of the way.
The other big things here, I mean, like
they spent big on Tanner Janow and Brandon
Hagel, who have been kind of lackluster
since they picked them up, but they did
resign Brandon Hagel to what's this 2032
at 6.5 million.
They've still got Nick Paul there till 29.
Like they've got some of these guys locked
up.
Anthony Cirelli is there.
Brayden Point.
But the one that isn't is Steven Stamkos
and he's pissed about it.
So, you know, I think a rough start to the
season is not good for.
him wanting to stick around.
I'm interested to see what they do about
that because they don't seem keen on
keeping him at the value that he's
thinking he's still at.
So that's the thing that I'm looking
forward to seeing with the lightning.
It's just kind of them cracking at the
seams and the dynasty falling apart.
And you're starting to see signs of that,
right?
They've had to chisel away at those cup
teams, the teams that were indestructible.
And they're not the same.
Like as much of as Boston is a shell of
what they were last year, Tampa's kind of
starting to look that way as well.
With Vasileski down and out, you have Matt
Tompkins and Jonas Johansen as your two
goalies.
Yeah.
Like I know Vassi was only out for what,
two months I think it said.
But still like the defense core is not
what it was.
You don't have McDonough anymore.
I believe they just placed Bogosian on
waivers.
Um, they picked up Connor Schiery.
So you have him now as well, but it's,
it's going to be interesting.
They're still going to have the offense.
They're still going to play with the
structure because, you know, Cooper's one
of the best coaches in the league that
we've seen in a long, long time.
So if they could get, as you said,
something out of Genoa or Hagel that they
were expecting when they got them and the
price they paid for them, then that would
go a long way.
But they're on the decline.
I wonder if they look at...
Oh, I was just going to add, I wonder if
they look at with the Steven Stamkos
situation, obviously see the way Vegas
kind of, you know, we negatively look at
it as how they treat players, but at the
end of the day they're trying to win and
is Steven Stamkos, instead of doing right
by him from the organization, is it just
time for, hey look, as an organization we
can't, you know, I'm looking at their cap
here, and even without signing him,
they're only saving $5 million from what
they're already paying this year.
So in their forward group, so it's what
money is there really for you?
You know, obviously we were hearing the
caps going to go up, but you know, how
much and the decor is pretty much going to
stay flat in terms of, of dollars.
So it's kind of one of those things.
Do you, do you kind of just, do you cut
ties and try to be competitive?
Like you see Vegas do, or do you keep your
captain happy?
So that's the.
business versus personal side, I think,
with them there that they're dealing with
right now.
Well, I mean, leadership wise, you've got
point Kucherov, Sergechev, Hedman, like
guys that have been there for a long time
with the same team.
Like I don't think they're going to miss
him that much.
Like it seems they're leaning that way.
I think you're right.
Where it's just going to be, you know,
again, looking at the money, unless they
move on from who was it?
Like Nick Paul?
Nope.
Just signed him.
Tanner Janow?
Nope.
Just spent a bunch on him.
Connor Shirey.
It's only 2 million.
Hagel, nope, just signed him.
Like, where's the money gonna come from?
Not Headman, not, like everybody else just
re-signed.
And they got to him and they went, yeah,
there's nothing left.
And at 33, unless you're taking like 4 1 2
5 million, it doesn't make sense for us.
They gave the Capcos up 4 1 2, that's
what, 9 1 2 1
Right.
And then, and then you're, are you digging
yourself for the hole where, you know, we
just talked about the Metro two teams,
Pittsburgh and Washington, aging cores.
And it's like, you're kind of keeping
these guys around when everybody in the
writing on the wall is you should have
moved on from them two, three years ago,
when you could have maximized their value
and keep the ball going and turn it over
to new players, new prospects and stay
young.
And there, it's kind of, they're stuck in
that limbo, right.
Yeah, look at eight and a half million
dollars at 33 year old Stephen Stamkos at
the deadline.
If you get that retained once to four
point two five retained twice, you get a
Stephen Stamkos for two million dollars at
the deadline.
Like that's something that teams are going
to pay for.
And I think he knows that.
And, you know, if things are like they got
to wait to see how the season plays out.
They've got no goaltending to start.
But if everybody else can hold it
together, then, you know, maybe you move
on from Stamkos and you can.
Again, for two million bucks, go through
two teams.
That's an insane addition for anybody in
the playoffs.
Leaves, please.
Panthers.
to Marty.
Hey, the guy already had a Leafs jersey in
his hand at one point.
We can just give it back to him.
Holy shit.
Alexander Barkov getting paid 10 million a
year.
The Florida Panthers.
Eamonn Kachak, Reinhardt Bennett, Verhage.
Yeah, it's kind of the same core.
It's just the defense is holy shit.
Gustav Forsling makes 2.6 million, and
that is the highest paid defense that they
got right now.
with Aaron Echelott on IR and Brennan
Montour on IR.
They'll be interesting yet again.
A team with injuries to start the year.
It looks like Spencer Knight is going to
start in the minors.
Just yeah that's news to me.
So they're going to go with Bobrovsky
installers and it's fun to see who they
let go who's now in Detroit.
Bobrovsky while he was hot in the playoffs
he's been streaky in terms of is he a 10
million dollar
goalie or is he a $3 million goalie?
So that'll be very interesting to see how
that kind of gets going.
And then they got Anthony Stollers'
backup.
So back to kind of how we were talking
about the other teams, Toronto really
needs to take advantage of winning these
games against these teams and getting out
to a hot start and coasting the rest of
the lake.
Because outside of, yeah, they're not
looking great.
Yeah, I don't think enough attention is
being put on how many question marks there
are in the Atlantic division to start this
season.
Like last year it was, holy shit, this is
going to be just juggernaut teams.
And this year it's like goalies hurt,
goalies getting sent down, Bobrovsky
starting again.
Like there's a lot of change going on.
The Bruins are falling apart, the
Lightning are making changes.
Like people aren't talking about this
enough.
Like there's so much pressure put on, oh,
Sammy and Wall are going to be good
enough?
Holy shit, the rest of the Atlantic
outside of like, I mean Ottawa and Buffalo
are on the up, but everybody else seems to
be on the down.
Yeah, and like when you have the injuries
that Florida does to start the season,
Montour and Echblad, those are two huge
anchors on the back end for them.
So those...
what do you got, Forsling, Mikala, Ekman
Larsen?
Like, it just falls right off.
So three of your top six defense from
their Stanley Cup final push are gone with
Ekblad, Montour and Goudis.
So that's going to be a big blow to them
to start the season.
As you guys said, can Bobrowski actually
be the Bobrowski that they paid him to be?
Or is he going to be, you know, the guy
who's been kind of chilling out in
Florida, hanging out on the beach the last
couple of years?
The forward core is pretty similar.
So scoring wise and, and the whole
structure of the team up front, I don't
think we're going to see a big change, but
the D core is hurting right now.
I mean, with Bobrovsky at $10 million, you
basically have to try it every year.
Like, you can't afford not to.
Does it work?
Nope, fuck it.
Okay, we'll try something else.
Does it work?
Great, let's try it.
Like, they have to, it has to be the first
choice every time until it doesn't work.
Or else they just look like idiots.
got, looking at the top four, so obviously
they added in Mike Riley and OEL to the
mix, but it's lefty, lefty.
They have nobody, both their top right D
obviously are out.
It's just, they have nobody to fill in
where you have Dmitry Kulikov and Josh
Mahura in terms of the only guys who can
play the right side on their opening
lineup.
It does not look great for them.
So let's move on to a team that I have
been hoping to see turn around for a while
But it seems like this could be the year
they do it the Buffalo Sabres The the
Ottawa Senators south of the border
So I myself...
they just miss that much.
I myself am actually pretty high on the
Sabres as much as I hate to say it.
What Kevin Adams has done down there and
then like building the team and then
Granado coaching these young guys, like
they've got a pretty good team.
And I think this is the year they break
that streak and they come back into the
playoffs.
Thompson's proved he's legit.
I love Dylan Cousins.
Like that kid just does not stop.
And what about the fact that they have
Eric Comrie, Devin Levi, and Ukopeka
Lukaidan for a combined three and a half
million dollars.
So as much as I love Levi and Luka-nin,
like UPL is one of the best names that has
been bouncing around in the AHL for the
longest time, that's really their biggest
question mark.
Like, Levi showed flashes last year when
he came up, like the kid's good, he's got
nerves of steel, Luka-nin's supposed to
have been the next goalie for them for,
what, three, four years now?
And he just hasn't been able to do it.
Um back end they Yeah back end they stole
yoki haru from the black hawks Um owen
power is going to be a stud dolly's
proving that he's a stud
Just signing an 8 times 11.
My god.
Owen Power is thanking him beyond belief
right now because his contract's up next
year.
But they did bring in Eric Johnson as that
veteran defense on the back end, Connor
Clifton.
So the decor is actually not too bad.
And then forward wise, like they've got
all these young kids and then Oppozo seems
to have a little bit resurrected his
career.
Um, Skinner actually seemed half decent.
He's not worth the 9 million he's getting,
but he's at least serviceable now.
Oh yeah.
I picked Jeff Skinner in fantasy again, I
think.
I mean, last year he finally turned it
around.
I double down.
Alex Tuck, I think that was a great
pickup.
He was good last year.
Kyle Ocposo, still rocking the C.
Good for him.
Yeah.
on the Devin Levi hype train.
We're talking about a 21 year old goalie,
a 6 foot let alone goalie.
It's just hard for me to think that
everyone thinks he's the saving grace.
I don't really think it's going to be
there.
I think it's the NHL, it's going to be
tough.
I think they're going to have to lean a
little bit more heavily on
Um, UPL, but, uh, you know, with him at
being only 24, even himself, like the
future is very bright there for the
Sabres.
Um, you know, I just, I don't see it on
the back end.
I think to your point where, you know, Ken
Wall and Sam Sonoff do it.
Meanwhile, people are locking the Sabres
in for a playoff spot with, you know, this
very young and, you know, not so great
currently.
Goaltending situation in Buffalo.
I just don't I don't see it at the moment
See, this is somewhere I saw hell about
going if Winnipeg were to move on from
him.
I think Buffalo would have been high on
that, especially because they've got eight
point eight million dollars of cap space.
So like if a goalie becomes available,
they do have the money to take them on.
It's just.
You know, goalies don't grow on trees.
They grow on flowers though.
No!
All right, so now the Sabres north of the
border, the Ottawa Senators.
Basically a similar position, a bunch of
young guys that have proven that they can
hang, they can score a bunch of points.
Some defensemen that have gotten paid for
the same.
And a couple question marks in that.
Like, it's pretty much, it's kind of
freaky how similar these two teams are.
They've been riding the same spot in the
standings here.
fifth and sixth place.
Man, I think Ottawa takes a step this year
if goalies stay healthy, like they lost
Cam Talbot and were forced into, man, they
went down a couple goalies last year,
didn't they?
They went through like four or five of
them.
But I mean, they've got Forsberg and
Corpusalo.
It's not awful.
Chikren, Zube, Brandstrom, Sanderson,
Shabbat.
Like their defense is really good.
I like that.
Bringing in Tarasenko.
Yeah, they're definitely going to be, I
think, deep down, at least in their top
nine.
We'll see if Norris can stay healthy and
see if he's poised for a good season.
I think that's a big question mark for
them.
Because right after, you know, if Stutel
is going to play their 1C, the hope is
Norris can play obviously that 2C, if not,
Giroud can slide over.
And then Ridley Grieg, in terms of what he
can bring in terms of a...
depth center option or winger depending on
if they can get shame pinto sign but they
are struggling with cap issues they kind
of give me you know late 2000 or yeah late
2000 like 2009 leafs where it's like we're
up against the cap every year but we're
not even a playoff team yet so they kind
of give me that energy at this moment
I didn't realize Josh Norris is out
indefinitely.
Thank you.
Apparently on the golf course this summer,
a shoulder injury was noticed and the
medical staff have not cleared him to play
and he has not been to training camp.
for a bit.
And then I think he took it off for some
practices and then it went back on again.
I don't know if he ended up ever playing
in a pre-season game.
Well, apparently there is-
your info from MSN again?
No, I'm not actually.
It's from like I'm looking Josh Norris.
This is from Ottawa Sun Daily Faceoff ESPN
City News Ottawa.
Yeah, it's all from the last day or two.
There you go.
Senators confident despite questions
around team.
Yeah, I mean, the biggest drawback with
them has always been staying healthy.
For some reason, nobody stays healthy.
But again, the defense is awesome.
They've got a lot of fast kids.
They got to figure out what's going on
with Shane Pinto though.
Yeah, like, I don't know why I'm not as
high on the senators as I am on the
sabers.
Because their goaltending is actually a
little better.
Their defense is arguably the same,
slightly better.
Yeah.
Forward-wise, I would take, I think, the
sabers over the sends.
Not put anything against
first line, I think, is a weird thing,
but...
Yeah, not to put anything against Stootsl
or Kachak, but, you know, Thompson's
cousins, like those two right there can
kind of equal them out, not to mention
Peyton Krebs and all that.
So with the sends, I think they're just,
they're still a step behind.
Yeah, I mean, we'll see what happens with
like, Batherson's obviously a weird
question mark.
We don't know what's going on there.
Teresanko will see how he turns things
around in Ottawa.
I don't know.
It's I like I've been trying to get into
this.
Like I live here in Ottawa, so I want this
team to do well.
And, you know, all the people that keep
chirping me, they're like, oh, you know,
looking forward to a real battle of
Ontario now.
Like it's shaping up to be a good match
up, you know.
So I try, I'm trying, but I think it's
mostly the defensive end that's got me
more confident in how they'll do this
year.
Just a bit more support for these kids up
front.
Moving on, Detroit Red Wings, who have $5
million of cap space and not much else.
I mean, Dylan Larkin and Alex Debrinca and
Andrew Cobb.
Oh my God, I forgot Justin Hall is there
with Sherat, Gostis, Barrow, Hall, Jake
Wallman, Olly Matta, Jeff Petrie, and
Moritz Seider.
What a strange defense court.
Mort Sider's a stud.
Like, he is like the second coming up
Nicholas Gronwald with how nasty he is.
But he's only 22 and he is still
offensively talented as well.
Like, I think they've got a stud with
Sider.
for sure, but you're surrounding him with
Jeff Petrie, Ben Chirott, Shane Gostis,
Baron Justin Hall.
Yeah.
You're probably looking at a like a Chirot
with more at Sider to be on your top line
and then probably Goss's Spare Hall and
then probably other Holy Mata with Petri
or Walman with Petri.
Yeah, that's a very expensive third pair
of defense.
Like they're paying all of these guys over
three million dollars except Jeff Petrie
and Mort Cider.
So I don't like how this team's
constructed.
Like they're lucky that Larkin has taken
8.7 million because my god they need the
money to fill out the rest of this team.
Well, and you know, this is the last year
with Lucas Raymond under a million as
well.
So it's, it's really interesting to see
the build of this team compared to what
Aijerman did with the lightning when he
was there.
Yeah, like everyone's expiring except
Larkin to Brinket, Cop, Comfor, and that's
kind of it.
I mean, Sherat's got a couple more years,
but yeah.
and Fabri have next year as well, but.
Yeah.
But I mean, really, you've got like David
Perron this year, Daniel Sprong, Michael
Rasmussen, Christian Fischer, Lucas
Raymond, Joseph Villano, like all these
guys, cider, like everyone's expiring at
the end of the James Reimer you only have
for this year.
Like they have to make a lot of decisions
and it seems like they have no direction.
which again is surprising for a team under
Steve Iserman.
Okay, second last, Montreal Canadiens.
They're about as good as their logo, a
toilet seat.
That's about it.
the things
Yeah, like the things that I want to watch
this year are did they make a horrible
pick with your ice love Kovsky?
is Arbor Jack I get to be the biggest pain
in the ass defenseman for us and We didn't
even make the He's not even on their team
here seeing the miners Yeah, he went to
the miners damn Yeah, I don't know what
this team's doing yeah
Yep.
Because he's waiver exempt, I don't know.
Harrison, Justin Barron, and Caden Gouli.
That's wild.
in Norlander.
And Rheinbacher, what are they doing?
Weird.
Yeah, I don't know what this fucking
team's doing.
Josh Anderson and company.
Yeah, I'm not expecting much out of this
team.
Alex Newhook is an interesting addition.
Sean Monahan's there for another year.
Like there's potential, but it just seems
like everybody's either too young or from
the last iteration of this team, like
Brennan Gallagher.
Like Gallagher seems like a holdover from
the last.
team that just like, like not there's
nothing against him.
It's just, it seems like they're keeping
him to be nice, but he doesn't fit into
what they're trying to do at all.
Yeah, neither does Josh Anderson.
You know, both those guys late in the
year, like, they're not really serving a
purpose.
They're not competitive at this point in
time.
Um, you know, same with, like, I guess
Jake Evans is kind of on the outside of
that as well.
Just doesn't really seem to be right.
Like if you want to rebuild, you got to
give these kids the ice time.
And it seems like they're just having it
eaten up by, by guys that, you know, Joel
Armia and Josh Anderson and Brennan
Gallagher and Tanner Pearson.
Like, like, I don't understand David
Savard.
Like, why are you keeping David Savard at
three and a half million dollars and
sending Arbor Jack guy down?
Like that doesn't make sense to me.
No.
Was that?
be shit and just give these guys like the
time that it's not even like you're
ruining Jack guys development.
He played with you last year when you were
garbage.
You've already established like he's going
to be here.
Gouli in the lineup in terms of being only
19 or 21?
So you have a couple other younger guys
who could still probably get some reps in
the minors before coming up.
It just seems odd right now by St.
Louis with these lineups.
Yeah, they've got some overage guys on
their HL to just like.
You know, 27, 30 year old guys like it's
just I don't know that the whole
construction of this team seems odd.
Like I said, I like some of the picks,
obviously, Caulfield and Suzuki are great.
Slavkovsky could be something.
Gouli and Jack are fun, like even Michael
Matheson is fun to watch.
But like.
I don't know.
It's rough because I like, again, when
Montreal and Ottawa are competitive with
the Leafs, it just keeps things
interesting geographically.
Being a fan here, and there's so many
Canadians fans, it's more exciting to have
something to cheer against, but it's such
a down era for the Canadians, and it's
kind of depressing to watch.
year is, you know, if Caulfield can stay
healthy for the year, can he hit 40 this
year?
Like, I think he could probably easily,
but for him staying healthy, he's just
entering his new contract as well at 785,
so.
And who do they got in net?
Jake Allen, Sam Montenbo, and Caden Primo.
Yeah, man.
It's just the Ferris wheel of who's
healthy.
Yeah, Montembeau played great for Canada
at the World Championships this past year.
She do have that, but it's gonna be a
rough year, I think, for Habs fans.
Another rough year, I mean, fuck, they
were 31, 45 and six last year with a minus
75 gold differential.
And like, I don't see them getting much
better.
Tell that to the Patriots.
they can handle a couple of rough years.
Speaking of a couple rough years...
We have finally made it all the way around
the league and landed on the Toronto Maple
Leafs who have used 11.4 million LTIR to
be $94 million of players as we speak.
So what do we think?
I mean, what's there to talk about with
the Leafs that we haven't already
throughout the course of this storyline
wise?
I mean, there've been some interesting
changes as far as like...
Lafferty going out and Jarncrook not
getting a ton of preseason time with
injury and now we've got Cowan, Knies,
Mint and McCann all on the roster like
Where do we start?
at a point seeing right now is something
we probably want to see over time is in
terms of the team has really held Pat in
terms of the basis and you know, we call
it the core four, but you know, we held on
to kerf with for four years we had hall
for four years we've had a lot of these
guys and you know, as the regime changed
over those contracts expired and it left
the door open to bring in some new faces
so.
Obviously adding Brutusi, Domi, Klingberg,
and Reeves.
It's definitely changed up a lot of the
makeup of the team in terms of what we had
in the reserves for talent.
We're bringing in a lot of younger guys.
Bobby McMahon's also one of those guys
who's currently on the 13-man roster for
forwards.
So we're gonna see some young energy in
the bottom six.
We're gonna see hopefully a bottom six
that's gonna produce and not just play
that.
stand pad and whatever Dubis was able to
get out of the bargain bin.
And honestly, it's going to be exciting
because it does feel like we've had a
facelift while still keeping the Core 4.
So I think it's going to be great this
year.
That's all.
That's a really good point that we're not
watching, you know, the Nick Aubie, who
bells and the Zach Ashton Reese's and the
Jimmy VCs or whoever the hell he's found
in the bargain bin that off season to fill
out the bottom six and we actually get to
see, I mean, to do with his credit, people
that he picked in Eastern Gowan, Matt Nyes
and Fraser Minton.
So, you know, see, um,
Um, really.
Sorry, he loosened the jar and somebody
else opened it.
Like it was all his work that got there.
And he, but you know what I mean.
I'm wondering if, is this a sign of maybe
how much of a whole dubious hat on the
team?
Cause the fact that from what I, outside
of perspective, I'm not an NHL player, but
I look at this and I say, Hey, Keith saw
enough out of these kids to force Trey
Living to move Lafferty.
basically said, look, we've got enough
here.
We don't need him, no offense to Lafferty,
but move him, whereas in the past, is that
the kind of thing that Dubas would have
been like, no, he's staying, I brought him
here, he's staying, the kids can go down
for another year.
Yeah, I feel like there was always a
hesitation under Dubas to give ice time to
any of these prospects.
Like we hear these names over and over.
Like I feel like I've been hearing about
some of these guys for like four or five
years now.
Like Nick Robertson, we've been hearing
about Forever, Nyes, like Niemela, like
all these guys, these names have been
floating around and then we never get to
see them play.
And it feels like all of a sudden they're
23 years old and that's it.
They never made it.
So I hope that now, you know, right away
we're seeing 18, 19 year olds make the
Leafs lineup.
And we haven't seen that since.
to that is we traded first round picks to
alleviate some bad contracts that we had
from former GMs.
If you look back, so Robertson was the
one, couldn't stay healthy.
The guy has 82 pro games split over three
years in both the minors and pro, so it's
hard to see him.
You've got, unfortunately, with our one
first overall pick who passed away.
So there wasn't really the chance to get
those.
The first guy who kind of cracked it, or
even had the opportunity, was Matthew
Nyes.
Because a lot of the other guys were also
European players, so they have to stay
over, I think in Europe.
I think that's the rule, right?
They can't even come over and play AHL
hockey until a certain point.
Well, actually, the Europeans have the
most flexibility.
But sorry, but with the kids, a lot of
times it's better to keep them over there
with the closer to their families and the
system they're used to until you're ready
for them over here.
you know, Neyemullah and Hervenin and a
lot of those guys have kind of stayed over
and then, you know, so we haven't really
had a chance to see it's like our first
kind of crack at it was actually Nides.
And then Minton last year, you know,
showing what he can in both, both the
rookie tournament and then Pre-Z and
actually gain a gain a roster spot for
opening night, which would, which is
insane because it kind of came out of left
field.
And then Easton Cowan actually still being
able to stick with the team at this
standpoint.
And I guess really like Pontus Holmberg
was somebody that we drafted that started
to crack into the lineup that they tried
out.
But I mean, I'm looking here at some of
these guys like Alex Steeves is 23
already.
Keith Petruzzelli is 24.
I know goalies are a little different, but
I don't know.
It just seems like as soon as Dewis was
gone, we started taking a look at
everything in the system a lot more
seriously as potential Leafs lineup
instead of just like.
you know, how's our prospect pool because
we're probably going to have to trade
people for something to make a playoff
push.
Like they seem more like assets to the
team instead of trade commodities now.
I think every year it's like, okay, who
are our young prospects that are going to
maybe have a chance at it?
And then it's like, yeah, we do bring in
the Nick Albacobel, the Zac Asin Reese.
And, you know, unfortunately, with
injuries, you see Bobby McMahon and be
like, this guy's been playing in our minor
system and this guy's a firecracker every
shift.
And there's nothing you root more for than
him to score a goal.
And it's kind of you.
have a sense of, I guess, connection with
some of the minor guys and kind of follow
them through there.
And it's nice to see it versus somebody
who just comes out of the field from
another team.
Well, yeah, I mean, like people could
argue that bringing in Jake McKay about $2
million, it's like, why couldn't we give
the $2 million to Sandeen?
You know, it's like in the past, we've
just been looking at people like that.
You know, we give them a chance.
We get them playing great.
They're good.
OK, try deadline.
Let's move them out for something to make
this push.
So.
Completely different style of defensemen
though
Yeah, McCabe makes you hate Go I was just
gonna say McCabe makes you hate playing in
our zone
likes to.
Sorry.
Yeah, Sandeen likes to try the body, but
he doesn't have the physical size to play
that style of game.
I'm just saying, there's some decisions
that now that
I loved Sandman.
It's not like I'm sitting here talking
about Justin Hall.
Well, I know, but now that I'm looking at
this, and we've got Brody, Klingberg,
McCabe for $11 million total, it's like
there was a way to make Sandeen work in
there instead of this combo of Klingberg
and McCabe.
Like, I don't know.
It seems like, but again, we've got Cowan
now out of it, so it's not a bad thing.
If you're complaining about Jake McCabe at
$2 million, you've been reading too much
of Steve Simmons' work.
Hey, look, I'm interested to see a season
of Jake McCabe because he was very back
and forth in my opinion, but we'll see.
McCabe on defense, Leafs, we got a Domey
and a McCabe.
It's just, you know, my mind's going
places.
We've been talking all day about fathers
and sons, so like names, right?
Yeah.
Anyway, I think just to close out the
Leafs, there's a ton of new faces, like
we've said.
We've got a new system under a new GM.
Same coach, but things look different.
So I think it's gonna be exciting.
We've kind of outlined how every matchup
kind of has at least something
interesting.
A lot of the Atlantic is gonna be a lot
more highly contested, I think, for the
Leafs, just kind of taking advantage of a
lot of slow starts.
And then...
It'll just be the Leafs ahead of the pack,
everybody fighting for two, three, four, I
think.
I'm hoping.
would be nice.
What are your picks for the Atlantic here?
Like I've got just because of, like I
said, these slow starts for the other
teams, I've got the Leafs first and then,
I don't know, between Tampa, Florida and
Boston, I don't know who's gonna come out
second, third, fourth.
then I've got Boston, Tampa, and then I
actually have the Senators, then the
Panthers, Sabres, Red Wings, Canadians.
Okay.
That would mean the sends go up another,
they could get an extra like 10, 15 points
maybe, 10, 12 points.
That's believable.
probably very solid in their top nine.
I think they can push for it.
I think the Panthers are going to
struggle.
Barofsky is going to be a question mark.
They're not going to ride the back of Alex
Lyon.
They get the bin there in the first place.
And I just think it's the Senators and
Panthers are going to be battling for that
final spot.
I think the Senators kind of...
and make that little jump.
I think somehow Tampa will still manage to
come out second under the Leafs.
And then Boston and then...
Oh, you know what?
Toronto, Tampa, Boston.
I'm going, I think it's still Florida.
I don't think Buffalo in the sense can, I
honestly think it's gonna be pretty much
the same after that as last year.
Like I don't think Buffalo and Ottawa make
enough of a push to overtake Florida.
What do you think, Justin?
I think Buffalo comes up and knocks
Florida out of it.
We've got one on Ottawa, one on Buffalo,
and one on Florida.
Okay, I like it.
Yeah.
But yeah, aside from that Toronto, Tampa,
Boston, like as much as I see a drop off
from both Tampa and Boston, I don't see it
being that drastic that they're not going
to be up there.
The rest of the division is so meh and
still rebuilding, so I don't see them
being enough of a disaster to fall beyond
second or third.
Ha ha.
Well, that does it.
That's a two hour and 20 minute show.
Holy shit, thanks guys.
Anything we want to close off here with
Chris, where can people find you?
call it Twitter anymore?
Do we call it just X?
It's funny, I was reading an article and
they refer to it as Twitter because I
think most people that aren't on it still
know it as Twitter.
And if you call it X, they get confused.
But you can find me on Twitter at Chris
underscore Hurley10.
Is it?
Hell yeah.
Justin, will you be reporting from a
different place on Wednesday after the
game?
Um, no, I will be home.
I am home all this week.
Next week I am away on overnights and then
at this point in time that those are
planned to be my last overnights for the
rest of this calendar year.
I'm kind of kind of trying to take a break
from the crazy travel this year has been
insane.
Oh, I don't blame you.
Well, I am working Wednesday.
I should be home during the game, though,
so we'll still hop on for posty.
And it'll be our first regular season post
game.
And it's leaps and haves for some garbage
time.
First game.
Love it.
Just because that's the way it works.
You know, probably.
Yeah.
and hammer the Anderson anytime goal
because he always scores against the
Leafs.
Who's getting the first goal of the Leafs
season?
Oooooooh
Ooh, I like this.
Who's getting the first goal of the Leaf
season?
going to go weird.
I'm pretty sure.
Was last year's first goal marked
Giridano?
I'm going to put down Timothy Lillagren
first to score.
Yeah.
Lily.
As much as I really, really want to say
Domi, like every ounce of me wants to say
Domi, I kind of have a feeling that's
going to be nice.
He was pissed that he got knocked out of
the playoffs, and he's just going to come
out blazing.
Frozen there, Roscoe.
I'm no, I'm just looking.
I was trying to find the stat on who
scored the first, but I can only find how
many first goals people got.
Ba-ba-bum.
Who did they play their first game
against?
I want to find this now.
Montreal.
Um, here.
Here, Leafs, oh my god, Leafs lost 4-3.
You fucker.
bunting head first this season.
Michael Bunting.
Yeah.
Dennis Mulligan had the second and then
Neelander with the third.
So I'm gonna go with Kelly Yarncroak.
Callie Yarncrook scores the first goal of
the season.
Because I feel like he's going to find
himself in a easier situation to get one
in than Matthew's going up against
Gallagher and Anderson.
assisted by Nye's and Minton.
Yeah, I could see that.
I'd love to see a really.
Hell yeah.
Oh yeah, what do we think now that we've
got some switching up of who's making the
opening night roster, what do we think the
lines look like?
Look in here, they got Nye's, Mitten,
Yarncroak, Camp Reeves, Cowan, I guess?
I could see that.
Then Matthew's Marner in Dirt Bag, and
Tavara's Nylander in Domey.
I think it's gonna be McMahon.
I don't know if I like Camp Reeves and
Cowan.
Which is also the fact that, I was going
to say, because they haven't signed Noah
Greger, and it seemed like all signs were
pointing to that on his PTO.
He's probably playing fourth line.
Yeah.
And then what Ryan Reeves is the extra.
It just seems like we have five people for
the fourth line now.
you start bringing in guys.
You try out these Cowan and Frazer for
their nine games, then send them back to
the CHL so they can just absolutely
dominate, make Team Canada, and then sign
Noah Greger and probably bring up Nicky
Bobby to come play.
Fair enough.
All right.
I hate to rush out of here, but I got to
work in the morning.
So thanks guys for doing this show.
This is fantastic.
Well, if you're listening, you can watch
it.
And if you're watching, you can listen to
it.
I'm going to cut this up so it's easier to
digest and some other parts.
And if you want, you can watch the whole
video in two and a half hours.
So thank you so much guys for all the
support and let's get ready for the 2023,
2024 leaf season.
Yay.
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