What was it like sitting in the box while that penalty was being killed? Obviously, I'd like to thank the guys after I saw him. Long, really long, really, really long. Miserable. I hate it every second of it. You've heard of the car cast well meet the walk cast welcome to 32 thoughts the podcast Presented by the GMC Sierra elevation. Elliot Friedman on his way back to the hotel from the American Airlines Center where Connor McDavid almost ended it in the first overtime and then did In the second overtime, Edmonton draws first blood in this best of seven against the Dallas Stars. 3-2 is the final. And geez I don't even know where to point to to begin to tell the story of this game, Elliot. Oh yeah. And down and around and over and out the door and around the block where do you

Begin with this one. What a great game. Fantastic game and a great atmosphere. The building in Dallas was tremendous. It was really a great night of just watching hockey. I guess you got to start with McDavid, right? Aaron Sorkin couldn't have written a better ending than this one. David having the first overtime he did, getting the double liner for high sticking, having the one chance that... Bye. You know, like I said on the air, Jeff, there isn't anyone on God's green earth who didn't think he wasn't going to score there. But he thought he was gonna score. Autinger made a hell of a play, but so did Tana. I think it's like I'm just still watching the highlight and it's been almost an hour since that play happened. I still can't believe he didn't score.

And then of course he finds a way to score the overtime winner on a great play by Evan Bouchard. So, I mean. It was really an incredible night. You know, the tan of Lindell pear. Gave up two goals at even strength in the first 13 games of the playoffs. And the Oilers got them three times tonight and And... yeah. I don't think it's fair to say they stole the game. I think they were the better team. For most of the game and again they grinded one out. Bye, bye. That's a great win for the Oilers. - It really is. Now, sticking with McDavid, was there not a part of you, and I know it was towards the end of Conor McDavid's shift, but... When Essel and Dell caught him on that breakaway, did part of you say, Mmm, what's going on? Is that a Fox 40? Is that the call?

In the background there, Elliot. Um, when Esalindel caught him on that breakaway. Part of you say, Uh-oh, what's up with McDavid? - You know what, Jeff? There's the old line, nobody's 100% at this point in the playoffs. But yes, I think people, Vancouver defended him really well. really well. Really well, but Canucks deserve a lot of credit for the game plan that they put together And I'm sure Dallas is copying some of that, but I think it's fair to ask if there is something a little bit deeper here. Now, McDavid had been on the ice for a minute before that happened, but. We're so used to him being superhuman, Jeff, that while we would accept that about most players, we don't accept that about Connor McDavid. Yeah, I think there's a lot of people wondering if something is going on here, but it's not

Excuses about it and if we ask him you know he's gonna give us that there that can literally melt skin off your body. - Hmm, yes, a couple of things. - You're the goaltending. Stuart Skinner stops to dawn off on the breakaway in the first period. Stops Warren Fogle on the breakaway in the first period it's nothing nothing after the first period and the thing about this game Like the goalies were both really good but also the one thing about Edmonton that I was really impressed by is how much they pushed it. Like they're on the road and they really pushed, you know, dry sidle scores, Hyman scores. And Ossegan comes back to tie this thing. He scores a pair of goals, but right after Tyler Ossegan scores that goal that makes it 2-2, what happens? Dylan Holloway, Breakaway, Speed, Oilers pressing, Oilers pushing and they were Elliott the entire

Or a game. Like I don't want to take anything away from Dallas. Like that's an excellent team. I was just super impressed with Edmonton. Seven games of the Vancouver Canucks. It feels like the game seven just wrapped up about 10 minutes ago, and there were the Oilers pushing, pushing, pushing all game long. Yeah, I can't. Completely agree with you. Dallas was the rest of team and I didn't even think they were dopey. Like sometimes teams get off for a week and they look dopey. I don't think that was the case. I think Edmonton just wrestled this one away from them for a good chunk. By my theory that Ottinger knew the Holloway move on his breakaway attempt. Yeah, I saw you based on what happened previous. I believe... That goal tenders have a breakaway and shootout book, at least goal tending instructors do and goalie coaches do,

book and a shootout book on everybody in the NHL. I really do. So I believe that theory. Every goalie knows everyone else's tendencies. I think that's your job as an NHL goaltender. I know the goalie coaches are very specific about it too. And so I thought that one there, but to me, the heroes of the night were Edmonton's. Penalty killers. You know, the penalty for 5 to 1, the 4 minute kill in overtime. The whole building thought Roberts had scored on that one that hit the post. It was. Like the penalty killers did an incredible job. Those must have seemed like the longest four minutes of McDavid's life. But, you know, like, there were no passengers for Edmonton in this one. At all. That was a full team win and you know again they...

You know, Darnell nurse in the morning was asked about 2022 and he talked about how they Didn't understand what they were getting into when they reached the Western final against Colorado. He said it was over basically before it started. They never knew what hit them, and we're different now. They're showing that. The Oilers are winning games in these playoffs that you don't think of typical. Oilers hockey. You think of typical Oilers hockey as run and gun, beautiful. Goals McDavid and Drysidel scoring to get them out of any trouble. And in this series and last series, they're grinding. Um, hey. You know, they're not getting a ton of different people scoring, but... At the very least, they're battling everyone to a standstill. And you know that's

That's what you do in the playoffs. This team has come a long way in a very short time. Grind out victories more consistently than they did. Now that all of that said, this series is far from over. Oh I have a theory on Hintz. I think he's a game or two away. I think Dallas was kind of. Thinking if they won game one, you could rest them until game three. If you remember when Colorado won the cup, you know, category, and I think. A hand thing for hands. I don't know exactly what, like a hand wrist thing. Remember, Cadry got hurt and broke his thumb or whatever he did. Like, they kept him out and they brought him back when they... They thought they were in trouble in the final. But because they don't, yes.

We scored because they dominated Edmonton. They, they didn't have to rush and they. Could hold on for a little bit in the final. I think it was like 17 days before Kadri came back. I don't know what Hintz's injury is, so I don't know how it compares. The things I remember Colorado talking about them was the good position they were in they could buy time so you know - DeBoer says Hint is close. He said hopefully game two. Now that they've lost game one. And one-- if Dallas is going to say, all right, Rupay time. Wouldn't surprise me at all. To bring their number one center back. You know, I probably should have asked you this off the start of our conversation, but you know, being a bad host and all. Is Dallas like give us give us a scene set here like set up like what this game man what the vibe is the high

Team in the city, the atmosphere, all of it. Stick to the thermometer in Dallas right now for us. Well, it's a great time for Dallas sports. The Mavericks are in the Western Conference. Conference final of the NBA. And so it was it was interesting on Thursday. I took an early flight from Toronto, 8.40am, landing at, I think we landed at 11. And 10 local and we got in and in the afternoon it was like a monsoon here and a whole bunch of people Who were flying in, they got rerouted to Houston or Austin. in. 'cause there were some big storms. So it was a tough travel day for some people. Um. We were out for dinner on Wednesday night, and they were watching, in the restaurant, they were watching the Mavericks game, which they won.

Like people were yelling, Maverick's tonight stars tomorrow. Maverick's tonight stars tomorrow. Like they are in a sports frenzy here right now. And... Building tonight was fantastic. I mean, there were a few Oilers jerseys there I saw, probably about 10, but I saw. Patrick Sharp jersey tonight. Nice. I saw a Joe Newendyke. I saw a Medano, but everyone here wears jerseys and it was electric in that building. It was it's going to be 36 on Saturday, Jeff. Now we have a 15 minute walk from. Hotel the rink. It's a nice little walk. I did it today. It was like 28 in my suit and I was okay People are saying to me, there is no way you are walking on Saturday. And you know what I'm going to do, Jeff?

You know I'm going to walk it. Don't man. You're going to be dripping. You're going to get to the rink. They're going to get you onto the set with a soup spoon. You're going to be just. By the way, that will only be the second stupidest thing I do on this trip if I'm lucky. This game won. I didn't even notice my suit was blue and the tie was orange until I put it on and be X's light in our rehearsal, which is 90 minutes before we're on air. The X's like, you can't wear that. He said even the Oilers wouldn't wear suits looking like that. To the game tonight. So to balance it, I have a Dallas Stars pen. I use my Dallas Stars pen to make notes to prove that I have. - This is what happens when you don't listen to Deb Berman. -She did it! -Stop freestyling. She dressed you in Oilers colors? She-- she didn't realize it either.

I argue with Deb Berman. - No, no one does. No one should. - If she told me to wear a toga, I'd wear a toga. So she gave me this, and I don't think we realized it. Get to a game seven in the cup final. You're going Toga. You're going Belushi style. Okay, I have a job for you I've just discovered. As you're running down the Dallas Stars jersey, as you saw in the crowd. I have a job for you for the next podcast. I want you game. To Saturday night to find the most obscure Dallas Stars jersey in the crowd. Okay. I'll see what I can do. I want you to have like a quick little peek, hunt around, take a couple of pictures if you have to find the most obscure Dallas stars name. That is my job for you. Game 2 Elliott Saturday. Hockey night in Canada. Can't wait for this one. Game 1 was a beauty. Okay, as we like to say,

News on the March Elliot, let's get to a new segment a little bit later on We will talk about the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers but time For as we call it the latest and the latest involves the general manager of the carolina hurricanes don. Waddell and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elliott, what do you hear? What do you know? Well, I was working on this all day and Pierre Le Brun to his credit and my great consternation got it. Before I did that Waddell had permission to talk to other teams. A couple of things to note here. This is not unusual behavior by the hurricanes. Waddell's in the last year of his contract. You'll remember when Dougie Hamilton was an unrest... Good for you, agent. They allowed him to talk to teams well before July 1st. because

as they knew they weren't gonna resign him for what he wanted. And they just said, You're free to talk to other people. So this is standard procedure for the hurricanes. One hurricane fan I know whose work I really like is Corey Schneider whose Twitter handle is Down the line and he made a very fair point that this is. It kind of happened with Waddell and the hurricanes before, where he's, where they weren't sure he was going to come back and he's met with. Other teams. It happened with Minnesota a few years ago before they hired Bill Garron and he... Was kind of thinking, is this this kind of thing again, or is it more serious? I'll say this, I believe this is different. I believe this is more serious. I believe. There is a very good chance that

Waddell will not be back with the hurricanes. And the reason I believe that is because I'm hearing that. The organization is sending out signals that they will have a GM search. Um. Thank you. You know, in the past it was always like, you know, we'll see, we'll see what happens. Oh, he might be back. This feels different. Now, maybe that'll change, but it's different. Definitely more of a level I've heard than I've heard in the past that Waddell could be leaving. I reported he interviewed in Columbus on Thursday. He wouldn't confirm that. The Blue Jackets wouldn't confirm that. People seem to know about it that it happened. And I do think he's a legitimate contender there. And one of the reasons I think he's a legitimate contender is

'cause Columbus is looking for somebody with experience. He certainly has it. Columbus is looking for potentially a top -- Hockey person, which he's been. And also, I think they could be making business-- too and Wedell is a very sharp businessman so You know, I don't know exactly what this is going to end up being if he ends up there, because we're still waiting on the possibility the Blue Jackets couldn't talk to other people. But I do believe he's a serious contender for a job there, a big job. There and I think the hurricanes know it. So I -- I think the hurricanes are preparing to do either a search, like to me. Is to just promote Eric Tulsky. He's a big decision maker there anyway. And, you know. I think everybody knows how the hurricanes work internally.

At the GM position there, but everybody knows that Tulski has a big influence on decisions they make. Tom Dunn didn't really trust him. So to me, it seems obvious. And I wonder who now. Recognizing there's only 32 of these jobs available and they are coveted, I wonder how some people would feel like if Eric... He's there and everybody knows he has a big voice, why would you bring in somebody over top of him? But I've heard At the very least, the hurricanes are considering doing an external search. Know how this is all going to end but it's definite to me that... The hurricanes are preparing for a new regime. To me, it would make the most sense to give him that position. He's been there a lot. Time he understands how the organization works I don't think many if any moves get made without him

At least weighing in on it. One thing to remember too, he's already interviewed and gone deep in the process for both the Chicago general manager job that went to pal Davidson and the Pittsburgh Penguins job, which inevitably went to Kyle Dubas. Eyes on that situation very much. - I would also say this, Jeff, and I was talking about this with someone. From another organization on Thursday is that if Dundon values Tulski, and I believe he does. Does he worry that he will upset Tulsky if he doesn't promote him? I don't know. I don't know that I don't know that it would for Eric Tolsky, but I could see that I Could definitely look at that I think human nature, you know, I think I can't speak for Tolsky. I don't know him well enough to speak for him. But human--

Nature being what it is. I know a lot of people who would be upset by that. This concludes the walkcast part of the podcast. What you're about to hear next is the remainder of the news segment. We recorded this earlier on Thursday afternoon. Enjoy. You know we're all wondering as well what the changes are going to be on the ice for the Carolina Hurricanes one of the players Who is a? Directed free agent has arbitration rights, Martin Neches. I think we wonder about his future. You've talked about him probably being in another market next season. Could there be a fit in Boston there? Are you talking about an Almark move or something like that? Goalie for winger, sir. Goalie for winger. So. I can't remember what we said after the deadline, although I'm pretty sure we talked about it.

There was something going on with the Bruins and another Eastern Conference team, a contender about Allmark. I can't remember what we said exactly, so it's really good to dive into the shallow end here without remembering what we discussed. Very responsible of us, yes. But I do believe the Bruins and the Hurricanes talked about an all-mark deal. Now, I don't know if it involved Natius, but I do think they talked about something. And I can't remember if we specifically mentioned the Bruins at the time or not, but we definitely talked about something. With Allmark and an Eastern Conference team. Now, number one, it has to be recognized. I think it's important to recognize that Al Mark would have to be able to go there, and I don't know where Carolina is or is not on his list. Believe it's something these two teams talked about. You know the whole Neches thing, you know, Don Waddell poured a little bit of cold water on it at the season ending media conference. But...

This is why I don't let my family do interviews, because I'm afraid of what they all say. Neches' dad went out in a check interview and basically. Said, yeah, it's time, which is something that I think a few people have suspected for a while. I do think it's likely-- Gets moved. I just think that him and the hurricanes don't see each other in the same value. We'll see how it all works out. I mean, on paper. Or that makes sense to me, Jeff, but just talking on paper, I think there's a lot of teams that are going to be looking at Natius and trying to... Find out what he wants and he's a good player and you know Carolina's going to have some options here. I did have someone say to me that they Were willing to bet me a nice steak dinner that there's no way that Carolina buys out caught konniemi.

Got a player there and they've just got to figure out how to make it work. But you know, We'll see. We brought it up in the last pod. We'll see where it goes. Jeff, one more thing about Natius. Do you remember when all that Patterson drama hit about whether he was going to sign and not sign and Vancouver talked with Carolina? Well, of course, yeah. Yeah, that was an interesting time, Elliot. So, Natius was in that deal. - Yep. - Okay. And Pedersen in our interview with him said he never thought he was going to get dealt. But Natius was in that deal. And I... I just wonder if there's something there still. If one of the ways that Vancouver and, you know. If Nate Chas is going to be moved, and I know it's not for Patterson, obviously, let's not go down that road.

But I wonder if there's an HSD deal to be made there with Vancouver. Like let's just say like Like Carolina's got a lot of D that they need to sign like, you know, what if they? Look at someone like Ronak is making more sense for them. Like that's the kind of thing I'm wondering about now. I had someone who bet me a steak dinner. They heard us talking about caught. Can you have me in a buyout? Mm-hmm Said to me, Eliot, I will bet you a delicious steak dinner. A delicious steak dinner. The Kaka Nyemi does not get bought out because the hurricane Gaines is an organization like him and he said you know what other organizations do too and the Canucks might be one of them. So, you know, we'll see, we'll see what happens here, but there'll be a lot to talk about.

That's for sure. Okay, since we mentioned Lina Solomarke a couple of seconds ago, Ellie, let's transition to Boston. And all the heavyweights were out there front and center. And it's pretty clear the message is first, everyone's staying. Second of all, they're going to be aggressive trying to change up this team. Not have been overly satisfied with losing in the second round, but I'm not, I don't know too many people who picked them to go there. In the last podcast we did, we talked about Elias Lindholm and how he's a player they liked. Before he got to... Traded to Vancouver. So I am expecting them to be in on him if he hits the market. Someone else said to me throw Chandler Stevenson's name in there. I think there's a lot of people expecting that

And will be on Boston's radar. People definitely believe Boston's gonna get a Bruins say they're going to do something. They tend to do it, and they tend to attract good players to them because they're generally Well-run organization. So I think there's, you know, whether it's Lindholm or Stevenson or somebody we're missing right now, there's definitely a belief Boston is going to do something. Here down the middle as they have promised. Now, right, lean home. Let's tie this into Vancouver. We thought, again, I don't want to go too much into Vancouver because we talked about them at length on Monday. But you know, Linholm, there was a pretty funny interaction. Between Linholm and JT Miller when Linholm was asked about it and he played it smart.

He wasn't pouring any gasoline on the fire. He said, I really haven't thought about it. And Miller kind of made a joke about, I'd like to hear what you have to say here. And I think be specific. It's no secret that you're a free agent heading into the summer here. Looking for in a deal and did you have enough fun to return to Vancouver? Be really specific. Had that line be specific which I thought was pretty good I have heard There's been a bit of a full chord press by I don't know if it's one Canuck player or a couple. On Lynn Holm, you know, what's it going to take to keep you here, Elias? So I. I think the Canuck players look there's a lot of choices they're gonna have to make there and it's it was very clear from the end of season media conference that those guys really like playing with each other.

Which is always a good sign, but I do think a- Of the guys have tried to sell linholm on trying to find a way to make it work They saw his value in the post season. So we'll see. We'll see where that goes. Like Zadorov was. Funny I think he's planning on touring with Shane Gillis this summer Zdorov opening for Shane Gillis, the way he's going in these media conferences now. Okay. That was great. Edmonton media. That was great. You know, it's really funny. Like one of the things I've learned about all these kinds of media conferences, when you have a team like Vancouver that had a really good year, so you're talking 48 hours after a really emotional defeat to end your year and...

Everybody loves playing with everybody else. And they look at each other and they say, Boy, I really love playing with this group and I really love playing with these guys. I've always said in a Canadian city, you know, the risks are high, but the rewards are high. And those players are seeing the rewards right now about how good it is. Is to be in Vancouver when you're a good team. And they're all sitting there saying, Oh, I'd like to find a way to make it work and I'd-- love to stay and they do mean it. Like they're not lying. They'd love to make it work. Then the agents get involved, they're like, Hey, okay, we've got to think about the business here. That's what my job is to take the emotion out of it and think about the business. Present options like they'll say hey well this is what we can do to stay but you have To be aware about, you know, these are the options you're going to have out here and this is what you can get and this is what you

Are gonna be leaving on the table like Jeff. I remember years ago remember sandy Alomar the catcher from the From force. Yeah. So I was in a scrum once when Cleveland came to play Toronto and he. Was talking about resigning with the team and he said he fired his agent who kept on telling him. You know, you can sign for more. You can sign for more. You can sign for more elsewhere. Yeah. And I said to him, out of curiosity, isn't that his job to warn you about that kind of thing? Said yes, but he wouldn't shut up about it. Finally, I just said enough, 'cause I want it to stay. But, you know, that's what the... What the agent's job is then now. So we're gonna go from the emotion of it to the business of it here. - Well, you'll notice the first thing that Lindholm did was he said, Well, I'm gonna talk to my agent.

Like right away it was deferred to the agent. Stop asking me questions and you JT Miller, you be quiet too. - Emko stopped laughing. - No, it was fun. - I would bet Miller was one of the guys saying to Lin Holm, Hey, what's it gonna take here? I bet. But why not? That's not an easy guy to say no to. But why not? Like they just had a wonderful season. Like Rick Talkett, their head coach, just won the Jack Adams and Patrick Alveen is up for GM of the year. And they made it deep into the second round, got to a game seven, the market was energized again. Like it's been a, like just think about what someone like JT Miller has gone through in Vancouver. And to come out right now, like how would he not want to keep the band together? Like that's what I always think of like the players that win. Through the really, really lean dark years and we're almost jettisoned themselves. Like once they get a taste of success, they want to

Keep everybody together. So would it surprise me at all if JT Miller was leading the charge to keep everyone together? No, not for a second. But then think about what happened. Or he's been with this team. Totally makes sense. Totally makes sense. - I thought it was interesting how some of those guys refuse to point out their injuries. You know, Ronick, it's been. Back to you. Ian Cole, you know, there was another guy, you know, like that guy played his heart out for them this year, was a really good player, had a really tough playoff. Would have been very easy for him to blame the injuries. Nope. I really respected that about Cole in that. Situation. Patterson was very interesting because, you know, he said something, he talked about this being quite a year and we talked On the last pod and I do believe it. I think this summer when he doesn't have to think about the

have to think about anything else. He can just burn some incense and relax. I think he'll come back in a month. Better place next year. You know it's interesting you talked about the injury but you know clearly talk it fell there was more to give there. But again, you know, they'll go away this summer. And I think He's going to be in the long run so much better off for it. And same for Hughes. Challenge will be this year, you know, Vancouver's got the tent poles. They've got a Norris Trophy winning defenseman who's going to get that, I believe is going to get the trophy in June in Vegas. They've got Patterson sign, they've got Miller signed, you know, like you. Starting there while Demko's got a couple more years But you're starting there. You've got your tent poles built and

How they know they've got to figure out what to do around them. And this year, they made several moves and a lot of them really worked. So, like I said, I think... I think they're gonna take a run at Lynn Holm and see what they can do. And they're gonna, I think they're gonna take a run at Zadorov and they're gonna see what they can do. And then they're going to sit out there and say, OK, what else do we need to do around this? Mentioned Rick Talkett winning the Jack Adams. Congratulations there. 483 points. Andrew Burnett, second 145. This thing, Elliott, was never, like never. In doubt for talking? Well, it's always in doubt because you never know who people are going to vote for. And because I'm not a member of the Broadcasters Association, I really don't know what a lot of the people there think. But as you said it ended up being lopsided and I think he's very deserving he had he had

Great year. You know, he talked about, I watched his interview with Ron that he did after it was announced. That some people there in Vancouver told me was one of the things that Tawkit mentioned is that he Used to get really upset with mistakes on the bench and the players could really see it. And that is when people who played for. I could say they hear that the biggest thing about him that's changed is that he's not like that anymore or not like that as much Calmer he doesn't get mad at players on the bench. I think that having Good staff around him has really helped him with that too. But that's one of the biggest changes. He made is that Much calmer on the bench, just in terms of when players make mistakes. And we all evolve, right? We all have to, we all have to get better.

At that and you know he was very deserving he built a structure there you know guys had a really good year there it's it's It's going to be really interesting to see, you know, he's in year two of four. You know, I'm going to be curious to see. I mean, obviously, you know, you could see if Talkit wants it, you know. He could be with Vancouver for a long, long time. A long, long time. One of the reasons that Jeremy Culliton is also looking around because, you know, sometimes the AHL coach, you kind of wonder, OK, if it. I'm I the next guy here? Well, if you're in Vancouver right now, you're looking at Rick talk it and you're saying that guy Isn't going anywhere anytime soon. - Patrick Galvin, one of the three nominees for the Jim Gregory Award, the General Manager of the Year alongside Jim Nill and Bill Z.

Ditto, so more Vancouver Canucks names attached to hardware, Elliott. How do you handicap this one? I think all very deserving. I don't. Have any issue with any of the three. I will say this, I think that Alveen is interesting. Because like I had a vote and I won't say at this time where I went with and One of the things that I looked at in this particular case is, it's not that Alveen is incapable. I think he's proven to be very capable. It's just that... He's not necessarily the main decision maker in the organization, right? So... That was one of the things I talked about as I was compiling information is, Jim Nill, he's the main decision maker in his organization. Bill Zito, he's the main decision maker in his.

Organization. Technically, Jim Rutherford is above Allveen in the organization. And not that Allveen, like I said, it's not like he's incapable, but it's just that. It was a challenge for me to say, okay, like should Alvin be on the ballot when he's technically not the number one decision maker in the organization, but obviously he got there. People felt he did. - A few more things, some coaching news. Sheldon Keefe, the New Jersey Devils, making it official. There'll be a press conference next Tuesday. He is the new head coach of the New Jersey Devils. Thoughts on this one? - Not surprised. I think the biggest question was going to be, would he take it? I think, you know, once.

Once he was available, I think New Jersey, well Fitzgerald kind of said it in his statement that they were very interested and he jumped to the top of their process. The biggest question was if Keefe was going to take it. Um, you know, he, he has a son who's a really good player and he had indicated, I think to quite a few people that he might just decide to take the year and watch his son play. Like we all want to be great parents, right? And I can't. Blame anyone who has the ability to do that from doing it. Like if I could take some time and be around my son a lot more. I mean, I don't know how he'd vote. He might say, Daddy, go away, but I like doing it. So I totally would have understood if that was his decision. You know, we'll hear what he has to say on Tuesday, but you know, my sense is that...

You know, number one, I think you always were, there's only so many of these jobs available. Them up, then you worry that maybe things will pass you by. Always happen but it can happen so I think that was part of it but number two and I've said this I think People see New Jersey as possibly the best job that was available. And, you know, as you take... Look at them they have good young players. Keefe is definitely used to good young players. Ago they were a second round team. They had some weaknesses this year that they know they've got to fix. It is and a couple of people said this to me you know David Blitzer who owns the Devils is now on the NHL executive committee you're not on you know that committee if you know the NHL thinks you're a bad

Owner or you don't run the kind of organization that people want. So that says to me, like one coach once told me that there are owners that... You know you can win with and owners that you were you can't win with I think Blitzer hunting the devils, people see him as an owner they think they can win with. The next round.

In his decision. And like I've said to you many times, I don't believe Sheldon, Brad truly even kind of talked about this at Berube's media conference. Sheldon Keefe wasn't fired because he was a bad coach. Sheldon Keefe was fired because they couldn't run it back. They could not come back under the same combination in Toronto. That's why he was fired. Not because he's a bad coach, you know, and I'll tell you like those Toronto jersey games They'll have a little bit of a veg to them. Oh, yeah be those games will be really really fun and keef will challenge those players and I think it's gonna be good for everyone Are you already hyping up a Curtis McDermott/Ryan Reeves encounter, Elliott? Is that what I'm to read into this one? I don't even think it's going to be that so much. I just think that Keith's going to want to stick it to him and they're going to want to stick it to him. It's going to be fantastic. The thing about

Keith and the New Jersey Devils. I was making this point on the radio show on Thursday. Is New Jersey's one of the teams that prides themselves on being, to be A really smart organization. And it's a very information-based organization and information-based team. And the one thing that I. We all know by now about Sheldon Keefe and I first saw this when he was coaching with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and they had someone from either business ops or who ran the ticketing for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds go on the road with the Greyhounds and would count things like zone injuries and where shots came from like really really basic like very Prime, you know, very prime raw analytic data because there wasn't any sort of sophisticated technology for it in the OHL at that point. And Keefe wanted in order to prepare himself. The one thing that we know about Sheldon Keefe is he's one of the most prepared coaches in the NHL which is why I kind of look at this situation and say

Sheldon Keefe's never going to be the coach that says, Okay, this is too much information. I'm overloaded. If anything, it's the opposites. He will gobble up all of this from the analytics department and spit it back out to the players and form strategy around it. That's why I look at this one and say this one's a really good fit. Jim Hiller, Los Angeles interim tag removed as we've discussed. Best year for the past few weeks. Yeah, it is. So it's good to see the one thing that we predicted and said that was going to happen actually came true. That is the one this year for the podcast. Congrats. So nothing else that we say here is going to come true. Take a bow, everybody. Take a bow, everyone. Nothing else is going to come true. Um, so three year deal with the chance for the fourth to be guaranteed. Blake said that. I thought it was a very interesting media conference.

Of my favorite players when he played and he did not get enough credit I think for how mean he was. Mmm. Ask anyone he hit Elliot how mean he was. Yes, but he was such a nice person to deal with that... Yeah, not on the ice. But not on the ice. No. I really, I went back, you know, so I'm here in Dallas. So I was at the Morning Skate for Dallas, Edmonton, but I went after it. Watch the Colorado press conference, which I know we're gonna talk about. And then I also went and I watched the. LA media conference later and you could really tell that Blake was, he thought his team was too easy to play against. You know he... He really did and I know all year long there was a lot of talk about England, the defence

Continually being in the lineup and the reason I felt he was there was because he was one of the few mean kings and if they didn't have him they really didn't have anything and I could tell watching Blake talk it really bothered him that his he thought his team got pushed around. Too easily. And so we'll see where that goes. I would expect them to address that. Lefaire I should mention too for the Kings because I think he was a guy who really made an impact trying to Be a little nasty for them and was very good at times. And I wanted to shout them out too, but they didn't have a lot of that. So that's one thing I think will change. You know, Hiller, a couple of things about him. First of all, I do think they're gonna change the way they. Play. I really believe Blake wanted to hear what Hiller had to say about it first. I think he has a lot of ideas. One of the challenges is...

Know, LA West Coast, lots of travel, not a lot of practice time. They really couldn't change much. Now I think they're. Going to. When they liked his practices. I never really got to see any of them, but I heard when they did practice, they-- Really liked the way he coaches practice. So I thought that was very interesting. And secondly, I heard that he behind closed doors, like, Burube just came in and talked about... About how he, and everybody knows how tough he can be behind closed doors. I heard Hiller behind closed doors. Is a lot tougher than we kind of realize. He keeps it out of the public. But someone said to me that there was a little bit of surprise there because when you

move from assistant to head on the same team you go from good cop to bad cop and Oh, yes. I heard that there was a bit of surprise about how well he could do it and have but he did it He said honest things in a blunt but fair way. So I was really curious about that and they said that you know he What and he and they said he said some tough things to important players and it was noticed so and there's definitely like I said there's definitely a feeling Blake felt that they need more of that. Alright, you mentioned the Colorado Press Conference, I want to get your thoughts on this one. Gabriel Landeskog, Chris McFarland as well commenting on Landeskog's future.

Landis Gugg said he is not retiring. I know that was a question as soon as we saw the announcement that there was going to be a press conference. And it's kind of the first place your brain goes sometimes. About the challenges in his rehab and trying to come back. Also some interesting comments about... But the future, if there is one, for Valeriy Nechushkin and the avalanche, Elliot. Well they got the LandisGOG thing out right away and I'm glad to hear he's still going to try. I think the organization is loyal to him and obviously he's loyal to them and in a perfect come back. You know everything I've heard about this injury is that people are... Impressed he's even tried this long You know, it's a pretty serious injury. It's a pretty tough surgery to recover from and And...

You know, there are a lot of people in this league who can who play hurt Jeff, but at least they can get in the lineup to play hurt. Like I remember with Shea Weber in Montreal, how many CABs players were like, I cannot believe what this guy is going through to even play, but he was playing. But there are I think there are a lot of players and not to say that they're weak or anything because I don't think they are but they would have up long before Landis Gogg has. And I just respect that about him that he wants to continue to try. It just shows you how these players... They just love hockey and so I'm happy that he's at least continuing to try because that's obviously what he wants to do skin they said it's very plausible he's back he confirmed what we'd reported There's no grounds to terminate him right now. You know the one thing that someone

said to me about this situation is that it's fluid because when you... In the program at this level, you have to make sure you stay on a proper path. Another team told me that that's one of the things that becomes very important right now is that The player has to stay on the path or else that can change but I think it's pretty clear here that that. You know, the avalanches are looking at it from the two ways you have to look at it. There's the disappointment of he couldn't play, but there's the person. You know, obviously they want they want the person to do well, but they want to know obviously they want the person to do well, that's the most important thing. But they also wanna know from the business and hockey point of view, is he going to be dependable? And we're just not gonna have that answer in the short term.

Well I think one of the biggest things that the Avalanche have to decide is, you know, how are they going to approach the summer? is do they go over the cap in the summer, do they, and do they deal with the overages? In the season next year? Like, do you just wait to see, can Landis Gog play at the beginning of the year? You know you don't have to. You know, you know, the Chuchkin is out of the lineup until November. So you just say, okay, we'll do what we need to do. And we'll deal with anything we have to deal with in terms of the salary cap. Yechushkin is available when Landis Gog is available? Or do we plan for the summer as if we're gonna have them both and we have to be careful? And I think that's kind of what they have to decide. You know, they have some contracts they have to get done. We mentioned Rantanen. You know, the Druant thing is really interesting to me because I--

I think there's a real sense there is a deal to be made there just because he's in a situation where he's happy. But you have to sit down, you have to figure out what everybody wants and you have to... Work from there. But I know like one of my friends who's an Avalanche fan, you came out of that, he watched that media conference, and he's like, I don't think they're going to be able to afford Drew Anne to stay. Action to that is I just think that Jonathan Drewan has to know how good this was and the Avalanche have to know how good this was and I really believe that there's got to be a path there and I do believe there's a path there as long as both sides can work together. I mean, he has to know, Drew-Ann does, how many people, most notably Nathan McKinnon, stuck their neck out to give him this chance. Now, he made the most of it, full marks for that as well.

Rewind to last summer. There wasn't a whole lot of people screaming about, You need to sign Jonathan Drouin. Like, Colorado believed in him, gave him this chance. Again, he made the most of it, but... This was Colorado really giving this guy another opportunity. And some would say maybe his last opportunity. And I'm glad it worked out so well. Yeah, you and me both. Okay, that's the news. Quick pause, we come back. Rangers, Panthers up for grabs to finish off the podcast. Listen to the 32 thoughts podcast ad free on Amazon Music included with Prime. you - Welcome back to 32 Thoughts, the podcast presented by the GMC Sierra Elevation Elliott. Later on tonight, eight o'clock Eastern, we can see game two. You can watch it on Sportsnet.

Ockenite in Canada presentation. It is the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers. Panthers, should I say, Game one handily maybe played a smart road game were able to keep the New York from having any significant energy bursts except that time that Jacob Trubacat, Kevin Stenland and the place went crazy. Uh or Sergei Bobrovsky out outdueled Igor Shosturkin How do you want to describe game one in advance of game two tonight? Were excellent. They really smothered New York and in the moments where they let The Rangers gained some momentum. Bobrovsky was there to clean up the mess. There were some great chances, there were a couple breakaways, there was the one on

Opportunity where they had two or three chances, but Bobrovsky was excellent. He outdueled Shostakovich To be in the game. We have a lot of players who want that one back. So this was a game where Barbrovsky outdueled Shasturkin and that was one reason the Panthers won, but I just thought they were going to have to get the ball back. Were in control for most of the game. They played a technically perfect game. Most of the night they they're for check. What do the Panthers do they? Or check you into oblivion. And they did that most of the night. And Matthew Kachuck, who doesn't. Make as many signature plays maybe as he used to, he has embraced the grind.

He grinds you every single night. You know, one thing I'll say about Kachauk is the players. Critical of him or people who are critical of him said he would have big time highlight plays whether it was a goal or a hit or whatever he would do. But he wasn't always consistent. And the biggest criticism came in that playoff series, The Flames Lost to the Owners, a couple years ago. Now, I think he just grinds it and brings it every single night. He doesn't have the highlight plays. As many and he still can because he's that good but I just think he consistently wears you down. And the game the other night I thought was a perfect example of it. Just wears you down. Like isn't that the Florida Panthers? Like they, they just... Is yes, well, at the end of the game when Mikala hit, he'll wasn't that just such a.

Or to Panthers play. Okay, I'm glad you got there early because to me it wasn't just that hit but right before that. Ryan Lombard is running around and yes he was and no one's stopping him and then he'd oh and it's only like three seconds left in the game right so if Mikkola on that play you might say to yourself back. There's three seconds left here. Whatever. We're up three nothing this game is over But to me that's the message that we are going to play heart right until the final buzzer and Mikala hammers him into the And we all know about the injury and specifically concussion history with Philip Hetal. You notice what Mikala did as soon as he hit heedle. He hits them like he's a smudge into the boards and we still. Stands up and turns to look at the Rangers to see who's coming.

In his mind, someone's coming. And nobody does. No one. The buzzer goes and he skates to Bobrovsky. But I thought that was so interesting. If you go back and watch the hit, he hammers Teitel turns around to face the play behind him, expecting someone to be there. And no one was there. Now. Because if he was playing against the Panthers, he knows that 10 guys would be coming after him. Yeah, exactly. Or if he's playing against Tampa, there'd be guys swarming them all over. Yes, that's true too. They would be also. Thought it was really interesting and he caught himself and said well I'm not trying to second guess the coach here, when really you are, or I'm trying to tell... Coach what to do here but you are. When Mark Massey in the intermission said Something along the lines of you know wondering about or speculating on or however he phrased it

@Rampy in game two. That's coming from Marc Messier. - Well, remember-- - I'm wondering about Matt Rampy in game two. I mean Messier, you know, I have to say when I watch Messier on TV He is consistent with himself. He still believes that matters. Remember when he hated the one crosscheck penalty in the last round? He said, That's not really a crosscheck. like, pee. You know, Messi believes in a certain code and that hasn't changed. Not at all. He is true to himself. Now, Jeff, as you can imagine, the whole rampy debate has. Led to some complete craziness on social media. For him. Just as somebody who's there to fight people, but I just think that you need... Against a team like Florida, you need people who can grind like he can grind.

That is, I don't think you're dressing him as a sideshow, and I don't think the Rangers would do that anyway. Putting him in there because you think that he has a role to play in the flow of the game. That the Rangers are at the very least considering it. The other guy I still wonder about here too is Wheeler. Wheeler is not a speedster, but he knows how to play a down low kind of. Cycle game. And I just wonder too if they give him a shot. But you know, it's early. It's game one. They need a spark. They, like I said, they had some short bursts, but I. Ever really felt the Panthers were threatened. I thought for the most part, the-- there's really controlled that game and like I said, Babrowski outdueled Shostakin, but that one's

Swing the other way at points too. There was though that one moment and this is where the conversation, this is for the pro-Rampy camp, there was that one like the best cluster of action that the Rangers had was after Jacob Trouba flattened Kevin Stenland. Place went crazy. Fans went nuts. It was like an instant jolt of energy to the Rangers. Down the ice, had a bunch of shots at Sergey Bobrovsky. Running around they're confused and they end up taking a too many men on the ice penalty because of it be just because they did started with that Jacob Truba hits and then all of a sudden Bam the Rangers are on it was like, you know under take a rising, right? It was like, you know, uh, it was, it was like, you know, you suddenly turn into the incredible Hulk. It was amazing. And that's where I.

Go to, I mean, that rink at times was pretty quiet and that shouldn't be MSG. And the Rangers were pretty quiet and that's not the New York Rangers. I'm with you, you don't dress him to be a sideshow, but you dress him because every time he's on the ice, even just his presence to those fans. Creates an energy in the arena. Like it's one of the weirdest things in the NHL. Make no mistake about it. People, like Rangers fans, go nuts for this guy. The minute he touches the ice, there's a buzz and there's an energy. That's where I see Matt Rimpley being really valuable. Because what's the one thing that the Rangers didn't create in Game 1? Energy. And bursts. Energy bursts. Didn't create that. I just wonder if if LaVie let us say to himself we need that. We need that spark that we got from Truba on Stanland. Rempe gives us that spark. That's what I wonder.

Balance. I think that's all very fair. The other thing that I want to get to with you here in this game and you've I've talked about this before, we've opined on it and right away I got the tweets about it and I'm sure you did as well. On the goalie interference call on the Oliver Eckman-Larsen goal, which was called back on goalie interference, Ryan Lomberg goes in the crease. - I thought that was an easy call. - It was? - An easy call, yes. - The thing about it was. Dan O'Rourke took the extra time to explain why that call was made. He just didn't say upon further review, we determined there was gold tenor interference, no goal. And explained how Ryan Lomberg went in the crease, et cetera. He took like the extra five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 seconds and explained it. I'm watching this and I'm like, this is what we've been talking about.

The call or not that's fine but at least explain how you got there so fans can understand. I know you're with us on this one Elliot. That was great by Dan O'Rourke. I'm completely with you. 100%, 100% explain what happened. But to me, when I-- I saw that play, Lomber goes right into the crease. - Oh yeah, yeah. - That was an obvious one for me, obvious. - Yeah. Question was gonna be did Shastra can have enough time to reset obviously the answer is no but you're right he goes he goes right in the crease Okay, you can watch Game 2 tonight. Florida Panthers lead the series 1-0. Game 2 at MSG this evening. It is the Panthers, it is the Rangers. Puck drops just after eight o'clock. Enjoy it. Returns Monday morning enjoy the entire weekend's worth of action we'll talk to