October 2, 2025 • 32 mins
Mark is joined by the great John Buccigross to talk the NHL season ahead. Mark also does some Shedeur and OJ Simpson talk.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Mark Madden Show, Top Prime cut of Meat.
I'm your choice four one two three three three wait
hold on. This will haunt me till I quit, which
I should have already eight three, three, four one nine
thirty nine is the number to call or follow me
on Twitter at Mark Madden X. I'm still I just
(00:24):
finished watching rather watching again that thirty for thirty ESPN
did on OJ Simpson OJ Made in America.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You know, I'm beginning to think he might have done it.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
We talked yesterday about the WNBA commissioner taking credit for
Kitlyn Clark's endorsements and saying she should be grateful to
the league. Did you know the WNBA CBA is expired
and they got to negotiate. That's terrific because those women
are gonna want way too much and we might never
see the league again.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Kitlyn Clark in just take that Nike money, go to Europe.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
It's a long way away, but should be happier and
maybe not. You want to play in America, but the
WNBA players want NBA money. And that's regardless of revenue.
That's regardless of profit loss, that's regardless of reality. But
(01:24):
the WNBA is subsidized by the NBA, so.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
The owners might give.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
However, illogically in terms of finance, the owners might give
the women what they want for pr I mean, not
crazy NBA money, but I can see the salaries like
doubling for the great players, and they shouldn't.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
They shouldn't the way that league.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Is mismanaged itself, from the commissioners to the players, to
the ball boys to the guy throwing the green dildo.
It just I mean, they just mangled it. Why should
these women have mangled it? Why should these women get
paid more for urinating on the golden goose, which who
knows they might? I've said too much. WNBA is such
(02:07):
a soap opera. They should just shut up, not shut
up and play, because I don't care if they play.
Just shut up, and not because they're women. It's because
no matter what text they are, they yapp to goddamn.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Much like I said, I hate the bye week.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
The NFL.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I mean, the games this week are pretty good.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
San Francisco at the LA Rams tonight, but San Francisco's
two injured, denverd Philadelphia Man, Houston of Baltimore man.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
But let's go Texas, Texans.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Washington the LA Chargers, which might be another chapter in
Washington kind of flashing back into their pan Tampa Bay
and Seattle is like, let's see who's real. Denverd Philadelphia
has promised. A bunch of guys are predicting Denver to
pull the upset, and some are treated by Jacksonville in
Kansas City. Some are picking Jacksonville because, well, the Chiefs,
(03:06):
I think they're worn out all those extra playoff games,
and the Jags have a little bit of scrap to
him now, a little bit of edge to him. So
you know, well, I watch NFL and now probably not.
Does Pitt play yeah at home against Beacie? Who cares?
I heard a bit of the Nardoozi show on the
B Team, the radio show. I felt so bad for
(03:28):
Pat Bostick. He's like the best guy and such a
true pit guy having to talk to that snake little
salesman Nardoozy. I felt so bad for Pat. Like we
did a whole segment on a little bit ago. Priest
and Alice were great last night at Star Lake. I
even got out of the parking lot relatively quick. Rob
(03:49):
Halford judas Priest singer at seventy four still kills it.
And those songs are tough to sing, the intensity and
the range needed. Alice Cooper was brilliant and his band,
like I said, is one of the best sounding bands going.
Like I said earlier, some dink wrote me a really,
really nasty email. Quit talking about music, fat ass, stick
(04:13):
the sports, fat ass yo, dude, it's the mark Man's show.
Not to give the jerk off what he wants show.
I like music a lot more than the Steelers, a
lot more, especially during the bye week.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Let's talk O J. Simpson.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
That old documentary just got done watching it. It's amazing
to me that those lawyers like Johnny Cochran, Karl Douglas,
f Lee Bailey. It's amazing to me that OJ's lawyers
were proud of getting off a man who obviously committed
to murders. The evidence was overwhelming. You you you kind
(04:52):
of put that in the back of your mind all
these years later, but he was guilty af and like
Robert Shapiro, who was on that defense team too, he
was the original OJ lawyer. He said that not only
did Johnny Cochrane deal the race card, he did.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
So from the bottom of the deck.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
It was an embarrassing chapter in American judicial history.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
And it was also just.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Incredible that the black community embraced and defended OJ despite
him living white from the first chance he got, and
that he assumed this is funny too. He assumed he
could resume his old life immediately after the verdict, which
he did not. The country clubs didn't want him, the
restaurants didn't want him. Brentwin didn't want him. The OJ
(05:38):
Simpson murder case and trial and what happened to OJ
since he's dead now, it was a sociological experiment and
America was the subject just just amazing. What we need
now is a celebrity to kill a couple people, and
that way we could have, you know, that kind of
thing to talk.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Could you imagine if it had a show during the
OJ trial? Oh lordy, oh how good would that a bit?
Speaker 1 (06:06):
All right? Eight three three four one two ninety nine
thirty nine. I don't want to see two people die.
If it benefit of my show, that would be a
worthwhile cause on their part. But I don't want to
see two people die. Eight three three four one two
ninety nine thirty nine. That's eight three three four one
two ninety nine thirty nine. How about he killed the
(06:28):
kid's mother, then he got the kids right back.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
I good.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
I don't watch it. Watch oj Maid in America at
thirty for thirty.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
It's unbelievable. What oh five ninety X hits Bunny Diver
and I just love good news.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Okay, so this is a great story I just heard
about on a ninety degree day in race.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Sept Super Genius, the Doubles, Hey Mark good with that thinion.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Range Woo the exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
We've been talking a bit about Shador sand and him
doing this lame mimac with the media when you got
asked about Dylan Gabriel starting in him not here's Dan
Roloss good ESPN, and he nails the situation perfectly.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I actually don't think.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
There is a time and place to act like that
as a quarterback. I think one everything that you do
when you're a quarterback, I don't care if your first
second or.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Third is a job interview in that league. Every single
thing you do.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
And my question is, Shador would be are you helping
yourself in your own building? Did that thirty or forty
seconds help you in your own building? When it comes
to what they think you can be in the future,
and then did you help.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Yourself outside of your own building?
Speaker 5 (07:42):
There's sixty four jobs essentially at that spot in the NFL.
Did that thirty or forty seconds help you at all?
When it comes to your future there or your future elsewhere?
And when you're a later round draft pick, every single
thing you do has to be from the lens of
how do I make myself more appealing to the people
(08:02):
in this building that say give that guy a chance.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
That's good stuff by Orlofsky. Normally I would say that
mime is money. But yeah, what Orlovsky said it, one
hundred percent true. Shador Sanders can't afford to be a celebrity.
Fifth Gron pick. Shaudre Sanders can't afford to be in showbiz.
Shador Sanders hasn't shown enough to beat out Dylan Gabriel
and Shador Sanders hasn't shown enough humility either, Like Orlowski
(08:31):
pretty much said, a fifth dron pick needs to be humble.
But then again, if the media gathered around my locker
every day, it would take a very conscious effort on
my part to remember that I'm a fifth DRON pick,
to remember that I'm not a celebrity, to remember to
be humble. Uh, I'm not blaming the media, but I
(08:55):
think Shador Sanders because of his name and because of
he draws from first round of the fifth run, isn't
a bit of a weird situation.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Let's go to Donnie Donnie order, Mark Madden show.
Speaker 6 (09:10):
I got eighteen dollars?
Speaker 7 (09:11):
Hey, Mark, do you think well?
Speaker 3 (09:14):
I know we know this.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
Norm McDonald was probably the best Weekend Update anchors.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Yes, but do you have not the butcher on the spot,
but do you.
Speaker 6 (09:21):
Have a favorite OJ joke that Norm did on the show.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I liked when he basically got told by uh, oh god,
what was the executive's name?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Who was OJ's buddy?
Speaker 1 (09:37):
He got told right, but NBC executive that was OJ's buddy,
that he had to back off. And the very first
joke he told on the next weekend Update was, uh,
the lapd has admitted that they went to the crime
scene with the intent of framing OJ, but then they
(09:59):
figured out that he really did it. And then he
stared into the camera with that kind of you know,
open mouse smile.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Norm did and it was just magnificent.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
It was it was don olmar by the way, he
was an NBC executive and OJ's golfing buddy.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
I liked when Norm would dare the audience on the
lab at something because he knew it was funny, and
his dead pan approach just matter of fact statements, Like
my favorite was when he just started off weekend Update
with right after the OJ burds and he goes, well,
it's now official. Murder is now legal in the state
(10:40):
of California.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Well. I saw Norm a couple times in Vegas.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
In one time at Soft Point Casino showroom, he told
this long drawn out joke and at the end I
just cracked up, and I realized, after about, you know,
ten seconds, I was the only one laughing.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
But that's okay. Norm thought that was okay.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Norm wanted you to work for it a little bit,
and I respected that because I think this show. Not
that I would ever compare myself to nor McDonald, but
I like to think I make you work for it
a bit too.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Let's go to Bill, Bill, you're all with Mark?
Speaker 7 (11:11):
Hey, Mark, I like when you talk about rock and roll,
and uh, I want to tie this into the Penguins.
But Shanker was in town and he did Reason's Love,
and wasn't it interesting to see him do I'm a Loser,
which always thought was Phil Mogg's. Yeah for the song,
because it was his lyrics, and today's the day all
(11:32):
the all.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
The lyrics were philed. So I don't I don't get
where you're coming from.
Speaker 7 (11:36):
Well, I always saw that song in Phil's story, but
that Michael made it like his story on this tour.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yeah, this is too much about this. Yeah, it's like,
let's not go overboard. If we're gonna do rock and
roll talk, let's do interesting rock and roll talk. Then again,
it is the bye week. I regret having hung up
with him already. Up next, we will talk hockey. No
nobody better do that with than ESPN's mister Hockey, John
(12:04):
Butcher Gross one o five niney X.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
It's the Woody Show, weekday morning six to ten. One
can't get enough.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
If you're Pittsburgh Steelers, then check out the latest podcast
from Steelers Nation Radio, a part of.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
The d X at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
He is the pride of the Tri State area. He
is the number one hockey guy, the worldwide leader. He
is the defender of the hockey faith. It's always great
to talk to John Butcher Gross Boucie. I'm kind of
prepared for a weird NHL season because I don't see
a great team with Florida so injured, and I'm not
sure I see an obvious Cinderella either.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
You're right, this could be an opening for some of
these franchises looking for that Stanley Cup. Like I look
at the Carolina Hurricanes because as you mentioned with the league,
you know, the Marner trade has spreaded things out a
little bit in the East. Obviously the injuries to Florida.
Is this the year the Carolina Hurricanes? Could you know,
squeeze into this the only Cup final and kind of
(13:03):
kind of win one or even get there kind of
you know, like the old Edmonton Carolina final from back
in the day outside out of the lockout. Could that
happen West? You got some heavyweights out west, So obviously
with Dallas, Colorado, you know Vegas, now with Marner, Edmonton,
they're trying to make it three in a row. You know,
the West is really loaded with some heavyweights, and there's
(13:24):
going to be you know, disappointed fan bases and maybe
fired coaches because they all can't make the finals.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
You mentioned Carolina and then Dallas.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
If I had to pick my final right now, it
might be those two teams, the Stars and Hurricanes.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
But I'm kind of tired of waiting for both of
them to get it right.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Sometimes teams are on the precipice, but never can you know,
push themselves over right.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
And Carolina keeps trying. They have a very aggressive owner.
He's basically also the GM, very involved in everything. And
you know, they add Nikolai Eelers here, another top six guy.
They don't have that goalie really that you know. I
know that some of these things you can squeeze one
in once in a while, like Gaiden Hill and Vegas
certainly not an elite goaltender, but they want to cup
with him, so they just kind of hope they kind
(14:08):
of get lucky with a goalie if you don't have
one of those franchise you know, pegs like a Jake
Otten Jerry's he'll be there for twelve years. And so
that's why Dallas would be a team that is possible.
He's a goalie who's no longer young, but still a
young Dish and he's been young during their playoff runs here,
so he's gaining experience and now with ramted in and
so Dallas certainly could do it. But you know again
(14:30):
that West is so difficult. I gonna have to beat
Colorado and might have a first round matchup against Winnipeg
if Connor Hallibuck ever figures out the postseason and still
got to get through with Vegas or McDavid. So it's
tough out there. Man.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
What can Florida do to patchwork without bark Coffin Kachuck
because you can't punt on a chance for a three.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
P no, right, And they're all they're in that age.
You know, these guys aren't even thirty yet, that big core.
So that's why they still have a window for more
as opposed to teams who win it with in their
early thirties. You know, that's probably gonna be just about
the end and the window closes fast. So they still
have a window here. But yeah, I mean I just
looked at their opening night roster. How it looks like
(15:10):
it's like, well, that is that team that much better
than Boston?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Now?
Speaker 3 (15:15):
I mean, when you know when you look at like
their tell obviously Edwin is a good top line. You know,
the Bruins have David Pasternak and and most people have
a real good defense, But think the Bruins have Charlie
McAboy and uh, but then the rest of the the
rest of the way, it's like, Okay, that guy used
to play for Buffalo, and I know now anytime you
put a guy on a team like that, it increases
their shine. That happens all the way around. When the
(15:37):
team wants back to back, that's gonna happen. But yeah,
I think it's gonna be a little bit of concern
for them not to miss the playoffs because the're gonna
get more. These are injuries before the season even started,
so they're gonna get more injuries. And what if another
key guy gets hurt, you know, or a couple guys
get hurt and then they're off to a slow start,
then they're battling uphill. So I think he's a little
bit of a concern there.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
What can Edmondson do different or better to finally get
over the top and win a cup with McDavid, I
mean now much.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
You know, they went to Game seven two years ago,
you know, and last year was you know, they made
it again. So obviously in the end, will the goalie
be good enough to be a championship goalie? They're trying
to do it on the cheap. You know, their goalies
to make about four million bucks combined. It's got to
be lowest in the league for an elite team like that.
So that helps them with depth, but so far, you know,
(16:27):
it hasn't turned into a championship. You know, they're going
to try to go with some younger guys this year.
They were an older team last year. It's hard to
win cups when you're older and over thirties and you
get tired. It's just difficulty. These are hard miles now
they're putting on these guys McDavid and Bouchard and Dry,
so these are hard miles. So we'll see if they
(16:48):
can come back. And they still be energized for a
third straight year, so there's some still some concern there.
But they're going to try some of these younger guys
and see if they can get them in the mix
and maybe energize them, increase their speed a bit and
and maybe that could be a factor. But yeah, it's
it's still tough because again, their their road is going
to be very difficult out West. As we talked about,
(17:08):
it's been fine these last two years, but uh, these
teams aren't getting better every year. College Wild looks better
this year. They probably have a second line center and
brock Nelson like when they had nasm Contry. Landescog looks
like he's almost old Landescog again, which is amazing that
permissing all that time. So it's gonna be tough out there.
I think even tougher this year before McDavid and the Oilers.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Well David re up with Edmonton.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
I don't think long term. I think he's destined to
have the second half of his career somewhere else, most
likely in the United States, and you know, most likely
with a with a with better weather set up. I
know he loves I know he respects Kenny holland his
GM he had in Edmonton and how he kind of
came in and organized that whole organization, almost capped it
(17:55):
off with the Stanley Cup. Obviously they're in Los Angeles.
I don't know, you know, deep in his heart, is
there some other place, whether it's a team looking for
a team a chance to win, or it's just going
to be straight city and this is what I want
to do, or is it going to be more okay,
maybe over here, let me try this. This team is
ready to go, Like you know in Chicago or one
of these teams that are on the rise in two
(18:16):
more years, and maybe they're going to be the next whoever,
the next Panthers, the next team is going to go
on a run here, and so it'd be curious to say,
but I would say no, I think it probably not
a two year deal at most, and then try to
make it work.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I agree, and I think that would be smart on
his part too. Are the Penguins. Are the Penguins anywhere
near a playoff team?
Speaker 3 (18:38):
No? No, not right now, and I don't think they
want to be obviously Yet. The next two drafts are
absolutely loaded. They have all these picks. They're in a
really good position here. They're already I think a bottom
five team, so they don't really have to do much more.
They can play some of these young guys, bring them along,
and it'll be a place that players will go and play.
(19:02):
That won't be a problem. This is a Buffalo trying
to get a free agent or trying to get players
to stay. That's not the problem there. So yeah, I
think they're managing this correctly. I think Rust and Raquel
will have a big market now. Of course, the big
question is with Sid does he want to be a
part of this, part of the transformation. I think it
is a part of him that does and want it
(19:23):
to be a little different and stick a board on
something like this. He has the Olympics coming up as carrot.
He has the World Cup of Hoskey after that. He
had four Nations last year. He has these competitive carrots
in the middle of winter, still to still go after
he can still play and and produce. And I hope
he goes for two thousand points. I said that for
(19:44):
a while. I want him to be the only second
guy to get two thousand points. So I hope he
plays long enough to do that. And if he does,
and by the time, if it's in Pittsburgh and he's
forty two, the Penguins could be good again.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
We're talking to John Butcher Gross from ESPN here on
the Mark Madden Show. What team improved themselves the most
in the offseason and why do I think it might
have been Vegas just by getting Marner.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
No doubt he is a top five player in the league.
I mean he is a two way player. He's a
great penalty killer. He might get Jack Eicho fifty goals
this year. Icho has an amazing shot. And now with
Marner passing him the pucks, he maybe he's such a
great passer he'll be in great positions to shoot more
because it will be an instinctual situation where it's just
(20:29):
it's just beautiful hockey and a guy will see him.
So this is it's just an amazing that they're able
to get him, you know, at in free agency it
just doesn't happen anymore, just a weird only in Toronto
that could happen like that. And so yeah, I agree,
just getting him alone, the best player you know to
you know, really to move in the offseason will put
(20:51):
them you know, they're already a good team, but right
back up among the elite.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
And what's going to make that combination of Marner and
Ikele even tougher to defend Marner is a playmaking wing boucie,
which is kind of a rarity in today's hockey, And
there aren't a lot of pure finishers at center either.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
It's usually in verse.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
That's kind of a weird thing to defend when you
only have to do it once in a while, it is.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
And then Icha does love the pass. He's a pass
you know, he loves, so you hope they don't overpass,
and they both figure out, Hey, if he passes the puck,
he sees the ice, he knows I'm the right choice,
so I should probably shoot this because he's an elevated
passer if they can probably get on that page. When
he passes the puck to me, I need to shoot
this because that's why he's passing me the puck, because
that's the best option to score. I have the puck.
(21:34):
If I can't score, I'm going to find the right guy.
And of course they'll always do that extra pass and
guys will get tapped in in the back door and
they'll be beautiful hockey and they should have some great goals.
But yeah, this is you know, this is just you know,
it goes. First it was Buffalo and then he kind
of kind of carried them. I thought he was their
best player when they won the Stanley Cop and he's
never played quite with the player you know of this
talent at this stage of his career. So it's exciting.
(21:56):
And I'm really I am curious about Montreal as they
add some young player and you know, Nixuzuki is down.
He could get a he could be one hundred point
two way player this year, these young Slavkovski, could he
turn into be a thirty five goal kind of power
forward horse as he ages gets closer to twenty two,
and you know these twenty one year old to come
twenty two and twenty two become twenty three and that's
(22:17):
obviously a place that players want to go play. They
add Dobson this year, all the younger players get older,
so you're looking for a team that maybe made an
improvement just through maturation and adding Dobson. I think Montreal's coming.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Who are the three best players in the league right now?
Butch And who's your predicted MVP?
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Well, well, I think Connor McDavid is going to be
back in the MVP race this year. And the goal scorer.
I think he realizes that he needs to score goals
to help them win a cup. He's not been a
good goal scorer at the last two playoffs.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
He passes up too many shots is what it is.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
It's become an issue. He won the Rocket Rashard because
leand dry Side dared him two years ago and he
did it, but then it didn't carry over the postseason
and then last year again just the goalsc where he
was doubt goals. It's the most important thing in hockey
is goals. You can't win without them, so you need goals.
So certainly I think you're gonna come back and win
the Art Ross and win the m v P this year.
(23:11):
You know again, I just I have so much respect
for Jack Eye on how he defends the middle of
the ice as a big, strong power forward. It's the
most important position in hockey, and it's it's just it's
really important. That's why I think that the Panthers are
really going to miss barkof People talk about he's so underrated,
but they don't seem to think that it's gonna that's
gonna affect the Panthers kind of march a little bit,
(23:32):
I know a little bit, but that's a big loss
for them. And I think the playoffs could be in
peril if they had a couple more injuries. But certainly so,
I just I love I go in the middle, and
I love and I love uh, you know, Conor McDavid.
And I think it's time for Austin Matthews to ascend.
It is time for him to say I should be
one of the top three players in this league. And
(23:52):
I think he needs to take his craft more seriously.
I think he needs to have that will and that
fire to be great and be the best and and
I think that's been missing the last couple of years.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Well, his whole team really needs to heed your advice, Bucci,
because they haven't won for how long, But lately it's
not because they're not good enough. They just whatever it
was they never had the least still haven't gotten.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Yeah, I mean sixty years now, it's been since the
late sixties when they won their last Cup. They certainly
had a great the cores four. But now Barner is gone.
They've built the team obviously incorrect, and now they're trying
to make up for it. On the back end. It's
still not a scintillating back end. And the goalie Stolarz
and Wall it's not really that, you know, that daunting
of a pair. So I just I still question where
(24:36):
they are. I think Tampa Bay is going to be
the benefactor of this spark Off injury. They should win
that division. Maybe they can sneak in and get that
Cup again. Sometimes that happens. A team wins, a couple
goes away, then sneaks in one more, which could make
such a big difference and how people are looked at
players and coaches. So I think Tampa Bay. You know,
they they keep making these aggressive moves. They have a
(24:57):
lot of good players. It just hasn't quite worked yet.
But you wondered this year, as we talked about in
the East, seems to be pretty open. They're a team
that could return to the top of the East.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Is there even one truly great goaltender in the league
right now? I mean truly great like Brador Wah Flurry
that level, and and what's happened to goltending in general? Boots,
I'm just not impressed most nights.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
You're right, but you know, the era of the eighties
and and really the nineties and at the early offt
so when you had you Brador and Wah and Hashik.
You know, really the golden era of of goalies was that.
I know they talked about loft, the style of play
and the clutch and grab blah blah, but it was
also amazing goalies. Is why goal scoring was down. And
and now, like you said, goalscoring has been up the
(25:42):
last decade. Took the little kick down last year, But yeah,
I really do think igors a starking, now that that
Mike Sullivan is there, they're going to take away those
high danger chances, which is he faces.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
So many of those.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
The last two three years, the Rangers have been abysmal
team in front of him. I really do think he
is the one guy that could have sent them be
the star and they get any kind of structure to
any kind of defensive play with that veteran team who's
older and obviously very rich, a lot of wealthy guys
there playing at the end of their career. When you
have a lot of guys, when you have an older team,
(26:16):
you have a lot of rich guys, and a lot
of what can happen is that you know, you don't
have the same cohesive this you have the same hunger.
They're they're fed, they're fat, they got their deals, they
got their big second deals, and so that can be
an issue. But if he can get them to go,
then Schasturkin can really elevate himself as the guy and
that team could then elevate themselves as a threat in
the East.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Speaking of big deals, what's your take on the Kaprosov
deal in Minnesota, Because he's a great player, but when
the highest paid player isn't necessarily the best player.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
It leads to rampant inflation. Look at edge rushers in
the NFL.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Yeah, right, so that's gonna be the you know, will
the NHL GMS take a hard line said that is
not a comparable. This was a desperate team who couldn't
lose that guy. It's a it's an organization with a
bit of a low self esteem, even though it's in
the state of hockey. They thought this guy might leave.
They really haven't had a great run. They haven't had stars,
(27:12):
they really haven't had a lottery luck in the early
part of their existence. So it's been kind of tough
sledding for them to find that marquee guy. You know,
Columbus got Rick Nash early and he was their guy.
And now finally now they might have a core. But
it's taken off for them too. But Caprizov is one
of those playmaking wingers you talked about. He really is
a great player, not a great skater, kind of played
(27:34):
the game at his pace like a Peter Forstburg, that's
who he reminds me of. But he can also score.
He has finish Forstburg didn't have a lot of finish
like that. But he's a thick, lower body guy like Forrestburgh,
great playmaker and can finish and can score, and yeah,
they had to keep him. Seventeen is an outrageous number
for him, But I mean David pastaducs at eleven and
(27:55):
all these guys at eleven and twelve and look at that.
A lot of agents got phone calls saying, wtf didn't
you realize this was going to happen. They told them
the cap was going up last year by this much.
I don't know why these guys didn't sign one or
two year deals and just wait for this, this whole
new era to come in. It was right there in
front of them. They told them it was going to
be one and ten, one hundred and fifteen million dollars
(28:17):
and it's going to go up again because the ESPN's
deal and tant is up in three years. You know,
after this it's two years and so then who knows.
They they'll probably I imagine they'll do an extension soon.
I know we love them. I think they love us.
I wouldn't be surprised if an extension was signed early
with the TV networks and then it's going to go
up again.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Who's your Stanley Cup winner, Boucci and who they going
to play in the final?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Well, ESPN just sent our email for our season preview.
We pick all the division winners and some of the awards,
and they asked us for our Stanley Cup champ and
I did pick the Carolina Hurricanes and kind of began
the phone call talking about not a great team, this
could be the year that's a team like that could
get their Cup sneak in and taking advantage of some
like we said, the situation, maybe with the injuries to
(29:03):
the Panthers and maybe with you know Edmonton and really Florida,
it's hard. Those miles are hard in the playoffs and
take his toll. We saw what it's done to Tampa
after three straight. Still have great players, keep outing great players,
but it's just they have not been able to have
any playoff success since they're you know, three in a row,
two wins and one loss. So it's it's gonna be
(29:25):
tough for both of those teams. So it's kind of
open this year. It's chance for Dallas to get theirs,
it's chance for Colorado to get their second, and to
chance for Vegas to get their second and again get
that second Cup after taking a couple of years off.
So I'm going Carolina and uh and out West. I
think Colorado because of the second line center and brock Nelson,
they have more depths. Landskag is back, McKinnon and mccar
(29:48):
are in their prime, they got a goalie. It looks like.
So I'm gonna go Colorado, Carolina.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Finally, Boots, have you've spoken to baseball and on tre
Ben McDonald after your little fracas?
Speaker 3 (29:58):
I did not. I didn't know. It was kind of fun,
but yeah, you know, I don't like when people take
shot at our take shots at our uh at our sports,
especially when they're fellow cast members at Disney, right right.
But obviously he was. Yeah, he was trying to be funny.
He's got a good bit on Twitter, and I like Benny.
He's a likable guy and he's funny on Twitter with
his wife and on his tractor and and uh so,
(30:21):
but it was just something. It was actually someone else
what our co worker is the one who texted me,
and I didn't even see it, and so I was
really on his behalf. I was kind of defending his
honor as well. So I have a hard time, you know,
sometimes fighting for myself or supporting myself. But I'll have
the teammates back before I even support myself, so I'll
give them a little assist, a little apple on that tweet.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Bootie is always great stuff like we appreciate the knowledge
and you taking the time, and we'll talk again.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Real soon anytime. Marky Mark That is John Butcher.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Go mister hawk in ESPN. Nobody better with hockey on
TV than John Butchers. For us, they have him consider
instantly at Pierre Maguire every week. Well we're the home
of the Penguins. There's a reason for that.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
We got Jerry do Like talking Steelers next hour.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Uh got some fun sound next Jamison tie On pitching
Game three for the Cubs Today, we'll hear from him
one oh five to nine the X.
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This is the Mark Madden Show, Top Prime cut of Meat.
I'm your choice four one two three three three wait
hold on. This will haunt me till I quit, which
I should have already eight three, three, four one nine
thirty nine is the number to call or follow me
on Twitter at Mark Madden X. I'm still I just
(00:24):
finished watching rather watching again that thirty for thirty ESPN
did on OJ Simpson OJ Made in America.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You know, I'm beginning to think he might have done it.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
We talked yesterday about the WNBA commissioner taking credit for
Kitlyn Clark's endorsements and saying she should be grateful to
the league. Did you know the WNBA CBA is expired
and they got to negotiate. That's terrific because those women
are gonna want way too much and we might never
see the league again.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Kitlyn Clark in just take that Nike money, go to Europe.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
It's a long way away, but should be happier and
maybe not. You want to play in America, but the
WNBA players want NBA money. And that's regardless of revenue.
That's regardless of profit loss, that's regardless of reality. But
(01:24):
the WNBA is subsidized by the NBA, so.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
The owners might give.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
However, illogically in terms of finance, the owners might give
the women what they want for pr I mean, not
crazy NBA money, but I can see the salaries like
doubling for the great players, and they shouldn't.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
They shouldn't the way that league.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Is mismanaged itself, from the commissioners to the players, to
the ball boys to the guy throwing the green dildo.
It just I mean, they just mangled it. Why should
these women have mangled it? Why should these women get
paid more for urinating on the golden goose, which who
knows they might? I've said too much. WNBA is such
(02:07):
a soap opera. They should just shut up, not shut
up and play, because I don't care if they play.
Just shut up, and not because they're women. It's because
no matter what text they are, they yapp to goddamn.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Much like I said, I hate the bye week.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
The NFL.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I mean, the games this week are pretty good.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
San Francisco at the LA Rams tonight, but San Francisco's
two injured, denverd Philadelphia Man, Houston of Baltimore man.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
But let's go Texas, Texans.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Washington the LA Chargers, which might be another chapter in
Washington kind of flashing back into their pan Tampa Bay
and Seattle is like, let's see who's real. Denverd Philadelphia
has promised. A bunch of guys are predicting Denver to
pull the upset, and some are treated by Jacksonville in
Kansas City. Some are picking Jacksonville because, well, the Chiefs,
(03:06):
I think they're worn out all those extra playoff games,
and the Jags have a little bit of scrap to
him now, a little bit of edge to him. So
you know, well, I watch NFL and now probably not.
Does Pitt play yeah at home against Beacie? Who cares?
I heard a bit of the Nardoozi show on the
B Team, the radio show. I felt so bad for
(03:28):
Pat Bostick. He's like the best guy and such a
true pit guy having to talk to that snake little
salesman Nardoozy. I felt so bad for Pat. Like we
did a whole segment on a little bit ago. Priest
and Alice were great last night at Star Lake. I
even got out of the parking lot relatively quick. Rob
(03:49):
Halford judas Priest singer at seventy four still kills it.
And those songs are tough to sing, the intensity and
the range needed. Alice Cooper was brilliant and his band,
like I said, is one of the best sounding bands going.
Like I said earlier, some dink wrote me a really,
really nasty email. Quit talking about music, fat ass, stick
(04:13):
the sports, fat ass yo, dude, it's the mark Man's show.
Not to give the jerk off what he wants show.
I like music a lot more than the Steelers, a
lot more, especially during the bye week.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Let's talk O J. Simpson.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
That old documentary just got done watching it. It's amazing
to me that those lawyers like Johnny Cochran, Karl Douglas,
f Lee Bailey. It's amazing to me that OJ's lawyers
were proud of getting off a man who obviously committed
to murders. The evidence was overwhelming. You you you kind
(04:52):
of put that in the back of your mind all
these years later, but he was guilty af and like
Robert Shapiro, who was on that defense team too, he
was the original OJ lawyer. He said that not only
did Johnny Cochrane deal the race card, he did.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
So from the bottom of the deck.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
It was an embarrassing chapter in American judicial history.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
And it was also just.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Incredible that the black community embraced and defended OJ despite
him living white from the first chance he got, and
that he assumed this is funny too. He assumed he
could resume his old life immediately after the verdict, which
he did not. The country clubs didn't want him, the
restaurants didn't want him. Brentwin didn't want him. The OJ
(05:38):
Simpson murder case and trial and what happened to OJ
since he's dead now, it was a sociological experiment and
America was the subject just just amazing. What we need
now is a celebrity to kill a couple people, and
that way we could have, you know, that kind of
thing to talk.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Could you imagine if it had a show during the
OJ trial? Oh lordy, oh how good would that a bit?
Speaker 1 (06:06):
All right? Eight three three four one two ninety nine
thirty nine. I don't want to see two people die.
If it benefit of my show, that would be a
worthwhile cause on their part. But I don't want to
see two people die. Eight three three four one two
ninety nine thirty nine. That's eight three three four one
two ninety nine thirty nine. How about he killed the
(06:28):
kid's mother, then he got the kids right back.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
I good.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
I don't watch it. Watch oj Maid in America at
thirty for thirty.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
It's unbelievable. What oh five ninety X hits Bunny Diver
and I just love good news.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Okay, so this is a great story I just heard
about on a ninety degree day in race.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Sept Super Genius, the Doubles, Hey Mark good with that thinion.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Range Woo the exit one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
We've been talking a bit about Shador sand and him
doing this lame mimac with the media when you got
asked about Dylan Gabriel starting in him not here's Dan
Roloss good ESPN, and he nails the situation perfectly.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I actually don't think.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
There is a time and place to act like that
as a quarterback. I think one everything that you do
when you're a quarterback, I don't care if your first
second or.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Third is a job interview in that league. Every single
thing you do.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
And my question is, Shador would be are you helping
yourself in your own building? Did that thirty or forty
seconds help you in your own building? When it comes
to what they think you can be in the future,
and then did you help.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Yourself outside of your own building?
Speaker 5 (07:42):
There's sixty four jobs essentially at that spot in the NFL.
Did that thirty or forty seconds help you at all?
When it comes to your future there or your future elsewhere?
And when you're a later round draft pick, every single
thing you do has to be from the lens of
how do I make myself more appealing to the people
(08:02):
in this building that say give that guy a chance.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
That's good stuff by Orlofsky. Normally I would say that
mime is money. But yeah, what Orlovsky said it, one
hundred percent true. Shador Sanders can't afford to be a celebrity.
Fifth Gron pick. Shaudre Sanders can't afford to be in showbiz.
Shador Sanders hasn't shown enough to beat out Dylan Gabriel
and Shador Sanders hasn't shown enough humility either, Like Orlowski
(08:31):
pretty much said, a fifth dron pick needs to be humble.
But then again, if the media gathered around my locker
every day, it would take a very conscious effort on
my part to remember that I'm a fifth DRON pick,
to remember that I'm not a celebrity, to remember to
be humble. Uh, I'm not blaming the media, but I
(08:55):
think Shador Sanders because of his name and because of
he draws from first round of the fifth run, isn't
a bit of a weird situation.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Let's go to Donnie Donnie order, Mark Madden show.
Speaker 6 (09:10):
I got eighteen dollars?
Speaker 7 (09:11):
Hey, Mark, do you think well?
Speaker 3 (09:14):
I know we know this.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
Norm McDonald was probably the best Weekend Update anchors.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Yes, but do you have not the butcher on the spot,
but do you.
Speaker 6 (09:21):
Have a favorite OJ joke that Norm did on the show.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I liked when he basically got told by uh, oh god,
what was the executive's name?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Who was OJ's buddy?
Speaker 1 (09:37):
He got told right, but NBC executive that was OJ's buddy,
that he had to back off. And the very first
joke he told on the next weekend Update was, uh,
the lapd has admitted that they went to the crime
scene with the intent of framing OJ, but then they
(09:59):
figured out that he really did it. And then he
stared into the camera with that kind of you know,
open mouse smile.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Norm did and it was just magnificent.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
It was it was don olmar by the way, he
was an NBC executive and OJ's golfing buddy.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
I liked when Norm would dare the audience on the
lab at something because he knew it was funny, and
his dead pan approach just matter of fact statements, Like
my favorite was when he just started off weekend Update
with right after the OJ burds and he goes, well,
it's now official. Murder is now legal in the state
(10:40):
of California.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Well. I saw Norm a couple times in Vegas.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
In one time at Soft Point Casino showroom, he told
this long drawn out joke and at the end I
just cracked up, and I realized, after about, you know,
ten seconds, I was the only one laughing.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
But that's okay. Norm thought that was okay.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Norm wanted you to work for it a little bit,
and I respected that because I think this show. Not
that I would ever compare myself to nor McDonald, but
I like to think I make you work for it
a bit too.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Let's go to Bill, Bill, you're all with Mark?
Speaker 7 (11:11):
Hey, Mark, I like when you talk about rock and roll,
and uh, I want to tie this into the Penguins.
But Shanker was in town and he did Reason's Love,
and wasn't it interesting to see him do I'm a Loser,
which always thought was Phil Mogg's. Yeah for the song,
because it was his lyrics, and today's the day all
(11:32):
the all.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
The lyrics were philed. So I don't I don't get
where you're coming from.
Speaker 7 (11:36):
Well, I always saw that song in Phil's story, but
that Michael made it like his story on this tour.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yeah, this is too much about this. Yeah, it's like,
let's not go overboard. If we're gonna do rock and
roll talk, let's do interesting rock and roll talk. Then again,
it is the bye week. I regret having hung up
with him already. Up next, we will talk hockey. No
nobody better do that with than ESPN's mister Hockey, John
(12:04):
Butcher Gross one o five niney X.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
It's the Woody Show, weekday morning six to ten. One
can't get enough.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
If you're Pittsburgh Steelers, then check out the latest podcast
from Steelers Nation Radio, a part of.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
The d X at one oh five nine.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
He is the pride of the Tri State area. He
is the number one hockey guy, the worldwide leader. He
is the defender of the hockey faith. It's always great
to talk to John Butcher Gross Boucie. I'm kind of
prepared for a weird NHL season because I don't see
a great team with Florida so injured, and I'm not
sure I see an obvious Cinderella either.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
You're right, this could be an opening for some of
these franchises looking for that Stanley Cup. Like I look
at the Carolina Hurricanes because as you mentioned with the league,
you know, the Marner trade has spreaded things out a
little bit in the East. Obviously the injuries to Florida.
Is this the year the Carolina Hurricanes? Could you know,
squeeze into this the only Cup final and kind of
(13:03):
kind of win one or even get there kind of
you know, like the old Edmonton Carolina final from back
in the day outside out of the lockout. Could that
happen West? You got some heavyweights out west, So obviously
with Dallas, Colorado, you know Vegas, now with Marner, Edmonton,
they're trying to make it three in a row. You know,
the West is really loaded with some heavyweights, and there's
(13:24):
going to be you know, disappointed fan bases and maybe
fired coaches because they all can't make the finals.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
You mentioned Carolina and then Dallas.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
If I had to pick my final right now, it
might be those two teams, the Stars and Hurricanes.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
But I'm kind of tired of waiting for both of
them to get it right.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Sometimes teams are on the precipice, but never can you know,
push themselves over right.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
And Carolina keeps trying. They have a very aggressive owner.
He's basically also the GM, very involved in everything. And
you know, they add Nikolai Eelers here, another top six guy.
They don't have that goalie really that you know. I
know that some of these things you can squeeze one
in once in a while, like Gaiden Hill and Vegas
certainly not an elite goaltender, but they want to cup
with him, so they just kind of hope they kind
(14:08):
of get lucky with a goalie if you don't have
one of those franchise you know, pegs like a Jake
Otten Jerry's he'll be there for twelve years. And so
that's why Dallas would be a team that is possible.
He's a goalie who's no longer young, but still a
young Dish and he's been young during their playoff runs here,
so he's gaining experience and now with ramted in and
so Dallas certainly could do it. But you know again
(14:30):
that West is so difficult. I gonna have to beat
Colorado and might have a first round matchup against Winnipeg
if Connor Hallibuck ever figures out the postseason and still
got to get through with Vegas or McDavid. So it's
tough out there. Man.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
What can Florida do to patchwork without bark Coffin Kachuck
because you can't punt on a chance for a three.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
P no, right, And they're all they're in that age.
You know, these guys aren't even thirty yet, that big core.
So that's why they still have a window for more
as opposed to teams who win it with in their
early thirties. You know, that's probably gonna be just about
the end and the window closes fast. So they still
have a window here. But yeah, I mean I just
looked at their opening night roster. How it looks like
(15:10):
it's like, well, that is that team that much better
than Boston?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Now?
Speaker 3 (15:15):
I mean, when you know when you look at like
their tell obviously Edwin is a good top line. You know,
the Bruins have David Pasternak and and most people have
a real good defense, But think the Bruins have Charlie
McAboy and uh, but then the rest of the the
rest of the way, it's like, Okay, that guy used
to play for Buffalo, and I know now anytime you
put a guy on a team like that, it increases
their shine. That happens all the way around. When the
(15:37):
team wants back to back, that's gonna happen. But yeah,
I think it's gonna be a little bit of concern
for them not to miss the playoffs because the're gonna
get more. These are injuries before the season even started,
so they're gonna get more injuries. And what if another
key guy gets hurt, you know, or a couple guys
get hurt and then they're off to a slow start,
then they're battling uphill. So I think he's a little
bit of a concern there.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
What can Edmondson do different or better to finally get
over the top and win a cup with McDavid, I
mean now much.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
You know, they went to Game seven two years ago,
you know, and last year was you know, they made
it again. So obviously in the end, will the goalie
be good enough to be a championship goalie? They're trying
to do it on the cheap. You know, their goalies
to make about four million bucks combined. It's got to
be lowest in the league for an elite team like that.
So that helps them with depth, but so far, you know,
(16:27):
it hasn't turned into a championship. You know, they're going
to try to go with some younger guys this year.
They were an older team last year. It's hard to
win cups when you're older and over thirties and you
get tired. It's just difficulty. These are hard miles now
they're putting on these guys McDavid and Bouchard and Dry,
so these are hard miles. So we'll see if they
(16:48):
can come back. And they still be energized for a
third straight year, so there's some still some concern there.
But they're going to try some of these younger guys
and see if they can get them in the mix
and maybe energize them, increase their speed a bit and
and maybe that could be a factor. But yeah, it's
it's still tough because again, their their road is going
to be very difficult out West. As we talked about,
(17:08):
it's been fine these last two years, but uh, these
teams aren't getting better every year. College Wild looks better
this year. They probably have a second line center and
brock Nelson like when they had nasm Contry. Landescog looks
like he's almost old Landescog again, which is amazing that
permissing all that time. So it's gonna be tough out there.
I think even tougher this year before McDavid and the Oilers.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Well David re up with Edmonton.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
I don't think long term. I think he's destined to
have the second half of his career somewhere else, most
likely in the United States, and you know, most likely
with a with a with better weather set up. I
know he loves I know he respects Kenny holland his
GM he had in Edmonton and how he kind of
came in and organized that whole organization, almost capped it
(17:55):
off with the Stanley Cup. Obviously they're in Los Angeles.
I don't know, you know, deep in his heart, is
there some other place, whether it's a team looking for
a team a chance to win, or it's just going
to be straight city and this is what I want
to do, or is it going to be more okay,
maybe over here, let me try this. This team is
ready to go, Like you know in Chicago or one
of these teams that are on the rise in two
(18:16):
more years, and maybe they're going to be the next whoever,
the next Panthers, the next team is going to go
on a run here, and so it'd be curious to say,
but I would say no, I think it probably not
a two year deal at most, and then try to
make it work.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I agree, and I think that would be smart on
his part too. Are the Penguins. Are the Penguins anywhere
near a playoff team?
Speaker 3 (18:38):
No? No, not right now, and I don't think they
want to be obviously Yet. The next two drafts are
absolutely loaded. They have all these picks. They're in a
really good position here. They're already I think a bottom
five team, so they don't really have to do much more.
They can play some of these young guys, bring them along,
and it'll be a place that players will go and play.
(19:02):
That won't be a problem. This is a Buffalo trying
to get a free agent or trying to get players
to stay. That's not the problem there. So yeah, I
think they're managing this correctly. I think Rust and Raquel
will have a big market now. Of course, the big
question is with Sid does he want to be a
part of this, part of the transformation. I think it
is a part of him that does and want it
(19:23):
to be a little different and stick a board on
something like this. He has the Olympics coming up as carrot.
He has the World Cup of Hoskey after that. He
had four Nations last year. He has these competitive carrots
in the middle of winter, still to still go after
he can still play and and produce. And I hope
he goes for two thousand points. I said that for
(19:44):
a while. I want him to be the only second
guy to get two thousand points. So I hope he
plays long enough to do that. And if he does,
and by the time, if it's in Pittsburgh and he's
forty two, the Penguins could be good again.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
We're talking to John Butcher Gross from ESPN here on
the Mark Madden Show. What team improved themselves the most
in the offseason and why do I think it might
have been Vegas just by getting Marner.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
No doubt he is a top five player in the league.
I mean he is a two way player. He's a
great penalty killer. He might get Jack Eicho fifty goals
this year. Icho has an amazing shot. And now with
Marner passing him the pucks, he maybe he's such a
great passer he'll be in great positions to shoot more
because it will be an instinctual situation where it's just
(20:29):
it's just beautiful hockey and a guy will see him.
So this is it's just an amazing that they're able
to get him, you know, at in free agency it
just doesn't happen anymore, just a weird only in Toronto
that could happen like that. And so yeah, I agree,
just getting him alone, the best player you know to
you know, really to move in the offseason will put
(20:51):
them you know, they're already a good team, but right
back up among the elite.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
And what's going to make that combination of Marner and
Ikele even tougher to defend Marner is a playmaking wing boucie,
which is kind of a rarity in today's hockey, And
there aren't a lot of pure finishers at center either.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
It's usually in verse.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
That's kind of a weird thing to defend when you
only have to do it once in a while, it is.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
And then Icha does love the pass. He's a pass
you know, he loves, so you hope they don't overpass,
and they both figure out, Hey, if he passes the puck,
he sees the ice, he knows I'm the right choice,
so I should probably shoot this because he's an elevated
passer if they can probably get on that page. When
he passes the puck to me, I need to shoot
this because that's why he's passing me the puck, because
that's the best option to score. I have the puck.
(21:34):
If I can't score, I'm going to find the right guy.
And of course they'll always do that extra pass and
guys will get tapped in in the back door and
they'll be beautiful hockey and they should have some great goals.
But yeah, this is you know, this is just you know,
it goes. First it was Buffalo and then he kind
of kind of carried them. I thought he was their
best player when they won the Stanley Cop and he's
never played quite with the player you know of this
talent at this stage of his career. So it's exciting.
(21:56):
And I'm really I am curious about Montreal as they
add some young player and you know, Nixuzuki is down.
He could get a he could be one hundred point
two way player this year, these young Slavkovski, could he
turn into be a thirty five goal kind of power
forward horse as he ages gets closer to twenty two,
and you know these twenty one year old to come
twenty two and twenty two become twenty three and that's
(22:17):
obviously a place that players want to go play. They
add Dobson this year, all the younger players get older,
so you're looking for a team that maybe made an
improvement just through maturation and adding Dobson. I think Montreal's coming.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Who are the three best players in the league right now?
Butch And who's your predicted MVP?
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Well, well, I think Connor McDavid is going to be
back in the MVP race this year. And the goal scorer.
I think he realizes that he needs to score goals
to help them win a cup. He's not been a
good goal scorer at the last two playoffs.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
He passes up too many shots is what it is.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
It's become an issue. He won the Rocket Rashard because
leand dry Side dared him two years ago and he
did it, but then it didn't carry over the postseason
and then last year again just the goalsc where he
was doubt goals. It's the most important thing in hockey
is goals. You can't win without them, so you need goals.
So certainly I think you're gonna come back and win
the Art Ross and win the m v P this year.
(23:11):
You know again, I just I have so much respect
for Jack Eye on how he defends the middle of
the ice as a big, strong power forward. It's the
most important position in hockey, and it's it's just it's
really important. That's why I think that the Panthers are
really going to miss barkof People talk about he's so underrated,
but they don't seem to think that it's gonna that's
gonna affect the Panthers kind of march a little bit,
(23:32):
I know a little bit, but that's a big loss
for them. And I think the playoffs could be in
peril if they had a couple more injuries. But certainly so,
I just I love I go in the middle, and
I love and I love uh, you know, Conor McDavid.
And I think it's time for Austin Matthews to ascend.
It is time for him to say I should be
one of the top three players in this league. And
(23:52):
I think he needs to take his craft more seriously.
I think he needs to have that will and that
fire to be great and be the best and and
I think that's been missing the last couple of years.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Well, his whole team really needs to heed your advice, Bucci,
because they haven't won for how long, But lately it's
not because they're not good enough. They just whatever it
was they never had the least still haven't gotten.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Yeah, I mean sixty years now, it's been since the
late sixties when they won their last Cup. They certainly
had a great the cores four. But now Barner is gone.
They've built the team obviously incorrect, and now they're trying
to make up for it. On the back end. It's
still not a scintillating back end. And the goalie Stolarz
and Wall it's not really that, you know, that daunting
of a pair. So I just I still question where
(24:36):
they are. I think Tampa Bay is going to be
the benefactor of this spark Off injury. They should win
that division. Maybe they can sneak in and get that
Cup again. Sometimes that happens. A team wins, a couple
goes away, then sneaks in one more, which could make
such a big difference and how people are looked at
players and coaches. So I think Tampa Bay. You know,
they they keep making these aggressive moves. They have a
(24:57):
lot of good players. It just hasn't quite worked yet.
But you wondered this year, as we talked about in
the East, seems to be pretty open. They're a team
that could return to the top of the East.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Is there even one truly great goaltender in the league
right now? I mean truly great like Brador Wah Flurry
that level, and and what's happened to goltending in general? Boots,
I'm just not impressed most nights.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
You're right, but you know, the era of the eighties
and and really the nineties and at the early offt
so when you had you Brador and Wah and Hashik.
You know, really the golden era of of goalies was that.
I know they talked about loft, the style of play
and the clutch and grab blah blah, but it was
also amazing goalies. Is why goal scoring was down. And
and now, like you said, goalscoring has been up the
(25:42):
last decade. Took the little kick down last year, But yeah,
I really do think igors a starking, now that that
Mike Sullivan is there, they're going to take away those
high danger chances, which is he faces.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
So many of those.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
The last two three years, the Rangers have been abysmal
team in front of him. I really do think he
is the one guy that could have sent them be
the star and they get any kind of structure to
any kind of defensive play with that veteran team who's
older and obviously very rich, a lot of wealthy guys
there playing at the end of their career. When you
have a lot of guys, when you have an older team,
(26:16):
you have a lot of rich guys, and a lot
of what can happen is that you know, you don't
have the same cohesive this you have the same hunger.
They're they're fed, they're fat, they got their deals, they
got their big second deals, and so that can be
an issue. But if he can get them to go,
then Schasturkin can really elevate himself as the guy and
that team could then elevate themselves as a threat in
the East.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Speaking of big deals, what's your take on the Kaprosov
deal in Minnesota, Because he's a great player, but when
the highest paid player isn't necessarily the best player.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
It leads to rampant inflation. Look at edge rushers in
the NFL.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Yeah, right, so that's gonna be the you know, will
the NHL GMS take a hard line said that is
not a comparable. This was a desperate team who couldn't
lose that guy. It's a it's an organization with a
bit of a low self esteem, even though it's in
the state of hockey. They thought this guy might leave.
They really haven't had a great run. They haven't had stars,
(27:12):
they really haven't had a lottery luck in the early
part of their existence. So it's been kind of tough
sledding for them to find that marquee guy. You know,
Columbus got Rick Nash early and he was their guy.
And now finally now they might have a core. But
it's taken off for them too. But Caprizov is one
of those playmaking wingers you talked about. He really is
a great player, not a great skater, kind of played
(27:34):
the game at his pace like a Peter Forstburg, that's
who he reminds me of. But he can also score.
He has finish Forstburg didn't have a lot of finish
like that. But he's a thick, lower body guy like Forrestburgh,
great playmaker and can finish and can score, and yeah,
they had to keep him. Seventeen is an outrageous number
for him, But I mean David pastaducs at eleven and
(27:55):
all these guys at eleven and twelve and look at that.
A lot of agents got phone calls saying, wtf didn't
you realize this was going to happen. They told them
the cap was going up last year by this much.
I don't know why these guys didn't sign one or
two year deals and just wait for this, this whole
new era to come in. It was right there in
front of them. They told them it was going to
be one and ten, one hundred and fifteen million dollars
(28:17):
and it's going to go up again because the ESPN's
deal and tant is up in three years. You know,
after this it's two years and so then who knows.
They they'll probably I imagine they'll do an extension soon.
I know we love them. I think they love us.
I wouldn't be surprised if an extension was signed early
with the TV networks and then it's going to go
up again.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Who's your Stanley Cup winner, Boucci and who they going
to play in the final?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Well, ESPN just sent our email for our season preview.
We pick all the division winners and some of the awards,
and they asked us for our Stanley Cup champ and
I did pick the Carolina Hurricanes and kind of began
the phone call talking about not a great team, this
could be the year that's a team like that could
get their Cup sneak in and taking advantage of some
like we said, the situation, maybe with the injuries to
(29:03):
the Panthers and maybe with you know Edmonton and really Florida,
it's hard. Those miles are hard in the playoffs and
take his toll. We saw what it's done to Tampa
after three straight. Still have great players, keep outing great players,
but it's just they have not been able to have
any playoff success since they're you know, three in a row,
two wins and one loss. So it's it's gonna be
(29:25):
tough for both of those teams. So it's kind of
open this year. It's chance for Dallas to get theirs,
it's chance for Colorado to get their second, and to
chance for Vegas to get their second and again get
that second Cup after taking a couple of years off.
So I'm going Carolina and uh and out West. I
think Colorado because of the second line center and brock Nelson,
they have more depths. Landskag is back, McKinnon and mccar
(29:48):
are in their prime, they got a goalie. It looks like.
So I'm gonna go Colorado, Carolina.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Finally, Boots, have you've spoken to baseball and on tre
Ben McDonald after your little fracas?
Speaker 3 (29:58):
I did not. I didn't know. It was kind of fun,
but yeah, you know, I don't like when people take
shot at our take shots at our uh at our sports,
especially when they're fellow cast members at Disney, right right.
But obviously he was. Yeah, he was trying to be funny.
He's got a good bit on Twitter, and I like Benny.
He's a likable guy and he's funny on Twitter with
his wife and on his tractor and and uh so,
(30:21):
but it was just something. It was actually someone else
what our co worker is the one who texted me,
and I didn't even see it, and so I was
really on his behalf. I was kind of defending his
honor as well. So I have a hard time, you know,
sometimes fighting for myself or supporting myself. But I'll have
the teammates back before I even support myself, so I'll
give them a little assist, a little apple on that tweet.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Bootie is always great stuff like we appreciate the knowledge
and you taking the time, and we'll talk again.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Real soon anytime. Marky Mark That is John Butcher.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Go mister hawk in ESPN. Nobody better with hockey on
TV than John Butchers. For us, they have him consider
instantly at Pierre Maguire every week. Well we're the home
of the Penguins. There's a reason for that.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
We got Jerry do Like talking Steelers next hour.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Uh got some fun sound next Jamison tie On pitching
Game three for the Cubs Today, we'll hear from him
one oh five to nine the X.
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