December 11, 2025 • 30 mins
Mark continues talking Steelers, takes your calls on the 15 and is joined by Josh Yohe to talk about the Pens before their showdown with Montreal tonight
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Mark as Played
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the mark Man Show. You like it, you
love it, you want more of it. I mean all
the things we talked about that haven't coalesced for the
Steelers after thirteen games, after fourteen weeks, and people talk
about they see the offense coming together. We got to
(00:22):
a sound bite from Pete Prisco of CBS saying that
later what is coming together now week fifteen? Really it's
about time, if that's true. But I'm not seeing that
and certainly not assuming that it's close. How much can
you do on offense when so much is so wrong
and the defense relies on takeaways which are sporadic. That
(00:45):
Dolphins game Monday night, don't forget to watch the game
with me at sidelines in Millville. Wings beer, football and Millville.
That is a tremendous combination. And I'll get there early,
for sure. Sidelines in Millville awesome place. But this Dolphins game,
you're not gonna get beat by two. I don't think.
(01:06):
Like Tommy Radio said earlier, he leads the league in
interceptions thrown at fourteen. But if I'm Miami, I just
pound the ball. I pound the ball with the a train,
boom boom, boom until I'm down by two scores, and
even then I might pound the ball some more. The
Steelers can't stop it. Why put the ball in the
(01:28):
air at more risk against the team that is among
the NFL leaders in takeaways. Now, if they strip the
A train, whatever that I mean, you can't have total,
one hundred percent absolutely safe ball protection. But I think
there's a clear kind of approach for the Dolphins to take.
And while I think McDaniel, the offensive guru that's their
(01:49):
head coach to four eyed geek, I think he does
have a tendency to smart himself sometimes with them having
won four in a row and now being on the
fringe of wild card attention, I don't think he'll do
that here. And you got a lot more guys on
Miami having a big season then you got on the
(02:09):
Steelers having a big season, the A Train, I mentioned him,
waddle Brooks at linebacker, on defense. They got quality players
at every level. This is gonna be a tougher game,
mark my Wortz. Miami at Steelers tougher game than the
Steelers win at Baltimore. I know the Steelers only won
(02:29):
by five, but that Baltimore game never felt like the
Ravens might win it did it, I don't think so.
It always felt like they would come up short, and
they did Miami with the four straight wins. I think
the Steelers are the better team. Probably. That pause just
(02:51):
now is to try to talk myself into it. It
sucks that Watts out. I don't think he's been well.
It sucks. You want him to be healthy with the
lung thing. But it felt like he was due for
a big game. I mean, a guy like that, even
though he's lost to half a step and he's passed
(03:13):
his prime every once in a while, he's still gonna
have a big game. But I dot very much he's
gonna play Monday Night. It'll be nice to have Metcalf
go off more than occasionally, have the running game not suck,
have the run defense not suck. There's just so many
holes with the Steelers, not just in the depth chart,
but in the way they play. And it says a
(03:34):
lot that they have the four string left tackling there
and you really can't spot the difference from one to
two to three to four. Now, Dylan Cook got in
there at Baltimore operating just on adrenaline and it did
a good job. That will wear out The worst thing
you can give a scrub having to play is time
(03:54):
to think about it. And now he's had a week
to think about it. But here's hoping that continues to
do all right, So get your calls in now for
calls on the fifteens eight three, three four one two
WSDX And this defense for the Steelers, the whole defense
(04:15):
is one of the worst in Steelers history. Fifth from
bottom overall, averaging nearly three hundred and seventy yards per
game allowed, fifth from bottom in passing yards two hundred
and forty four yards per game allowed, twelve from bottom
in rushing one hundred and twenty five point three yards
per game allowed, and that's gotten worse recently. They're middle
(04:37):
of the pack in points at twenty three point nine
points per game allot that's mitigated by twenty three takeaways,
which is second most in the NFL. Nominy sacks twenty two,
eighth from bottom. You know what would be Ironic's not
the word, but what if TJ doesn't play and Herbie
gets more time and runs wild Brother, which I would
(05:00):
love to see, and it very easily could happen. But
the defense sucks. It's not gonna come around it just
is what it is, and that goes for the offense.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Too.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Old guys don't rally late in a season. Old teams
don't rally late in the season. They just get older,
is all. And that defense makes so much money and
was supposed to be historical, it's not well in a
perverse way, it may be. I don't blame any one
thing or player for the failure of that defense, but
(05:30):
very few players on that side of the ball have
even been okay. Ramsey's been okay. I give him credit
for switching positions and kind of holding the fork down.
Joey Porter Junior when he man's up, I think he's
been very good. I think any shortcoming by Porter has
been the way he's deployed, not the way he's played.
(05:51):
And again that's lack of communication between those who procure
and those who deploy. There was no point getting Joey
Junior if he wasn't going to play press man coverage
almost all the time, and yet after drafting him, he's
barely played it at all. Like, I mean, do Con
and Tom would even talk? Well, that's a dumb question.
(06:13):
Tom Win makes all the decisions and contradicts himself in
a case like this Hi Smith very good when he's healthy.
Her being in a lesser role, maybe in a bigger
role on Monday night Harmon when he's healthy. Some of
the backups are good. We've been talking about Eccles and Pierre,
(06:34):
but that's a bad defense. Who would have thought the
Steelers have a bad defense, but they do. It's real bad.
Get your calls in now A three three four one
two WXDX. We've been talking about the Michigan coaching thing.
(06:55):
They fired their coach because he was banging his assistant
and probably because he lost to Ohio State. But you know,
there's some really bad ramifications like an assault charge. He
spent the night in jail, and now on get up.
Today they were talking about how Michigan should steal Matt
(07:16):
Campbell from Penn State even though he's been hired there.
Like what a couple of days. There's no honor in
college sports anymore. And these are young kids. Were teaching
them to lie and cheat and were nig and go
back on their word. This country has just really effed up,
and our government's only part of that, the biggest part,
to be sure. How about this Stephen Day, who's a
(07:40):
real good defensive lineman for Indiana. He's out because he
somehow injured his right leg high fiving fans after the
Big Ten championship came. How do you injure your right leg?
High fiving fans? But you know what that is. That's
God reacting because Notre Dame got screwed. Nine day. Yeah,
(08:02):
what you said the ex at one nine.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
If you're just.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Tuning in some bad news from the Steelers. TJ. Watt
hospitalized with some kind of lung disorder, not football related,
not from like a blow. We don't think so. Actually
we know almost nothing. We just know that his availability
for Monday night's game against Miami is obviously in question. Uh,
we're gonna talk football with Jerry Dulac at four point thirty.
(08:35):
That du Lac tweet where he said a little bit
ago that the time of possession difference between the offense
and defense of the Steelers has been such that the
Steelers defense has played the equivalent of two plus extra
games on the season. That is just absolutely diabolical. And
(08:56):
that's not an excuse for the defense being as bad
as it's been. Part of that possession difference has been
their failure to get off the field. A couple of
soccer notes. River Hans announced their home opener in defense
of their USL championship March twenty eighth at high Mark
against Jacksonville. Also Saturday night at sports Track in Swickly.
(09:20):
Indoor soccer returning to Pittsburgh. Bridge City FC. Just like
the spirit back then. Remember I love that. I'll be there.
That's Bridge City FC with their home opener at sports
Track in Swickly. It's an arena fully equipped for indoor soccer.
It's been there for years and it's right under the
Siwickly Bridge. Right now, it's time for calls on the fifteens.
(09:43):
We don't have a sponsor for calls on the fifteens.
Let's go to Pete. Pete, you're on with Mark?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (09:51):
What up?
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Mean? What I mean?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Just do want to talk about this Steelers game. I
do think it's gonna be a lot closer Monday night.
And I think for two reasons, when I see the
season in general, there's not really one team in the AFC,
maybe aside from the Raiders, that the Steelers can consistently
say they have a better position player than somebody else
on the other team.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
They don't have a better.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Running back, than the majority of the team's quarterback, and
Miami comes in with one of the best rushing offenses
in football. And then number two, especially lately throughout the
entire exactly, Yeah, and number two. I would say every
team either improves or has a drastic decline throughout the season,
and Miami, albeit beating poor teams the past three weeks,
(10:33):
have played good football in really good defense, and the
Steelers have just been complacent since Week one. They're the
same team as they were Week one, and they haven't
improved even though they're still in first place.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Let me take what you said extrapolate just a little bit.
I think unless you're a real top of the line team,
which there are very few of in this year's NFL,
You're right you have upswings and down swings, and Miami
is in the middle of their big upswing, whereas I
think the Steelers have been trading sewage since they were
four more and one that win against Baltimore, notwithstanding, which
(11:03):
was more like the Ravens losing than the Steelers winning.
And to amplify something you said before, too, Pete, Miami
has more players having good seasons by far than the
Steelers do.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Yeah, I completely agree, and that's whatever. Every time the
Steelers play somebody, I'm never super confident that they will
win because they don't excel in one or two positions
definitively over their opponents.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
No matter who they are.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
You know, even when you play a Cleveland team, Cleveland's
defense is considerably better, so the weaknesses they have on offense,
they can potentially scrap out a win or two because
they have such.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
A good defense, No, no question. In fact, I think you
could say the best platoon in football is Cleveland's defense,
which says a lot about how bad the Browns offense is.
Although let's be honest, if chedor started all season, then
be undefeated maybe one loss at the most. Thank you
for the column. Oh and on one other thing too,
to touch on what that gentleman said, The Steelers never
(12:02):
on coach nobody like hardball's a dope too, so I
wouldn't say either team had a coaching advantage this past Sunday.
But McDaniel is a much better football coach, a scholar
of the game, more so than Mike Tomlin, who just
operates on field in an error ruled by analytics. I
think it says everything you need to know about how
(12:25):
antiquated Tomlin is that they don't have a coach in
charge of replay challenges. He literally goes by the feel
of what he sees on the JumboTron and on the field.
Let's go to Scooch, Scoots, you're all with double.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
M hey to follow up with that, caller said, the
Dolphins won two punch, even if the eight trains ribs
are still a little banged up. Jalen Wright is extremely
confident tailback. He has one hundred and five.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
No question.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Last week their tailback. Do who blows the Steelers away?
Speaker 1 (12:58):
No? No, I agree. Like I said, I think if
Miami gets the lead and keeps it simple. The more
I talk about this game, Scoots, the more I think
Miami's probably gonna win.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
I agree. And another thing, Miami, they're also playing to
try to keep their coach's job. The Steelers. I mean,
it's like the Supreme Court. Once you get in, you know,
you leave on your own terms. Palmlin will leave when
he's seventy five if he wants to.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
That said the much Sir McDaniel's the most popular guy
in that dressing room. Do they want him to keep
the job.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Maybe not? But McDaniel's at least coaching for his own ass.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Then again, the Tyreek thing's been removed from the equation
as far as McDaniel's concerned, I think that was his
biggest problem, as good a player as Tyreek is. Let's
go to Lou Lou. You're on with double M.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
At some point, would you advocate for Seatroff getting sent
on to the minors to try to work out his
problems if it's costing them these points and bring up.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Well, don't forget he can't work out his problems in
the shootout unless he gets in shootouts, and if you
send him to Wilkes, there's no guarantee he would get
into those I said earlier in the show, and I'm
gonna write a column about it. I would consider calling
up Morrishoff and sending shill Offs to the miners, and
then in the meantime trying to trade Jari to Edmonton.
(14:16):
And I would use Morshav in the shootouts because he
couldn't be worse than the duds they have doing the
shootouts now, especially Shilloffs. It's just a matter of if
you think that would be an educated gamble. I've often
said recently that it would be tough for Dubis to
trade Jari because the dressing rooms behind Jari and Jari's
(14:36):
played well. But Jari playing well has always come with
an expiration date. Morishov's the goalie of the future. He's
killing it in Wilkes. His numbers are through the roof
and again, I repeat, you can't lose every shootout. So
it's one of those rare moves where it could be
introducing the future but also helping now in the present,
even though the way Jari's playing it might not look
(14:58):
that way on the surface, especially given that Morischoff was
good but not that convincing during his stay in Pittsburgh earlier.
Thank you for the call up. Next, more Hockey Talk
with Josh Show. He won oh five to nine.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
It's The Woody Show.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
You can stream the X and us The Woody Show
on the free iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Weekend mornings at six X this season, it's a super
genius Mark Madden one.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Get it out like the psychotic version of the Poke.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Mark, you are superius.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
I know the X at one. I got a stat
wrong before. Jerry Dulac said that the Steelers defense has
played the equivalent of two extra games this year due
to the difference in time of possession, it's actually closer
to three games. Yikes. Joining me now to Todd Penguins.
They host Montreal tonight. From the Athletic it's Josh, Showy, Josh.
(15:51):
I've been brainstorming after yet another shootout loss, and I'm
wondering Morrischoff is killing it in Wilkes. I mean killing it,
but statistically just through the roof. Would you call him
up and maybe try to trade Jari as soon as
possible and it'd be a gamble, but he's a great
goalie and you'd have a chance in shootouts.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
I mean, it's a matter of time until this happens, right.
I haven't seen him play in Wolfsbury. I see the
numbers like everybody else. This same percentage, I think is
like nine forty three something outrageous. It's certainly something to consider,
and I don't think it is untrue that the Edmonton
Oilers are interested in Tristan Jari, and I've heard from
(16:36):
some people I trust that indeed they are, so now
would be the time to trade Jari in terms of
his value being as high as humanly possible. It's something
to consider it's a risk. But I'll tell you what, Mark,
every time I've talked with players in the locker room
about Sergei Miroshov, like their eyes just get really big.
They kind of give you that look like, yeah, he's
(16:57):
really good.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Yeah, but they also think Jari's than Jari really is well.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
But he is good right now. I mean that's the
thing about Jari. When he's good, he's good. You just
can't trust him. And that's something that we've learned over
the years. But I'm telling you, guys in that room,
they think Mushov is going to be a star, and
I think a lot of people think that. And when
you look at the numbers, even though it's still a
small sample size, I think he's only played about twenty
(17:23):
five games in the American Hockey League in the last
two years, which is not a big number, but I mean,
he's obviously dominating that league right now. We're getting close
to the point where he is ready, So I think
it does make sense to think about it.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Yeah, it'd be easier to do if he'd looked a
bit more convincing during his brief stay in Pittsburgh earlier
this year, And of course if Jari wasn't playing so well,
but as a as a local hockey Sage said to
me earlier today, Josh, you know when you get rid
of Jari whenever you can, because he has those two
years left on his deal that are you know, pricey
at five point three whatever. You don't want him around
(17:58):
when Morishov does take over, because then, like you said,
his trade value won't be as high as it is now.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Well, yeah, that could produce all kinds of problems.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Never mind his value, Josh, his ability to be traded period.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
Right, And while it is true and I've heard you
talk about this, and I think it's true that it's
going to cause problems in the locker room if he
has traded and that's not ideal, those problems will go
away pretty quickly if Miershaw shows up and plays great
and it's all like he was bad. He had one
shaky game at the three games he played at the
NHL level. He also had a shout out in Sweden,
so he didn't exactly look bad in the time he
(18:32):
was up. It's a matter of time. We all know
he's going to be the guy.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
What will the carryover be mentally from blowing that game
to Anaheim on Tuesday. Because I've never seen anything quite
like that.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
I'm curious myself, and this suddenly feels like a tricky
game for the Penguins. Montreal usually plays pretty well here.
There's got to be a psychological impact. The Penguins actually
had a scheduled day off yesterday. Practice would have interesting
after that one. I'd be a little concerned about it.
That's typically not the kind of loss that you recover from.
(19:10):
I've never seen anything like it either, Mark. But you know,
the amazing thing is it almost happened in the home
opener identical situations. The Islanders were down a goal, they
took a penalty with fifteen seconds left. The face off
went to the New York territory. The Penguins put their
top power play on the ice, and the Islanders came
back and almost Scorjari had to make a really good
(19:31):
save with like one second left. I asked Dan Mues
the next day, would you maybe try a different lineup
about the next time that situation arises. He said no,
he was happy with it, and by god, he basically
did the same thing against Anaheim and it burned him
this time. So I couldn't believe what I was watching
the other night.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Well, that was the first game that Dan muse blew.
I mean the guys on the ice, there was a
lot of things they could have done, but it all
started with Dan Mues making horrible lineup decisions. And Josh
I'm of the tang guy big time, and he needs
to tone down his game does and he's trying to
play like it's still twenty sixteen. I think Carlson has
tempered his game, and it took him a couple of
years to do so, but I think it's paid off
(20:09):
for him, and it might also for Chris.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Yeah, I agree. I still think Chris has the physical
ability to be a solid NHL defenseman. All of his
troubles are always upstairs, and he's always been that way. Marky,
He's never been a cerebral player. He's always been just
an athletic freak. And as he loses some of that,
he needs to play differently. And we saw it a
(20:33):
couple of years ago Carlson's first year here, in the
first three months of the season, the tig was great.
He may have been the Penguin's best player in those
three months. He was so good defensively, he wasn't making
mistakes and we're just not seeing that right now. He
has been responsible for far too many goals against, even
though he's had some good games recently. Thought he was
really good in Dallas. Thought he was the best defenseman
(20:53):
in that game, but there are too many knights. But
when he's just making ridiculous mental errors, and we saw
it the other night on the play that we're talking about.
All he has to do is take the man on
that play and the game's over and he tries to
pickpocket him with two seconds left. It just wasn't smart.
And it also wasn't smart for him to be on
the ice with Carlson at all, which was the bigger
(21:15):
issue in my opinion. But I'm not Chris is struggling
right now and that they need him to be better
because as we know with Chris that when he does
make mistakes, they're not of the small variety. You know,
when he makes a mistake, the whole rink notices. He's
always been that guy, and those are the mistakes that
are hurting the Penguins right now, and he's got to
be better.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I mentioned that calling up Morrishoff might fix the shootout,
But then again, maybe not because they wouldn't sub him
in for whoever the other goal he was. No coach
does that. I don't sense Mus would either, And Sid
will go in the shootout no matter what, even though
he's totally predictable. He's gonna go no matter what. I
feel like the Penguin shootout problems will continue because there's
(21:53):
a lot that's non negotiable.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah, and I've never seen him look less confident in
the shootout, Like he looked like a dead man walking
the other night against Anaheim, and he did the same
move and the same shot and it was all really predictable.
As great as he still is, that's one area of
his game that we have certainly seen e road in
(22:17):
the last couple of years. And he's Malkin's never been
very good on breakaways. La Tang hasn't been good for years.
I think we've seen Russ decline as well. We have
seen Mus go with some different guys. Now we saw
Coy even and the other night we saw no back,
So I think that's encouraging. But since the big one,
if you ask him to step aside, I'm sure that
(22:37):
wouldn't be pleasant for the coach, But it might be
time to have that conversation because if they lose out
on a playoff spot by a couple of points, Mark,
we know exactly why it is. It's because of shootouts.
It's already cost him. It lost eleven of their last
twelve shootouts. I think it is going back the last
couple of years. That's unbelievable. It's hard to make the
playoffs these days when you give up that many points
(22:58):
an extra time going.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
To Josh Shelley the athletic here on one ninety X, Josh,
I love the way the kid line's playing McGroarty, Kindle
and coyven in. But they got a score like their
metrics are tremendous, but they got three even strength goals
between them all by Kindle.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Well, I agree, but I think it will come. And
one thing I will say for them, that line's also
been really good defensively. It's not like they're giving up
goals when they're on the ice, so that that's encouraging,
especially if you're going to use them in basically a
third line role when Malcom's healthy, which I think is
the plan. Kendall and McGroarty are really good defensively. So
(23:40):
that helps the cause. But yeah, I mean the offense
needs to come. It's only been a couple of games though,
three games, I guess they've been together. You gotta be
patient sometimes that's the last thing to come with young players.
And it's not like they aren't generating opportunities. They absolutely are,
and I think the goals will start to come. I
really like that line together. I think they all have
(24:01):
different attributes that they bring to the table, and I
think Mark the biggest thing that we've seen with that
line so far. Ben Kendall has been better the last
three games than he had been. He had a little
bit of a lull in the middle of November where
he wasn't playing very well for a few games that line.
Whether it's that line bringing him back to life or
maybe it was just going to happen anyway, but we've
seen a better version of Kendall on that line. He's
(24:24):
been one of the Penguin's best players for the last
three or four games, and that to me is really encouraging.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
I would keep that line together. But Tyler Kennedy had
a provocative thought on my show yesterday. He thinks they
should take two of those kids and put him with
a big guy, because that would make that line play
less on the perimeter. I see the point of that,
but I wonder if putting say Manta on that line
might slow the line down. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I mean it's intriguing, and the good news is it's
a long season, so there's lots of time to experiment
and we might see that. Personally, I would keep Kendling
McGroarty together no matter or what. I think Kendall needs
some stability. He's been playing with different guys every single
night all season and he's done well. But I think
at eighteen years old, he needs to have a stable
(25:10):
line mate, and I think they would like that to
be McGroarty. Coivenan needs to produce, because he doesn't really
help you in other ways if he's not producing. I'm
curious when they get healthy Mark. Let's say the top
line is you know, Russ, Rakell and Crosby, and the
second line is the three big guys you know and
Brezon and Manfa. So what do you do with that
(25:30):
third line, because if you leave the kids together, that
might mean Tommy Novak's a healthy scratch. And I think
he's been pretty good lately, and I think he's a
better player than Coybanan right now. So maybe Novak ultimately
ends up on that line. I don't know, but I
would not separate McGroarty and Kendall.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Well, Novak and Kendall played decent earlier in the year.
They had a great give and go goal scored by
Kendall in Florida. Yeah, and I give Novak credit, Josh,
because he got elevated to Sid's line, and he's got
three goals and two assists in his last four games.
I'm not a big fan of his totally unphysical style,
but he's putting up some numbers.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Well, yeah, I mean, he certainly is a perimeter player,
putting it lightly. So if you're gonna be a perimeter player,
you better put up points. And to his credit, he
has done that. He really does have the playmaking gene.
He sees the ice well, he distributes the puck well.
And I also say, you know, if this Malkin line
when he comes back, I don't know if those three
(26:24):
guys are going to keep doing what they did in October.
Braso in particular, you wonder if he might fade. I
can tell you this Mark during the summer of getting
Malkin told the Penguins coaching staff that he really wanted
to play with Novack, that he thought he was an
intriguing player basically, and that they could be good together potentially.
So Novak, he's got really good hands, he's got a
(26:46):
high skill level. He just needs to go to the
net more, frankly, and he has lately, and that's made
a difference in his game as all around game has
been better. So he remains an interesting player. I'm still
just not sure what you do with him.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Let me tell you what's gonna make me go insane
When Raquel comes back and he takes Kendall's place on
the top power play and I just feel like that's
a lock, even though Kendall is their best power play guy.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
I knew that's where you were going, and I agree
with you. He might be the most natural power play
guy they have. He does not turn the puck over
on the power play.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
He knows how to do it. He knows how to
let space organically clear. He never forces anything.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
His patience with the puck is incredible, and yet he
still shoots the puck when it's appropriate. It's just decision
making or as great as Crosby and Malkin. Are they
turn the puck over on the power play a lot
because the Force plays too much well, Tigan Carlson do
as well. You really don't see that With Kendall, he
can play the bumper. I like that he gives you
(27:47):
another right handed shot. It's nothing against Raquel or Russ
or whoever they would decide to take off. But I
think the power play is better because of Ben Kendall,
and I think it would be a big mistake to
remove him.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Where's Montreal. I like their roster better than I like
them on the ice, if that makes sense. They're a good, young,
fast team kind of on the rise and on the
road the Penguins would like to be. But I don't
feel like they're playing as well as their talent dictates.
Not yet.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
No, they're not. They started slow last season two, for
what it's worth. Maybe they're just one of those teams.
I thought they were kind of a sexy pick to
win the conference this year, Like I actually thought that
highly of them, and I think that little of these
an conference. I think, so you put it together and
I think they're intriguing. We're going to get to see
their hotshot goalie prospect make his debut Toite because they're
big goalie prospects only debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins, whether
(28:39):
it be Dryden or water Kerry Price. There's a history
of that.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Right And I was there, baby, I was there, were you.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Yeah, I think they're good. I do that. They They
have a lot of skilled forwards. They're really fast, which
might make them a bad matchup for the Penguins because
the Penguins have struggled this year against faster teams. They
don't mind playing the heavier teams. The teams that can
really skate. Seems like Tampa and New Jersey I find
have given them fits this season. Maybe not a great
(29:05):
matchup for the Penguins. But Montreal should be a playoff
team at the very least, and if they're not, then
something went wrong. Because they've got an awful lot of
young talent on that team.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
And Demodolf's a star. I talk about him a lot. Yeah,
I would never trade said to Montreal or anywhere for
that matter. If I did, I'd want demodoff, non negotiable.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
No, he is some kind of a talent. He came
on the scene at the end of last season. In
Montreal and he just looked like a star a meet
Mark And the thing about Montreal, it's funny saying this
historically speaking, but really in the last ten or fifteen years,
the problem with the Canadians is they haven't had any
star power, I guess other than Carry Price, but they
(29:46):
haven't had the big names, which is what they've always
had over the years. But they've had a lot of
good players, they haven't had any great players and you
still need that to win, and that's been one of
their big problems. And maybe he will blossom into that guy.
I think he has the physical skill set to be
a superstar.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Josh, do you think the Pirates will be able to
get that second basement from Tampa for low level minor
league prospects. That's the latest. That's the latest. The media
fanboys are saying that they'll get Brandon low thirty one
home runs last year, one year left on his deal
for a low level prospect.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
I just tweeted about that. I didn't know that second
baseman who had thirty home runs and they're in their prime.
I didn't know they could be had for low level
prospects only one.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Year left on his deal. Josh, they're gonna give them away.
They'll take what they can get.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Oh that listen, I'm sure the Pirates. Before I see
you tonight at the Arena, Mark, I'm sure they will
have signed two or three big names. I think that's
obviously a given.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Beat them Bucks. That's Josh on Mark On Every weekday at.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Ten am, is Travis starting your workday commercial freight on
one O five nine.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
We're adding another show to the ex's concert calendar, like
a guest live in concert.
This is the mark Man Show. You like it, you
love it, you want more of it. I mean all
the things we talked about that haven't coalesced for the
Steelers after thirteen games, after fourteen weeks, and people talk
about they see the offense coming together. We got to
(00:22):
a sound bite from Pete Prisco of CBS saying that
later what is coming together now week fifteen? Really it's
about time, if that's true. But I'm not seeing that
and certainly not assuming that it's close. How much can
you do on offense when so much is so wrong
and the defense relies on takeaways which are sporadic. That
(00:45):
Dolphins game Monday night, don't forget to watch the game
with me at sidelines in Millville. Wings beer, football and Millville.
That is a tremendous combination. And I'll get there early,
for sure. Sidelines in Millville awesome place. But this Dolphins game,
you're not gonna get beat by two. I don't think.
(01:06):
Like Tommy Radio said earlier, he leads the league in
interceptions thrown at fourteen. But if I'm Miami, I just
pound the ball. I pound the ball with the a train,
boom boom, boom until I'm down by two scores, and
even then I might pound the ball some more. The
Steelers can't stop it. Why put the ball in the
(01:28):
air at more risk against the team that is among
the NFL leaders in takeaways. Now, if they strip the
A train, whatever that I mean, you can't have total,
one hundred percent absolutely safe ball protection. But I think
there's a clear kind of approach for the Dolphins to take.
And while I think McDaniel, the offensive guru that's their
(01:49):
head coach to four eyed geek, I think he does
have a tendency to smart himself sometimes with them having
won four in a row and now being on the
fringe of wild card attention, I don't think he'll do
that here. And you got a lot more guys on
Miami having a big season then you got on the
(02:09):
Steelers having a big season, the A Train, I mentioned him,
waddle Brooks at linebacker, on defense. They got quality players
at every level. This is gonna be a tougher game,
mark my Wortz. Miami at Steelers tougher game than the
Steelers win at Baltimore. I know the Steelers only won
(02:29):
by five, but that Baltimore game never felt like the
Ravens might win it did it, I don't think so.
It always felt like they would come up short, and
they did Miami with the four straight wins. I think
the Steelers are the better team. Probably. That pause just
(02:51):
now is to try to talk myself into it. It
sucks that Watts out. I don't think he's been well.
It sucks. You want him to be healthy with the
lung thing. But it felt like he was due for
a big game. I mean, a guy like that, even
though he's lost to half a step and he's passed
(03:13):
his prime every once in a while, he's still gonna
have a big game. But I dot very much he's
gonna play Monday Night. It'll be nice to have Metcalf
go off more than occasionally, have the running game not suck,
have the run defense not suck. There's just so many
holes with the Steelers, not just in the depth chart,
but in the way they play. And it says a
(03:34):
lot that they have the four string left tackling there
and you really can't spot the difference from one to
two to three to four. Now, Dylan Cook got in
there at Baltimore operating just on adrenaline and it did
a good job. That will wear out The worst thing
you can give a scrub having to play is time
(03:54):
to think about it. And now he's had a week
to think about it. But here's hoping that continues to
do all right, So get your calls in now for
calls on the fifteens eight three, three four one two
WSDX And this defense for the Steelers, the whole defense
(04:15):
is one of the worst in Steelers history. Fifth from
bottom overall, averaging nearly three hundred and seventy yards per
game allowed, fifth from bottom in passing yards two hundred
and forty four yards per game allowed, twelve from bottom
in rushing one hundred and twenty five point three yards
per game allowed, and that's gotten worse recently. They're middle
(04:37):
of the pack in points at twenty three point nine
points per game allot that's mitigated by twenty three takeaways,
which is second most in the NFL. Nominy sacks twenty two,
eighth from bottom. You know what would be Ironic's not
the word, but what if TJ doesn't play and Herbie
gets more time and runs wild Brother, which I would
(05:00):
love to see, and it very easily could happen. But
the defense sucks. It's not gonna come around it just
is what it is, and that goes for the offense.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Too.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Old guys don't rally late in a season. Old teams
don't rally late in the season. They just get older,
is all. And that defense makes so much money and
was supposed to be historical, it's not well in a
perverse way, it may be. I don't blame any one
thing or player for the failure of that defense, but
(05:30):
very few players on that side of the ball have
even been okay. Ramsey's been okay. I give him credit
for switching positions and kind of holding the fork down.
Joey Porter Junior when he man's up, I think he's
been very good. I think any shortcoming by Porter has
been the way he's deployed, not the way he's played.
(05:51):
And again that's lack of communication between those who procure
and those who deploy. There was no point getting Joey
Junior if he wasn't going to play press man coverage
almost all the time, and yet after drafting him, he's
barely played it at all. Like, I mean, do Con
and Tom would even talk? Well, that's a dumb question.
(06:13):
Tom Win makes all the decisions and contradicts himself in
a case like this Hi Smith very good when he's healthy.
Her being in a lesser role, maybe in a bigger
role on Monday night Harmon when he's healthy. Some of
the backups are good. We've been talking about Eccles and Pierre,
(06:34):
but that's a bad defense. Who would have thought the
Steelers have a bad defense, but they do. It's real bad.
Get your calls in now A three three four one
two WXDX. We've been talking about the Michigan coaching thing.
(06:55):
They fired their coach because he was banging his assistant
and probably because he lost to Ohio State. But you know,
there's some really bad ramifications like an assault charge. He
spent the night in jail, and now on get up.
Today they were talking about how Michigan should steal Matt
(07:16):
Campbell from Penn State even though he's been hired there.
Like what a couple of days. There's no honor in
college sports anymore. And these are young kids. Were teaching
them to lie and cheat and were nig and go
back on their word. This country has just really effed up,
and our government's only part of that, the biggest part,
to be sure. How about this Stephen Day, who's a
(07:40):
real good defensive lineman for Indiana. He's out because he
somehow injured his right leg high fiving fans after the
Big Ten championship came. How do you injure your right leg?
High fiving fans? But you know what that is. That's
God reacting because Notre Dame got screwed. Nine day. Yeah,
(08:02):
what you said the ex at one nine.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
If you're just.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Tuning in some bad news from the Steelers. TJ. Watt
hospitalized with some kind of lung disorder, not football related,
not from like a blow. We don't think so. Actually
we know almost nothing. We just know that his availability
for Monday night's game against Miami is obviously in question. Uh,
we're gonna talk football with Jerry Dulac at four point thirty.
(08:35):
That du Lac tweet where he said a little bit
ago that the time of possession difference between the offense
and defense of the Steelers has been such that the
Steelers defense has played the equivalent of two plus extra
games on the season. That is just absolutely diabolical. And
(08:56):
that's not an excuse for the defense being as bad
as it's been. Part of that possession difference has been
their failure to get off the field. A couple of
soccer notes. River Hans announced their home opener in defense
of their USL championship March twenty eighth at high Mark
against Jacksonville. Also Saturday night at sports Track in Swickly.
(09:20):
Indoor soccer returning to Pittsburgh. Bridge City FC. Just like
the spirit back then. Remember I love that. I'll be there.
That's Bridge City FC with their home opener at sports
Track in Swickly. It's an arena fully equipped for indoor soccer.
It's been there for years and it's right under the
Siwickly Bridge. Right now, it's time for calls on the fifteens.
(09:43):
We don't have a sponsor for calls on the fifteens.
Let's go to Pete. Pete, you're on with Mark?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (09:51):
What up?
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Mean? What I mean?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Just do want to talk about this Steelers game. I
do think it's gonna be a lot closer Monday night.
And I think for two reasons, when I see the
season in general, there's not really one team in the AFC,
maybe aside from the Raiders, that the Steelers can consistently
say they have a better position player than somebody else
on the other team.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
They don't have a better.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Running back, than the majority of the team's quarterback, and
Miami comes in with one of the best rushing offenses
in football. And then number two, especially lately throughout the
entire exactly, Yeah, and number two. I would say every
team either improves or has a drastic decline throughout the season,
and Miami, albeit beating poor teams the past three weeks,
(10:33):
have played good football in really good defense, and the
Steelers have just been complacent since Week one. They're the
same team as they were Week one, and they haven't
improved even though they're still in first place.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Let me take what you said extrapolate just a little bit.
I think unless you're a real top of the line team,
which there are very few of in this year's NFL,
You're right you have upswings and down swings, and Miami
is in the middle of their big upswing, whereas I
think the Steelers have been trading sewage since they were
four more and one that win against Baltimore, notwithstanding, which
(11:03):
was more like the Ravens losing than the Steelers winning.
And to amplify something you said before, too, Pete, Miami
has more players having good seasons by far than the
Steelers do.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Yeah, I completely agree, and that's whatever. Every time the
Steelers play somebody, I'm never super confident that they will
win because they don't excel in one or two positions
definitively over their opponents.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
No matter who they are.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
You know, even when you play a Cleveland team, Cleveland's
defense is considerably better, so the weaknesses they have on offense,
they can potentially scrap out a win or two because
they have such.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
A good defense, No, no question. In fact, I think you
could say the best platoon in football is Cleveland's defense,
which says a lot about how bad the Browns offense is.
Although let's be honest, if chedor started all season, then
be undefeated maybe one loss at the most. Thank you
for the column. Oh and on one other thing too,
to touch on what that gentleman said, The Steelers never
(12:02):
on coach nobody like hardball's a dope too, so I
wouldn't say either team had a coaching advantage this past Sunday.
But McDaniel is a much better football coach, a scholar
of the game, more so than Mike Tomlin, who just
operates on field in an error ruled by analytics. I
think it says everything you need to know about how
(12:25):
antiquated Tomlin is that they don't have a coach in
charge of replay challenges. He literally goes by the feel
of what he sees on the JumboTron and on the field.
Let's go to Scooch, Scoots, you're all with double.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
M hey to follow up with that, caller said, the
Dolphins won two punch, even if the eight trains ribs
are still a little banged up. Jalen Wright is extremely
confident tailback. He has one hundred and five.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
No question.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Last week their tailback. Do who blows the Steelers away?
Speaker 1 (12:58):
No? No, I agree. Like I said, I think if
Miami gets the lead and keeps it simple. The more
I talk about this game, Scoots, the more I think
Miami's probably gonna win.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
I agree. And another thing, Miami, they're also playing to
try to keep their coach's job. The Steelers. I mean,
it's like the Supreme Court. Once you get in, you know,
you leave on your own terms. Palmlin will leave when
he's seventy five if he wants to.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
That said the much Sir McDaniel's the most popular guy
in that dressing room. Do they want him to keep
the job.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Maybe not? But McDaniel's at least coaching for his own ass.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Then again, the Tyreek thing's been removed from the equation
as far as McDaniel's concerned, I think that was his
biggest problem, as good a player as Tyreek is. Let's
go to Lou Lou. You're on with double M.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
At some point, would you advocate for Seatroff getting sent
on to the minors to try to work out his
problems if it's costing them these points and bring up.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Well, don't forget he can't work out his problems in
the shootout unless he gets in shootouts, and if you
send him to Wilkes, there's no guarantee he would get
into those I said earlier in the show, and I'm
gonna write a column about it. I would consider calling
up Morrishoff and sending shill Offs to the miners, and
then in the meantime trying to trade Jari to Edmonton.
(14:16):
And I would use Morshav in the shootouts because he
couldn't be worse than the duds they have doing the
shootouts now, especially Shilloffs. It's just a matter of if
you think that would be an educated gamble. I've often
said recently that it would be tough for Dubis to
trade Jari because the dressing rooms behind Jari and Jari's
(14:36):
played well. But Jari playing well has always come with
an expiration date. Morishov's the goalie of the future. He's
killing it in Wilkes. His numbers are through the roof
and again, I repeat, you can't lose every shootout. So
it's one of those rare moves where it could be
introducing the future but also helping now in the present,
even though the way Jari's playing it might not look
(14:58):
that way on the surface, especially given that Morischoff was
good but not that convincing during his stay in Pittsburgh earlier.
Thank you for the call up. Next, more Hockey Talk
with Josh Show. He won oh five to nine.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
It's The Woody Show.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
You can stream the X and us The Woody Show
on the free iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Weekend mornings at six X this season, it's a super
genius Mark Madden one.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Get it out like the psychotic version of the Poke.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Mark, you are superius.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
I know the X at one. I got a stat
wrong before. Jerry Dulac said that the Steelers defense has
played the equivalent of two extra games this year due
to the difference in time of possession, it's actually closer
to three games. Yikes. Joining me now to Todd Penguins.
They host Montreal tonight. From the Athletic it's Josh, Showy, Josh.
(15:51):
I've been brainstorming after yet another shootout loss, and I'm
wondering Morrischoff is killing it in Wilkes. I mean killing it,
but statistically just through the roof. Would you call him
up and maybe try to trade Jari as soon as
possible and it'd be a gamble, but he's a great
goalie and you'd have a chance in shootouts.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
I mean, it's a matter of time until this happens, right.
I haven't seen him play in Wolfsbury. I see the
numbers like everybody else. This same percentage, I think is
like nine forty three something outrageous. It's certainly something to consider,
and I don't think it is untrue that the Edmonton
Oilers are interested in Tristan Jari, and I've heard from
(16:36):
some people I trust that indeed they are, so now
would be the time to trade Jari in terms of
his value being as high as humanly possible. It's something
to consider it's a risk. But I'll tell you what, Mark,
every time I've talked with players in the locker room
about Sergei Miroshov, like their eyes just get really big.
They kind of give you that look like, yeah, he's
(16:57):
really good.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Yeah, but they also think Jari's than Jari really is well.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
But he is good right now. I mean that's the
thing about Jari. When he's good, he's good. You just
can't trust him. And that's something that we've learned over
the years. But I'm telling you, guys in that room,
they think Mushov is going to be a star, and
I think a lot of people think that. And when
you look at the numbers, even though it's still a
small sample size, I think he's only played about twenty
(17:23):
five games in the American Hockey League in the last
two years, which is not a big number, but I mean,
he's obviously dominating that league right now. We're getting close
to the point where he is ready, So I think
it does make sense to think about it.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Yeah, it'd be easier to do if he'd looked a
bit more convincing during his brief stay in Pittsburgh earlier
this year, And of course if Jari wasn't playing so well,
but as a as a local hockey Sage said to
me earlier today, Josh, you know when you get rid
of Jari whenever you can, because he has those two
years left on his deal that are you know, pricey
at five point three whatever. You don't want him around
(17:58):
when Morishov does take over, because then, like you said,
his trade value won't be as high as it is now.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Well, yeah, that could produce all kinds of problems.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Never mind his value, Josh, his ability to be traded period.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
Right, And while it is true and I've heard you
talk about this, and I think it's true that it's
going to cause problems in the locker room if he
has traded and that's not ideal, those problems will go
away pretty quickly if Miershaw shows up and plays great
and it's all like he was bad. He had one
shaky game at the three games he played at the
NHL level. He also had a shout out in Sweden,
so he didn't exactly look bad in the time he
(18:32):
was up. It's a matter of time. We all know
he's going to be the guy.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
What will the carryover be mentally from blowing that game
to Anaheim on Tuesday. Because I've never seen anything quite
like that.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
I'm curious myself, and this suddenly feels like a tricky
game for the Penguins. Montreal usually plays pretty well here.
There's got to be a psychological impact. The Penguins actually
had a scheduled day off yesterday. Practice would have interesting
after that one. I'd be a little concerned about it.
That's typically not the kind of loss that you recover from.
(19:10):
I've never seen anything like it either, Mark. But you know,
the amazing thing is it almost happened in the home
opener identical situations. The Islanders were down a goal, they
took a penalty with fifteen seconds left. The face off
went to the New York territory. The Penguins put their
top power play on the ice, and the Islanders came
back and almost Scorjari had to make a really good
(19:31):
save with like one second left. I asked Dan Mues
the next day, would you maybe try a different lineup
about the next time that situation arises. He said no,
he was happy with it, and by god, he basically
did the same thing against Anaheim and it burned him
this time. So I couldn't believe what I was watching
the other night.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Well, that was the first game that Dan muse blew.
I mean the guys on the ice, there was a
lot of things they could have done, but it all
started with Dan Mues making horrible lineup decisions. And Josh
I'm of the tang guy big time, and he needs
to tone down his game does and he's trying to
play like it's still twenty sixteen. I think Carlson has
tempered his game, and it took him a couple of
years to do so, but I think it's paid off
(20:09):
for him, and it might also for Chris.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Yeah, I agree. I still think Chris has the physical
ability to be a solid NHL defenseman. All of his
troubles are always upstairs, and he's always been that way. Marky,
He's never been a cerebral player. He's always been just
an athletic freak. And as he loses some of that,
he needs to play differently. And we saw it a
(20:33):
couple of years ago Carlson's first year here, in the
first three months of the season, the tig was great.
He may have been the Penguin's best player in those
three months. He was so good defensively, he wasn't making
mistakes and we're just not seeing that right now. He
has been responsible for far too many goals against, even
though he's had some good games recently. Thought he was
really good in Dallas. Thought he was the best defenseman
(20:53):
in that game, but there are too many knights. But
when he's just making ridiculous mental errors, and we saw
it the other night on the play that we're talking about.
All he has to do is take the man on
that play and the game's over and he tries to
pickpocket him with two seconds left. It just wasn't smart.
And it also wasn't smart for him to be on
the ice with Carlson at all, which was the bigger
(21:15):
issue in my opinion. But I'm not Chris is struggling
right now and that they need him to be better
because as we know with Chris that when he does
make mistakes, they're not of the small variety. You know,
when he makes a mistake, the whole rink notices. He's
always been that guy, and those are the mistakes that
are hurting the Penguins right now, and he's got to
be better.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I mentioned that calling up Morrishoff might fix the shootout,
But then again, maybe not because they wouldn't sub him
in for whoever the other goal he was. No coach
does that. I don't sense Mus would either, And Sid
will go in the shootout no matter what, even though
he's totally predictable. He's gonna go no matter what. I
feel like the Penguin shootout problems will continue because there's
(21:53):
a lot that's non negotiable.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah, and I've never seen him look less confident in
the shootout, Like he looked like a dead man walking
the other night against Anaheim, and he did the same
move and the same shot and it was all really predictable.
As great as he still is, that's one area of
his game that we have certainly seen e road in
(22:17):
the last couple of years. And he's Malkin's never been
very good on breakaways. La Tang hasn't been good for years.
I think we've seen Russ decline as well. We have
seen Mus go with some different guys. Now we saw
Coy even and the other night we saw no back,
So I think that's encouraging. But since the big one,
if you ask him to step aside, I'm sure that
(22:37):
wouldn't be pleasant for the coach, But it might be
time to have that conversation because if they lose out
on a playoff spot by a couple of points, Mark,
we know exactly why it is. It's because of shootouts.
It's already cost him. It lost eleven of their last
twelve shootouts. I think it is going back the last
couple of years. That's unbelievable. It's hard to make the
playoffs these days when you give up that many points
(22:58):
an extra time going.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
To Josh Shelley the athletic here on one ninety X, Josh,
I love the way the kid line's playing McGroarty, Kindle
and coyven in. But they got a score like their
metrics are tremendous, but they got three even strength goals
between them all by Kindle.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Well, I agree, but I think it will come. And
one thing I will say for them, that line's also
been really good defensively. It's not like they're giving up
goals when they're on the ice, so that that's encouraging,
especially if you're going to use them in basically a
third line role when Malcom's healthy, which I think is
the plan. Kendall and McGroarty are really good defensively. So
(23:40):
that helps the cause. But yeah, I mean the offense
needs to come. It's only been a couple of games though,
three games, I guess they've been together. You gotta be
patient sometimes that's the last thing to come with young players.
And it's not like they aren't generating opportunities. They absolutely are,
and I think the goals will start to come. I
really like that line together. I think they all have
(24:01):
different attributes that they bring to the table, and I
think Mark the biggest thing that we've seen with that
line so far. Ben Kendall has been better the last
three games than he had been. He had a little
bit of a lull in the middle of November where
he wasn't playing very well for a few games that line.
Whether it's that line bringing him back to life or
maybe it was just going to happen anyway, but we've
seen a better version of Kendall on that line. He's
(24:24):
been one of the Penguin's best players for the last
three or four games, and that to me is really encouraging.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
I would keep that line together. But Tyler Kennedy had
a provocative thought on my show yesterday. He thinks they
should take two of those kids and put him with
a big guy, because that would make that line play
less on the perimeter. I see the point of that,
but I wonder if putting say Manta on that line
might slow the line down. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I mean it's intriguing, and the good news is it's
a long season, so there's lots of time to experiment
and we might see that. Personally, I would keep Kendling
McGroarty together no matter or what. I think Kendall needs
some stability. He's been playing with different guys every single
night all season and he's done well. But I think
at eighteen years old, he needs to have a stable
(25:10):
line mate, and I think they would like that to
be McGroarty. Coivenan needs to produce, because he doesn't really
help you in other ways if he's not producing. I'm
curious when they get healthy Mark. Let's say the top
line is you know, Russ, Rakell and Crosby, and the
second line is the three big guys you know and
Brezon and Manfa. So what do you do with that
(25:30):
third line, because if you leave the kids together, that
might mean Tommy Novak's a healthy scratch. And I think
he's been pretty good lately, and I think he's a
better player than Coybanan right now. So maybe Novak ultimately
ends up on that line. I don't know, but I
would not separate McGroarty and Kendall.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Well, Novak and Kendall played decent earlier in the year.
They had a great give and go goal scored by
Kendall in Florida. Yeah, and I give Novak credit, Josh,
because he got elevated to Sid's line, and he's got
three goals and two assists in his last four games.
I'm not a big fan of his totally unphysical style,
but he's putting up some numbers.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Well, yeah, I mean, he certainly is a perimeter player,
putting it lightly. So if you're gonna be a perimeter player,
you better put up points. And to his credit, he
has done that. He really does have the playmaking gene.
He sees the ice well, he distributes the puck well.
And I also say, you know, if this Malkin line
when he comes back, I don't know if those three
(26:24):
guys are going to keep doing what they did in October.
Braso in particular, you wonder if he might fade. I
can tell you this Mark during the summer of getting
Malkin told the Penguins coaching staff that he really wanted
to play with Novack, that he thought he was an
intriguing player basically, and that they could be good together potentially.
So Novak, he's got really good hands, he's got a
(26:46):
high skill level. He just needs to go to the
net more, frankly, and he has lately, and that's made
a difference in his game as all around game has
been better. So he remains an interesting player. I'm still
just not sure what you do with him.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Let me tell you what's gonna make me go insane
When Raquel comes back and he takes Kendall's place on
the top power play and I just feel like that's
a lock, even though Kendall is their best power play guy.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
I knew that's where you were going, and I agree
with you. He might be the most natural power play
guy they have. He does not turn the puck over
on the power play.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
He knows how to do it. He knows how to
let space organically clear. He never forces anything.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
His patience with the puck is incredible, and yet he
still shoots the puck when it's appropriate. It's just decision
making or as great as Crosby and Malkin. Are they
turn the puck over on the power play a lot
because the Force plays too much well, Tigan Carlson do
as well. You really don't see that With Kendall, he
can play the bumper. I like that he gives you
(27:47):
another right handed shot. It's nothing against Raquel or Russ
or whoever they would decide to take off. But I
think the power play is better because of Ben Kendall,
and I think it would be a big mistake to
remove him.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Where's Montreal. I like their roster better than I like
them on the ice, if that makes sense. They're a good, young,
fast team kind of on the rise and on the
road the Penguins would like to be. But I don't
feel like they're playing as well as their talent dictates.
Not yet.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
No, they're not. They started slow last season two, for
what it's worth. Maybe they're just one of those teams.
I thought they were kind of a sexy pick to
win the conference this year, Like I actually thought that
highly of them, and I think that little of these
an conference. I think, so you put it together and
I think they're intriguing. We're going to get to see
their hotshot goalie prospect make his debut Toite because they're
big goalie prospects only debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins, whether
(28:39):
it be Dryden or water Kerry Price. There's a history
of that.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Right And I was there, baby, I was there, were you.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Yeah, I think they're good. I do that. They They
have a lot of skilled forwards. They're really fast, which
might make them a bad matchup for the Penguins because
the Penguins have struggled this year against faster teams. They
don't mind playing the heavier teams. The teams that can
really skate. Seems like Tampa and New Jersey I find
have given them fits this season. Maybe not a great
(29:05):
matchup for the Penguins. But Montreal should be a playoff
team at the very least, and if they're not, then
something went wrong. Because they've got an awful lot of
young talent on that team.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
And Demodolf's a star. I talk about him a lot. Yeah,
I would never trade said to Montreal or anywhere for
that matter. If I did, I'd want demodoff, non negotiable.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
No, he is some kind of a talent. He came
on the scene at the end of last season. In
Montreal and he just looked like a star a meet
Mark And the thing about Montreal, it's funny saying this
historically speaking, but really in the last ten or fifteen years,
the problem with the Canadians is they haven't had any
star power, I guess other than Carry Price, but they
(29:46):
haven't had the big names, which is what they've always
had over the years. But they've had a lot of
good players, they haven't had any great players and you
still need that to win, and that's been one of
their big problems. And maybe he will blossom into that guy.
I think he has the physical skill set to be
a superstar.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Josh, do you think the Pirates will be able to
get that second basement from Tampa for low level minor
league prospects. That's the latest. That's the latest. The media
fanboys are saying that they'll get Brandon low thirty one
home runs last year, one year left on his deal
for a low level prospect.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
I just tweeted about that. I didn't know that second
baseman who had thirty home runs and they're in their prime.
I didn't know they could be had for low level
prospects only one.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Year left on his deal. Josh, they're gonna give them away.
They'll take what they can get.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Oh that listen, I'm sure the Pirates. Before I see
you tonight at the Arena, Mark, I'm sure they will
have signed two or three big names. I think that's
obviously a given.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Beat them Bucks. That's Josh on Mark On Every weekday at.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Ten am, is Travis starting your workday commercial freight on
one O five nine.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
We're adding another show to the ex's concert calendar, like
a guest live in concert.
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