October 23, 2025 • 31 mins
Mark goes on an epic Steelers rant to open up the hour. Josh Yohe joins the show to talk Pens ahead of Pens and Panthers
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
We got EJ on at four o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Interesting guests at five o'clock, a guy, what's his name,
Jimmy DeNardo, who's part of the Akrosser Stadium grounds crew,
and they'll talk about the preparation process and he said
he I asked him about Pitt playing there and how
it affected the field. He said, he has some very
candid information about that. The said, he said it it
(00:26):
is a factor negatively, but not why you think.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
So we got the grounds crew guy on at at
five o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I assume he's some relation to Dirt Donardo, the head
groundskeeper from back in the day. But I want to
get back to talking about EJ drafting Mario. Don't forget
there was no YouTube, then no social media. Then you
know Mario. The highlights of him at juniors weren't all
(00:54):
over TV. You had to be there. He had to
go see Mario, which EJ did. EJ is the GM.
Usually he send the scout there, but EJ went personally
because EJ's from Montreal and Mario's junior team, Laval was
just outside Montreal. EJ was from Montreal and he went
to see Mario play a bunch of times, and he
(01:16):
was very quickly convinced. He told Tom McMillan, this kid
can score goals in any FN league. And by the way, EJ, EJ,
you know when he's excited about the conversation and talks
like a machine gun, and never more so than he
spoke about Mario Lemieux back when he got.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So fired up.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Now I mentioned the name Jacques Boyette earlier in the program.
In Mario's last year of junior Mario had one hundred
and thirty three goals and one hundred and forty nine
assists in seventy games, two hundred and eighty two points.
For those who can't do long division, that is over
four points per game.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
And his linemate was this guy, Jacq Coyett, who played
with Mario, had seventy six goals in ninety four assists
in sixty two games. Jacques Coyette never played one game
of pro hockey. Jason Mackie at the Post Cozette looked
him up a few years back into did the story
on him, I mean, and Jackoyette said he could have
(02:20):
gone to like an East Coast league camp, and he
decided just you know, all with his life. He became
a cop instead. But think about this, a guy who
wasn't seen as remotely a prospect to play pro hockey
got seventy six goals on Mario Lemuse's wing. My god,
Mario really was a one man gang, not least when
(02:43):
he was playing juniors for Laval and Tom McMillan, when
he was working for the Post Cazette went to Montreal
to interview Mario before the Peng was drafted him and
asked Mario about people saying he didn't play defense, and
Mario said, I.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Have the puck all the time. That's how I scored
one hundred and thirty three goals.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And yeah, the Peng was drafted him, and everything good
that's happened at Pittsburgh Hockey since is a result of
Pittsburgh having drafted Mary Lemieux, and Eddie Johnston was responsible
for that, not least by tanking the season and finishing
dead last when Maria was available. Although I won't grill
lej on that, I won't ask ej to break Ohmarta
(03:25):
all these years later because he never has. And that's
the great thing about it, he never has admitted it.
I like the story I've always told is the closest
ever heard him even alluding to it was back in
that year and I was a kid working for UPI.
I'm on the elevator coming down from the press box,
and we had a media relations director, Terry Scheffauer, who
was a real good guy. He's passed away since, really
(03:46):
good guy. And back then when you worked for hockey team,
he had a million different jobs. So Shifty was not
only the PR guy. He was the color analyst on broadcasts.
And Shifty would get really mad when we lost, I
mean really mad. And that year, you know, even though
you know, we lost more than anybody and finished did
last and got Mario.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Some of the games were interesting.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
And we would blow leads a lot, and thank god,
we lost one game seven to six to New Jersey
seven to six with Vincent Trumpley, the bummy goalie would
called up specifically to be a bummy goalie went one
and six down the stretch, and and if you don't
lose that game to New Jersey, you don't get Mario.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
That would have been a four point turnaround. But anyway,
I'm on the elevator with Shifty and EJ and Shift.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
He's going nuts because we blew a two goal lead
late and lost in regulation, okay, and shift he's like
just like really like MF and like smacking the elevator
with his hand. He's you know, the wall. He's like
just dark and EJ puts his arm on it goes shifty.
I don't think you're looking at the big FN picture.
(04:58):
That's the closest I ever heard e J come. But,
like I said, breaking the code of secrecy. So you know,
I hope you can. You know, I gotta be honest.
I had a bunch of very candid tweets earlier today.
I know everybody else, every other stag they're talking about
the Steelers must up.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
I don't care.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I've been doing it for twenty nine years, and I've
seen the Steelers seasons play out exactly the same.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
This will be the eighth year in a row where
you were these.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Expectation and the coaches crap and nobody will say it,
and we overrate the defense and overrat a bunch of
their players and revere them nonetheless, and there's no pressure
to win, and they don't for whatever reason. But we
act like they can't, and I know they can't. I
know they freaking can't. I know this team isn't winning
a playoff game.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I know that. You know it too, your sons of bitches,
you know it too.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
So I just had a good time right now talking
ten minutes about how Eddie Johnston drafted Mario Lemieux and
how it wasn't as easy as it looked because I
was there. I know, I know, just like an know,
the Steelers ain't win a no frigging playoff game.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
I know, and I'll tell you what.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
I still think they're gonna win the division, and that'll
be the final insult, by the way, not the final insult,
because they'll insult you as long as you let them,
and you'll let them forever. They're gonna win the division
and lose the home playoff game to whoever the best
wild card is.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
If you had to make.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Me predict how this season ends right now, there's gonna
be some really good team that gets a wild card
and like, like, you know what I can see happened?
Speaker 1 (06:32):
How about this? How great would this be? And it
would be great? You know why?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Because I'm tired of this. I'm tired of this. I'm
tired of pretending they're good. I'm tired of acting like
they know what they're doing.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
They don't.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
They're going nowhere. Ever, with this owner, with this GM,
with this coach, they're all fraud They're going nowhere. So
the final insult not the final one, because, like I said,
you're stupid. They win the division. New England wins that division.
Buffalo is the top wild card and Josh Allen comes in.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
In frick disease that secondary.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Tell me you can't feel it, Tell me you can't
feel it, because I feel it.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I feel it way down in my plums.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Parky bag and great story from Hell and Rich Exit
one Shoey of the Athletic talking hockey at the bottom
of the hour. Don't forget, we have the Hockey Night
Show at five point thirty half an hour solid hockey
talk leading into the Penguins pregame, leading into the Penguins
at Florida tonight.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Don't forget.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
You can watch the game with me, and I suggest
you do at Sharky's and Latrop Big Steeler Camp Hangout.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
I'm gonna make it more fun than that.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I'm gonna make it a Hockey Night watch party. Hangout
that Sharky's at Latrop tonight. By the way, get there
early because we always do a thing. You put a
buck in, you pick up penguin's name on a slip
of paper out of a hat, and you win a
night surprised if your guy scores the first goal, or
for that matter of the second, well, the third goal.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
We give away a lot of stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
So see at Sharky's tonights, I did that unhinted Steeler
rant saying I know they're not going anywhere this year. Well,
I do know that, and I know they're not gonna
do anything with Tom and his coach. Ever, I know that.
How many times does that have to go bad? How
many years before you believe it? How often do you
have to see it until you get it? How many
(08:25):
more times? Bam bamp I then bam BWn bam bam
bamp uh.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Here's Pete Prisco on CBS in this vein.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
He's not really very optimistic about the Steelers. He believes
they could lose the next seven or eight in a row.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
We look at this schedule, would it surprise you, and
I'm asking this sincerely, okay, that they lost the next one, two, three, four, five.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
We started with the Packers, Okay.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
Colts, Chargers, Bengals, Bears, Bills.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
And Ravens, and they're at the er by the way
other than the Bengals at home like Eighth Street.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
But it could happen, though, is what I'm saying. It
really could happen.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Wow, I don't think that's gonna happen, but that's what
the perception is. When you lose to Joe Flacco and Cincinnati,
and when the Bengals not exist at running game treads
you almost as much as Flacco did. That loss at
Cincinnati on National TV. That was a very damaging defeat
(09:32):
on so many levels, not least in terms of perception.
And if the Steelers lose at home to Green Bay
in prime time, yeah, things could snowball and even collapse,
but not to the degree that Prisco suggests. And I
would say that the collapse of these Steelers as unlikely
because of the Aaron Rogers factor. Who would have thought
(09:54):
that Aaron Rodgers would come in be my favorite Steeler
and he'd be the lone thing, thelone o thing, the
only thing on the entire roster, in the entire organization.
Aaron Rodgers is the only thing I trust. This is
kind of weird tonight at Denver. You got the Colorado
Avalanche playing the Carolina Hurricanes, but they're gonna be wearing
(10:20):
Quebec Nordiak's and Hartford Whalers jerseys because Colorado used to
be the Nordeaks and Carolina used to be the Whalers.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
I don't know if I get that. It's kind of
like saying.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
To the fan bases in Quebec City and Hartford, yeah,
we stole your team. Now we're gonna market your logo.
And even though those teams and those days have nothing
to do with what we're doing now, we're still gonna
take advantage.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
I don't like it. As a big fan of the
Hartford Whalers.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Bam bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bamp brass bonanza
after every goal, I I don't like this. Michael Jordan
is part of NBC's coverage on of the NBA in
the studio that kicked off was last night, the first
(11:12):
game the night before.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I don't care.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
I'm not gonna watch. I think two nights ago, and
Colin Coward made a good point. You got Jordan on
TV at sixty two, and they moved that TNT show
over to ESPN with the same old faces like Barkley
and Shack et cetera, and Lebron's forty and Steph's thirty
seven and Durant's thirty seven, and the NBA won't turn
(11:34):
the page. They're marketing nostalgia, which means, Okay, maybe it works,
but you're not developing new stars. It's like Tom Brady
on Fox for the NFL. It doesn't matter if Brady's
any good in analysis, and Brady really isn't, but he's
Tom Brady.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Well. The same applies to Michael Jordan.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
I got Sharky's tonight for the Penguins viewing party Tomorrow night,
going to see North Hills High School football play, hosting
Central Valley. North Hills with a three and two conference
record Tomorro's non conference and they've already clinched the playoff spots.
So that's that's a young team, made some changes. My
my buddy Austin ellis Janelle Hall's kid from Channel four.
He's playing a bigger role. So I'm looking forward to
(12:18):
going to the game tomorrow nights. Up next Josh Joey
talking Penguins one oh five to nine.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
The Spirits Summer News. Join us for the EPSS Halloween.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Cruise on Thursday at Chober thirtieth. The Crew says sale
at eight pm with live He's It from the Clintons
playing all your nineties favorites. Ten dollars and fifty nine
cents from every ticket sold goes to.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
The Mary ellamw Foundation.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Join the X Crew for this twenty one older events
and dressing your Halloween best to score prizes all night.
Wo tickets are on sale now at Gateway Clipper dot com.
The XES Halloway on the Gateway Clipper sponsor my disaster
Restoration Services. We'll see you on October thirty.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
This is Doug Gottlieb. Here's what's trending from the Iheartsports Network,
presented by Mercedes Benz.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
Railblazer's coach Chauncey Billups and he guar Terry Rosier are
facing federal charges related to illegal gambling investigations.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Both were put on leave immediately by the NBA. Steelers.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn't thinking about revenge this week. He
said he has no animosity towards the Packers and the
hockey where Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is just five points
away from recording seventeen hundred in his regular season career.
Penn's visit Florida tonight. I'm Scott Davidson.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Looking for an exceptional driving experience. Find it behind the
wheel of a Mercedes Benz SUVs.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Joining me now live in Florida where the Penguins play
the Panthers.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
He is Josh showing the athletic. Josh, what's gonna happen
with Brunneck and Kendall.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Uh, you've written at the Athletic you have a hunch
they're gonna stay.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
You're hearing stuff. Can you expand on that?
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Yeah, Mark, everybody I've spoken to in the organization, of course,
is very impressed with these young two and everybody I
talk with, while they will tell you, hey, it's Kyle's call,
ultimately they all think that these two are going to
stay for the season. That the Penguins think that they're
just not going to have their development aided by going
(14:23):
back to junior at this point, that they think they're
advanced enough where they can stay in the NHL. And
remember this, Mark, like Dan mue Is, one of the
reasons he was hired was because of how good he
is at working with eighteen nineteen twenty year old players.
They just think having them close to him all season
is probably in their best interest. So I'm not saying
it's a done deal that they both stay, but I
(14:44):
can tell you that a lot of people in the
organization would be really really surprised if either of those
kids sent out at this point.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Yeah, I believe both are good enough to stay, but
in Kendall's case, in particular, Josh, if he's going to
be on line with no Back and Hollander all year,
send them Junior. I wrote a column where I recalled
how they would always put it like sat morose off
in the bottom six after being a first round pick
in nineteen ninety five, and all he learned to be
(15:11):
was the bottom six.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Well, that's true, and that certainly did happen to Moros
of I would suggest on one level, I think the
game has changed a little bit and that I don't
know the third line guys in this era necessarily play
the way they did back then. But I do think
that having him receive an upgrade in line mates is
(15:34):
really important, whether it's the second line or third line
or whatever line he is on. Like, I don't think
playing with Tommy Noback all season is a very good idea.
I don't see that that helps him now if he's
on the line with you know, Rutger McGroarty on the
third line and then you know, maybe coyven and comes
back up or whatever, and now that might be different.
So I don't necessarily mind him being in a quote
(15:56):
unquote bottom six role. It's more about who he's playing
with in my opinion. But I will say from the
Penguins standpoint, Mark there's something special about this kid, Like
it just clicked in the second week of training camp
and you could see it immediately, like he just became
a different player, and he's so cerebral. I'm pretty blown
away by what I've seen from him so far, even
(16:17):
though for sure you don't want him playing nine minutes
a night with bad line mates, so there's no doubt
about that.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Well, I want him playing on Sid's wing.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
I want to at least try that because what I've
been most impressed about with Kindle is the way he
thinks the game, and I think it might be similar
to how Sid thinks the game.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
It might be.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
I would love to see it for a lot of reasons,
and one being as well as the Penguins are playing
right now. That top line actually isn't clicking at all.
It's not been particularly good, certainly not in the standards
were used to. And you might recall the very first
shift of the season when Kindle started on the line
with Crosby and Malkoam. There was only one shift for
sixty seconds, but it was unbelievable how good they look together.
(16:55):
And I think you're right. I just think he thinks
that game in an extraordinarily high That's why they drafted him. Mark.
I spoke with people in the organization the night of
the draft when the Penguins were getting roasted around the
league for, you know, allegedly reaching on this kid at eleven,
and numerous people told me that Wes Clark and Kyle
Dubas just think his hockey IQ is something completely different
(17:17):
than what they've seen, and nobody else in the draft
had it, and they were just hell bent on making
him their guy. You can see why if you pay
attention to him.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Play is Gino start for real?
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Ten points in seven games, and we should keep in
mind he had a similar start last year.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Didn't he.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Yeah, I mean sure, it's for real, It's not that
he's not playing well, he's playing great. I don't think
he can sustain it for eighty two games. And that's
not a knock on him, That's just what happens when
you're that age. He's going to hit a wall, like
I do think that you know, happened three weeks after
when the Olympic break could really help him down the road.
You get that much time off that certainly should refresh him.
(17:56):
That he's playing really well. I give him credit. He
has eliminated not all of the bad habits in his game,
but certainly some. And he's playing a smarter brand of hockey.
And I just think he's got more jump than we've
seen from him in a really long time. I think
he's motivated. Mark. My sense is he knows this might
be his last season with the Penguins. I've reported that
(18:18):
they are not going to give him a new contract.
That certainly was the plan as of this past summer.
And you know, I think there's a part of him
that's a little defiant about that and wants to hang
around longer. And I mean, to his credit, he.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Also put it out there, Josh than it was going
to be his last season.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Oh, he talks about it a lot. I mean, he's
pretty open about how it could be and he's just
trying to enjoy it and it could be if it
is his last season. You know, he just wants people
to remember him a certain way and doesn't want to
embarrass himself out the door and whatever the case may be. Listen,
he's played really well and that second line has been outstanding.
I give him credit, but I will caution people. He
(18:58):
did this in October last year and he certainly did
fade after that, so we'll monitor how that goes. But
I'm most in high marks to him. He's playing great hockey.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
We're talking to Josh Elway of the Athletic here on
the Mark Madden Show. Josh is up justin Brazo the
New War and Young five goals in seven games.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
He's interesting. I mean, the thing about him, like, when
you watch him play, you can't deny that he has
a good pair of hands. At least he has the
last two weeks. I mean, he makes plays every game
with his hands and get your attention. He can't really skate,
and then that's probably going to become an issue at
some point. But when you're that big and your hands
are that good, you should be good for something, right,
(19:41):
And as I'm sure you've brought up on your show,
the fact is, and again I'm not expecting him to
maintain this pace, but the fact is, he did score
sixty one goals in a junior season once. No, that's
a high number, even for junior hockey. There's a lot
of star players have never scored sixty one goals in
one season in junior, so that there's something there. And
(20:02):
obviously he's colicking with Malk and Manta right now. I
don't imagine he'll maintain this pacemlist. And if he's worth
fifteen or twenty goals like that's a huge win. Nobody
thought that was going to be the case when they
signed him this summer. That's for sure. To me.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
The catalyst for this good start is Dan mused, a
new coach, Josh. The structures there and the hole is
greater than the some of the parts they're five and
two with. I believe not very many guys playing particularly great.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Yeah, I think the energy that a team can get
from a new coach is on display. I also think
he's done a really nice job. I think it's a
combination of those two. Everybody's impressed with him. I was
at Paul Maurice's press conference this morning in Florida, and
he just went on and on about how the Penguins
have taken the stretch passes out of their game and
(20:54):
how much more impressive they look, and how much they're
playing as a unit now compared to previous seasons. I
don't think he meant it as a backhandada shot at
Mike Sullivan. It almost came across that way. No, he's
really impressed with Dan Muse. He's probably the best coach
of the game right now. No, that they're just playing
collectively more as a team. You're seeing more structure, more
attention played to the defensive zone. The old guys are
(21:18):
playing while the young guys are playing. Well, everything they're
doing right now is a credit to Dan Muse.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Now, I mentioned earlier than I would at least give
Kindle a try with Sid, and I say that acknowledging
he's probably a better center than a wing.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
But I tried, that's what this season's for.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
And I got to add to that, Rust and Sid
aren't clicking really, the first time I've seen them play
together where there's just zero spark.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, something really seems off of that top line. Russ
seems like he has his legs. I don't think there's
an issue with his skating. Doesn't look old all of
a sudden or anything, but the top line's not clicking now.
I will say, you know, we talked about Geno and
having a couple of great Octobers and how he faded.
I've also seen from Sid the last few years he's
(22:02):
usually not quite as dominant in October or November. It
takes him a while, and then usually around the holidays
is when he starts to heat up, and he stays
hot for the whole season. So some of it might
be on him. I don't think he's been at his best,
even though his point totals are fine and he's got
a goal in three straight games. He had a couple
of games where he definitely looked a little bit off
to me. But no, the top line hasn't been especially good.
(22:24):
They have a lot of things they could do. They
could take Raquel off of that line to remember, like
they've played him at center a lot in the preseason.
That was the plan for Raquel to be the third
line center to start the season, which seems crazy, but
that that was the plan. Maybe they try that and
slide Kendall off with Crosby and Russ at some point.
It's not a bad idea, mark because when you watch
Kendall play, you kind of feel like, boy, he's making
(22:46):
so many good plays every night, and he's just not
playing Oh Josh.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Power play too. He has better power play or rust.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Yeah, the power I know the power plays scored a
couple of goals. Yeah, I think it was the second
power play really, but I would love to see Kendall
on the power play. You could just see he has
a feel for and watching him in practice on the
second unit, oh, his touch with the pocket and his
decision making. This is not your typical eighteen year old.
And I'm sure we're not going to see it until
(23:15):
the Penguin's go into a little bit of a losing skit,
and I'm sure you'll see a bunch of changes. Then
that's the way it goes. But I would love to
see him on that Top power play. I don't like
the Top power Play right now for a number of reasons.
And we've seen over time the five guys on it
right now, they're all really good players. But that that
mix doesn't really work on the power play as much
as it once did. I would love to see Kendall
get a look up there.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Well, I'm destoryed that the winning is going to derail
what they should be doing, because my top six would
be Crosby, Mokin, Raquel, Russ, Kendall and Cliven in the
cons and Wilkes. And the more they win, the more
they're going to be sold on Braso and Manta.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
He might be right about that, and you know, Coiven
And I'm sure will be up before too much longer.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
And mc gourney deserves in that mix as well.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Sure, And it was obvious to me that coyven And
didn't look real comfortable playing with sin and it's not
easy to play with it, but he needs to be
up in the NHL at some point. This is a
really good hockey player and that might become the most
interesting subplot of this whole season, like what if they
keep winning like this Mark? Or what does damn Muse do?
More importantly, what does Kyle Dubas do? Because they know
(24:19):
this isn't some championship team. But I understand not wanting
to derail a team that's winning too on the object
still to win hockey games. For a hockey coach, I
get it, it's a it's a tough situation, but I
think it's up to Kyle Dubas to stay disciplined. I've
had all these people ask me, you know what, if
they keep winning, will they will they add to this roster,
and I said, no, they shouldn't and I don't think
(24:41):
they will.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
They got no assets to trade anyway.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Right, And it's you know, you have to keep your
eyes on the right for sure, But I I can't
deny even though it's only been seven games and who
knows what will happen. I still don't think this team
is especially good, but I will say that they have
performed at a much higher level than I was anticipating.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
And I got to say, even though I hope he's
not in the top six for very much longer, and
even on the team come the trade deadline, because he's
a guy, a good trade.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
I don't hate Nantha.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
If you knee is okay after the surgery, I will
say he gets to the net like that goal on
Tuesday against Vancouver. We would go months the last couple
of years with not seeing a goal.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Like that if he keeps going to the net like that,
he will score goals on this team. It's not like
he doesn't have the talent. He's an interesting guy because
he's never really panned out the way because some thought
he was going to be a real star. We see
the hands that he has and how big he is,
you can see why. And he's always been a good player,
never really became a great player the way people were hoping.
(25:45):
But no, I mean that that whole line is going
to the net, and that's what they should be doing.
They're not going to score on the rush all that often.
But when you got three guys that size, that's something
to Penguins. I don't remember the last time. I don't
know if they've never had a line that big and
no Manta can play and if nothing less, you know,
I hate to bring this up already in October, but
if Mantha plays well, he certainly would be a nice
(26:08):
trade piece at the deadline if you want to get
even more assets. Then that's why this whole season could
be really interesting to see how Dubas handles it, because
we know he's still thinking about the future, as he should.
But if this team exceeds expectations. Yeah, things get a
little uncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
I think for Dubis, which defensemen are good and which
one suck.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Well. I think Bruno's really good. He still makes mistakes
every night that a teenager will make in the NHL.
I think he has real All Star potential too. And
I'll tell you Carlson doesn't suck right now, Like he'll
still do things that'll drive you nuts. But this is
a much more composed version of him.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Yeah, but for reasons I hate. He's just trying to
impress Sweden. He's pissed because he wasn't one of the
top six named for their Olympic team.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Probably, but he's not killing them right now.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
You know.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
I hold chrys Latang in the highest of regards, but
I think he's really struggling right now. He was better
against Vancouver. That was his best game, but that.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Was first game of the year. I thought it was.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
I mean, hopefully that's the side of things to come,
because on that California road trip he was so bad.
Like I've had people in the organization privately tell me
in the last couple of weeks that they're just kind
of worried about him. They hope this isn't like who
he is at the stage because they don't like his
game at all. It's been a real problem. I have
always said the Penguins go as he goes, and I
(27:35):
still think that's the case. He's still on the ice
twenty minute to night that they need him to be better.
Hopefully Vancouver was a step in the direction. I'll tell
you one guy that's impressed me. Mark He's a total journeyman,
I realized. But Parker Walershman's actually.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Been really good.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
Like he and Carlson click for whatever reason. I don't
know that he'll maintain it. We will see. But he
had the one, you know mishap in Anaheim that costs
in the game and they flipped the puck over the glass,
but he really pounced back nicely. He's been a nice
addition for them.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Is the goaltending okay, because I refuse to believe it.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
I think they're off to a pretty good start. I
don't think i'd label it as okay. I have to
give Jarry some credit. I thought he was completely done
last season, and I still think they would trade him
in a heartbeat if they could, as it should. But
you know, he was good in that stretch in March
in April at the end of last year, and he's
(28:29):
kind of picked up where he left off. He's going
to play tonight and he's been pretty dark good so far,
and she loves is an interesting guy. I think he
has a lot of talent, and they've both helped the
Penguins a lot more than they have hurt so far.
We all know the guy in the future is the
one played in Boltsbury, and he's off to a phenomenal
start in the AHL by the way, as we kind
(28:49):
of expected. But so far, so good. And I think
the fact that the Penguins aren't giving up thirty two
on ones a night is certainly aiding the goaltending as well.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
It wouldn't shot me if they beat Florida tonight. Florida's
banged up.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Could Chuck got barkop on a couple other guys out
more short term, they already looked tired in October after
three straight Stanley Cup Finals.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
What if you beat them and you're six and two, oh.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
And they're vulnerable. This is their first home game after
a very long road trip. They had the emotional night
in Boston the other night. Paul Maurice actually said before
the game, this is a tough one. We've only been
home for thirty six hours. We've got to play another
game after a long trip. They're vulnerable. Their two thos
forwards are out. They're not playing very well. Dobrowski's playing,
but he's never really bothered the Penguins all that much.
(29:36):
They don't mind playing against him, and they usually play
well in this building in Florida, even in their worst teams.
In Florida's best teams are usually very competitive, tight games.
This is a great chance to get to them. And
the schedule is kind of nice right now. You get
Columbus at home on Saturday, that's not terrible. Then you
got Saint Louis and Philly, both of them are off
the slow starts. After that, it's a really soft schedule
(29:58):
right now for the Penguins, and no what if they're
you know, eight three and one through twelve games or something.
It's completely feasible and I don't know how that changes things,
but in the short term it's fun. There's a little
bit of a buzz around this team, which we haven't
seen in a while. But if you're keeping your eyes
on the prize, down the road. It kind of makes
the waters a little muddy right now. It's just going
(30:21):
to be interesting to see the way Kyle chooses to
deal with this, because I don't think anybody thought this
team would be playing this well in October. I don't
think a month ago anybody was really expecting this.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Finally, Josh, we got the Penguins Hall of Fame Saturday.
EJ's on the show at four o'clock. Artie was on yesterday.
What a great group do when Duck Scotti, e J
Arty and Ronnie Francis. What a foursome.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Yeah, I'm really excited for Saturday night. Just you know,
I grew up in the eighties and nineties watching people
like Artie and ron Francis and having, you know, getting
to know those guys. There are such incredible people I
consider already a friend. I really have a great with him. Truly,
one of the nicest people I've ever met in my life.
He really is. And I also think it's really cool
(31:07):
that the Penguins are honoring you know, Scotty Bowman was
in his nineties now EJ turns ninety next month. These
are real, real life hockey legends who have meant an
awful lot to the Penguins organization, so it's really going
to be a special night Saturday. I can't wait to
see it.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Josh, great stuff. We'll see you there all right, Mark,
you got it.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
That's Josh Joey of the Athletic Got ej at four o'clock,
Mark Madden one oh five nine.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
It's still a woody show weekday mornings at six oh
I like it on one five the X. This Halloween season,
the only thing scarier than ghosts and goblins is missing
out on a deal from Mike
We got EJ on at four o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Interesting guests at five o'clock, a guy, what's his name,
Jimmy DeNardo, who's part of the Akrosser Stadium grounds crew,
and they'll talk about the preparation process and he said
he I asked him about Pitt playing there and how
it affected the field. He said, he has some very
candid information about that. The said, he said it it
(00:26):
is a factor negatively, but not why you think.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
So we got the grounds crew guy on at at
five o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I assume he's some relation to Dirt Donardo, the head
groundskeeper from back in the day. But I want to
get back to talking about EJ drafting Mario. Don't forget
there was no YouTube, then no social media. Then you
know Mario. The highlights of him at juniors weren't all
(00:54):
over TV. You had to be there. He had to
go see Mario, which EJ did. EJ is the GM.
Usually he send the scout there, but EJ went personally
because EJ's from Montreal and Mario's junior team, Laval was
just outside Montreal. EJ was from Montreal and he went
to see Mario play a bunch of times, and he
(01:16):
was very quickly convinced. He told Tom McMillan, this kid
can score goals in any FN league. And by the way, EJ, EJ,
you know when he's excited about the conversation and talks
like a machine gun, and never more so than he
spoke about Mario Lemieux back when he got.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So fired up.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Now I mentioned the name Jacques Boyette earlier in the program.
In Mario's last year of junior Mario had one hundred
and thirty three goals and one hundred and forty nine
assists in seventy games, two hundred and eighty two points.
For those who can't do long division, that is over
four points per game.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
And his linemate was this guy, Jacq Coyett, who played
with Mario, had seventy six goals in ninety four assists
in sixty two games. Jacques Coyette never played one game
of pro hockey. Jason Mackie at the Post Cozette looked
him up a few years back into did the story
on him, I mean, and Jackoyette said he could have
(02:20):
gone to like an East Coast league camp, and he
decided just you know, all with his life. He became
a cop instead. But think about this, a guy who
wasn't seen as remotely a prospect to play pro hockey
got seventy six goals on Mario Lemuse's wing. My god,
Mario really was a one man gang, not least when
(02:43):
he was playing juniors for Laval and Tom McMillan, when
he was working for the Post Cazette went to Montreal
to interview Mario before the Peng was drafted him and
asked Mario about people saying he didn't play defense, and
Mario said, I.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Have the puck all the time. That's how I scored
one hundred and thirty three goals.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And yeah, the Peng was drafted him, and everything good
that's happened at Pittsburgh Hockey since is a result of
Pittsburgh having drafted Mary Lemieux, and Eddie Johnston was responsible
for that, not least by tanking the season and finishing
dead last when Maria was available. Although I won't grill
lej on that, I won't ask ej to break Ohmarta
(03:25):
all these years later because he never has. And that's
the great thing about it, he never has admitted it.
I like the story I've always told is the closest
ever heard him even alluding to it was back in
that year and I was a kid working for UPI.
I'm on the elevator coming down from the press box,
and we had a media relations director, Terry Scheffauer, who
was a real good guy. He's passed away since, really
(03:46):
good guy. And back then when you worked for hockey team,
he had a million different jobs. So Shifty was not
only the PR guy. He was the color analyst on broadcasts.
And Shifty would get really mad when we lost, I
mean really mad. And that year, you know, even though
you know, we lost more than anybody and finished did
last and got Mario.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Some of the games were interesting.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
And we would blow leads a lot, and thank god,
we lost one game seven to six to New Jersey
seven to six with Vincent Trumpley, the bummy goalie would
called up specifically to be a bummy goalie went one
and six down the stretch, and and if you don't
lose that game to New Jersey, you don't get Mario.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
That would have been a four point turnaround. But anyway,
I'm on the elevator with Shifty and EJ and Shift.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
He's going nuts because we blew a two goal lead
late and lost in regulation, okay, and shift he's like
just like really like MF and like smacking the elevator
with his hand. He's you know, the wall. He's like
just dark and EJ puts his arm on it goes shifty.
I don't think you're looking at the big FN picture.
(04:58):
That's the closest I ever heard e J come. But,
like I said, breaking the code of secrecy. So you know,
I hope you can. You know, I gotta be honest.
I had a bunch of very candid tweets earlier today.
I know everybody else, every other stag they're talking about
the Steelers must up.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
I don't care.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I've been doing it for twenty nine years, and I've
seen the Steelers seasons play out exactly the same.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
This will be the eighth year in a row where
you were these.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Expectation and the coaches crap and nobody will say it,
and we overrate the defense and overrat a bunch of
their players and revere them nonetheless, and there's no pressure
to win, and they don't for whatever reason. But we
act like they can't, and I know they can't. I
know they freaking can't. I know this team isn't winning
a playoff game.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I know that. You know it too, your sons of bitches,
you know it too.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
So I just had a good time right now talking
ten minutes about how Eddie Johnston drafted Mario Lemieux and
how it wasn't as easy as it looked because I
was there. I know, I know, just like an know,
the Steelers ain't win a no frigging playoff game.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
I know, and I'll tell you what.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
I still think they're gonna win the division, and that'll
be the final insult, by the way, not the final insult,
because they'll insult you as long as you let them,
and you'll let them forever. They're gonna win the division
and lose the home playoff game to whoever the best
wild card is.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
If you had to make.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Me predict how this season ends right now, there's gonna
be some really good team that gets a wild card
and like, like, you know what I can see happened?
Speaker 1 (06:32):
How about this? How great would this be? And it
would be great? You know why?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Because I'm tired of this. I'm tired of this. I'm
tired of pretending they're good. I'm tired of acting like
they know what they're doing.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
They don't.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
They're going nowhere. Ever, with this owner, with this GM,
with this coach, they're all fraud They're going nowhere. So
the final insult not the final one, because, like I said,
you're stupid. They win the division. New England wins that division.
Buffalo is the top wild card and Josh Allen comes in.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
In frick disease that secondary.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Tell me you can't feel it, Tell me you can't
feel it, because I feel it.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I feel it way down in my plums.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Parky bag and great story from Hell and Rich Exit
one Shoey of the Athletic talking hockey at the bottom
of the hour. Don't forget, we have the Hockey Night
Show at five point thirty half an hour solid hockey
talk leading into the Penguins pregame, leading into the Penguins
at Florida tonight.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Don't forget.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
You can watch the game with me, and I suggest
you do at Sharky's and Latrop Big Steeler Camp Hangout.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
I'm gonna make it more fun than that.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I'm gonna make it a Hockey Night watch party. Hangout
that Sharky's at Latrop tonight. By the way, get there
early because we always do a thing. You put a
buck in, you pick up penguin's name on a slip
of paper out of a hat, and you win a
night surprised if your guy scores the first goal, or
for that matter of the second, well, the third goal.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
We give away a lot of stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
So see at Sharky's tonights, I did that unhinted Steeler
rant saying I know they're not going anywhere this year. Well,
I do know that, and I know they're not gonna
do anything with Tom and his coach. Ever, I know that.
How many times does that have to go bad? How
many years before you believe it? How often do you
have to see it until you get it? How many
(08:25):
more times? Bam bamp I then bam BWn bam bam
bamp uh.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Here's Pete Prisco on CBS in this vein.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
He's not really very optimistic about the Steelers. He believes
they could lose the next seven or eight in a row.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
We look at this schedule, would it surprise you, and
I'm asking this sincerely, okay, that they lost the next one, two, three, four, five.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
We started with the Packers, Okay.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
Colts, Chargers, Bengals, Bears, Bills.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
And Ravens, and they're at the er by the way
other than the Bengals at home like Eighth Street.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
But it could happen, though, is what I'm saying. It
really could happen.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Wow, I don't think that's gonna happen, but that's what
the perception is. When you lose to Joe Flacco and Cincinnati,
and when the Bengals not exist at running game treads
you almost as much as Flacco did. That loss at
Cincinnati on National TV. That was a very damaging defeat
(09:32):
on so many levels, not least in terms of perception.
And if the Steelers lose at home to Green Bay
in prime time, yeah, things could snowball and even collapse,
but not to the degree that Prisco suggests. And I
would say that the collapse of these Steelers as unlikely
because of the Aaron Rogers factor. Who would have thought
(09:54):
that Aaron Rodgers would come in be my favorite Steeler
and he'd be the lone thing, thelone o thing, the
only thing on the entire roster, in the entire organization.
Aaron Rodgers is the only thing I trust. This is
kind of weird tonight at Denver. You got the Colorado
Avalanche playing the Carolina Hurricanes, but they're gonna be wearing
(10:20):
Quebec Nordiak's and Hartford Whalers jerseys because Colorado used to
be the Nordeaks and Carolina used to be the Whalers.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
I don't know if I get that. It's kind of
like saying.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
To the fan bases in Quebec City and Hartford, yeah,
we stole your team. Now we're gonna market your logo.
And even though those teams and those days have nothing
to do with what we're doing now, we're still gonna
take advantage.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
I don't like it. As a big fan of the
Hartford Whalers.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Bam bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bamp brass bonanza
after every goal, I I don't like this. Michael Jordan
is part of NBC's coverage on of the NBA in
the studio that kicked off was last night, the first
(11:12):
game the night before.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I don't care.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
I'm not gonna watch. I think two nights ago, and
Colin Coward made a good point. You got Jordan on
TV at sixty two, and they moved that TNT show
over to ESPN with the same old faces like Barkley
and Shack et cetera, and Lebron's forty and Steph's thirty
seven and Durant's thirty seven, and the NBA won't turn
(11:34):
the page. They're marketing nostalgia, which means, Okay, maybe it works,
but you're not developing new stars. It's like Tom Brady
on Fox for the NFL. It doesn't matter if Brady's
any good in analysis, and Brady really isn't, but he's
Tom Brady.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Well. The same applies to Michael Jordan.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
I got Sharky's tonight for the Penguins viewing party Tomorrow night,
going to see North Hills High School football play, hosting
Central Valley. North Hills with a three and two conference
record Tomorro's non conference and they've already clinched the playoff spots.
So that's that's a young team, made some changes. My
my buddy Austin ellis Janelle Hall's kid from Channel four.
He's playing a bigger role. So I'm looking forward to
(12:18):
going to the game tomorrow nights. Up next Josh Joey
talking Penguins one oh five to nine.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
The Spirits Summer News. Join us for the EPSS Halloween.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Cruise on Thursday at Chober thirtieth. The Crew says sale
at eight pm with live He's It from the Clintons
playing all your nineties favorites. Ten dollars and fifty nine
cents from every ticket sold goes to.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
The Mary ellamw Foundation.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Join the X Crew for this twenty one older events
and dressing your Halloween best to score prizes all night.
Wo tickets are on sale now at Gateway Clipper dot com.
The XES Halloway on the Gateway Clipper sponsor my disaster
Restoration Services. We'll see you on October thirty.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
This is Doug Gottlieb. Here's what's trending from the Iheartsports Network,
presented by Mercedes Benz.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
Railblazer's coach Chauncey Billups and he guar Terry Rosier are
facing federal charges related to illegal gambling investigations.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Both were put on leave immediately by the NBA. Steelers.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn't thinking about revenge this week. He
said he has no animosity towards the Packers and the
hockey where Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is just five points
away from recording seventeen hundred in his regular season career.
Penn's visit Florida tonight. I'm Scott Davidson.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Looking for an exceptional driving experience. Find it behind the
wheel of a Mercedes Benz SUVs.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Joining me now live in Florida where the Penguins play
the Panthers.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
He is Josh showing the athletic. Josh, what's gonna happen
with Brunneck and Kendall.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Uh, you've written at the Athletic you have a hunch
they're gonna stay.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
You're hearing stuff. Can you expand on that?
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Yeah, Mark, everybody I've spoken to in the organization, of course,
is very impressed with these young two and everybody I
talk with, while they will tell you, hey, it's Kyle's call,
ultimately they all think that these two are going to
stay for the season. That the Penguins think that they're
just not going to have their development aided by going
(14:23):
back to junior at this point, that they think they're
advanced enough where they can stay in the NHL. And
remember this, Mark, like Dan mue Is, one of the
reasons he was hired was because of how good he
is at working with eighteen nineteen twenty year old players.
They just think having them close to him all season
is probably in their best interest. So I'm not saying
it's a done deal that they both stay, but I
(14:44):
can tell you that a lot of people in the
organization would be really really surprised if either of those
kids sent out at this point.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Yeah, I believe both are good enough to stay, but
in Kendall's case, in particular, Josh, if he's going to
be on line with no Back and Hollander all year,
send them Junior. I wrote a column where I recalled
how they would always put it like sat morose off
in the bottom six after being a first round pick
in nineteen ninety five, and all he learned to be
(15:11):
was the bottom six.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Well, that's true, and that certainly did happen to Moros
of I would suggest on one level, I think the
game has changed a little bit and that I don't
know the third line guys in this era necessarily play
the way they did back then. But I do think
that having him receive an upgrade in line mates is
(15:34):
really important, whether it's the second line or third line
or whatever line he is on. Like, I don't think
playing with Tommy Noback all season is a very good idea.
I don't see that that helps him now if he's
on the line with you know, Rutger McGroarty on the
third line and then you know, maybe coyven and comes
back up or whatever, and now that might be different.
So I don't necessarily mind him being in a quote
(15:56):
unquote bottom six role. It's more about who he's playing
with in my opinion. But I will say from the
Penguins standpoint, Mark there's something special about this kid, Like
it just clicked in the second week of training camp
and you could see it immediately, like he just became
a different player, and he's so cerebral. I'm pretty blown
away by what I've seen from him so far, even
(16:17):
though for sure you don't want him playing nine minutes
a night with bad line mates, so there's no doubt
about that.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Well, I want him playing on Sid's wing.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
I want to at least try that because what I've
been most impressed about with Kindle is the way he
thinks the game, and I think it might be similar
to how Sid thinks the game.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
It might be.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
I would love to see it for a lot of reasons,
and one being as well as the Penguins are playing
right now. That top line actually isn't clicking at all.
It's not been particularly good, certainly not in the standards
were used to. And you might recall the very first
shift of the season when Kindle started on the line
with Crosby and Malkoam. There was only one shift for
sixty seconds, but it was unbelievable how good they look together.
(16:55):
And I think you're right. I just think he thinks
that game in an extraordinarily high That's why they drafted him. Mark.
I spoke with people in the organization the night of
the draft when the Penguins were getting roasted around the
league for, you know, allegedly reaching on this kid at eleven,
and numerous people told me that Wes Clark and Kyle
Dubas just think his hockey IQ is something completely different
(17:17):
than what they've seen, and nobody else in the draft
had it, and they were just hell bent on making
him their guy. You can see why if you pay
attention to him.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Play is Gino start for real?
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Ten points in seven games, and we should keep in
mind he had a similar start last year.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Didn't he.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Yeah, I mean sure, it's for real, It's not that
he's not playing well, he's playing great. I don't think
he can sustain it for eighty two games. And that's
not a knock on him, That's just what happens when
you're that age. He's going to hit a wall, like
I do think that you know, happened three weeks after
when the Olympic break could really help him down the road.
You get that much time off that certainly should refresh him.
(17:56):
That he's playing really well. I give him credit. He
has eliminated not all of the bad habits in his game,
but certainly some. And he's playing a smarter brand of hockey.
And I just think he's got more jump than we've
seen from him in a really long time. I think
he's motivated. Mark. My sense is he knows this might
be his last season with the Penguins. I've reported that
(18:18):
they are not going to give him a new contract.
That certainly was the plan as of this past summer.
And you know, I think there's a part of him
that's a little defiant about that and wants to hang
around longer. And I mean, to his credit, he.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Also put it out there, Josh than it was going
to be his last season.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Oh, he talks about it a lot. I mean, he's
pretty open about how it could be and he's just
trying to enjoy it and it could be if it
is his last season. You know, he just wants people
to remember him a certain way and doesn't want to
embarrass himself out the door and whatever the case may be. Listen,
he's played really well and that second line has been outstanding.
I give him credit, but I will caution people. He
(18:58):
did this in October last year and he certainly did
fade after that, so we'll monitor how that goes. But
I'm most in high marks to him. He's playing great hockey.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
We're talking to Josh Elway of the Athletic here on
the Mark Madden Show. Josh is up justin Brazo the
New War and Young five goals in seven games.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
He's interesting. I mean, the thing about him, like, when
you watch him play, you can't deny that he has
a good pair of hands. At least he has the
last two weeks. I mean, he makes plays every game
with his hands and get your attention. He can't really skate,
and then that's probably going to become an issue at
some point. But when you're that big and your hands
are that good, you should be good for something, right,
(19:41):
And as I'm sure you've brought up on your show,
the fact is, and again I'm not expecting him to
maintain this pace, but the fact is, he did score
sixty one goals in a junior season once. No, that's
a high number, even for junior hockey. There's a lot
of star players have never scored sixty one goals in
one season in junior, so that there's something there. And
(20:02):
obviously he's colicking with Malk and Manta right now. I
don't imagine he'll maintain this pacemlist. And if he's worth
fifteen or twenty goals like that's a huge win. Nobody
thought that was going to be the case when they
signed him this summer. That's for sure. To me.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
The catalyst for this good start is Dan mused, a
new coach, Josh. The structures there and the hole is
greater than the some of the parts they're five and
two with. I believe not very many guys playing particularly great.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Yeah, I think the energy that a team can get
from a new coach is on display. I also think
he's done a really nice job. I think it's a
combination of those two. Everybody's impressed with him. I was
at Paul Maurice's press conference this morning in Florida, and
he just went on and on about how the Penguins
have taken the stretch passes out of their game and
(20:54):
how much more impressive they look, and how much they're
playing as a unit now compared to previous seasons. I
don't think he meant it as a backhandada shot at
Mike Sullivan. It almost came across that way. No, he's
really impressed with Dan Muse. He's probably the best coach
of the game right now. No, that they're just playing
collectively more as a team. You're seeing more structure, more
attention played to the defensive zone. The old guys are
(21:18):
playing while the young guys are playing. Well, everything they're
doing right now is a credit to Dan Muse.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Now, I mentioned earlier than I would at least give
Kindle a try with Sid, and I say that acknowledging
he's probably a better center than a wing.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
But I tried, that's what this season's for.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
And I got to add to that, Rust and Sid
aren't clicking really, the first time I've seen them play
together where there's just zero spark.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, something really seems off of that top line. Russ
seems like he has his legs. I don't think there's
an issue with his skating. Doesn't look old all of
a sudden or anything, but the top line's not clicking now.
I will say, you know, we talked about Geno and
having a couple of great Octobers and how he faded.
I've also seen from Sid the last few years he's
(22:02):
usually not quite as dominant in October or November. It
takes him a while, and then usually around the holidays
is when he starts to heat up, and he stays
hot for the whole season. So some of it might
be on him. I don't think he's been at his best,
even though his point totals are fine and he's got
a goal in three straight games. He had a couple
of games where he definitely looked a little bit off
to me. But no, the top line hasn't been especially good.
(22:24):
They have a lot of things they could do. They
could take Raquel off of that line to remember, like
they've played him at center a lot in the preseason.
That was the plan for Raquel to be the third
line center to start the season, which seems crazy, but
that that was the plan. Maybe they try that and
slide Kendall off with Crosby and Russ at some point.
It's not a bad idea, mark because when you watch
Kendall play, you kind of feel like, boy, he's making
(22:46):
so many good plays every night, and he's just not
playing Oh Josh.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Power play too. He has better power play or rust.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Yeah, the power I know the power plays scored a
couple of goals. Yeah, I think it was the second
power play really, but I would love to see Kendall
on the power play. You could just see he has
a feel for and watching him in practice on the
second unit, oh, his touch with the pocket and his
decision making. This is not your typical eighteen year old.
And I'm sure we're not going to see it until
(23:15):
the Penguin's go into a little bit of a losing skit,
and I'm sure you'll see a bunch of changes. Then
that's the way it goes. But I would love to
see him on that Top power play. I don't like
the Top power Play right now for a number of reasons.
And we've seen over time the five guys on it
right now, they're all really good players. But that that
mix doesn't really work on the power play as much
as it once did. I would love to see Kendall
get a look up there.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Well, I'm destoryed that the winning is going to derail
what they should be doing, because my top six would
be Crosby, Mokin, Raquel, Russ, Kendall and Cliven in the
cons and Wilkes. And the more they win, the more
they're going to be sold on Braso and Manta.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
He might be right about that, and you know, Coiven
And I'm sure will be up before too much longer.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
And mc gourney deserves in that mix as well.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Sure, And it was obvious to me that coyven And
didn't look real comfortable playing with sin and it's not
easy to play with it, but he needs to be
up in the NHL at some point. This is a
really good hockey player and that might become the most
interesting subplot of this whole season, like what if they
keep winning like this Mark? Or what does damn Muse do?
More importantly, what does Kyle Dubas do? Because they know
(24:19):
this isn't some championship team. But I understand not wanting
to derail a team that's winning too on the object
still to win hockey games. For a hockey coach, I
get it, it's a it's a tough situation, but I
think it's up to Kyle Dubas to stay disciplined. I've
had all these people ask me, you know what, if
they keep winning, will they will they add to this roster,
and I said, no, they shouldn't and I don't think
(24:41):
they will.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
They got no assets to trade anyway.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Right, And it's you know, you have to keep your
eyes on the right for sure, But I I can't
deny even though it's only been seven games and who
knows what will happen. I still don't think this team
is especially good, but I will say that they have
performed at a much higher level than I was anticipating.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
And I got to say, even though I hope he's
not in the top six for very much longer, and
even on the team come the trade deadline, because he's
a guy, a good trade.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
I don't hate Nantha.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
If you knee is okay after the surgery, I will
say he gets to the net like that goal on
Tuesday against Vancouver. We would go months the last couple
of years with not seeing a goal.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Like that if he keeps going to the net like that,
he will score goals on this team. It's not like
he doesn't have the talent. He's an interesting guy because
he's never really panned out the way because some thought
he was going to be a real star. We see
the hands that he has and how big he is,
you can see why. And he's always been a good player,
never really became a great player the way people were hoping.
(25:45):
But no, I mean that that whole line is going
to the net, and that's what they should be doing.
They're not going to score on the rush all that often.
But when you got three guys that size, that's something
to Penguins. I don't remember the last time. I don't
know if they've never had a line that big and
no Manta can play and if nothing less, you know,
I hate to bring this up already in October, but
if Mantha plays well, he certainly would be a nice
(26:08):
trade piece at the deadline if you want to get
even more assets. Then that's why this whole season could
be really interesting to see how Dubas handles it, because
we know he's still thinking about the future, as he should.
But if this team exceeds expectations. Yeah, things get a
little uncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
I think for Dubis, which defensemen are good and which
one suck.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Well. I think Bruno's really good. He still makes mistakes
every night that a teenager will make in the NHL.
I think he has real All Star potential too. And
I'll tell you Carlson doesn't suck right now, Like he'll
still do things that'll drive you nuts. But this is
a much more composed version of him.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Yeah, but for reasons I hate. He's just trying to
impress Sweden. He's pissed because he wasn't one of the
top six named for their Olympic team.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Probably, but he's not killing them right now.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
You know.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
I hold chrys Latang in the highest of regards, but
I think he's really struggling right now. He was better
against Vancouver. That was his best game, but that.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Was first game of the year. I thought it was.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
I mean, hopefully that's the side of things to come,
because on that California road trip he was so bad.
Like I've had people in the organization privately tell me
in the last couple of weeks that they're just kind
of worried about him. They hope this isn't like who
he is at the stage because they don't like his
game at all. It's been a real problem. I have
always said the Penguins go as he goes, and I
(27:35):
still think that's the case. He's still on the ice
twenty minute to night that they need him to be better.
Hopefully Vancouver was a step in the direction. I'll tell
you one guy that's impressed me. Mark He's a total journeyman,
I realized. But Parker Walershman's actually.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Been really good.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
Like he and Carlson click for whatever reason. I don't
know that he'll maintain it. We will see. But he
had the one, you know mishap in Anaheim that costs
in the game and they flipped the puck over the glass,
but he really pounced back nicely. He's been a nice
addition for them.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Is the goaltending okay, because I refuse to believe it.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
I think they're off to a pretty good start. I
don't think i'd label it as okay. I have to
give Jarry some credit. I thought he was completely done
last season, and I still think they would trade him
in a heartbeat if they could, as it should. But
you know, he was good in that stretch in March
in April at the end of last year, and he's
(28:29):
kind of picked up where he left off. He's going
to play tonight and he's been pretty dark good so far,
and she loves is an interesting guy. I think he
has a lot of talent, and they've both helped the
Penguins a lot more than they have hurt so far.
We all know the guy in the future is the
one played in Boltsbury, and he's off to a phenomenal
start in the AHL by the way, as we kind
(28:49):
of expected. But so far, so good. And I think
the fact that the Penguins aren't giving up thirty two
on ones a night is certainly aiding the goaltending as well.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
It wouldn't shot me if they beat Florida tonight. Florida's
banged up.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Could Chuck got barkop on a couple other guys out
more short term, they already looked tired in October after
three straight Stanley Cup Finals.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
What if you beat them and you're six and two, oh.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
And they're vulnerable. This is their first home game after
a very long road trip. They had the emotional night
in Boston the other night. Paul Maurice actually said before
the game, this is a tough one. We've only been
home for thirty six hours. We've got to play another
game after a long trip. They're vulnerable. Their two thos
forwards are out. They're not playing very well. Dobrowski's playing,
but he's never really bothered the Penguins all that much.
(29:36):
They don't mind playing against him, and they usually play
well in this building in Florida, even in their worst teams.
In Florida's best teams are usually very competitive, tight games.
This is a great chance to get to them. And
the schedule is kind of nice right now. You get
Columbus at home on Saturday, that's not terrible. Then you
got Saint Louis and Philly, both of them are off
the slow starts. After that, it's a really soft schedule
(29:58):
right now for the Penguins, and no what if they're
you know, eight three and one through twelve games or something.
It's completely feasible and I don't know how that changes things,
but in the short term it's fun. There's a little
bit of a buzz around this team, which we haven't
seen in a while. But if you're keeping your eyes
on the prize, down the road. It kind of makes
the waters a little muddy right now. It's just going
(30:21):
to be interesting to see the way Kyle chooses to
deal with this, because I don't think anybody thought this
team would be playing this well in October. I don't
think a month ago anybody was really expecting this.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Finally, Josh, we got the Penguins Hall of Fame Saturday.
EJ's on the show at four o'clock. Artie was on yesterday.
What a great group do when Duck Scotti, e J
Arty and Ronnie Francis. What a foursome.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Yeah, I'm really excited for Saturday night. Just you know,
I grew up in the eighties and nineties watching people
like Artie and ron Francis and having, you know, getting
to know those guys. There are such incredible people I
consider already a friend. I really have a great with him. Truly,
one of the nicest people I've ever met in my life.
He really is. And I also think it's really cool
(31:07):
that the Penguins are honoring you know, Scotty Bowman was
in his nineties now EJ turns ninety next month. These
are real, real life hockey legends who have meant an
awful lot to the Penguins organization, so it's really going
to be a special night Saturday. I can't wait to
see it.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Josh, great stuff. We'll see you there all right, Mark,
you got it.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
That's Josh Joey of the Athletic Got ej at four o'clock,
Mark Madden one oh five nine.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
It's still a woody show weekday mornings at six oh
I like it on one five the X. This Halloween season,
the only thing scarier than ghosts and goblins is missing
out on a deal from Mike
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