Pregame Show - Jonathan Bombulie joins Show

Mark is joined this hour by Jonathan Bombulie to talk Penguins before the season

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Kick It, Cake It Come on, puts you one time
Kick It the.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Listen on your free iHeartRadio app for all your music
radio and podcasts.

Speaker 3 (00:20):
Well, well, well, a story broke late during yesterday's show
about this member of Pittsburgh City Council.

Speaker 4 (00:30):
Her name is Teresa Kale Smith.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
She wants a discussion with Bob Nutting about him trying.

Speaker 4 (00:38):
Harder to win.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
That's a discussion that probably ought to be had, even
though it won't do no good. Just for appearances, this
is a pr stunt by ms Cale Smith. But the
city paid three quarters of a billion toward panc Park
and the pirates pay a base rent of only one
hundred k per year. So yeah, for sure, Bob Nutting

(01:04):
the owner, he's robbing the city.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
But what would discussion do.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
Like Bob Nutting is going to say, oh g sorry,
I'm gonna double payroll. The city can't make Bob Nutting
do anything except not reloting the least in twenty thirty
and then Nutting moves the team to Nashville or wherever.
He's not a Pittsburgh resident, he's not connected to the community.

(01:33):
He doesn't care where his ATM's located, and if the
pirates left. Then all them businesses on the North Shore
go bust and the city loses a lot of jobs
and a lot of revenue. You can dream about making
Nutting fix it, the city forcing him, MLB forcing him,

(01:55):
But he has one hundred of the leverage, every single
bit of leverage. If you can cite any leverage at
all that the city, MLB, anybody has against Nutting, I'd
love to hear it. Tom's off today, So call now

(02:16):
eight three three four one two w xdx. That's eight one,
eight three three. I'm never gonna say that number totally right,
am I? Eight three three four one two wxdx.

Speaker 4 (02:30):
Again. I think this is a PR stunt by ms
Kale smith.

Speaker 3 (02:35):
Hey, we talked to him, We tried, but the city County.

Speaker 4 (02:43):
S E eight MLB. They can't do nothing.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
Like I said yesterday, and I wish you would understand
this Nutting and the way he runs the team is
only a problem to Bucco fans and Bucco players who
are good and want to win.

Speaker 4 (03:02):
Nobody else sees a problem. I'm Mark Madden.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
So far.

Speaker 4 (03:09):
That number again, eight three three four one two nine thirty.

Speaker 3 (03:13):
Nine MLB playoffs continued last night three climactic game threes.
In the wild Card round, Detroit knocked dot Cleveland. That
was in the afternoon, so we get to see Scoobale
pitch more.

Speaker 4 (03:28):
That's fun.

Speaker 3 (03:30):
And Cleveland's still once since nineteen forty eight, that is
also fun. Chicago eliminated San Diego three to one. There
was a really bad call on a full count that
killed San Diego in the ninth struck out, a battle
that should have walked would have led to basis full

(03:51):
nobody out as it was.

Speaker 4 (03:54):
San Diego had.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
Two on one out but couldn't maximize on Xboco. Starting
for the Cubs, he was very good. Four shotout innings
to hit, no walks. The New York Yankees eliminated the
Boston Red Sox four nil. Some rookie from Boston, a
Boston resident, Walpole. He pitched for the Yankees. Schulitzler's his name,

(04:21):
which is a name I don't care to try to
pronounce too often.

Speaker 4 (04:24):
Schlitzer.

Speaker 3 (04:26):
Eight shot at innings, twelve strikeouts. Your guy from Boston
eliminates the Red Sox. Pock that ca in Hovid Square. Uh,
the Pirates thing I talked about. It's not ever gonna change,

(04:48):
you know, it.

Speaker 4 (04:49):
I know it. They certainly know it.

Speaker 3 (04:53):
They're wasting Schmes, wasting the best pitcher in baseball.

Speaker 4 (05:00):
What don't you get.

Speaker 3 (05:02):
You hear all this fantasy you talk about signing free
agents like some dunts. On another show yesterday, Eugenio Suadez
or trade for Jazz Chisholm from the Yankees. Right, Suarez
would really love to leave a division champ in Seattle
after having had a career year with forty somewhat home runs,

(05:22):
and come to the fifth ring of baseball Hell here
in Pittsburgh. Jazz Chisholm, he's in his last year arbitration
next year. It just love to come to Pittsburgh. Here's
what's gonna happen. Mitch Keller gets traded. That's the Pirates
big move. The return will be a bat that's not
good enough because you're not trading Skiens or Chandler. You're

(05:46):
trading Keller. Skeens or Chandler would bring legitimate offense back.

Speaker 4 (05:52):
Keller won. He'll bring back a bat that's the rough
equivalent of Keller.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
And that's it. That's the big move. That'll be all
they do. And then I wonder if Skeens pops off
or if somebody does, you know what's gonna be tell
tale with the Buckos and their intent. I mean, we
know their intent, but just a reminder. And you're gonna
hate this, but it's true. It's damn true. If the

(06:19):
Pirates bring back Andrew McCutcheon, it's for nostalgia. They're selling
nostalgia still and again, and it's business as usual and
not serious about winning. And I will say what y'all say.

(06:40):
Say you trade Keller like you guys talk about all
the time, you bucko Marx. You still got a rotation
to Skeens Chandler top of the rotation stuff, and a
bunch of solid options like Oviedo Ashcraft. Maybe Barco Burrows
is maybe okay as a four or a five. Jared
Jones might be. He's good if he can recover fully

(07:03):
from Tommy John. There's a playoff rotation in there somewhere,
but they won't get the bats they need. And you
can't rush Connor Griffin. They had a playoff rotation.

Speaker 4 (07:16):
This year.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
And lost ninety one games. How are they gonna do
any better next year? Still having a playoff rotation? Boy,
We've been talking a lot of Buckos because of this
silliness with the city console woman. Oh, great football game
last night, San Francisco with a ton of guys on

(07:41):
including their quarterback.

Speaker 4 (07:44):
They beat La in overtime. La went for it on
fourth down and overtime didn't pay off.

Speaker 3 (07:52):
Mac Jones deputizing for brock Party at quarterback for San Francisco,
and he played so well that people are wondering if
maybe he should keep the quarterback job when brock Party
comes back.

Speaker 4 (08:07):
I don't think so, But Shanahan does that a lot.

Speaker 3 (08:15):
The starter gets injured, he's out, the sub does well,
but he keeps him in there.

Speaker 4 (08:24):
So that's a big win for San France because that
Ley's good.

Speaker 3 (08:30):
Like I said, four one two ninety nine, thirty nine
is the number to call. Getting back to baseball for
one second. There was a great tweet earlier today by
our buddy Mike the Corsi, who nailed it when he
set it's been ten years since an MLBT from outside
the top fifteen markets won the World Series. The only

(08:51):
chance now is the Brewers. The NFL has had thirteen
such champions in this century, NBA, NHL, MLS all have
had ten plus MLB three. But please carry on about
Baseball's great competitive balance. Baseball doesn't have competitive balance, but
they managed to figure out how to create the illusion

(09:14):
of competitive balance by getting more teams in the playoffs,
because anybody can make the playoffs, but the big markets
almost always win the playoffs. We talked a lot about
Shador Sanders yesterday. Bruce Arians, the former Steelers offensive coordinator

(09:36):
and very successful head coach, won a Super Bowl in Tampa.
He was on some show and BA said what I said.
We got that sound later, but in a nutshell, why
is the third string quarterback doing interviews?

Speaker 4 (09:49):
Unquote?

Speaker 3 (09:50):
NBA is right, there's just no upside to Chador doing media.
It does Chador zero good and the Browns zero good.
Big story for Steeler fans this weekend, the bye week,
You got to get up early again on Sunday and
see how Dylan Gabriel plays for Cleveland against Minnesota at

(10:10):
London nine thirty am. Because Gabriel, who's a rookie, having
a great debut as a starter or winning, that's a
talking point that makes the game against Cleveland interesting. And
you got Miles Garrett against TJ. Watt, even though they're
never on the field together. And Michael Parsons makes more
than each of them. The number again eight three, three, four,

(10:34):
one two, nine thirty nine. Tommy Radio is off todate.
We got some realistic, interesting sound up from Eddie Olcik
about Connor McDavid's contract expiring this year at Edmonton end
of the season, and I got a great idea what
McDavid ought to do.

Speaker 4 (10:56):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (10:56):
We got Penguins rookie forward Avery Hayes joins us the
pre fifteen lot A Penguin guests on up between now
in the middle of next week. Tim Ben joins me
at three thirty, Charlie Batch on at four o'clock, Mister
Friday Afternoon, who sucks Again at four thirty, and our
first guest is going to be two thirty from the

(11:17):
trip tak Hockey with Jonathan bumb Bully.

Speaker 4 (11:20):
It's the Mark Madden Show on one oh five nine.

Speaker 5 (11:23):
Headed the PPG Paints Arena, make your event day the
Blieve at the Marriott Pittsburgh City Center. Enjoy their event
Day buffets and five dollars about blue and blue lights
opened before and after PPG events, just steps from the
action Marriontt Pittsburgh City Center. Your pregame and postgame headquarters.

Speaker 3 (11:43):
You can create a winning image for your team and
keep your employees safe and productive with Universe and a.

Speaker 1 (11:49):
Mark Madhoon Free games out on one oh five nine DX.

Speaker 3 (12:00):
That guitar reminds me Rev Beach playing tonight at Jurgles
his local band John Bellin of Gene the wererofe on vocals.

Speaker 4 (12:08):
Go check it out.

Speaker 3 (12:12):
If you watch that playoff game between Chicago and San Diego,
the call in the ninth that screwed San Diego was unbelievable.
Merrill just home her to make a three to one.
Chicago is still ahead. Sander Bogertz was up three and two.
Count ball four way low. I'm causing a third strike

(12:35):
and the next two guys got hit by pitch, so
it would have been bases loaded.

Speaker 4 (12:38):
Nobody out. Next year, you're gonna be able to appeal.

Speaker 3 (12:44):
I think it's two calls per game, and you gotta
do it immediately, so it's not to waste time like
pat the helmet. But they should just call all the
pitches by robowump. They have the technology to get every
single call right, and for no good reason they're going
to ignore itce San Diego, man, they spent a lot

(13:06):
of money for that team, made a lot of moves too,
and they're out right away. The Rams got to play
two more playoff games in the Pirates. The Pod recently
got to play three. Okay, here's Eddie Olcek on the
NHL Network talking about Connor McDavid heading into the final
year of his contract with the Edmonton Oilers.

Speaker 6 (13:29):
Well, I don't think it's gonna hang over Connor mcdaviock
because he breathes different airs, So I don't think it's
going to affect him one bit. As a hockey guy
and a hockey fan, I think it would be really
interesting theater to see him just to play it out.
I would think that if he does sign a short
term deal, I think it would be for a couple
of years, no more than two. But at the end
of the day, he's holding the cards and he can

(13:50):
play it out or he can sign and put everything
at ease and everybody in Edmonton and you know, but
I don't think it'll affect him.

Speaker 4 (13:57):
I don't think it'll affect the team. I think everybody understands.

Speaker 3 (14:01):
Okay, most what Edzo said I totally agree with. But
McDavid can't play out the deal if he doesn't sign
a new deal by the trade deadline, they got to
trade him. They can't let him walk for zilch, even
if he did help them get to the last two
Cup finals. Now, if i'm McDavid, like Edzo suggested, I
sign a two year deal, that's it and tell Edmonton

(14:24):
if we ain't won up by then, I'm gone. And
then Edmonton that second year of the new deal would
have to trade him at the deadline if he didn't
re up. And at least you're putting that off. McDavid's
situation ain't at all like Sids because Sids already won
three Stanley Cops. McDavid has none. He's actually slightly passed

(14:47):
his peak at twenty eight.

Speaker 4 (14:50):
Probably.

Speaker 3 (14:52):
So the problem is any team with huge cap room
to sign him when the time comes if he's a
free agent wouldn't be very good. Probably all you need
is one exception. Here's what I propose. McDavid plays out
the current contract free agent years in Penguins win the
lottery draft McKenna sim McDavid sends the greatest.

Speaker 4 (15:15):
Third line center of all time.

Speaker 3 (15:20):
Four one two got it wrong again eight three three
four one two ninety nine thirty nine. Seriously, what friggin'
moron decided our new phone number should have the normal
and old area code we used in the middle of
the F and phone number. I'm gonna say that wrong
for all eternity. I don't care if you call. I'm
not even gonna say the number at all because I

(15:40):
feel so stupid eight three, three four one two ninety.

Speaker 4 (15:43):
Nine thirty nine. But really, I don't give a frig
if you call or not. Uh where'd I put my notes?

Speaker 3 (15:51):
Oh?

Speaker 7 (15:52):
You know what?

Speaker 4 (15:52):
I want to see this weekend? A rare weekend when
I'm home.

Speaker 3 (15:57):
I'm home one this weekend and next week and then
they go to Liverpool to see Liverpool and Man United.
I heard that movie The Smashing Machine is really good.
The Rock is that Mma guy Mark Kerr an ogufc dude.
When it was like Outlaw someplaces, the Rock needed a

(16:18):
movie like this, a box office smash and a good
critical review for his work because the rock star was.

Speaker 4 (16:25):
In decline just a teeny bit.

Speaker 3 (16:27):
But the Rock is fifty three and he's been a
major action star since all that Scorpion King stuff hit
in two thousand and one and two thousand and two.

Speaker 4 (16:38):
What a career.

Speaker 3 (16:39):
The guy's had it all started with wrestling. That's that's
quite incredible.

Speaker 7 (16:45):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (16:47):
Caitlin Clark talked about the WNBA commissioner who had commented
that Clark should be grateful to the league because the
league is responsible for all her success and endorsements, which.

Speaker 4 (17:03):
The league is not. She had those before she got
to WNBA.

Speaker 3 (17:07):
She had a lot of that at IOWA, including the
Mega deal with Nike, which is said Scott more Mega.
Now Clark has classed. So she didn't respond directly to
what the commissioner said. She said, we need great leadership,
blah blah blah. But the WNBA, I mean their final

(17:27):
start tomorrow, and this is the current focus on the
league because no league has ever been better at sabotaging
itself and they're just urinating on their golden goose time
and again because she's straight and white and goes against
the grain of the league, and nobody can tell me
that's wrong, and nobody can even say it's offensive for

(17:50):
me to say.

Speaker 4 (17:50):
That, because it's so effing obvious. Let's go to Cosmo. Cosmo,
you're wrong with Mark, what I what I mean?

Speaker 1 (18:01):
Yeah?

Speaker 7 (18:02):
So well, for starters, you're welcome for breaking the story
about Nutting. You say that he has all the leverage,
all of it. Tell that to Dan Snyder and Donald.
Tell that to Dan Snyder and Donald.

Speaker 3 (18:14):
Dan Snyder got run out of Washington because of scandal
within his organization. That's why he got run out. The
point is no, no, no, no, no, you're comparing apples
and oranges.

Speaker 4 (18:24):
Lame brain Bob.

Speaker 3 (18:26):
Nutting has run an exemplary reorganization in terms of conduct
and finances.

Speaker 4 (18:31):
That's all MLB cares about.

Speaker 3 (18:32):
Dan Snyder got run out because of the conduct of
his organization. Sexual harassment scandal is just terrible stuff, and
there's none of that with Nutting.

Speaker 4 (18:41):
Do you get that.

Speaker 7 (18:43):
There's not terrible conducts going on here? The point is
it can happen.

Speaker 4 (18:48):
No, the point is you're wrong, goodbye. Don't call.

Speaker 3 (18:54):
That comparing the Snyder situation in the Nutting situation is
just again apples and oranges, although I that phrase up. Next,
Talk Hockey with Jonathan Bumbulli JB on one O five
nine one O.

Speaker 1 (19:05):
Five nine d X as your shot at tags drim
cash money like that blucho Dinero. I'm rich, rich rich,
Jimmy listen all day for your chance has some extra
cash on one.

Speaker 4 (19:21):
Oh five nine The X, What if you had the
smartest Wi Fi.

Speaker 1 (19:28):
O one O five nine d X.

Speaker 3 (19:34):
Big day for hockey talk here today on the show,
we got Penguins rookie Avery Hayes at three point fifteen.
But right now it's a pleasure to talk hockey with
Jonathan Bombulli of the Trip JB. We got the final
exhibition game tonight, then the opener on Tuesday in New
York for the Penguins. Are you surprised where kel Rust
and Carlson are still on the roster?

Speaker 4 (19:53):
Is this team truly rebuilding? Yeah?

Speaker 8 (19:58):
I think the fact that they are are, first of all,
I am I surprised, maybe a little because it seemed
like I'm surprised they all are all three, right, Yeah,
And it seemed like Dubis was pretty you know, dead
set on adding assets and prospects to the pool. And
he did that, you know, to a degree. It's not
like he hasn't, but I thought he was still on

(20:19):
that kick. And but to me, the fact that those
three are still on the team defines what kind of
rebuild you're talking about here. I mean, they're not trying
to bottom out, And frankly, I don't know if any
kicked any team with Sidney Crosby on it could bottom
out well, I mean like.

Speaker 4 (20:35):
Really bought him out, like Shark's bottom out.

Speaker 3 (20:37):
You know.

Speaker 4 (20:39):
Yeah, but that's how they got cele That's how they
got Will Smith. No, you're right.

Speaker 8 (20:44):
And then and that's how the Penguins got Merrio. I mean,
you know, there's something to be said for that, but
that's you know, there was nobody there was nobody on
their Sharks teams, or there was nobody on the on
the eighty three Penguins that you could.

Speaker 4 (20:56):
Possibly compare to Sidney Crosby. So it's I I don't think.

Speaker 8 (21:00):
I just circumstances in roster construction makes it such that
you can't completely bottom out. Now there's a lottery, so
there's no guarantees either. So and also teams get stuck
in that mud. So I understand the rationale for doing
kind of a you know, a retooling kind of type

(21:21):
situation rather than a burn it down.

Speaker 4 (21:24):
I think the Penguins really had to do it that way. No, No,
I get a JB. My thing is.

Speaker 3 (21:31):
It's not a playoff team and it's not gonna finish
bottom five probably, although some are predicting that. So I
think they finished twenty first or twenty second overall, maybe
twenty third, And that's the worst case scenario, isn't it.

Speaker 4 (21:45):
Sure.

Speaker 8 (21:46):
I mean, you're not going to get anywhere doing that,
But you also have a bunch of cap space next
year if you decide that you want to, you know,
if you think that things are starting to come together
next year with you know, Brunic being either a year
in two his NHL career, starting his NHL career, and
then you got Kendall and he's a guy that's an option,
and you got some other young guys coming along, and

(22:07):
then you could augment them with the right free agent
and you could kind of make a run next year.
I think that's possibility. I mean, you know, there's there's
lots of ways this could go. You say they're not
a playoff team, and I do agree with you. I
didn't pick them to make the playoffs, and I wouldn't,
but I think the Eastern Conference has about maybe five
good teams in it, so maybe not even Yeah, So

(22:27):
I mean I'll take the you know, the two Florida
teams in Toronto and then Carolina.

Speaker 4 (22:31):
That's four, and I like the Devils, some people might not.
That's my fifth.

Speaker 8 (22:35):
And after that, I mean, you know, the what are
you talking Rangers capitals? I mean, you know what, it's
what It surprised you in the least if the Penguins
were better than Montreal and Ottawa's.

Speaker 4 (22:47):
Not at all. I think the Rangers are cramped too.

Speaker 3 (22:49):
I think Carolina is a real good team, but they
have one of the worst coaches, most overrated coaches ever
in Brendanmore. For example, I have no doubt when Pittsburgh
plays Carolina that news will off coach Brendanmore.

Speaker 8 (23:01):
Yeah, I mean that, you know, Brenda More definitely has
his limitations. But that said, they're gonna have one hundred
points in the regular season. They always do, you know,
it's just what happens after that that that you know,
tends to be his downfall. But I mean, I'm just saying, Look,
I'm not saying that the Penguins are any kind of
a contender. I'm just saying that the Eastern Conference is weak.
It's not crazy to think that they could get the

(23:22):
eighth spot. It's not crazy.

Speaker 3 (23:25):
Would you keep Brunick on defense and morishof in goal,
because both have had great camps and both deserve it,
quote unquote, but there's obviously a bigger picture.

Speaker 8 (23:35):
Yeah, So the question is I think that it's it's
a different question for for Marshov and Brunick than it
is for Kindle because I think, like Marshov, you know,
he's he's pretty far along. He's already had success at
the AHL level. He I don't think you would hurt,
you know. The only question about him is if the

(23:57):
defense is as bad as it looks on paper, are
you gonna, you know, give him some developmental nightmares by
playing him in Pittsburgh. But I mean, you know, with
his athleticism, I don't think that would be a problem.
I definitely I want to see as much as Marishav
as possible personally, and to me, you know, the way
to sort of kickstart a retooling, the best way to

(24:21):
do it is to get incredible goaltending from a twenty
two year old kid, you know, with incredible athleticism. That's
like a cheat code for a rebuild. So I want
to see as much of him as possible.

Speaker 4 (24:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (24:32):
But my thing with Morrishaw is JB like and I
think he has the potential to be a superstar goalie.
I'm gonna get a picture taken with him because I
have one of me and Tretchak from years ago. I
wanted those to be my bookends in my phone. But
with the goalie, it's different. Brunick would survive here even
if the team's bad. You don't want a young goalie

(24:53):
to get.

Speaker 4 (24:53):
Shot full of holes.

Speaker 3 (24:54):
You'd like to think that morrishaw Is is made of
sterner stuff, but that's a real bad defense me right.

Speaker 8 (25:00):
And part of it is part of it is, you know,
you have to know his personality. I mean, you know,
different goalies are different in that sense. I mean, he
seems to have his head on his shoulders.

Speaker 4 (25:09):
I don't know.

Speaker 8 (25:09):
I think I think he's far enough in his development
that it, you know, I don't think it would hurt him,
you know, to take some to have some games where
he gets sheld a little bit. And I also think
his style of play lends itself to that. And as
far as Bruner goes, I mean in terms of a
two way defense, mean, he might be the best guy.

Speaker 4 (25:26):
That they have. He is period, yeah right now at
nineteen years old, yeah right now. So to me, you
play that guy.

Speaker 3 (25:33):
I mean I think if you know, I think so too,
especially because returning him to juniors will do no good
because he's out grown that level.

Speaker 4 (25:41):
Nothing. He'll get nothing out of that. And and I mean,
I don't know that the details on.

Speaker 8 (25:47):
I know they were talking about an exemption for one
teenager you could send to the AHL, So I mean,
you know that's something to keep an eye on down
the road, but for now, he should just play.

Speaker 4 (25:57):
I mean, I don't see any reason. I don't see
any reason why not.

Speaker 8 (26:01):
I was saying, Kindle's a different story, because like, if
Kendall's not gonna at eighteen.

Speaker 4 (26:06):
Isn't really going to help you. He's not gonna make
you a better hockey team.

Speaker 8 (26:10):
You know, whatever production you're gonna get out of an
eighteen year old Kindall, you could get out of Tristan bros.
So it's just a matter of what's best for his development.
And I doubt that's playing against men who are going
to knock him around, but maybe it is.

Speaker 4 (26:22):
I mean that that's that decision should be. I don't
think he's physically ready. I think that Brunett can handle it.

Speaker 3 (26:28):
I don't think Kindall yet can, although I've been very
impressed with what we've seen of him this camp.

Speaker 4 (26:34):
I just think it's different.

Speaker 8 (26:35):
It's different calculus when you say to yourself, could this
guy help our team that make our team better right now?
Or or you know, is this do we have someone
internally who could replace them with? And your answer is no,
because Brunette, the answer is no. I think the calculus
is different when you talk about sending a kid back
to junior with kindle.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
The answers, Yes, we're talking to Jonathan Bomboli of the
Trip here on the Mark Madden Show. What kind of
leap were you expecting this year from Cooi of a McGroarty,
the best young talent's up front and maybe Tristan bros Too,
who you mentioned.

Speaker 8 (27:06):
Yeah, I'm well, the reason bros Is, just to get
that out of the way is intriguing to me is
because like, I don't see a lot of center depth
and a guy who can kind of like bring some
youthful energy and spark to your bottom six from a
center position, and I think, and he's got a great shot,
and I just kind of like what he brings. I
wouldn't expect a ton I don't think he's gonna come

(27:26):
in and you know, challenge for the Caulder or something.
But I think he's a you know, when you talk
about Cidney Crowsby said something at some point during the preseason.
He said young, getting younger doesn't mean getting worse, and
I like that sentiment, and I think, yeah, and I
think Bros Is a good poster child for that, like
you're not gonna get worse with him as opposed to

(27:47):
some of the other.

Speaker 4 (27:47):
I'd rather Tristan Kevin Hayes, no question.

Speaker 8 (27:50):
Kevin Hayes, right, and Noltari's a guy who has a
specialized set of skills, but it'd still rather see Bros.
You know, Hollander is a guy that you might compare
him to, and I'd rather he Bros and Hollander. Not
that I don't think against Holender. And he had a
great year in the Swedish League and that sort of
makes you think maybe there's something there. But in the past,
you know, he's been a pretty vanilla, run of the
mill bottom six guy.

Speaker 4 (28:12):
So Covenan's the guy, though.

Speaker 8 (28:14):
I mean, it's easy to forget about McGroarty because he's
out of side, out of my mind, because he's hurt.
But you watch Conan, you know, and this might not
be that useful of a of a comparison point because
he I don't think he's ever gonna have the puck
on his stick on the power play, at least not
immediately maybe on the second powerly when it gets to
play for twenty seconds.

Speaker 4 (28:34):
But he just sees the ice really really well.

Speaker 3 (28:38):
Like he reminds me against he reminds me of Jake
a little bit so far. And that's why I'm playing
with Sid, which I think is the plan.

Speaker 8 (28:46):
I hope so because and I just I mean, the
vision is there, and he makes the right decisions with
the puck, you know, and he could get overwhelmed physically,
I'm sure. I mean he's a young guy, he's a
small guy, but just watching him with the puck on
stick is a pleasure. And you know, when was the
last time the Penguins had a rookie who like you

(29:07):
expected production out of like offensive production. Probably Denzil is
actually the answer to that question, like, like he could
be a dark horse for the Calder because he could
lead NHL rookies and scoring it. He plays with Sid, yep,
So I really I really really like Coiveman ever since
I first saw him, I thought he's like a that's
a guy who's gonna he's a piece for a winning team.

(29:29):
McGroarty is is more of a wild card because we
haven't seen as much of him and he's been hurt,
and he also has the kind of game where he
could play on a third line.

Speaker 4 (29:36):
Well you see that.

Speaker 3 (29:37):
That's I think McGroarty optimally is a real good third
line guy, and to to make that happen, you got
to get better top six guys. But but I think
you could be excellent. I think he's a piece for
a winning team in that context.

Speaker 4 (29:50):
JB. Yeah, you're probably right.

Speaker 8 (29:53):
And I also think that coaches are gonna be without
knowing how MEWS operates exactly.

Speaker 4 (29:57):
I mean, we'll find out coaches are a lot more comfortable.

Speaker 8 (30:00):
Playing their young kids in a bottom six or old
and top throwing them in the top six, you know,
with with the Hall of Fame center, so they'll be
more comfortable.

Speaker 4 (30:09):
I would imagine I'm using McGroarty in that fashion.

Speaker 8 (30:12):
I mean, he's got the tools, you know, like he's
got the he'll go to the net and he gets
his nose dirty and it's it's exciting. It's you know
the fact that they're if Brunick makes the team and
you got you got Brunick, McGroarty and coven In, Like,
those are three pretty high end rookies and I don't
think there's been three pretty high end rookies on this
team in a long long time. So does that help
you win games and make the playoffs?

Speaker 4 (30:33):
Probably not? But does that make this? Does that make
the game more interesting? Does that make it, you know,
more exciting to be a Penguins fan? It definitely does.
And does that push you in the right direction? I
think so.

Speaker 3 (30:43):
There the defensive core worries me, especially if they do
return Brunick, the juniors, and the guy who worries me
the most is Pickering because I was kind on him
to be like, not a top pair but maybe a
number three, number four defenseman.

Speaker 4 (30:55):
I'm not sure we're seeing signs of that yet. Yeah,
I mean he hasn't. He hasn't. He's not a finished
product by now, that's for sure.

Speaker 3 (31:04):
I don't.

Speaker 8 (31:07):
Prefer I don't think no, probably not. He's got one
thing going for him, though, is that he's left handed.
Because the depth chart of left handed defenseman right now
is just dreadful. I mean, you don't like they have
to put right handed guys on the left side just
to you know, just to fill spots. Maybe that going
for him, you know what, but the tools are there

(31:29):
with Pickering, let's put it that way. I mean, he
moves the puck pretty well.

Speaker 4 (31:32):
He's big guy.

Speaker 8 (31:33):
He seems to be a smart guy, but he's got
a ways to go. I mean, they they always used
to say defenseman took longer to develop, and maybe that's
the case with him.

Speaker 4 (31:41):
I think you're right.

Speaker 8 (31:42):
I don't think he like Brunick's a guy who's polished,
man like you. You know, he's gonna take some I
think his weakness is going to take some penalties. He
tends to use his stick a little bit when he's
when he's you know, in a bad spot. But that's
really the only weakness I see in his game. You know,
Pickering's got some you know they game sometimes seems a
little fast for him.

Speaker 3 (32:02):
Well, and you know, I like that Brunick is real,
like emotional, I mean maybe even high struggle a little bit.
Like there was that video I saw last year when
he came up and played for Wilks late in the
season where he literally tried to fight every guy on
the other team, you know, during a scrum, and you know,
I don't. You don't want your your young guys to
do that all the time, but maybe once in a
while is good.

Speaker 4 (32:22):
And that ties into something I've been saying JB.

Speaker 3 (32:24):
And I bet you agree with the youthful energy has
to take over that locker room. That's why you need
to get as many of them in there as you think,
you know is possible. And while you got to get
guys like I mean, no knock on him personally, but
as an example, you got to get like a Kevin
Hayes out of there because he will not handle the
rebuilding well, he will not handle his ice time being usurped.

Speaker 4 (32:47):
Well. You gotta let the kids take over.

Speaker 8 (32:50):
Yeah, I mean there's a it's an older guys like
that have a sense of professionalism that in some cases
is what you need, but in other cases you have
too much of it. Like that might sound crazy, but
but I think you do need a little bit of
that sort of like emotion and passion that that young

(33:14):
guys bring. I mean, look, my background I come from
the from covering the AHL. I'm always going to say
play the young guys. I mean, it's just in my nature,
and I think a lot of fans are like that.
I think so, you know, it's not unusual for me
to say that and any to say this. But when
I covered the AHL, I always said, a good AHL
team needs some guys that are happy they're not in wheeling,

(33:36):
because I think it's you know, they're.

Speaker 4 (33:37):
Happy to be at the AHL level.

Speaker 8 (33:39):
I think there's a good NHL team needs some guys
that are happy they're not riding buses. I think it
it that sort of energy. It's palpable and it's contagious.

Speaker 4 (33:50):
JB.

Speaker 3 (33:50):
What do you expect from the core three? Crosby Malkin Latang, Well,
I think Crosby's Crosby.

Speaker 8 (33:58):
I don't I don't see any signs really of him
slowing down at all that if you were gonna nitpick,
the only thing you'd say is, I don't know that
he's as the two way force that he was, which
is interesting because other superstar players who got old. I
think of Steve Eiserman, he got to be he he
you know, sort of transformed into a more of a
defensive guy, and Crosby's turning into I think, less of

(34:21):
a two way guy. But that might be you know,
construction of the roster too. I mean the fact that
the goaltending and the defense don't exactly lend itself to
keeping pucks out of nets, so that that's just a
minor thing I'm mentioning, and you know, I almost feel
bad saying it. I mean, Crosby's great and remains great,
and there's no reason to believe that that he won't

(34:43):
continue to be great.

Speaker 4 (34:44):
Malcolm has his moments.

Speaker 8 (34:45):
I think that's really the that's really the player he's become,
you know, in his late thirties, is that there are
there glimpses. You'll see it every once in a while,
get that gallop go, and his legs are feeling good.
I think he gets worn down more than he has
in the past, and and when he does, he's just,
you know, not as effective.

Speaker 4 (35:04):
I think he gets more. I think he gets more
none in mid game JB. I think his third periods
are pretty bad.

Speaker 8 (35:09):
Now, sure, I think that's fair, but I don't think
he's you know, there was a stretch in Malcolm's career
where he was extremely it was mostly when he was
playing with Kessel, where he was extremely reckless.

Speaker 4 (35:20):
Like with the puck, I don't think he does that.
That's not he's not becoming that. I mean, he's just
getting older.

Speaker 8 (35:26):
And I think Latang the year he had last year
wasn't good. But I don't I don't know that that
was Like he's had other stretches of his career where
you know, he's had ups and downs. Like I'm just saying,
Latang's the one I'm not sure about, Like I don't
know that his aging curve is linear.

Speaker 4 (35:43):
I think he could have a good season or a
bad season.

Speaker 8 (35:45):
I think he could go either way, just because he
is in such incredible shape, first of all, like no
other athlete I've ever seen. And second of all, if
you you know he played thirty minutes a game, if
you're knocking that down to twenty five minutes a game, it's.

Speaker 4 (36:00):
Just a little bit of a different role.

Speaker 8 (36:01):
He's to me, of the three veteran guys, he's the
one you're sure of the least. Could go great, could
go badly.

Speaker 4 (36:08):
Not sure.

Speaker 3 (36:10):
Well in that, then what about Carlson, I'm expecting more disappointment.
I've never been more disappointed by a high end acquisition
in the history of this franchise.

Speaker 8 (36:20):
Since he's got to the Penguins. You want to talk
about predictable, He's been completely predictable. He is, I mean,
he drives your offense when he's on the ice, you know,
and then defensively he's a disaster.

Speaker 4 (36:32):
So you know, I don't expect that to be any different.

Speaker 8 (36:36):
There are teams that are constructed in such a way
that they can absorb that better than the Penguins have
the last couple of years. And I don't know if
you know. I mean we're talking about a new system now,
so that's a wild card. You know, how mused is
gonna want his defenseman to play, it's gonna be different. Yeah,
if he adheres to it, well, his partner will, So

(36:57):
you know, that's what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (36:58):
You put him in a construct, you know, in.

Speaker 8 (37:01):
A in a sort of situation that can you know,
accentuate his talents and hide his weaknesses.

Speaker 4 (37:09):
Like that's that's there's a possibility that Carlson could be
in that spot.

Speaker 8 (37:13):
So yeah, I'm not I have no you know, he's
going to push play and we you know, sometimes when
you watch him make a mistake in his own end,
you forget about how good he is at just driving
the offensive play. So don't forget that, like, don't sell
him short on the offensive end. But at the same time,
I mean, you know, you got your big minuses to

(37:33):
go with your big pluses.

Speaker 4 (37:34):
Finally, JB, what about goal.

Speaker 3 (37:36):
Assuming Marassoff doesn't doesn't make the team, what do you
expect from Jari? Because there's never been doubting Jarry's talent,
he just doesn't have the focus or consistency.

Speaker 8 (37:49):
Yeah, consistency is the thing, right, I mean, he's He's
looked great at stretches. He was even pretty good at
the end of last year. The one thing that I
think the Penguins have going for them in goal this
season could compaired to the like the last two necessarily,
is that I think that the leash for jar will
be real short, like because they have other options and

(38:09):
they had the cap space to bury some guys in
the miners.

Speaker 4 (38:12):
He would be one of them.

Speaker 8 (38:15):
So you know, if he if he struggles like he
did last year, you're not gonna have to watch that
for two months because you know, she loves will get
his chance yep. And then you know, and then Murraca
will get his chance. So you know, the the leash
is shorter, the ice is thinner. Who knows that could
motivate a guy to play better. I mean it has

(38:36):
you know, it wouldn't be the first time something like
that happened.

Speaker 4 (38:38):
It'll be the first time with him. Well, I do.
That's true. He came back from Wilkes last year and
turned it up a notch, but not for very long.

Speaker 8 (38:47):
Right, So I'm just saying I'm not ruling out the
fact that he, you know, goaltending is weird, man. I mean,
I don't rule out the idea that Jarry could have
a good year and surprise people. It's not on the question.
But I just think it's very important to not just
you know, slogged through him struggling for very long. I mean,
you got options, so make sure you use them.

Speaker 4 (39:06):
JB.

Speaker 3 (39:06):
Great stuff. I appreciate the expertise. We'll talk to you
again soon. Yeah, my pleasure, Mark Jonathan Bumbully check him
out at the trip up next.

Speaker 4 (39:14):
Tom's not here, but we got the trifecta. I'll do it.
It won't be as good as when he does it
because he puts time and effort into it.

Speaker 3 (39:22):
And then at three point fifteen, we talked to Penguin's
rookie Avery Hayes one oh five ninety.

Speaker 1 (39:27):
X from the one oh five nine the ex Weather Center.

Speaker 8 (39:32):
This report is sponsored by Levin Furniture and Mattress should be.

Speaker 4 (39:35):
Another nice yeah.

Speaker 3 (39:40):
The Mart Madden pregame show brought to us by the
personal injury expert Schendorovich, Shandorovich and Fishman. Everybody else charges
forty percent. They charge twenty five percent, although, having just
heard their ad if I were them, I'd like to
pick one of those things they talk about, I'd like
charge twenty seven percent for dog bites. It's a dog bite,

(40:02):
it's little messier saliva. I'd want a little more, but no,
twenty five percent for everything. And that is a heck
of a deal. Right now, even though Tom is not here,
the trifecta.

Speaker 4 (40:16):
Keeps going.

Speaker 3 (40:17):
This is the top three young guys at Penguins Camp,
and it's kind of an odd list because, well, let
me read it. Goaltender Sergei miroshof number three, and I
gotta get a final call on how to pronounce his name.
I hear Marashov too, but he's number three when you're
Billy coyven and is number two and number one with

(40:42):
a bullet is defenseman Harrison Brunic, who I more and
more things, just has to make the team, period and
forget about that nine game trial and then send him
back to junior.

Speaker 4 (40:50):
He's been the best defenseman of camp.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
Nineteen year olds don't often play in the league, but
fairly frequently, so I would just keep him period, because
if you send your best defenseman back to junior, I
understand look at the big picture, but you're also kind
of sending the wrong message. And also I would put
Avery Hayes our guest at three fifteen. I'd put him
on that list just below and Ben Kendall, the Penguin's

(41:15):
first first round pick this season. He's looked real good,
but I think he needs a little more time in
juniors to develop physically. But the Penguins have had their
share of young guys looking good in this camp. The
trifecta brought to us by Danny's Petron Hogies, Pittsburgh's original

(41:35):
oven big Togy since nineteen sixty. That's Danny's on Route
eighty eight in Bethel Park. I just saw an ad
with arch Manning. I think for shortz he was wearing
shorts and uh, he's a good looking guy. Obviously, No
Zach Effron, But he's good looking. Have you noticed that
all quarterbacks are good looking?

Speaker 1 (41:55):
You know why?

Speaker 3 (41:58):
In high school, the goode's gonna get the first shot
of playing quarterback. It's the stereotype. If there's a good
looking kid and an ugly kid to play quarterback, the
coach is gonna put the good looking kid at quarterback
and the ugly kid, I don't know, safety, linebacker, wherever.
The good looking kid gets first shot. Again, it's the

(42:19):
quarterback stereotype. He's the stud, he's the prom king. The
good looking kid is gonna be the quarterback. Tell me
I'm wrong, tell me the exception. We're gonna talk about
the possibility of trading Mitch Keller because that's gonna be
their big offseason move.

Speaker 4 (42:38):
For sure.

Speaker 3 (42:39):
It is for sure, that is gonna be their big
offseason move. We're gonna talk more about pickleball, which I
just have no respect for. There was a funny tweet
about pickleball, a Babylon b tweet, and we'll get to
that in just a little bit. But I'm next, I'm
gonna drill down really deep into the Penguins preseason and
their roster, because that's what I care most to buy.

(43:00):
And it is the Steelers Bye week A mark Man
one oh five ninety X.

Speaker 4 (43:05):
Now it's Jerry