Why Connor McDavid’s Contract Is One of the Smartest Deals in Hockey

The offseason ended with a bang — Connor McDavid just signed a 2-year, $25 million extension with the Edmonton Oilers, and Nate and JSB are breaking down every angle. Did McDavid just put the Oilers on notice? Is this the smartest deal in hockey or a setup for the biggest free-agency sweepstakes ever? Will Edmonton’s new cap flexibility help lure more elite players north? And with McDavid off the board, who tops the 2026 free agent class now?

Plus: Opening Night previews — will Mike Sullivan spark a Rangers revival? Is Pittsburgh still a contender? Which Panther center is primed for a breakout year? Can the Leafs finally finish the job? And Nate and JSB weigh in on the wild preseason brawl that racked up 65 penalties and major fines.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart
podcasts Welcome to energy Line with Nate and JSB. Energy

(00:29):
Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart podcasts
I'm Julie, Start Thinks and he is former NHL R
Nate Thompson. And there was some big news of it
the last two three four days, not including Taylor Swift's
new album, that of course is number one news of
the day. But Nate, we got some big breaking news

(00:50):
and that was right in the right under the buzzer.
Conor mc david signs an extension two years twelve point
five AAV. How surprised were you to see this one
come down the pike at this time?

Speaker 2 (01:03):
I was extremely surprised. I did not expect this to
this level. I thought that he would maybe take I
figured he would take less than Panerin. I thought that
that would be the case, but I didn't think he
was going to take the exact number he was making.
And Connor McDavid in this contract is not worried about

(01:27):
Connor McDavid. He's worried about the Edmonton Oilers. And that
is the difference between him and Carell Caprice off Here.
Careal Caprice Off is trying to set the market. He's
trying to get paid, which he did. Connor McDavid is
not trying to do that right now. He is trying
to win. He's trying to put the best foot forward

(01:47):
for the Edmonton Oilers so they can put together the
best roster for them to win a cup or maybe two,
who knows, since he's got three years left now, I
think that, you know, I could keep going on this,
and I will, but I don't think that this affects
anybody else and their contracts. Maybe a tad, but I

(02:08):
don't think it affects anything because I don't. I think
this is anomaly, just like Sidney Crosby. Sid has been
making eight point seven for how long and that hasn't
affected the market at all. I think this is this
right up there was He's doing what Sid's doing, and
I think that's why everyone's freaking out obviously, because he
did what he did, and it's it just goes to

(02:29):
show like this guy cares, he wants to win. All
the greats usually do this at some point, and he's
doing it now and he's giving Edmonton a runway. He's
literally giving them. Okay, here here's what you got. You
got three years. Can you put it together? And if not,
then then yet then it's the yet I said this right, He's.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, he's saying, yet you got in the market. Yet
we either get we get at least one cup or
you're gonna pay me a fuck ton of money or
I'm gone. So three so it's like, Okay, we're going
to get it done. I think what you said about
the not resetting the market is is an interesting point

(03:15):
because I think that teams will use will try to
use this because you try to use anything they possibly can.
But you're you know, as many players and you know
age whatever. People would say, well, we're not you know,
Connor McDavid, So we're not going to compare ourselves to
Conor McDavid. So like they'll just do their own negotiations
the way they will. But I think what's like so

(03:36):
fascinating is after the Corill deal last week, was like
we're all like, oh, he's going to get twenty million dollars,
it's going to get twenty minutes he signs for not
one penny more than what he was making. Now, Like,
what do you think was like that conversation Like in
the room between like him his agent and like Stan
Bowman and being like, no, it's going to be the
exact same, because stan Bowman had said that like this

(03:57):
was driven by Connor McDavid, and.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
There were reports today that he made the call out
to him and said, like told his agent, okay, let's
get it done, and it was done in hours, was
done quickly. I believe that Connor has been working with
Jeff Jackson and Stan Bowman, and I truly believe that
they've shown him the blueprint and said, Okay, this is

(04:20):
what we need to do, This is what you need
to make. We need to make room for this free agent,
this looming free agent. And I'm sure they've had conversations
many If I'm Stan Bauman or Jeff Jackson and I'm
talking to Connor McDavid, I'm probably giving him the keys
to everything and letting him look at it and say, Okay,
if we want to resign you, we're going to get
you at this, and we're going to set us up

(04:42):
for a few years, and then we're going to set
you up for longer after that. And that's the feeling
I'm getting. I think that's what happened. I don't know
if that's what happened, but I think that that. I
think he went about it in a very articulate, slow
process way, and then once they talked about it, they
went through the whole thing. It was like, Okay, let's

(05:02):
get this done. We can do it right.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
Well, I mean all the pressure is on Edmonton now
to be able to put the pieces into place, so
you need probably some more depth scoring, you need goaltending.
So like, do you think that maybe they would have
shown him, like do you think for Conor mc david
to have to decide to sign at that amount money
that he'd be like, Okay, show me your plan, show

(05:25):
me the money, but like show me the money as
in what is the team going to look like?

Speaker 2 (05:29):
Absolutely? I think his agent talk to them and that's
exactly what was said. It was what is the plan
over the next three to five years? What do you
have going what agents? What free agents are going to
stick around, what is the core going to be? What
are we building around? And the number one thing I
think you said it, Julie, I agree. I think the
number one thing they have to address is goaltending. I

(05:51):
think it has to be goaltending, and you go from
there because you get a number one bona fide goalie,
and then you add depth everywhere defensively, in the forward positions, everything,
and demontoiter is still a fucking good hockey team. Like
they went to the finals two years in a row.
It's not like they're far removed from getting back again.
And when you add a guy like his stature with

(06:14):
twelve point five, he's now he is the biggest bargain player. Fuckingly, yeah,
he really is. Him and Sidney Crosby the two best
players in the league I think, are the biggest bargains.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
So what kind of like psychological mental effect do you
think it has on I don't know, maybe just like, okay,
so you're working with the team, like you obviously want
to win for the team, but like just psychological effect
on say management being like, no, I don't want to
take any more money. I'm taking just this.

Speaker 2 (06:45):
So you're saying if Connor reaching out saying I'm taking
only this, this is right, They're like, no, no.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
Why don't we even pay you thirteen We'll give you,
We'll give you an extra fifty thousand. He's like, no,
I want it exactly the same. I like I think
of him a bit of leverage in a way. It's like,
I mean money in the bank. Ironically, I think.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
That he's had complete leverage and complete control of the
whole negotiations. I think that it was up to him
no matter what. I think, if he wanted to sign
for twenty for five years, Edmonton would have done it.
I think they would have done it. I think, you know,
Jeff Jackson, we talked about this. He came out and
talked to Jeff Merrick and he basically said openly, he said,

(07:26):
you know, this is a different kind of negotiation than
any other one I've been part of because of Connor McDavid.
And he can basically sign his ticket. And the fact
that he took twelve point five for two years and
for an extension and knowing that he can get whatever
he wants. It just shows his allegiance, his loyalty and

(07:51):
how much he cares to win. But not how much
he cares to win, but how much he cares to
win in Edmonton, right, And Okay, I think the fans,
the fans now, you can't get mad either way. You
can't have it all. Like the guy signed back there
for a huge discount and if he leaves, then he leaves.

Speaker 1 (08:09):
Right, Okay, So counterpoint, he signs back there shows his allegiance,
but it's only for two years. Does it kind of
feel like it's like he's going to couples counseling, Like, Okay,
things haven't been going so great, but let's give it
another try. Okay, I mean yeah.

Speaker 2 (08:27):
It really is like one college, one more last call
lege try, you know, you know.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
But I think that after that we'll see if we're
both gonna stay here or mommy's moving out. Okay, Like.

Speaker 2 (08:41):
I think that Connor's earned that right though. I think
he's earned the right to say, Okay, I'll sign a
two year extension. I'm here three more years and we'll
go from there. If we win some Cups, great, maybe
I'll stay. If not, I'm gonna go see what's out there.
And like I said, I think he's the best player
in our game. He's the face of our league. He's

(09:01):
done everything besides when and that's obviously number one for him.
So he made that clear today.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, he certainly did right before the season starts. If
you are other players in the league, wait wait, wait,
If you're Caroka Priz of how many text messages. Do
you think he's getting right now after that?

Speaker 2 (09:20):
I mean probably a few. If you're if you're his buddies,
be like, you make more than Connor McDavid does. Like
I mean, if i'm him, like that's kind of cool, right,
like uh?

Speaker 1 (09:32):
Or like if you're like, if you're his teammates, you're like, yo,
look look at what kind of team guy. Econnor is
Like what you you do? You know what I mean?
He did the exact opposite of Carill in all good fun.

Speaker 2 (09:44):
I do think guys joke around a little bit. But
at the same time, I think guys guys are supportive
of each other getting paid because they know, at the
end of the day, if another player gets paid a lot,
he's going to get paid a lot. That's just how
it works. I you know, we talked about this before,
but I don't think a guy like Panarin or I mccarr.

(10:04):
You know, I wrote all these guys down like these
are the notable free agents. I feel like for next
summer it's Panerin, Michael mccarr, Kyle Connor, Adrian kemp Bay.
I even put Mark Stroum in there Goalie with the
Devils and Alex Tuck and I put that because of
the age, the years that the level of player, and

(10:26):
I just I don't know if a guy like Panera
and you can't you can't compare the twelve point five,
You can't compare it to McDavid. I just don't know
if there's comparables to it. And then there's age too,
like Connor's Connor's thirty, Panarin's going to be thirty five.
You know, there's just it's all different. And I think
you look at the caprice off contract that shows the

(10:49):
value to his team, right like he is making that
because it's a he's the value that's the value is
to his team. And I think we might see that
a lot more in the league as players are going
to be paid based on the value to their team
and maybe not compare because you have a situation like
this talk.

Speaker 1 (11:06):
An inception here right now, just basically, what is the
number that is relative to the team that you are
the value of your team? Like what It's just I
just wonder, like, you know, we want guys to get paid,
and we see you guys like Sid and we see
you guys like you know, Connor taking team friendlies. But

(11:27):
but we've seen like teams take it, like not take
advantage of players, but teams make a shit ton of money,
like you want guys to get paid, So then it's
kind of like puts. I mean, maybe it doesn't affect
guys as the middle class as much, but the bottom class,
like the lower lower guys, they're not gonna I don't know.
I just wonder like if everyone will point to this,

(11:49):
regardless of whether or not it affects their actual negotiations,
still going to be something that people will look at
and say, well, look at those top guys took less,
you know, their real team guys, you want to win
a Cup or do you want to like buy a car,
a really really nice car.

Speaker 2 (12:03):
You know.

Speaker 1 (12:03):
I just think it kind of makes it if a
guy took a bigger deal, it makes him look like
a jerk, even though that's his right.

Speaker 2 (12:10):
I assue you're saying I do, and I understand and
I agree. I'm partial to it because I think that
everyone wants Everyone wants to see Connor McDavid win a Cup.
They wants to see him win. And you know, with
the blueprint of this league and the salary cap, and
we've seen it over year after year, it's you know,
not a lot of teams are winning with one hefty,
hefty contract or a few of them, and maybe Connor

(12:33):
hanging out with sid and you know, being at the Olympics,
four nations, all those things, is leaning towards that right.

Speaker 1 (12:39):
And yeah, maybe his head, maybe.

Speaker 2 (12:42):
In his head, I don't know, But I agree with you, though, Julie,
because I think that, you know, we want guys to
get paid. We want guys to make as much money
as they can while they can, because you can't play forever.
And uh, some guys have earned the right to make
that much money. So I agree, you know, the NHLPA,
and it's not going to be happy, I'm sure with.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
They're like the cat's going up and you're not taking
one penny more?

Speaker 2 (13:08):
What? Yeah, And I'm sure that there's been I would
almost one hundred percent guarantee that his agent, Judd, and
the PA and Connor had conversations about this and what
the plan was moving forward, because I don't think Connor
is going to take a team friendly or a discount
after this deal. I think he, you know, he's going

(13:29):
to go for it and he should. He one hundred
percent should. And I think people have to remember that
even if he's taking a discount, now, the guy's gonna
be you know, he's going to make another over one
hundred million, right.

Speaker 1 (13:38):
Okay, So in the next so we have three years.
What has to happen for Connor McDavid to stay.

Speaker 2 (13:45):
It's got to win a cup with Stanley Cup. You
gotta win one, win one. I think he stays.

Speaker 1 (13:54):
I mean they're they went to the finals the last
two years, so that should be the bare minimum at
that point.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
Yeah, it should be. I mean third times a chart maybe, right.

Speaker 1 (14:03):
And then they are going to have over twenty two
million in cap space without goalies included next summer. I mean,
you know, give or take numbers, but around that they're
gonna have a crap ton of money to be able
to put together.

Speaker 2 (14:16):
I'll pull up for you right now, Joe I had
I had it ready?

Speaker 1 (14:19):
Good good, good now.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
Jason Gregor. Jason Gregor reported this and he talked about
the signed for next season. Ten forwards McDavid, Dry, cidl Hymen,
Nujen Hopkins, Frederickmanjiya Pawni, Pod Coles and jan Mark Sawah
and Howard. Those are the forwards.

Speaker 1 (14:36):
Good job with those names.

Speaker 2 (14:37):
By the way, you're welcome five d men, Bouchard, nurse
woman who was just signed today. Yeah, seven times seven,
Emberson and Ragoula and after that, no.

Speaker 1 (14:48):
Goalies, right, gotta have a guy back there.

Speaker 2 (14:52):
So we go and do next season. Maybe they don't
win this.

Speaker 1 (14:56):
Year, but there you just said Mark stroms ufa Restrum.

Speaker 2 (15:01):
Mark Strum's thirty seven years old making sick million a
year right now, it's a.

Speaker 1 (15:06):
Bit over goalie a.

Speaker 2 (15:09):
But Bobrovski's thirty eight making ten mm hmm.

Speaker 1 (15:13):
So as as a section as a side note, and
we've been like pretty professed to start this pod, I
did the NHL fantasy draft and I like the NHL,
and I accidentally drafted two goalies, which was like so
so embarrassing. I just wasn't listening, honestly, I said, I
was gonna ask.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
Did you forget that you had one goalie already?

Speaker 1 (15:34):
I wasn't. I wasn't properly listening. I listed the poor
I missed the point where they're talking about just one
goalie and they're making fun of Steve Dankle for taking
two last the year before that, right over my head.
So after I even drafted Mark Strum and not even
one single person. In the seventh round, I drafted Mark
Strum after I already drafted Ottinger, and I was like,

(15:54):
not even one person. I will say that nobody even noticed,
so they weren't listening to me, and I wasn't listening
to them. But it made for good, made for good
TV fodder. Ha ha ha ha.

Speaker 2 (16:07):
But you don't what though, someone, Someone's gonna need a
goalie at one point, Julie, and you can dangle that
goalie for a trade.

Speaker 1 (16:13):
Well, unfortunately I was legally not allowed to keep him
because of the league rules, and so I had to
get Robert Thomas instead. Okay, they're like it says it
in the like and it was whatever some like release
of like the fantasy teams, and underneath it, it's just like, well,
based on this being a one goalie league and two
goalies were drafted, Robert Thomas the next highest, projected to

(16:34):
eighty peoplela blah blah. I'm like, god, like a little
like a dentdem had to be put in there for
me and my drafting. So there's gonna be a lot
of eyes on Markstrem really is what we're saying here.
And they already are because I, as an aside, think
that the New Jersey Devils will be, if they can
stay healthy, a very very very good Suprise team in
the metropolitan which should be a real hoot nanny of chaos. Considering,

(16:57):
I have no idea what like a lot of these
teams will look like, but I want to get into
some of them in a little bit. But I guess
other than the fact that the Oilers, you know, the
night before the league is set to start off on
its twenty five to twenty six campaign, they get Connor
McDavid done, they get Jake Wallman signed. How what's your

(17:21):
sort of parting thoughts on all of this.

Speaker 2 (17:25):
I like, obviously, I think it's a win for the
Edmonton Oiler is a huge win for them. I think
that it's it's it's exciting. I'll put it that way.
It's exciting. I'm excited for this year. I'm excited for
what the Oilers could do. I'm excited for Connor McDavid
and the fact that you know, he's he put it

(17:48):
out there and it's like this guy him doing that.
I think we're gonna we always say this, but I
think it's just going to be a bigger year than
we've ever seen Connor. For some reason, it just feels
like that. So I think my overall feeling that was
really long winded. I'm excitedly, I'm excited.

Speaker 1 (18:05):
Well, that wasn't long winded at all. Yeah, okay, still
listen to who you're you're talking with over here.

Speaker 2 (18:11):
Queen long winded.

Speaker 1 (18:12):
Yeah, queen long winded. I look down at a voice
note in eight minutes have gone by and I haven't
even gotten to what I want to talk about.

Speaker 2 (18:18):
This is true. You sent me a couple over ten
minuts before.

Speaker 1 (18:21):
Yeah, over ten minuts. You're lucky. I've said I sent
a thirty two minute or once. I just split it
into two parts. Okay, But I think what my takeaway
on this is, I see a little bit of I
see a little bit of spike and spiciness with Conrad
Dad being like, oh no, no, you keep that cash
and you you bring you bring a team here, okay,

(18:43):
because if you want a cup, you want a cup,
you keep that cash and bring me players. I don't
need Joe, I don't even need thirteen million. I'll take
zero dollars and you give me all the players. Okay.
It's very like it just has like an element of like, oh, okay, well, okay,
all right, mister McDavid, well do whatever you want to

(19:05):
be able to win a Stanley Cup. But also obviously
that is a goal that the team wants as well,
so it's like we're all working towards the same thing.
It's just how and why and where and how that's
all going down when it comes to the bottom line.
But yeah, happy for Oilers fans and maybe there will
be a Cup in Canada.

Speaker 2 (19:22):
Jokes if you're but if you're a free agent, Julie
or you were, like, if you're like, oh, con mc
david took less, I could go play with it, wouldn't
you do it? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (19:32):
I mean, let's a free agent. Am I a bottom
six guy? Let's see what am I?

Speaker 2 (19:38):
Bottom six or top six? They have gap space?

Speaker 1 (19:43):
Yeah, I think like, I think that that shows it,
especially also with some of the different things that have
happened in the preseasons so far, Florida having a couple bruises,
teams kind of being a little all over the map,
we're not really sure we're going to get I'd say, yeah, yeah,
if I was a free agent, I want to go
play there. Because it means that the Conic David is

(20:04):
waving his magic wand again he is Harry Potter, and
it's like whatever he wants, all right, well, we're gonna
We're gonna do our best to give him everything he
has to be able to go out there and do
the best he can for us. So you want to
be on that guy's team. You want to be Slytherin
in that suit you I want to be on I
want to be on gryffindor Gryffin. Yeah, I know you're

(20:26):
gonna go.

Speaker 2 (20:27):
I forget that Griffin door, not Raven Claude Gryffin door
you wanted.

Speaker 1 (20:32):
I wish you had said fakeit, Klar Huff.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
I want to be on. No, I want to be
gryffindor not slithering. I don't want to be slithering.

Speaker 1 (20:40):
Oh I appreciate you following me on that. Okay, we
have got more that we want to get to here
on Energy Line or would they n js be including
some big questions for the season after things that you
may have forgotten about that happened in the off season
and the preseason. When we come back on Energy Line
with thinking jsp Right, Welcome back to Energy line of

(21:07):
Date and JSB and as the NHL season begins with
a triple header, Chicago take on the defending Stanley Cup
champion of Florida Panthers. Penguins will visit the Rangers, and
the Avalanche take on the Kinks to round things out.
Before we get into some more on this, Nate just
wanted to wish you a happy belated birthday, our Libra king.

(21:30):
What did you do for your birthday?

Speaker 2 (21:33):
Thank you, Julie, that a whole lot. I coached my
sixteen U double A team yesterday. We got to win,
so I was there for that, and then that was it.
I hung out with Wilder all day and chilled out
and didn't do much. Watch football, Watch the Eagles, watch
the Eagles. Fucking yeah. Oh wait yesterday. Yeah that's besides,

(21:55):
it's kind of a bit of a bust of a birthday.
That really fucked it up big time. That really messed
up my day. Yeah, I didn't like at all. Okay,
But other than that, the day was good. I mean
it was I turned forty one, you know, any like.

Speaker 1 (22:10):
You get cake or cupcakes or like.

Speaker 2 (22:14):
I hung out with a bunch of people the night
before with friends, and I got some stuff there.

Speaker 1 (22:19):
Like anyone seeing happy birthday my daughter? Okay good. I
was gonna be like, well, I guess that's I guess
I gotta do it. I was gonna put picture of
us up, and then I realized I had just congratulated
you on your NHL Network job, by the way, congratulations,

(22:39):
and I was like, this is gonna be overkill if
I'm just congratulating Nate on his job, and then also
putting up a picture for his birthday, which like I
haven't even done for my close friends this year. And
they're like truly like maybe like don't be sole into
me on your Instagram, Like, oh, just like a little
too much. It's how they talked to You're obsessed with him.

Speaker 2 (23:01):
Oh we're just good teammates.

Speaker 1 (23:03):
That's it, good teammates.

Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (23:04):
I'm merely on dry sit a right now. Thanks bud
or carry I guys here overall, my birds.

Speaker 2 (23:10):
My forty first birthday was great. It was just it.
I told you guys, told you and Matt before the pod.
It's like it goes by so fast, and I feel
like as I got older, just like forty was like
see you all.

Speaker 1 (23:24):
Right, okay, stop, I'm thirty eight and I'm watching, I'm
just warned, slow down, don't go, stay as long as
you can. Okay, So I want I thought about your
birthday because I was like, oh, yeah, we usually do
a little catch up at the beginning. We want to
get into McDavid's stuff, Hobbys the first but all this

(23:44):
stuff going down lie NHL opening night is also like
a very big time on Canada in New York. But
like the Toronto Blue Jays alds against the Yankees, that's
also going to be going on in New York when
the Rangers have their home opener, and like I I also,

(24:05):
Jay's fucking spanked them cut man, I totally shit. I
mean the Grand Slam, the savage everyone savage just called
savage he is. I mean it was such savage. It
was amazing. And it's just like seeing hit after hit,

(24:27):
strike out after strikeout, and the Yankees just like dead.
Although I was not as jazzed about the bullpen after that,
and yeah, yeah that was Normally I wouldn't like a
Toronto to Nothing series lead wouldn't really make me feel
like particularly good. Luckily things aren't going down on the
ice tomorrow. I'm debating whether or not excuse me tomorrow today,

(24:52):
whenever you're listening to this, recording this on Monday night
in case anything happens between now and then. But I'm
debating on whether or not to buy tickets, like to
go because I'm in New York.

Speaker 2 (25:00):
I was just going to ask you if you're going
to go, don't you realize?

Speaker 1 (25:05):
Like That's when I know I'm old, is when I'm like,
would I rather just watch it on TV? Go all
the way to the Bronx and take the subway there?

Speaker 2 (25:13):
And like, I feel that, I feel that it's nice.
It's nice to watch from your own confinement. I agree,
I really do.

Speaker 1 (25:22):
Wow, I really lost the magic. It's like you could
be there. It's like or I could not be there,
and I.

Speaker 2 (25:29):
What if the Jays go to the World Series, then
you can go.

Speaker 1 (25:32):
Yeah, then then I'll go. I saw the Raptors win.

Speaker 2 (25:35):
It all happen, and then like, I don't need to
go to a game. I'll watch it from home and
then I'll go to the World Series.

Speaker 1 (25:40):
I'll go to the Alcs.

Speaker 2 (25:42):
You you only go big anyways, concerts and events and anything.
So this is you don't need to go to the Bronx.
You need to go to the World Series.

Speaker 1 (25:51):
Okay, good, I'm gonna go to the World Series. Nate
said it here, and hopefully that means that the Jays
will be in it and I won't just be going
to some random world series. That was the assumption, which
I also have gone to. Went to the Giants and
the Royals World Series. I didn't care who won that anyway.
It was fun. Okay, get back Florida. They're gonna get

(26:12):
their rings there. We just said they're taking on Chicago,
which is like a really weird matchup for them, but
we got to get into some stuff that happened in
the preseason. Florida and Tampa just had a hoot nanny
of chaos between that. It was just a mad house.
Saturday Night, sixty five sixty five penalties, three hundred and

(26:34):
twelve penalty minutes. NHL announced Tampa Scott sabran Is suspended
four games without pay after getting a major penalty nineteen
seconds into the game. We're roughing on aaronek Lad and
then also JJ Mooser got suspended for two games and
John Cooper also got fun one hundred thousand dollars. The

(26:55):
NHL's find the Tampa Bay Lightning and John Cooper, Sorry,
Tampa Lightning one hundred thousand dollars, John Cooper twenty five,
one thousand dollars their actions culminating in the events of
their preseason game. What do you think that means? Like
they was, were they like egging them on like.

Speaker 2 (27:16):
That, like the league? The league egging them on?

Speaker 1 (27:18):
No, like was John Cooper.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
I think that it was in It was within the
players obviously in Florida and Tampa, but I think that
there was there. I mean, they played the was it
they played Thursday before that, and the same things happened
in Tampa and then obviously escalated I think three times. Yeah. Yeah,
it was reciprocation, it was message sending, it was get
back at you.

Speaker 1 (27:40):
And I think that because Brandon Hagel also got injured too.

Speaker 2 (27:43):
Exactly yeah, the last game, and I think that's why.
I think it was retribution for that. As my take,
I think that's what it carried over and unfortunately preseason
it's just it's tough because you're not going to get
a lot of guys that are in the lineup going
to be in the lineup to start the season. You
know they're going to be down in the minors, guys
are gonna be sent down. Uh And it wasn't.

Speaker 1 (28:02):
Scott Sabern already put on waivers before.

Speaker 2 (28:05):
That, I believe. So. I mean, he's probably gonna be
a guy that's get up and down, and he's a
guy that's not afraid of the rough stuff. But I
think that with next year the preseason being shorter, I
think that this is not going to happen anymore. I
think you're going to see you know, two or three
pieces of games and it's just not going to happen.
Guys are going to be just ready for the regular season.

(28:26):
And I don't think that particularly games like this and
games that I remember I was in the past too,
where sometimes I remember guys would get kicked out on
purpose so they could so you don't have to play
the preseason.

Speaker 1 (28:39):
Game, right.

Speaker 2 (28:41):
Yeah, So so I don't think there won't be much
more of that anymore. You know, where guys are like,
fuck this game, I'm out.

Speaker 1 (28:49):
That's the thing. It just feels like it's like there,
what is it when they've got cabin fever, like they
just need to get out of the house. They're like, God,
we we're just running around like hamsters in a hamster
wheel and we just got and they have just like
too much. They also do have a lot of bad
blood between these two of them, especially plays last year,
a lot a lot of guys got injured between the

(29:12):
two of them. They were just and then that's what
John Cooper had said. He was like, the quote was
anybody would look at that box score and a not
be surprised and be wonder how it's taken so long
for this to happen. And they lost seven nothing Tampa
and also ate nothing at one point because they counted
a goal.

Speaker 2 (29:30):
That is right though Cooper's right. I mean, they hate
each other, so this is you know, it's always bruined
with dating. When they play each other, there's always some
extracurricular some guys are fighting or after the whistle, and
this thing just escalated.

Speaker 1 (29:44):
How do you think that affects this season?

Speaker 2 (29:48):
You know, I don't think it affects anything. I think
that these teams when they play each other, they're still
trying to win the hockey game at the end of
the day. And you know, one team used to be
the best and now the other team is the best.
So it's you.

Speaker 1 (30:02):
Know, that could be inter did in different ways.

Speaker 2 (30:05):
Well, one year, Tampa won a Cup couple times, and
now Florida won a Cup a couple of times.

Speaker 1 (30:10):
Tampa, Tampa won the both of them have been to
the Stanley Cup three years in a row, and they've
both won it twice and lost it once. That's a
numbers podcast right there. And so now this now, this year,
I was that.

Speaker 2 (30:28):
Was nice, you see me.

Speaker 1 (30:29):
I was basically tutting on my fingers with that right there.
And so, yeah, they're almost kind of a weird uh
Jekyl and Hide situation between the two of them. They're like,
it's like the Spider Man meme. They're like looking at
each other like we've both kind of achieved the same
amount in the last six years. But curious then, now
with the season coming up, everyone talked about the three

(30:52):
pep blah blah blah, all this kind of stuff. We
were pretty on I was on board with that. I'm
still I'm not fully off board about it, But like,
how do you think that we know that they're a
team defenselah blah blah. Everyone plug and play. It's not
it's all four lines all this, But obviously we know
Matthew Kachuck is going to be out two to four
months as well as sash Barkov out for pretty much

(31:13):
the whole season. Is that like a game changer?

Speaker 2 (31:17):
It hurts them, But I don't think it's a game changer.
I think this team's too deep, two loaded, and I
think you're going to have some guys like I fully
expect a guy like Anton Mondell to have a huge
year this year.

Speaker 1 (31:29):
Everyone is talking about Okay, all right now the pressure's
all on me, Okay.

Speaker 2 (31:38):
But then you have Sam Bennett too. Like Sam Bennett,
I mean, I think Palm Maurice is going to use
both those guys as a one A one B center,
like they're going to play both lines like first lines,
and and they're going to keep that line together, like
you gotta keep loose Trin and Lundell and Marshawn together
because we know how good they were last year in
the playoffs. I just think this team is they're too mature,

(31:58):
they've been through it. I think with you know, it's
going to affect him obviously at times times, you know,
maybe streaks, maybe they lose a couple more in a
certain situation, Maybe they don't score as many goals to
start the season. Whatever, it may be it's going to
affect a little bit. You can't replace Matthew Kachuck or
Alexander Barkoff, but I do believe they have enough of

(32:18):
depth to at least hold the fort while those guys
are gone.

Speaker 1 (32:23):
Last year, at this time, we were wondering if Florida
had enough gas in the tank to be able to
go all the way because they had been they had
played more hockey than anyone else. They have obviously played
even more hockey. Nobody's really talking about kind of like
the wear and tear on the entire team mentally, physically,
everything beyond that. I mean, at what point does it

(32:44):
catch up to you, especially in an Olympic year.

Speaker 2 (32:48):
I love that you actually brought this up. I had
a conversation about this with someone the other day and
it was about, you know, a guy played football and
we were talking about injuries of you know, how it
adds up when like, like you say, like the Ford
Panthers per se right, like Matthew Kuchuk having to rehab

(33:09):
a surgery in the summer, right instead of maybe having
a full summer of working out, training all those things,
feeling good going in the season, Like I've been there,
before the difference between training the full summer and being
energetic and feeling healthy going to a training camp more
rehabbing a surgery. You know, maybe you don't get to
train as hard as much, but you're rehabbing all summer,

(33:30):
so you're not really going into the next season like
fully fully juiced, right and not steroid juice, but like
you know, pumped up.

Speaker 1 (33:39):
Yeah, fully.

Speaker 2 (33:39):
Oh, And I think that has an effect. I think
that makes a difference. And I think that a lot
of these guys on the Panthers have had to deal
with that last couple of years, and it does. I
think it eventually catches up to and it makes it harder.
But this team, I mean, they keep kind of giving
everyone the fu like every time we say, oh, they're

(34:00):
going to run out of gas or go to run
out of steam, and then they find a way.

Speaker 1 (34:03):
So no, but at what point is it actually like,
I know what, I'm not going to count them out,
but I agree, I agree with you.

Speaker 2 (34:09):
I think that's a good point. I think it does
catch up to you, especially in situations like that.

Speaker 1 (34:13):
Yeah, okay, so mentally, how much does it affect you? Like,
you know, obviously the day to day, but then also
just in moment to a moment when you don't want
to get injured again.

Speaker 2 (34:26):
I don't think it affects you. I mean, if you're
on that team, like you're playing for the Florida Panthers,
or you're saying in general, if you're getting injured all
the time.

Speaker 1 (34:34):
Probably just the Panthers. Like if you're Matthew could Chuck say,
you know, you have to have a lot of miles
on the car, and you also then have had injuries,
and it's an Olympic gear and he had four nations
and all this kind of stuff, and it's like, does
it kind of get in your head at all ever
before you might go into like a check or a
hit or anything like that, We're like, I don't want

(34:54):
to fuck myself up again.

Speaker 2 (34:56):
I don't think so. I think, especially if you're a
guy like Matthew could Chuck, I don't think he's worried
about his body before he goes to the that or
anything he does.

Speaker 1 (35:03):
He doesn't psyched himself out like I used to as
a figure skater. Okay, I just was curious about that,
all right, No, I don't think.

Speaker 2 (35:10):
I don't think so. I think those guys are full
on ready to rock when they when they come back.
And I think that being all the Florida Panthers, that's
probably why mentally they're not drained, is because they they're
living in Florida first off. Yeah, and they're playing down there,
they're winning, and they had a great culture there. We've
seen it, and I don't think they're they're getting tired

(35:33):
mentally anyways, met.

Speaker 1 (35:35):
When you talk about, yeah, they're living in Florida, and
it's like we talked about the Oh, it's great because
they don't have state income tax. That's it. State income tax. Yeah,
And so producer Matt put in there about Edmonton not
having state income tax. I actually had to look it up.
I'm Canadian, and I was like, wow, that's never in
my mind. I've never really thought about that because Edmonton.

(35:59):
Edmonton's not a destination city to live in. Listen, I've
lived in Regina. That's way worse. Okay, folks, I've lived
in Winnipeg that's also. I don't know, we're hovering around
the same area as Edmonton in thatwa Did.

Speaker 2 (36:13):
You see did you see the Robert Lawongo's tweet today? No,
he wrote state tax strikes again. So good, amazing, amazing tweet.
I was dying laughing, like this guy is awesome.

Speaker 1 (36:30):
Oh man, I just hadn't even thought of it, like
just in terms of everything going on, because there's just
so many other especially for just these other places like Okay,
in Vegas or Florida, you don't think like an Edmonton.
You're like, ah, well, I technically yeah, but uh, you know,
I would definitely take less money to go place somewhere

(36:54):
that's not minus forty all year round. Anyway, I digress.

Speaker 2 (37:01):
Trevor Zegers didn't like the sunshine all the time. He
just said it. He said that he had seasonal depression
because it was the same weather every day.

Speaker 1 (37:08):
See, Anaheim didn't like the sunshine.

Speaker 2 (37:12):
Yeah, he wanted, he wanted, he was he needed, Okay,
he needed, he wanted four seasons.

Speaker 1 (37:15):
I get that. I do get the four seasons thing,
because I think that they're okay. Did you ever find
this when when you lived out there, that you just
never knew when something happened during the year because every
time of the year was the same. It could be
like did that happen in September or was that in January?

Speaker 2 (37:32):
Or is that like July They're not wrong about that
because I'm originally from Alaska and I now live in
California for like a decade, And yeah, you're right, it's
the weather's pretty much the same every day.

Speaker 1 (37:43):
It was very hard to remember when things happened. I
was just like, that could have been November, that could
have been May. Like, although Trevor Zegress is going to
be eating those words when he has to like shovel
clear off snow off his car after a nor'easter. Oh,
I can't wait for him to have that. Okay, So

(38:04):
we also can't wait to see a whole lot of
other stuff that is going to be going on in
the league. And so with some of these other games
that are going on, let's just hit on a couple. Uh,
let's head on one more before we take a quick
time out, and that is the Ranges. We know that
all of the all of the eyes are going around
the Yankees on Tuesday night, but some eyes will also

(38:25):
be on the Rangers and Mike Sullivan to see what
they look like. And Nika's advantage had not with Chris Krider.
I'm just like really worried about that duo being split up.
But I mean do you think that this team actually
has the ability to, I don't know, be any different

(38:46):
than they were last year.

Speaker 2 (38:47):
I do. I think with a new voice, having Mike Sullivan,
you know, JT. Miller's a captain, they got some young
guys in the lineup. You got some younger guys that
have bigger roles. You know, we interviewed Will Cooley at
the NHL Media Tour. He's one of those guys. And
then Igor is stirriking, you know, being their guy. And

(39:08):
if he is their guy like he usually is and
and plays up to that elite level that he has
year after year, I think they are. I think they're
a team the Rangers team we've talked in the past.
Maybe not Cup contending Rangers, but I believe that their
playoff team.

Speaker 1 (39:23):
Do they have enough defense though, to like help out
Igor Egor had a bit of a down year last year.

Speaker 2 (39:28):
Yeah, I think they do. I think the way Mike
Sullivan plays prestructure game. He's plays fast, you know, is
in the good years in Pittsburgh, you know, they were
a team that you know, they didn't give up a lot,
and I think that you know, he's going to bring
that in New York.

Speaker 1 (39:43):
There is the Mike Sullivan effect, such a great order
in the Yes, just like the motivation, the motivational speaking
of him. He is, as we know, that's why he's
leading Team USA, getting the boys going.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
Like, I want to get like a transcription when he's
talking to me so I can like write it. I'm like, okay,
ye see what he said.

Speaker 1 (40:03):
Wait when he talks me too, you'd like to have
a transcription of it.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
Yeah, transcribe so I can look at how he like
words everything and I can remember and then use it
because it's his his wiz one liner sometimes and the
way he like delivers it, You're like, fuck, yeah that
was nice. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (40:19):
They they spend I think he is one of few
of the coaches that spends time like NFL coaches. Do
you know how NFL coaches have these like when you
watch hard knocks, have these incredible speeches. Yeah, and they
spend so much time crafting I think them or they
might have speech writers. I don't know, because these things
are like they're so motivational that you're like these need

(40:40):
to be in a museum because they're life changing.

Speaker 2 (40:45):
So I want to I wanted to run through a
wall after we interviewed him before formations. I was like,
let's go come out.

Speaker 1 (40:51):
Yeah. It's like they must know which words go together
really well to just get people to get off the couch, Yeah,
to come going. What words work in a sentence to
make somebody feel something is what Mike Sullivan knows how
to do. And this Rangers team, they were very apathetic
at the end of last year. Let me tell end
of last year. Midway through last year, it was like,

(41:12):
could this season just wrap up now or what? So
I think actually the only way they can go is
up other team that will just get you quickly. Is
we know that a lot of eyes were on Sidney Crosby,
especially in the wake of the whole Connor McDavid news
and kind of everyone looking at him and his deal
and all that kind of stuff. And when you look
at that team and the core guys on there are
the same core guys that like won the Cup and

(41:35):
like you know, with Mike Sullivan and so like, what
do you expect from this team and what Dan News
can get out of them?

Speaker 2 (41:44):
I really don't know. Yeah, I really don't know what
to expect from this team because it's I expected more
last year, didn't happen. I really don't know. It's so
hard to say. This team I and we talked about
this endlessly, but I have selfishly, I would love for
Pittsburgh to be really good, to make the playoffs and

(42:05):
they'm go on a deep run. But I just don't
think it's gonna happen. I just don't think that's in
the cards. And I think that I would love to
see Sid go somewhere and be on a different team
and go chase a cup on another team. There's nothing
wrong with that. Wayne did it. A lot of really
good players have done it. I would love that to happen,
and I just that's the thing. The Pittsburgh Kenguins are

(42:26):
like a huge wild card for me. They're just a
wild card because of they have all these Hall of
famers on their team. But you don't know what else
is going to come.

Speaker 1 (42:33):
After that bright very good point. The NHL scriptwriters have
set this up perfectly with the whole face Off show
showing all of the guys hoisting the Stanley Cup in
Sydney Crosby's whatever wherever he works out, and that he
looks at it and it's like, Okay, well he's got
to go in it. It's gonna, I mean to be honest,
both to him and Connor McDavid are looking at the

(42:54):
same thing this year. That certainly for sure. So oh
wouldn't that be great? They both win a gold medal
together and then like we have to follow them their relationship.

Speaker 2 (43:05):
Can you imagine they played in the cup final against
each other.

Speaker 1 (43:08):
Friends and brothers winning gold that then go against each
other in the final. Yeah, okay, I gotta work on
my TV movie voice, but those guys will be working
on their skills while I do that. Okay, we're speaking
of the Olympics. We're gonna talk about that one second.
We got to take a quick time out here, but

(43:29):
we'll be back for more on Energy Line with Thinking
JSP after this. Welcome back to Energy Line with Nate
and JSB. And we know that this season is about
to begin, but it's also gotten Olympic senate for the
first time since twenty fourteen. We did see the what

(43:51):
was it called four nations last year? You know those
if you don't remember those thoughts, they will go away.
Four Nations last year. We saw how that had its
effect on a whole bunch of different teams and injuries
different thing. We talked to Bruce Cassidy last year asking him,
what did you learn about having a feig Nations tournament
in your season, and he said, I'd not like, there's

(44:13):
no real way to kind of prepare for having the
Olympics and then coming out of it. It's just like one
of those things you just hope guys are motivated for it,
but then also don't get injured. How do you think
this is going to affect players and teams having the
Olympics back, the thing they've all wanted for all this time.

Speaker 2 (44:35):
I think it has two effects, and I think exactly
what Bruce Cassidy said. I think it you know you're
gonna have guys banged up. I mean we saw from
four Nations how many guys were hurt, how many guys
had to miss time going into playoffs or weren't the
same in playoffs. Uh. But then I think you had
the other effect too, where you had guys that were
healthy that came back and had more confidence and we're

(44:58):
playing better. And I think you're going to have those
Those are the two effects I think. So it's like
you gotta hope that your players out banged up and
doesn't get hurt, and you know, I think I think
that's the hope. I think every coach and every GM
and owner, when they their players go off the Olympics,
it's like, fuck, please just don't get hurt. Please don't
get hurt. Right, And then I think you can even

(45:21):
look at the players. I mean I I talked about
this today. I think even look at the players that
don't make the Olympic team, and you look at that,
at that effect it has on those guys. Look at
a guy like Nick Suzuki and Robert Thomas last year,
remember how good they were that down the stretch the
end of the season, And I think that was that
was a formation effect on them not making the team.
So I think you're going to see some guys start

(45:45):
the season come out really hot. You're going to see
some guys come out of nowhere. They're gonna yeah, they're
going to talk themselves in or onto the team, right,
they play themselves onto the Olympic team, talked themselves literally
literally did talk himself.

Speaker 1 (46:03):
I say that sell and buy and selling, Yeah, welcome
to the show. I think it's a good point.

Speaker 2 (46:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (46:10):
Yeah. Also, by the way, Nix Suzuki and Robert Thomas,
both on my fantasy team. So I'm hoping that that
carries over this year into uh into this season. I
think it and I think it will And I think
great point about guys having the chip on their shoulder, right,
we saw have with Corey Perry when he didn't make
Team Canada went out for Patrick that night.

Speaker 2 (46:29):
It's great, and that's that's that's another great Olympic fact.
But I think you're right. I think you're just hoping
they stay healthy, and I would that's the biggest thing.

Speaker 1 (46:39):
I just I can't see them having three fights and
nine seconds in the Olympics. I feel like when you
see those three those five rings and you're like, maybe
I won't.

Speaker 2 (46:48):
Do that here. That's a good point, too much much
different game in the Olympics. This would be a much
different game over there. And then it was the four Nations.

Speaker 1 (46:55):
Yeah, very well, we'll see if those rinks are done
in time. Moving on to the fact. Moving on, uh okay,
a couple of quick hitters before we go. This is
just unhinged chaos heading into the season, just the way
we like it. Anahid Ducks Nate are the most interesting
team in the NHL because why.

Speaker 2 (47:14):
The mix of young and older guys they have on
their team and guys that are one and young players
that are they look like. I watched a little bit
of their game, the preseason game on Saturday against the Kings.
The Kings are up I think four to one, three
nothing or something like that, and the Kings end up
winning five to four in overtime. And the Ducks were

(47:36):
not good to start to start the game, but halfway
through at the end they turn it on and like
that Leo Carlson, huh yeah, like just a nice player,
like just looks It's just fun to watch, you know,
all their guys, all their young guys, their mixture. I
think it's just going to take a little bit of
time with them because you have a new coach and

(47:57):
then just you know, there's a little bit of a
feeling out process. But I think ins a matter of time.
I believe the Ducks they're gonna be good.

Speaker 1 (48:05):
Like on paper, they look very fascinating. But first in
the East where like most of us aren't staying up
to watch the Ducks unfor you know, and I say
that as a former report of them, it's just not
going to happen, and watching the highlights next day, are.

Speaker 2 (48:16):
We over high sleeps on the Ducks?

Speaker 1 (48:18):
Everybody, We're literally sleeping while the Ducks are playing. That's
we're sleeping off, sleeping on the Ducks. Really, it's just
we're like okay, and then you see like, oh wait,
they are the Rangers West as we talked about, and
a lot of those guys are trying to have a
little bit. You know, there's definitely going to be a
Chris Crider like villain arc. That's I mean, he's always

(48:38):
kind of had that. But I just wonder if we're
kind of like over hyping them in terms of the
fact that like they're going to be good, They're going
to be interesting. Are they going to be good?

Speaker 2 (48:49):
I think they're going to be fighting for a playoff spot,
I really do. I think that's going to come down
to the end. Maybe they get in, maybe they don't.
But I think they're going to be in the mix
for the season. I think that they have goaltending, they
have young study forwards, everything, and I think it's starting
to come together there and things are going to start
and c Forman and having Q. You know, he's been

(49:11):
around that, he's gone through it with Chicago. He literally
went through the same stuff with Chicago. So it's you know,
it's I think it mirrors that a little bit.

Speaker 1 (49:18):
Right, right, Okay, And quickly Vegas is going to win
the cup because why.

Speaker 2 (49:25):
They have everything and they have Mitch Marner. I think
it's because they have Mitch Marner. I just it's it
feels like that kind of you know, you said it
the NHL script writers, What a way to write a script?
Don't re sign with Toronto, go to Vegas, win a cup?
And yeah, are you wearing a Leaf's shirt? Onto? Right?

Speaker 1 (49:45):
You know what, I'm wearing a Leaf's shirt and I'm
wearing leaf sweatpants right now too. Just I'm like John
Tavares over here. Just get to give my Leaf's Jim
jams Onto. I go to bed. And by the way,
Mike Rupp picked the Leafs to win the Stanley Cup.
I was watching an NHL network What are you doing? Yeah?

(50:06):
It was just like I was like, what, That's the
most insane thing I've ever hear in my tire. Lit.
I don't want to talk about the Leaves right now
because I don't think they're going to be very good.
And that's just that's because I'm from Toronto, and that's
how I'm going to start the season like I do
every single year. I think now you entered into the
NHL scriptwriters another another a twap arc. We have Sidney Crosby,

(50:31):
we have Conor McDavid, we have Mitch marnor, all of
them trying to get that cup for multiple different motivational
arc raisons and they're all going to be on Team Canada. Yeah,
brain is working as I'm trying to craft the story.
They all have to come together, but at the same time,
they know they're going to be fighting for the ultimate

(50:51):
goal too, which is a Stanley Cup. So maybe they
take things from one another while they're playing. Do you
think would you ever do that if you're playing with
some guy on like, yeah, you're like, this is how
he gets ready or this is how he does this.

Speaker 2 (51:02):
I I thought about that the other day, and I
think that because I'm random, I think without this shit
all the.

Speaker 1 (51:08):
Time, right good.

Speaker 2 (51:09):
Yeah, I'm hockey nerd at heart. I learned more from
teammates and players over the years. I think that I
did coaches, I really do. I really do. I think
the guys that I played with picking up little things
on in practice and games from everybody, you know, and
I just I think that these guys do the same thing.

(51:30):
I mean, we heard Travis Sandheim talk about it. You know,
he's you know, like, that's what I wanted to ask him.
I wanted to ask him what were the practices, like,
you know, what were these guys doing to get better?
And I think these guys are sponges from each other
when they go to these tournaments. I think that they
they literally just study each other and they spend time
with each other and they get stay on the ice
and they work they work on things after. And I

(51:51):
think that's the beauty of why these guys are so elite,
is because they just love learning from.

Speaker 1 (51:56):
Everybody, right, And that works for them in the moment,
for them playing together because they're learning, like, Okay, I
want to get to know your tend to say, isn't
that edited? But it's also like I'm also soaking up
information for when I can destroy you later.

Speaker 2 (52:10):
This is true, yeah, you know, I mean you know
these things of certain guys and what they do. Obviously
you play against them so much, but yeah, you learn
other things too. When you're on their team.

Speaker 1 (52:17):
You got to be looking two steps ahead. Right, sure,
you always got to be Okay. So last question, last
and final, Is this so Vechan's last and final season?

Speaker 2 (52:29):
Yes, I believe it is because I believe he said
he did this was it. I've heard that, and I believe.

Speaker 1 (52:38):
He already said it.

Speaker 2 (52:39):
Yeah, he's already said it. He has said it, right,
he said it? This is it? Has he? I'm almost
positive he said that.

Speaker 1 (52:46):
Has Sophie already said it? Is this something I'm seeing like, Oh,
did you really?

Speaker 2 (52:52):
I think I've just heard that in the rumor mill.
I think I've heard that, and.

Speaker 1 (52:56):
I just oh, you just heard it through the the
grape vine of your friends.

Speaker 2 (53:01):
Yeah, but I truly believe that. I think that after
this year he's done. I think he goes back home
and go back to Russia.

Speaker 1 (53:10):
Right, Okay, he said this is what he said like
three that he had an interview with the Russian Nozalet.
He said, I understand the hockey's not forever, but I'm
not thinking about it now. According to my contract, I'm
prohibited from doing extreme sports such as alpine skiing or snowboarding.

Speaker 2 (53:28):
Well, he's going to go play in a professional soccer
game too. Again, did you ever see him do that. Yeah, yeah,
how great was that? Him running around the six scoring
a goal? Cheerio. I was dying. I loved it.

Speaker 1 (53:37):
I love that he put that in that statement right
there then, like according to my contract, I'm it's like, okay, yeah,
you know we know that part. We know that part.
I would assume you're not allowed to go alpine skiing.

Speaker 2 (53:49):
You know, I think it's his last year. I do,
I really do. Don't You don't you think this is
it for Obi? This is it?

Speaker 1 (53:54):
I mean, I scored forty four goals last year, broke
Gretzky's record, like he's like Reese's pieces in Coca Cola
and doesn't really seem to give too many epps about anything.
And he broke his leg too, and he was back.

Speaker 2 (54:08):
This is true. Actually I still last year, but he is,
but he is. You're right, he'll he'll go out this
year and score fifty watch. Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, I
don't know.

Speaker 1 (54:19):
I don't know, I think, but you're more than likely
probably his last, but you never know. He could get
one of those two years for twelve point five type
things to see if they want to run it back.
Cuche All right, guys, that has been this episode of
Energy Line with Nate Jesseca, as we wrap up the
off season, we wrap up the preseason, we get ready

(54:40):
for the season of the NHL. Wow, that was hardly Finally,
that was actually pretty quick, to be honest, As you said,
time goes by pretty fast these days. I guess it
was pretty fast in Florida one.

Speaker 2 (54:55):
Yeah, yeah, that was You're right. I did go back quick.

Speaker 1 (54:57):
I really don't remember too much of the off season,
but we remember you guys, and we were remember when
you guys like subscribe and share these episodes, So please
do that, as we are going to be here every
single week for you for the reminder this season and
for I think we're signing like a long term contract
for millions of dollars here, so stay tuned for that

(55:20):
news to drop and we will see you guys next time.
Energy Line is the production of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts.

(55:43):
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