October 9, 2025 • 17 mins
John Forslund of NHL on TNT joins the show to preview the 2025-26 season, including predictions for the Red Wings' campaign. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Where do you go for Ireland's biggest thrillers, craziest finishes,
wildest upsets and fiercest post match debates.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good afternoon there, You're very welcome to the program.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
An awful lot of live sports on the way.
Speaker 4 (00:11):
Well over a million of you go to Ireland's number
one radio station, Artie Radio one.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Listen now on Arte Radio Player.
Speaker 5 (00:20):
What is a heat pump?
Speaker 6 (00:21):
How do I get the ground? Are they noisy?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Is it really sustainable?
Speaker 6 (00:23):
What is over two ninety At Mitsubishi Electric we have
teamed up with renowned architect Dermott Bannon to help you
cut through the noise.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
The bottom line is heat pumps are part of us
all building a more sustainable future. Working with Mitsubisi Electric
Ireland and their Ecodan range of heat pumps, we have
created the Heating Hub to answer all your questions.
Speaker 6 (00:43):
Echo Dan from Mitsubishi Electric, trust the team behind your comfort.
I did visit Theeating Hub dot Ie to find out more.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
Really lucky that as hockey fans we get a chance
to listen to great play by play voices and hockey
knowledgeable people like John Forslin and I know his time
is valuable. I know how many people are reaching out
to him to try and gain his knowledge. We're one
of them when we appreciate the time and he joins
us here on Exes and Bros. On the Lindsey Hunter
Foundation guest line. One of the best play by play
(01:12):
voices in the sport. John Forsland, Seattle Crack and TNT
joins us here on Exies and Bros. John appreciate it
very much. Congratulations on embarking on you hat another season.
What is it about the NHL at this time this season,
when you got so many other things, you know, playoff baseball,
football and full gear that gets you most excited.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Well, that's a great question. Thanks for having me, Matt.
It's I don't know, It's a feeling that I think
I've had basically my entire life. I think that's what
got me turned on to hockey as a young boy,
and most importantly, I think when I started the bug
to do this when I was eight nine years old,
it was the cadence of hockey. I was captivated by
(01:56):
the emotion of the sport. It was a goal scored
by Bobby or and the Stanley Cup Finals back in
nineteen seventy. I know exactly where I was when I
was watching that, and we've relived that moment over and
over again, so I think I've never lost it. I
feel the same way this morning. I can't wait to
get the first one out of the way. We did
do the six preseason games, but the regular season, obviously
(02:18):
is something completely different, and hockey kind of sneaks up
on everybody because you're right, it's in the crossover period
of football and college football, baseball playoffs and all of that,
and basketball is getting underway, and then hockey just kind
of sneaks in the back door. But true hockey fans,
oh that this is an important time of the year.
It's a big season with the Olympics and all. So
(02:40):
the schedule be condensed. It's going to be great.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
It sure is, and you get Anaheim tonight. Conor McDavid
signs a two year extension. The other day, Jake Wollman
signs a seven year deal. Surprised me a little bit.
Where do you what do you like about where hockey
is right now? And how much further does it have
to go to try and not just gain a white
wider audience, but green gain a little bit more financial
(03:07):
respect from an athlete standpoint compared to other sports.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I think, you know, that's something that's always been there
for my entire career as a broadcaster, is to grow
the game aspect of hockey. I don't know if it's
ever going to go away, and that's okay because a
lot of it has to do with people who don't
care for it or have never been exposed to it
and up or seeing the game live. I think the
ladder is the key. We just need to continue to
(03:35):
do what we're doing. But I can tell you we've
never been in a better place. The revenues are justifying
the increases in salary, which is good. You got to
be careful with that. I see the cap continuing to
skyrocket in the ensuing years, which will lead to you know,
more wealth of players. That's all well and good, but
the revenues have to keep up with it. Every time
(03:58):
a media rights deal comes up, it's it's very very
important to see where it goes because that'll that'll carry
the league. So those are the things that you look at.
Those are those are the things that you kind of
keeping the back of your mind as you move forward.
But I will say this, the younger generation of players
that we're getting right now have never played better in
(04:20):
terms of skill and speed, so that brings excitement. I
think that's a big part of why we're going in
the direction we are as a league. Yes, the players
are going to be handsomely paid moving forward, which gets
them in a lane with other athletes, other pro athletes,
which is good for them. And I will say, we
have labor piece. You know, I've gone through three lockouts
in my career. There's a lot of fun for everybody involved,
(04:43):
but it certainly every one of us that work in
and around the game her of a lot too during
those work stoppages. So we have a labor piece and
that's going to be very important in terms of keeping
the economics in play.
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Such an excellent point, and it's probably not talked about enough,
the labor piece and how important it is to make
sure the players and the league are in harmony. John
Foreseln outstanding play by play voice, Seattle Crack and TNT
joining us here on Exus and Rose on the Lindsay
Hunter Foundation guest line. Of course, we here in Detroit
are excited about the Red Wings. We hope I get
(05:19):
the sense John that in sports, not just hockey, and
not just with the Red Wings because they got three
twenty year olds who've made their twenty three man roster
and a lot of people were surprised at that. But
we're seeing sports with younger players and organizations willing to
put younger players in situations at the highest level that
they don't always have to go through a certain amount
(05:42):
of marinating in the minor leagues for whatever sport that is,
do you gain the same sense and why do you
think that can be a good or a bad thing
in sports?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Well, that's a great question, okay, because we go to
the phrase of a young guys league right time. Here's
the reasons. Number one, the economics of the contracts and
how the teams utilize that. So, if you have a
young player today who's close, I think management wants to
(06:14):
get to the answer, which is is this player real
and if so, you know, how can we bridge him
to the second contract? And what you do is you
try to make the most of those entry level years.
You don't want to get a player, you know, wasting
you know in the first three years that he's elgible
on his entry level contract playing at a minor league level.
(06:35):
If you can afforded. Now there are players who who
need seasoning, who need development, who at eighteen nineteen are
not ready physically mentally, and that's good for them to
go to the American League and elsewhere to play so
that they are ready when they come to the National
Hockey League. Now until next season when the teams are
(06:56):
allowed to send a nineteen year old player one per
team to the American Hockey League for development. The teams
also are encumbered by where you put high prospects, players
who are really close first round picks. We have one
of those in Seattle who made the team, Burke Patton,
who was the eighth overall pick in twenty four. Last year,
he set records in terms of, you know, triple figures
(07:18):
in terms of points in the regular season better than
two points a game in the playoffs with Spokane in
the Western League. There isn't much else for him to
do at the junior level, but they can't play him
this year in the American Hockey League, so he has
to stay at least for nine games to see if
he can cut it or not. That's another classification. Those
are the situations that they get to and I think
(07:39):
a lot of it has involved with their contracts in
the economics of the game. But there are the players
who are there who are ready to go. Pittsburgh had
two teenagers in their lineup before last and opening night,
and they played well. An eighteen year old, a nineteen
year old. It can happened. I just like to see
(08:00):
a situation for a young player where they're ready to play,
so that they can handle the criticism and the pressure
that goes along with playing in the National Hockey League
that sometimes can get underrated by fans and those of
us that cover the game. To know exactly, you know
from a human aspect, what some of these guys are
going through. That's a big step, so you have to
be careful with it. But there's certainly there's a lane.
(08:21):
There's a there's a lane for young players to break
in because of all those reasons.
Speaker 5 (08:27):
What's the challenge for the Wings lying ahead? I think
in the toughest division in the NHL. You can disagree
all you want. I think it's the toughest. How would
you look at the Atlantic number one and number two?
What do you think the biggest challenge for Detroit will
be this year?
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Yeah? I agree with you. I think the Atlantic is
the most competitive division. Metropolitan I think is the weakest.
Central has three great elite teams, and they have teams
that are in a scramble and the specifically have Vegas
and then you know Edmonton will give them the respect
because of who they have and their roster. But then
there's you know, another scramble going on for the rest
of it in the Atlantic. You know, Detroit to me,
(09:03):
Tod McClellan, I know him well, needs to get them
to be harder, harder, mentally, harder, physically, harder to play against.
You know, they have the makings, and they've had a
plan in place of drafting and developing, and they have
tremendous young players. Steve Eiserman has tried to insulate those
players with veterans that are going to be able to
(09:26):
bring them along. In some cases it has worked and
others it has not. You know, Dylan Larkin was given
the captaincy at a very young age and now he's
a hard and pro and you know he's got to
do his part. They've they've solidified the goaltending with John Gibson.
I think if he can stay healthy, that's a big
plus because you just can't have a carousel. You can't
have it be a guesting game of who's in, who's not,
(09:48):
who's hot who's not. I think they've done that so
they're over with that. So I think Talbot will support him.
But Gibson has to be a true number one. And again,
I think there is a identity crisis with the team,
and that's the coach's job to put that in place
and to see where it can take them. With Montreal
Ottawa and then the Givens in Toronto, Florida, Tampa Bay,
(10:13):
that's a tough division. At some point, Buffalo is going
to be better. They just have to be. They've been
bad for so long. They've drafted in prime positions. There's
something wrong there. If they don't take a step. I
think they may take a baby step this year. So
the Wings are in it. It's your neighborhood, right, You
got to win your neighborhood. That's a tough neighborhood.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
Yeah, I like that very much. You got to win
your neighborhood. Boston's a team that has too much pride
for them to be bad for an extended period of time.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Too.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
When you say this team needs to be harder to
play against, and I think that's the right phrase, but
it's one that we in the media and fans like
to use. Can you define what that means to you?
Speaker 3 (10:55):
You know, that's another good question. It depends on the
makeup of the team. You know, the philosophy the coaches
go by. Know your personnel. Right, If you don't have
the speed, you can't steal a base, right, if you
don't have a quarterback that you can throw the ball
down the middle of the field, then you better you
know every screen passes in your dump offs. And they
(11:17):
have a good running game, right. You have to coach
with what you have, so the Wings have to operate
with what they have. And when you look at teams
around the league, there are teams like Florida, it sticks
out like a sore thumb because they're so physical, right,
But they're also really well coached, and they're tactical and
they're systematic. They're great goaltending and all of that. But
(11:38):
they play a physical game. They're strong on the fore check,
and they will not be intimidated. Carolina, on the other hand,
is an elite team. They don't have that intimidation factor
at all. As a matter of fact, I think they're
too soft around the edges, and maybe that's what's hurt
them in terms of making the final stat But when
you play them in the regular season, they're difficult to
(11:59):
play against because the way they swarm, the way they
possess the puck, the way they four check, the way
they're five on five games just grinds a team into
the ice by their work ethic, and they're skating. So
you can take on a lot of different identities as
a team and then embrace it and be hard that way.
(12:19):
So I always when I'm covering teams, I pay attention
to what they're saying. Obviously they're coaches and their top
players and all of that, but I listen to what
other teams say when they come into a building, and
when you start to hear the other side say, that's
a really good team over there, and it's hard to
play in this building, and you're onto something. But until
(12:39):
that happens, you know, you can kind of read between
the lines. I think, to be fair and objective about Detroit,
I think that's been the case. You know, they've had
they've had this promise, but when it comes down to
really getting it done, you know, can they can they
be what they used to be back in the day
when teams were fearful to play them at the Joe, right,
That's that's reach, that's where they have to get to.
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Yeah, it's funny you say that because I say this
all the time to athletes. It's really hard to impress
another athlete. I mean, they've seen it all right, They've
been that guy, They've played with that guy or against
that guy. So it's really hard to impress. So when
they tell you that team's really good, that team's really
hard to play against, and they're not in front of
a bunch of cameras and microphones, that tells you something
(13:22):
about that opposition. One more thing from you. It's hard
to be a hero as a player, jump into the
front office or on the bench and be successful. Okay,
ask Magic Johnson and Los Angeles ask Wayne Gretzky. It's
hard to make that transition. Steve Eiserman, what he did
in Tampa is well noted, but what he hasn't done
(13:43):
in Detroit is also well noted. How much more of
a challenge does he have in front of him? And
do you think this is it for him? If they
go what tenth straight year without making the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Yeah, I'm it'll be close because it's the same and
it's a same in the market that I work in
in Seattle, you know, with the young Kraken who are
only four years old going on five. But you would
think being around the team from ownership on down, it's
a twenty year old franchise because there just isn't any patients.
(14:17):
But it's unfortunate that it's a catch twenty two. Unfortunate
for the people who are running teams because they need
time and they need patients to do it the right way.
If you look at the elite teams in the NHL,
they get there through some misery and through drafting. You know,
you're just not going to You can try it, and
(14:37):
maybe Vegas was successful in getting Jack Eichel, but it's
really hard to trade for sale a one center. It's
really hard to do that. You almost you have to
draft that guy. You have to be in a position
to get in the lottery and get the pick. Well,
I think it's been done, and I think now the
free agents spending has been done, the coaching changes have occurred. Yes,
(15:01):
I think this is a huge, huge season for them.
I think McClellan's an excellent coach. And I know because
I talked to him last year covering for Amazon the
National Games in Canada on Monday nights. And I know
it was a couple of weeks after he got the job.
He recognized there was some some real good stuff going
(15:21):
on early when he took over, and there was a turnaround.
But he wasn't he wasn't fooled by that. He knew
there was something else that he had to extract out
of that locker room. So I'm really interested. I have
them Monday on Amazon up in the Dronto, and I'm
really interested to see, you know, what they roll out
there and see what t Matt can do because he
(15:43):
can he can do that. He can get a team
to harden up in the right ways. And you know, again,
don't get me wrong, it's not like you have to
come out and hit every everything that moves. It's about
taking away space and making it hard for the other
team to get to play, get to their skill, you know,
and that the it's a great measuring stick for them
to play a team like Toronto because that's how they're
(16:04):
going to win the game. You know, if they get
it done. But to answer your question, it's a huge
here I think for the management there because at some point,
you know, you got to show true growth. So yeah,
they got to make the playoffs. I believe that.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Yeah, thirty seconds. How nervous are Mariners fans? With Game
five and school on the mount for Detroit?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Well here they go again, right? And somebody said to
me yesterday at the practice facility, you know, oh, it
would be great if they win it at home on Friday.
I said, be careful what you wish for. You know,
you got to put the foot down when you got
them down right, And they didn't do it, And now
here comes the ace on Friday. It's going to I'll
(16:44):
tell you why, both markets. I think I was listening
to the broadcasts yesterday they said it right. Both of
these fan bases are so hungry for the next step.
It's been great to watch and it's going to be
an unbelievable atmosphere in Seattle on Friday.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
No question, it's always great to listen to you and
get your knowledge. We appreciated John very much. Keep up
the fantastic gold medal work of all you do with
the hockey and all the sports that you call. Have
a great weekend.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Thank you, Matt, appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Thank you all right. John Foresland fam on Twitter at
john Fordland joining us on the Lindsay Hunter Foundation guest line.
It is always, and I mean this, always a treat
to listen to him talk and listen to him call games.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Where do you go for Ireland's biggest conversations, insightful answers,
fastest updates and sharpest daytimes Good morning, good morning and
your regular hours good day.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
To well over a million of you, go to Ireland's
number one radio station, Artie Radio One. Listen now on
Artie Radio Player
Where do you go for Ireland's biggest thrillers, craziest finishes,
wildest upsets and fiercest post match debates.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good afternoon there, You're very welcome to the program.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
An awful lot of live sports on the way.
Speaker 4 (00:11):
Well over a million of you go to Ireland's number
one radio station, Artie Radio one.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Listen now on Arte Radio Player.
Speaker 5 (00:20):
What is a heat pump?
Speaker 6 (00:21):
How do I get the ground? Are they noisy?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Is it really sustainable?
Speaker 6 (00:23):
What is over two ninety At Mitsubishi Electric we have
teamed up with renowned architect Dermott Bannon to help you
cut through the noise.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
The bottom line is heat pumps are part of us
all building a more sustainable future. Working with Mitsubisi Electric
Ireland and their Ecodan range of heat pumps, we have
created the Heating Hub to answer all your questions.
Speaker 6 (00:43):
Echo Dan from Mitsubishi Electric, trust the team behind your comfort.
I did visit Theeating Hub dot Ie to find out more.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
Really lucky that as hockey fans we get a chance
to listen to great play by play voices and hockey
knowledgeable people like John Forslin and I know his time
is valuable. I know how many people are reaching out
to him to try and gain his knowledge. We're one
of them when we appreciate the time and he joins
us here on Exes and Bros. On the Lindsey Hunter
Foundation guest line. One of the best play by play
(01:12):
voices in the sport. John Forsland, Seattle Crack and TNT
joins us here on Exies and Bros. John appreciate it
very much. Congratulations on embarking on you hat another season.
What is it about the NHL at this time this season,
when you got so many other things, you know, playoff baseball,
football and full gear that gets you most excited.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Well, that's a great question. Thanks for having me, Matt.
It's I don't know, It's a feeling that I think
I've had basically my entire life. I think that's what
got me turned on to hockey as a young boy,
and most importantly, I think when I started the bug
to do this when I was eight nine years old,
it was the cadence of hockey. I was captivated by
(01:56):
the emotion of the sport. It was a goal scored
by Bobby or and the Stanley Cup Finals back in
nineteen seventy. I know exactly where I was when I
was watching that, and we've relived that moment over and
over again, so I think I've never lost it. I
feel the same way this morning. I can't wait to
get the first one out of the way. We did
do the six preseason games, but the regular season, obviously
(02:18):
is something completely different, and hockey kind of sneaks up
on everybody because you're right, it's in the crossover period
of football and college football, baseball playoffs and all of that,
and basketball is getting underway, and then hockey just kind
of sneaks in the back door. But true hockey fans,
oh that this is an important time of the year.
It's a big season with the Olympics and all. So
(02:40):
the schedule be condensed. It's going to be great.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
It sure is, and you get Anaheim tonight. Conor McDavid
signs a two year extension. The other day, Jake Wollman
signs a seven year deal. Surprised me a little bit.
Where do you what do you like about where hockey
is right now? And how much further does it have
to go to try and not just gain a white
wider audience, but green gain a little bit more financial
(03:07):
respect from an athlete standpoint compared to other sports.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I think, you know, that's something that's always been there
for my entire career as a broadcaster, is to grow
the game aspect of hockey. I don't know if it's
ever going to go away, and that's okay because a
lot of it has to do with people who don't
care for it or have never been exposed to it
and up or seeing the game live. I think the
ladder is the key. We just need to continue to
(03:35):
do what we're doing. But I can tell you we've
never been in a better place. The revenues are justifying
the increases in salary, which is good. You got to
be careful with that. I see the cap continuing to
skyrocket in the ensuing years, which will lead to you know,
more wealth of players. That's all well and good, but
the revenues have to keep up with it. Every time
(03:58):
a media rights deal comes up, it's it's very very
important to see where it goes because that'll that'll carry
the league. So those are the things that you look at.
Those are those are the things that you kind of
keeping the back of your mind as you move forward.
But I will say this, the younger generation of players
that we're getting right now have never played better in
(04:20):
terms of skill and speed, so that brings excitement. I
think that's a big part of why we're going in
the direction we are as a league. Yes, the players
are going to be handsomely paid moving forward, which gets
them in a lane with other athletes, other pro athletes,
which is good for them. And I will say, we
have labor piece. You know, I've gone through three lockouts
in my career. There's a lot of fun for everybody involved,
(04:43):
but it certainly every one of us that work in
and around the game her of a lot too during
those work stoppages. So we have a labor piece and
that's going to be very important in terms of keeping
the economics in play.
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Such an excellent point, and it's probably not talked about enough,
the labor piece and how important it is to make
sure the players and the league are in harmony. John
Foreseln outstanding play by play voice, Seattle Crack and TNT
joining us here on Exus and Rose on the Lindsay
Hunter Foundation guest line. Of course, we here in Detroit
are excited about the Red Wings. We hope I get
(05:19):
the sense John that in sports, not just hockey, and
not just with the Red Wings because they got three
twenty year olds who've made their twenty three man roster
and a lot of people were surprised at that. But
we're seeing sports with younger players and organizations willing to
put younger players in situations at the highest level that
they don't always have to go through a certain amount
(05:42):
of marinating in the minor leagues for whatever sport that is,
do you gain the same sense and why do you
think that can be a good or a bad thing
in sports?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Well, that's a great question, okay, because we go to
the phrase of a young guys league right time. Here's
the reasons. Number one, the economics of the contracts and
how the teams utilize that. So, if you have a
young player today who's close, I think management wants to
(06:14):
get to the answer, which is is this player real
and if so, you know, how can we bridge him
to the second contract? And what you do is you
try to make the most of those entry level years.
You don't want to get a player, you know, wasting
you know in the first three years that he's elgible
on his entry level contract playing at a minor league level.
(06:35):
If you can afforded. Now there are players who who
need seasoning, who need development, who at eighteen nineteen are
not ready physically mentally, and that's good for them to
go to the American League and elsewhere to play so
that they are ready when they come to the National
Hockey League. Now until next season when the teams are
(06:56):
allowed to send a nineteen year old player one per
team to the American Hockey League for development. The teams
also are encumbered by where you put high prospects, players
who are really close first round picks. We have one
of those in Seattle who made the team, Burke Patton,
who was the eighth overall pick in twenty four. Last year,
he set records in terms of, you know, triple figures
(07:18):
in terms of points in the regular season better than
two points a game in the playoffs with Spokane in
the Western League. There isn't much else for him to
do at the junior level, but they can't play him
this year in the American Hockey League, so he has
to stay at least for nine games to see if
he can cut it or not. That's another classification. Those
are the situations that they get to and I think
(07:39):
a lot of it has involved with their contracts in
the economics of the game. But there are the players
who are there who are ready to go. Pittsburgh had
two teenagers in their lineup before last and opening night,
and they played well. An eighteen year old, a nineteen
year old. It can happened. I just like to see
(08:00):
a situation for a young player where they're ready to play,
so that they can handle the criticism and the pressure
that goes along with playing in the National Hockey League
that sometimes can get underrated by fans and those of
us that cover the game. To know exactly, you know
from a human aspect, what some of these guys are
going through. That's a big step, so you have to
be careful with it. But there's certainly there's a lane.
(08:21):
There's a there's a lane for young players to break
in because of all those reasons.
Speaker 5 (08:27):
What's the challenge for the Wings lying ahead? I think
in the toughest division in the NHL. You can disagree
all you want. I think it's the toughest. How would
you look at the Atlantic number one and number two?
What do you think the biggest challenge for Detroit will
be this year?
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Yeah? I agree with you. I think the Atlantic is
the most competitive division. Metropolitan I think is the weakest.
Central has three great elite teams, and they have teams
that are in a scramble and the specifically have Vegas
and then you know Edmonton will give them the respect
because of who they have and their roster. But then
there's you know, another scramble going on for the rest
of it in the Atlantic. You know, Detroit to me,
(09:03):
Tod McClellan, I know him well, needs to get them
to be harder, harder, mentally, harder, physically, harder to play against.
You know, they have the makings, and they've had a
plan in place of drafting and developing, and they have
tremendous young players. Steve Eiserman has tried to insulate those
players with veterans that are going to be able to
(09:26):
bring them along. In some cases it has worked and
others it has not. You know, Dylan Larkin was given
the captaincy at a very young age and now he's
a hard and pro and you know he's got to
do his part. They've they've solidified the goaltending with John Gibson.
I think if he can stay healthy, that's a big
plus because you just can't have a carousel. You can't
have it be a guesting game of who's in, who's not,
(09:48):
who's hot who's not. I think they've done that so
they're over with that. So I think Talbot will support him.
But Gibson has to be a true number one. And again,
I think there is a identity crisis with the team,
and that's the coach's job to put that in place
and to see where it can take them. With Montreal
Ottawa and then the Givens in Toronto, Florida, Tampa Bay,
(10:13):
that's a tough division. At some point, Buffalo is going
to be better. They just have to be. They've been
bad for so long. They've drafted in prime positions. There's
something wrong there. If they don't take a step. I
think they may take a baby step this year. So
the Wings are in it. It's your neighborhood, right, You
got to win your neighborhood. That's a tough neighborhood.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
Yeah, I like that very much. You got to win
your neighborhood. Boston's a team that has too much pride
for them to be bad for an extended period of time.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Too.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
When you say this team needs to be harder to
play against, and I think that's the right phrase, but
it's one that we in the media and fans like
to use. Can you define what that means to you?
Speaker 3 (10:55):
You know, that's another good question. It depends on the
makeup of the team. You know, the philosophy the coaches
go by. Know your personnel. Right, If you don't have
the speed, you can't steal a base, right, if you
don't have a quarterback that you can throw the ball
down the middle of the field, then you better you
know every screen passes in your dump offs. And they
(11:17):
have a good running game, right. You have to coach
with what you have, so the Wings have to operate
with what they have. And when you look at teams
around the league, there are teams like Florida, it sticks
out like a sore thumb because they're so physical, right,
But they're also really well coached, and they're tactical and
they're systematic. They're great goaltending and all of that. But
(11:38):
they play a physical game. They're strong on the fore check,
and they will not be intimidated. Carolina, on the other hand,
is an elite team. They don't have that intimidation factor
at all. As a matter of fact, I think they're
too soft around the edges, and maybe that's what's hurt
them in terms of making the final stat But when
you play them in the regular season, they're difficult to
(11:59):
play against because the way they swarm, the way they
possess the puck, the way they four check, the way
they're five on five games just grinds a team into
the ice by their work ethic, and they're skating. So
you can take on a lot of different identities as
a team and then embrace it and be hard that way.
(12:19):
So I always when I'm covering teams, I pay attention
to what they're saying. Obviously they're coaches and their top
players and all of that, but I listen to what
other teams say when they come into a building, and
when you start to hear the other side say, that's
a really good team over there, and it's hard to
play in this building, and you're onto something. But until
(12:39):
that happens, you know, you can kind of read between
the lines. I think, to be fair and objective about Detroit,
I think that's been the case. You know, they've had
they've had this promise, but when it comes down to
really getting it done, you know, can they can they
be what they used to be back in the day
when teams were fearful to play them at the Joe, right,
That's that's reach, that's where they have to get to.
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Yeah, it's funny you say that because I say this
all the time to athletes. It's really hard to impress
another athlete. I mean, they've seen it all right, They've
been that guy, They've played with that guy or against
that guy. So it's really hard to impress. So when
they tell you that team's really good, that team's really
hard to play against, and they're not in front of
a bunch of cameras and microphones, that tells you something
(13:22):
about that opposition. One more thing from you. It's hard
to be a hero as a player, jump into the
front office or on the bench and be successful. Okay,
ask Magic Johnson and Los Angeles ask Wayne Gretzky. It's
hard to make that transition. Steve Eiserman, what he did
in Tampa is well noted, but what he hasn't done
(13:43):
in Detroit is also well noted. How much more of
a challenge does he have in front of him? And
do you think this is it for him? If they
go what tenth straight year without making the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Yeah, I'm it'll be close because it's the same and
it's a same in the market that I work in
in Seattle, you know, with the young Kraken who are
only four years old going on five. But you would
think being around the team from ownership on down, it's
a twenty year old franchise because there just isn't any patients.
(14:17):
But it's unfortunate that it's a catch twenty two. Unfortunate
for the people who are running teams because they need
time and they need patients to do it the right way.
If you look at the elite teams in the NHL,
they get there through some misery and through drafting. You know,
you're just not going to You can try it, and
(14:37):
maybe Vegas was successful in getting Jack Eichel, but it's
really hard to trade for sale a one center. It's
really hard to do that. You almost you have to
draft that guy. You have to be in a position
to get in the lottery and get the pick. Well,
I think it's been done, and I think now the
free agents spending has been done, the coaching changes have occurred. Yes,
(15:01):
I think this is a huge, huge season for them.
I think McClellan's an excellent coach. And I know because
I talked to him last year covering for Amazon the
National Games in Canada on Monday nights. And I know
it was a couple of weeks after he got the job.
He recognized there was some some real good stuff going
(15:21):
on early when he took over, and there was a turnaround.
But he wasn't he wasn't fooled by that. He knew
there was something else that he had to extract out
of that locker room. So I'm really interested. I have
them Monday on Amazon up in the Dronto, and I'm
really interested to see, you know, what they roll out
there and see what t Matt can do because he
(15:43):
can he can do that. He can get a team
to harden up in the right ways. And you know, again,
don't get me wrong, it's not like you have to
come out and hit every everything that moves. It's about
taking away space and making it hard for the other
team to get to play, get to their skill, you know,
and that the it's a great measuring stick for them
to play a team like Toronto because that's how they're
(16:04):
going to win the game. You know, if they get
it done. But to answer your question, it's a huge
here I think for the management there because at some point,
you know, you got to show true growth. So yeah,
they got to make the playoffs. I believe that.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Yeah, thirty seconds. How nervous are Mariners fans? With Game
five and school on the mount for Detroit?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Well here they go again, right? And somebody said to
me yesterday at the practice facility, you know, oh, it
would be great if they win it at home on Friday.
I said, be careful what you wish for. You know,
you got to put the foot down when you got
them down right, And they didn't do it, And now
here comes the ace on Friday. It's going to I'll
(16:44):
tell you why, both markets. I think I was listening
to the broadcasts yesterday they said it right. Both of
these fan bases are so hungry for the next step.
It's been great to watch and it's going to be
an unbelievable atmosphere in Seattle on Friday.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
No question, it's always great to listen to you and
get your knowledge. We appreciated John very much. Keep up
the fantastic gold medal work of all you do with
the hockey and all the sports that you call. Have
a great weekend.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Thank you, Matt, appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Thank you all right. John Foresland fam on Twitter at
john Fordland joining us on the Lindsay Hunter Foundation guest line.
It is always, and I mean this, always a treat
to listen to him talk and listen to him call games.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Where do you go for Ireland's biggest conversations, insightful answers,
fastest updates and sharpest daytimes Good morning, good morning and
your regular hours good day.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
To well over a million of you, go to Ireland's
number one radio station, Artie Radio One. Listen now on
Artie Radio Player
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