December 24, 2025 • 39 mins
The FFF crew makes their IHoP picks and talk best division in the NFC. Coach John Hynes joins to discuss all things Wild and the NHL Christmas break.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:11):
Dylanthropic fantasy portion of the Friday or Wednesday Football Feast
equation all season has been called I Hop in honor
of Paul, as in Paul Charchiam, a fantasy football, very
identifiable person with Fantasy football, but also the co host
of the Friday Football Feast for a decade and a half.
So would this be in the first year that Paul
(00:34):
isn't doing the feast with yours? Truly, we designated a
segment for him. We call it I Hop in Honor
of Paul. And what we do is we take a
position weekly. We do it like a regular fantasy football
touchdown scoring six for receptions and rushing touchdowns for.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Passing, actually two for safeties.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Nordo sniffed out does something from last game that absolutely
plays into the two point conversion. Two point conversion, thank
you not safety's two point conversions. And we've done it
all season and fantasycares dot org approached us within the
last month and said, we want to give fifty dollars
for every point that you guys amass to the charities
(01:15):
of your choices. Fantasycares dot org. Support them if you can.
They are very, very cool and very kind out of
nowhere to do that because the total right now is
eight six hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Wow, that's going to charities.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And then Chris Finch, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves a
few weeks ago, opted to match whatever total I finished
with because Second Harvest Heartland is my choice and he's
on the board, so that's an additional thirty three hundred.
We're at eleven eight hundred dollars right now, ladies and
gentlemen for charity. So Second Harvest Heartland right here, feed
(01:52):
my starving children for Nordo and the Kyrie Jackson Foundation
for Alec Lewis and I after James Cook.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
We had a couple of touchdowns last game.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
I have sixty six points, Alex Lewis has sixty, Nordo
has forty six. So Fantasycares dot Org is putting up
fifty dollars per point and we still have two to go.
Fantasycares dot Org, thank you very much, and we are
on the tight ends this week. Nordo selects first his
touchdowns only it was a it was a score gami
(02:24):
last week as we generated four touchdowns and a two
point conversion. Young Alex a selection of Sakuon Barkley had
a touchdown and a two, so that bumped him up
to sixty points.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Nordo your tight end and why yeah, I really really.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Want to take George Kittle, but this ankle thing is
going to drive me nuts all week.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Man, he looked good the other night. He was unbelievab.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
He even had two more catches for like thirty or
forty yards after he got the ankles. So with that said, however,
I'm going to take brock Bowers as he has I think.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Let me see you two.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
He's got four touchdowns in his last five, four touchdowns
in his last four.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Excuse me, brock Bowers.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
The team's awful genty got off a bit last week,
but Giants are hideous. We just saw them. They're at
home against against the Giants.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Love it.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Brock Bowers kind of catching some steam on the back
end of the season.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
The way we loud the defense still playing here in.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Minnesota, Let's laud brock Bauers scoring a touchdown a lot
of an effectively meaningless game for an awful operation in Vegas,
Rock Bowers.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Let's get some money for feed by starving children.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Beat those starving children with Brock Bowers alec Lewis Athleticathletic
dot com.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Where do you go, Trey McBride. Yeah, the Cardinals tight end.
They're playing the Bengals. That defense is historically bad. And
Trey McBride this year has one hundred and nine catches
for one thousand, ninety eight yards and ten touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Damn and he's bride has ten touchdowns. I mean, this
guy's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Cincinnati's defense, fantasy defense, well defense period against tight ends,
real bad. Fifteen touchdowns, it's five more than then. The
team that my selection is playing with.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
This week will be remembered as the one in which
I overtake you and and don't give Ie hot back
for the twenty twenty five. And I have a lot
of confidence in that. But now Trey McBride, this guy is,
I mean, he's perennial underrated, perennially underrated because he plays
in Arizona for a team that's not very good and
catches passes from Jacoby Brissett.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
But he wasn't the bit last year that he didn't
get the touchdowns where he had like a and forty
catches or something insane, some insane number and maybe one
touchdown the whole season.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I will say this, I remember last year when the
Vikings played the Cardinals. I think it was last year, right,
and it might have been twenty three, but I remember
Kevin O'Connell mentioned Trey McBride either before the game or after,
and Trey hadn't gotten the extension at that point, he
was gonna be a free agent. I'm thinking Kevin's tossing
that in there because he's got his eyes on a
prize right here, and that's not gonna happen because ariz
(04:57):
under I can't even remember.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I think it was the game Cousins turned the corner
on the right edge and like and look like Fran
Tarkenton without where he.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Beat Marcus Golden for the pilot. Yeah, I mean he
took off and turned the corner. Yeah, I think it was.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
I think it was Cousins in twenty three early in
the season where he put the pedal to the medal
and ran in for a touchdown and he hit the edge.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
It was majestic. Click Fran the man on the fan.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
I'm gonna go with Jake ferguson Dallas Cowboys tight end
simply for the reason that they're playing Washington. Human nature
gets to win two and it's absolutely dominating with members
of this Washington defense. The commanders have given up ten
tight end touchdowns this year, second most in the NFL.
I will go with Jake Ferguson for Second Harvest Heartlam,
(05:48):
Trey McBride for the Kyrie Jackson Foundation, brought bowers for
feed My Starting Starving Children, Fantasycares dot Org. Chris Finch,
thank you very much. Quick question here before we pause,
speaking of tight ends.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
TJ. Hockinson's future here, what do you think?
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Well, first of all, I'm not sure if he's going
to play tomorrow. He was DMP on Monday, in the
estimator report, DMP yesterday and the estimator report has a
shoulder injury. And it's a good question as far as
his future. His contract is pretty sizable. Believe it's the
second biggest cat number for twenty twenty six among all
(06:24):
tight ends, behind David and Joku. Everybody in this room
and everybody driving around listening and whether they're listening on
the iHeart app, they know that TJ. Hockinson's production does
not match being the second highest cap number.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
What about Harrold fan in junior among tight ends.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
So I mean, you know, whether it's a pay cut
or whether it's him just getting cut at the end
of the season.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
That's probably where my mind goes with that one.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
And then that would create another hole really for this
roster of what they would do at tight end, whether
it's via the draft or free agency. There are some
names out there, but you don't.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Envision maybe being favored the idea of at least I
mean pulling a lever and altering that number.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
I mean potentially from a pay cut standpoint. I mean
he does, he does know the offense.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
But because I just think part of the two and
a half games with JJ McCarthy, and I'm not trying
to challenge anything you're saying, I just I love seeing
TJ come on a little bit.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Now, it's not to the degree he's getting let me
have this.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yeah, fifteen four is his base salary next year we
got signing bonuses and things.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
That's big. That's a massive freaking number for TJ.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
And last year we were celebrating in a Rams game
with nine sacks and we're getting ousted at a neutral
venue against the Rams.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
We were celebrating.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Hey, TJ finally got a touchdown last year, so that's
it's been so diminished and just not good enough. But
I just there there was a connection there. I just
felt like we that element of our offense that we've
been begging for we kind of started to see.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So if there was like a pay cut in the mix,
like I wouldn't mind that, yeah, potentially.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I mean I would say with TJ, you're you know,
he's much more of the pass catcher than he is
the run blocker type.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
But yeah, even me saying that, I mean some of.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
The production this year is just a byproduct of how
much he's had to chip and help the offensive line,
given all the offensive line, all of the numbers of
offensive line combinations that they've had to use this season.
So I mean it's an interesting one for sure. He
definitely is a bigger target for a guy in Jaj
McCarthy whose ball placement is can be inconsistent.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
So we'll see what happens with them.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
But the cat number where it is just gives them,
you know, it's either pay cut, yeah, or there's gonna
have to be roster situation.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
What's your name? Where you're from? Corey from Saint Paul, You're.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Officially a lead reporter for the nine to new radio
show because Tom Pelasero, as reported this morning, he's NFL
network dot com Tom. The Raiders are placing brock Bowers
on injury reserve to the injured reserve today, So it's great.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I guess am I allowed to pick again? Yeah? Choice
of course? Did that really happen? I know it's a
bad ALP, so let's put it up. Pick another one.
Good year hang out? Hey j Hawkinson? Oh wait, he's
not gonna play either. You know what I'm gonna take?
I'm going to I'm what about Ben Eurosex? See this
is this sucks because what about Shane Zilstraw. A charity
Minnesota Go Crazy has zero touchdown?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
A charity's on the line. I could I mean I
kind of want Colston Loveland. Yeah, take Colston Lovelin. I'm
not taking Colston Loveland. What about Britton Strange? The most
underrated by J Barner. I kind of want Josh Oliver to,
uh do it hit that hit that six t D
mark he has four?
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Take care about Joe Johnson.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
He might have gotten one of the four catches that
Jackson ball leeted last week.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Okay, this is gonna be You know what I'm gonna do, Oliver,
I'm gonna take tight end. Juwan Johnson of the New
Orleans Saints got down against the Tennessee Titans this week.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Team's red hot. Oh yeah, they've got Tyler Shuck red hot.
When's the last time they lost? I don't know. I
wont three of their last four. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I apologize. I haven't watched the Saints a ton of late.
Juwan Johnson for feed my starving children. Watch Kittle's gonna play.
I'll tell you we got a Jaguars fan in the house. Yeah,
he knows that Britain strange. Yeah that you just passed
up on Britain strains. That was That was tough, very fair.
That'll be a mistake on my partner. Well brother, thank
you for the help there on behalf of the charity.
This is nine to noon, approaching the midway point of
(10:20):
the Christmas Eve Feast on kf a M breaking philanthropic
(10:47):
news courtesy of the Wednesday Christmas Eve Football Feast and
involved the the I Hop.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
In honor of fall.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
As I mentioned, Fantasycares dot Org is putting up fifty
dollars for three charities for each point we a master
in the course of the year. That number is eleven
dollars right now, thanks to a match of my points
by Chris Finch for Second Harvest HEARTLAMB, we now have
(11:15):
a match for Nordo and feed my starving children. This
took place between segments. It's a familiar name for those
of you who listen to nine to Noon and for more.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Here's Nordo. What do we got?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Yeah, so I have amassed twenty three hundred dollars with
my forty six points. And while we were talking through
the segment, I got a text from Matt who owns
Thousand Hills Lifetime grazed grass fed Beef and it's been
a blessing to promote them and support them and partner
with them over the last two three years now and
they're a Clearwater, Minnesota company, Nutrient dense beef for generative agriculture.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Awesome product, real sponsor bikes love it bikes bites weekdays
nine to noon. They do.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Indeed, So Matt's listening and he heard you talking about
of course Chris Finch.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Am I my second Harvest and MaTx like I'm out here.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Thanks, thanks for working today while I do chores, Merry Christmas. Oh,
thousand Hills will match your winnings to feed my starving children.
So whatever I finished up with A thousand Hills is
going to help me out, which means now we are
all Juwan Johnson New Orleans Saints tight end fans this
weekend to maybe bump.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
That number up. So I love you, Matt, love everybody.
A thousand Hills.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
We're at fourteen thousand, one hundred dollars for three charities.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Man, that's nice.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
I remember before the season, this must have been like August, Pa,
we were sitting at the grocery store. I remember talking
about Friday football feast ideas and you came up with ihop,
like literally on the spot. I didn't understand how he
was hungry. You came up with that immediately, and we
I mean at least I did not ever foresee this
becoming something.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
That would benefit like this.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
It's it's actually been incredible, really and awesome to be
a part of so big.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Thanks everybody, and in terms of eye hoop and all
of that. Now, I don't forget, No, that's perfect fifteen,
that's awesome. One thing I did want to broach at
some point, I mean we're not We're not in it,
but we're still following, whether it's it's the Bears and what.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
We've seen at Niners or Ravens.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
What's up with Lamar versus will Jordan Love play with
the concussion? I mean the other side of this game,
Alec in terms of if we were to beat the Lions,
that assures, of course the Packers a playoff spot, but
if the Lions handle business this weekend, it's still a
Lions got to win out, Packers got to lose out,
and so there's still in a wild card race that
(13:38):
isn't the most interesting you've ever seen.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
It affects North teams, but.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
These these handicapping these games into this weekend. Here with
what you've seen out of the Packers now post injury
to Parsons now the head injury needing that game against
the Ravens, and what you've seen out of the Bears.
But they're heading to San Fran into the Bay. I
mean these games handy capping them, slash and joining them
is very difficult into the weekend.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Well yeah, I mean part of it is just the injuries,
like as Jordan Love's concussion, where's he at? Malik Willis
has a shoulder injury, where is he? Is Lamar Jackson
gonna play for the Ravens and then if not, it's
gonna be not Snoop Dogg, but Snoop Huntley.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
So I mean you're talking about the Bears.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Like that game the other night, the night before the
Vikings played the Giants was just exceptional. Like I loved
watching that game just as a fan of football.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
I thought Malik Willis played really well in the game.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
Yeah, and then Ben Johnson and what he's been able
to do is beyond impressive. I mean, they run the
ball really well behind a great offensive line. The defense
at some point, like the turnovers just become a feature
and less just.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
This variance thing.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
I view the Bears kind of like the twenty twenty
two Vikings, except their quarterback has a little more like
ceiling to them, and then their defensive coordinator and the
adaptability on defense gives them a much probably higher probability
of chance and a one off sample, but it'll be
interesting to see who wins these games this weekend. And again,
(15:14):
like just to go back to the Packers, defensive coordinator
Jeff Hafley's really good and so they've been able to
work even without Michael Parsons and then Malik Willis stepping in,
and the seamless nature with which that offense has been
able to run without Jordan Love and Spurts the last
couple of years.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
It kind of blows you away a little bit.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
The way we were talking about culture and coaching in
the NFL. Would you see you know, Ben Johnson. We
can look at it and say, wow, that's a loss
on Detroit side, But do you believe in Ben Johnson
as not a twenty twenty two Not that that was
a flash in the pan per se, but it was circumstantially,
you know, every ball bouncing in favor of the Purple
(15:53):
We felt that in twenty twenty two, loved it and
then we add well the Giants at home wild Guard weekend,
it didn't work out the Tell Boys. But now this
time around, whether it's level of faith in the quarterback
and what he's been able to do, establishing really Chicago
Lands version of the Detroit running attack with the two
headed beast, you know, trusting in Ben Johnson, believing that
(16:15):
this small sample size is actually just the story of
stability and what's to come.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Do you are are you there yet. With him?
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Yeah, with Ben Johnson, I have the utmost respect for him.
One of the things that doesn't get enough credit is
his ability to adapt in game offensively and play the
chess match within the game.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
He is as good as anybody with that.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
And then he I mean, he installs the run game
like he is the coach standing in front of the
room in a week two week basis, in front of
the Bears offense and installing the run game with passion
and with intent and with priority. And you see that
in the way they play. They value the run game.
It is something that they really hang their hat on.
(17:01):
And then Caleb Williams, it feels like Ben has really
pushed him to a certain place where he has become
more consistent. So yeah, I'm a buyer of the Bears
for sure, A believer in the Bears for sure. Do
I think they can win the Super Bowl this year?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Not at all. Do I think they can win multiple
playoff games?
Speaker 5 (17:17):
No?
Speaker 4 (17:18):
But do I think and believe in Ben Johnson and
the culture he will build within this division for a
long time.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Absolutely, I do.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
I was here, I was listening to the Power Trap
Morning show today and I think it was Pella Sero
talking about it a bit like pa We've mentioned just
kind of chip chair and chance and it feels like
that year. And that's what hurts his Vikings fans is
we're not part of that, the chip chair and chance
opportunity in the postseason. But when you think about similarly
to going to a neutral field with fourteen wins and
(17:45):
playing the Rams a year ago, one of these teams,
I mean, even the second seeded bears themselves, if it
plays out the way it currently is sitting in the standings,
they're gonna have to go potentially at some point to
an NFC West team. I mean, right now, the Panthers
would be hosting the Niners. What a freaking kick in
the pants to be hosting a playoff game after that
(18:07):
grind to get through and oh your reward is the Niners.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Just the muddy nature of this postseason, specifically in the
NFC is just it's super fascinating and fun.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
I think it's fascinating.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
The audible nature of the complaining about teams with twelve,
thirteen to fourteen wins having to go on the road.
Round number one just popped up last couple of years.
Everybody seemed to be awfully cool with it until their
team was the one that had to go on the road.
I think the Niners are going to win the NFC West,
(18:39):
and I think that's going to be that's going to
be very intriguing because Seattle's going to bring a good
team on the road. The Rams are going to bring
a good team on the road. Philadelphia Division champions, They're
gonna have a home playoff game. They're going to have
to win three consecutive. Pity the fool who thinks they can't,
because they can. And the NFC North, you know, it
(19:01):
ended the season and for a large part of the season. Yeah,
I think it was fair to look at it as
the best division in the NFL. It might be, but
I mean that NFC West, man, It's I don't know
if the NFC North is the best division in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (19:16):
No, I mean, I'm not sure, but I will say
like these teams in this division are are hardened with
the competition that they face on a week to week basis,
Like the I mean the specific to the Packers and Bears,
like the leverage moments in the games they've played. That
stuff matters once you get into the playoffs. And I
will say, I mean, the Packers are really interesting to me,
(19:37):
and they have been all year. Not having Micah to
me limits their ceiling. But I've told you guys before,
like I think Jordan Love's really good. Their offense is
really well schemed. So I will be you guys said
it's fascinating. I will be just very curious to see
how it plays out.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
The talker from there, and I think it's a fair
talker is despite losing Michael Parsons and despite the injury
to Jordan Love, the way they lost at Denver, and
Denver's a good team, quality team, and then the way
they just lost Bear's quality team. If the Packers don't
win a playoff game this year, I wonder, however, management
(20:15):
is structured there as a team that's owned by the fans.
I just wonder, you know what they're going to think
of Matt Lafleur.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Yeah, it's in just all the wins and the sustained success.
But then you run into the roadblock. I think that's
why I would have to bend the knee to the
NFC West. When you talk about who the best division
in football, and specifically in the National Football Conference.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Is the getting over the hump as good as the
Lions were.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Lions fans going from bags over their heads to thinking
about bye weeks. In the playoffs, they get absolutely waxed
at home in front of their favorite fan base by
the Commanders, and you have the Viking situation sadly the
way it plays out against the Rams getting over the hump.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Mcvay's done it.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Shanahan needs to find that trophy, but he's done it
in terms of getting to Super Bowls and now new
new regime, new culture, new era in Seattle. I just
think the West at this particular moment. The North might
be more competitive top to bottom, but I think the
West might be the best division in the bit.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Well, laflort not to cut you off.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
The laflor thing is, I mean, if you let go
of that guy, I mean you better be finding someone
special because and and.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Look, well that's always the argument though, like I've heard it.
You know in the college football team. We'll talk with
Tanner at eleven. It's like, if you're gonna fire somebody
or PJ moves on, who you're gonna get if you
get rid of laflora as good as he is who
you're gonna get. Yeah, and and and I wonder how
much that paralyzes people from making.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Even if it was the right decision, not saying.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
They should fire Laflora, I just wonder how that plays
into their mindset when they make that decision.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
And he's obviously Matt is an interesting personality, and he's
very fiery, and I mean he carries himself with a
certain amount of like air to him. Without question, I'm
saying that in a very Minnesota nice way, but I
mean as an offensive like the development of Jordan Love,
what they do in the run game, you know so
(22:06):
many young players. That team should be good for a
long time with where they are right now. And and
I mean he's had a big role in building that.
So that's just kind of how I view it.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
But we'll see.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
I mean, it is a new president. I believe in
ed policy, I believe his name. So it'll be interesting
to follow from AFAR.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Minnesota Wild coach John Hines joins the feast when we
return to Buffalo Wild Wings Roseville on k f.
Speaker 6 (22:31):
A N.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Fan Buffalo Wild Wings Roseville on the Christmas.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Seed for checking Feast. Can we get a witness in.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
A raucous round of applause for Minnesota Wild coach John Hines,
who's joining us now via the phone lines. Coach Hines,
It's Paul Allen Alex Lewis from the Athletic nor to
the producer, and welcome to the Wednesday four checking feast.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Merry Christmas to you and your family. To Coach Hines,
how are you heinze B three.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Two five winds four JJ, Coach Hines, Sam, what's going on? Brother?
All right? We will have coaches here momentarily. The physically.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Yesterday, your boy's body broke down a little bit about
ten o'clock.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
So I slept from.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Noon until five and then like eight thirty until five
in the morning.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
How did you sleep that much overnight after sleeping five
hours during the day, and.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Explained it because I'm not an apple man. I'm not
an apple I've never heard that'd be like I needed it.
Nordo saw it.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Yesterday your boy's body fell at part I mean that
that eleven hours on buses and planes on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
I mean I think it had a lingering effect.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Well, I mean for you to be playing through playing
hurt this late in the season.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
I wanted to be there for.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
The Finch and Quasi interviews yesterday at t CEO Studio.
That was it, and so therefore I knew the Wild
War was playing, but I didn't watch the game because
I was knocked out. But they they, well, why don't
you dollars what happened? You watched it for a coach
eines Intel.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yeah, I turned it on the third period.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
It was two two at the time, and I mean
it was I had been watching the Wolves and I
wasn't really doing much last night besides watching Vikings Lions
film just to prepare for Thursday's game, and then.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
It obviously switches over.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
I switched over for the Wolves looking at the Wild
and and it was you know, there was an early
power play in the third period that the Wild could
and capitalize on and then for there that led to
overtime and and I believe it was Stamcost who punched
it in at the end.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
But I I, uh, yeah, I enjoyed watching them. They're
fun to watch.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Yeah, they are fun to watch, and I thought there
were periods where they were dominating the game, but you
you mentioned the power play, and that was where they
kind of got nipped back. Into the first period there
with two power play goals for the Preds.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
And and the Central Division collisions as they are.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
You've spent so much time focusing on the Stars and
Aves Preds are game, and that's that's when you want
two points in certainly, And when we talked to the
head coach, if we're able to, we'll uh, you know,
he'll he'll yeah. Of course he watched those two points.
But Heinze, oh yeah, hey.
Speaker 6 (25:38):
Coach going, I'm here. How you guys doing.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Hold on, ladies and gentlemen at the Wednesday four checking
feast at Buffalo Wild Wings Roseville, can we get a
witness in a racus roundup applause for Minnesota wild head
coach Sean Hines. Uh Man, we got fifty points at
the holiday break and that's the most in the history
of the franchise at this stage. That's the uh that
(26:02):
would be the rose colored look at it. Coaches, though
they rarely smell said roses. So Heinze still is probably
thinking about last night a little bit, or maybe that
Colorado game. So we are here to share some Christmas
cheer with one of our favorite coaches.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
How about a roundup applause? Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Make them feel good with Christmas tomorrow, coach onmes. Merry
Christmas to you, brother, you and your family. God bless you.
Thank you for joining nine to noon on a weekly basis.
And uh and now that you guys get some downtime,
what do you do with the downtime?
Speaker 6 (26:34):
Yeah? Thanks P. I appreciate the uh, all all the
support there and always fun coming on with you guys
every week. I would say, you know what it's it's
it's really a quiet time. Today is obviously we have
three days off, so just finishing up a couple of
things video wise and things like that this morning and
then kind of put it to bed for you know,
(26:55):
put this afternoon tonight tomorrow, kind of get away from
a little bit. Just just stay at home with my family,
enjoy Christmas in some downtime, and then kind of rerack
a little bit on the twenty sixth of some preparations,
and then we're back at it for a big fourteen
day road trip on the twenty seventh.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
All Right, the next voice you'll hear at these football
slash four checking feast, we have me Nordo, the producer
with whom you chat weekly Also, a man named Alec
Lewis covers the Minnesota Vikings writes about the NFL for
the Athletic The Athletic dot Com. He moved here from Aniston, Alabama,
within the last five years and really never had followed
(27:36):
hockey a lit so then he moves into the state
of hockey and he's like, I better learn something about this.
He has become the biggest Matt Boldi fan you will
ever find. He leads the Anniston, Alabama charge of the
Matt Boldi Fan Club. They have branches in Birmingham and
also spreading into Mississippi and Louisiana and Oklahoma. Alex is
(27:59):
super excited to chat with you.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
Ale Yeah, coaches, thanks for being here. First off, I
hope Russo and Joe Smith take it easy on you.
Those guys are dogged. I do want to ask with
Matt Boldie obviously what I'd just be curious from your perspective,
what is most special about him?
Speaker 2 (28:18):
In your eyes? Boldie, you're talking about yes, ye.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Yeah, he's you know what bolds is, uh. He's a
He's a really talented, athletically gifted UH player. And what
makes him specialists he's got he really has a combination
of great physical attributes, but he also has great hockey sense,
you know, like you have that in any any sport.
(28:47):
Awareness reads intuition to be able to play the game.
That's what Bolts has and what you know, what he's
done is he's really built himself into a very consistent,
reliable player. He plays to his strengths with which is
a power forward game that has high end skill. He's
extremely competitive. So when you get that combination of someone
(29:08):
that that is you know, has the physical attributes that
he has combined with a work ethic and a dedication
to the game and a competitive spirit every night, you
know you have a good chance to become a real
elite player.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Hey, coach, now that now.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
That we're nearly three weeks into having Quinn Hughes as
a part of this or a couple of weeks as
part of having Quinn Hughes involved, are there things that
you're starting to learn about your squad, learn about this roster,
how they work together, how they mix together. Now that
you you have added another high end or into the mix.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
We know he changes games, but have.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
You have you seen anything over the last couple of
weeks in terms of how you're how you're perceiving some
of the other guys in the mix.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
Yeah, I think that if you know, anytime you make
a trader, add a player of of Quinn's significance to
your roster, there's always going to be some there's always
going to be some effects and some change because you're
adding you know, one of the top two defensemen in
the league to your team, So roles and responsibilities are
going to change. What I will say is that Quinn's
really fit in the personality, fit and what he brings
(30:16):
on and off the ice has fit really well with
our team. Sometimes that's not always the case, but he's
fit really well with our group. I think from a
team chemistry standpoint and from an on ice standpoint, what
I'm starting to see now, not just with Quinn, but
that we're healthy, is that now there's roles and responsibilities
have shifted, ice time has shifted, and now it's you know,
(30:42):
we've got to get through that too. Is okay, we
have a healthy team right now, we have a deep
team right now. Well, now there needs to be some
self sacrifice and how do we man how do we
get the right roles and responsibilities and ice times to
where everybody has an ability to contribute and we're a
well oiled machine. I think that's sputtered a little bit.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
The last two games, John, When you make a move
for a player of the galliber of Hughes, is it
an indicator within the room that guys, you know, if
you didn't think that we were ten to ten serius,
we are And like, how does it open eyes of
others within the team within the room when you bring
(31:23):
somebody like that.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
In, Well, it certainly sends the message to your team
that the organization believes in you and trying to give
us the best opportunity to be an extremely competitive team
in the regular scene season in the playoffs. So that's
always an invigorating experience when you have that, because you're
adding a player that certainly makes your team better and
(31:47):
deeper and stronger. But what comes along with that is
now things start to shift where there may be guys
that run the power play that are not on the
power play.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
Now.
Speaker 6 (31:57):
There may be guys that are used to playing in
the top four minutes, but now they're playing in the
five to six pair, you know, So you now it
starts to come to you've added a player of significance
to your team. It's made you deeper and stronger. But
now we've got to find and and and the players
have to be willing and accepting to play certain types
(32:19):
of roles for the benefit of the team.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
You know, I didn't want to talk about, you know,
health and things, but you you did bring it up.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Coach.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
It was just kind of fun to see Marcus Johansson back,
and we got Bogosian, we got Middleton. You mentioned a coach,
I mean, and those are parts of sadly too frequent,
a number of conversations that we have about your squad
and just getting guys on the ice and being available
and such. It was just kind of funny, you know,
Johansson gets an assist last night, like just having all
(32:47):
these guys. Look at the choices you have now from
a roster standpoint, coach, Oh, yeah.
Speaker 6 (32:52):
It's so good. I mean, it's so nice to have
those guys back. And you know, I think the camerascry
within the team is very good. You know, when you
have guys that have been been out for a long
period of times, you know, it's nice to have those
guys back. And as you said, I think the options
that you have you feel comfortable being behind the bench
(33:12):
with that group, because I think everyone's you know, everyone's uh,
I think playing pretty solid right now. And that gives
us the ability to play guys in different situations and
and kind of roll it out a little bit. And
we're gonna need that, you know, especially coming out of
the break. It's gonna be you know, we're gonna come
on the break and play Winnipeg and then we're on
a fourteen day road trip with quite a bit of hockey.
(33:33):
So it's nice that as of now, we're look like
we're coming into that with a with a full group.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
John Hines, coach of the Minnesota Wild, on the four
checking piece, All right, Alan, go ahead, coach?
Speaker 4 (33:44):
Ons, are you're talking about, you know, assessing the amount
of ice time and trying to allocate, you know, the
correct amount in terms of you know, when you're including
a player like this and the ruster, Like, what is
the process for you guys as a coaching staff to
try to discern how much you're allocating and and like
(34:05):
what does the evaluation look like in trying to make
those decisions from your standpoint?
Speaker 6 (34:11):
Yeah, I think probably one is really what is the
right the preferable amount of ice time per player for
a role in situation. That's number one, and then I think,
you know, it goes into Now. I do think that
every game is different. Sometimes the circumstances of a game
may dictate that that is going to change, and that's
(34:33):
just you know, in game situation that is gained by
game that you may have to alter kind of what
your plan is depending on what the situation is. You're
up the game, you're down, you're chasing the lead. There's
lots of special teams, you know, there's lots of things
that come into someone's ice time being varied based on situations,
But ideally it's it's having guys that have roles and responsibilities,
(34:57):
whether they're five on five ice time or are you
going using a power play a penny kill, what's going
to happen three on three and four and four? And
then from there you kind of have your assessments of
what you're going to do in each game. Sometimes it
plays out like you want. Other times, like I said,
the circumstances dictate that some of those things may change.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Coach feud to close here when when when you mentioned
off last night? Uh, clearly frustrated that some of the
guys passed up on primo shots, you know, prime shots.
Why would that be, Like, it's not why did you
say what you said? Why why would people consistently pass
on prime shots?
Speaker 6 (35:36):
Uh? Sometimes it's just looking for a prettier play, or
you know they feel like you know, sometimes you get
into mode where you like, I thought we had no
there's some games where you know that's the play, but
there was some times last night where we were walking
right down in the slot, untouched, undefended, and passed the
(35:57):
pluck to covered players or plays that were outside the
scoring area. So to me, that's just the game is
trying to be a little bit too fancy. I think
that like in every game, everybody, every sport, you have
to take what the games give, what the game gives you.
Some games, there's no time in space, you don't have
those looks, the pass play might be there. But other games,
(36:18):
when you have those looks or the other team has
a breakdown, you know, I felt like we could have
capitalized on some of those, some of those opportunities last
night more than we did.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Hey, allowing five power play goals the last ten gills
is is there a common thread in there that obviously
you want eliminated.
Speaker 6 (36:39):
Yeah, our attention to detail needs to be better, you know,
on on some of the plays where we get into
these little funks with the penalty kill, at times where
we're on point and the details are strong and we're
aggressive and we're on our toes, and then you know,
I felt the last two games the details weren't as
(36:59):
as they need to be, and they need to be
on the penalty kill. You're playing against five best players
on the other team. So if you're loose and your
details aren't good and you don't get a big save,
lots of times that winds up in the back of
the next So that'll be our focus going on to
this road trip is getting back to giving ourselves the
best chance on the penalty kill and getting that thing
tightened up.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
Seven game roadie, I'll begin Saturday at Winnipeg last one.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Yeah, it's kind of a cheesy question, coach, but I'm
getting ready to watch my favorite hoops team in primetime tomorrow.
I got my favorite football team going at three thirty.
I love my team, so I'm going to watch them.
In a way though as a coach that he's in
a league that produces entertainment for US fans. Is there
a level of just appreciation that the NHL has held
so tough to a specific Christmas break that you guys
(37:47):
will get the opportunity to sit down with your respective
families supposedly kind of geared down as much as a
coach can, and then re up as you get into
the road trip.
Speaker 6 (37:58):
Yeah, it is nice. I mean, youn't get a lot
of uh, you don't get a lot of opportunity to
have kind of a two or three day break other
than the All Star break, So it is nice to have,
you know, particularly today and tomorrow off you just have Christmas,
even Christmas Day and whatever it is is to spend
some time with family. And I think sometimes it's nice
(38:18):
that you have an opportunity on a holiday because people
aren't working. There is in school, so if you want
to spend time with family and friends, everyone's usually available.
So you know, from our standpoint, you know, we certainly
appreciate that. But I would say on the other side
of it, I'm with you. I'll be watching I'll be
watching the Vikings tomorrow and lots of football and thank
god they're playing because it's some entertainment.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
Appreciate you man. Merry Christmas to you and your family,
and we'll chat with you next week after you start
that long road trip.
Speaker 6 (38:46):
Okay, all right, thanks for having you guys, have a
great Christmas.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Stuck you ye Bless John Hines. Ladies and gentlemen, John Hines.
Hin's the coach of the Minnesota Wild. Into the final hour,
we're gonna spend some time. I'm with a dear friend
of mine and former Golden Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan, who
is here at Buffalo Wild Wings, Roseville.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Tanner Time is around the corner on K A. N.
Dylanthropic fantasy portion of the Friday or Wednesday Football Feast
equation all season has been called I Hop in honor
of Paul, as in Paul Charchiam, a fantasy football, very
identifiable person with Fantasy football, but also the co host
of the Friday Football Feast for a decade and a half.
So would this be in the first year that Paul
(00:34):
isn't doing the feast with yours? Truly, we designated a
segment for him. We call it I Hop in Honor
of Paul. And what we do is we take a
position weekly. We do it like a regular fantasy football
touchdown scoring six for receptions and rushing touchdowns for.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Passing, actually two for safeties.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Nordo sniffed out does something from last game that absolutely
plays into the two point conversion. Two point conversion, thank
you not safety's two point conversions. And we've done it
all season and fantasycares dot org approached us within the
last month and said, we want to give fifty dollars
for every point that you guys amass to the charities
(01:15):
of your choices. Fantasycares dot org. Support them if you can.
They are very, very cool and very kind out of
nowhere to do that because the total right now is
eight six hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Wow, that's going to charities.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And then Chris Finch, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves a
few weeks ago, opted to match whatever total I finished
with because Second Harvest Heartland is my choice and he's
on the board, so that's an additional thirty three hundred.
We're at eleven eight hundred dollars right now, ladies and
gentlemen for charity. So Second Harvest Heartland right here, feed
(01:52):
my starving children for Nordo and the Kyrie Jackson Foundation
for Alec Lewis and I after James Cook.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
We had a couple of touchdowns last game.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
I have sixty six points, Alex Lewis has sixty, Nordo
has forty six. So Fantasycares dot Org is putting up
fifty dollars per point and we still have two to go.
Fantasycares dot Org, thank you very much, and we are
on the tight ends this week. Nordo selects first his
touchdowns only it was a it was a score gami
(02:24):
last week as we generated four touchdowns and a two
point conversion. Young Alex a selection of Sakuon Barkley had
a touchdown and a two, so that bumped him up
to sixty points.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Nordo your tight end and why yeah, I really really.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Want to take George Kittle, but this ankle thing is
going to drive me nuts all week.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Man, he looked good the other night. He was unbelievab.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
He even had two more catches for like thirty or
forty yards after he got the ankles. So with that said, however,
I'm going to take brock Bowers as he has I think.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Let me see you two.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
He's got four touchdowns in his last five, four touchdowns
in his last four.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Excuse me, brock Bowers.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
The team's awful genty got off a bit last week,
but Giants are hideous. We just saw them. They're at
home against against the Giants.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Love it.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Brock Bowers kind of catching some steam on the back
end of the season.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
The way we loud the defense still playing here in.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Minnesota, Let's laud brock Bauers scoring a touchdown a lot
of an effectively meaningless game for an awful operation in Vegas,
Rock Bowers.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Let's get some money for feed by starving children.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Beat those starving children with Brock Bowers alec Lewis Athleticathletic
dot com.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Where do you go, Trey McBride. Yeah, the Cardinals tight end.
They're playing the Bengals. That defense is historically bad. And
Trey McBride this year has one hundred and nine catches
for one thousand, ninety eight yards and ten touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Damn and he's bride has ten touchdowns. I mean, this
guy's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Cincinnati's defense, fantasy defense, well defense period against tight ends,
real bad. Fifteen touchdowns, it's five more than then. The
team that my selection is playing with.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
This week will be remembered as the one in which
I overtake you and and don't give Ie hot back
for the twenty twenty five. And I have a lot
of confidence in that. But now Trey McBride, this guy is,
I mean, he's perennial underrated, perennially underrated because he plays
in Arizona for a team that's not very good and
catches passes from Jacoby Brissett.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
But he wasn't the bit last year that he didn't
get the touchdowns where he had like a and forty
catches or something insane, some insane number and maybe one
touchdown the whole season.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I will say this, I remember last year when the
Vikings played the Cardinals. I think it was last year, right,
and it might have been twenty three, but I remember
Kevin O'Connell mentioned Trey McBride either before the game or after,
and Trey hadn't gotten the extension at that point, he
was gonna be a free agent. I'm thinking Kevin's tossing
that in there because he's got his eyes on a
prize right here, and that's not gonna happen because ariz
(04:57):
under I can't even remember.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I think it was the game Cousins turned the corner
on the right edge and like and look like Fran
Tarkenton without where he.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Beat Marcus Golden for the pilot. Yeah, I mean he
took off and turned the corner. Yeah, I think it was.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
I think it was Cousins in twenty three early in
the season where he put the pedal to the medal
and ran in for a touchdown and he hit the edge.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
It was majestic. Click Fran the man on the fan.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
I'm gonna go with Jake ferguson Dallas Cowboys tight end
simply for the reason that they're playing Washington. Human nature
gets to win two and it's absolutely dominating with members
of this Washington defense. The commanders have given up ten
tight end touchdowns this year, second most in the NFL.
I will go with Jake Ferguson for Second Harvest Heartlam,
(05:48):
Trey McBride for the Kyrie Jackson Foundation, brought bowers for
feed My Starting Starving Children, Fantasycares dot Org. Chris Finch,
thank you very much. Quick question here before we pause,
speaking of tight ends.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
TJ. Hockinson's future here, what do you think?
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Well, first of all, I'm not sure if he's going
to play tomorrow. He was DMP on Monday, in the
estimator report, DMP yesterday and the estimator report has a
shoulder injury. And it's a good question as far as
his future. His contract is pretty sizable. Believe it's the
second biggest cat number for twenty twenty six among all
(06:24):
tight ends, behind David and Joku. Everybody in this room
and everybody driving around listening and whether they're listening on
the iHeart app, they know that TJ. Hockinson's production does
not match being the second highest cap number.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
What about Harrold fan in junior among tight ends.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
So I mean, you know, whether it's a pay cut
or whether it's him just getting cut at the end
of the season.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
That's probably where my mind goes with that one.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
And then that would create another hole really for this
roster of what they would do at tight end, whether
it's via the draft or free agency. There are some
names out there, but you don't.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Envision maybe being favored the idea of at least I
mean pulling a lever and altering that number.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
I mean potentially from a pay cut standpoint. I mean
he does, he does know the offense.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
But because I just think part of the two and
a half games with JJ McCarthy, and I'm not trying
to challenge anything you're saying, I just I love seeing
TJ come on a little bit.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Now, it's not to the degree he's getting let me
have this.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yeah, fifteen four is his base salary next year we
got signing bonuses and things.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
That's big. That's a massive freaking number for TJ.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
And last year we were celebrating in a Rams game
with nine sacks and we're getting ousted at a neutral
venue against the Rams.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
We were celebrating.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Hey, TJ finally got a touchdown last year, so that's
it's been so diminished and just not good enough. But
I just there there was a connection there. I just
felt like we that element of our offense that we've
been begging for we kind of started to see.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So if there was like a pay cut in the mix,
like I wouldn't mind that, yeah, potentially.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I mean I would say with TJ, you're you know,
he's much more of the pass catcher than he is
the run blocker type.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
But yeah, even me saying that, I mean some of.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
The production this year is just a byproduct of how
much he's had to chip and help the offensive line,
given all the offensive line, all of the numbers of
offensive line combinations that they've had to use this season.
So I mean it's an interesting one for sure. He
definitely is a bigger target for a guy in Jaj
McCarthy whose ball placement is can be inconsistent.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
So we'll see what happens with them.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
But the cat number where it is just gives them,
you know, it's either pay cut, yeah, or there's gonna
have to be roster situation.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
What's your name? Where you're from? Corey from Saint Paul, You're.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Officially a lead reporter for the nine to new radio
show because Tom Pelasero, as reported this morning, he's NFL
network dot com Tom. The Raiders are placing brock Bowers
on injury reserve to the injured reserve today, So it's great.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I guess am I allowed to pick again? Yeah? Choice
of course? Did that really happen? I know it's a
bad ALP, so let's put it up. Pick another one.
Good year hang out? Hey j Hawkinson? Oh wait, he's
not gonna play either. You know what I'm gonna take?
I'm going to I'm what about Ben Eurosex? See this
is this sucks because what about Shane Zilstraw. A charity
Minnesota Go Crazy has zero touchdown?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
A charity's on the line. I could I mean I
kind of want Colston Loveland. Yeah, take Colston Lovelin. I'm
not taking Colston Loveland. What about Britton Strange? The most
underrated by J Barner. I kind of want Josh Oliver to,
uh do it hit that hit that six t D
mark he has four?
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Take care about Joe Johnson.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
He might have gotten one of the four catches that
Jackson ball leeted last week.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Okay, this is gonna be You know what I'm gonna do, Oliver,
I'm gonna take tight end. Juwan Johnson of the New
Orleans Saints got down against the Tennessee Titans this week.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Team's red hot. Oh yeah, they've got Tyler Shuck red hot.
When's the last time they lost? I don't know. I
wont three of their last four. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I apologize. I haven't watched the Saints a ton of late.
Juwan Johnson for feed my starving children. Watch Kittle's gonna play.
I'll tell you we got a Jaguars fan in the house. Yeah,
he knows that Britain strange. Yeah that you just passed
up on Britain strains. That was That was tough, very fair.
That'll be a mistake on my partner. Well brother, thank
you for the help there on behalf of the charity.
This is nine to noon, approaching the midway point of
(10:20):
the Christmas Eve Feast on kf a M breaking philanthropic
(10:47):
news courtesy of the Wednesday Christmas Eve Football Feast and
involved the the I Hop.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
In honor of fall.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
As I mentioned, Fantasycares dot Org is putting up fifty
dollars for three charities for each point we a master
in the course of the year. That number is eleven
dollars right now, thanks to a match of my points
by Chris Finch for Second Harvest HEARTLAMB, we now have
(11:15):
a match for Nordo and feed my starving children. This
took place between segments. It's a familiar name for those
of you who listen to nine to Noon and for more.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Here's Nordo. What do we got?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Yeah, so I have amassed twenty three hundred dollars with
my forty six points. And while we were talking through
the segment, I got a text from Matt who owns
Thousand Hills Lifetime grazed grass fed Beef and it's been
a blessing to promote them and support them and partner
with them over the last two three years now and
they're a Clearwater, Minnesota company, Nutrient dense beef for generative agriculture.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Awesome product, real sponsor bikes love it bikes bites weekdays
nine to noon. They do.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Indeed, So Matt's listening and he heard you talking about
of course Chris Finch.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Am I my second Harvest and MaTx like I'm out here.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Thanks, thanks for working today while I do chores, Merry Christmas. Oh,
thousand Hills will match your winnings to feed my starving children.
So whatever I finished up with A thousand Hills is
going to help me out, which means now we are
all Juwan Johnson New Orleans Saints tight end fans this
weekend to maybe bump.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
That number up. So I love you, Matt, love everybody.
A thousand Hills.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
We're at fourteen thousand, one hundred dollars for three charities.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Man, that's nice.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
I remember before the season, this must have been like August, Pa,
we were sitting at the grocery store. I remember talking
about Friday football feast ideas and you came up with ihop,
like literally on the spot. I didn't understand how he
was hungry. You came up with that immediately, and we
I mean at least I did not ever foresee this
becoming something.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
That would benefit like this.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
It's it's actually been incredible, really and awesome to be
a part of so big.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Thanks everybody, and in terms of eye hoop and all
of that. Now, I don't forget, No, that's perfect fifteen,
that's awesome. One thing I did want to broach at
some point, I mean we're not We're not in it,
but we're still following, whether it's it's the Bears and what.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
We've seen at Niners or Ravens.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
What's up with Lamar versus will Jordan Love play with
the concussion? I mean the other side of this game,
Alec in terms of if we were to beat the Lions,
that assures, of course the Packers a playoff spot, but
if the Lions handle business this weekend, it's still a
Lions got to win out, Packers got to lose out,
and so there's still in a wild card race that
(13:38):
isn't the most interesting you've ever seen.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
It affects North teams, but.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
These these handicapping these games into this weekend. Here with
what you've seen out of the Packers now post injury
to Parsons now the head injury needing that game against
the Ravens, and what you've seen out of the Bears.
But they're heading to San Fran into the Bay. I
mean these games handy capping them, slash and joining them
is very difficult into the weekend.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Well yeah, I mean part of it is just the injuries,
like as Jordan Love's concussion, where's he at? Malik Willis
has a shoulder injury, where is he? Is Lamar Jackson
gonna play for the Ravens and then if not, it's
gonna be not Snoop Dogg, but Snoop Huntley.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
So I mean you're talking about the Bears.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Like that game the other night, the night before the
Vikings played the Giants was just exceptional. Like I loved
watching that game just as a fan of football.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
I thought Malik Willis played really well in the game.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
Yeah, and then Ben Johnson and what he's been able
to do is beyond impressive. I mean, they run the
ball really well behind a great offensive line. The defense
at some point, like the turnovers just become a feature
and less just.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
This variance thing.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
I view the Bears kind of like the twenty twenty
two Vikings, except their quarterback has a little more like
ceiling to them, and then their defensive coordinator and the
adaptability on defense gives them a much probably higher probability
of chance and a one off sample, but it'll be
interesting to see who wins these games this weekend. And again,
(15:14):
like just to go back to the Packers, defensive coordinator
Jeff Hafley's really good and so they've been able to
work even without Michael Parsons and then Malik Willis stepping in,
and the seamless nature with which that offense has been
able to run without Jordan Love and Spurts the last
couple of years.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
It kind of blows you away a little bit.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
The way we were talking about culture and coaching in
the NFL. Would you see you know, Ben Johnson. We
can look at it and say, wow, that's a loss
on Detroit side, But do you believe in Ben Johnson
as not a twenty twenty two Not that that was
a flash in the pan per se, but it was circumstantially,
you know, every ball bouncing in favor of the Purple
(15:53):
We felt that in twenty twenty two, loved it and
then we add well the Giants at home wild Guard weekend,
it didn't work out the Tell Boys. But now this
time around, whether it's level of faith in the quarterback
and what he's been able to do, establishing really Chicago
Lands version of the Detroit running attack with the two
headed beast, you know, trusting in Ben Johnson, believing that
(16:15):
this small sample size is actually just the story of
stability and what's to come.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Do you are are you there yet. With him?
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Yeah, with Ben Johnson, I have the utmost respect for him.
One of the things that doesn't get enough credit is
his ability to adapt in game offensively and play the
chess match within the game.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
He is as good as anybody with that.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
And then he I mean, he installs the run game
like he is the coach standing in front of the
room in a week two week basis, in front of
the Bears offense and installing the run game with passion
and with intent and with priority. And you see that
in the way they play. They value the run game.
It is something that they really hang their hat on.
(17:01):
And then Caleb Williams, it feels like Ben has really
pushed him to a certain place where he has become
more consistent. So yeah, I'm a buyer of the Bears
for sure, A believer in the Bears for sure. Do
I think they can win the Super Bowl this year?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Not at all. Do I think they can win multiple
playoff games?
Speaker 5 (17:17):
No?
Speaker 4 (17:18):
But do I think and believe in Ben Johnson and
the culture he will build within this division for a
long time.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Absolutely, I do.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
I was here, I was listening to the Power Trap
Morning show today and I think it was Pella Sero
talking about it a bit like pa We've mentioned just
kind of chip chair and chance and it feels like
that year. And that's what hurts his Vikings fans is
we're not part of that, the chip chair and chance
opportunity in the postseason. But when you think about similarly
to going to a neutral field with fourteen wins and
(17:45):
playing the Rams a year ago, one of these teams,
I mean, even the second seeded bears themselves, if it
plays out the way it currently is sitting in the standings,
they're gonna have to go potentially at some point to
an NFC West team. I mean, right now, the Panthers
would be hosting the Niners. What a freaking kick in
the pants to be hosting a playoff game after that
(18:07):
grind to get through and oh your reward is the Niners.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Just the muddy nature of this postseason, specifically in the
NFC is just it's super fascinating and fun.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
I think it's fascinating.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
The audible nature of the complaining about teams with twelve,
thirteen to fourteen wins having to go on the road.
Round number one just popped up last couple of years.
Everybody seemed to be awfully cool with it until their
team was the one that had to go on the road.
I think the Niners are going to win the NFC West,
(18:39):
and I think that's going to be that's going to
be very intriguing because Seattle's going to bring a good
team on the road. The Rams are going to bring
a good team on the road. Philadelphia Division champions, They're
gonna have a home playoff game. They're going to have
to win three consecutive. Pity the fool who thinks they can't,
because they can. And the NFC North, you know, it
(19:01):
ended the season and for a large part of the season. Yeah,
I think it was fair to look at it as
the best division in the NFL. It might be, but
I mean that NFC West, man, It's I don't know
if the NFC North is the best division in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (19:16):
No, I mean, I'm not sure, but I will say
like these teams in this division are are hardened with
the competition that they face on a week to week basis,
Like the I mean the specific to the Packers and Bears,
like the leverage moments in the games they've played. That
stuff matters once you get into the playoffs. And I
will say, I mean, the Packers are really interesting to me,
(19:37):
and they have been all year. Not having Micah to
me limits their ceiling. But I've told you guys before,
like I think Jordan Love's really good. Their offense is
really well schemed. So I will be you guys said
it's fascinating. I will be just very curious to see
how it plays out.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
The talker from there, and I think it's a fair
talker is despite losing Michael Parsons and despite the injury
to Jordan Love, the way they lost at Denver, and
Denver's a good team, quality team, and then the way
they just lost Bear's quality team. If the Packers don't
win a playoff game this year, I wonder, however, management
(20:15):
is structured there as a team that's owned by the fans.
I just wonder, you know what they're going to think
of Matt Lafleur.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Yeah, it's in just all the wins and the sustained success.
But then you run into the roadblock. I think that's
why I would have to bend the knee to the
NFC West. When you talk about who the best division
in football, and specifically in the National Football Conference.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Is the getting over the hump as good as the
Lions were.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Lions fans going from bags over their heads to thinking
about bye weeks. In the playoffs, they get absolutely waxed
at home in front of their favorite fan base by
the Commanders, and you have the Viking situation sadly the
way it plays out against the Rams getting over the hump.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Mcvay's done it.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Shanahan needs to find that trophy, but he's done it
in terms of getting to Super Bowls and now new
new regime, new culture, new era in Seattle. I just
think the West at this particular moment. The North might
be more competitive top to bottom, but I think the
West might be the best division in the bit.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Well, laflort not to cut you off.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
The laflor thing is, I mean, if you let go
of that guy, I mean you better be finding someone
special because and and.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Look, well that's always the argument though, like I've heard it.
You know in the college football team. We'll talk with
Tanner at eleven. It's like, if you're gonna fire somebody
or PJ moves on, who you're gonna get if you
get rid of laflora as good as he is who
you're gonna get. Yeah, and and and I wonder how
much that paralyzes people from making.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Even if it was the right decision, not saying.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
They should fire Laflora, I just wonder how that plays
into their mindset when they make that decision.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
And he's obviously Matt is an interesting personality, and he's
very fiery, and I mean he carries himself with a
certain amount of like air to him. Without question, I'm
saying that in a very Minnesota nice way, but I
mean as an offensive like the development of Jordan Love,
what they do in the run game, you know so
(22:06):
many young players. That team should be good for a
long time with where they are right now. And and
I mean he's had a big role in building that.
So that's just kind of how I view it.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
But we'll see.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
I mean, it is a new president. I believe in
ed policy, I believe his name. So it'll be interesting
to follow from AFAR.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Minnesota Wild coach John Hines joins the feast when we
return to Buffalo Wild Wings Roseville on k f.
Speaker 6 (22:31):
A N.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Fan Buffalo Wild Wings Roseville on the Christmas.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Seed for checking Feast. Can we get a witness in.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
A raucous round of applause for Minnesota Wild coach John Hines,
who's joining us now via the phone lines. Coach Hines,
It's Paul Allen Alex Lewis from the Athletic nor to
the producer, and welcome to the Wednesday four checking feast.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Merry Christmas to you and your family. To Coach Hines,
how are you heinze B three.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Two five winds four JJ, Coach Hines, Sam, what's going on? Brother?
All right? We will have coaches here momentarily. The physically.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Yesterday, your boy's body broke down a little bit about
ten o'clock.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
So I slept from.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Noon until five and then like eight thirty until five
in the morning.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
How did you sleep that much overnight after sleeping five
hours during the day, and.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Explained it because I'm not an apple man. I'm not
an apple I've never heard that'd be like I needed it.
Nordo saw it.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Yesterday your boy's body fell at part I mean that
that eleven hours on buses and planes on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
I mean I think it had a lingering effect.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Well, I mean for you to be playing through playing
hurt this late in the season.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
I wanted to be there for.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
The Finch and Quasi interviews yesterday at t CEO Studio.
That was it, and so therefore I knew the Wild
War was playing, but I didn't watch the game because
I was knocked out. But they they, well, why don't
you dollars what happened? You watched it for a coach
eines Intel.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yeah, I turned it on the third period.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
It was two two at the time, and I mean
it was I had been watching the Wolves and I
wasn't really doing much last night besides watching Vikings Lions
film just to prepare for Thursday's game, and then.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
It obviously switches over.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
I switched over for the Wolves looking at the Wild
and and it was you know, there was an early
power play in the third period that the Wild could
and capitalize on and then for there that led to
overtime and and I believe it was Stamcost who punched
it in at the end.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
But I I, uh, yeah, I enjoyed watching them. They're
fun to watch.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Yeah, they are fun to watch, and I thought there
were periods where they were dominating the game, but you
you mentioned the power play, and that was where they
kind of got nipped back. Into the first period there
with two power play goals for the Preds.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
And and the Central Division collisions as they are.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
You've spent so much time focusing on the Stars and
Aves Preds are game, and that's that's when you want
two points in certainly, And when we talked to the
head coach, if we're able to, we'll uh, you know,
he'll he'll yeah. Of course he watched those two points.
But Heinze, oh yeah, hey.
Speaker 6 (25:38):
Coach going, I'm here. How you guys doing.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Hold on, ladies and gentlemen at the Wednesday four checking
feast at Buffalo Wild Wings Roseville, can we get a
witness in a racus roundup applause for Minnesota wild head
coach Sean Hines. Uh Man, we got fifty points at
the holiday break and that's the most in the history
of the franchise at this stage. That's the uh that
(26:02):
would be the rose colored look at it. Coaches, though
they rarely smell said roses. So Heinze still is probably
thinking about last night a little bit, or maybe that
Colorado game. So we are here to share some Christmas
cheer with one of our favorite coaches.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
How about a roundup applause? Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Make them feel good with Christmas tomorrow, coach onmes. Merry
Christmas to you, brother, you and your family. God bless you.
Thank you for joining nine to noon on a weekly basis.
And uh and now that you guys get some downtime,
what do you do with the downtime?
Speaker 6 (26:34):
Yeah? Thanks P. I appreciate the uh, all all the
support there and always fun coming on with you guys
every week. I would say, you know what it's it's
it's really a quiet time. Today is obviously we have
three days off, so just finishing up a couple of
things video wise and things like that this morning and
then kind of put it to bed for you know,
(26:55):
put this afternoon tonight tomorrow, kind of get away from
a little bit. Just just stay at home with my family,
enjoy Christmas in some downtime, and then kind of rerack
a little bit on the twenty sixth of some preparations,
and then we're back at it for a big fourteen
day road trip on the twenty seventh.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
All Right, the next voice you'll hear at these football
slash four checking feast, we have me Nordo, the producer
with whom you chat weekly Also, a man named Alec
Lewis covers the Minnesota Vikings writes about the NFL for
the Athletic The Athletic dot Com. He moved here from Aniston, Alabama,
within the last five years and really never had followed
(27:36):
hockey a lit so then he moves into the state
of hockey and he's like, I better learn something about this.
He has become the biggest Matt Boldi fan you will
ever find. He leads the Anniston, Alabama charge of the
Matt Boldi Fan Club. They have branches in Birmingham and
also spreading into Mississippi and Louisiana and Oklahoma. Alex is
(27:59):
super excited to chat with you.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
Ale Yeah, coaches, thanks for being here. First off, I
hope Russo and Joe Smith take it easy on you.
Those guys are dogged. I do want to ask with
Matt Boldie obviously what I'd just be curious from your perspective,
what is most special about him?
Speaker 2 (28:18):
In your eyes? Boldie, you're talking about yes, ye.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Yeah, he's you know what bolds is, uh. He's a
He's a really talented, athletically gifted UH player. And what
makes him specialists he's got he really has a combination
of great physical attributes, but he also has great hockey sense,
you know, like you have that in any any sport.
(28:47):
Awareness reads intuition to be able to play the game.
That's what Bolts has and what you know, what he's
done is he's really built himself into a very consistent,
reliable player. He plays to his strengths with which is
a power forward game that has high end skill. He's
extremely competitive. So when you get that combination of someone
(29:08):
that that is you know, has the physical attributes that
he has combined with a work ethic and a dedication
to the game and a competitive spirit every night, you
know you have a good chance to become a real
elite player.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Hey, coach, now that now.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
That we're nearly three weeks into having Quinn Hughes as
a part of this or a couple of weeks as
part of having Quinn Hughes involved, are there things that
you're starting to learn about your squad, learn about this roster,
how they work together, how they mix together. Now that
you you have added another high end or into the mix.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
We know he changes games, but have.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
You have you seen anything over the last couple of
weeks in terms of how you're how you're perceiving some
of the other guys in the mix.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
Yeah, I think that if you know, anytime you make
a trader, add a player of of Quinn's significance to
your roster, there's always going to be some there's always
going to be some effects and some change because you're
adding you know, one of the top two defensemen in
the league to your team, So roles and responsibilities are
going to change. What I will say is that Quinn's
really fit in the personality, fit and what he brings
(30:16):
on and off the ice has fit really well with
our team. Sometimes that's not always the case, but he's
fit really well with our group. I think from a
team chemistry standpoint and from an on ice standpoint, what
I'm starting to see now, not just with Quinn, but
that we're healthy, is that now there's roles and responsibilities
have shifted, ice time has shifted, and now it's you know,
(30:42):
we've got to get through that too. Is okay, we
have a healthy team right now, we have a deep
team right now. Well, now there needs to be some
self sacrifice and how do we man how do we
get the right roles and responsibilities and ice times to
where everybody has an ability to contribute and we're a
well oiled machine. I think that's sputtered a little bit.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
The last two games, John, When you make a move
for a player of the galliber of Hughes, is it
an indicator within the room that guys, you know, if
you didn't think that we were ten to ten serius,
we are And like, how does it open eyes of
others within the team within the room when you bring
(31:23):
somebody like that.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
In, Well, it certainly sends the message to your team
that the organization believes in you and trying to give
us the best opportunity to be an extremely competitive team
in the regular scene season in the playoffs. So that's
always an invigorating experience when you have that, because you're
adding a player that certainly makes your team better and
(31:47):
deeper and stronger. But what comes along with that is
now things start to shift where there may be guys
that run the power play that are not on the
power play.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
Now.
Speaker 6 (31:57):
There may be guys that are used to playing in
the top four minutes, but now they're playing in the
five to six pair, you know, So you now it
starts to come to you've added a player of significance
to your team. It's made you deeper and stronger. But
now we've got to find and and and the players
have to be willing and accepting to play certain types
(32:19):
of roles for the benefit of the team.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
You know, I didn't want to talk about, you know,
health and things, but you you did bring it up.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Coach.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
It was just kind of fun to see Marcus Johansson back,
and we got Bogosian, we got Middleton. You mentioned a coach,
I mean, and those are parts of sadly too frequent,
a number of conversations that we have about your squad
and just getting guys on the ice and being available
and such. It was just kind of funny, you know,
Johansson gets an assist last night, like just having all
(32:47):
these guys. Look at the choices you have now from
a roster standpoint, coach, Oh, yeah.
Speaker 6 (32:52):
It's so good. I mean, it's so nice to have
those guys back. And you know, I think the camerascry
within the team is very good. You know, when you
have guys that have been been out for a long
period of times, you know, it's nice to have those
guys back. And as you said, I think the options
that you have you feel comfortable being behind the bench
(33:12):
with that group, because I think everyone's you know, everyone's uh,
I think playing pretty solid right now. And that gives
us the ability to play guys in different situations and
and kind of roll it out a little bit. And
we're gonna need that, you know, especially coming out of
the break. It's gonna be you know, we're gonna come
on the break and play Winnipeg and then we're on
a fourteen day road trip with quite a bit of hockey.
(33:33):
So it's nice that as of now, we're look like
we're coming into that with a with a full group.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
John Hines, coach of the Minnesota Wild, on the four
checking piece, All right, Alan, go ahead, coach?
Speaker 4 (33:44):
Ons, are you're talking about, you know, assessing the amount
of ice time and trying to allocate, you know, the
correct amount in terms of you know, when you're including
a player like this and the ruster, Like, what is
the process for you guys as a coaching staff to
try to discern how much you're allocating and and like
(34:05):
what does the evaluation look like in trying to make
those decisions from your standpoint?
Speaker 6 (34:11):
Yeah, I think probably one is really what is the
right the preferable amount of ice time per player for
a role in situation. That's number one, and then I think,
you know, it goes into Now. I do think that
every game is different. Sometimes the circumstances of a game
may dictate that that is going to change, and that's
(34:33):
just you know, in game situation that is gained by
game that you may have to alter kind of what
your plan is depending on what the situation is. You're
up the game, you're down, you're chasing the lead. There's
lots of special teams, you know, there's lots of things
that come into someone's ice time being varied based on situations,
But ideally it's it's having guys that have roles and responsibilities,
(34:57):
whether they're five on five ice time or are you
going using a power play a penny kill, what's going
to happen three on three and four and four? And
then from there you kind of have your assessments of
what you're going to do in each game. Sometimes it
plays out like you want. Other times, like I said,
the circumstances dictate that some of those things may change.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Coach feud to close here when when when you mentioned
off last night? Uh, clearly frustrated that some of the
guys passed up on primo shots, you know, prime shots.
Why would that be, Like, it's not why did you
say what you said? Why why would people consistently pass
on prime shots?
Speaker 6 (35:36):
Uh? Sometimes it's just looking for a prettier play, or
you know they feel like you know, sometimes you get
into mode where you like, I thought we had no
there's some games where you know that's the play, but
there was some times last night where we were walking
right down in the slot, untouched, undefended, and passed the
(35:57):
pluck to covered players or plays that were outside the
scoring area. So to me, that's just the game is
trying to be a little bit too fancy. I think
that like in every game, everybody, every sport, you have
to take what the games give, what the game gives you.
Some games, there's no time in space, you don't have
those looks, the pass play might be there. But other games,
(36:18):
when you have those looks or the other team has
a breakdown, you know, I felt like we could have
capitalized on some of those, some of those opportunities last
night more than we did.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Hey, allowing five power play goals the last ten gills
is is there a common thread in there that obviously
you want eliminated.
Speaker 6 (36:39):
Yeah, our attention to detail needs to be better, you know,
on on some of the plays where we get into
these little funks with the penalty kill, at times where
we're on point and the details are strong and we're
aggressive and we're on our toes, and then you know,
I felt the last two games the details weren't as
(36:59):
as they need to be, and they need to be
on the penalty kill. You're playing against five best players
on the other team. So if you're loose and your
details aren't good and you don't get a big save,
lots of times that winds up in the back of
the next So that'll be our focus going on to
this road trip is getting back to giving ourselves the
best chance on the penalty kill and getting that thing
tightened up.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
Seven game roadie, I'll begin Saturday at Winnipeg last one.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Yeah, it's kind of a cheesy question, coach, but I'm
getting ready to watch my favorite hoops team in primetime tomorrow.
I got my favorite football team going at three thirty.
I love my team, so I'm going to watch them.
In a way though as a coach that he's in
a league that produces entertainment for US fans. Is there
a level of just appreciation that the NHL has held
so tough to a specific Christmas break that you guys
(37:47):
will get the opportunity to sit down with your respective
families supposedly kind of geared down as much as a
coach can, and then re up as you get into
the road trip.
Speaker 6 (37:58):
Yeah, it is nice. I mean, youn't get a lot
of uh, you don't get a lot of opportunity to
have kind of a two or three day break other
than the All Star break, So it is nice to have,
you know, particularly today and tomorrow off you just have Christmas,
even Christmas Day and whatever it is is to spend
some time with family. And I think sometimes it's nice
(38:18):
that you have an opportunity on a holiday because people
aren't working. There is in school, so if you want
to spend time with family and friends, everyone's usually available.
So you know, from our standpoint, you know, we certainly
appreciate that. But I would say on the other side
of it, I'm with you. I'll be watching I'll be
watching the Vikings tomorrow and lots of football and thank
god they're playing because it's some entertainment.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
Appreciate you man. Merry Christmas to you and your family,
and we'll chat with you next week after you start
that long road trip.
Speaker 6 (38:46):
Okay, all right, thanks for having you guys, have a
great Christmas.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Stuck you ye Bless John Hines. Ladies and gentlemen, John Hines.
Hin's the coach of the Minnesota Wild. Into the final hour,
we're gonna spend some time. I'm with a dear friend
of mine and former Golden Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan, who
is here at Buffalo Wild Wings, Roseville.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Tanner Time is around the corner on K A. N.
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