November 20, 2025 • 37 mins
Wild President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin joins Dan to discuss the good streak for his club, the outstanding play of both goalies and what he thinks has led to the recently improved play.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Cafe An and the Vikings are teaming up for toys
for Todds. It is that time of year. Join us
live at Shields and Eden Prairie Tuesday, December second, five
thirty am six thirty pm for our annual broadcast presented
by Unreal, Bring a toy, spread some joy. If you're
one of the first fifty donors each show, you'll score
a sweet Kfan and Unreal Winter beanie and all the
(00:21):
details are at kpaan dot com, Slash Toys Commons, putter,
cut the clutter, past the butter Wolves and fine.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It's from jd In in Duluth.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Charlie from Prior Lake asks does a newborn baby to
a first time father qualify as clutter? I'm half tongue
in cheek, half serious. Right, it's a very fair question.
I've been going down that road.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Umm.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Remember the Wolves had too many babies last year, that's
why they couldn't win home games. Yeah, we did hear
a lot about that, didn't we. Um, where's the other.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Being at present?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Father can be very detrimental to your work life balance,
to your work balance, no question, right?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Seven to one guy.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
The other quarterbacks in JJ's class aren't even close to
the disappointment, did not get the feedback JJ is getting Sean.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
That's fair. There is some truth to that as well.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
I didn't pay off the teas though for the Shawn
Salisbury segment because I never got to it with him
because we we got pretty deep in the weeds where
we where we kind of wanted to go anyway. But
the new hot rumor as offered up by your guy
Mike Florio, Oh yeah, is that? Here's the direct quote
(01:31):
from what Florio wrote. What's the date today? Today's the
twentieth of November. Okay, so this was nine days ago.
I missed this completely. There's already chatter in some circles
of the twenty twenty sixth season the Vikings will explore
trading for forty nine Ers quarterback Mac Jones. Is that
rac Jones? I think they went back to party this week, right?
(01:53):
I think that Jones has looked quite good now? Is
that again? System is that they got their own quarterback
whisperer combination of the things. I'll put this way, Jones
has played well enough in this with this second chance
that he's going to land somewhere, right, I mean, he's
(02:14):
going to get at least, at the very least the
opportunity to compete for a starting job. Sixty nine point
eight percent of his passes in nine games, eight starts
with the Niners, thirteen touchdowns, six interceptions, a QBR sixty
one point three, which I think is almost forty points
better than JJ's QBR something like that. I think he's
(02:36):
twenty two yest I checked, yeah, which is historic, and
the Niners went five to three in his starts.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
I think that's up to date.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
These reclamation quarterback projects are fascinating the era that we're
in now. Yeah, that's exactly. It's like the former first
round bust or former starter bust. Yeah, now finds a
second or third act somewhere.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
We can't find I guess enough enough other alterns, so
we go, okay, we're gonna have to go back down
that road. And in this case, but then they play well,
that's just going to say if the X factor is
the player playing well the QB. If he doesn't play well,
then it's you know, yeah, it looks like that they
were right in New England. Looks like he's just a backup.
I'll answer to your question about how do I feel
about that? And I don't have all the details on
(03:18):
the comparison i'm gonna make. I'm gonna need some clarification.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
But I like the mac Jones idea slightly better than
the James Harden to the Timberwolves trade that I saw
floated around on social media. I talked about that one
of the days. You were going, No, that's where I
got it from you. I saw that from some of
our Instagram posts. So you've being sarcastic slightly or big time?
You mean it like, no, slightly more that I actually
(03:41):
would entertain it slightly more. But because I don't like
the hardened idea, Okay, you don't, That's why that would
be the follow up. Okay, I don't love the I
don't know if I could do the hardened deal. Yeah,
I don't even know what the deal is. Just watch them.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
I don't know I could either. And I made it
clear there's no steam on that one. That's people looking
at the relative direction. The two teams in the West
seem to be taking. The Clippers seem to be a mess,
and the Wolves, you know, might at some point feel
like they've leveled off enough to where they might want
to do something explosive at the point guard position. Yeah,
(04:12):
you'd absolutely have to put Jones in the mix. I
guess the question always comes up, is there another layer
to not how you know you play when you got
nothing to lose and they've turned to you because the
alternative doesn't exist?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Sure, and you're the man.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Now you're the guy, and then more is expected and
more is invested.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Is there a mental burden to that? In some cases I.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Think it does make quarterbacks crack, and others they handle
it perfectly. So the beauty of this is there's still
enough games between now and then that I think the
Vikings should have enough material on their plate to say
we can work with this as on JJ or they say,
(05:02):
boys and girls, we're gonna have to have a tough meeting.
We're gonna have to look in the mirror and say,
can we really basically abdicate our responsibilities to the rest
of the team by just handing him the job again
next year? We might have miscalculated on what we thought,
how we projected what he could be. All those things
(05:23):
I think are very valid and very worthy of consideration.
But the name is going to come up, probably not
just here, It'll come up now any place yep. Where
the feeling is, they're a pretty good infrastructure and they
want another you know, they want they've decided that they're
going to go another direction at the quarterback position. Would
they ever entertain if you bring back McCarthy next year,
(05:46):
even if he struggles the rest of the way, do
you bring him back and say are you are you
required to bring him back as the starter? Or are
you allowed to say we're bringing in someone else? And
then I guess that probably depends on how much money
you invest in that person, because sometimes if you spend
(06:08):
enough money, it's like, well that person is only going
to come here if they're kind of anointed as the starter.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
That's I think where it's going to get tricky going forward.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
It is, and that's where you've got to just let
the season play out and hopefully it gets a little clearer,
because on one hand, I say, well, you've got to
give the kid a chance to work through some stuff
and do all these cluttered, fundamental things that have been
going on. We've been hearing about it since Europe. That's
how long we've been hearing about this, right, That's how
long we've been talking about getting back on the grass
and breaking some things down and blah blah blah blah blah.
(06:37):
But on the other hand, some of the teams that
you've just mentioned and quarterbacks that we've talked about that
have been retreads and cast aside our guys. Some organizations
have decided, you think about Russell Wilson and Seattle, they
signed Matt Flynn and gave a bunch of money and
decided ten minutes later, we're going to go with Russell.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
We like him.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Right, you can't be afraid to cut bait if you
really don't believe it, like if he doesn't play well
and you don't think it's redeemable, you can't be afraid
to say that and do that. Right, That's what the
Niners did with You absolutely have to like, but you
got to be But then again, but then you've got
to be right. You've got to be obviously right with
any decision that you make in this situation.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
But well, this is all interesting, let's face it.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I mean, this is this is the head coach's future,
this is the general managers for this is it? This
This decision will tell the tale on the long term
security of either one of them. And I'm not saying
either one of them is in trouble, but they're tethered
to this move. There's no question about that. For for
good or for for evil. Let's break and come back
(07:35):
and talk some more puck. As we started the show,
how about a visit with our guy Wild general manager
Bill garn He is next. All right, we're expecting a
(08:12):
fall call pretty soon from the general manager of the
miss to Wild, Bill Garrin. We uh celebrated their most
recent victory at the top of the show. Funny, I
have not heard anything from the usually embittered k Falness.
Really always brings it to our attention when we don't
(08:33):
give the Wild their proper due crickets. Today, not a
thing doesn't fit his narrative unfortunately, does it. I guess
that's why we're not hearing anything.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Or maybe he's still sleeping from the postgame show that
never ended last night after midnight.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
It was so long, so lengthy, that even for Faalness,
if he just.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Took advantage completely the fact we didn't have anything to
get that could be and just continued to bring us
stuff from the locker room well after midnight. And I
was listening to it because I just landed from Lawrence oh,
I figured it was a seven o'clock puck drop and
his postgame show was still going on, and then I
realized it was a later puck drop. Game ended at
think three in the morning. About that, Yes, about it.
At least it felt that way.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Wolves get another victory, Uh, maybe a little tougher than
expected against.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
The one win. I think the wis was always one victory.
Are we gonna start playing again?
Speaker 3 (09:30):
It's not their fault, but they got to start playing
better teams just so. I think everything gets more interesting,
don't you think. I mean we got to like we
sort of have to see that, I believe, and I
think that's about to happen.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Yeah, but we're also dealing with some injuries. Like the
good teams like Celtics are coming here next weekend. They
are obviously shorthanded, and Wendy was making his debut here
and he's probably gonna miss that game.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
There's a lot of discussion reaction to the comment Steve
Kerr made what he's he's which I'm green by the way,
didn't agree with completely interestingly enough as he when he
joined us yesterday about the you know, uh, too many
games and two short period of time and and the
and the pace of game is also affecting a soft
(10:14):
tissue injuries. Yep, maybe pace of game is part of it,
but as as other people have pointed out, it's it's
it's really kind of disingenuous to hear, well, we're playing
too many games and too short period of time. I mean,
the the league has tended to try as much as
possible to give the players what they say they need
(10:36):
more of, right, which was we need more time at
the All Star break. We need like, uh, we're interested
in about four days of training camp. And the cream
theory is that a big piece of this is not
that the players are overtrained in general, but that they're
not properly trained for basketball to ramp up for basketball purposes.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
And I think there might be some truth to that.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
By the way, he's also now doing Bucks games via
fans everywhere. Yeah, so he's I mean, he gave me
the schedule yesterday because he's got college stuff. He ended
up doing Indiana Marquette because someone else either got sick
or had airline problems getting there. And you know him,
(11:22):
he loves it. I mean he the more games he's
involved with the better. So he's doing plenty of Wolves
games and now Bucks games as well, and some college basketball.
In fact, I think he said he had a game
coming up very shortly too. If you have questions for
Bill Garran, and some of them have already come in,
a branch on Brian Kfean text line is open at
(11:44):
six for six eight six. Don't forget. Lavelle is going
to join us at five Doctor Den's inbox. We'll be
open at five thirty. Bill Garon now joined us via
the Conneticot Water Systems hotline.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
How have you been, sir?
Speaker 4 (11:59):
I've been well. How are you?
Speaker 2 (12:01):
I'm not too bad. Here's my opening question.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I'm looking at a headline of from the Athletic, your
favorite online publication. Here's the question. It asks who is
on the wild Trade Radar? And which players go the
other way? Can you help us out on either of those?
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Uh? No, I cannot.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
I didn't think you would, but I thought, I, well,
you can't say other players because that's tampering and you
probably will probably not be your best interest to name
the players that you might be considering, you know, from
your team.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Correct. Yeah, that's probably the best way to approach.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
It, but you you're obligated are you not to always
keep your eyes and ears open for ways to improve
the club even as it hits this surge that it's
hit lately.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Yeah, definitely. I mean you never you're never really good enough,
like you know, unless you win the last game of
the year. So you know, you just you have to Yeah,
you have to keep looking at ways of getting better.
And that's just the name of the game.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Let's talk about your goalie goalies. But I need pronunciation help.
So is it yesper valstet? Is that the correct pronunciation
of the first and last name, Yesper? Or is it
yes spa valstet, Yes, yesper okay, and it's falsett not believe.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
I believe if you are using the correct Swedish pronunciation,
it would be false debt.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Okay, all right, okay, but we're you know, American.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Yeah, so we kind of well, one of the nicknames
guards you what was the nickname that we have already, Oh,
the Great Wall of Paul, the Great Wall of Saint Paul.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
So that that's the dilemma, that's the W word. So
that's you know, I think.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
But if people in Sweden were saying and maybe they
would say the Great Ball.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Maybe they would the answer?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Look up? Look up? Look up the word for how
do you what's the word for wall in Swedish?
Speaker 3 (13:58):
A good question, Guardy. We've got good translators here at
the Fame for sure.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
By the way, somebody sent me a video. Were you
on with Chilio?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Was that last night? When was that? Was that with Chelios?
Last night?
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Yeah? That was last night?
Speaker 3 (14:15):
The Mutual Admiration Society. I mean it was like eye rolling.
It was unbelievable between you two guys.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
We've got a good history together, that's true. Uh yeah, Yeah,
he's an unbelievable guy. Great, great teammate, great person. I
love him, I really do. He's just uh you know,
if you're if you're going into big games or some situations,
I want that guy on my side.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
So then somebody sent me audio.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
But the audio was a little tinmy then then because
then Chill, I think it was. It was a Chelios
who was telling a story about a locker room situation
in which there were three of you coming out of
the shower.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Did you hear about this?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
What?
Speaker 3 (14:55):
What am I missing? What's the story he was trying
to tell? Because I didn't understand it.
Speaker 4 (14:59):
So somebody told him. Somebody texted me something, but I didn't.
I don't know what he was getting at. But yeah,
we had a lot of fun back then. It was
crazy back in the day. Yeah, it was. It was
a blast, you know, it was We had a really
that era. That generation of US players is not only
(15:19):
very good on the ice, we had a we had
a bond camaraderie. I think when we won the ninety
six World Cup that really created a strong bond between
all of us, and we had a really good time,
you know, playing together on the ice and off the ice.
It was it's a really good group.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I love the quote from from Vals that after your
over I should say, shootout victory last night, he apparently
had been scrolling I don't know if you'd read about this.
He'd apparently been scrolling TikTok, one of yours you love being.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
I know you're a big TikTok guy.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
And apparently the quote he saw was if there were
no goals scored in hockey, no one would.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Play it to WI your goalie said.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
That kind of made me think a little bit like, Okay,
there's supposed to be goals in hockey, but then it's
my job to not make them happen. I thought that
was I'm sure you don't mind that. I'm sure you
kind of enjoy that bit of philosophy from your red
hot goaltender.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
I love that. Yeah, it's great, you know it's and
it's so funny because you know, I've had this discussion
with so many teammates before. You know, you have you know,
guys that naturally just play forward and guys that naturally
just play d But then there's defensive, defense and offensive,
and then there's goalies. Like there is no bigger rush
(16:40):
for me than scoring the goal. Like I love to score,
I love to shoot pucks, I love to score, I
love all that stuff. There are some guys that get
that enjoyment out of stopping people from scoring that did
not compete with me, like that didn't as a player,
(17:01):
right right, you know, uh, you know, well, you know,
all my kids played offensive positions, my wife did in lacrosse,
all this stuff, and we just say, like d D
is the four letter word in our house. But but
you needed to win championship. I do know that.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah, do you have a goalie controversy?
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Now, no, no, we do not.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
My heart's not in it. I was going to try
to get you going on it. But it is.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Controversy, I could tell because it's.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It's all good, right.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
I mean, the idea of having two goalies that are
going good. That's what any good ascending team is looking for,
and it's best.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Correct. You don't seem you just don't seem as edgy
today or your little I don't know. I have expected.
I expect you to try to get something going, but
I just think today you just you have love in
your heart and you just want to see it too. Well,
that's it.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Well, my edge right now is related to the Vikings
and JJ McCarthy, so I'll leave that for another time.
But I want to run another vaulse det quote by
you to see if you agree with what seems to
be working in his game. He said, I want them
more so. I want to make it look easy. I
want the more so, make it look like I'm getting
(18:20):
hit than making saves. When the puck comes to me,
that's usually a good sign. Instead of me chasing the puck,
that is something I did last year. Now I'm trying
to make the puck come to me instead. Rebound control
has always been my strength. I'm happy with the conference
I have. I can keep a lot of pucks and
get whistles on them. Explain what he's saying there, and
(18:43):
do you agree that that's part of what's what is it?
How do we how does how do you explain the distinction.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
I don't pretend to be a goalie actress. I'm not.
I really stay out of that. But you know what,
when when the game, when it looks easy, when they're
just getting you know, when him and Guts they have
these games where they're just getting hit in the chest
all the time, mm hm, in the in the gut
and uh, that's that's that's what he means by making
(19:12):
it look easy, like the puck's just hitting them and
they're and they're they're just like absorbing it, you know,
when when they don't want to be like chasing it
and scrambling and you know, they're they're down on their
knees and they're flopping on their belly and they're up
they're trying to make saves there, they're too busy in
the net. That's that's usually not a good thing. It's
(19:38):
just when it when it looks you know, when it
looks easy and the puck is like he said, the
puck is coming to him and hitting them in the middle.
That that's a good thing.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
When you talk to people who you trust in analyzing
the art of good goaltending, where does there's It sounds
like there's the physical side there you're talking about maybe
the fundamental side, but there's obviously in anything there's the
mental side of it. So where does where do you
factor that in in terms of his improvement this year
(20:08):
compared to some of his struggles.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
How big a piece is that? Do you think it's huge?
Speaker 4 (20:14):
I mean, you know, the game is so mental, and
especially that position is you know, there's so much going
on in your brain and it's a pressure position. But
to be honest with you, I think I think Gasper's
struggles the last couple of years, the adversity that he's
(20:36):
had to go through with you know, being sent down,
called up, disappointment and not being on the team last year,
injuries things like that, I think that's made him stronger mentally.
And I think it you know, it's tough to go through,
but in the long run, you know, adversity makes you stronger,
(20:56):
and you know he hadn't faced a lot of that
and life and that's to be honest, that's not good. Yeah,
Like you have to be able to problem solve, you
have to be able to deal with, you know, stuff,
and if you if you can't, if you've never been
through that, the first time you go through it, you're like,
(21:17):
oh God, what the hell's going on? Sure, it's hard.
So I think that's toughened him up.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Does his performance? I don't know if we talked about
this before, and I don't know. I'm sure you guys
discuss everything before a season. So whatever the anticipated percentage
breakdown was between the two goaltenders, is it changing? Is
it likely that it would change if you give more
(21:44):
of a feeling of yeah, we got a guy we've
paid like a number one, but the league's changed, you know,
the perfect world. We're able to, you know, not overload
either one of them. And now we've seen enough from
the kid to say, all right, who's to say what.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
The breakdown might be?
Speaker 3 (22:05):
Do you feel like it's already changing from what you
guys anticipated when the season began?
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Are you talking about like number of games.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Between the two of them?
Speaker 4 (22:13):
I mean, it could change, and you know what this is,
this is a good thing, like you know, like we
we agreed, No controversy. This is a good thing. This
is you know, a couple of years ago, the the
the Boston Bruins had two goaltenders that they went, you know,
every other night pretty much, and you know what like
(22:34):
that that led to great success for them. Like, well,
if we could put arrested focused goalie in that every night,
that is a huge luxury.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Absolutely, that's it.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
That's why I mean, eventually it could become a controversy
when you get to the postseason and then the decisions
that you're made and which way you go, and you
know how you shaded that.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
I get it, but not for you.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
See now you're back, but welcome back in.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
What was the thing you brought up before the show?
Guards y about playoff Cam Talbot and Marc Andre Fleury.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Oh that's right. Yeah, yeah, we don't want to still
we don't. We don't.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Yeah, we don't want to bring that back up, do we.
That's all ancient news though. That's last thing we want
to do is get Garon going. All right, let me
give you some numbers here three two zero two zero
two four to two. Those are the number of goals
you've given up in like the last dozen games, and
(23:32):
to me, that's where this starts now, whether that's all
goaltending or goaltending and defense whatever, because your guys are
routinely giving up four or five six goals early in
the season. So what has changed in your mind? What
do you see? What has been shored up, what has
been tightened up?
Speaker 4 (23:51):
We were playing more to our identity and being more
responsible with the puck, and you know, we we we
are built a certain way, and when we play a
certain brand of hockey, we can be a very good team.
(24:12):
When we start thinking that we're, you know, the Russian
Red Army and we're not, we get ourselves into trouble.
We're our own worst enemies. And you know what we've
we've we've gotten better at at playing our brand of
hockey and we're playing our identity. And I think that's
a big part of it. You know, we're one of the,
(24:33):
if not the, but one of the least penalized teams
in the league. The penalty kills them better, power play
has been really good of all those, and the goal
pending spended. So yeah, it's there's a lot that goes
into it, but I think our identity is probably the biggest.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Thing Mark from Duluth with the question, Bill, what can
we do about about our compete level along the boards?
He's claiming we always appear to lose of battles along
the boards.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Do you agree with Mark from Duluth.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
Well, Mark, I don't necessarily agree with that. I think
there definitely ebbs and flows during a game and during
the season. It's it's, you know, some nights were better
than others. It's not as simple as just winning battles
along the boards. The guys are trying to there's a
(25:26):
certain plan in place when when coming around the wall
and certain things we're trying to do with it. But yeah,
I mean, hey, look, there are nights that that we
are not at our best with that stuff. But I
think as a whole we're all right.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Well, it's good to know that we've got textures out
here who refuse to simply celebrate the recent success of
the club.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
They always want more, which I don't think you mind.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
For example, this is from we don't have a name here,
but this is from area code eight oh one.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
I don't even know where that is.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Bill.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
I get Capriceov's value, but is it a fair criticism
to say is ot puck handling has put us in
some bad positions? Is there a reason for concern? And
don't let him say it's ot and he's tired. Ha
you thought no?
Speaker 4 (26:15):
I mean yeah, obviously he You know, there's been a
stretch where he hasn't made the strongest of plays. And
that's what I mean when I mean, like when I
say play to our identity. Yeah, what even even Carill,
as good as he is and as talented as he is,
if he's careless with the puck, it it it doesn't
(26:36):
do anything positive for us. So he, more than anybody
he needs to be on target. Lookten he okay, I'll
say it like this. He has more freedom than anybody
out there to make plays and do this and do that.
But he also if he's the one that's being the
(26:59):
most respect possible and the smartest and taking care of
the puck the best, then all the other guys fall
in line.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Are you going to give you're off a real chance here?
Is it going to be up and down back in
the doghouse out of the doghouse? Is he going to
be given the chance to make the occasional mistakes.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
He hasn't been in the doghouse it wasn't. No, he
just didn't play a couple of games.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Well yeah, but I mean so that's that's.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Not the dog house. Not, that's being a young that's
being a young player.
Speaker 5 (27:35):
That's having that's not that's not a dog house.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
That's such a how's he going to get better?
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Is he gonna get better? Mistakes? That's what this is not.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
This is not a development league.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Well you will, you will play.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
You'll be able to play through your mistakes and things
like that when you limit them. It's not just a
free for all.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
It's a yeah, but it's a balancing act. Sometimes it's
a catch twenty two if you don't let him play
out of it.
Speaker 5 (28:03):
Hey, look, and I've told you before.
Speaker 4 (28:05):
We don't give opportunities like opportunities come, but mainly they're aren't.
I think got a pretty good one last night playing
with Uki in Carell and he did great.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Is he going to stay there?
Speaker 4 (28:18):
Yeah? I would assume he stay there for tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
And anyway, okay for tomorrow night? What what did? What
have you observed with him? And at his best.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
He very he's very smart, he's all. He's very sound
positionally like defensively, offensively, he he's got very good sense
and uh, he's going to be a good player.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Here's the Somebody just is checking in now that also
wants to ask about the Chilios Chilios story, and here's
what he says. It was that, Uh, Madonna and you
and I think there was a third player came out
of the shower naked, and the three of you surrounded
the interpreter and gave him a big hug. That was
what the That was the Chilihos story. Do you have
(29:02):
any recollection of this?
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Can't make that? Yeah, he I mean that was on
you know, that was on international TV.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Yeah, you go.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
I think the interview was ended and then they and
then it was they they started talking about it again
at the studio, so you probably didn't get a chance
to hear it first hand.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
It was actually.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Interpret in Japan. His name was and he was a
great guy. He was so funny. Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
Why didn't Why it seems like Zuguerello has changed the
line up entirely, is the answer.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
That's simple. With the team's improvement, what do you.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
Think it just it just allows us to slot players,
like when he's out, then you know, a FOURD liner's
got to play third line. The third line has got
to be second, the second's got to play first, and
a lot of times that just doesn't work. So although
his play helps us, it's also helps the other individuals
(30:15):
as well.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Lastly, we got a text much earlier in the program
from a listener who when I first mentioned you're gonna
be on with us today, and he had a message
for you. This is from looks like nine to.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Five to two.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
Guy.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Tell Billy that it was very classy to sign Western
Paskowitz to a contract and make him feel so special
in his final days.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Rest in peace, Weston.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
My wife has been diagnosed with cancer, and it is
awesome to see the organization take care of their fans
who need it.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Weston was the ten year.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Old boy right that you guys signed to a contract
part of the Make a Wish Foundation deal.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
So excellent, excellent work there, I'm sure.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Yeah. Well, you know, we had a whole crew of
people involved in putting all that together for Weston, and
you know what something that you know, people just shouldn't
have to go through parents have. It's just it's just
a brutal situation. But I'm just proud of our group and.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
That we were.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Very happy that we were able to bring him some
joy you know, in his in his battle. And uh
it yeah, extremely sad. And our heart goes out to
the Pascort's family and they were just incredible. The parents
are just amazing and they had a smile on their
face and they're just they're just an incredible family and
and uh, we're we're thinking of them.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Well, it reinforces why that's that those sorts of acts
are so important to people, man, because it it it
means something apparent, you know, it sticks with you.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Yeah, you know, I have a friend. I have a
friend who went through a similar, similar situation with a
six year old and you know, he his son got
to make us, you know, come true and he said
it really does matter and that that means something. That
means that, you know, when we're doing these things, it's
(32:18):
not just you're not just doing it for Instagram or
this or that. You're doing it because it means something.
It makes it makes the child happy, and it really
hits home. So it's important. And we have a platform,
you know, and I just think it's it's just so
important you know, for us to be involved in things
like that and our guys are the best, they really are.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Thank you, Billy, appreciate the conversation as always, and we'll
talk soon.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
Thanks, Buddy, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
How is a pleasure?
Speaker 3 (32:46):
That is Bill Garren, Wild general manager. I may have
disappointed him that we weren't as edgy, but right now
things are going pretty good. I mean, I'm not here
to say we got you know, a com member of
print for a nice what twelve ten to twelve games,
but it's better than it was.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
And as we said, I have said a couple.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Of times, it obviously starts with the goaltending and the defense.
It shouldn't to me have taken this long for the
team to be your minded of what its personality was
in Garren's mind, but that that's sort of where we
seem to be now. As we play better team, same way.
We'll see if they're able to hold to it, but
at least some glimmer that they're headed in a better direction.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
We'll pause be a back of just air call one eight.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Hundred, got junk, get JJ out of his funk. Hopes
for a seasonal boost may be sunk Wolves and fuck.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
I love the seasonal boost.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Seasonal boost people only knew the seasonal boost backstory.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
It is a great story, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Well?
Speaker 2 (33:57):
What, I don't know the original? Do you remember the original?
Speaker 4 (34:00):
Do?
Speaker 2 (34:00):
And I'm not comfortable sharing?
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Oh okay, all right, it's us at our petty best.
Oh I see, it's us at our best? Yes, okay,
now maybe coming. It was alleged by some people that
that's right.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Now.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Yeah, our ratings were only good because we had the vikings.
We got the seasonal boot.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
That's it. Yeah, that was like twenty years ago.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
But apparently the Bumper Bumber Crew needs a seasonal boost though.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Because the numbers are very good, but we didn't make
there's some online radio talk show sports tournament. We're the
only showing the fan that did not make the field
of sixty four. Apparently, man our net rating our RPI
is apparently not not a tough enough schedule schedule.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
I'm not sure enough quad one wins.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Yeah, I'm guessing it came up with Dan from Woodberry.
I'm assuming I think it was a Yeah, it probably was.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Well, in all honesty, uh, whoever used to do break
them down by day parts?
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Whatever that was?
Speaker 3 (35:04):
I can't remember the name of the publication of the
online agree we we have fallen out of favor with
them somewhere where they allegedly they do. We don't even
make like the top twenty in uh in drive time
or is it maybe it was sick.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
No, we're not even in the even in the mix.
It's over.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
So I've kind a lot. That's one of these years,
got myself one case. One of these decades. Yeah, something
something might kick in. I'm not exactly sure. By the way,
real quick, you're going to cover the Gophers Saturday at Wriggly.
They so Northwestern played back to Why do they do
(35:41):
back to back games?
Speaker 2 (35:42):
There is it?
Speaker 3 (35:43):
Wriggly says, if you want to use the field for football,
you're just gonna have to do it in a in
a in a row. So we don't have to mess
with it in between. Because they played last week at
Wriggly too. Do you know what the backstory is there?
Speaker 1 (35:53):
I don't unless maybe they didn't want to play November
games at their temporary stadium, which is right on the water.
That's true, that would be my I guess, because it
is right on Lake Michigan. Basically, they're temporary twenty right however,
many seats might not even be twenty. I don't know
how many it is. Yeah, and so I think that's
probably it. That would be my guest that they didn't
(36:13):
want a chance parlor in November. So let's get it
into the city at least a little bit. I'm fired up.
I can't wait. It's awesome my TV.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
They've definitely improved the configuration over the years.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Well, now they can actually play a game instead of
having to go to the same end zone that was
when they first started.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
Yeah, that was a big problem. It was crazy. It
didn't make any sense. All right, we got Lavel coming up?
Speaker 3 (36:33):
Is that right to the are no top five and five,
So it'll be Lavel and then it'll be the inbox
hit a guarzie jg at kfan dot com. Larry Mondelo
guy by Mike count Garren uttered only four. You know
what's today a strategically below his average that normally hovers
around a Baker's dozen. Do you think they are inversely
proportional to how the team and especially the goaltenders are playing. Yeah,
(36:54):
I mean there's a lot less to be defensive about
right now, at least right for the moment. Very much
so you know what, so there's there's less need to
invoke the you know whats in Hey, we'll show you.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
Yeah right, I think that must be it. Why does
it have to be dumba We don't have to. We
don't have any of that right now. That's it, level
is
Cafe An and the Vikings are teaming up for toys
for Todds. It is that time of year. Join us
live at Shields and Eden Prairie Tuesday, December second, five
thirty am six thirty pm for our annual broadcast presented
by Unreal, Bring a toy, spread some joy. If you're
one of the first fifty donors each show, you'll score
a sweet Kfan and Unreal Winter beanie and all the
(00:21):
details are at kpaan dot com, Slash Toys Commons, putter,
cut the clutter, past the butter Wolves and fine.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It's from jd In in Duluth.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Charlie from Prior Lake asks does a newborn baby to
a first time father qualify as clutter? I'm half tongue
in cheek, half serious. Right, it's a very fair question.
I've been going down that road.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Umm.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Remember the Wolves had too many babies last year, that's
why they couldn't win home games. Yeah, we did hear
a lot about that, didn't we. Um, where's the other.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Being at present?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Father can be very detrimental to your work life balance,
to your work balance, no question, right?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Seven to one guy.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
The other quarterbacks in JJ's class aren't even close to
the disappointment, did not get the feedback JJ is getting Sean.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
That's fair. There is some truth to that as well.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
I didn't pay off the teas though for the Shawn
Salisbury segment because I never got to it with him
because we we got pretty deep in the weeds where
we where we kind of wanted to go anyway. But
the new hot rumor as offered up by your guy
Mike Florio, Oh yeah, is that? Here's the direct quote
(01:31):
from what Florio wrote. What's the date today? Today's the
twentieth of November. Okay, so this was nine days ago.
I missed this completely. There's already chatter in some circles
of the twenty twenty sixth season the Vikings will explore
trading for forty nine Ers quarterback Mac Jones. Is that
rac Jones? I think they went back to party this week, right?
(01:53):
I think that Jones has looked quite good now? Is
that again? System is that they got their own quarterback
whisperer combination of the things. I'll put this way, Jones
has played well enough in this with this second chance
that he's going to land somewhere, right, I mean, he's
(02:14):
going to get at least, at the very least the
opportunity to compete for a starting job. Sixty nine point
eight percent of his passes in nine games, eight starts
with the Niners, thirteen touchdowns, six interceptions, a QBR sixty
one point three, which I think is almost forty points
better than JJ's QBR something like that. I think he's
(02:36):
twenty two yest I checked, yeah, which is historic, and
the Niners went five to three in his starts.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
I think that's up to date.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
These reclamation quarterback projects are fascinating the era that we're
in now. Yeah, that's exactly. It's like the former first
round bust or former starter bust. Yeah, now finds a
second or third act somewhere.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
We can't find I guess enough enough other alterns, so
we go, okay, we're gonna have to go back down
that road. And in this case, but then they play well,
that's just going to say if the X factor is
the player playing well the QB. If he doesn't play well,
then it's you know, yeah, it looks like that they
were right in New England. Looks like he's just a backup.
I'll answer to your question about how do I feel
about that? And I don't have all the details on
(03:18):
the comparison i'm gonna make. I'm gonna need some clarification.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
But I like the mac Jones idea slightly better than
the James Harden to the Timberwolves trade that I saw
floated around on social media. I talked about that one
of the days. You were going, No, that's where I
got it from you. I saw that from some of
our Instagram posts. So you've being sarcastic slightly or big time?
You mean it like, no, slightly more that I actually
(03:41):
would entertain it slightly more. But because I don't like
the hardened idea, Okay, you don't, That's why that would
be the follow up. Okay, I don't love the I
don't know if I could do the hardened deal. Yeah,
I don't even know what the deal is. Just watch them.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
I don't know I could either. And I made it
clear there's no steam on that one. That's people looking
at the relative direction. The two teams in the West
seem to be taking. The Clippers seem to be a mess,
and the Wolves, you know, might at some point feel
like they've leveled off enough to where they might want
to do something explosive at the point guard position. Yeah,
(04:12):
you'd absolutely have to put Jones in the mix. I
guess the question always comes up, is there another layer
to not how you know you play when you got
nothing to lose and they've turned to you because the
alternative doesn't exist?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Sure, and you're the man.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Now you're the guy, and then more is expected and
more is invested.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Is there a mental burden to that? In some cases I.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Think it does make quarterbacks crack, and others they handle
it perfectly. So the beauty of this is there's still
enough games between now and then that I think the
Vikings should have enough material on their plate to say
we can work with this as on JJ or they say,
(05:02):
boys and girls, we're gonna have to have a tough meeting.
We're gonna have to look in the mirror and say,
can we really basically abdicate our responsibilities to the rest
of the team by just handing him the job again
next year? We might have miscalculated on what we thought,
how we projected what he could be. All those things
(05:23):
I think are very valid and very worthy of consideration.
But the name is going to come up, probably not
just here, It'll come up now any place yep. Where
the feeling is, they're a pretty good infrastructure and they
want another you know, they want they've decided that they're
going to go another direction at the quarterback position. Would
they ever entertain if you bring back McCarthy next year,
(05:46):
even if he struggles the rest of the way, do
you bring him back and say are you are you
required to bring him back as the starter? Or are
you allowed to say we're bringing in someone else? And
then I guess that probably depends on how much money
you invest in that person, because sometimes if you spend
(06:08):
enough money, it's like, well that person is only going
to come here if they're kind of anointed as the starter.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
That's I think where it's going to get tricky going forward.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
It is, and that's where you've got to just let
the season play out and hopefully it gets a little clearer,
because on one hand, I say, well, you've got to
give the kid a chance to work through some stuff
and do all these cluttered, fundamental things that have been
going on. We've been hearing about it since Europe. That's
how long we've been hearing about this, right, That's how
long we've been talking about getting back on the grass
and breaking some things down and blah blah blah blah blah.
(06:37):
But on the other hand, some of the teams that
you've just mentioned and quarterbacks that we've talked about that
have been retreads and cast aside our guys. Some organizations
have decided, you think about Russell Wilson and Seattle, they
signed Matt Flynn and gave a bunch of money and
decided ten minutes later, we're going to go with Russell.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
We like him.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Right, you can't be afraid to cut bait if you
really don't believe it, like if he doesn't play well
and you don't think it's redeemable, you can't be afraid
to say that and do that. Right, That's what the
Niners did with You absolutely have to like, but you
got to be But then again, but then you've got
to be right. You've got to be obviously right with
any decision that you make in this situation.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
But well, this is all interesting, let's face it.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I mean, this is this is the head coach's future,
this is the general managers for this is it? This
This decision will tell the tale on the long term
security of either one of them. And I'm not saying
either one of them is in trouble, but they're tethered
to this move. There's no question about that. For for
good or for for evil. Let's break and come back
(07:35):
and talk some more puck. As we started the show,
how about a visit with our guy Wild general manager
Bill garn He is next. All right, we're expecting a
(08:12):
fall call pretty soon from the general manager of the
miss to Wild, Bill Garrin. We uh celebrated their most
recent victory at the top of the show. Funny, I
have not heard anything from the usually embittered k Falness.
Really always brings it to our attention when we don't
(08:33):
give the Wild their proper due crickets. Today, not a
thing doesn't fit his narrative unfortunately, does it. I guess
that's why we're not hearing anything.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Or maybe he's still sleeping from the postgame show that
never ended last night after midnight.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
It was so long, so lengthy, that even for Faalness,
if he just.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Took advantage completely the fact we didn't have anything to
get that could be and just continued to bring us
stuff from the locker room well after midnight. And I
was listening to it because I just landed from Lawrence oh,
I figured it was a seven o'clock puck drop and
his postgame show was still going on, and then I
realized it was a later puck drop. Game ended at
think three in the morning. About that, Yes, about it.
At least it felt that way.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Wolves get another victory, Uh, maybe a little tougher than
expected against.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
The one win. I think the wis was always one victory.
Are we gonna start playing again?
Speaker 3 (09:30):
It's not their fault, but they got to start playing
better teams just so. I think everything gets more interesting,
don't you think. I mean we got to like we
sort of have to see that, I believe, and I
think that's about to happen.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Yeah, but we're also dealing with some injuries. Like the
good teams like Celtics are coming here next weekend. They
are obviously shorthanded, and Wendy was making his debut here
and he's probably gonna miss that game.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
There's a lot of discussion reaction to the comment Steve
Kerr made what he's he's which I'm green by the way,
didn't agree with completely interestingly enough as he when he
joined us yesterday about the you know, uh, too many
games and two short period of time and and the
and the pace of game is also affecting a soft
(10:14):
tissue injuries. Yep, maybe pace of game is part of it,
but as as other people have pointed out, it's it's
it's really kind of disingenuous to hear, well, we're playing
too many games and too short period of time. I mean,
the the league has tended to try as much as
possible to give the players what they say they need
(10:36):
more of, right, which was we need more time at
the All Star break. We need like, uh, we're interested
in about four days of training camp. And the cream
theory is that a big piece of this is not
that the players are overtrained in general, but that they're
not properly trained for basketball to ramp up for basketball purposes.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
And I think there might be some truth to that.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
By the way, he's also now doing Bucks games via
fans everywhere. Yeah, so he's I mean, he gave me
the schedule yesterday because he's got college stuff. He ended
up doing Indiana Marquette because someone else either got sick
or had airline problems getting there. And you know him,
(11:22):
he loves it. I mean he the more games he's
involved with the better. So he's doing plenty of Wolves
games and now Bucks games as well, and some college basketball.
In fact, I think he said he had a game
coming up very shortly too. If you have questions for
Bill Garran, and some of them have already come in,
a branch on Brian Kfean text line is open at
(11:44):
six for six eight six. Don't forget. Lavelle is going
to join us at five Doctor Den's inbox. We'll be
open at five thirty. Bill Garon now joined us via
the Conneticot Water Systems hotline.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
How have you been, sir?
Speaker 4 (11:59):
I've been well. How are you?
Speaker 2 (12:01):
I'm not too bad. Here's my opening question.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I'm looking at a headline of from the Athletic, your
favorite online publication. Here's the question. It asks who is
on the wild Trade Radar? And which players go the
other way? Can you help us out on either of those?
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Uh? No, I cannot.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
I didn't think you would, but I thought, I, well,
you can't say other players because that's tampering and you
probably will probably not be your best interest to name
the players that you might be considering, you know, from
your team.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Correct. Yeah, that's probably the best way to approach.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
It, but you you're obligated are you not to always
keep your eyes and ears open for ways to improve
the club even as it hits this surge that it's
hit lately.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Yeah, definitely. I mean you never you're never really good enough,
like you know, unless you win the last game of
the year. So you know, you just you have to Yeah,
you have to keep looking at ways of getting better.
And that's just the name of the game.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Let's talk about your goalie goalies. But I need pronunciation help.
So is it yesper valstet? Is that the correct pronunciation
of the first and last name, Yesper? Or is it
yes spa valstet, Yes, yesper okay, and it's falsett not believe.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
I believe if you are using the correct Swedish pronunciation,
it would be false debt.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Okay, all right, okay, but we're you know, American.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Yeah, so we kind of well, one of the nicknames
guards you what was the nickname that we have already, Oh,
the Great Wall of Paul, the Great Wall of Saint Paul.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
So that that's the dilemma, that's the W word. So
that's you know, I think.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
But if people in Sweden were saying and maybe they
would say the Great Ball.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Maybe they would the answer?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Look up? Look up? Look up the word for how
do you what's the word for wall in Swedish?
Speaker 3 (13:58):
A good question, Guardy. We've got good translators here at
the Fame for sure.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
By the way, somebody sent me a video. Were you
on with Chilio?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Was that last night? When was that? Was that with Chelios?
Last night?
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Yeah? That was last night?
Speaker 3 (14:15):
The Mutual Admiration Society. I mean it was like eye rolling.
It was unbelievable between you two guys.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
We've got a good history together, that's true. Uh yeah, Yeah,
he's an unbelievable guy. Great, great teammate, great person. I
love him, I really do. He's just uh you know,
if you're if you're going into big games or some situations,
I want that guy on my side.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
So then somebody sent me audio.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
But the audio was a little tinmy then then because
then Chill, I think it was. It was a Chelios
who was telling a story about a locker room situation
in which there were three of you coming out of
the shower.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Did you hear about this?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
What?
Speaker 3 (14:55):
What am I missing? What's the story he was trying
to tell? Because I didn't understand it.
Speaker 4 (14:59):
So somebody told him. Somebody texted me something, but I didn't.
I don't know what he was getting at. But yeah,
we had a lot of fun back then. It was
crazy back in the day. Yeah, it was. It was
a blast, you know, it was We had a really
that era. That generation of US players is not only
(15:19):
very good on the ice, we had a we had
a bond camaraderie. I think when we won the ninety
six World Cup that really created a strong bond between
all of us, and we had a really good time,
you know, playing together on the ice and off the ice.
It was it's a really good group.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I love the quote from from Vals that after your
over I should say, shootout victory last night, he apparently
had been scrolling I don't know if you'd read about this.
He'd apparently been scrolling TikTok, one of yours you love being.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
I know you're a big TikTok guy.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
And apparently the quote he saw was if there were
no goals scored in hockey, no one would.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Play it to WI your goalie said.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
That kind of made me think a little bit like, Okay,
there's supposed to be goals in hockey, but then it's
my job to not make them happen. I thought that
was I'm sure you don't mind that. I'm sure you
kind of enjoy that bit of philosophy from your red
hot goaltender.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
I love that. Yeah, it's great, you know it's and
it's so funny because you know, I've had this discussion
with so many teammates before. You know, you have you know,
guys that naturally just play forward and guys that naturally
just play d But then there's defensive, defense and offensive,
and then there's goalies. Like there is no bigger rush
(16:40):
for me than scoring the goal. Like I love to score,
I love to shoot pucks, I love to score, I
love all that stuff. There are some guys that get
that enjoyment out of stopping people from scoring that did
not compete with me, like that didn't as a player,
(17:01):
right right, you know, uh, you know, well, you know,
all my kids played offensive positions, my wife did in lacrosse,
all this stuff, and we just say, like d D
is the four letter word in our house. But but
you needed to win championship. I do know that.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah, do you have a goalie controversy?
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Now, no, no, we do not.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
My heart's not in it. I was going to try
to get you going on it. But it is.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Controversy, I could tell because it's.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It's all good, right.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
I mean, the idea of having two goalies that are
going good. That's what any good ascending team is looking for,
and it's best.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Correct. You don't seem you just don't seem as edgy
today or your little I don't know. I have expected.
I expect you to try to get something going, but
I just think today you just you have love in
your heart and you just want to see it too. Well,
that's it.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Well, my edge right now is related to the Vikings
and JJ McCarthy, so I'll leave that for another time.
But I want to run another vaulse det quote by
you to see if you agree with what seems to
be working in his game. He said, I want them
more so. I want to make it look easy. I
want the more so, make it look like I'm getting
(18:20):
hit than making saves. When the puck comes to me,
that's usually a good sign. Instead of me chasing the puck,
that is something I did last year. Now I'm trying
to make the puck come to me instead. Rebound control
has always been my strength. I'm happy with the conference
I have. I can keep a lot of pucks and
get whistles on them. Explain what he's saying there, and
(18:43):
do you agree that that's part of what's what is it?
How do we how does how do you explain the distinction.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
I don't pretend to be a goalie actress. I'm not.
I really stay out of that. But you know what,
when when the game, when it looks easy, when they're
just getting you know, when him and Guts they have
these games where they're just getting hit in the chest
all the time, mm hm, in the in the gut
and uh, that's that's that's what he means by making
(19:12):
it look easy, like the puck's just hitting them and
they're and they're they're just like absorbing it, you know,
when when they don't want to be like chasing it
and scrambling and you know, they're they're down on their
knees and they're flopping on their belly and they're up
they're trying to make saves there, they're too busy in
the net. That's that's usually not a good thing. It's
(19:38):
just when it when it looks you know, when it
looks easy and the puck is like he said, the
puck is coming to him and hitting them in the middle.
That that's a good thing.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
When you talk to people who you trust in analyzing
the art of good goaltending, where does there's It sounds
like there's the physical side there you're talking about maybe
the fundamental side, but there's obviously in anything there's the
mental side of it. So where does where do you
factor that in in terms of his improvement this year
(20:08):
compared to some of his struggles.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
How big a piece is that? Do you think it's huge?
Speaker 4 (20:14):
I mean, you know, the game is so mental, and
especially that position is you know, there's so much going
on in your brain and it's a pressure position. But
to be honest with you, I think I think Gasper's
struggles the last couple of years, the adversity that he's
(20:36):
had to go through with you know, being sent down,
called up, disappointment and not being on the team last year,
injuries things like that, I think that's made him stronger mentally.
And I think it you know, it's tough to go through,
but in the long run, you know, adversity makes you stronger,
(20:56):
and you know he hadn't faced a lot of that
and life and that's to be honest, that's not good. Yeah,
Like you have to be able to problem solve, you
have to be able to deal with, you know, stuff,
and if you if you can't, if you've never been
through that, the first time you go through it, you're like,
(21:17):
oh God, what the hell's going on? Sure, it's hard.
So I think that's toughened him up.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Does his performance? I don't know if we talked about
this before, and I don't know. I'm sure you guys
discuss everything before a season. So whatever the anticipated percentage
breakdown was between the two goaltenders, is it changing? Is
it likely that it would change if you give more
(21:44):
of a feeling of yeah, we got a guy we've
paid like a number one, but the league's changed, you know,
the perfect world. We're able to, you know, not overload
either one of them. And now we've seen enough from
the kid to say, all right, who's to say what.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
The breakdown might be?
Speaker 3 (22:05):
Do you feel like it's already changing from what you
guys anticipated when the season began?
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Are you talking about like number of games.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Between the two of them?
Speaker 4 (22:13):
I mean, it could change, and you know what this is,
this is a good thing, like you know, like we
we agreed, No controversy. This is a good thing. This
is you know, a couple of years ago, the the
the Boston Bruins had two goaltenders that they went, you know,
every other night pretty much, and you know what like
(22:34):
that that led to great success for them. Like, well,
if we could put arrested focused goalie in that every night,
that is a huge luxury.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Absolutely, that's it.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
That's why I mean, eventually it could become a controversy
when you get to the postseason and then the decisions
that you're made and which way you go, and you
know how you shaded that.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
I get it, but not for you.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
See now you're back, but welcome back in.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
What was the thing you brought up before the show?
Guards y about playoff Cam Talbot and Marc Andre Fleury.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Oh that's right. Yeah, yeah, we don't want to still
we don't. We don't.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Yeah, we don't want to bring that back up, do we.
That's all ancient news though. That's last thing we want
to do is get Garon going. All right, let me
give you some numbers here three two zero two zero
two four to two. Those are the number of goals
you've given up in like the last dozen games, and
(23:32):
to me, that's where this starts now, whether that's all
goaltending or goaltending and defense whatever, because your guys are
routinely giving up four or five six goals early in
the season. So what has changed in your mind? What
do you see? What has been shored up, what has
been tightened up?
Speaker 4 (23:51):
We were playing more to our identity and being more
responsible with the puck, and you know, we we we
are built a certain way, and when we play a
certain brand of hockey, we can be a very good team.
(24:12):
When we start thinking that we're, you know, the Russian
Red Army and we're not, we get ourselves into trouble.
We're our own worst enemies. And you know what we've
we've we've gotten better at at playing our brand of
hockey and we're playing our identity. And I think that's
a big part of it. You know, we're one of the,
(24:33):
if not the, but one of the least penalized teams
in the league. The penalty kills them better, power play
has been really good of all those, and the goal
pending spended. So yeah, it's there's a lot that goes
into it, but I think our identity is probably the biggest.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Thing Mark from Duluth with the question, Bill, what can
we do about about our compete level along the boards?
He's claiming we always appear to lose of battles along
the boards.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Do you agree with Mark from Duluth.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
Well, Mark, I don't necessarily agree with that. I think
there definitely ebbs and flows during a game and during
the season. It's it's, you know, some nights were better
than others. It's not as simple as just winning battles
along the boards. The guys are trying to there's a
(25:26):
certain plan in place when when coming around the wall
and certain things we're trying to do with it. But yeah,
I mean, hey, look, there are nights that that we
are not at our best with that stuff. But I
think as a whole we're all right.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Well, it's good to know that we've got textures out
here who refuse to simply celebrate the recent success of
the club.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
They always want more, which I don't think you mind.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
For example, this is from we don't have a name here,
but this is from area code eight oh one.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
I don't even know where that is.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Bill.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
I get Capriceov's value, but is it a fair criticism
to say is ot puck handling has put us in
some bad positions? Is there a reason for concern? And
don't let him say it's ot and he's tired. Ha
you thought no?
Speaker 4 (26:15):
I mean yeah, obviously he You know, there's been a
stretch where he hasn't made the strongest of plays. And
that's what I mean when I mean, like when I
say play to our identity. Yeah, what even even Carill,
as good as he is and as talented as he is,
if he's careless with the puck, it it it doesn't
(26:36):
do anything positive for us. So he, more than anybody
he needs to be on target. Lookten he okay, I'll
say it like this. He has more freedom than anybody
out there to make plays and do this and do that.
But he also if he's the one that's being the
(26:59):
most respect possible and the smartest and taking care of
the puck the best, then all the other guys fall
in line.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Are you going to give you're off a real chance here?
Is it going to be up and down back in
the doghouse out of the doghouse? Is he going to
be given the chance to make the occasional mistakes.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
He hasn't been in the doghouse it wasn't. No, he
just didn't play a couple of games.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Well yeah, but I mean so that's that's.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Not the dog house. Not, that's being a young that's
being a young player.
Speaker 5 (27:35):
That's having that's not that's not a dog house.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
That's such a how's he going to get better?
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Is he gonna get better? Mistakes? That's what this is not.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
This is not a development league.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Well you will, you will play.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
You'll be able to play through your mistakes and things
like that when you limit them. It's not just a
free for all.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
It's a yeah, but it's a balancing act. Sometimes it's
a catch twenty two if you don't let him play
out of it.
Speaker 5 (28:03):
Hey, look, and I've told you before.
Speaker 4 (28:05):
We don't give opportunities like opportunities come, but mainly they're aren't.
I think got a pretty good one last night playing
with Uki in Carell and he did great.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Is he going to stay there?
Speaker 4 (28:18):
Yeah? I would assume he stay there for tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
And anyway, okay for tomorrow night? What what did? What
have you observed with him? And at his best.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
He very he's very smart, he's all. He's very sound
positionally like defensively, offensively, he he's got very good sense
and uh, he's going to be a good player.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Here's the Somebody just is checking in now that also
wants to ask about the Chilios Chilios story, and here's
what he says. It was that, Uh, Madonna and you
and I think there was a third player came out
of the shower naked, and the three of you surrounded
the interpreter and gave him a big hug. That was
what the That was the Chilihos story. Do you have
(29:02):
any recollection of this?
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Can't make that? Yeah, he I mean that was on
you know, that was on international TV.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Yeah, you go.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
I think the interview was ended and then they and
then it was they they started talking about it again
at the studio, so you probably didn't get a chance
to hear it first hand.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
It was actually.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Interpret in Japan. His name was and he was a
great guy. He was so funny. Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
Why didn't Why it seems like Zuguerello has changed the
line up entirely, is the answer.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
That's simple. With the team's improvement, what do you.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
Think it just it just allows us to slot players,
like when he's out, then you know, a FOURD liner's
got to play third line. The third line has got
to be second, the second's got to play first, and
a lot of times that just doesn't work. So although
his play helps us, it's also helps the other individuals
(30:15):
as well.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Lastly, we got a text much earlier in the program
from a listener who when I first mentioned you're gonna
be on with us today, and he had a message
for you. This is from looks like nine to.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Five to two.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
Guy.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Tell Billy that it was very classy to sign Western
Paskowitz to a contract and make him feel so special
in his final days.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Rest in peace, Weston.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
My wife has been diagnosed with cancer, and it is
awesome to see the organization take care of their fans
who need it.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Weston was the ten year.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Old boy right that you guys signed to a contract
part of the Make a Wish Foundation deal.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
So excellent, excellent work there, I'm sure.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Yeah. Well, you know, we had a whole crew of
people involved in putting all that together for Weston, and
you know what something that you know, people just shouldn't
have to go through parents have. It's just it's just
a brutal situation. But I'm just proud of our group and.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
That we were.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Very happy that we were able to bring him some
joy you know, in his in his battle. And uh
it yeah, extremely sad. And our heart goes out to
the Pascort's family and they were just incredible. The parents
are just amazing and they had a smile on their
face and they're just they're just an incredible family and
and uh, we're we're thinking of them.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Well, it reinforces why that's that those sorts of acts
are so important to people, man, because it it it
means something apparent, you know, it sticks with you.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Yeah, you know, I have a friend. I have a
friend who went through a similar, similar situation with a
six year old and you know, he his son got
to make us, you know, come true and he said
it really does matter and that that means something. That
means that, you know, when we're doing these things, it's
(32:18):
not just you're not just doing it for Instagram or
this or that. You're doing it because it means something.
It makes it makes the child happy, and it really
hits home. So it's important. And we have a platform,
you know, and I just think it's it's just so
important you know, for us to be involved in things
like that and our guys are the best, they really are.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Thank you, Billy, appreciate the conversation as always, and we'll
talk soon.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
Thanks, Buddy, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
How is a pleasure?
Speaker 3 (32:46):
That is Bill Garren, Wild general manager. I may have
disappointed him that we weren't as edgy, but right now
things are going pretty good. I mean, I'm not here
to say we got you know, a com member of
print for a nice what twelve ten to twelve games,
but it's better than it was.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
And as we said, I have said a couple.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Of times, it obviously starts with the goaltending and the defense.
It shouldn't to me have taken this long for the
team to be your minded of what its personality was
in Garren's mind, but that that's sort of where we
seem to be now. As we play better team, same way.
We'll see if they're able to hold to it, but
at least some glimmer that they're headed in a better direction.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
We'll pause be a back of just air call one eight.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Hundred, got junk, get JJ out of his funk. Hopes
for a seasonal boost may be sunk Wolves and fuck.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
I love the seasonal boost.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Seasonal boost people only knew the seasonal boost backstory.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
It is a great story, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Well?
Speaker 2 (33:57):
What, I don't know the original? Do you remember the original?
Speaker 4 (34:00):
Do?
Speaker 2 (34:00):
And I'm not comfortable sharing?
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Oh okay, all right, it's us at our petty best.
Oh I see, it's us at our best? Yes, okay,
now maybe coming. It was alleged by some people that
that's right.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Now.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Yeah, our ratings were only good because we had the vikings.
We got the seasonal boot.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
That's it. Yeah, that was like twenty years ago.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
But apparently the Bumper Bumber Crew needs a seasonal boost though.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Because the numbers are very good, but we didn't make
there's some online radio talk show sports tournament. We're the
only showing the fan that did not make the field
of sixty four. Apparently, man our net rating our RPI
is apparently not not a tough enough schedule schedule.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
I'm not sure enough quad one wins.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Yeah, I'm guessing it came up with Dan from Woodberry.
I'm assuming I think it was a Yeah, it probably was.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Well, in all honesty, uh, whoever used to do break
them down by day parts?
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Whatever that was?
Speaker 3 (35:04):
I can't remember the name of the publication of the
online agree we we have fallen out of favor with
them somewhere where they allegedly they do. We don't even
make like the top twenty in uh in drive time
or is it maybe it was sick.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
No, we're not even in the even in the mix.
It's over.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
So I've kind a lot. That's one of these years,
got myself one case. One of these decades. Yeah, something
something might kick in. I'm not exactly sure. By the way,
real quick, you're going to cover the Gophers Saturday at Wriggly.
They so Northwestern played back to Why do they do
(35:41):
back to back games?
Speaker 2 (35:42):
There is it?
Speaker 3 (35:43):
Wriggly says, if you want to use the field for football,
you're just gonna have to do it in a in
a in a row. So we don't have to mess
with it in between. Because they played last week at
Wriggly too. Do you know what the backstory is there?
Speaker 1 (35:53):
I don't unless maybe they didn't want to play November
games at their temporary stadium, which is right on the water.
That's true, that would be my I guess, because it
is right on Lake Michigan. Basically, they're temporary twenty right however,
many seats might not even be twenty. I don't know
how many it is. Yeah, and so I think that's
probably it. That would be my guest that they didn't
(36:13):
want a chance parlor in November. So let's get it
into the city at least a little bit. I'm fired up.
I can't wait. It's awesome my TV.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
They've definitely improved the configuration over the years.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Well, now they can actually play a game instead of
having to go to the same end zone that was
when they first started.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
Yeah, that was a big problem. It was crazy. It
didn't make any sense. All right, we got Lavel coming up?
Speaker 3 (36:33):
Is that right to the are no top five and five,
So it'll be Lavel and then it'll be the inbox
hit a guarzie jg at kfan dot com. Larry Mondelo
guy by Mike count Garren uttered only four. You know
what's today a strategically below his average that normally hovers
around a Baker's dozen. Do you think they are inversely
proportional to how the team and especially the goaltenders are playing. Yeah,
(36:54):
I mean there's a lot less to be defensive about
right now, at least right for the moment. Very much
so you know what, so there's there's less need to
invoke the you know whats in Hey, we'll show you.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
Yeah right, I think that must be it. Why does
it have to be dumba We don't have to. We
don't have any of that right now. That's it, level
is
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