March 3, 2026 • 47 mins
Wolves coach Chris Finch kicks off the show, along with Kevin Gorg in studio later in the opening hour of a Talker Tuesday!
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Edward switched to from the left hand of the right
picked up by Hardaway. He's on the logo at mid
court and now moves forwards, creeps to his right off
the rudy screen Zante and the wing right back to
Aunt five to shoot.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
He's got a hoist. He launched his head hats. That's unstoppable.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Hardaway was right in his space and Aunt just drained
his third three of the night.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
He's got twenty one.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Alan Horton on your Home for the Timberwolves FM one
hundred point three k fa N. That was from Sunday
and the victory out in the Mile High City. This
is nine to noon on a talker Tuesday, and we
begin with Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch courtesy of
Second Harvest, Heartland, two Harvest dot Org and Prize Picks. Hey, Chris,
(00:48):
what's going on, Coach?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
How you doing?
Speaker 4 (00:51):
I'm doing well, Pa, I'm doing real well.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
Hey.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Before we get started, I just want to give a
big shout out to to all the volunteers and all
of our partner a Second Harvest. You know, over the
last two months, Second Harvest has responded to the community's
needs with over one hundred thousand emergency food boxes put
together by people within the organization, of course, and also
(01:17):
people out working in our food shows. So big thank
you to them, to people really responding to the needs
of the community over the last couple of months.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
So are no governant collapsed? Second Arvest Heart lamb indeed,
thank you, thank you very much. Nice touch.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Now on the radio, Chris, remember the last time we
chatted on the radio and I brought up what Charles
Barkley said about the wolves and stamping out teams.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Remember that I did.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, you guys did that Sunday at Denver and it
was impressive.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
What what'd you pull from the win? Well?
Speaker 4 (01:55):
You know, you can feel our focus sharpening right now,
you know. So we've got a game tonight, so we're
going to continue. Guys are locked in. Our defenses is
getting better and better. You know, in a lot of
areas where we've been inconsistent. I think we've been really
good in the last number of games, particularly on this
road trip, namely our physicality, our our attention to detail,
(02:19):
our rebounding, our lack of fouling. Is we were good
without filing the other day and I thought, offensively, you know,
we're doing a good job right now, just kind of
playing the game that's in front of us every night.
It might be a little bit different, obviously, teams are
trying to zero in on Ant. Denver did a good
job of not letting him kind of play down the
(02:42):
stretch by putting two on him, and I thought he
was outstanding getting the ball out and into you know,
the next player's hands, and we just made the right play, Chris.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
When the Nuggets don't have Aaron Gordon and they've been
without him for two long stretches this year, it just
you guys are so much longer than the Nuggets, specifically
when they don't have Gordon. How how much of a
difference does that make not having him against those guys?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Well, I mean, he's outstanding player. He's a perfect fit
next to the jokicch He gives them a lot of things,
you know, give them blank he gives them strength and
toughness and around the rim, he's an outstanding multi position defender,
good rebounder, runs the floor, and he's really added the
three point shot to his game. So he's becoming a
complete player and an all around great threat for those guys,
(03:34):
And you know, he changes with his newfound success from
the three point line, he really changes the the spacing
out there makes it really hard. But what I think
where they miss the most is defensively, certainly like he's
he's been. He can guard you know, one through five
(03:55):
at times, and you know they need that guy and
that type of guy next to Jokics to really maximize
their defense.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
And with you guys, Kyle Anderson reportedly back in the
mix beloved slow Mo.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
What do you like about that?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Yeah, man, we love it because he gives us. You know,
we play him at the point guard here, which is
what he grew up playing, and we love his decision
making is high IQ basketball. He's got great lengths. He's
also a multi position defender, which you need right now
with so many skilled guys in the league. You got
(04:32):
to have multitudes of guys who are comfortable guarding smalls
or bigs.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
But yeah, just a winner.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
He was a winning player. He's a winning person. He
just makes winning plays and it's good to have him back.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
The Denver Nuggets took Bones Highland in the first round
five years ago. Holy cow, Sundmy, he lit them up
for eighteen, six of seven, shooting just fifteen minutes. Is
it always special for those guys to have games like
that against their former teams?
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Oh, no doubt about it. He just feels like you
see it all the time, you know. And uh, you know,
Tim Conley was the one who drafted Bones Island, and
Tim's always been a big believer in Bones, and he
was there. You know, he is the reason that Bones
ended up here and we're we're very glad that he
has and he's he's going to pass. It's similar to
(05:26):
the one that we saw on the keel. You know,
when the kill first got here. He didn't play a
whole lot, slowly found his way into the the rotation,
then then made his mark through defense. And you know,
different players for sure, But what Bones offers us we
really need, you know, a speedy guard, somebody who can
consistently get to the paint and make threes. He created
(05:48):
own three and that's stuff that we desperately needed. So
it was fun to watch him. I thought he was
absolutely key to our victory because once he stabilized the
game almost all by himself and the second quarter, then
we kind of took off.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yeah, people in the crowd at ball Arena, I mean
they were astounded. You know, I would hear all around
my section that's bones.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Highland. We used to have him, who knew that's bones.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Most impressive to me with bones this year is he's
shooting I think it's forty six and a half percent.
I mean, what what's he doing to get the field
goal way above his career average.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Well, he's getting a lot of transition baskets, easy ones too.
With outstanding finisher. You know, he can get an angle
on somebody who's quick downhill, is long. He's deceptively long,
and he's got when he unfolds, he you know, he
has a nice touch, laying it right enough the glass.
He's shooting the ball well from three point line too,
so that's you know, certainly helping his average. But he
(06:48):
doesn't take bad shots. You know. I've always said, like,
you want to be a good shooter in the in
the in the league, the first thing to get rid
of all the bad shots, and he just takes really
good shots.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Chris Finch, head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. They have
they have a game tonight against Memphis. More on that momentarily,
is it with the last two the Clippers and the
Nuggets is it. Is it fair to say the last
two you've played that those guys don't want to play
racehorse basketball and like zing up and down the court
kind of kind of a slower pace, especially the Clippers.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And do you like it that way?
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah, I mean the Slippers are definitely a more deliberate team.
They're they're generally slower. They actually the defense invites the
slow game and encourages the slow game, and you know
they'll they'll they'll run out of their defense with steels
and turnovers, but they're not looking to push the pace
at every moment. I would say both teams are opportunistic
and transition. You know, to your point, they don't really
(07:45):
want to run up and down all the time. But
Denver is very good when they can get out and transition. Uh,
Christian Brawn is one of the best wing runners in
the league. And then you have you know, Jokic one
of the best passers, but he's also a great full
court passer and a great transition passer and hit ahead passer.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
And we were able to.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Mitigate that on Sunday, and that's big. They only had
six transition points that they're normally more potent than that.
In transition, but again it was it's a lot of
it's fueled by a lot of it's fueled by Gordon
he's a great runner, and a lot of it's fueled
by Yoki Choose, such a great passer.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So Memphis tonight at Target Center for the first time
without Jaron Jackson after the trade deadline. What what do
you think about tonight? What are some keys tonight? You
guys obviously are big favorites.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Yeah, I mean this is one of those games. It's
it's it's a mindset game as much as anything else.
You know, these guys are look look pretty different after
the trade. Uh, and with with their current roster, they
don't have like a legitimate big on the floor. You know,
they don't have Jackson, of course, who has been a
(08:58):
problem for us all season. Uh. You know they're gonna
spread you out. You know, they're gonna play fast, You're
gonna try to get to the paint, kick it out,
shoot a lot of three. They play like high variants basketball,
like their their their their style. You know if they
all if they start hitting shots, then you're gonna have
You're gonna be in for a headaches because you know
they can really make shots, and they play quick and
(09:21):
they do a good job of playing for each other
in that guard. So we gotta slow him down, gotta
kee him in front. It's gonna be a lot of
one on one defense. It is gonna be important for
sure tonight. But you know it's about our mindset. We
gotta we got to back up what we did on
Sunday with a good performance tonight at home.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Could be a could be a big one for Rudy
each night, right, I mean, with that size advantage, feed
the kidding and put Rudy on a big game.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Yeah, absolutely, And you know it's but they're gonna they're
they're they're very accustomed to putting Rudy in some tricky
situations which we'll leave him, you know, exposed in rotation.
So it's not just being big at the rim. He's
gonna have to cover some ground on the perimeter. And
which is great because you know we're going to see
this this style in the playoff. A lot teams are
gonna dare us to try to take Rudy off the floor,
(10:08):
and you know we we don't generally do that. So
it's it's but Rudy has to adjust and make the
right rotations, you know, rather than just be rooted at
the rim where where we know he's really good and.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
And Toronto's here after that. Tough customers at times, these raptors.
When when when you came here from the Toronto bench,
and and you were a key assessed assistant for the
for Toronto and and Chris for those who don't remember,
became head coach basically middle of the season here a
half decade ago. When when that went down the way
(10:39):
it did, did it surprise you?
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Yeah, I mean it definitely surprised me. I mean it's
kind of unusual to leave one team as a coach
in the middle of the season. I mean, players do
it all the time and trade, but they don't have
the choice. Uh So the opportunity came and uh certainly
blast and was quite unique. But I always will be
forever indebted to the MESSI and Nick Nurse and all
(11:07):
the people in Toronto and ownership Larry Tannenbaum at the time.
Now those three are all have moved on. But you know,
they recognized what a great opportunity it was for me,
and they gracefully let me let me leave and come here,
which's you know, been the highlight of my life professionally
for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
I don't. I don't.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
I mean, has anybody else ever done that? I like,
I don't recall any examples of a coach leaving the
team during the season and becoming a head coach of
another team.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Yeah, the only one I can remember was Yonel'hollins did it?
I can't. I think he left Milwaukee and went to Memphis,
you know, right at the start of the grit and
grind era.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
M hm, yeah, Lionel Hollins.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
I mean, you know, you make a reference like that,
then we're gonna have to reference the big, thick upper body.
And he was tough and the key and like he
and Adrian Dantley kind of played the same way a
little bit, remember that.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Oh yeah, no, multiple time WN sorry, multiple time NBA champion,
once with my sixers and once with Portland I believe, right.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Uh yeah, they're your sixers, but a couple of Sundays ago,
they were everybody else's sixers, if you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
I didn't feel.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Like a couple of a couple of quicks. To close
here for Achique. Chris Finch, head coach of the t wolves,
Io and Bones together is I mean they pushed the
pace that that that that adds a little speed to
the equation here, doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Yeah, we love it. It's a good change of pace,
you know from Anthony and Julius, who are little again
we're a little bit more deliberate there. Although that unit
with with the first unit, you know, Dante and Jayden
do a really good job of getting out and stretching
the floor. But what we love about Io and Bones
is they they can convert quickly, so it's not just
(13:00):
playing fast. They get to the bucket and they can finish.
So they take opportunities and turn them into points and hurry.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Well, last one here. It's it's a two parter. I've
been a little out of pocket the last few days.
Great seeing you guys in Denver Sunday, by the way,
But yeah, have you have you like, have you been
asked a lot of questions of late about your relationship
with with Anthony Edwards, off the the the past, the
ball walk off Clippers night.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Yeah, I mean, of course, you know, I've got a few.
It's not been too too many. I think most people
who are in the game understand that these exchanges happen
and we move on. I mean, Anthony and I barely disgusted.
We just talked about it a little bit, kind of laughed,
and you know, we're both fine. And you know there's
been no residual issue here. Yeah, you know, but I
(13:53):
mean there was a something captured between Luca and JJ
Reddick the other day. I mean, you know, this competitive
environment that we work in, and you know, we're not
afraid to share our feelings at the time, and and
and I think it's it's good when you can have
these exchanges and then everything's fine afterwards. I mean, let
(14:13):
everybody know that you know, we got a healthy relationship
because we'll be able to to to move on. And
you know, I've had we've had those types of exchanges
with multiple people on on the on the on the
on the teams, not just exclusive to Anthony.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Except so to land the plane on this and the
conversation being a coach, and I'm thinking of you and
Ann being a coach, a teacher, a dissenting a dissenting opinion,
sometimes a surrogate family member and all of that to
a superstar, I'm guessing working with and befriending Anthony Edwards
(14:53):
has absolutely been a highlight of your career.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Oh absolutely, And watching him u to grow and become
the player he has and put the work in and
benefit from it. And obviously everybody and organizationally is we're
benefiting from it. But us, as any anyone will tell you,
like everybody wants to be coached, you know, myself included,
like I want feedback on things that I can do
(15:18):
differently or better and and and that's just that's that
comes with an environment and a level of accountability. He
can't be afraid of your best players, like you know,
you can't. You can't be afraid of your best players.
I don't think any coach you know that's trying to
to to win at the highest levels or create a
(15:40):
culture of you know, coaching and accountability is going to
shy away from being you know, from coaching his best players.
I've always thought, you're You're only going to be as
good as your ability and your willingness to coach your
best players. And and the great thing for us is
our best players are highly coachable.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
That was excellent.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Congratulations on the recent news with Second Harvest Heartland. We
thank them for their inclusion. Each and every week, you
join tear it up tonight. We'll talk soon.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Thanks so much, Pa, Thank you, see you buddy.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
That is Finchy Finchy, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, courtesy
of Second Harvest, Heartland, two Harvest dot Org and prize
Picks as part of the TimberTech What's on Deck setlist,
which includes the scribe Ben Geslin joining us today about
ten o'clock covers the Vikings for the Star tribew He'll
(16:33):
be preceded by Kevin Gorg. A lot of hockey taking
place in the month of March and certainly locally, and
we will get into all that with Ka g about
forty five, make that about twenty minutes from now. And
today is Tuesday, which means this is a talkback Tuesday.
It's tied to a sponsor, it's tied to a prize,
(16:54):
and it's tied to mad producer.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Good Morning, Good Morning.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Talker Tuesday is presented by Northern Fire Grill in Barbecue supplyes.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
So it's a talkback Tuesday.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
Indeed, with the free iHeartRadio app, hit the microphone, give
us up to your best thirty seconds. It's a Vikings
related Talker Today talkback machine. If I told you the
Vikings were going to add Kyler Murray this offseason as
part of their plan to raise the level of the
QB room.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
What would you say? No wrong answers?
Speaker 5 (17:21):
And if it happens for some of you will pretend
this never took place. But if the Vikings add Kyler Murray,
how does that hit you? You're naming where you're from,
use the talkback machine. One of you is going to
get a twenty five dollars gift card in the prestigious
honor of the tastiest talkback courtesy of Northern Fire Grilling
and Barbecue Supply in Minnetonka Northern Fire bbq dot com.
(17:53):
A KFN welcomes great shows to the led j Amphitheater
this year. John mulaney will be there August twenty second,
and Blues Traveler and Jin Blossoms.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Will be their September twelfth. That's sweet.
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Get the complete details and all the upcoming shows via
the concert page kfan dot com.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
And the keyword is calendar.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
And last segment, Pa asked for some talkbacks on a
talker Tuesday and simply enough, Hey, I told you Rube
Nation that Kyler Murray was going to be the answer
to everyone's question in regard to what is raising the
level of the QB room look like in twenty twenty six. Well,
some listeners have already chimed in. Let's let's check out.
(18:39):
Oh here we go. Okay, how what it actually plays?
That would be sweet.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
NMPA Nordo Thomas from Shanhassen here, if you were to
tell me Kyler Murray were to be a Viking this
upcoming season, I would be all on board. I trust KOC,
I trust this offense.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Kyler has the tools.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
Me and my fantasy football chats we are all k
one from day one. I think the system over there
in Arizona wasn't the best fit for him, but I
think KOC will put him in.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
The price spots. I'm sure he had the best.
Speaker 6 (19:09):
Fight end in football over there in Arizona, but not
the best wide receiver number eighteen justin Jefferson.
Speaker 5 (19:14):
Thank you, Oh thanks, my brother k one from day one?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
What's so? What's the what's behind the the Kyler Murray premise?
Speaker 4 (19:22):
Well?
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Just kind of is it? Is it a big like?
Was it a big big talker? After the combine? Alec
jump in here and stamp it what's going on with it? Well,
it's been a conversation. Pieces part of the long list.
We played that game last week, you got Labor, liber
and Studio. We're talking about Derek Carr coming out of retirement.
There was mentioned in Steam at the combine last week.
(19:42):
Maybe you heard it while you were there, maybe you didn't.
The idea of Anthony Richardson being an enticing option because
of that moment they had a couple of years ago
on the field where Kevin O'Connell was being very encouraging postgame.
So those sorts of connections, and then Kyler Murray the
idea that that you know, the money piece matters, except
if he's not traded, there's steam that the Cardinals would
(20:05):
be apt to just release him.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
So then therefore you're not from minimum.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
You're not fighting the money aspect of it, You're fighting
the does he fit and can we work with this?
And I also think there's a lot of interest behind
the fact that Kyler Murray. I believe he's twenty eight
years old, so he's been in the legue a while,
but still just twenty eight. Where a Kirk Cousins, we
know that he's an elder statesman thirty seven ish. I
believe there are car thirty five, you know Smith in
his mid thirties, that you look at reclamation projects, which
(20:33):
is potentially what this would be. There's steam behind the
idea that Kyler Murray could be among the most raw
talented aspects of the options in front of us.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
The only Kyler Murray related conversation I had with somebody
off the microphone in Indianapolis. And I really don't like
doing this because I'm not going to say the person's name.
So we're sourcing here, but it's not an upfront or
an attack on somebody, A source said. I don't like
(21:03):
that personally speaking. I was told Kyler Murray now that
this is this is commonplace with quarterbacks and availability, whether
they're getting drafted or to a certain extent they're free agents.
Kyler Murray, for whatever the reason, really wants to play here.
And Kyler Murray, yes, he wants too badly. Oh, yes,
(21:27):
Kyler Murray. And I was told that by somebody who
eighty five percent would know right and not locally, So
that's you know, I need to wrap my mind around
Kyler Murray. Well I'm not, so we'll listen to the talkbacks.
We will hear what they have to say about preferences,
(21:47):
and perhaps I can be sold on Kyler Murray working
in this Kevin O'Connell offense, because I would have to
be sold on it. I would also have to be
sold that the man's engagement level or perceived thereof, is
at a different level than it was previously. But you
(22:11):
know that's that's a personal opinion. So therefore we're not
riding any steam on that or anything. We're not being
told who wants Kyler. He's made his money, he doesn't care.
So I haven't been told that, but I just would
And and this comes also without really being so confused
(22:32):
with this situation and at this stage of the equation
not seeking answers, I'm confused. Yeah, I mean, I see,
I followed the the Anthony Richards and stuff from the
combine over the weekend.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Surprised me a little bit. Yeah, big, no thanks on that.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Yeah, it's it's a no thanks for me too. But
I don't want to shortchange what this staff can do
with certain skill sets, so that'd be below Kyler for me.
Kyler Kyler with eighty seven eighty seven regular season starts,
that's obviously a little different. The way Geno Smith plays
(23:09):
the game is different than those two. Then you get
the mac Jones situation that's kind of become cold product
you're just not you're not hearing much or but you
know what, when when things are most silent sometimes maybe
maybe the wheels are ground grinding most loudly. Yeah, when
it's most silent, not only here but other places.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
So I think that I'm confused the mac Jones.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
The reason I brought up the age is is, so
what is the what is the purpose in making the move?
If it's Gino Smith, it's a shorter term option. If
it's Kirk Cousin, certainly a shorter term option. And with
with the lack of faith that many have in JJ McCarthy,
kind of the idea is, Okay, let's let's see if
number nine can grow. We've only seen ten games. Yeah,
(23:55):
but man, if it goes south, I want to I
want that competition, whatever that looks like. In twenty twenty six,
we're still all just kind of mentally putting that picture together.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Yea.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Then I got a guy that's still like in his
twenties that mac Jones could potentially be the answer for
five or six or seven years health and productivity, of course,
playing a part of that versus a Gino Smith love
what he did and his own reclamation project that took
place in Seattle. He was just dreadful last season among
many issues in Las Vegas. That leaves a certain taste
(24:26):
in people's mouths, I think. But also that is not
as long a term and option potentially as maybe these
younger cats would be.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Jeremy Fowler, the senior reporter for ESPN, when I sat
down with him last week and we played the interview
back Tuesday, I mean Thursday, but I sat down with
him on a Tuesday. A lot can change at Steam
Central in Indianapolis from a Tuesday all the way through
a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Reason I bring it up
(24:59):
is because I I caught a headline somewhere that Fowler
kind of made it sound in an interview with podcast.
I don't think it's a story, but it was something recent,
maybe even yesterday or the day before that, like like
like McCarthy's time here might be done. It's like it
(25:19):
just think about it, you know if if I saw that, yeah,
you and I are dating all right now? All of
a sudden I'm talking about somebody else. Well, you know,
it's just launch and you know we're going to bring
somebody else in. It was some kind some type of
like boyfriend girlfriend dating or some type analogy that he used,
and like the writings on the wall, when you see
(25:40):
that they're interested in bringing others in, well, the question
would be what type of of of quarterback would they
bring in off what you said, you know, if you
could get four or five, six, maybe potentially a future quarterback,
so that there's that part of the equation too.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
It's it's crazy how much geez. It's not really a
post mortem. He's still on the team. But it has
been interesting over the course of the offseason where it
kind of trickles out. Okay, i've seen reporting done. He didn't,
We didn't. We were worried about maybe how he would
handle having to sit a second year.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I'm sure you've seen some of that where.
Speaker 5 (26:15):
It's just the The post mortem on the twenty twenty
five season has been such where there was more to
what happened last spring with the quarterback spot and moving forward,
there are concerns about how he might even handle being
the leader of a franchise being QB one in the NFL,
and these are just kind of new things.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
That we haven't talked about before.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
So if there is worry about that, then then there
is trouble potentially with that spot long term. But in
the end, I think Kevin O'Connell, sticking to his guns,
is going to say I need this room to be
better and create and and you know what, JJ, you.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Can continue to grow.
Speaker 5 (26:55):
You got the right to win this job and we're
excited for you to do that because we took you
with the tenth though overall pick. But we got to
handle what's best for the team. And maybe what's best
for the team means a more competitive environment for old
number nine.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
From the radio station of Hockey in the State of Hockey,
kg joins nine to noon next fair.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
What up?
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Gorge joining us in just a couple of seconds. But
I did this a year ago and I'm pumped to
do it again. The Northwest Sports Show is back. It's
this weekend in fact, March fifth through the eighth at
the Minneapolis Convention Center. It's the latest fishing in outdoor gear, boats,
and r v's power sports. Really cool stuff that you
can see everything you need for the season. But I'm
gonna be there this Friday from four to six pm.
(27:45):
It's a Friday night fish fry at the Northwest Sports
Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center. So join me four
to six on Friday for some fishing chips. Huh KFA
dot com keyword calendar.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Clearly approaching the National Hockey League postseason or off the
Blues loss after the Colorado win.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Clearly you got too much on your mind right now.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Spot And here's what we mean with Kevin Gork side
rink analyst Van Duel. The Wild have Tampa Bay this
evening the Fox nine. All right, So I saw I
saw on social media this morning that you were going
to do a Fox nine hit talking about the Wild
or what a tournament, the whole thing, Hockey State tournament,
(28:34):
whole thing. So you drove from the west side to
the east side, and what happened.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
I walk into Grand Casino Arena, and you know, I've
been texting with producer Guy as recent as last week,
and walk in. They're not there, and I'm like, this
is weird. They're normally Saturday goes. And so I go
back to my text chain I'd written down Tuesday the
third you know p there at eight to fifteen on
the air at eight thirty.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
I look at the text chain. It hits on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Oh geez, so it was your mistake, right end line.
And with the state High School Hockey Tournament beginning Thursday
to a man named Tony getting tomorrow. Beginning tomorrow, Tony
Scott from Youth Hockey Hub. He's going to join nine
to now a little later. It's an annual occurrence. And
do you have any preferences in the double A. You know,
(29:22):
I think Morehead's gonna be really tough. They you know,
they got the monkey off the city's back last year
after what eight different runner up times for the Spuds.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
They've had a great year. They've put a great schedule.
It's cool that some of the big dogs are in there.
I think the most intriguing matchup might be a Friday
night showdown with a Dina and Morehead. If they both survive,
they'll be favored to do so. On Thursday. They played
in the state football championship back in November. He dined
on an epic game forty two thirty five. That's or
guard Morehead beat e Diner for the title. Last year
(29:54):
they beat still water they beat still Watering. Yes, okay,
so did Morehead beat he Dine of the game before that,
it might have beat him in the quarters if they
meet here. He Dina beat him forty two to thirty
five in the state championship. It Dina's goalie pure Guard,
had six ptchdowns and rushed for three hundred and twenty yards.
So really interesting dynamic. Now I'll be traveling Thursday. I'll
be watching via the laptop, but I'm working all four
(30:17):
games on Wednesday for Channel forty five. I'll be in
the booth with Jim Erickson. Super excited about the opportunity.
I think, is Georgeky part of the mix? Seorsky's been
there forever, Micalletti's in the mix. I know Parish and
Climber will both be up there. Of course, Chris Long
at the desk, and Jimmy Rickson does an awesome job
on the play by place.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
I don't know how he does it.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Pa, You've done the gig on the hockey side to
memorize all those names and numbers and do all those games,
four on Wednesday, four on Thursday, and then obviously the
weekend's busy. He is a machine god is he good now?
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Somebody I was chatting with somebody last week about the
state high school hockey tournament. Yeah, kid, so Joey Collin
Matt's kid. Okay, I think he's a sophomore. Yep, all right.
Somebody said to me last week that he there's a
good chance he'll be the first overall pick in the
NHL draft, like whenever, whenever he's eligible to be drafted.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
That's that's high praise.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
That's that's saying a lot right like it's uh, it's
still a year or two away. But man, you know,
it doesn't surprise me if you you know, we both
got to know Matt Cullen when he played UH for
the Wild and played pro forever. The work ethic, the
hockey knowledge, the hockey skill. It feels like it's been
passed on to all his kids because when you watch
(31:33):
his kids play, there are many Matt Cullens. So I
think NHL teams see that and say, you know, sometimes
it might just be in the bloodlines, and they're they're
unbelievable players. More.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
It's got just such a stacked lineup. It's it's going to.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Be fun to watch Tampa Bay tonight. Where where do
you couture off? What where do you slot kouchure Off
among the best in show these days? Could you like
never hear his name in the conversations, But then all
he does is put up fat numbers every single year.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
We just had this conversation coming off the Winter Olympics
because it was a minor upset that the team USA
beat Canada in that gold medal game, and on paper,
we argued, at least I argue that the best four
players on the planet right now are named McKinnon, McDavid,
mccarr and Celebrini. So those are your four best. I
(32:24):
think Kuchiov has to be considered next in line, right.
I think he's top five if you look at his
consistent production, if you look at the Cup cred won
a couple of Stanley Cups, He's got to be right
in that mix for top five. I will argue that
those four are clearly the best four. The next five
or six include Kouchiov, they include Quinn Hughes and boy
(32:47):
the way Matt Bold he's playing, he's making quite the push.
He's top twenty for sure, top ten, maybe on the
horizon for number twelve.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
And then so if you get to the next five
and like casting the Gays the way a year or
two down the road, Lucas, Raymond, Logan, Cooley. I mean,
names like that are part of the equation because they're
coming in, they're coming up these players hard.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
We just saw Logan, you know, Coolly, and you know,
you look at the young talent in this league, and
you look at some of the the up and comers
celebrating still a teenager. You look at Connor Bodard in Chicago.
Who the wild They're going to see twice here later
in March. It's unbelievable. What a great place the NHL
is in right now. And you look at some of
the drama around Bill Garon when he picked that roster.
(33:29):
I mean, Cole Kawfield's an unbelievable player, he's electric watching.
It's incredible. But I mean, you know, and Billy clearly
made the right picks. My point is, though, there is
talent all over this league, and a lot of these
players are under the age of twenty five, and so yeah,
the league, the league right now is in a very
good place. Off that Olympic push. I think you're getting
(33:50):
more people to watch these games. And when we get
the playoff hockey here in six weeks. Boy is it
going to be you know, get your popcorn ready.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Must see TV marathon with Kevin gorg at Gorgo Mattic
two to one via x Steve's Appliances. Thank you very
much for the marathon segments. The fiftieth Anniversary sale is
in play right now, up to fifty percent off select appliances.
Take advantage at Steve's Appliances dot com. So, whether it's
with the Wild or what you've seen around the league
(34:20):
after the Olympics, then there are a lot of them
coming off layoffs, the celebrations and winning at Denver for
this team, that Saint Louis game, look, I mean it
looked like the trap of all traps ever to trap
and did it play out that way?
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Did it surprise you at all?
Speaker 1 (34:37):
It did surprise me just because the while had a
hard time consistently generating good looks, which even when they've
had tough nights, and I look at the game in
Utah off that emotional win in Denver wasn't a total
shock to any of us that they struggled, but they
still got a bunch of Greade eight chances in that
hockey game. And Bolding had a couple of breakaways. Capriestoff
had a couple of good looks. What surprised me the
(34:59):
most out the Saint Louis game is how well Saint
Louis czeched Minnesota. They kept Minnesota to the outside outside
of a couple really good looks. I know, Tarasenka with
the goalie, Pold had that amazing chance on hope for
Minnesota didn't have a lot of great looks, So I
think that was something that certainly John Hines and the
coaching staff looked at and said, Okay, we got to
hit the reset button, and that's going to happen in
(35:20):
the course of the season.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
The Wild Pa are.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
In a really weird spot right now because you're not
catching Colorado and no one behind you can catch you.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
So you pretty much know six weeks.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Ahead of time you're getting ready to play Dallas in
that first round.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
That's going to be a hell of a series.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
But in the meantime, we've got six weeks of hockey here,
We've got twenty one games left to play, so they've
got to stay focused, they've got to keep playing their game.
It wasn't one of their better games against the Blues.
I thought Saint Louis played great. I thought their goalie
was solid. But I would expect a good bounce back
tonight against the team in Tampa.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Bay that is really good. No no chance to catch
the Avs in the division. Right They're nine up with
two games in a hand. It's not happening.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Okay, Well, Abs, mine is three thousand to win the division.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Shane Lowry was minus three thousand on the sixteen team.
What's not getting into that because you never know.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
I guess Wild plus ten thousands, So we'll cross out
that that divisional spotty for spotty. But of the off
the way I asked her that last question, off the Olympics,
the layoff, celebrations, all thing the I would guess I
would bet that the Wild will have big time pep
in their step tonight for sure, because I mean, and
(36:29):
you know more than me, man, do you think there's
a transition for the USA Olympians to go from that
frenetic pace in the Olympics back to regular season games?
Human nature, as we say, gets to win two occasionally,
but they and then so you get that Colorado game,
and then you get the Saint Louis game, well, now
(36:49):
we're all back to normal.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Tonight's going to be the bomb. Ty should be great
because it's national TV. It's a late night puck drop.
I think it's like eight forty five pm in Minnesota.
The Wild had a way of elevating their game against
the league's elite, and we've seen them beat Colorado now
two out of three matchups. We've seen them the last
couple of years, beat this Tampa team, beat the Florida
Panthers with all their Cup creds. So I would expect
(37:13):
Minnesota tonight to bring their a game.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
It's going to be a great atmosphere at Grand Casino Arena.
And then I think for all those USA guys specifically
now to get back into the rhythm of the season.
And I know quinn Us has done the little media
tour and that's been really cool to watch. But now
you can settle back in and John Hines talked about
this after tonight, they've got a couple of good days
to just catch their breath, have a practice day, and
(37:37):
then you go back on the road. You play Vegas
on Friday, you go back to Denver for a Sunday.
Matt Nae think about this week Tampa Vegas, Colorado. I
think that'll bring out the best in the Wild as
they kind of sit in this weird spot on the
schedule where they know who they're going to play in
the playoffs, they really do, but they've got to still
play some great hockey and create some.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
Momentum and trade deadline Friday Friday. So mine, you know,
mind's drifting. It just happens with everybody, every everywhere this
time of the year. What dumb Robbie Fabric, Robbie Fabric,
yep Wild claimed him off waivers.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
What do we know about him?
Speaker 1 (38:12):
He's won a Stanley Cup, So I think the Cup
cred is always a good thing to have in the
locker room. And he's a perfect addition for your bottom six,
your third and fourth line. You look at players like
Ben Jones and Tyler Petlick, they've been just fine. This
guy brings a little more offensive potential, a little more
flexibility in the lineup. And with that, you know, again
the experiences that he's had, he's never gonna be guys
(38:34):
going to light the world on fire. But you go
back a couple of years and he scored fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, goals.
So this guy can produce and he can be a
nice depth player for you. And I think you know,
if you look at this week from Minnesota, they're probably
just fine. The way they are right now, ready to
make a run. It just feels like and listening to
Bill Garrin he had that afternoon press conference before we
(38:55):
did the broadcast against the Blues, they're really pushing hard
for a center and read the te leaves, PA, They're
really pushing hard for for Trocheck on the Rangers.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
Yeah, it's and I picked this up from the Athletic
this morning. Might have been a Russo radio story and
or with Joe Smith Rangers centerman Vincent Trocheck. He had
a quote and from the Athletic maybe you've seen him quote,
if I'm if I'm if I'm going to get traded
to a team that's in the same situation as us,
the Rangers, then I don't want to move. That sounds
(39:25):
miserable in a news to be in a new city.
I'm thirty two years old. I would like to win
a Stanley Cup. So if I'm going to get traded,
I'd like to go to a team that's winning or
as a chance to win so that I mean clearly
he's open to getting traded. He has a twelve team,
no trade Wild not on set list. We are a
(39:47):
winning team. That's your Minnesota Wild. Clearly they they Covet
Trocheck and he doesn't mind leaving.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
What do you think of all this?
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I think he wants to come here, and I think
part of its might be when they were doing the
different pictures throughout the lead up to the start of
the Olympic hockey they did a picture with the three
Wild players and he photo bombed, Wow, the three Wild
players as kind of a prank. And he's got a
great relationship with Billy Garran. He's clearly tight with those
three guys, right with Faber and Boldy and Quinn So
(40:19):
and you got John Hines right behind the bench and
he was a huge part of that penalty kill that
John Hines ran during the Winter Olympics that went eighteen
for eighteen. So the Rangers kind of have the Wild
in a weird spot because the Rangers know how much
the Wild won them. The beauty of Bill Garan is
and Russell reported that in the article that you that
you read, he gives you his offer, and this is
(40:40):
his offer. And he did the same thing with Vancouver
when the Wild were able to get Quinn Hughes. So
the offers on the table from what everything we've been told,
and now we'll see what the Rangers do.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
What is Robert Thomas's name still in the ecasion? I
mean he kind of tore us up on Sunday, didn't he.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Yeah, a decent game ahead that empty net goal. And
he's a younger version of Trocheck. Right He's a guy
that can win your face offs. He's a right handed
shot guy. You could use him on the power play,
you can use them in all different areas. He's a
really solid player. The difference in looking at a Trocheck
move compared to a move for Thomas says you're going
to probably have to give up a lot more capital
(41:16):
to get Thomas because he's six years younger, and I
think that that might include some bigger pieces. So I
think Billy is looking at Trocheck is the perfect fit
for right now. And I think if you're handicapping this,
it makes more sense. So Marcus Felino.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
So with beloved Moose being out an unspecified amount of
time with a lower body injury and it being trade
deadline weak and he got a bunch of monsters on
the horizon beginning tonight with the lightning. Like you said,
he's heartenuous times. I mean, I just wonder if the
trading part of the equation, if anything changes with Moose
(41:52):
being out.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
For a little while.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Well, we asked Bill Garrion that direct question pa in
that presser on Sunday, and he said players like Marcus
Fellino are not easy to find. And so you know
what I read from his commentary to us is they're
hopeful that if you can get him a little time down.
When I say a little time, it might be you
get this guy right, maybe in time for the playoffs,
(42:15):
because I look at Marcus Felino's game and how the
rink absolutely does shrink during the playoffs, and how much
more physical it is, and how much more you need
players like Fellino. The red flag for me is we
just had three weeks off and he's still got something
going on here. So they've got to get him right.
And so the timing might be okay to say, all right,
(42:35):
we believe we can get him back and are ready
to go in time for April eighteenth, when the playoffs start.
In the meantime, let's fix this center position. Let's go
get Trocheck. But it's a huge concern because Fellino's great
every night, and you felt being around the guys even
on that afternoon day when they played Saint Louis, that
something was missing. The emotion he brings, the energy he brings.
(42:57):
It just it's a different team without him, and so
they've got to get him right in time for the postseason, no.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Doubt, Stevens.
Speaker 3 (43:03):
Stamcoast is obviously hockey immortality might be available, right.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
Yeah, Nashville's kind of teetering on playoff contention.
Speaker 3 (43:12):
But you're right, Well, so I read that in the
same athletic story this morning for stam Cooast twenty nine
goals for the Preds they lose to the Wings last night.
And he's a right handed shot who always has had
high end, left circle snipe to him on power plays.
He's still strong on faceoffs, as I read. In fact,
he won five of eight face offs last night against
(43:33):
the Wings. So like, if it comes to stamcost I
think he's like thirty six, thirty seven or whatever.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
We do You think I wouldn't say no.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
I mean watching him up close a few weeks ago
in Nashville. This guy still brings the juice really. Oh yeah,
he can still play man, I mean, and think about
what he would Okay, specifically on.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
The power Coast in Martin's San Luis that's in La Cavalier.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Oh yeah, that's like twenty years well, I mean younger
than those two. But here's what I'll tell you. If
you envision the Wild in the postseason with Quinn Hughes
at the top of the power play, and you've got
Boldie on one side, you've got stamp Coast on the other,
you've got Eck in front, You've got caprisov roving around.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
So you've got stam Coos in the OV circle on
the power play. Correct, Well, that's the bomb. Yeah, and
that's what that's what's missing.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
Like, Minnesota does not have a ton of right shot
options for that half wall position that can do what
a guy like stamp Coast could do. So I wouldn't
count that out.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
The speaking of the Red Wings, the Red Wings fifty
to one to win the Cup. Does that have some
spot up to you or are they not ready? It's
it's higher than I thought it would be me too,
because they've been really good all year.
Speaker 1 (44:45):
They've got a ton of offense, They've got enough star
power up front. You know, you look at what a
dynamic player Dylan Larkin is.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (44:52):
I wonder about their goaltending, you know, trying to win
four consecutive series. But at fifty to one, I mean,
they feel like a team that should be in that
twenty to twenty five to one range, like Minnesota is
Minnesota's around twenty eighteen. Yeah, and so that does seem
high as I look at those numbers, that might be
a team worth a little ten dollars spotty.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
All right, first time Cup winner? What do you think
of this?
Speaker 3 (45:14):
You got you get all these teams for plus six hundred,
San Jose, Seattle, Nashville, Columbus, the Wild, Utah, Winnipeg, Buffalo,
and Ottawa at plus six hundred, which you so you
get the field there of the of the non Cup
winners of plus six hundred.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
Well, I'd rather just bet two teams on that list
to Minnesota and Buffalo, because to me, they're the two
best teams on that list. You just rattled off, And
how cool would it be? I mean, obviously for US,
Minnesota is a no brainer. But Buffalo, man, they are
turning some heads. They are playing some unbelievable hockey, and
it's a great story. You know, we know how good
(45:52):
tamp is. We're gonna watch them tonight. Buffalo is like
three or four points behind them for the division leads.
So the Sabers, to me, are one of the great
stories this year.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
Remember the Saturday mattin a you had out there, yes,
the day of our day before Buffalo, Denver and football.
Speaker 2 (46:06):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (46:06):
I mean that that's like the first time that I
really sat down in my life and honed in on
Quinn Hughes. And I was because it's very early in
his run here, and I'm like, holy Tage Thompson, that
big who knew?
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Oh look at our guy? What a game two? That
was phenomenal. All right?
Speaker 3 (46:22):
What about this all Canadian teams missing the playoffs? All right,
it's plus twenty seven hundred. It should be Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
See the problem you're going to run into here is
it's going to be really hard for a couple of
those teams to miss Edmonton, you know, and Montreal to
me seemed like almost locks. But the rest of them
are all I mean Vancouver. What a disaster that's turned
out to be. Hoofta Safe travels this week. Thanks for
the time on the radio. Enjoy the high school hockey tournament.
We'll be watching you and I'll go wild tonight. Thanks Pa,
(46:57):
Thanks brother.
Speaker 3 (46:58):
Kevin Gorg's in your on the world of hockey on
the radio station four Hockey in the State of Hockey, Minnesota,
State of Hockey nine p.
Speaker 2 (47:06):
Fifty eight.
Speaker 3 (47:07):
We moved to football with a describer around the corner
on KFA
Edward switched to from the left hand of the right
picked up by Hardaway. He's on the logo at mid
court and now moves forwards, creeps to his right off
the rudy screen Zante and the wing right back to
Aunt five to shoot.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
He's got a hoist. He launched his head hats. That's unstoppable.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Hardaway was right in his space and Aunt just drained
his third three of the night.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
He's got twenty one.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Alan Horton on your Home for the Timberwolves FM one
hundred point three k fa N. That was from Sunday
and the victory out in the Mile High City. This
is nine to noon on a talker Tuesday, and we
begin with Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch courtesy of
Second Harvest, Heartland, two Harvest dot Org and Prize Picks. Hey, Chris,
(00:48):
what's going on, Coach?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
How you doing?
Speaker 4 (00:51):
I'm doing well, Pa, I'm doing real well.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
Hey.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Before we get started, I just want to give a
big shout out to to all the volunteers and all
of our partner a Second Harvest. You know, over the
last two months, Second Harvest has responded to the community's
needs with over one hundred thousand emergency food boxes put
together by people within the organization, of course, and also
(01:17):
people out working in our food shows. So big thank
you to them, to people really responding to the needs
of the community over the last couple of months.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
So are no governant collapsed? Second Arvest Heart lamb indeed,
thank you, thank you very much. Nice touch.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Now on the radio, Chris, remember the last time we
chatted on the radio and I brought up what Charles
Barkley said about the wolves and stamping out teams.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Remember that I did.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, you guys did that Sunday at Denver and it
was impressive.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
What what'd you pull from the win? Well?
Speaker 4 (01:55):
You know, you can feel our focus sharpening right now,
you know. So we've got a game tonight, so we're
going to continue. Guys are locked in. Our defenses is
getting better and better. You know, in a lot of
areas where we've been inconsistent. I think we've been really
good in the last number of games, particularly on this
road trip, namely our physicality, our our attention to detail,
(02:19):
our rebounding, our lack of fouling. Is we were good
without filing the other day and I thought, offensively, you know,
we're doing a good job right now, just kind of
playing the game that's in front of us every night.
It might be a little bit different, obviously, teams are
trying to zero in on Ant. Denver did a good
job of not letting him kind of play down the
(02:42):
stretch by putting two on him, and I thought he
was outstanding getting the ball out and into you know,
the next player's hands, and we just made the right play, Chris.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
When the Nuggets don't have Aaron Gordon and they've been
without him for two long stretches this year, it just
you guys are so much longer than the Nuggets, specifically
when they don't have Gordon. How how much of a
difference does that make not having him against those guys?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Well, I mean, he's outstanding player. He's a perfect fit
next to the jokicch He gives them a lot of things,
you know, give them blank he gives them strength and
toughness and around the rim, he's an outstanding multi position defender,
good rebounder, runs the floor, and he's really added the
three point shot to his game. So he's becoming a
complete player and an all around great threat for those guys,
(03:34):
And you know, he changes with his newfound success from
the three point line, he really changes the the spacing
out there makes it really hard. But what I think
where they miss the most is defensively, certainly like he's
he's been. He can guard you know, one through five
(03:55):
at times, and you know they need that guy and
that type of guy next to Jokics to really maximize
their defense.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
And with you guys, Kyle Anderson reportedly back in the
mix beloved slow Mo.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
What do you like about that?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Yeah, man, we love it because he gives us. You know,
we play him at the point guard here, which is
what he grew up playing, and we love his decision
making is high IQ basketball. He's got great lengths. He's
also a multi position defender, which you need right now
with so many skilled guys in the league. You got
(04:32):
to have multitudes of guys who are comfortable guarding smalls
or bigs.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
But yeah, just a winner.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
He was a winning player. He's a winning person. He
just makes winning plays and it's good to have him back.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
The Denver Nuggets took Bones Highland in the first round
five years ago. Holy cow, Sundmy, he lit them up
for eighteen, six of seven, shooting just fifteen minutes. Is
it always special for those guys to have games like
that against their former teams?
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Oh, no doubt about it. He just feels like you
see it all the time, you know. And uh, you know,
Tim Conley was the one who drafted Bones Island, and
Tim's always been a big believer in Bones, and he
was there. You know, he is the reason that Bones
ended up here and we're we're very glad that he
has and he's he's going to pass. It's similar to
(05:26):
the one that we saw on the keel. You know,
when the kill first got here. He didn't play a
whole lot, slowly found his way into the the rotation,
then then made his mark through defense. And you know,
different players for sure, But what Bones offers us we
really need, you know, a speedy guard, somebody who can
consistently get to the paint and make threes. He created
(05:48):
own three and that's stuff that we desperately needed. So
it was fun to watch him. I thought he was
absolutely key to our victory because once he stabilized the
game almost all by himself and the second quarter, then
we kind of took off.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yeah, people in the crowd at ball Arena, I mean
they were astounded. You know, I would hear all around
my section that's bones.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Highland. We used to have him, who knew that's bones.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Most impressive to me with bones this year is he's
shooting I think it's forty six and a half percent.
I mean, what what's he doing to get the field
goal way above his career average.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Well, he's getting a lot of transition baskets, easy ones too.
With outstanding finisher. You know, he can get an angle
on somebody who's quick downhill, is long. He's deceptively long,
and he's got when he unfolds, he you know, he
has a nice touch, laying it right enough the glass.
He's shooting the ball well from three point line too,
so that's you know, certainly helping his average. But he
(06:48):
doesn't take bad shots. You know. I've always said, like,
you want to be a good shooter in the in
the in the league, the first thing to get rid
of all the bad shots, and he just takes really
good shots.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Chris Finch, head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. They have
they have a game tonight against Memphis. More on that momentarily,
is it with the last two the Clippers and the
Nuggets is it. Is it fair to say the last
two you've played that those guys don't want to play
racehorse basketball and like zing up and down the court
kind of kind of a slower pace, especially the Clippers.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And do you like it that way?
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah, I mean the Slippers are definitely a more deliberate team.
They're they're generally slower. They actually the defense invites the
slow game and encourages the slow game, and you know
they'll they'll they'll run out of their defense with steels
and turnovers, but they're not looking to push the pace
at every moment. I would say both teams are opportunistic
and transition. You know, to your point, they don't really
(07:45):
want to run up and down all the time. But
Denver is very good when they can get out and transition. Uh,
Christian Brawn is one of the best wing runners in
the league. And then you have you know, Jokic one
of the best passers, but he's also a great full
court passer and a great transition passer and hit ahead passer.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
And we were able to.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Mitigate that on Sunday, and that's big. They only had
six transition points that they're normally more potent than that.
In transition, but again it was it's a lot of
it's fueled by a lot of it's fueled by Gordon
he's a great runner, and a lot of it's fueled
by Yoki Choose, such a great passer.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So Memphis tonight at Target Center for the first time
without Jaron Jackson after the trade deadline. What what do
you think about tonight? What are some keys tonight? You
guys obviously are big favorites.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Yeah, I mean this is one of those games. It's
it's it's a mindset game as much as anything else.
You know, these guys are look look pretty different after
the trade. Uh, and with with their current roster, they
don't have like a legitimate big on the floor. You know,
they don't have Jackson, of course, who has been a
(08:58):
problem for us all season. Uh. You know they're gonna
spread you out. You know, they're gonna play fast, You're
gonna try to get to the paint, kick it out,
shoot a lot of three. They play like high variants basketball,
like their their their their style. You know if they
all if they start hitting shots, then you're gonna have
You're gonna be in for a headaches because you know
they can really make shots, and they play quick and
(09:21):
they do a good job of playing for each other
in that guard. So we gotta slow him down, gotta
kee him in front. It's gonna be a lot of
one on one defense. It is gonna be important for
sure tonight. But you know it's about our mindset. We
gotta we got to back up what we did on
Sunday with a good performance tonight at home.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Could be a could be a big one for Rudy
each night, right, I mean, with that size advantage, feed
the kidding and put Rudy on a big game.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Yeah, absolutely, And you know it's but they're gonna they're
they're they're very accustomed to putting Rudy in some tricky
situations which we'll leave him, you know, exposed in rotation.
So it's not just being big at the rim. He's
gonna have to cover some ground on the perimeter. And
which is great because you know we're going to see
this this style in the playoff. A lot teams are
gonna dare us to try to take Rudy off the floor,
(10:08):
and you know we we don't generally do that. So
it's it's but Rudy has to adjust and make the
right rotations, you know, rather than just be rooted at
the rim where where we know he's really good and.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
And Toronto's here after that. Tough customers at times, these raptors.
When when when you came here from the Toronto bench,
and and you were a key assessed assistant for the
for Toronto and and Chris for those who don't remember,
became head coach basically middle of the season here a
half decade ago. When when that went down the way
(10:39):
it did, did it surprise you?
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Yeah, I mean it definitely surprised me. I mean it's
kind of unusual to leave one team as a coach
in the middle of the season. I mean, players do
it all the time and trade, but they don't have
the choice. Uh So the opportunity came and uh certainly
blast and was quite unique. But I always will be
forever indebted to the MESSI and Nick Nurse and all
(11:07):
the people in Toronto and ownership Larry Tannenbaum at the time.
Now those three are all have moved on. But you know,
they recognized what a great opportunity it was for me,
and they gracefully let me let me leave and come here,
which's you know, been the highlight of my life professionally
for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
I don't. I don't.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
I mean, has anybody else ever done that? I like,
I don't recall any examples of a coach leaving the
team during the season and becoming a head coach of
another team.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Yeah, the only one I can remember was Yonel'hollins did it?
I can't. I think he left Milwaukee and went to Memphis,
you know, right at the start of the grit and
grind era.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
M hm, yeah, Lionel Hollins.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
I mean, you know, you make a reference like that,
then we're gonna have to reference the big, thick upper body.
And he was tough and the key and like he
and Adrian Dantley kind of played the same way a
little bit, remember that.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Oh yeah, no, multiple time WN sorry, multiple time NBA champion,
once with my sixers and once with Portland I believe, right.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Uh yeah, they're your sixers, but a couple of Sundays ago,
they were everybody else's sixers, if you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
I didn't feel.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Like a couple of a couple of quicks. To close
here for Achique. Chris Finch, head coach of the t wolves,
Io and Bones together is I mean they pushed the
pace that that that that adds a little speed to
the equation here, doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Yeah, we love it. It's a good change of pace,
you know from Anthony and Julius, who are little again
we're a little bit more deliberate there. Although that unit
with with the first unit, you know, Dante and Jayden
do a really good job of getting out and stretching
the floor. But what we love about Io and Bones
is they they can convert quickly, so it's not just
(13:00):
playing fast. They get to the bucket and they can finish.
So they take opportunities and turn them into points and hurry.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Well, last one here. It's it's a two parter. I've
been a little out of pocket the last few days.
Great seeing you guys in Denver Sunday, by the way,
But yeah, have you have you like, have you been
asked a lot of questions of late about your relationship
with with Anthony Edwards, off the the the past, the
ball walk off Clippers night.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Yeah, I mean, of course, you know, I've got a few.
It's not been too too many. I think most people
who are in the game understand that these exchanges happen
and we move on. I mean, Anthony and I barely disgusted.
We just talked about it a little bit, kind of laughed,
and you know, we're both fine. And you know there's
been no residual issue here. Yeah, you know, but I
(13:53):
mean there was a something captured between Luca and JJ
Reddick the other day. I mean, you know, this competitive
environment that we work in, and you know, we're not
afraid to share our feelings at the time, and and
and I think it's it's good when you can have
these exchanges and then everything's fine afterwards. I mean, let
(14:13):
everybody know that you know, we got a healthy relationship
because we'll be able to to to move on. And
you know, I've had we've had those types of exchanges
with multiple people on on the on the on the
on the teams, not just exclusive to Anthony.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Except so to land the plane on this and the
conversation being a coach, and I'm thinking of you and
Ann being a coach, a teacher, a dissenting a dissenting opinion,
sometimes a surrogate family member and all of that to
a superstar, I'm guessing working with and befriending Anthony Edwards
(14:53):
has absolutely been a highlight of your career.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Oh absolutely, And watching him u to grow and become
the player he has and put the work in and
benefit from it. And obviously everybody and organizationally is we're
benefiting from it. But us, as any anyone will tell you,
like everybody wants to be coached, you know, myself included,
like I want feedback on things that I can do
(15:18):
differently or better and and and that's just that's that
comes with an environment and a level of accountability. He
can't be afraid of your best players, like you know,
you can't. You can't be afraid of your best players.
I don't think any coach you know that's trying to
to to win at the highest levels or create a
(15:40):
culture of you know, coaching and accountability is going to
shy away from being you know, from coaching his best players.
I've always thought, you're You're only going to be as
good as your ability and your willingness to coach your
best players. And and the great thing for us is
our best players are highly coachable.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
That was excellent.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Congratulations on the recent news with Second Harvest Heartland. We
thank them for their inclusion. Each and every week, you
join tear it up tonight. We'll talk soon.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Thanks so much, Pa, Thank you, see you buddy.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
That is Finchy Finchy, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, courtesy
of Second Harvest, Heartland, two Harvest dot Org and prize
Picks as part of the TimberTech What's on Deck setlist,
which includes the scribe Ben Geslin joining us today about
ten o'clock covers the Vikings for the Star tribew He'll
(16:33):
be preceded by Kevin Gorg. A lot of hockey taking
place in the month of March and certainly locally, and
we will get into all that with Ka g about
forty five, make that about twenty minutes from now. And
today is Tuesday, which means this is a talkback Tuesday.
It's tied to a sponsor, it's tied to a prize,
(16:54):
and it's tied to mad producer.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Good Morning, Good Morning.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Talker Tuesday is presented by Northern Fire Grill in Barbecue supplyes.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
So it's a talkback Tuesday.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
Indeed, with the free iHeartRadio app, hit the microphone, give
us up to your best thirty seconds. It's a Vikings
related Talker Today talkback machine. If I told you the
Vikings were going to add Kyler Murray this offseason as
part of their plan to raise the level of the
QB room.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
What would you say? No wrong answers?
Speaker 5 (17:21):
And if it happens for some of you will pretend
this never took place. But if the Vikings add Kyler Murray,
how does that hit you? You're naming where you're from,
use the talkback machine. One of you is going to
get a twenty five dollars gift card in the prestigious
honor of the tastiest talkback courtesy of Northern Fire Grilling
and Barbecue Supply in Minnetonka Northern Fire bbq dot com.
(17:53):
A KFN welcomes great shows to the led j Amphitheater
this year. John mulaney will be there August twenty second,
and Blues Traveler and Jin Blossoms.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Will be their September twelfth. That's sweet.
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Get the complete details and all the upcoming shows via
the concert page kfan dot com.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
And the keyword is calendar.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
And last segment, Pa asked for some talkbacks on a
talker Tuesday and simply enough, Hey, I told you Rube
Nation that Kyler Murray was going to be the answer
to everyone's question in regard to what is raising the
level of the QB room look like in twenty twenty six. Well,
some listeners have already chimed in. Let's let's check out.
(18:39):
Oh here we go. Okay, how what it actually plays?
That would be sweet.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
NMPA Nordo Thomas from Shanhassen here, if you were to
tell me Kyler Murray were to be a Viking this
upcoming season, I would be all on board. I trust KOC,
I trust this offense.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Kyler has the tools.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
Me and my fantasy football chats we are all k
one from day one. I think the system over there
in Arizona wasn't the best fit for him, but I
think KOC will put him in.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
The price spots. I'm sure he had the best.
Speaker 6 (19:09):
Fight end in football over there in Arizona, but not
the best wide receiver number eighteen justin Jefferson.
Speaker 5 (19:14):
Thank you, Oh thanks, my brother k one from day one?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
What's so? What's the what's behind the the Kyler Murray premise?
Speaker 4 (19:22):
Well?
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Just kind of is it? Is it a big like?
Was it a big big talker? After the combine? Alec
jump in here and stamp it what's going on with it? Well,
it's been a conversation. Pieces part of the long list.
We played that game last week, you got Labor, liber
and Studio. We're talking about Derek Carr coming out of retirement.
There was mentioned in Steam at the combine last week.
(19:42):
Maybe you heard it while you were there, maybe you didn't.
The idea of Anthony Richardson being an enticing option because
of that moment they had a couple of years ago
on the field where Kevin O'Connell was being very encouraging postgame.
So those sorts of connections, and then Kyler Murray the
idea that that you know, the money piece matters, except
if he's not traded, there's steam that the Cardinals would
(20:05):
be apt to just release him.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
So then therefore you're not from minimum.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
You're not fighting the money aspect of it, You're fighting
the does he fit and can we work with this?
And I also think there's a lot of interest behind
the fact that Kyler Murray. I believe he's twenty eight
years old, so he's been in the legue a while,
but still just twenty eight. Where a Kirk Cousins, we
know that he's an elder statesman thirty seven ish. I
believe there are car thirty five, you know Smith in
his mid thirties, that you look at reclamation projects, which
(20:33):
is potentially what this would be. There's steam behind the
idea that Kyler Murray could be among the most raw
talented aspects of the options in front of us.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
The only Kyler Murray related conversation I had with somebody
off the microphone in Indianapolis. And I really don't like
doing this because I'm not going to say the person's name.
So we're sourcing here, but it's not an upfront or
an attack on somebody, A source said. I don't like
(21:03):
that personally speaking. I was told Kyler Murray now that
this is this is commonplace with quarterbacks and availability, whether
they're getting drafted or to a certain extent they're free agents.
Kyler Murray, for whatever the reason, really wants to play here.
And Kyler Murray, yes, he wants too badly. Oh, yes,
(21:27):
Kyler Murray. And I was told that by somebody who
eighty five percent would know right and not locally, So
that's you know, I need to wrap my mind around
Kyler Murray. Well I'm not, so we'll listen to the talkbacks.
We will hear what they have to say about preferences,
(21:47):
and perhaps I can be sold on Kyler Murray working
in this Kevin O'Connell offense, because I would have to
be sold on it. I would also have to be
sold that the man's engagement level or perceived thereof, is
at a different level than it was previously. But you
(22:11):
know that's that's a personal opinion. So therefore we're not
riding any steam on that or anything. We're not being
told who wants Kyler. He's made his money, he doesn't care.
So I haven't been told that, but I just would
And and this comes also without really being so confused
(22:32):
with this situation and at this stage of the equation
not seeking answers, I'm confused. Yeah, I mean, I see,
I followed the the Anthony Richards and stuff from the
combine over the weekend.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Surprised me a little bit. Yeah, big, no thanks on that.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Yeah, it's it's a no thanks for me too. But
I don't want to shortchange what this staff can do
with certain skill sets, so that'd be below Kyler for me.
Kyler Kyler with eighty seven eighty seven regular season starts,
that's obviously a little different. The way Geno Smith plays
(23:09):
the game is different than those two. Then you get
the mac Jones situation that's kind of become cold product
you're just not you're not hearing much or but you
know what, when when things are most silent sometimes maybe
maybe the wheels are ground grinding most loudly. Yeah, when
it's most silent, not only here but other places.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
So I think that I'm confused the mac Jones.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
The reason I brought up the age is is, so
what is the what is the purpose in making the move?
If it's Gino Smith, it's a shorter term option. If
it's Kirk Cousin, certainly a shorter term option. And with
with the lack of faith that many have in JJ McCarthy,
kind of the idea is, Okay, let's let's see if
number nine can grow. We've only seen ten games. Yeah,
(23:55):
but man, if it goes south, I want to I
want that competition, whatever that looks like. In twenty twenty six,
we're still all just kind of mentally putting that picture together.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Yea.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Then I got a guy that's still like in his
twenties that mac Jones could potentially be the answer for
five or six or seven years health and productivity, of course,
playing a part of that versus a Gino Smith love
what he did and his own reclamation project that took
place in Seattle. He was just dreadful last season among
many issues in Las Vegas. That leaves a certain taste
(24:26):
in people's mouths, I think. But also that is not
as long a term and option potentially as maybe these
younger cats would be.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Jeremy Fowler, the senior reporter for ESPN, when I sat
down with him last week and we played the interview
back Tuesday, I mean Thursday, but I sat down with
him on a Tuesday. A lot can change at Steam
Central in Indianapolis from a Tuesday all the way through
a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Reason I bring it up
(24:59):
is because I I caught a headline somewhere that Fowler
kind of made it sound in an interview with podcast.
I don't think it's a story, but it was something recent,
maybe even yesterday or the day before that, like like
like McCarthy's time here might be done. It's like it
(25:19):
just think about it, you know if if I saw that, yeah,
you and I are dating all right now? All of
a sudden I'm talking about somebody else. Well, you know,
it's just launch and you know we're going to bring
somebody else in. It was some kind some type of
like boyfriend girlfriend dating or some type analogy that he used,
and like the writings on the wall, when you see
(25:40):
that they're interested in bringing others in, well, the question
would be what type of of of quarterback would they
bring in off what you said, you know, if you
could get four or five, six, maybe potentially a future quarterback,
so that there's that part of the equation too.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
It's it's crazy how much geez. It's not really a
post mortem. He's still on the team. But it has
been interesting over the course of the offseason where it
kind of trickles out. Okay, i've seen reporting done. He didn't,
We didn't. We were worried about maybe how he would
handle having to sit a second year.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I'm sure you've seen some of that where.
Speaker 5 (26:15):
It's just the The post mortem on the twenty twenty
five season has been such where there was more to
what happened last spring with the quarterback spot and moving forward,
there are concerns about how he might even handle being
the leader of a franchise being QB one in the NFL,
and these are just kind of new things.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
That we haven't talked about before.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
So if there is worry about that, then then there
is trouble potentially with that spot long term. But in
the end, I think Kevin O'Connell, sticking to his guns,
is going to say I need this room to be
better and create and and you know what, JJ, you.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Can continue to grow.
Speaker 5 (26:55):
You got the right to win this job and we're
excited for you to do that because we took you
with the tenth though overall pick. But we got to
handle what's best for the team. And maybe what's best
for the team means a more competitive environment for old
number nine.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
From the radio station of Hockey in the State of Hockey,
kg joins nine to noon next fair.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
What up?
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Gorge joining us in just a couple of seconds. But
I did this a year ago and I'm pumped to
do it again. The Northwest Sports Show is back. It's
this weekend in fact, March fifth through the eighth at
the Minneapolis Convention Center. It's the latest fishing in outdoor gear, boats,
and r v's power sports. Really cool stuff that you
can see everything you need for the season. But I'm
gonna be there this Friday from four to six pm.
(27:45):
It's a Friday night fish fry at the Northwest Sports
Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center. So join me four
to six on Friday for some fishing chips. Huh KFA
dot com keyword calendar.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Clearly approaching the National Hockey League postseason or off the
Blues loss after the Colorado win.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Clearly you got too much on your mind right now.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Spot And here's what we mean with Kevin Gork side
rink analyst Van Duel. The Wild have Tampa Bay this
evening the Fox nine. All right, So I saw I
saw on social media this morning that you were going
to do a Fox nine hit talking about the Wild
or what a tournament, the whole thing, Hockey State tournament,
(28:34):
whole thing. So you drove from the west side to
the east side, and what happened.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
I walk into Grand Casino Arena, and you know, I've
been texting with producer Guy as recent as last week,
and walk in. They're not there, and I'm like, this
is weird. They're normally Saturday goes. And so I go
back to my text chain I'd written down Tuesday the
third you know p there at eight to fifteen on
the air at eight thirty.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
I look at the text chain. It hits on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Oh geez, so it was your mistake, right end line.
And with the state High School Hockey Tournament beginning Thursday
to a man named Tony getting tomorrow. Beginning tomorrow, Tony
Scott from Youth Hockey Hub. He's going to join nine
to now a little later. It's an annual occurrence. And
do you have any preferences in the double A. You know,
(29:22):
I think Morehead's gonna be really tough. They you know,
they got the monkey off the city's back last year
after what eight different runner up times for the Spuds.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
They've had a great year. They've put a great schedule.
It's cool that some of the big dogs are in there.
I think the most intriguing matchup might be a Friday
night showdown with a Dina and Morehead. If they both survive,
they'll be favored to do so. On Thursday. They played
in the state football championship back in November. He dined
on an epic game forty two thirty five. That's or
guard Morehead beat e Diner for the title. Last year
(29:54):
they beat still water they beat still Watering. Yes, okay,
so did Morehead beat he Dine of the game before that,
it might have beat him in the quarters if they
meet here. He Dina beat him forty two to thirty
five in the state championship. It Dina's goalie pure Guard,
had six ptchdowns and rushed for three hundred and twenty yards.
So really interesting dynamic. Now I'll be traveling Thursday. I'll
be watching via the laptop, but I'm working all four
(30:17):
games on Wednesday for Channel forty five. I'll be in
the booth with Jim Erickson. Super excited about the opportunity.
I think, is Georgeky part of the mix? Seorsky's been
there forever, Micalletti's in the mix. I know Parish and
Climber will both be up there. Of course, Chris Long
at the desk, and Jimmy Rickson does an awesome job
on the play by place.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
I don't know how he does it.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Pa, You've done the gig on the hockey side to
memorize all those names and numbers and do all those games,
four on Wednesday, four on Thursday, and then obviously the
weekend's busy. He is a machine god is he good now?
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Somebody I was chatting with somebody last week about the
state high school hockey tournament. Yeah, kid, so Joey Collin
Matt's kid. Okay, I think he's a sophomore. Yep, all right.
Somebody said to me last week that he there's a
good chance he'll be the first overall pick in the
NHL draft, like whenever, whenever he's eligible to be drafted.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
That's that's high praise.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
That's that's saying a lot right like it's uh, it's
still a year or two away. But man, you know,
it doesn't surprise me if you you know, we both
got to know Matt Cullen when he played UH for
the Wild and played pro forever. The work ethic, the
hockey knowledge, the hockey skill. It feels like it's been
passed on to all his kids because when you watch
(31:33):
his kids play, there are many Matt Cullens. So I
think NHL teams see that and say, you know, sometimes
it might just be in the bloodlines, and they're they're
unbelievable players. More.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
It's got just such a stacked lineup. It's it's going to.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Be fun to watch Tampa Bay tonight. Where where do
you couture off? What where do you slot kouchure Off
among the best in show these days? Could you like
never hear his name in the conversations, But then all
he does is put up fat numbers every single year.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
We just had this conversation coming off the Winter Olympics
because it was a minor upset that the team USA
beat Canada in that gold medal game, and on paper,
we argued, at least I argue that the best four
players on the planet right now are named McKinnon, McDavid,
mccarr and Celebrini. So those are your four best. I
(32:24):
think Kuchiov has to be considered next in line, right.
I think he's top five if you look at his
consistent production, if you look at the Cup cred won
a couple of Stanley Cups, He's got to be right
in that mix for top five. I will argue that
those four are clearly the best four. The next five
or six include Kouchiov, they include Quinn Hughes and boy
(32:47):
the way Matt Bold he's playing, he's making quite the push.
He's top twenty for sure, top ten, maybe on the
horizon for number twelve.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
And then so if you get to the next five
and like casting the Gays the way a year or
two down the road, Lucas, Raymond, Logan, Cooley. I mean,
names like that are part of the equation because they're
coming in, they're coming up these players hard.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
We just saw Logan, you know, Coolly, and you know,
you look at the young talent in this league, and
you look at some of the the up and comers
celebrating still a teenager. You look at Connor Bodard in Chicago.
Who the wild They're going to see twice here later
in March. It's unbelievable. What a great place the NHL
is in right now. And you look at some of
the drama around Bill Garon when he picked that roster.
(33:29):
I mean, Cole Kawfield's an unbelievable player, he's electric watching.
It's incredible. But I mean, you know, and Billy clearly
made the right picks. My point is, though, there is
talent all over this league, and a lot of these
players are under the age of twenty five, and so yeah,
the league, the league right now is in a very
good place. Off that Olympic push. I think you're getting
(33:50):
more people to watch these games. And when we get
the playoff hockey here in six weeks. Boy is it
going to be you know, get your popcorn ready.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Must see TV marathon with Kevin gorg at Gorgo Mattic
two to one via x Steve's Appliances. Thank you very
much for the marathon segments. The fiftieth Anniversary sale is
in play right now, up to fifty percent off select appliances.
Take advantage at Steve's Appliances dot com. So, whether it's
with the Wild or what you've seen around the league
(34:20):
after the Olympics, then there are a lot of them
coming off layoffs, the celebrations and winning at Denver for
this team, that Saint Louis game, look, I mean it
looked like the trap of all traps ever to trap
and did it play out that way?
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Did it surprise you at all?
Speaker 1 (34:37):
It did surprise me just because the while had a
hard time consistently generating good looks, which even when they've
had tough nights, and I look at the game in
Utah off that emotional win in Denver wasn't a total
shock to any of us that they struggled, but they
still got a bunch of Greade eight chances in that
hockey game. And Bolding had a couple of breakaways. Capriestoff
had a couple of good looks. What surprised me the
(34:59):
most out the Saint Louis game is how well Saint
Louis czeched Minnesota. They kept Minnesota to the outside outside
of a couple really good looks. I know, Tarasenka with
the goalie, Pold had that amazing chance on hope for
Minnesota didn't have a lot of great looks, So I
think that was something that certainly John Hines and the
coaching staff looked at and said, Okay, we got to
hit the reset button, and that's going to happen in
(35:20):
the course of the season.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
The Wild Pa are.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
In a really weird spot right now because you're not
catching Colorado and no one behind you can catch you.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
So you pretty much know six weeks.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Ahead of time you're getting ready to play Dallas in
that first round.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
That's going to be a hell of a series.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
But in the meantime, we've got six weeks of hockey here,
We've got twenty one games left to play, so they've
got to stay focused, they've got to keep playing their game.
It wasn't one of their better games against the Blues.
I thought Saint Louis played great. I thought their goalie
was solid. But I would expect a good bounce back
tonight against the team in Tampa.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Bay that is really good. No no chance to catch
the Avs in the division. Right They're nine up with
two games in a hand. It's not happening.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Okay, Well, Abs, mine is three thousand to win the division.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Shane Lowry was minus three thousand on the sixteen team.
What's not getting into that because you never know.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
I guess Wild plus ten thousands, So we'll cross out
that that divisional spotty for spotty. But of the off
the way I asked her that last question, off the Olympics,
the layoff, celebrations, all thing the I would guess I
would bet that the Wild will have big time pep
in their step tonight for sure, because I mean, and
(36:29):
you know more than me, man, do you think there's
a transition for the USA Olympians to go from that
frenetic pace in the Olympics back to regular season games?
Human nature, as we say, gets to win two occasionally,
but they and then so you get that Colorado game,
and then you get the Saint Louis game, well, now
(36:49):
we're all back to normal.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Tonight's going to be the bomb. Ty should be great
because it's national TV. It's a late night puck drop.
I think it's like eight forty five pm in Minnesota.
The Wild had a way of elevating their game against
the league's elite, and we've seen them beat Colorado now
two out of three matchups. We've seen them the last
couple of years, beat this Tampa team, beat the Florida
Panthers with all their Cup creds. So I would expect
(37:13):
Minnesota tonight to bring their a game.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
It's going to be a great atmosphere at Grand Casino Arena.
And then I think for all those USA guys specifically
now to get back into the rhythm of the season.
And I know quinn Us has done the little media
tour and that's been really cool to watch. But now
you can settle back in and John Hines talked about
this after tonight, they've got a couple of good days
to just catch their breath, have a practice day, and
(37:37):
then you go back on the road. You play Vegas
on Friday, you go back to Denver for a Sunday.
Matt Nae think about this week Tampa Vegas, Colorado. I
think that'll bring out the best in the Wild as
they kind of sit in this weird spot on the
schedule where they know who they're going to play in
the playoffs, they really do, but they've got to still
play some great hockey and create some.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
Momentum and trade deadline Friday Friday. So mine, you know,
mind's drifting. It just happens with everybody, every everywhere this
time of the year. What dumb Robbie Fabric, Robbie Fabric,
yep Wild claimed him off waivers.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
What do we know about him?
Speaker 1 (38:12):
He's won a Stanley Cup, So I think the Cup
cred is always a good thing to have in the
locker room. And he's a perfect addition for your bottom six,
your third and fourth line. You look at players like
Ben Jones and Tyler Petlick, they've been just fine. This
guy brings a little more offensive potential, a little more
flexibility in the lineup. And with that, you know, again
the experiences that he's had, he's never gonna be guys
(38:34):
going to light the world on fire. But you go
back a couple of years and he scored fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, goals.
So this guy can produce and he can be a
nice depth player for you. And I think you know,
if you look at this week from Minnesota, they're probably
just fine. The way they are right now, ready to
make a run. It just feels like and listening to
Bill Garrin he had that afternoon press conference before we
(38:55):
did the broadcast against the Blues, they're really pushing hard
for a center and read the te leaves, PA, They're
really pushing hard for for Trocheck on the Rangers.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
Yeah, it's and I picked this up from the Athletic
this morning. Might have been a Russo radio story and
or with Joe Smith Rangers centerman Vincent Trocheck. He had
a quote and from the Athletic maybe you've seen him quote,
if I'm if I'm if I'm going to get traded
to a team that's in the same situation as us,
the Rangers, then I don't want to move. That sounds
(39:25):
miserable in a news to be in a new city.
I'm thirty two years old. I would like to win
a Stanley Cup. So if I'm going to get traded,
I'd like to go to a team that's winning or
as a chance to win so that I mean clearly
he's open to getting traded. He has a twelve team,
no trade Wild not on set list. We are a
(39:47):
winning team. That's your Minnesota Wild. Clearly they they Covet
Trocheck and he doesn't mind leaving.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
What do you think of all this?
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I think he wants to come here, and I think
part of its might be when they were doing the
different pictures throughout the lead up to the start of
the Olympic hockey they did a picture with the three
Wild players and he photo bombed, Wow, the three Wild
players as kind of a prank. And he's got a
great relationship with Billy Garran. He's clearly tight with those
three guys, right with Faber and Boldy and Quinn So
(40:19):
and you got John Hines right behind the bench and
he was a huge part of that penalty kill that
John Hines ran during the Winter Olympics that went eighteen
for eighteen. So the Rangers kind of have the Wild
in a weird spot because the Rangers know how much
the Wild won them. The beauty of Bill Garan is
and Russell reported that in the article that you that
you read, he gives you his offer, and this is
(40:40):
his offer. And he did the same thing with Vancouver
when the Wild were able to get Quinn Hughes. So
the offers on the table from what everything we've been told,
and now we'll see what the Rangers do.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
What is Robert Thomas's name still in the ecasion? I
mean he kind of tore us up on Sunday, didn't he.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Yeah, a decent game ahead that empty net goal. And
he's a younger version of Trocheck. Right He's a guy
that can win your face offs. He's a right handed
shot guy. You could use him on the power play,
you can use them in all different areas. He's a
really solid player. The difference in looking at a Trocheck
move compared to a move for Thomas says you're going
to probably have to give up a lot more capital
(41:16):
to get Thomas because he's six years younger, and I
think that that might include some bigger pieces. So I
think Billy is looking at Trocheck is the perfect fit
for right now. And I think if you're handicapping this,
it makes more sense. So Marcus Felino.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
So with beloved Moose being out an unspecified amount of
time with a lower body injury and it being trade
deadline weak and he got a bunch of monsters on
the horizon beginning tonight with the lightning. Like you said,
he's heartenuous times. I mean, I just wonder if the
trading part of the equation, if anything changes with Moose
(41:52):
being out.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
For a little while.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Well, we asked Bill Garrion that direct question pa in
that presser on Sunday, and he said players like Marcus
Fellino are not easy to find. And so you know
what I read from his commentary to us is they're
hopeful that if you can get him a little time down.
When I say a little time, it might be you
get this guy right, maybe in time for the playoffs,
(42:15):
because I look at Marcus Felino's game and how the
rink absolutely does shrink during the playoffs, and how much
more physical it is, and how much more you need
players like Fellino. The red flag for me is we
just had three weeks off and he's still got something
going on here. So they've got to get him right.
And so the timing might be okay to say, all right,
(42:35):
we believe we can get him back and are ready
to go in time for April eighteenth, when the playoffs start.
In the meantime, let's fix this center position. Let's go
get Trocheck. But it's a huge concern because Fellino's great
every night, and you felt being around the guys even
on that afternoon day when they played Saint Louis, that
something was missing. The emotion he brings, the energy he brings.
(42:57):
It just it's a different team without him, and so
they've got to get him right in time for the postseason, no.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Doubt, Stevens.
Speaker 3 (43:03):
Stamcoast is obviously hockey immortality might be available, right.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
Yeah, Nashville's kind of teetering on playoff contention.
Speaker 3 (43:12):
But you're right, Well, so I read that in the
same athletic story this morning for stam Cooast twenty nine
goals for the Preds they lose to the Wings last night.
And he's a right handed shot who always has had
high end, left circle snipe to him on power plays.
He's still strong on faceoffs, as I read. In fact,
he won five of eight face offs last night against
(43:33):
the Wings. So like, if it comes to stamcost I
think he's like thirty six, thirty seven or whatever.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
We do You think I wouldn't say no.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
I mean watching him up close a few weeks ago
in Nashville. This guy still brings the juice really. Oh yeah,
he can still play man, I mean, and think about
what he would Okay, specifically on.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
The power Coast in Martin's San Luis that's in La Cavalier.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Oh yeah, that's like twenty years well, I mean younger
than those two. But here's what I'll tell you. If
you envision the Wild in the postseason with Quinn Hughes
at the top of the power play, and you've got
Boldie on one side, you've got stamp Coast on the other,
you've got Eck in front, You've got caprisov roving around.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
So you've got stam Coos in the OV circle on
the power play. Correct, Well, that's the bomb. Yeah, and
that's what that's what's missing.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
Like, Minnesota does not have a ton of right shot
options for that half wall position that can do what
a guy like stamp Coast could do. So I wouldn't
count that out.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
The speaking of the Red Wings, the Red Wings fifty
to one to win the Cup. Does that have some
spot up to you or are they not ready? It's
it's higher than I thought it would be me too,
because they've been really good all year.
Speaker 1 (44:45):
They've got a ton of offense, They've got enough star
power up front. You know, you look at what a
dynamic player Dylan Larkin is.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (44:52):
I wonder about their goaltending, you know, trying to win
four consecutive series. But at fifty to one, I mean,
they feel like a team that should be in that
twenty to twenty five to one range, like Minnesota is
Minnesota's around twenty eighteen. Yeah, and so that does seem
high as I look at those numbers, that might be
a team worth a little ten dollars spotty.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
All right, first time Cup winner? What do you think
of this?
Speaker 3 (45:14):
You got you get all these teams for plus six hundred,
San Jose, Seattle, Nashville, Columbus, the Wild, Utah, Winnipeg, Buffalo,
and Ottawa at plus six hundred, which you so you
get the field there of the of the non Cup
winners of plus six hundred.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
Well, I'd rather just bet two teams on that list
to Minnesota and Buffalo, because to me, they're the two
best teams on that list. You just rattled off, And
how cool would it be? I mean, obviously for US,
Minnesota is a no brainer. But Buffalo, man, they are
turning some heads. They are playing some unbelievable hockey, and
it's a great story. You know, we know how good
(45:52):
tamp is. We're gonna watch them tonight. Buffalo is like
three or four points behind them for the division leads.
So the Sabers, to me, are one of the great
stories this year.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
Remember the Saturday mattin a you had out there, yes,
the day of our day before Buffalo, Denver and football.
Speaker 2 (46:06):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (46:06):
I mean that that's like the first time that I
really sat down in my life and honed in on
Quinn Hughes. And I was because it's very early in
his run here, and I'm like, holy Tage Thompson, that
big who knew?
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Oh look at our guy? What a game two? That
was phenomenal. All right?
Speaker 3 (46:22):
What about this all Canadian teams missing the playoffs? All right,
it's plus twenty seven hundred. It should be Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
See the problem you're going to run into here is
it's going to be really hard for a couple of
those teams to miss Edmonton, you know, and Montreal to
me seemed like almost locks. But the rest of them
are all I mean Vancouver. What a disaster that's turned
out to be. Hoofta Safe travels this week. Thanks for
the time on the radio. Enjoy the high school hockey tournament.
We'll be watching you and I'll go wild tonight. Thanks Pa,
(46:57):
Thanks brother.
Speaker 3 (46:58):
Kevin Gorg's in your on the world of hockey on
the radio station four Hockey in the State of Hockey, Minnesota,
State of Hockey nine p.
Speaker 2 (47:06):
Fifty eight.
Speaker 3 (47:07):
We moved to football with a describer around the corner
on KFA
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