2025-26 NHL Season Preview

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hello, everybody, Welcome into the crease with the show. We
are here to break down all of the biggest score
around hockey. Here just about monthly. Joined today by my
friend co host, hockey expert Shane Brislin, We're gonna break
down the twenty twenty five twenty twenty six NHL season.

(00:28):
You know what that season right around the corner. It
is about time for the sports, Quinn Tuplet. You have
baseball playoffs, the NFL basketball is about to start, and
the NHL is about to kick off. It is prime
time sports season. Lots to love, lots to watch, never
enough in your brain when it comes to sports. But
we're here to break down everything hockey, everything you possibly

(00:51):
need to know. We're gonna do this division by division, Shane,
We're gonna start off with the first division when it
comes up on the internet, because we are not gonna
mix it up a little bit. We're gonna start off
in the East because the East is better than the West,
just objectively. You can fight me on that if you.
Florida's won back to back, Stanley cuffs Man back to back,

(01:16):
back to back. Let's start with Florida. Actually, we're gonna
start off in the Atlantic Division. Here, Shane, the Florida
Panthers looking to win three straight Stanley Cup, three State
Stanley Cups. Man, no one has done that since nineteen
eighty since the nineteen eighty three Islanders, Right, Gretzky's Islanders
over there, really exclusive club. There's only five teams that

(01:38):
have ever had that. The Panthers, they were able to
get it done last year. We've seen attempts in the past, right,
the Lightning Went had had an attempt right before the
Floridas Panthers did. They made it all the way to
the end, and then the Avalanche took care of business
in the Stanley Cup finals. There are they gonna be
able to do it. They're gonna be a lock for
the playoffs unless everything goes or terribly horribly wrong. But Art, yeah,

(02:21):
all the cls mm hmm, No, that is definitely not
what you want to hear. Well, let's let's take a

(02:52):
look at this division, because we were talking just a
little bit ago pre show here. The division is really good.
And Shane, nothing you said went on the Live. By
the way, I forgot to unmute you, so you're back now,
but nobody heard what you just said. So everything he
said was wrong, by the way, ignore everything that he
just said. Basically, a little rundown from what Shane said.

(03:14):
Injuries are going to be brutal for this Panthers team.
To Chuck gonna miss some time, Sparkov gonna miss some time,
potentially the whole season. Could he be back for the playoffs?
Maybe a little ltr action, kind of little cap cap
manipulation kind of situation. But that's what happens when you
play in two straight Stanley Cups, Right, you play a

(03:36):
lot of hockey. This is still a really good Panthers team.
But this Atlantic Division is super top heavy. Right, you
have the Panthers, You've got the Leaves, and you've got
the Lightning. Those are the teams that are gonna sit
at the top. And unless something crazy happens, I don't
really see the other five teams in this division really
challenging those three, at least for the auto bid spots
in the Atlantic Division.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
Yeah, so I assume you have Leafs, Tampa, Florida somewhere
in that order.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
Yeah, somewhere in that order. I've got Florida still at
number one, just because I know they're dealing with injuries.
But like come on, it's the Panthers. They'll figure it out.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
Because they were third in their division last year and
that was you know, with Barkoff.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
So here's the thing I'll say, Shane, I'm not a
big fan of this Leaves team. They lose Mitch Marner
and I don't think there's enough reaction to that. They're
not gonna have a lot of offense outside of Austin Matthews,
who may be the best offensive engine in the league
besides Connor McDavid. Right, So they're still gonna have their offense,

(04:37):
but the depth is always the depth has always been
the problem for the Leaves. Right. You have a goaltender
in Stolars now they just signed him to a big extension,
but you need the depth and that's gonna be an
issue in the playoffs especially. But I really think they're
gonna struggle without Marner. He was that second option for them.
You lose your second option, you're in big trouble, especially

(04:59):
for a team that has not a lot of center
depth behind it behind Matthews.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Marner is a winger, I thought, by the way, No,
he's a winger, by the way. But they'll be fine,
Like the Leafs, don't care about if they win their division.
It's it's pretty much cupp or bust at this point,
and I like the makeup of I know they lost
a huge piece with Marner. It sucks to lose a

(05:24):
ninety point guy year after year, but I think it
could be one of those situations where I think the
common comparison throw rounds is the Capitals, where maybe you
do need to lose a few pieces so you can
have guys who play playoff hockey and learn to win
the right way. But this is not They're still fine.

Speaker 1 (05:47):
This is not a Maple Leafs team that lacks playoff experience. Right.
They make it there every year. They've won a couple
rounds in recent years. Right, they broke the first round curse.

Speaker 2 (05:58):
They now it's a round curse.

Speaker 1 (06:00):
Right. They didn't replace They didn't replace the production. As
the thing when the Caps lost.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
You guys, replace that production, though.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
You have to find you have to replace it in
the aggregate. They didn't do enough to replace ninety points
in the aggregate. Like, you're not gonna replace ninety points
with one guy unless it's a trade, right, or you
make a huge signing in return. That's just not gonna happen.
That's that's unrealistic. But you needed to go out and
and add some more offense, and they just didn't really

(06:29):
do that this offseason. I'm really concerned with how the
Leaves are going to be able to win games this
year with if Austin Matthews, especially if Austin Matthews misses
any time, I think they're gonna be in big trouble.

Speaker 2 (06:42):
What I think you're under rating William Neehlander and how
good of a player he is, Like John Taveraz, he's
still kicking, Like Matthew Nice had a really good season
for him and he's only going to get better. And
then their defensive corps. I really like what they did
with their defensive course. They have a lot of really

(07:02):
strong defensive defensemen and if Stolars and Wall repeat what
they did this season, Like we there's no question we
both think they're making playoffs right. The question is now,
what are they going to do in the playoffs right?
And which is going to be remaining to be seen.

Speaker 1 (07:18):
We kind of take that for granted, honestly with the Leaves,
Like my picture for the Leaves like they're gonna they're
gonna be in the top three I think that's a fact.
And I still think they're gonna have ninety ish points, right,
that's a really good season. But I really really think
they're going to be in trouble in the playoffs. And
maybe that's where my concern is coming from. I just

(07:40):
don't trust the depth, and the depth is super important
in the playoffs. They just don't really have that. They
can make some moves at the deadline, they can make
something happen. But maybe I'm skipping ahead too much. We're
just looking at the regular season. They will be fine
in the regular season. I'm maybe pushing the panic button
too early. But I can see the future, Shane Shane.
I can see the future, and it's a is not

(08:01):
looking good come playoff time. I don't think.

Speaker 2 (08:06):
Yeah, I am still as delusional as ever. Like every year,
I think they're gonna do it and then it's the
same result. So you know what they say about insanity.

Speaker 1 (08:15):
That's what they say. You know, it's you know.

Speaker 2 (08:21):
Another team that gets swept under the rug is Tampa.
Like it seems like forever ago now that Tampa has
won back to back Cups, but you know they're still
you know, Florida, the state of hockey. They're still living
up to the reputation Nikita koucher Off. It is a
shame he hasn't won in MVP in this past few

(08:43):
years because he is one of the best players in
the league, one of the most productive wingers of all time. Now,
and you know, they rebolstered the depth, They brought back
some pieces of their old cores, and they look as
primed as ever. Breakout player Brandon Hagel phenomenal season from him.

(09:05):
Chicago wishes they got more from that trade. Uh, And
they're just gonna get They're gonna compete for a playoff
spot and just try to their best to get out
of that ugly Atlantic Division because you're gonna have to
go through the Leafs and you're probably gonna have to
go through Florida.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
Yeah, you're gonna have to go through at least one
of them.

Speaker 2 (09:26):
Not a fun fun first few matchups.

Speaker 1 (09:29):
Definitely not. Like I said, I think the Atlantic top
three is pretty is pretty set. The Panthers, the Leaves,
and the Lightning. That's not to say that other teams
don't have a chance, right, you have the Sabers, who oh,
they're so tantalizingly close every year. Right, you finally have
a goaltender. Potentially you have Tage Thompson. Oh, we love
Tage Thompson.

Speaker 2 (09:50):
Now miss Dallen.

Speaker 1 (09:51):
Like there are guys there on this Sabers team, but
this might be a cursed squad. The Senators had a
really good year last year. Are they gonna be able
to keep that up? They kind of faded away down
the stretch of the season. I don't know how real
that really was for them. The Red Wings have made
a couple claims to be close. The Bruins are always
a threat. I know they had a really bad year
last year, but it's the Boston Bruins, right. They can

(10:14):
they can turn they can find a way to turn
it around. They just seem to do it a lot
of the times. Like we counted them out a couple
of years ago, Shane right, and then they were the
best team in hockey. Right. This is not something that
I'm ready to say the Bruins are done now. Do
I think they're gonna win the play win their division?
Do I think they're gonna make the playoffs? No? But

(10:34):
I'm not counting them out in any way, shape or form,
because it's the Boston Bruins.

Speaker 2 (10:38):
Right, this is a team Jeremy, Jeremy, Yeah, I am
counting them out. Wow, all right, I think I have
them last in their division.

Speaker 1 (10:45):
You're gonna look silly.

Speaker 2 (10:47):
Here's the thing, Jeremy, Jermy. They don't have marshand anymore,
and they don't have berger on. The old corps is dead.
They are dead. They sold everything last season. They need
to die and rise up from the ashes.

Speaker 1 (11:01):
I've got them seven they need I'm not too far
behind you. I got them seven. But like, I can
never really count them out. Look, even the Canadians.

Speaker 2 (11:09):
Like the David Poster and that's it.

Speaker 1 (11:13):
The Canadians made the playoffs last year. I didn't even
mention thems.

Speaker 2 (11:16):
Have young talents and they're up and coming.

Speaker 1 (11:19):
Right.

Speaker 2 (11:20):
The Boston Bruins are David Posternach and they haven't been
able to draft for shit.

Speaker 1 (11:26):
M m. There's a lot of guys. There's a lot
of teams here that could make a push. I'm looking
at the Senators, I'm looking at the Canadians. Really is
the two teams that could, if anything crazy was gonna happen,
be that team to upset one of the big three
in the Atlantic Division.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
If I'm gonna pick any of them, it's gonna be Ottawa.
M like they've built up a very impressive defensive core
over these past few years. Uh Sanderson, a young American defenseman.
He could make an argument for me the Olympic roster
behind this stacked blue line. Temusa already has and he's

(12:05):
shown that he is legit top pairing defenseman and can
compete for best defenseman in the league soon. And then
that's not even mentioning. You have Thomas Shabbat right behind
him on the second pair. That is a great one
to punch on the back end. Plus they got their
goalie that's been an issue for them for the past
five years, trying to compete Lenis Almark when healthy. That's

(12:27):
all they needed to get to the playoff bush a
lot of teams, they just need a goal that's all
you need at the time. And they got it and
they got to the playoffs. Granted, their forward core is
still young. Brady to Chuck is an absolute gamer. He's
like the quintessential. He hits everything that moves, He fights,
and he scores. He's everything you want in a captain.

(12:50):
And they're young and they have the taste of the
playoffs and now they're going to take a whole bite.
Do I think they supplant the top three? No? No,
But I think they'll be back and ready for more.

Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah. No, this is this is a team again. The
Canadians made the playoffs last year. Senators made the playoffs
last year. Both of these teams are young, and both
of these teams have a lot of pieces that I
really like. I just don't know if they're gonna be
able to do it again this year, especially in that wildcard,
because that East wild card it's never easy. None of

(13:24):
these wild card spots are any easy or ever easy really,
But I like we were talking about, I do think
there's a pretty clear top seven ish, top six in
the East, top seven in the West, but the wild
card in the East is gonna get real tough. Atlantic Division.
The Panthers, the Leaves and the Lightning, they're gonna run
away with it. But that's not to count out the

(13:45):
rest of the teams there at all. There's a lot
to like down there.

Speaker 2 (13:49):
So do you want to go over do we have
in the Metro and talk about wild cards are then
we'll hit the wild card?

Speaker 1 (13:56):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (13:56):
Gotcha?

Speaker 1 (13:57):
Who who you got in the Metro. Let's let's start
over here, you know what, Let's start with the Capitols,
number one seed in the East. Last year, alex ovechkin
magical season breaks Gretzky's record. He's on a contract year.
He is mulling retirement. I expect him to retire after
this season unless he's within striking range of one thousand,

(14:20):
which he could be within striking range of one thousand. Look, look,
maybe this is me just hoping beyond hope that Alexovichkin
hits a thousand goals on his career. Right, maybe that's
just me doing that, But I think that's a milestone
worth playing another year for, don't you.

Speaker 2 (14:40):
It's Ovechkin. He can do whatever the hell he wants.
I'm convinced he was made in a Russian lab and
then they had to delete the rest of his clones
or they'd become too powerful. Like he can do whatever
he wants, Like I don't care. The man has more
than earned, Like going up to any general manager and

(15:03):
be like, I want to get paid this much, I'm
gonna play for this long and they'll just let it happen.
Like he is one of the greatest things to ever
happen to hockey. He's one of the greatest things to
happen to DC sports. He is the greatest goalscorer of
all time. Anything else he does with his career is
just icing on the cake.

Speaker 1 (15:22):
That's right. So here's the real question for the Capitals, Right,
are they gonna be able to repeat what they did
last year? Because last year that's not how good this
Capital's team is. I'm sorry, this Capitol's team is not
as good as as they played last season. Everything just
went perfect for them, Right, You had a really good

(15:42):
goaltender just kind of pop at it up out of nowhere,
like Logan Thompson had his run, but he was not
that good, like consistently that good. They have him down.

Speaker 2 (15:53):
They have Lincoln sample size huh, small sample size.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
Small sample size, yes, but still that's what I'm saying.
It's a small sample size for this Capital's team. Right.
You have a lot of young players coming in, Right,
you have a lot of young players that are really
looking to step up. Pro Toss had a huge year
last year. Lapierre had a huge year last year. Right,
there's a lot of Michael.

Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, exactly, Lapierre didn't really do that much.

Speaker 1 (16:17):
I was thinking of McMichael. My brain, my wires got
crossed there. But you have a lot of guys that
are coming up. Lapier's coming up, you have another protoss
coming up in the system like there are. There's a
lot of young guys coming up for this Capital. See
me have Ryan Leonard still like he he made a
really nice impact with his speed, especially when he was

(16:39):
on the ice. He didn't really turn that into goals,
but he had plenty of opportunities and I expect him
to have a pretty good year this year. The Capitals
are dangerous. They are, but I don't think they're gonna be,
you know, President's Trophy level good like they were last year.
I think they take a step back. I still think
they're top three in their division, definitely a playoff team,

(16:59):
but I think it's not gonna be the same as
it was last year. I think a lot of it
was fueled by we have to get ov this goals record,
and we kind of saw it tail off once he
got that goals record into the playoffs as well.

Speaker 2 (17:14):
So I have no worries about the Capitals. One of
the cliches that play into sports, but it's a cliche
for a reason, is the culture. They have built such
a good culture over there, Like the vibes behind these

(17:34):
locker rooms is like some of those videos you see
of them in the tunnel pre game is like a
fever dream. Like they have such a tight bond. They
play hard for each other, and they're just gonna maintain
that momenta and find a way to make playoffs.

Speaker 1 (17:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (17:55):
I can't think of a locker room that's tighter than
those guys. That maybe just be my bias as DC fan,
but I have no worries about them, like not being
in the top three spots in the metro.

Speaker 1 (18:06):
Right, I expect them to be in the top three there.
But the rest of it, I mean, the Hurricanes also
pretty much a lock to be in the top three.
They're just a juggernaut every single year.

Speaker 2 (18:16):
This is a really so I've thought about this. They're
the new San Jose Sharks.

Speaker 1 (18:19):
Yes, they don't have a goaltender. That's the big issue.
They don't have a goaltender they can rely on in
the playoffs consistently.

Speaker 2 (18:26):
Good just can't get over the hump.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
Right, This is a Hurricanes team that I like a lot,
especially in the regular season. The come playoff time.

Speaker 2 (18:36):
They just don't have a start.

Speaker 1 (18:37):
They don't got it. They don't have the juice. Freddie
Anderson at goalie not the guy you need, right, you
need a lockdown guy. And I kind of harp on
goaltender because like they have a really good defense. They
have the guys that can shoot the heck out of
the puck there, right, Like they have the guys that
can do it. They just don't have it. Again, I'm
going too far. I'm predicting the future. Again. They're gonna

(19:01):
make the playoffs, They're gonna be top three in this division.
But that leaves one more spot, I think, and I
think this spot might be the most interesting spot in
the Eastern Conference. At a minimum, there are a lot
of teams that could could tend for this third spot.
You have the New York teams, the Rangers, the Islanders,
and I'm counting the Devils is in the New York teams, right,

(19:22):
that's the New York three.

Speaker 2 (19:23):
Okay, I could be sacrilege for some people, Yeah, a.

Speaker 1 (19:25):
Little bit sacrilegious, but they all start with New so
it's right there. Look, the Devils, they obviously just go
out and they give Luke Ques a huge, huge extension defenseman.
If the Devils can stay healthy.

Speaker 2 (19:38):
Jack Hughes needs to stay healthy.

Speaker 1 (19:40):
If the Devils can stay healthy, they could be so good.

Speaker 2 (19:43):
The Devil's Jack needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap.

Speaker 1 (19:47):
Mm hm. They all need to be and they just
need to God. Look, this is a Devil's team that
for the last three years has just failed to stay
healthy and they've really suffered because of it. Again, they're
they're a Cup contending team. I think if they can
stay healthy, but I can't count on it. The Rangers
had a down year last year, but you still have Shasterkin,
and when you have Shasterkin, you've got a chance. Right,

(20:10):
That's just simply how it goes. When you got a goalie,
you got a chance. But there's some other guys that
can throw their hats in the ring, right. The Islanders
always seem to play it close near the end. The
Penguins have Sidney Crosby, and I don't think they're there.

Speaker 2 (20:24):
That's it.

Speaker 1 (20:24):
They've got Sidney Crosby. So if you've got Sidney Crosby,
I guess you've got a chance. I don't. I'm not
really bought in on the Flyers this year, but the
Blue Jackets put up a bit of a fight down
the stretch of the season, so maybe they maybe they
could find a way into that last spot in the
Metro Division really is up for grabs with a lot
of those guys. We're in agreement with the Caps and

(20:47):
the Hurricanes that are going to be in that top three.
But who's that team that's gonna join them over there, Shane.

Speaker 2 (20:53):
I have no doubt it's the Devils. These past few seasons,
they have consistently been one of the top three teams.
Their goaltending is solid. It's not great, like, it's not elite,
but it's solid. With Mark Strum and Jake Allen. Yeah, sorry,
I always get my Allen's mixed up. I just gotta
make sure I get the right ja first name. I

(21:14):
don't want to confuse him with the Buffalo quarterback. But yeah,
Jake Allen solid one B option behind Mark Strum. Their
blue line is still one of the best. They have
a lot of prospects and players where they can make moves.
Jack Hughes, he's a phenomenal player. He's just not healthy.

(21:35):
If he can stay healthy, they are a threat. Nico
hu Shier really good number two center. Yes, for Brot,
one of the most underrated players in the league. Can
set up about anybody. Timo Meyer, solid goal scorer. I
like this team. They are easily the number three for me.

Speaker 1 (21:55):
I'm in the same page as you. I have the
Devil's at number three. But I don't think it's too
were easy. Again, if they're healthy, they might not.

Speaker 2 (22:04):
They might even.

Speaker 1 (22:06):
If they're healthy, they might even be higher than three
in the metro. Right, they could find their way to
the top. They could find their way to the top
of the metro if they're healthy.

Speaker 2 (22:13):
Right, But Doggie Hamilton another victim of Like, if this
dude stays healthy, he's a sixty point defenseman.

Speaker 1 (22:20):
Right, they have a lot of those guys. They just God,
I pray they're healthy because this is a fun team
to watch when they are. But outside of that, let's
talk a little wild card here, because I feel like
we are six for six as far as division winners. Right,
We've got the Panthers, that leaves the Lightning, the Caps, Hurricanes,
and the Devils. We need to fill two more spots

(22:41):
in the East and the East. Like we kind of
talked about the Senators, you have the Canadians, you have
the Sabers, You've got the Rangers, You've got the Jackets.
That's like five teams that could fit these last two spots. Shane,
where are you leaning on this one?

Speaker 2 (22:55):
Like I mentioned before, Ottawa, no questions asked. They've had
a taste, They're going to go forward again. But I
was really fighting over who's going to get this last spot.
It's a pretty much roll of the dice. But I
ultimately settled on the New York Rangers. Like you said,

(23:16):
they have Igor Schestekin. When you have one of the
best goalies in the league, anything as possible. And what
really put me over the edge was Mike Sullivan, their
new head coach. Really solid head coach. I think he's
going to whip this team into shape and reorganize this culture.

(23:37):
Or Timmy Panarin, you know, he's getting up there in age,
but he's still point per game, ninety point type ish player.
Zabinized was so bad. I think he's due for some
return to the median of where he is the player
he should be. And then JT. Miller. They made a

(24:00):
huge trade for him, yes they did, and he is
a gamer. He competes hard, and having that guy as
your captain go in night after night, working his bag off,
will inspire the rest of this team to grind it
out and make that final wild card.

Speaker 1 (24:21):
See. I laughed because I didn't think we'd be on
the same page. But we one hundred are on the
same page here, Shane. I've got the Senators in, I've
got the Rangers in. I was so close to putting
the Canadians in. I like this team a lot. You
have the Ragining Calder, Trump Calder Trophy winner right, lots
to love about this young Canadians team. I just don't

(24:43):
think they're on the same level as the Senators, as
the Rangers. And you know, I'm a sucker for goaltending.
That's my thing. I'm a big sucker for goaltending. I
was hockey was never ever gonna take Shash Durkin out
of the playoffs, not two years in a row. But
we're on the same page here in the East, which
honestly I didn't expect me. Maybe I thought you would

(25:03):
go for the Buffalo Sabers again. I know that's your favorite.

Speaker 2 (25:05):
No, No, I've given up on them, like them and Vancouver,
I've given up all faith and thinking those teams will
ever be a playoff relevant. They they do me wrong
every single time I've.

Speaker 1 (25:18):
Given them single time, every single time, I'm.

Speaker 2 (25:21):
Like, this is their year, and then it's like the Leafs.
But at least the Leaves make the playoffs anyway. Yeah,
I think we both have the same mindset. If you
got a goalie, it's hard to overcome getting goalie.

Speaker 1 (25:35):
It's impossible.

Speaker 2 (25:36):
Actually, it's just skirkinking goalie.

Speaker 1 (25:37):
A lot of teams he absolutely can't look.

Speaker 2 (25:40):
And Sam Montembeau for the Canadians, I do not buy
him being a number one goalie.

Speaker 1 (25:46):
Nope.

Speaker 2 (25:46):
And if you look deeper into their analytics, they weren't
a good five on five team, Like they gave up
more chances than they made. They were really good at finishing.
But I just don't think it's sustainable for them to
make the playoffs again if they can't replicate the same
luck they had on defense and stopping those goals. No.

Speaker 1 (26:08):
Like I said, I love this Canadians team. I like
a lot of these teams in the East, but you're
not gonna catch up to Shusturkin and the Rangers, I
don't think. And I just love the offensive corps that
the that the Senators have. I really like that first
line a lot. But outside of that, let's move to
the West. We'll do our playoff predictions here in a second.
Once we get through the Western Conference, let's start with

(26:28):
the Central. You're Minnesota Wild in the news here Shane
Gorill Caprizov after Wow, what a crazy offseason with him?
They finally get it done. The highest paid player in
the history of the NHL, Corill Caprizov. We asked the
question in our thumbnail, is he overpaid? Is he? Shane?

Speaker 2 (26:50):
No, but a bluntwey He's worth every single penny yep.
Like it's a catch twenty two situation, Like what you're
just gonna let the best player in franchise history walk?
And like if you try to trade, there's no way
you're going to get enough assets that will replace a

(27:10):
corollca breeze off. And then if you look at the
cap percentage numbers and a few years, he'll only take
up fifteen percent of the cap, Like at most it's
like seventeen or eighteen percent. But when Sidney Crosby signed
his big deal in two thousand and nine, whenever it
was like eight point seven million for like eleven years,

(27:31):
he took up fifteen percent of the cap, so I
think with the cap going up, this is just the
new market rate for franchise players. And he'd better be
enjoying the title of most highest paid player until McDavid
gets his contract, because you know, the best player in
the league is going to become the highest paid player

(27:53):
at some point. Of course, especially in a contract.

Speaker 1 (27:55):
Year, it's not even the question he's going to get paid.
But this Central Division, this Central Division is stacked. I
think this is the strongest division in all of hockey,
right you have It's very similar in my mind to
the Atlantic, where you have a kind of group at
the top and then a group that's kind of secondary. Right,

(28:16):
But in the Atlantic you've got your three guys. In
the Central there's four. You obviously have the Stars and
the Avalanche up top, the Winnipeg Jets, who just won
the President's Trophy in there as well, and we just
finished talking about the Wild who if they were healthy
all season long, they might have won the President's Cup
with the way that they were playing hockey, that's how

(28:37):
hot they were at the beginning of the year. These
teams are I think a lock to make the playoffs
at a minimum, but where it gets real tough to
predict is who's going to be the odd man out
in that division? Honestly, I've got no clue. You if
anybody if without me looking at the street sheet, like

(28:57):
if you said the wild that's the Abs or the
Stars were not going to be top three in their division,
and I just didn't think about the divisions, I would
be urine. I would say they're insane because those teams
should all be a lock to be top three in
their division. But there has to be one man out, Shane,
which one are you leaning towards as far as the
team that should still make the wild card, but it's

(29:18):
not going to be in the top three.

Speaker 2 (29:21):
Oh. I kind of looked at who lost, who got better,
who got worse? And the team that got the worst
was the Winnipeg Jets. They lost Nikolai Eelers and free
agency and they really didn't do anything to replace his production.

(29:44):
They signed a old, washed out of the league forever,
Jonathan Tayes, and I'm just he's not the answer. Let's
be real, like, barring some miracle, I don't think Jonathan
Tayes is going to replace do much, let alone replace
Snakolite Eelers like they have an MVP caliber goalie, they

(30:08):
have a really good defensive corps, but my god, are
they now very thin on offense when it comes to scoring,
and so compared to the depth and the high end
scoring talent of all these other teams, they're all just
a lot more well rounded and have a lot more

(30:28):
upside in my opinion than the Winnipeg Jets.

Speaker 1 (30:31):
The Dallas Stars might be the most well rounded team
in the NHL. They might be. They're just stacked everywhere.
They've got at least top five position groups at every
single position. I think you have the Avalanche, you have
maybe the most top heavy team besides potentially, of course
the Oilers, who have Nick David on that line and

(30:53):
that's about it behind him. But very top heavy, but
still that top is more than enough for them to
be elite. The wildlfe I talked about when we were
talking about Caprizov highest paid player, but also this is
a really deep wild team that if they were able
to stay healthy last season I think really would have
been in contention for best team overall in hockey, which again,

(31:13):
like you, Shane, the Jets are the odd man out.
I think it's scary that we're so step by step
here together. Look, you have an incredible run from your goaltender,
Connor Hellibuck, two straight Vesna trophies, an MVP trophy right here.
Oh my god. He is playing out of his mind.
And we just talked about how I will never go

(31:35):
against a goaltender because goaltenders win games in hockey. As
you could have the greatest shooters in the history of
the world. But if the goaltender is locked in, the
goaltender is locked in and you're not doing anything about it.
And that's what Connor Hellibuck can do for you. He
is that good. He won an MVP as a goaltender.
That never happens, right, that never happens. And yet Shane,

(31:57):
they just don't have the offense to get it done.
They really don't.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
They're looking out playoff. Connor Hellibuck is a completely different
goalie in my opinion.

Speaker 1 (32:06):
Look, we're we're not seeing the future yet, We're just
talking about the regular season.

Speaker 2 (32:10):
This is but you know how low Connor Hellibuck can go.

Speaker 1 (32:14):
We do, We do know how far fall. But it
doesn't matter because regular season Connor Hellibuck might be the
greatest goalie of the modern era. And if you know what, Shane,
if he wins another VESNA this year, he might be
in conversation for the greatest goalie of all time. I

(32:34):
don't think that's that crazy to say winning three straights.

Speaker 2 (32:37):
Unfortunately, no NHL expert with their salt would give him
any credit because he can't show up in the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (32:45):
Yes, and that is a big issue, Like I didn't,
he should be in the conversation. But again, the big
thing that's going to stop him from being in that
you know great of great is a playoff run. If
he can string together one playoff runschange just one one
elite playoff run, narratives are out the window. He's he's

(33:07):
way up there. Again, that's a lot of ifs, that's
a lot of wins, that's a lot of butts. We
don't know. But the rest of the Central Division isn't
too shabby, right. The Utah Mammoth, potentially the Mammoth, there's
another lawsuit out for their name now, which God, they're
just never gonna find a name.

Speaker 2 (33:27):
It's the Mammoth for now, and so we hear.

Speaker 1 (33:30):
Otherwise it's the mammoth with a question mark. That's that's
how we're doing this.

Speaker 2 (33:35):
They've got a logo when merchandise and everything. I really
doubt that they're gonna lose it, but you never know,
you never know.

Speaker 1 (33:42):
It's it feels. It does feel a little bit late
to file an injunction on the name at this point
with everything already made. But regardless, the YETI the Yetti
had a real good opportunity to have a nice brand
tie in. But I guess, I guess they just don't
feel like it. I guess not coolers go good with
hot ice on ice. Right.

Speaker 2 (34:01):
It's and you got a guy named Logan Cooley on.

Speaker 1 (34:05):
The team itself, Shane, It's the perfect partnership. I'm so
pissed about that. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. The
Utah Mammoth are a good team. You wouldn't have guessed it.
They are just a reskinned Arizona Coyotes. But this is
a good team, Shane. This is a team that God,
I don't know who's gonna be conversation. They are way

(34:27):
way in that wildcard conversation. I so so their top
two for that last spot. I'm gonna say that. I
won't tell you if they're one or two, But they're
up there. The Predators, they made a lot of big
moves last year. Did not work. It did not work.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
It's an understatement.

Speaker 1 (34:44):
It was a it was an absolute dumpster guyre.

Speaker 2 (34:48):
By a meteor and then that meteor caught on fire
and then it hit a gas line and exploded.

Speaker 1 (34:56):
And you know what. The Pats also, we're bad, like like, man,
it was so bad last year. They made so many
big moves. They had a really surprising year the year
before they made a playoff spot right, I mean surprising
for some but you know, you know, you know, uh
uh the Predators. Look, they still have that talent.

Speaker 2 (35:19):
They still they're not getting any younger.

Speaker 1 (35:22):
They're not getting any younger. But last year I think
was a special kind of bad. I think they'll be
better than last year, which they're still really really low bar.
But better than last year I think gives them a
puncher's chance for a wild card. I think, uh, no shot.

Speaker 2 (35:40):
I will be utterly shocked if they make a wild card.

Speaker 1 (35:45):
The Blues the last team in this division. They're always
a feisty team. They're in there. Uh these are all
these are all teams again. I could close my eyes
and I could imagine that any of these teams are
the eight seed in the in the in a wild card.
I really could. Now. I know you're way off on
the Predators with me there, but I could close my
eyes and I could picture it. I really could. I

(36:07):
don't necessarily think.

Speaker 2 (36:08):
Unless yo Ce Sorrows has the craziest revenge tour, it's
not happening.

Speaker 1 (36:15):
It could happen.

Speaker 2 (36:16):
I haven't seen that UC Sorrows in quite a while.

Speaker 1 (36:19):
You haven't seen that UC Sorrows in one season. That's
that's quite a while.

Speaker 2 (36:23):
It feels like a while with how bad that season went.

Speaker 1 (36:25):
It was really bad. But again, it's just one year.
He could have a bounced back season and that's all
you need. You need your goalie to have a bounce
back season and that'll help them. Again, they're at the
bottom of this tier. They're number eight in this division
for me.

Speaker 2 (36:36):
But I have the black hole the black Hawks. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (36:39):
I didn't want to the black Hawks because they're not
in this conversation. They're number seven in the division or
not even on the list. I crossed them out. I
deleted them. The black Hawks aren't aren't a part of
the NHL right now. This season they're not really going
to stand a chance. But the Predators are number seven
in this division. But still, again, I could close my
eyes and I could picture in the playoffs here, any

(37:02):
of these teams really do have a shot.

Speaker 2 (37:04):
If I close my eyes and see them in the playoffs,
it's a nightmare.

Speaker 1 (37:07):
Oh it's it's gonna be a four or five game
series in round one. But they could make the playoffs.
I could see it happening. The Pacific Division, though, Shane,
you also have three teams at the top. The West
is pretty top heavy. West is very tough.

Speaker 2 (37:23):
I'm gonna take a wild gas that we have the
same three Pacific Division teams.

Speaker 1 (37:27):
Look, honestly, I'd be shocked if you had anybody else.
The Vegas Golden Knights, Oilers, Kings, Ding, Ding, Ding, To
give me a belly.

Speaker 2 (37:35):
Do Kings lose for the fifth straight year in a row.
To the Oilers, it's destiny.

Speaker 1 (37:41):
It's it's always going to happen.

Speaker 2 (37:43):
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Speaker 1 (37:46):
Well, it is broke if you're a Los Angeles Kings fan,
and they got to find a way to fix it.
The Vegas Golden Knights, though, dude, how about the Knights.
They continue to just add and add and add and
add and add. They had Mitch Marner this offseason two
aces tampering, right, I could be tampering, but I'm not
the NHL.

Speaker 2 (38:07):
It's a joke. It's a jug for legal reasons, for
legal reasons.

Speaker 1 (38:11):
We're not We're not accusing you Vegas of anything. Please
don't put in the crease on L T I R.
We would not h Mitch Marner joins a stacked Vegas
line like, oh my god, this Vegas team has you
know how I said the kid the Stars might be
the team with no holes. It's the Knights. I don't

(38:33):
like their goaltending as much, but still, oh they've got
good goaltending. Like it's not like that's a weakness for
them either. This is a near perfect team.

Speaker 2 (38:43):
It's oh no, their goaltending is mid at worst.

Speaker 1 (38:46):
Right, Like you look at rosters on paper, it's the
Stars and the Knights, and then it's everybody else like
one two, everybody else way way way below them like
this is it's I don't understand how.

Speaker 2 (39:02):
What did they do in that keep getting away with this?

Speaker 1 (39:05):
They really can't. Look. I'm not a person that's mad
at the Golden Knights for having success. I think it's
super impressive for a team to never be bad in
the history of their entire franchise. It's super impressive. But
the other shoes got to drop at some point, and
I'm just waiting on it. It's not gonna happen this year.
I can promise you that they are firmly in that
Cup contender tier and I think they're going to win

(39:28):
this division yet again. They just continue to add Mitch Marner. God,
they're so good, Shane, Shane, They're so good.

Speaker 2 (39:37):
Yeah, adding a ninety to one hundred point player to
an already really good roster. It's it's just not fair.
They're the most spoiled fan base the Sin City must
have done the obvious and sold their souls to the
devils for a really good hockey team. They said, when
hell freeze is over. They took it literally and put

(39:57):
an ice sheet in the desert. And and it's not
all sunshines and rainbows. They lost Alex Petrangelo. I think
his career is done. Arguably a Hall of Famer, in
my opinion, Hall of Famer. If Shaye Weber got in,
I think you have to say Petrangelo gets in and

(40:18):
that's a huge loss on their back end. But here's
the thing. Vegas is so stacked. They'll they have Shae
edd Or, they have Brandon McNabb, they have Noah hannafin.
Your defense is still good. It's just not fair, like,
even losing one of the best defensemen in the league,

(40:39):
their roster still looks good on paper. It's just not fair.

Speaker 1 (40:43):
It's not fair, Shane. Somebody has to stop them, but
it won't be me, and it won't be anybody in
the Pacific Division because the two teams that could stop them, Shane,
they're really tied at the hip, the Edmonton Oilers and
the Los Angeles Kins. I want to start with the
Oilers because the big story surrounding them oh and two
in the last two years against the Panthers in the

(41:03):
Stanley Cup Finals, brutal Connor McDavid. Though free agency is looming,
and it is looming large, He's not gonna hit the
open market, is he, Shane? There is. I cannot imagine
the Oilers flubbing something that awfully. I just can't. I
can't even picture it.

Speaker 2 (41:24):
Their general manager is the same guy who traded our
Tammy Pineren for Brandon sod So.

Speaker 1 (41:30):
That is different, and you know that's different. Any Jomo
that walked onto a hockey rink says, who's that guy?
Ninety seven in white? He's pretty good, isn't he. I
want him on my team. Anybody can see that. They
don't need to know hockey team.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
I have all the hate in the world for Stan Bowman.
You know, I really want. I want to see McDavid
win a coup, but I don't want to see Bowman
when another BA cup because he lucked his way into
a dynasty with Chicago and he he proceeded to tear

(42:08):
down the Chicago dynasty by sheer incompetence, and he's already
doing that by not resigning Holloway and Broberg when they
got offer sheeted. Their rosters looks thin, like all the
side of McDavid and dry sidle like their defensive core
is okay, but it has its flaws. And they still

(42:30):
haven't addressed their goaltending.

Speaker 1 (42:31):
Sign a goaltender, Oh my god, sign a goal.

Speaker 2 (42:34):
Trade for one. I don't give it was available for
the longest time. You could have made it work.

Speaker 1 (42:40):
You have arguably I'm not going to go there. You
have the second greatest hockey player. You're the second greatest
hockey player of all time, and Connor McDavid on your roster. Okay,
get him a goaltender. They could have won two Cups,

(43:03):
maybe even three if they had a goaltender. It is
that simple. You cannot continue to pass. You cannot continue
to put out these awful goaltender pairs, especially come playoff time,
that cannot hold a candle to these really good teams. Look,
Connor McDavid and Liam Dryside and Liam dry Title can

(43:24):
keep Leon excuse me, Leon, Oh my god, dry Title
can keep you in the game by themselves because they
are special offensively and really just about everywhere else. You
have solid defensive pairs, you have guys that can hold
up in the back end. But it's not enough against
these top end teams, these top and talented teams, these

(43:44):
teams that are gonna play in the playoffs, in the finals,
in the Western Conference finals, in the Stanley Cup finals.
It's not enough. It's so frustrating. Look, I'm not an
Oilers fan, but wasting Connor McDavid's career. If Connor McDavid cupless,
that might be the biggest waste of talent in the

(44:05):
history of any sport. Ever, it's insane, and there's a
real shot that they do let him walk. Here's the thing.
I think McDavid is the one holding this hostage. If
I am Stan Bowman, if I am the Oilers GM,
I'm writing him a blank check, and I'm saying, you

(44:26):
write the number. You can own the team. If you like,
I don't care, you are going to be an Oiler
for life. Conor McDavid needs to see movement happen, and
it's not happening right now. He's taken this team to
the Cup two years in a row. Two years in
a row, he's taken them to the Cup. He won
MVP of the Playoffs two years ago. They can't get

(44:47):
it done, Shane. Nothing is changing in Edmonton.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
I just after the past two teams they've had. I
just don't see how they can build a better roster
than what they already have. Like, I don't want to
be that guy, But if McDavid's gonna win a Cup,
I just don't think it's gonna be with Oilers. But like,
let's let's stick to the regular season. We know, we

(45:14):
know it's cupp or bust for this team. We know
what they're capable of. I just don't see them clawing
their way out of the West. It's just too good
and their depth just isn't good enough.

Speaker 1 (45:28):
I don't know. I've doubted this team.

Speaker 2 (45:30):
Still beat the Kings. They'll still beat the Kings.

Speaker 1 (45:32):
The Kings who By the way, the Kings are gonna
be top three in this division. I think we've already
said that, but that they'll be. They'll be top three,
number three, that's where they'll be. Uh yeah. I like
the King squad. I like him. They one last run
with franchiseults are so you know, maybe maybe they pull
something out. But oh god, the Oilers make me angry.

(45:56):
You can't wait.

Speaker 2 (45:57):
Would McDavid signed to leeve the Oilers is when they
lose to the Kings in the first round, he's like, yep,
that's it. I'm gone.

Speaker 1 (46:05):
I think if they don't win a Cup this year,
there's a real chance he doesn't sign, especially if they
continue to play like this, Like if they could continue
to make moves like this, such little moves. Like I said,
it doesn't take a lot to get a goaltender. You
brought up John Gibson. I've been urging teams to trade
for John Gibson for how many years, Shane? Three? Four
years at this point forever. I've been telling them, trade

(46:27):
for this guy, get a real goaltender. You had other
goaltenders move. Mark stro moved last year, to the to
the to the Devil. Gibson got moved this offseason. You
had opportunities, you could have gotten guys. Instead, you just
sit on your hands and you waste this insane once
in a lifetime, once in a generational talent. It's ridiculous.

(46:49):
I can't believe it. It pisses me off. But there's
more to talk about in the West here, Shane, because
we might have gone through our six division teams, and
I'm really scared that we're fourteen for fourteen right now,
as far as you know what, I'll even throw in
the jets there. We're fifteen for fifteen. There's only one
spot left. We have to disagree somewhere, and this one,

(47:10):
I'm not gonna lie to you, the hardest spot. This
is the one that I almost just said, screw it.
I'm just gonna pick on this spot now. Of course
I didn't do that, I'm a responsible show host. But
I almost did that because I had a real tough
time making this decision. Talk to me, you're through your process,
are what are the teams that you've got contending for
this last spot and how do you eliminate them?

Speaker 2 (47:32):
So I pretty much dismissed the Pacific Division. I'm gonna
go down team by team and just list why I
just don't trust Vancouver. Vancouver imploded. You traded away one
of your best players in JT. Miller, and you lose
a guy like him. I know it's additioned by subtraction

(47:56):
because it wasn't a culture fit, wasn't a great locker
room fit. But man, that second line center hole is
really deep, and you know Quinn Hughes is really good,
that your demco is a phenomenal goalie. He just can't
stay healthy, and I don't know if I can count
on Elias Patterson bouncing back. So I can't trust Vancouver.

(48:20):
And like, year after year, I've like loved that roster
on paper, they could just never get it together and
I just don't see what makes this year any different.
So Vancouver, don't trust them. You're gone. Calgary Flames, they
almost made it last year. They were so close. I
believe it was like last game of the season they
lost that final spot. And Dustin Wolf incredible goalie, and

(48:43):
you know we love our goalies here. If you love goalies,
you have a chance. But I'm expecting a little bit
of a sophomore slump, Like now teams know what to
look out for. Nazam Kadri was their leading scorer. He
only had sixty something points, Like, you're not making the
playoffs if your leading scorer is only gonna have sixty points.

(49:04):
They're young, they just don't have a lot of upside
on their roster. I don't think they're gonna make that
final wildcard. The Ducks Sharks, still rebuilding, still young, play
like a bunch of players would have to take really
huge steps for them to make it. But they're just
kind of too young, not there yet. And then Seattle's

(49:25):
the epitome of mid They have a very underwhelming roster.
I don't see them doing anything. And then we go
back to the most stacked division in the NHL, and
I am going to pick the Utah Mammoth as my
fun team. And if you look at the numbers, if

(49:48):
you look at Corse, which is pretty much just five
on five, like shots for versus the shots against. They
they were top ten in out chanting their opponents and
expected goals for. Expected goals against they were top five
and expected goal differential or top ten. They were around

(50:12):
like the sixth spot, I want to say, but they
were surprisingly high. They were up there with playoff teams.
They just had horrible luck finishing and they had abysmal goaltending.
And then know what they did. They addressed those issues.
They got jj Petka, who had sixty points last season.
He's going to help you finish even though he's not finished.

(50:35):
He's check. They got Brandon tannev who they had a
middling penalty kill and he was one of the best
defensive forwards. He improves their penalty kill that was like mediocre.
They already had a top ten power play. And then
you add J. J. Petka to that, and you got
Nate Schmidt Cup winning defenseman, really good locker room guy,

(50:57):
improving the culture up there in Utah. And then they
got they only need average goaltending to get into the playoffs, right,
and they got the most average goaltender I could think
of in v Tech Vanacheck. He's not gonna win you
a game, but my god, he will give you a
nine hundred save percentage and you can make no excuses.

Speaker 1 (51:18):
Shout out v Tech, Shout out v Tech. We love VTech. Here, greatest,
greatest Seattle Kraken of.

Speaker 2 (51:24):
All time, undefeated in Seattle.

Speaker 1 (51:26):
Undefeated in Seattle is v Tech. Vanacheck, We do love
v Tech. Vantachick. Here will we be. Here's what we got though.
You got the Utah Mammoth, and I love love that pick.
I'm gonna walk through mine. I'm gonna say I had
four teams on my list that I thought could get
this final spot. I had the Utah Mammoth, I have
the Saint Louis Blues, I have the Anaheim Ducks, and

(51:49):
I have the Vancouver Canucks. Right, let's start with the Ducks.
They're not gonna make it. I think this is a
Ducks team that really is prime to break out. This
is a team that has a lot of really young talent.
I like Dostil at the gold spot, I really do.
I know they moved off of John Gibson, but it
was kind of time they needed to move away from
each other. I think just for the both of them.

(52:09):
I like this Ducks team a lot. I'm a big
fan of them. There's a real shot they're number They're
number four in my power rankings for the eight seed
in the West.

Speaker 2 (52:17):
So what a what a list to be a part of?

Speaker 1 (52:20):
That is that? That's that's an ESPN list if you
ever heard one. Look, I'm professional, okay, Number four in
my power rankings for the for the eight seed in
the West. Number three in my power rankings. It's going
to be the Saint Louis Blues. This is a Blues
team that's always right there. They're always right there. They
made their way into the playoffs last year, gave a

(52:42):
big gave a good fight, gave a good fight, right
shout out.

Speaker 2 (52:45):
They were like thirty seconds away. I think it was even.

Speaker 1 (52:49):
It was like a second, always less than five seconds.
It was just crazy the.

Speaker 2 (52:53):
Jets from going on to the second round.

Speaker 1 (52:56):
Jets should have lost that series. But you know what,
the Blues found their way in and are gonna stay feisty.
They're going to be in this discussion the whole time.
I just at the end of the day, when I
compare them to a lot of these other teams, I
just think they're the most boring one. Number two for
me in my Power rankings for the eight seed in
the West. Shane, it's your Utah Mammoth. We finally disagree

(53:17):
on something. Let's go Look, I like a Shane.

Speaker 2 (53:20):
We almost had perfection.

Speaker 1 (53:21):
Look, I thought we went fifteen for fifteen. There was
no shot we were going sixteen for sixteen. I love
this Utah Mammoth squad. I do. I think they're gonna
be probably the surprise team in the season. But again,
I don't know how surprising you can be when you
are very fringe playoff. But I don't think they're quite
gonna find their way in, which leaves my number one team,

(53:41):
my number eight seed in the West. It's the Vancouver
canuckt Shane. I'm in on the train. I'm bought in
this year. Look, I am a I just I'm here. Look,
you have Demco. He's gonna be healthy this year, probably
hopefully maybe. Look, I'm I'm going off of the fact
that he's gonna be healthy. If he's healthy, We've seen

(54:03):
a healthy dem We see what a healthy Demco can
do for this team. They took him to the playoffs.
They were a pretty high seed in the playoffs that year.
I'm big on the Canucks men. I know they move
off of J. T. Miller. I know they lose a
lot of talent, but that that locker room is gonna
be better. And I think, like you said, with the Caps,
one of the things that hurts teams the most is
having a bad culture. You need to have a good culture,

(54:26):
and a good culture is going to be formed with
this team. Thatcher Demco's gonna be healthy. I'm speaking it
into the universe. I'm telling the universe that it's gonna
be true. So it becomes true and the Vancouver Canucks
are taking that final spot in the West.

Speaker 2 (54:42):
For the player, Hughes could probably put up like a
hundred points season and drag that team into a wild card.

Speaker 1 (54:49):
Really good though, you really could.

Speaker 2 (54:51):
Honestly, I have it like mapped out. Like the way
it's gonna happen is McDavid's gonna be the most paid player,
and then Quinn Hughes is gonna be the most paid player,
and then Cale McAll is going to be the most
paid player. You know, you know what happens. It's like
the NFL.

Speaker 1 (55:03):
Quarterbacks, that's how it goes. You always each other until
you hit the limit. NFL quarterbacks have hit the limit,
but you're gonna keep going up until you hit the
limit with the salary cap growing as big as it
is right now.

Speaker 2 (55:14):
So yep, when the NHL is just getting started, Yep,
girl is just the first domino to fall, and there's
a bunch of other people who are about to take
his place.

Speaker 1 (55:23):
But look, Shane, We've had a lot of excitement talking
about who's gonna make the playoffs, but none of this
really matters because at the end of the day, only
one team is going to be raising the cup. Only
one team out of each conference is going to be
fighting for that cup, and only one team is going
to be crown champion at the end of the year.
Let's start in the East. Tell me who's coming out,
tell me who your real threats are, and tell me

(55:45):
how it's gonna go.

Speaker 2 (55:49):
So I was worried about Florida. I just think those
injuries to your two star players, it's going to be
a lot to overcome there. They've played a lot of
hockey these past three years. I think it's their time

(56:11):
to have another team that's more well rested to take
their place. I don't have Florida coming back into the fold,
and I know this is going to be a very
delusional take, but I am on board the Leafs bandwagon again.
I don't know why. I just feel like they have

(56:33):
a good matchup for the teams going through the Atlantic,
and I think they are better than the Metro teams
when no one gives their goalie concussion if Stolars wasn't
hitting the head by Sam Bennett, I am not alone

(56:54):
in the opinion.

Speaker 1 (56:55):
That's a much different year, it's a much different series.

Speaker 2 (56:59):
So I think, barring injuries, I really like the makeup
of this Leaf's core. I think this is the adversity
they need to go through in order to know what
it takes to get to the final.

Speaker 1 (57:14):
I agree. I like that. I like that list a lot.
Look the East, I think is the gauntlet, Like there
is always a gauntlet in each of these, but there's
not a clear favorite out of the East. I think
there's a pretty clear group out of the West that's
a favorite. You can always look at the Panthers. Look,
the Panthers are gonna be in there. I know you're
worried about them. I'm not worried about the Panthers. The

(57:34):
Panthers will find a way. You have Sergei Bobrovski. You
have a lot of talent. Like you can say what
you want about the tiers, about the players at the
top that are gonna be missing time. They're a really
deep team as well. That's rare for a team that's
been We.

Speaker 2 (57:47):
Have many even mentioned Sam Ryan Hart, who really phenomenal player.

Speaker 1 (57:53):
You have guys that can step up, like to Chuck
miss time last year and like you missed a good
amount of time, and.

Speaker 2 (57:59):
The Panthers's gonna miss some more time this year too.

Speaker 1 (58:01):
And they were fine, Like they were fine. I'm not
worried about this Panthers.

Speaker 2 (58:05):
These injuries stack up, they do.

Speaker 1 (58:07):
But I'm not super worried about this Panthers team. I
think this is a team that can make it back
the leaves. You have to throw the hat into the ring.
What do I say? The leaves are the are the
oilers except the leaves. You know what they did. They
invested in goaltending, got a goalie. Oh my god, look
I see where you're coming from. I love that. But also,

(58:30):
there's a curse, and curses are not broken by letting
your best player, excuse me, not your best player, one
of your top players walk in the off season. It's
just not gonna happen with the Leaves. I could see
him making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Though potentially
my pick this year at out of the East. Though

(58:52):
I know I dogged on them a lot, I really do,
and I you know what, I saw a duck race
that said the Capitals were gonna win the win the
Stanley Cup this year. So uh, shout out to NHL Europe.
We love the duck race. It's it's probably going to
be true. Go Caps. But I'm picking the Carolina Hurricanes.
That team is the most complete team in the in

(59:12):
the East. Look, I know that we talked about them
not having the goaltending right, but that's something that they
can fix at the deadline. Will they fix it at
the deadline? I hope. So I don't know if they will.
I don't think they will. But I think this is
a hurry Hurricanes team. Look, they finally won a game
in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. They're taking steps.

(59:33):
They're taking steps. They want a game.

Speaker 2 (59:34):
If they don't face Florida in the Eastern Conference Final,
they should be fine.

Speaker 1 (59:39):
And I'm saying they could face the Leaves. I'm taking
the Hurricanes to come out the East. I really like
this Hurricanes team, but the Panthers and the Leaves are
not far behind them. I see where you're coming from
on that side. On the west, Look, the Oilers are
going to be a threat. They're gonna be a threat. Man,
They're gonna be a threat. They have Connor McDavid. They've

(01:00:00):
found their way through the playoffs without goaltending two years
in a row. They're gonna be a threat. But really,
this is a battle of two teams and it's the
two most complete teams in all of hockey. It's the
Dallas Stars in the Vegas Golden Knights. This I feel
like has to be the Stars year. It really feels
like it does. I said that the last couple of years,
they're getting older, they're losing some guys, and they're gonna

(01:00:21):
start to have guys walk because they don't have the
money to pay them. They're having an issue with Jason
Roberson right now.

Speaker 2 (01:00:25):
Right, great pronunciation, thank you, I thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:00:31):
I tried, I was.

Speaker 2 (01:00:32):
I was not even the most complicated NHL name. It's
no kaknemi. But Robertson anyway, Yeah, I.

Speaker 1 (01:00:42):
About the tea, it's it's slipped sometimes, but no, this
they're having issues already paying their guys, right, this is
a Stars team that is so good. And I love
Jay Gottinger, my sweet little baby boy, Jake Gottinger, I
love him so much. But God, it has to be
their year, right, it has to. But then the Vegas

(01:01:02):
Knights going at Mitch Martor don't they? Oh, they go
and do that. I can't pick against the Vegas Golden
Knights right now. I'm talking Knights, I'm talking Canes. That's
what we're looking at for the Stanley Cup, for the
Stanley Cup Finals this year.

Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
That would be a fun matchup. But I'm on the
opposite end of that argument. I think this is Dallas
this year, hope. As much as it hanes me to
say it as a Minnesota Wild fan, it's just hard
to compete with how complete that team is.

Speaker 1 (01:01:32):
I love this team. My dream Stanley Cup matchup, Shane,
is the Stars versus the Caps. That'd be so much fun.
I'd love that so much for the Caps, but I
love the Stars. I'm a big fan of the Stars.

Speaker 2 (01:01:45):
So I think it's the Dallas Stars and then ironically
the Dallas Cowboys of the NHL. The Toronto maple leafs
there it is.

Speaker 1 (01:01:52):
I think both of these series would be a lot
of fun. I think the West has it this year.
The East has gotten it two years in a row.
And that seems to be the trend right back to
back then the West, back to back then the West.
I think the trend continues. I'm taking the Nights in
six games over the Carolina Hurricanes, but then the Canes
when next year we'll sneak preview for when we do
this again.

Speaker 2 (01:02:13):
Uh, I've gotten Dallas and six over Toronto. I think, Uh,
the fans in Toronto are gonna go through cardiac arrest
with how close they're going to get and then ultimately
become disappointed yet again.

Speaker 1 (01:02:27):
It's gonna be it's gonna be a good play. It's
gonna be a good NHL season. There's going to be
a lot to like, Shane. I'm telling you right now,
we're doing this show once a month. You don't get
a decision once a month in the crease. It will happen. Caleb,
you took the nicktub jersey. I don't know where it is.
It disappeared when I went to DC for the weekend.
So it is not me that did it anyway. We

(01:02:50):
will be back some point next month. We'll talk about
the first month of the NHL. We'll talk about how
right we both were, because God we were lockstep on
this one where and we shane anyway, And.

Speaker 2 (01:03:02):
No injuries will happen that will completely derail any of
our decisions.

Speaker 1 (01:03:06):
And no injuries will happen at all in the NHL,
in the NHL at all, No big injuries. We're speaking
that into existence. None anyway. Thank you everybody for joining
us in the crease here for our season kickoff season
preview episode. We will be back next month talking all
the hockey you ever need to hear. Tune into the games.

(01:03:30):
Puck drop is Tuesday.

Speaker 2 (01:03:32):
What are you doing putting the Chub jersey back?

Speaker 1 (01:03:36):
Puck drop is Tuesday, y'all have a great one.

Speaker 2 (01:03:40):
We'll see an U symbol for how I'm getting a
Chub for the NHL season.

Speaker 1 (01:03:45):
Bye Bye,

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