Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:31):
Apyat Devils Wednesday. This is the State of the Fan Address,
Episode three sixteen. I'm your host Sam wu here with
pucksopitchforks dot com editor in chief Nick Bolano, streaming live
on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, x Live, and Twitch on
(00:52):
the Let's Go Devil's Network. Coming to live live from
the Primetime Radio studios inside the Bunker.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
In an undisclosed location both.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
North and South Jersey on this wonderful, muggy, little rainy
evening here in New Jersey. But I'm gonna tell you something,
all you listeners out there, we got a great guest
tonight coming up shortly.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Would you like to do the big reveal?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Nick, Yeah, we got Julie Stewart Banks currently at Bette Rivers.
You probably a lot of people on this podcast, probably
hear more in sn Y. She does some some hockey
in S and Y or not. She does a bunch
of different sports than S and Y. She you know,
she she does some stuff for the NHL Network. She's
kind of all around, but her main gig right now
(01:50):
is with Bette Rivers. But she's she's she's been doing
hockey for a long time, and you know, we've had
her on the podcast before she's one of her favorite guests.
Really excited to break her perspective. I mean, there's listen.
I feel like the fan base is in such a
weird place today today, specifically, the fan base is in
(02:11):
such an odd place, right because we got that Luke
Hughes report on Was that yesterday or Monday?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I think it was yesterday.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
I think it was yesterday and Pierre Lebron and I
was reading it verbatim, word for word, and I take
things literally.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I mean there was a lot of I mean, he
it seemed like he wanted you to read that tweet
that way because for those who can't see it, Essentially,
he said Luke Hues's camp and the Devils had come
back together on Monday, and it sounds like URB is done.
(02:50):
They're going for eight years. That's their route forward, which
is great, fantastic. It sounds like there's a gap in
the money and man, the reaction to that is a
lot of people have are just up in arms and
trying to understand why, how like how is there? It
(03:11):
sounds like there's a pretty why gap? Right? Same am?
I am I interpreting that correctly.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
What I interpreted was, well, it's basically pretty blunt about it.
The aa V it's long term. Long term could be subjective, though,
I caution Devil fans, it doesn't automatically mean eight years
or seven years.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
It could be that five year rumor.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
There's no way that long term. I don't think so
I'm gonna veto that. I'm just I'm just explaining the situation. Yeah,
I because I took it. I did the same thing
as you. But I'm taking it to where, you know,
if five years have been discussed and we're all upset
(03:54):
about it, I can't see it being any shorter than
seven years. When Pierre Lebron is saying long term, I
think that that's where it is. So we're upset with
that's still happening and Luke Hughes doesn't have a deal,
but we're also very happy because the Devil's put their
starting lineup out last night against you know, kind of
a mixed bag of Islanders. I would take mostly non
(04:17):
roster guys. Feel like Romanov was out there. There's a
couple of guys and the Devil is exactly what you
wanted them to do, and dominated there's a couple of
like soft goals that that went in they extra scored.
The Islanders scored on their first shot of the game,
but you know it was the Devil's dominated from starting
to finish. Every player looked great, including Ethan Edwards, who
(04:41):
will get to I want to get to that discourse
after we speak to Julie. But I believe Julie's on right.
It's Julie, Julie with us absolutely. Why don't you bring
her on? Let's let's do the formal introduction. Uh, we're
really excited to have Julie Stewart Banks of Bette Rivers,
(05:03):
S and y NHow Network and a myriad of other
places you probably know her on xt JSP, Underscore TV. Julie,
welcome back to the podcast.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Well, I appreciate you guys having me on and more
so figuring out how to introduce me with all of
those various different titles. I have no idea how to
tell people what I do these days, because it's just
like I don't even know. I'm just listing off networks
at this point because I seem to have like my
finger in every different pie doing hockey, which is great
(05:36):
and I'm very fortunate to be able to do that too.
So yes, it has been, It's been a lot. It's
been exciting, and as you mentioned, I've been doing stuff
with the NHL and I have a podcast with Nate Thompson,
who did not play for the Devils, which is like
one of the teams he didn't play for. But it
has been fun just going through basically every team he
(05:57):
played for and finding out where the bodies are bare
and so that's good stuff.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I you know, I know lou La Maillo was famously
hiding the bodies pretty well, so he might not even
known who the bodies are buried if he played here.
But that's uh, I mean, listens. Yes, it's a great podcast.
I've definitely checked it out. But I have to ask, well,
first of all, I think you should do what we're doing,
which is just call yourself host extraordinaire. We're actually doing
(06:24):
a podcast at a wedding later this year, so maybe
you just start adding hosting.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Duties podcasts at a wedding.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah, we're doing a podcast we're doing at there's a
wedding that that Sam and I are invited to that
is on a Devil's Game day and this this groom
and bride have graciously allowed us to do the podcast.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
At cocktail cocktail Okay, is.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
It going to be like booming throughout the whole wedding
Cocktail Hour like a live podcast.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Get a little I'll tell you how it's gonna work.
We're gonna be in Chicago and it's gonna be simulcast
at American Whiskey because it's a Devil's Home game. So
we're gonna be on the ten foot uh TV at
American Whiskey. They have a video wall now, so we're
taking advantage of all the new tech and uh so
(07:17):
we're gonna have host at American Whiskey and we're gonna
be at Cocktail Hour on the big TV there.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
It's gonna be spectacular. Actually, it's gonna be fun.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Well that's pretty great. I mean, you have good friends
who are allowing you to do a podcast at their wedding.
That's not I thought what you meant was like, you're
gonna do a podcast about the wedding, almost like a
like a live show, Like you're gonna have a guests
on from the wedding.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Which, honestly, that might be a better idea the podcast.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Just see who's invited, Like see if there's any you know,
good Devil's guests. You could just grab them from the
Cocktail hour and have them on. So I'm a bit
of like, I like to noodle on things that I
hear and improvise on the fly. It's kind of one
of my strengths. I would say maybe instead of hosts,
I would just I just say improviser. And so I
(08:08):
think that that would be that'd be a great idea.
But yeah, just like what you guys do, we kind
of just go with the flow, do whatever you can.
I've mceed weddings before, so I always like to work
in some hockey references. There don't always land, but you
have to. You have to work in hockey references.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Are these Canadian weddings, so I think you have a
better opportunity. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Yeah. My uncle worked in a Leaf's like he forced
a Leaf's like joke in my cousin's wedding this summer
and it was it was sad, but it always it
always lands right, like a bad Leafs joke always lands.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, oh for sure. So I do want to get
into landing, and I do need to ask like what
is what is you? We were just talking about Lucus.
Where does this land? Like why are we first, let
me ask you this, why do you think we're here?
It's almost October first, and Luke you'es doesn't have a contract?
Why why why are we here?
Speaker 4 (09:07):
This is all just obviously a negotiation process. So I
just drip it down to you know, one side wants
one thing, one side wants the other. And as we
have seen with Pierre Lebron's sweet like it's amicable, which
I like to hear, but they're not very close, which
is not good because as we know, Tom Fitzgerald said
(09:27):
that this was like the biggest thing in the off season.
And the off season is over and now we're into
the preseason and things are There's a lot of different
things that are going on that are making it a
little bit more worrisome. But I think that this works
all in Luke Hugh's favor. There is I do not
see a situation where this contract does not happen. All
(09:48):
it is now is just a numbers deal, and it's
a numbers game, and it is honestly the best and
biggest agent in all of hockey, pap person going to
get the number that he want for his client. And
I heard you guys talking about term I imagine term
would have been just going off of seeing other deals,
(10:08):
but not knowing inside the Hughes family and what they've
talked about and how they've even interpreted these different negotiations.
I would have thought it would be eight years. I
would think it would be eight years. But I also
don't know if, like they have all talked together as well,
like if this is maybe part of something bigger. So
(10:29):
that's like where my brain also goes where it's like
the red pill blue pills situation where it's like, we
take one route, this is gonna get done. It's going
to be easier than we think it is. It's just
really about money at the end of the day, if
we've learned anything in the last couple of weeks, everything
is about the bottom line. But then I see another
situation where we've heard the Hughes brothers talk about wanting
to play with each other and their contracts kind of
(10:53):
being in different situations, and like, the longer this goes on,
does this mean it's better for Quinn Hughes than the Cannuckts,
like with reuniting or reuniting with getting Luke Hughes together.
And then it's then you can just go into so
many different situations. The biggest one that I think is
like a showing of the cards are sort of like
a tactical play. Is I understand that someone has to
(11:16):
fill luke Q's position when he's not on the ice.
And the fact that Sheldon Keef spoke so glowingly about
Ethan Edwards in after the second preseason game and sort
of the like really saying like he is taking his spot,
like that is actually what's happening, as we know, because
(11:38):
that just has to happen. But it's also a bit
of a mind game because if you are Luke q'es,
you are sitting there and you're like, Luke is probably
losing his mind. I imagine he wants to play. This
is between like this is just agents stuff, This is agent,
this is lawyers, this is lawyers on lawyers on agents
on agents, and it has like the guy just probably
(12:01):
wants to get on the ice is of what I imagine.
So hearing Sheldon keep his coach say like basically, well,
this guy's you know his friend too, obviously they know
each other really well. Yeah, he's one of the best
scaters on the ice and he's pretty good. And now Wow,
this guy's this flashy new toy, Like, wow, he's pretty
good and kind of like Luke You's you start to see,
(12:21):
you know, like any job if you take you know,
we always in America think like, if we take a
day off work, we're going to be replaced instantly, right like,
which is sometimes true, but then also like not we shouldn't.
We should be able to like have a sick day
and not think like, oh my god, I'm not gonna
have my job tomorrow. But like, that's that feeling if
someone comes in and does like a really good job
in your place. So that's the little extra part that
(12:44):
I was thinking about today that might add into the
fire of the negotiations. That's in the devil's favor, I think.
But I do believe this is patperson's world and we're
just living in it.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
So let me ask you, because you kind of mentioned it.
First of all, let me talk about the Edwards saying,
just because you mentioned it, I I don't see it,
But I'm not an angel head coach. I've watched Eathan
Edwards at Michigan. I watched him pretty closely his career
high in college, which was last year when he was
a senior is twenty one points. If you remember, Luke
(13:19):
Hes had forty eight points in a college season as
a sophomore, which was three years ago, so you know,
and Luke Hes is known as one of the fastest
skaters in the NHL. So I think there was a
reason that Sheldon Keef said it the way he said it.
I think there's some frustration maybe with Keith that he's
(13:39):
not here, and again it's almost impacting him, and that's
beyond his pay grade, right, He's not in the negotiations.
He's not he would just be like, just get him here,
you know, if it was up to him. So I
think that, like you said, Luke is probably a little powerless.
Sheldon Keith's powerless, and everybody's there's probably a lot of frustrations.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
So yeah, but he's going to give done. It's just
a number. I think imagine, like I think Sheldon's helping out.
He's trying to help out right now, Tom Fitzgerald by
saying that, because then that almost gives them like a
little bit more power of like, oh, just a little
bit more cards in their deck. I don't know, not
even having any analogies, he's aren't even analogies, but just
(14:17):
like a little more juice, like, oh, we've got a
guy that's like really good, but he's not actually that
has nowhere comparable at all to Luke Q's. So it's fun,
it's apples and oranges.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
He's a fourth defensive prospects. He's behind Nemets Casey and yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
It's kind of actually insane when you're saying when you're
using them in the same sentence and being like, yeah,
well he Ethan Edwards is you know, he's pretty you know,
he's pretty good, and he's going to be coming in
and you know, it's like that's that's insanity compared to
luke 's. So we have to then take a step
back and think, like, what are the motives behind saying
these things?
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Right?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
The actual motive is, well, is that that is technically
in like a plus people see he is in that position.
I understand that. But then there's a little bit more
with those comments that add just like a little bit
more to the fire where we know that they're going
back and forth on negotiations and I mean this could
be going on. I mean it's obviously going on right now.
(15:15):
I've been like trying to trying to have something new
to bring to the podcast today with some of my
sources who they are coming up dry right now. So
I think everyone's just waiting.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah, And that's the thing is I think that the
strange thing is, like listen, I from what I've seen
in the past with past negotiations, I've seen bristains people speak.
It seems like their site's not talking. I will say,
like I I like in outside of the Huge Brothers,
I've seen him kind of or people on that side
(15:49):
that usually comes from an agent. I've seen some sprinklings
from that side, and like, that's the the edge of
a good agent is to use all of the tools
in their tool chest. So I think the fact that
all of the things coming out seem to be very
devil centric tell me something about this negotiation. And one
thing is I think I think the leverage is with Luke,
(16:12):
and I think he has the leverage, and I think
it comes down to Quinn Jack two kind of, but
I think it comes down to Quinn. If Quinn wants
to play with his brothers in his prime, he's the
oldest one. He's what I think he's twenty five or
twenty six, right, So if you sign the Cues to
(16:34):
an eight year deal. He's gonna be thirty four at
the Quinn Hues would be thirty four at the end
of that deal, which means he's coming out of its prime.
So if he wants to play with his brothers in
his prime, with all three of them, you know, theoretically
in his prime, he'd have to come to the Devils.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Ye're right, right, it's super complicated. Yes, I agree. I
think they are using that too, in the fact that like,
first of all, they have this player that you cannot
there is not a universe where the Devils walk away
from this table. So that's number one. They already know.
(17:11):
We already know this. He's going to be on Devils
unless barring something absolutely insane happening, they need him. And
then you think, well they do as you so rightfully
brought up, like have these extra chips to play, which
are his brothers, and then being like, well, kind of
trying to time them out, like you know, when Jack
(17:31):
Hughes contracts coming up, when Quinn Hughes contracts coming up,
if they'll want to play together and we want to
make this happen with the Devils. I think it's like
one of these we want to make this contract, like
just sign here, you know, with the devils happen, like
they could present Paperson could present in theory a situation
(17:52):
that would be not just Luke Hughes, but could be
all three of them, right, like we could be talking
about this three headed monster to come like hey, this
is going right now. But in these at this time,
like you know, maybe they maybe they get like I
don't know if they can have some kind of like gosh,
that would be that that might be what is it tampering? Yeah,
(18:16):
but it makes you then sort of start to think, like, well,
what are the possibilities.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
They come to these contracts at twelve oh one that
are eight years and seventy million dollars. That's that's how
long an an eight year negotiation takes. This one minute
after Yeah, you.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Know what, I'm actually surprised they didn't they didn't release
it when like all the Kimmel stuff last night was
going around, because that nobody would have noticed it, because
twenty six million people are watching Jimmy Kimmel's they'd be like, oh, okay,
you know, like that's what the NHL would do, Like
you know, that's maybe it's already happened, you know, no ijcual.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
So, so you think it's directly connected though you think
if Luke h soents for eight years, would you say
that it's more likely than not Quinn is a devil?
Speaker 4 (19:06):
I don't. That's one. I don't know. I'm not entirely
certain on I would. I would think that that's a
chip that they hold in the negotiations because I'm just
looking at this as like I'm feeling like I'm in
the negotiation table. Like I have dealt so much with agents.
I have a lot of agent friends. I've dealt with
many lawyers. I understand I'm in the process right now
(19:29):
of like trying to buy an apartment. I understand like posturing,
and I understand, like you know, the back and forth
and the games that you play, and like that's part
of it. It just feels as though it's gone on
so long that it is t Devil's fans at this
point a little bit concerning that they haven't found that number,
(19:52):
and I think it's like who it's a game of chicken,
like what is the number that you will come for?
You know, like what is it? And who's gonna give?
And I think it is the devils that are gonna
have to give the money. It's it's it's a money situation.
It's a value, right, like how much? How much are
you valued? That's what money is in this system that
(20:14):
we have. So I think that it's just going to
be whoever is able to finesse that, and and maybe
there are other things involved, but we know that there's
also that it's like the Kuchuck's right, like when the
senators were talking with Brady, like Matthew Matthew Kuchuk said,
like it's we all know what's going on. And then
also you think, like what is Jack Hughes thinking when
(20:35):
he sees this going on with Luke? Like does he think, Eh,
do I want to be? Do I want to go
through this stuff? You know? Like is this how they operate?
So I think there's like just many layers to it,
and you drive yourself crazy trying to think what ifs
in the background. But I think either we're just gonna
be not surprised and it's just gonna come out and
(20:58):
be like like a brock favored type of deal, or
you know whatever, something like that. Maybe not that high,
but like around there, like an eight year deal. Let's say,
like maybe I know it's a AAV they're worried about,
so it's like maybe a little below maybe eight point five,
but or eight point three. I'm thinking. But if it's
(21:20):
not that, then it's going to be something absolutely wild
with like a huge, a huge explosion. So yeah, that's it.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Listen. I don't want you to have to be in
people's pockets. But if I told you right now that
nine per year would get it done, would you just
sign it? If you're Tom.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Fitzgerald without having like this like the cap situation and
everything pulled up, they.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Can figure that out. I've written a couple of articles
on that, you can figure out nine. So just with that,
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
If I'm Tom Fitzgerald. I want to be. I gotta
see now I'm thinking about Tom. Now I'm in Tom's head.
I'm playing IMPROVM. I'm like, hmm, I want to I
want to feel like I've won, right, So I want
to get it below nine if I'm Tom, but that
might not see in it. I would sign for nine too.
(22:21):
I think nine would be great. But I just wonder
if there's like if there's like when you're doing the
negotiation and I have to look through some of the
other numbers and some of the things that maybe Tom
has gone through with other deals. But like you know,
sometimes there's a bit of like a pride element or
like a negotiation element that's like, oh, yeah, we got
(22:42):
them below nine, like you know, in a sense of
like a team. But how much of like your ego
and pride is worth that versus the player that's going
to help you win the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
And I'll be honest, I think that's that's hurt Tom
in the past with trades. I think he's wanted to
win trades. I think it hurt him in the goalie
trades from two years ago before they got when they
when they because they didn't get Alan until the trade
did and they needed a goalie in November, you know.
I think he was waiting to win a deal and
(23:15):
nobody was in a rush to trade goalies. I do
think that this is probably I like Tom fitz Jro's
a GM. I think that he's a good GM. I
think he's done the great team he did. He'd be
a great GM if he knew if he had a
better timing on when it's okay to lose a deal.
(23:36):
You know, like it's okay to lose a deal if
it's the right player at the right time and you
got an abundance of prospects, you know what I mean,
Like it's it doesn't matter if he prayed Shakir Mukamadoolan
and become something when you still probably have the best
crop of defensive prospects in the league, you know what
I mean. Maybe maybe, And.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Thinking about you're not just negotiating for Luke c'es. You're
you're negotiating with the entire Hughes family, who's like now
become NHL royalty. So like you want to be able
to be on their good side. You don't want to bend.
You don't want to bend and like you know, go
above and beyond too much and make them think that
you're gonna just bow down and you know, spend everything
(24:18):
because you have to have some kind of like they
also want to see your backbone as well, I imagine,
but you also don't want to piss them off, Like
because these guys are these players. I know that it's like,
you know, you play for the Crest, but like these
these players are becoming and the three of them together
are it's a huge storyline that like really helps the
(24:38):
NHL break through to other sports, to other sports fans.
And it's like if that like keep, don't don't mess
this up with them, with him and then with them
because it's it's it's like the tip of the iceberg
Luke ques and then the entire Hughes family and so
I just I just I just interviewed Paperson at that
player Media tour, and I mean I believe he will,
(25:03):
he will get the best that he can for Luke,
but he also has like a million clients. So sometimes
I think, like we and me too, like over overestimate
how much time is actually going into this. You know,
they're not just sitting there all day in a room, Like.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
You can't just lock him in the room like figure
out the number. It's like I actually like we've got other.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Stuff we've got to do too, you know, and we've
got to figure out others. We have City Crosby calling
about something, or like we got Patrick Kane on this line,
like you know, it's like there's there's a lot of
people in service when you're cea right.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
And a lot of his guys are in the news,
you know, Crosby's in the news, and he kind of
made a mention. I think I don't remember he was
in the news.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
That's why I that's why we talked to him, because
you know, he also did some posturing right there with
the content with contract stuff with the Penguins as it goes.
I think he put pressure by like words are so
I mean valuable. Sometimes we look sometimes we read too
much into them, but sometimes they are exactly what they are,
(26:11):
which is like he's saying, well, Sidney Crosby is Tom Brady.
I took that as, Oh, he's gonna go to a
different team and win a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay.
I was like joking around with him about that, but
he's like no, in the sense that he deserves to
win more because he is such a good player. And
so that is saying like, oh, do we want it
to be a Pittsburgh Yes, of course that's where he
(26:31):
is right now. So then that's putting pressure on Kyle
Dubas to make like more moves to have a better
team or else. Boom, Crosby's out of there. That's what
you know, you read between the lines.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Yeah, No, I saw those quotes from when he spoke
to you because and I was because I was intrigued,
and I was just like and sometimes like I'll be honest,
realised it was with you y'all. But I was like,
I was like, oh, that's super interesting, Like obviously we're
going through own negotiations, but I was like Crosby like
to candidate, my wife is from Pittsburgh, so like big
Crosby fan, like, you know, so I've watched him, you know,
(27:06):
rooting for my wife's happiness. So them not making the
playoffs these past couple of years, it's just been it's
kind of sad. Yeah, you want to see Rosby in
the playoffs, so I guess.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
And that's and that's I think what we all we
we do all want to see that. And that's what
I think, Like Pat, like I could tell his genuine
sincerity when I said, oh, well, you know, people are
gonna think with Tom Brady, you know he switched teams
at the end and went somewhere else. He's like I didn't.
And and again sometimes, I mean that was so many agents.
(27:36):
I'm literally speaking from my own experience, agents and lawyers
that like it's really hard to know what is real
and what isn't and like I do believe Pat was,
like I honestly didn't mean it in that way in
the Tampa Bay Way, like I don't even think he
even I don't know how much NFL stuff like Pat
person is consuming, other than he knows that Tom Brady
(27:59):
is the out, like he might not have necessarily known
like exactly what went on what went down at the
end of his career or thought about it before he
said those words. So in that sense, it was like
I thought, ah, okay, and he was like, I didn't
know it was going to blow up like this, and
it felt real when he said that. I was like, okay, yike,
So you really got to be careful when you're talking
(28:20):
about But then I'm like, wait, are you being played
by the agent? Because they are. They are in negotiations
right with these other people. That's their job to negotiate
and to win, like the deal. So I thought first
I was like, oh, I get it, and I was
like it's like, oh, PRACT just was making a remark
about the end. Then I'm like, wait a second, did
(28:40):
you just get played? Julie? Like I don't know, Like
they're magicians over there, They're able to work these deals out.
That's why they're so successful.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Yeah, yeah, no, I listen. I don't blame you for
second guessing, because again, there's always ah, there's always a grift, right,
there's always meaning behind everything, Soles, I would be remiss
to not talk about the players on the team right now. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
Oh wait, there's other people on the team other than
this Hughes situation going on.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Yeah, one was his brother. He's pretty good. Devils would
really go yesterday they were playing. I think you and
me could have made the team last night for the Islanders. So, like,
you know, I don't know if we should gas them
up too much, but they did sure, Yeah yeah, Where
do you assess this team? Is this a you know,
(29:39):
a playoff team, but that's kind of it like they
were last year. Do you think they could win the Metro?
Do you think that this is you know, a move
away from a Stanley Cup contender that they could do
during the season? Like, where do you assess the Devils?
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Honestly, I think they are extremely underrated and I think
they're going to be kind of a sneaky team because
of how things have gone in the last couple of years.
They are built so well, like comparatively to other teams
that need to do a lot more like not even Finessing.
I'd say Finesse is reserved for the Devils. Like actual moves,
(30:15):
actual real strategic things have to happen with the Rangers,
who are coming off of an absolutely abysmal season with
so much chaos and everything in that room was just
very difficult to be and so you can imagine trying
to play in it. And then Carolina is different too
as well, in those jerseys like are really bad. So
(30:37):
that's like a real bad start to the season for them.
But people, you know, people have figured them out. They
know how, they know. They're very similar obviously to the Devils. Man,
they both of those teams together, like when they play
each other, it's just like my it's like when Tampa
plays Toronto, I'm like, oh my god, my dyslexia is
acting up, like who's who right now? But I just think,
(31:00):
like you look at like the depth of scoring, the
strength like the strength of scoring, like these forward lines,
and you bring in Connor Brown, He's coming off of
being in two Stanley Cup finals. People don't even really
kind of like realize that or remember that. And that's
the guy that as you can you know imagine when
and not to like name drop here right now, but
(31:20):
like when Mark Messier and I he was on our show,
he said, the hardest working guys and the best guys
are the ones that have the fewest minutes because they
have to put in the best, the hardest amount of work,
like they have to show their A plus plus plus
game to get like one more second on the ice,
and they have to do anything and everything the coach wants.
(31:43):
And that's the kind of guy that I think Connor
Brown can be for this team. And as we've seen,
you know, being kind of in the bottom six there
and being able to to to really relish that role.
And I think that obviously defense depth there and goaltending
like you have everything. It's it's just always that question
mark of health. That's like literally it it's like if
(32:06):
you can stay healthy this team, I swear to god.
I mean I used to date a Rangers fan and
I he saw my like betting, like I was betting
on the I bet on the Devils to win the
Cup and he was just like, uh what. I was like, Yeah,
this this team is gonna win the Cup. I obviously
lost money, on that that was in the last couple
of years. But I truly do believe that this team has,
(32:29):
like because I think there's stealth in the sense that
it's they're not getting as much attention on them because
they haven't had the playoff success of recent that like
where the eyeballs like Madison Square Garden gets on the
Rangers and that whole memo and all that kind of stuff,
and and I just think that in a way they
(32:51):
are going to secretly just be very very good and
end up being like I think they could win the division.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Okay, I love that.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
I do.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
I'm also on a Devil's podcast right now, so I
know who my audience is.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Yeah, you got rid of the Ranger's boyfriend and you
come to a double he was out the door. I
was like, yeah, very very quickly. Just because you brought
up the Carolina Jerseys, I have to ask, what are
your thoughts about the jersey jersey going the way of
the Dodo Bird going away? Did you like the jersey jersey?
(33:28):
Did you hate the jersey? There's no maaybe between you
like it or you hate it? What was your thoughts
on jersey jersey before I let you go?
Speaker 4 (33:34):
I don't want to like give an opinion on it,
because I think that that's a very specific level of
fan that likes to have I will, I will plead
the fifth on that. I'm as a human being, not
Julie Stewart Binks on this podcast. I'm fine with that
(33:54):
going away. But as if I was a fan of
the team, like a super fan of the team, I don't.
I don't. I'm gonna reserve that for them.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
I just hope I didn't like the jersey. I've written
probably twenty five articles saying how bad the jersey was
just over the years, just be like every time it
came back, every time it came up the Athletic. Did
I think it was Mark Lazarus or somebody did an
article in the Athletic where they ranked it as the
best Devil's jersey. I was like, we have the best
cri in black is amazing, and this is the best jersey.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
So I think, ironically it's a good jersey. I think
jerseys that are are not not my favorite can sometimes
be actually very great because they're so bad they're good,
Like they're just so bad, you know, That's just how
I feel.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Calendars or like the Statue of Liberty, Jersey with the Rangers.
Like those are two that I'm like, they've kind of
grown on me, but yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
Yeah, yes, those are exactly.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Take a moment to let everybody know, you know where
you're going to be next, your podcast, where they can
find your your.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
Whatever it is I do I seem to do to
keep myself alive. Every day. Every day is a wheel
of fortune, is what I say. It's a different day
every day. I do podcasts for the NHL and iHeartRadio
you can find on on all platforms called Energy Line
with Naton JSB. And then I also work with Bette
Rivers and we do podcasts on the Toronto Maple Leafs,
(35:31):
which is a very interesting season coming up this year
with a very unfortunate loss to the Ottawa Senators the
other night, which I feel like I'm going to be
saying a lot this year. It's called Toronto Sports Rush.
And also work on sn Y as you mentioned, most
likely covering the Rangers this season we will see. I
also host on there and what else what else? Do
(35:51):
some pwhl at your rink with the New York Sirens
and oh gosh, I'm like thinking of all the ten
ninety nine filing. So I'm like, oh, yeah, oh the Olympics,
the Olympics. I'll be doing the Olympics in Milan this
upcoming February. Is I'm very excited about that.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
That's awesome. We'll definitely have you on either before after
that because we'll have to hear about that experience. I
will say just one one piece of trivia. There used
to be a baseball team called the Toronto Maple Leafs
that played alongside the Toronto the Hockey team. Do you
know what year they left?
Speaker 4 (36:27):
Well, I think they still are back. I believe, well
they came back.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
So the baseball team, Yeah, baseball.
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Team at Christie Pitts.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
Okay, so maybe they came back. But I know that
they originally left in nineteen sixty seven to go to Louisville,
which is the last year the Maple Leafs won the Cup.
Speaker 4 (36:49):
So I'm just saying, okay, well, clearly they haven't come
back because then the couple have come. So I'm definitely wrong.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
The Blue Jays. Maybe you do like a collab. I
think that there's something here. I think you got to
get well, yeah, this.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
Is this is Toronto is a baseball city, right, now
my friend is, but I don't know how much longer.
That's that's I'm in Toronto right now. I'm here from
my twentieth high school reunion. That's one way to show
people how old you are.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
But yeah, in my childhood and I don't remember any
of you people last next year. I was like, it's so.
Speaker 4 (37:24):
It's it's like one of those things where you're like, oh, yeah,
I'm going to go back, and then you're like, oh,
I just getting this really weird feeling, like I definitely
do not want to go at all. I don't want
to go. I don't want to go. I'm going to go,
and uh, I'm pumped.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Though.
Speaker 4 (37:39):
I was very fortunate to go to an awesome school
in Toronto for ten years. Not high school for ten years,
but the school for ten years.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
I wasn't going to judge you. I was thinking situation
going on than I expected to. I apologize for Red,
but this was so much fun. I really appreciate it.
We'll definitely have you on against so. Uh. You made
be a little bit more optimistic. So thank you for that,
and everybody, it's going to get done.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
A deal is going to get done, guys.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
It might happen. It might have happened already. I haven't
been on Twitter, and.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Like, thanks having me take care.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
Great job, like that transition like that, that was that
was nice. Look at you do a cross fade?
Speaker 3 (38:27):
Yeah, I did that by accident. I was like, oh,
where's that button?
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Uh? That was great, you know it's and listen. I
I really do thank Julie so much for spending the
extra time with us. We were the conversation was just
going really well, and I had to you know, I
didn't want it to be all luke you's so I
did want to kind of get a couple of those
other questions at the end. But the it definitely I
will say this coming out of that conversation. It's funny
(38:56):
she brought up the part she was buying an apartment
because us I noticed the difference and tell me, if
you you know you've bought a house, Sam, I've bought
a house. We've both negotiated employment contracts pretty I would
say there was a back and forth. We've bought you know,
we've talked about this before.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
I'm a brutal negotiator, by the way.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
I am too. I want as much as I can
get while having my employer still happy to have me around.
So I noticed a difference in how people speak of
the people who have clearly been in a negotiation of
that level before. And again we're not like you and
me are not millionaires. We're not talking about that level,
but comparatively, like when you're buying a house, like that's
(39:42):
a life altering experience, when you're negotiating a large contract,
that's a life altering experience. You know, that's if you
make a mistake in there. There's a lot of stakes involved.
You could tell how some people speak about it, be
like well, Luke should just take what they're offering him,
or or you know, it's like why why is he
being greedy? Or why is he being It's like, no,
(40:02):
it's not about that. It's about like you're setting up
your entire life. And I think the people who have
negotiated a house or have negotiated a large contract understand
the nuances that come with those negotiations and kind of
you don't take it like the hard Again, like what
(40:22):
am I personally take it? Personally? Yeah, like it's not
you're not attacking me, You're doing what's best for your company.
I'm doing what's best for my family, or you're doing
what's best to you know, to sell your house. I'm
doing what's best to buy this house or sell this house.
I've been on both sides.
Speaker 3 (40:37):
You know.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
It's you could tell the people who have been on
both sides, and you could tell the people who are
kind of just like looking at this in the context
of sports negotiations, yeah, I mean when crazy.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
You know, when I negotiate, I maybe a different negotiator.
I try to look for win win situations to incentivize
getting a deal done, knowing where the leverage is. And
you know, you negotiate position of strength, and if you
don't have that position, that's where you know again, that's
(41:15):
where this is. This is where you draw it out
where now it's a now it's a marathon, and I
think that's where what's happening here is.
Speaker 3 (41:24):
Don't forget.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
I mean, this is the first time, uh, since signing
that entry level contract, that that Luke Hughes is a
free agent of some sort. You know, he's he's on
the first you know, level of free agency in his
career or a young career.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
So this is all new.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
Uh. At the same time, the Devils have a lot
of leverage with the collective bargaining agreement, So you know,
but the Hughes leverage is interesting, Uh, which I got
out of the interview h you just did with Julie
is you can have all three in their prime and
(42:10):
that's where it's unique. And because of that uniqueness, this
negotiation does not surprise me that it's taking that long. Yeah,
so I don't think. I don't think there's anything to
worry about. However, if Luke Q starts missing regular season games.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
Yea, we might have a problem here.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
I would I would give him maybe for the first
three games, but at the same time, you don't want
him to miss training camp because that's how injuries happen
when you come in cold and you're in the middle
of the regular season.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:56):
People who talk about that a lot, like I don't
think he's skated as much he might have usually, just
because you know, we were talking about he's been in
a he was in a sling until like August, maybe July,
but he was in a sling for a while, Like
Jack got out of the swing way before Luke. I
(43:22):
will say this, you know, I don't want to talk
about the Luke stuff too much. Longer because we did
talk about it a lot. But it's it is the story, right,
It's it's still the story. That tweet changed a lot
of how we look at it. It's all about the money.
Can I give you my prediction? Sure, I don't think
you're gonna like it, but I'm gonna give you my prediction.
(43:44):
I think they signed for eight. I think the number
is nine point two five million dollars per season.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Why would I not like that?
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Oh, I don't know. It's it's a lot of money.
But I think that's the number because that's the number
you could get to with COVID, SAVIAG on LTR. That's
the number you can get to, you know, if you
either trade mercer or I mean plot, you know, you
(44:20):
can get all the way untill Like I'm working on that, folks,
i'd see that. Thank you for that. I think the
Devils are going to I think that's the number. I
think nine point two five is gonna be the number.
(44:40):
I think the Devils are sitting at like I think
they started a Dallien, which is like I think eleven,
and I think the Devils started at seven. And I
think that the Devils are sticking around seven, and I
think that the I would I would assume Britain has
(45:01):
come down to ten, but then he's like, I'm not
coming down anymore, like I'll come down to ten, and
then he's waiting for the devils to come up. I
think I think Fitzgerald is sticking at seven. Maybe he's
going seven two five, seven point five, but I think
he's trying to keep it under Jake Sanderson, and I
just don't see it. I just don't see it happening
(45:22):
that way. I would be sam. I would be a
static if they signed the Brock favorite. I think Favors
just it's either eight point five or just a touch
over eight point five. Luke Us is better than Black Favor.
I know that brock Faber was ahead of him in
the in the Calgor Trophy voting that year. Luke Us
(45:46):
is better than he just does you know, We've had
a lot of interesting conversations, like there's not a lot
of defense even if his name is Luke Johnson, there's
still not a lot of defensemen I would trade Lucues for.
You know, I wouldn't trade him for Sanderson. But I'm
(46:07):
not very high and saying I'm low. I'm probably as
low as you can be on Sanderson. From day one,
you were, I was, and I think that he's better.
He's not a bust. He's not a top twenty defenseman.
In my mind, I just don't think he is. You know,
(46:28):
the Hudson thing. I just think it's just way too
early to even assess Hudson. I definitely, one hundred percent
wouldn't trade Luciues for Lanne Hudson, Not a chance. I
think he had a really nice season, great offensively, but
I think Lukeues could touch his offense now that he's
understood the Shelan Keith defense. I also want to point out,
(46:49):
but that's one of my numbers. My number is nine
point two five. That's my prediction, eight years, nine point
two five per year. Do you have a prediction or
do you want to move on to the game real
quick before we this.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
I I hate to say it, but I have to
agree with you on it, just based on the facts
out there, coming from Pierre Lebron and just reading between
the lines, and a nine point two five number is
not outrageous because Dougie Hamilton again signed it a few
(47:25):
years ago. Inflation, folks, different environments, years left yeah, So
I mean that was that was.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
You probably trade Dougie.
Speaker 1 (47:38):
But you know what I'm saying is it's not an
outrageous number big picture wise, the nine point two five
that you just said.
Speaker 2 (47:50):
Yeah, I am, Yeah, I did. But again, I kind
of want to move to the game last night. I
loved everything I saw. The Ethan Edwards thing is insane.
I just think it's insane. Like I thought he had
a good game. I also think he made some mistakes
that we're just choosing to ignore. He got turned around
(48:12):
on on I can't remember if it was a goal
or if it was a high danger chance, but he
got turned around pretty badly in the defensive zone. I
just think saying he's the best skater amongst the defenseman,
I think Nemet's is a better skater than him. I'm
(48:36):
trying to like, Edwards could be better than everybody else,
but Hughes is one of the best skaters in the world.
So it was a negotiation tactic, A good one, smart one,
you know, but I think it's negotiation tactic. But everything else,
(48:57):
like Nemt's look pretty good, you know, And I know
Keep said really nice things about him in the in
the post game so I think that there's confidence back
in Nemets, Dad and Off looked really good with with
Hughes and Pratt, that line was cooking. Mercer looked fantastic.
Mercer was the guy. I was like, Okay, like this
(49:17):
dude might be back. I don't know what happened last year,
but I don't care. He might be the dude. I
didn't like that they paired him with Nico and Meyer.
I thought he made more sense with Hughes and Pratt.
But if it works, it works. And I know people
(49:38):
were mad that Meyer's on the second power play, but
I don't think that this is the second power play
of last year. I think what's gonna happen is I
think you're gonna end up rolling two defensemen and you're
gonna pull plot off of that second power play, And
that second power play is gonna be either Luke Hughes,
Simon Emets, uh Uh, Dad Off, Gritz Admier just a
(50:03):
fantastic unit, or it's gonna be Hamilton and Nemets and
then the three fowards. So this isn't like ten steps
down on the second unit, like that first unit is
incredible with Jack Hughes, Niko Heischer, jessper Bratt, Dougie Hamilton,
and then you got Dawston Mercy. But they want that
guy who's gonna replace Nason, who's gonna clean up from underneath.
(50:27):
And you gotta remember, Nasan's gonna come back. I don't
I think he's I'm gonna be honestly, I think he's
out longer than we think. And I said this about
Covia Savage, and I was right. I think I would
be surprised if we saw Nason in October. I don't
think it's like, I don't think he's gonna be out
as long as Kovia Savage, but I wouldn't be surprised
if he's out to at least December first. I again,
(50:50):
I'm not diagnosing him. I would be surprised if we
saw him in October. Personally, I just think it's it
sounds like the Devils have always been coy about injuries,
but they're coy in a way where there's evidence, Like
I I've seen this story before, I kind of know,
like what I'm picking up what you're putting down. I
(51:11):
think he's gonna miss a month, So I think you
get a month to see if Dawson Mercer is the
guy in the first power play, and that power play
looks incredible. I wrote about today, it looks better than
last year. And last year, you know, at times was like.
Speaker 1 (51:25):
I think what I would caution it is preseason, Nick,
I don't.
Speaker 2 (51:30):
But I'm talking about the style. I'm talking about the
the the game plan for it. So what I think
happened is Sheldon Keef saw what happened in the playoffs
and that power play couldn't score, and he changed it,
(51:51):
you know, him and Jeremy Callton changed it completely. And
I think they looked at it and like, what wins
the playoffs, when you're a skilled team, wins the playoffs
is movement. You gotta pull guys out of their position,
and the Devils weren't doing that with their power play.
They had a quarterback, whether it was hughes or Hamilton,
(52:13):
whether they you know, and they would sometimes they would
play catch and it would hope that either they got
a shot through traffic or you know, jessper Braut n
Ecohesia just popped open and it didn't work because nobody
was getting open because Carolina played it so well. Now,
past past past, past, past, past past, they moved the
(52:35):
puck with passes instead of skating, and guys are reacting.
They're like oh oh oh, and there's usually two guys open.
So the Devils have found a way to pull guys
off each other. And again, they were playing a pee
wee team last night. I don't want to like disparage
on it, just you know, the Devils put out their
pee we team on Sunday outside of Grits the Gritzick
(52:57):
line basically, so I I this Devil's team has a
lot more going for it. A lot of people give
it credit for it. Yeah, they didn't get the top
six forward, but Damien Flores just wrote for Pucks and
Pitchforks about how getting Dad and off might be that
guy they might have gotten, you know, a nice diamond
(53:19):
in the rough there. And if Mercer, if Mercer scores
twenty five goals, I'm gonna be like, great, this is fantastic,
exactly what I need. Twenty five goals for four million
from a guy who could still play some defense too.
I think it's great. That's all I got, Sam, I'm
ready for plugs unless you got some some more.
Speaker 1 (53:41):
Just one last thing on the power play. I caution
everybody because We've seen this rodeo before. They would start
off the season hot on the power play, and as
soon as the season goes along in that first month
and everybody's back on the same page coming off the
off season, then it starts to dip. I'm not saying
(54:06):
you're wrong, Nick, I'm just saying.
Speaker 2 (54:10):
That's like what it looks like. We've wanted them to
pass and they're passing. So that's kind of like where
I'm going with that. Okay, past the puck and that's
all they They dance books so many times. Read my
article on it, Tom pucks and pictures.
Speaker 3 (54:23):
I know, I I breeze through it. I'll read it again.
Speaker 2 (54:28):
But you know, yeah, do I think that they're one
of the best teams league now? I think that they're
a top ten team though, And the top ten team
is all you have to be to be in the conversation,
and sometimes the top ten team wins the Cup.
Speaker 1 (54:46):
Yeah, so I'm again, I'm more on defense. I just
want their PK to be number one, you know, I
want their PK to be number one.
Speaker 3 (54:54):
I mean they did pretty.
Speaker 2 (54:55):
The first number one last year?
Speaker 3 (54:56):
Did they fall?
Speaker 1 (54:57):
I think they were in the top three year on
the PK.
Speaker 2 (55:02):
Terrible in the playoffs. But yeah, that and that's where
you gotta you gotta figure out why why were these
units so bad in the playoffs? Because I think you
could have taken Carolina seven if you scored the power
play goals and it stopped on the PK that you
could think. I still think they would have lost the series,
but then you would.
Speaker 1 (55:20):
I think I think a lot of the injuries, and
I'm not trying to make excuses, but the Devils were
gassed by the time they got to the playoffs, even
though they had they had the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (55:31):
What's that DUMO was playing like what like thirty minutes
a game?
Speaker 3 (55:34):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 1 (55:37):
It was a band aid upon band aid down the
stretch even though the Devils had that last wild card
spot secured. They were gassed. They were gassed because they
went three months, four months with all these injuries and
then to lose your defense game Game one. They're trying
(55:57):
to recover from.
Speaker 2 (56:00):
Oh one last thing I wrote about this It actually
I thought it would get a little bit more play
because I didn't see a lot of people talking about this,
but erected. Did you see that Brendan Dillon got the
Jack eiicle surgery, and that's why the rumors of him
being out dissipated. He got the the disc replacements. Is
(56:20):
it this artificial disc replacement surgery?
Speaker 1 (56:22):
Yep. You want to know a little kid, you want
to know something about it. What I know the guy
close friend of mine, he was one of the founders
of that company that with the disc.
Speaker 3 (56:41):
Yeah, yep, that's interesting. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (56:44):
And I remember, just just to let you know, I
remember back in two thousand and nine. I think the
I think they I think they invented that disc probably
like late nineties, early two thousands, and I remember I
remember a.
Speaker 2 (57:03):
Lot of the time FDA approvals and stuff.
Speaker 3 (57:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (57:06):
And I remember the when they were going through the FDA,
the clinical trials and all that kind of stuff that
they were finding the impact sports. It's actually pretty awesome,
you know. But that was in the infancy of.
Speaker 2 (57:25):
Of that of that he hasn't seen any impacts of it.
So I think I think it's good news. I think
it's the controversial surgeries though, but I think it's good
news that he got it because I think I think
it'll I think he might be better this year.
Speaker 1 (57:41):
I think you want my honest opinion and this is
where I think, you know, the Buffalo Sabers may have
not had just what I know. I think a lot
of it was the lawyer's talking about the temper of
the expectations. But it is you know, I mean you
should be you know, listening to your doctor and and
do the right things, but it's it's above and beyond,
(58:05):
like above expectations some of the results and athletes have
had it.
Speaker 2 (58:10):
No, I was excited when I saw it because I
was like, how is he playing? Why why did this
rumor come out? Was it just made up? And when
you hear about the surgery, yeah, like no, like he
had a significant injury and it was a long term
thing and you know, there's just new technology now and
I have I don't want to say high expectations, but
(58:32):
I think Brendan Dillan's gonna be good. And again, if
you want some of the details, you know, Amanda Stein
interviewed him. But we did an article over at Puckspittricks
dot com. Go check out that article at pucksypittricks dot com.
We have a lot of articles this week. Sam It's
it's been and you're gonna get even more because uh,
there's gonna be at least thirty before October first, thirty
(58:59):
articles over the next week.
Speaker 1 (59:02):
That's a lot of reading.
Speaker 2 (59:03):
It's a lot of reading. So that's that's you know,
we we have certain people with certain you know, thresholds
they have to hit. So thirty articles over the next
seven days. Everybody, get on bucksintfitchworks dot com right now.
Start your reading.
Speaker 1 (59:26):
Also, I got a big announcement next week. I'm not
gonna tell you what it is.
Speaker 2 (59:32):
Cliffhanger, simpy realize that when we talk next week it'll
be October.
Speaker 3 (59:39):
I know, and I can't wait October first.
Speaker 2 (59:43):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (59:46):
Here for it, all right.
Speaker 1 (59:48):
Well, I want to thank all those tuning in. I
see Ted chiming in, Jay Snow, Steve Angele, aj Visco.
Special thank you to Jewel Lee Stewart. Thanks for coming
on dropping the podcast at midnight. Until next time, let's
(01:00:09):
go Devils.