Shayna Goldman (5:03)

Yep, they did. And I think it's. I think the whole thing is like, none of us wanted this to be political. There's always a risk when you're representing your country, especially with everything that's going on in this country right now. But also, we kind of did see all this happen at Four nations, right? And it just, it felt like there was a way to avoid this. And the answer isn't saying, well, they shouldn't have accepted a call from Donald Trump in the locker room. You are a gold medal winning team. You're going, you should get a call from the President of the United States congratulating you. You are going to be invited to the White House. You, if you choose to attend, so be it. Right? Like, it doesn't, it doesn't have to go any further than that. Right. I don't expect players to jump in and fight Donald Trump on the phone about laughing at women. Right. Like, we're, I think we're kind of realistic here, but you don't have to lean into it and then you don't have to cry that everyone's making it political and then turn around and, I don't know, wear a Trump hat, which the Hughes did, which Tage Thompson wore a MAGA hat. Like, that's where the lines aren't just getting blurred. It's. It becomes black and white. You don't have to attend the State of the Union. You could just go to the White House. But you could also make the argument that this is an NHL season and everyone could also get back to business and get their heroes welcome in their respective cities after partying, which they should do. And now it feels like so much pressure, as always, is on the women to kind of clean up for it. And I think Hillary Knight put it so well yesterday, saying, you know, the jokes are distasteful, they're unfortunate, and that, you know, it's not a woman's behavior to have to sit in front of everyone and explain someone else's behavior. And it does feel like they're being forced to do that. And I know some of that falls on everyone for making it a conversation, but unfortunately, like, we're here, it is a conversation. So it just feels like none of this had to unfold this way. Hopefully, it is a teaching moment for one, how to talk about women, how to show your respect for women publicly and privately, and also how to keep the focus where it should be, which should be on this, like, momentous moment for men and women's hockey in America.

Sean Gentili (7:10)

Russo, yesterday you spoke to the Minnesota. Well, four of them at least. There's. There's plenty of them. That's a roster that's stacked with Olympians for the Frost, US Olympians. You talk with Taylor Heisey, Grace Somewinkle, Kelly Panick, Brita, Carol Salami. There's a piece on the site, of course, detailing all of that. That's absolutely worth people's time. But you've spent a lot of time with them, especially over the last few months. What did you learn yesterday about those players?

Mike Russo (7:38)

Yeah, I think it's, you know, to Shayna's point, I think the, the sad part is that that this video that came out of the men's locker room sort of overshadowed, you know, their accomplishment because all of a sudden the president begrudgingly invited them to the White House with the men. They obviously, you know, the one thing I will say is that it is 100% true that the women didn't take the presence, you know, up on his offer, not because of the joke, but because, remember, they, they left before the men. They were already essentially all over the world in North America, going back to their college and, and, and, and professional teams. And that is the reason why they were going. I thought. What was interesting, though, is that then during the State of the Union address, the President announced that the women will be coming to the White House soon. That seemed to be news to all of them. You know, they, they, you know, the USA Hockey did put out a statement that they'd be, you know, that they're very grateful for the invite and that after their seasons are over, they, they will, you know, consider it. But every single one of them didn't know what that was about. They basically, you know, kind of surmise maybe this is when the president, which is tradition, invites a lot of the USA athletes to the Olympians to the White House. Taylor Hisy basically said that it'll be up to Hillary Knight. And we, and we kind of heard a little bit about what her opinion was of the joke yesterday. But the one thing that was very clear to me from talking to the four women that I talked to yesterday is that none of them really blamed the men for the, for the laughing of the joke. That seemed to offend a lot of people, at least in the most vocal area that we all know to listen to, and that is social media. They, they know in their minds, you know, being caught up in the moment when the President is talking, you know, like Taylor Heisey pointed out to me, you could hear Dylan Larkin and Brock Nelson on the video before he cracked the joke, basically saying two for two. You can hear Matthew Tkachuk after the President said that we're going to invite the women, say, absolutely. And in their opinion, they are going to go with the pattern that they saw from the men during the entire tournament that they were there for, and that is respect and support, hanging out together in the village, the men coming to their games and vice versa, and that they're not going to, you know, let one second of a laugh when they were in this euphoric state, like Brita Kroll said, you know, take their example. When they were in their victorious locker room, they would have laughed at anything being said. They were so excited about winning. And so I know that a lot of people want to jump on, on the men for, you know, laughing at an inappropriate joke, but from the women's point of view, they believe that, that, that these, that this men's hockey team supported them throughout and that they're going to go with essentially that belief because that was the evidence that they saw for two and a half weeks while the men were there. While they were there.

Sean Gentili (10:43)

Yeah. And I think that's part of what's a shame about this is that, you know, to some regard they, the men undid some, some of the, some of the goodwill that they built up because Cash Patel was, was in the locker room. It's, it's the, there's a one person is not staff in the locker room and it's the FBI director. And that's what opened the door for all of this. And, you know, they bear, you know, some, some degree of responsibility for, you know, inviting, inviting. They had a party and, and then, and then some of the guests made things. That's, that's what happens. Right? If you, if you live in a, in an apartment and you have a house party and the cops get called, you're the one that you're, you're the one that bears the brunt of the, of the responsibility there. That's just, that's just kind of the way it goes. And it's, and it's unfortunate and it's their fault.

Mike Russo (11:33)

Yeah. And, and I, you know, look, I do think that, that, you know, the, the guys, you know, clearly, I don't think they had any idea that this video was going to get out. I don't know in today's day and age how they didn't think that. Obviously somebody put it out there for the public consumption. You know, we heard so in the post game just to take a little everybody back. So we heard the, One of the first questions to Mike Sullivan in the post game press conference was did, did President Trump call in and he confirmed it. And so we were all trying to figure out what was said because Auston Matthews and a couple of the other

Sean Gentili (12:08)

players, pretty non, pretty nonspecific about, about the. Understandably so.

Mike Russo (12:13)

Yeah. And they insinuated that, that their travel had changed and I, you know, we knew that they were going to Miami because that rerouting was public before that. But we didn't know what he was talking about. Like, so clearly we knew that something was going on that. That invited them to the White House. We didn't know about the State of the Union at the time. Then, obviously, you know, a couple hours later, I'm scrolling through Twitter and I see the video that. That somebody very pro Trump tweeted out. I retweeted it just to essentially air out one, because I was talking to our editor, Naoko about the joke, but air out exactly what happened in that locker room and this and what President Trump said to the players and the way that Cash Patel was acting. And next thing I know, it, obviously, my. My Twitter account erupted with people thinking that I was trying to intentionally put out a tweet of a Pro Maga supporter. But the reality is I just wanted people to see the video because it was our first really inkling of. Of exactly what was said in that locker room.

Sean Gentili (13:19)

Unfortunate break of the job, man. That's why they pay us the big bucks, you know, is the. Is the. Is the deal with stuff like that. Okay, so. So, Russo, you were in. You were in Italy for. My God, it feels like six months. It was three. It was actually just three weeks. I'm wondering. And I know we've heard stories about the cafeteria post game. We. Jack. Jack and Quinn and Dylan Larkin and Jake Ottinger. All the. A lot of those guys have said, you know, that they're hanging out with the women's team after. After, you know, until the middle of the night in the village. All that's very cool. I'm just wondering if there were other moments there between those players, you know, that you heard about or saw or witnessed to kind of hammer home this overall point with. Right. Which is that there were meaningful interactions and in meaningful relationships built between the men and the women's team.

Mike Russo (14:06)

I mean, I think it was one them coming to the majority of the women's games. I mean, there were some games that they just couldn't come to because they played, you know, the next day or things like that. But, you know, like Talking to Charlie McAvoy and seeing his totally genuine glee at a lot of these players winning gold that he knew of because his sister played with a lot of them in, you know, bishop selects and things like that. You know, just the fact that just the. The incredible, you know, definitely admiration of. Of Matthew Tkachuk, talking about, you know, everybody from Layla Edwards to Caroline Harvey, you know, obviously, we know that Quinn And Jack Hughes's mom is affiliated with the US Women's team as, as a, as somebody that does a lot of development consulting with them. She's on the ice. She's liaison between John Robleski, the coach and the players. So there, there is a deep appreciation for this team and for them for what the, the way that they absolutely dominated this tournament and then had to win a. Without any adversity, really in the previous games, have to go out and beat a Canada team that was not just going to lay down for the, and go away not swinging. I mean, that was as good a hockey game as I've covered. Canada was tremendous in that game. It took every ounce of effort in a storybook ending for the United States to come back in that game and Hillary Knight to get the tie angle and just so fittingly then obviously an incredible play in overtime by Megan Keller. So I think there was just a great appreciation for them. And, and like I said, I mean you, you know, all I could say is that I talked to the women and the men throughout the tournament and there was just constant talk about, you know, mutual respect and obviously a lot of that went, went away with that one video clip of, of them laughing at this joke. But before the punchline, I think it is important that again, Taylor Isa said that she heard what Dylan Larkin and Brock Nelson said, what Matthew Tachuk said. And, and, and again, you know, I do think that we all need to because we all are perfect people and never make mistakes, especially on Twitter. No, everybody's perfect on there. I think that we, you know, Britter Brittner Curl brought it up to me unsolicited yesterday. You have to, you have to keep the situation that they're in in mind and understand that they're in this euphoric state. They all can't believe the presence on a cell phone talking to them and, and they just got caught up in the moment. And I think that we've all laughed at inappropriate jokes and it doesn't say, it doesn't, you know, cement our moral fiber and things like that. And you know, I genuinely believe that the, that these guys absolutely respected everything that these women did throughout this tournament, their dominant way that they absolutely rolled the competition and including Canada in the group stage and, and appreciate everything they did and it made for a perfect ending with two twin gold medals by the men and women. First time ever they've won together identical to one overtime wins against Canada. And, and you know, hopefully now this is in the past that this doesn't overshadow what this women's team accomplished in Milan because they were just absolutely dynamite.

Shayna Goldman (17:19)

I. I think, you know, the point of, like you said, Brita Carl said, like, they're in the moment. They're laughing at the joke. It's the, like, for me, I look at it and I go, okay. But afterwards, like, you don't have to lean in. Especially when, like, you know, was the women's team called in the moment and congratulated? Right. Or like, the. The invitation isn't this, like, genuine. Let's celebrate you, too. That it feels like the men could have just been like, you know what? This isn't the time. Go with the women at a later date. I get the excitement in the moment, but, like, when you have time to reflect on it, and that's why, you know, like, Kelly Panick's comments that you reported, like, you know, they ring a little bit louder of, like, you know, they don't know why they expect differently. So, yeah, obviously the women want to get the focus back to their hockey, and I think they're. They're doing a lot here to take the heat off the men, which Shocking. Right? You know, they. It feels like they constantly have to take the high road. I think now, like, if they want to get the focus back to their hockey, and rightfully so, because their hockey is a very exciting product. We saw it internationally, the pwhl, the ncaa. There's so much going on here. It would be really nice now if the men can do something within the next four years to promote that. Right. Like, does it feel like since there's so much synergy we're hearing about Right. Between the men's and women's teams, like, do you think we'll see anything to show that outside of the national level sometime before the next Olympics?

Sean Gentili (18:45)

It's always been one of the coolest connections between the WNBA and in the NBA is that, you know, I love. I love seeing Hoopers wearing, you know, W jerseys. And there's. There's always. There's always interplay and interaction between men's. Between men's players and women's players in that sport. It's sustained. It's something that we saw dial up during the bubble, and it's something that's kind of continued there, and it's cool to see that maybe this is an opportunity for that to happen for the. For. For the men's side and the. And the women's side, because I. I would love to see continued, you know, continued interaction and, you know, shared growth between. Between the respective sides of the sport. It's cool. And I hope that whatever progress was made, you know, over the last, over those three weeks, it hasn't been, hasn't been fully undone by what's gone on over the last couple days. And the women's players certainly seem to hope that as well. And we'll see what happens from, from there on out.

Mike Russo (19:43)

So, again, I definitely think that on the other subject, you know, I don't think this takes anything away from what the women did. I definitely think that what the, the aftermath of, of, you know, everybody going to the White House and, and, you know, players, you know, put, putting on the Trump hats and things like that, I definitely think that that is just going to like, look, the players might not care, but they have to also understand that we are in an unbelievably tense, divided country right now and then.

Sean Gentili (20:17)

But that's where they, where they've, where they've chosen sides in, in a, in a, in a, in a pretty real way.

Mike Russo (20:22)

And I could tell you from the Minnesota Wild perspective, there are fans that are pissed. And I guarantee you, I mean, there are fans that are going to cancel season tickets over this. And I know that maybe the players don't care about that, but that's just the reality of the world that we live in. And look, I, I, I get the elation of, of winning gold and all that stuff, but they have to understand that they, you know, when they made the decision to go to the White House, that's fine. You know, there, there's, you know, I am somebody that absolutely romanticizes the White House. I love going there. I love, look, you know, whenever I go to Washington D.C. going outside the White House and just looking at there and wondering what's going on with government and things like that. But we are in a world right now where, look, and I get the incredible excitement about being invited into a place like the Oval Office. But then when you pose for pictures and put on the MAGA hat and all that stuff, you are just going to alienate, alienate a certain portion of the population.

Sean Gentili (21:18)

Yeah. And that's not, that's something you either care about or you don't. They can, they, they can make that decision. And that's.

Mike Russo (21:25)

Fans need to understand. You know, I go back to the Charles Barkley. I'm not a role model. You know, look, these guys have their own. Just like us, just like you, just like the, the fans. Everybody has their own opinions and their own beliefs and things like that.

Sean Gentili (21:40)

Excuse me, Excuse me. Excuse me. I'm I'm a role model. And I know, I know that there are little boys and girls throughout Western Pennsylvania who have posters of me on their wall. It's a responsibility I accept wholeheartedly.

Mike Russo (21:52)

And that's where things I'm sure are just gonna, you know, get diminished. Like it, to me, it's more the men's, you know, thing. The men's side that had this incredible goodwill of winning gold and from. For a certain portion of the population that's been sort of taken away here. And it, it is a shame because what these guys did throughout the tournament deserves to be celebrated. I have no, you know, I don't think anybody should, you know, begrudge their, their love of country and representing the United States of America and putting that jersey on and playing for each other and beating Canada, I mean that is all are things to celebrate. But you know, when you. In this day and age, the aftermath, you just got to understand that everything seen from the party to you know, going. Going to a place where, look, that State of the Union is a political place that I am grateful that they didn't stick around, that they did leave and that, you know, there wasn't camera shots.

Shayna Goldman (22:49)

Well, they were going to stand. What were they going to do? Stand there for two hours while someone's ranting from a podium like there weren't even seats for them? You played your role. You were upon. Now get out.

Sean Gentili (22:58)

Yeah, there, there was a. There were every. The level of worst case scenarios there was playing through my head as. Cause I had to, I had to watch that for, for work. I. That was, we got. That was as good as it was gonna get from a, from a. From that standpoint. Right. Like just get, get in, get out. Yeah, I slept through get used and yeah, that's, that's, that's. Well, that's, that's well deserved after.

Mike Russo (23:25)

Well, I just landed for five days or whatever it was. Yeah. Milan and you know, and I was, I was out like a light when I got home.

Shayna Goldman (23:33)

So it just feels like it's.

Mike Russo (23:35)

Sorry.

Shayna Goldman (23:35)

It's such like a, like almost like a teaching moment too. If the players want it to be of like, hey, you have all this momentum for hockey. Here's how you can lean into it. And no one's saying don't part. Go party. The videos of them partying in Miami is what we all want to see. We all want to be partying and enjoying this moment. Right. Because there was so much momentum behind them. But just as players don't want to be made uncomfortable and Being forced to celebrate causes they don't believe in. Right. Like, we hear it constantly. No distractions. We cannot have these multimillion dollar adults be uncomfortable. Cannot have that. Right. Then don't alienate the fans and don't make them uncomfortable. And it feels like it's an easy lesson.

Mike Russo (24:18)

Yeah. And to your original point, like, they look, you know, they might say this isn't a political thing, but they also needed to know that they were going to a place that was 100% going to politicize it. You know, the second they walked onto the grounds of the White House, you have the, you know, assistant chief of staff, the, the press, the assistant press

Sean Gentili (24:38)

secretary tweeted out, they're take, they're taking

Mike Russo (24:40)

photos of Caroline Levitt.

Sean Gentili (24:42)

Like, you're being used as pawns.

Shayna Goldman (24:44)

And you're not just allowing it, you're leaning into it. Like.

Mike Russo (24:47)

And they also like the, you know, the, you know, the AI video on the White House official X account where, you know, they have, they have, you know, Brady Tkachuk essentially, you know, you know, ripping. Who plays for a Canadian team, who captains a Canadian team, ripping on, you know, on Canada. Obviously it's AI, but, you know, there's a reason why they're putting it out there. So anyway, like, look, I'm, I'm conflicted on this because I, again, have no issue with any American going to the White House. When you were honored. I would give anything to see what the Oval Office looks like and to, you know, I remember in 1998 when we were covering the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Stanley Cup Final, and a bunch of us actually got to tour the White House and this is pre 9, 11, and we got to go in that area of the, of the West Wing and the, and see the Oval Office. And I remember being so fascinated and so honored to be there regardless of party. So I'm conflicted. I absolutely would give, like, don't begrudge these players for wanting to go there, but they had to understand that the second they're posing for pictures and putting on certain, you know, merchandise and, you know, all that type of stuff that you're just going to. In today's day and age, you're going to piss off a lot of people and have them think less of you. And again, they might not care. I know that, you know, Tage Thompson obviously has certain beliefs, and I don't. Again, I, I don't begrudge him at all. Every time I talk to Tage Thompson, he's so respectful, so nice, so good to deal with. Same thing with the Chucks, the uses. But you just got to understand now that this is the repercussions of it, and they're going to have to just deal with that when they get back to their market.

Sean Gentili (26:25)

Yeah, you are who you hang out with that. So that's ultimately what, like, what it comes down to. And you, you deal. You deal with the repercussions there. And they, and they did. And they have. That was part of what yesterday was. And like I said, look at the response Jack Hughes got from Devils fans. Like, it's, it's, it's going to be fine for them. Everyone.

Mike Russo (26:46)

Quinn Hughes and Matt Boldy and Brock Faber get here. Yeah, all the Wild fans want to see. And this will be a good segue to get to the Wild. All Wild fans want to see is them to get past the first round for the first time in an eon, you know, and Quinn Hughes, the second he starts, you know, magically creating all the points and, and moves that he was doing before the Olympic breaks, Wild fans will fall in love with him again. That's the way it goes, you know, that's just the way it goes. And these guys are good guys. Like, I mean, that's the one thing I'll say is, like, it doesn't matter again, whatever party you think of, like, like Quinn Hughes brought, like Brock Faber, Matt Boldy, these guys are great guys. And, and, you know, unfortunately, there's just a certain simple population that are just going to, you know, sit there right now and, and think less of them. And that's, you know, that's a shame.

Sean Gentili (27:35)

That's the, that's the door they opened, you know, and, and they can, and they can take the adulation and all the. In all the ovations and applies that they get whenever they, whenever they play in front of those home fans for the first time, it'll be it. It'll be great. And they'll love it. And they, and they can hold that close whenever they get mildly criticized by a small. By a relatively small portion of the. Okay, we, we knew we need to get to a break. We're going to come back with Russo, talk some wild talk, some NHL stick around.

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Shayna Goldman (29:45)

Oh, could this vintage store be any cuter? Right. And the best part, they accept Discover. Except Discover in a little place like this? I don't think so. Jennifer.

Mike Russo (29:55)

Oh yeah, huh?

Sean Gentili (29:56)

Discover's accepted where I like to shop.

Shayna Goldman (29:58)

Come on, baby, get with the times.

Sean Gentili (30:01)

Right.

Shayna Goldman (30:02)

So we shouldn't get the parachute pants. These are making a comeback, I think.

Mike Russo (30:08)

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Sean Gentili (30:51)

All right, we're back. Sean Datilli, Shayna Goldman, Mike Russo. We're talking NHL Trade Board. It's the 26th of February, as I've said successfully twice now.

Shayna Goldman (31:00)

When is the trade deadline?

Sean Gentili (31:02)

March 6th.

Mike Russo (31:03)

Yep. Friday, eight days, 3pm I'm in Vegas.

Sean Gentili (31:06)

Oh God. So you're going to be busy.

Shayna Goldman (31:09)

Well, yeah.

Mike Russo (31:10)

I've already warned People with the Wild that they got to make their trades before I get to Vegas.

Sean Gentili (31:17)

You're going to be, you're going to be confirming deals when you're at various, various cigar spots.

Mike Russo (31:23)

That's true.

Sean Gentili (31:23)

I know. We've been there together. I know, I know how you roll, Mike. Jesper Walstedt's on, on that, on that trade board. Let's start with that because you are, you are the Minnesota Wild. What is the status there? Like, I was, I was surprised to see him show up there. Now I would, you know, given, given where they are in their season, how good he's been so far is how realistic it is, you know, that he gets moved in the short term and how realistic is it and he gets moves, you know, I don't know.

Mike Russo (31:54)

I think the only way that it could be the short term is if it was for somebody like Robert Thomas. You know, right now they need a top center. The question is, is when do you, if you are willing to trade Jesper Volstead, do you do it now in a trade for Robert Thomas or do you do it this summer or even into next season when all of a sudden maybe a bigger name could become available? Look, the Wild have traded a lot of assets in the last couple years, both in the David Yuricheck trade and then obviously the Quinn Hughes trade where you trade Marco Rossi, trade Liam Ogren and Z Boy in a first round pick. So this is two years in a row now they've traded a first round pick. So they're just sort of, you know, this team that had a ton of assets doesn't have a ton anymore. You know, unless you're trading a Danil, you're off. Who looks like he's going to be a really, really good centerman for a long time in the National Hockey League. Jasper Volstead's the big name that I think a lot of teams would be interested in and if you needed a goaltender. So I do genuinely believe at some point they're going to trade Volstead. The question is, does it happen now or do they decide to wait and just because maybe this summer or maybe into next season, somebody of a bigger name, they want to go big game hunting like Bill Garrett. You don't trade for Quinn Hughes and just be done. So my guess is that it doesn't happen now that they use him. Maybe this summer if something else becomes available or even into next season. So we'll see where it goes. But, but, you know, he's, he's absolutely somebody that I think the Wild would consider Moving. I know that scares the heck out of wild fans, but when you have Philip Gustafson signed for another five years after this, they've, they've given themselves the ability to, you know, move a goaltender. And, and Jesper is obviously that name.

Sean Gentili (33:42)

Shannon, you're. No, sorry. I just want, I wanted to get your. Shannon, you're.

Mike Russo (33:47)

Shane is about to implode over there.

Shayna Goldman (33:49)

No, no, I was gonna ask. I was gonna.

Sean Gentili (33:51)

She's Rob. She's. Wait, she's. Rob Thomas, superfan number one. We need to, we need.

Shayna Goldman (33:55)

Listen, I. Did I stay up last night to write half a story on Robert Thomas? I did. Okay. Like, no, my question was more of, like, you look at how the Wild goaltending's going this season, and, you know, heading into the Olympics, the last month of play there, Gustafson's numbers have really fallen off, and he was shaking at the Olympics. Like, does that change anything for right now? And also, like, it kind of reminds me of the Bruins having that perfect goaltending situation. Like, if you want to be contending with Quinn Hughes, does that change what you can do in net? Like, if you don't maximize this tandem enough, or does. You know, a lot of people are talking about Halava after his performance with Slovakia. Like, does anything change?

Mike Russo (34:37)

Yeah, I'm, I, I, I'm with you. Like, I, I think that they should keep the both of them right now and, and continue with their pretty much strict rotation. The one thing I will say about Gus and his numbers have absolutely fallen off is that he's definitely winning games. You know, they've won a lot of games, and he's been a big reason for that. But you're right. I mean, you know, now all of a sudden, if you trade Wally, you are going to have to go get a goaltender in some capacity, unless Mark. Andre Fleury is going to come out of the woodwork and save the day as a backup. And he has been practicing every day here since they've been back.

Sean Gentili (35:11)

No, we can't. We can't do the Flurry retirement tour again.

Mike Russo (35:14)

Yeah. And I think that really, like, I genuinely believe that's the big reason why he doesn't want to consider it is because I think he'd be embarrassed by that. But to your point, I mean, then they would have to go get a goalie. I think it's more of a summer type of move. You know, like, if I, if I had a guess, I think that they're going to wind up doing something like Vincent Tro check or somebody like that, you know, but, but we'll see. I mean, you know, I just, I, I agree with you. Like they have a good thing going right now where both of them are winning games and why mess with that unless it's absolutely for a sure thing superstar. And I love Robert Thomas too, but he has been oft injured and you know, I, I, I, and I don't think that Wally is going to be the only asset in there. And again, the more assets they give up, the less, the less takes them out of, the more it takes them out of potential other things that could happen in the off season or even into next season. So my guess is that he doesn't go now, but I absolutely think that, that Bill Garon would, would consider it.

Sean Gentili (36:11)

I mean Bill Garon and Chris Jury just sat in a box day after day in Milan and watched Vince Cho check play hockey together. Right? That's, that seems, almost seems, almost seems

Shayna Goldman (36:20)

too perfect of a fit too like, you know, is he your.

Mike Russo (36:23)

I will say, I will say he spent a lot of time with Doug Armstrong too. So

Sean Gentili (36:28)

there's a lot of reason that's very, very. Let's, let's talk about a couple of the other centers on that list. Shannon, we got, we got Kadri, we got, you know, Ryan O'Reilly's on there now. Petter Pedersen's been on their. Shane, right. Is there, are there any names for you, Shannon, that, that, that stick out?

Shayna Goldman (36:45)

Yeah, I would say the Ryan O'Reilly's in the Shane Wrights of the world, they're like the most interesting because Ryan O'Reilly is still a very good player and I think you just have to like sift through what's gone on in Nashville to like remember that like the passing still there, the two way impact still there. And I think we see it with both him and Stamkos and this whole changing of management for Nashville is just another wrinkle to it. But like it's so different. We see so many veterans, right. Like he's 35, Kadri's 35. So you know, you can go that direction. But Shane Wright maybe is the most interesting name on the list otherwise because this is someone that, it's a reclamation project of sorts. Right. Like Robert Thomas is having a down year on the score sheet. That's not a reclamation project. That's, that's a true top line center. Shane Wright, you know, over the last few years hasn't been trusted to do much in Seattle and hasn't had the chance to sink or swim. But Also hasn't done enough to earn the playing time. And when you don't have the most dynamic skill set, he's someone that's more of like a jack of all trades for centers. You know, it can be harder to pop in a lineup and it just feels like it hasn't happened. But it kind of feels on brand for the Kraken. But is it something another team is going to be willing to bet on? You know, for a contender, he's very cheap. Or for an up and coming team, he could be the future. Like, that's one name I'm keeping an eye on.

Sean Gentili (38:07)

And Russo is. Is Ryan O'Reilly a fit for what they potentially need in Minnesota?

Mike Russo (38:12)

Absolutely. Maybe even more of a fit, you know, because I think he'd come cheaper. I think there's a lot of appreciation for him. He is somebody that can play up and down your lineup. He wins a ton of draws. You know, they love Trocheck too. They have a need for right shots. You know, Charlie Coyle is another one that I, I could see the Wild if, if, you know, if the price is too high for a tro check, maybe they go after. I know that there is a lot of respect that Bill Guerin has for Charlie Coyle. You know, he's told me that in the past that, that of, you know, that core that was traded years ago that he really liked, you know, by Paul Fenton, that he really liked Coyle. I don't think Coyle is a difference maker though. You know, I obviously have covered him in the past. Great, great guy, great character guy, you know, is somebody that just though will kind of offensively always leave you wanting more. Where I think Trocheck has proven in the past that he could score as well as play a defensive role. We just saw him be a lead on the penalty kill over in Milan as well. So I think a lot of teams look there. There's such a deficiency right now in. In number of centers out there that I see a lot of teams going after Trocheck as sort of the number one option because I think the Robert Thomas price is extraordinary. You know, Detroit, I could see going after him. We know that he's been in Carolina in the past and, and you know, I think he. He liked playing with Brenda Moore. We've seen reports where he'd like to stay in the Eastern Conference, so we'll see. The only thing I can tell you about Trocheck is I have confirmed that the Wild are not on his no trade list. There were a lot of jokes in Milan about him joining the Wild. You know, he jokingly tried in on the Wild picture on day one.

Sean Gentili (39:56)

Oh, my God. I forgot. I forgot about that.

Mike Russo (39:59)

So, look, I mean, you know, just put them.

Sean Gentili (40:02)

Put him on. Put him on their.

Shayna Goldman (40:03)

Just make it easier.

Sean Gentili (40:04)

We can. We can fence.

Shayna Goldman (40:05)

He should have just been sent home on the plane there. It wasn't a trade freeze.

Sean Gentili (40:08)

It's like, you know, he should have just gone to. Gone to Colorado with those guys.

Mike Russo (40:12)

Yeah. That's why I keep on quickly looking at my phone. You just never know, like, you never know. Like, to me, the season has, like, the trade season starts today. Like, everybody's sober, everybody's back with their teams.

Sean Gentili (40:24)

Yeah.

Mike Russo (40:25)

You know, so now it's like. And. And also when, you know, a lot of times when there's not a lot of. A lot of one position out there or there's only a couple guys that really make the most sense, you want to get a jump on it. And so I'm half expecting that if the Wild are going to trade for a center, it's going to be in the, you know, next couple days or early next week.

Sean Gentili (40:44)

Interesting. Okay.

Mike Russo (40:45)

You know, in advance, as we hope, because I'm in Vegas and I got things to do.

Sean Gentili (40:49)

Like, you're busy. You're. I'm not. I'm not gonna out the Russo hotspots, so. So the Russo army doesn't show up seeking autographs and trying to. Trying to blow you up at your various Vegas haunts. But I take solace in knowing that you'll be there.

Mike Russo (41:03)

It's funny because I do have a lot of friends that are going on this trip.

Sean Gentili (41:06)

Yeah.

Mike Russo (41:07)

And all of them's like, hey, you want to go to dinner on March 5th? I'm like, the next day. Like, if we're doing dinner, it can't include any alcohol, and it needs to be extremely close to my hotel so I can run back there if there's news.

Sean Gentili (41:20)

So be drinking. Drinking, whatever.

Mike Russo (41:24)

But I will say that the history

Sean Gentili (41:26)

of iced espressos at night and the

Mike Russo (41:29)

history of Bill Garon is getting a jump on this. So I, you know, I don't. You know, I do think that. That he's going to try. Let's put that way.

Sean Gentili (41:36)

Interesting. All right, well, we'll let you go, so. So you can be prepared for whenever they trade for, you know, center X in the next. In the next 45 minutes. Because I just.

Shayna Goldman (41:45)

Center V. One might say Center V Center vt.

Sean Gentili (41:49)

Very interesting. Thanks, brother.

Mike Russo (41:51)

What a great. What a great backdrop that Shayna has. I Was admiring it when we had the full show. I was like, looking at all the games makes us look. It's definitely more books I've read in my life.

Sean Gentili (42:01)

What? She's well, well lit. Lots of books. Unlike. Unlike me, who's sitting in front of a roost. A lamp that looks like a rooster

Mike Russo (42:08)

in a very with a bunch of shades. This is why Shane is smarter than both of us. Correct. Anytime I need to put anything smart in one of my articles, I reach out to Shayna.

Sean Gentili (42:17)

Yeah. And she's. And not in very specifically. Not me. Thanks. Thanks, brother. We'll talk to you soon.

Mike Russo (42:24)

Bye. Bye.

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Mike Russo (43:13)

Oh, yeah, huh?

Sean Gentili (43:14)

Discover is accepted where I like to shop.

Shayna Goldman (43:16)

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Right.

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So we shouldn't get the parachute pants. These are making a comeback, I think.

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Sean Gentili (44:10)

All right, there goes Russo. I'm Sean Gentili, back with Shannon Goldman, SG1, as I've started calling her.

Shayna Goldman (44:17)

It's very. It's different than girl. Dom. I'll take it.

Sean Gentili (44:21)

No boy. He is boy, Shayna. Get it right. I would never. I would never besmirch you like that. We are excited that. That hockey's back like this is. This is again. Something that's unfortunately been lost in the shuffles. There's. There's 24, 25, 26 games left on most team schedule here. We're picking one team per person per conference that we're excited to watch down the stretch. Shayna, who in the east do you got?

Shayna Goldman (44:52)

Yeah, I'm so excited to go back to NHL competition. I love it. Digital ad boards. Two offside reviews last night. I'm back. Okay.

Sean Gentili (45:00)

The ad board disparity is just so painful.

Shayna Goldman (45:04)

When they changed the boards to the brighter colors, I was like, this is it. This is what I've been missing in my life. It's bright, it's colorful. I am, like, locked in and

Sean Gentili (45:15)

changing. Go into, like. Like shades of green and blue that I think are actually in your hair right now on the. On the boards and on the boards in Milan.

Shayna Goldman (45:25)

I'm biased. What can I say? Okay. A team I'm excited about in the East, I'm excited about the Montreal Canadiens because they're fun, they play an exciting style. I would love to see what Cole Caulfield and Lane Hudson do from here, because sometimes we see players fueled by spite, and neither of them were on Team usa, so, you know, that adds a little bit of, you know, interest to it. The other part of it is the goaltending has been all over the place this year, and we've seen them now make a change in their goalie coaching department, and I'm curious to see if that helps Dovish kind of keep more of a consistent level or if Montembo can get his game back. But the trade deadline now is, like, this fun wrinkle in it for them. Because they had such a strong off season last year, they took such a measured approach to go for players in the right age range, and it feels like now they've had a lot of growth from their guys. Right. Like, Slafkovsky now isn't just some passenger to call field Suzuki. He is the guy who can help drive a line. So what do they need to do around this really exciting core? And do they change the strategy from the summer, or do they keep looking for those players in that same age range to just keep it on track together?

Sean Gentili (46:34)

For sure. I mean, everybody loves your eye, baby. Like, that's. That's, like, one of the big takeaways from. From the Olympics, isn't it, Frankie? Frankie Corrado is just. He's. He's going to try to adopt your eye. I don't know if that's. I don't know what the laws on that are. In Canada, but he's. He's going to make it happen. Yeah, I'm pumped for them, too. This is like an umbrella pick for me. I'm going with the Washington Capitals. They're getting Pierre. Luke Dubois back. That's a. That they've. They've gotten him back. That's a big deal for them and was a big reason why they've been so uneven throughout various points of the season. But I'm picking them as like an avatar for that middle of the Metropolitan Division in general because that is a mosh pit. It's going to get really interesting down the stretch. I don't know how good any of those teams are behind Carolina. I don't know if any of them are good, period. We're going to see Pittsburgh without Sidney Crosby. We're going to see the Islanders try to keep things going. We're going to see the Columbus Blue Jackets. You know, who've won seven in a row. Now, those are a bunch of teams that are all currently within five points of each other with varying degrees of injury issues and overall inconsistency and whatever else, not just for the wild card, but for the two spot in the three spot in the Metro Division. It's going to be really interesting down the stretch to see who comes out of that because I. Because two teams are going to have to make it, but behind Carolina, and I don't know who it's going to be. You got Pittsburgh, you got the Islanders, you got the Caps, you got the Blue Jackets. I think we can write off the Flyers, but those four teams, you know, fighting it out and turning the next 24 games into a rock fight or whatever it is, is going to be very, very interesting. And I think the Capitals for that, for me, are the face of all that.

Shayna Goldman (48:21)

I like that pick. I like that pick a lot because, like, they also have a good track record of. Of buying talent over the last year, too. Right. And knowing here's how to maximize it within their lineup. Spencer Carberry is a great coach, so it just like adds another element to it.

Sean Gentili (48:34)

Maybe they should trade for Ryan O'Reilly. Maybe you think of that.

Shayna Goldman (48:38)

I don't hate it.

Sean Gentili (48:39)

Western Conference team, please.

Shayna Goldman (48:41)

The Edmonton Oilers, they're never boring. I mean, come on. Here's the thing I like. I would love to say I am so excited about the Utah Mammoth because I am in their product. Like, their. Their playing style is great and Logan Cool is going to be back, and that's great. And they're in the playoff race, but the Edmonton Oilers no matter what I do, just always pull me back in. I can't. I didn't. You know, like last night I was trying to write during the late games and they're playing the Ducks and everything's fine, and then they blow the game because, look, Tristan Jari has another bad game and it's like a reminder of why Connor McDavid only signed for two years there. Because you need to know the direction of your team is, is sound. And you don't. You don't know that. In Edmonton, multiple GMs, and you don't know that. And you know their current one doesn't have a great track record for team building and making these savvy depth moves. That's why we're focusing on the Man Japani contract and the Trent Frederick deal. They shouldn't matter. But when you're so up against the cap and then you take on more and commit the rest of Connor McDavid's tenure to Trish and Jari, it's like, okay, here we go. Like the, the nurse mistakes last night, the goaltending mistakes last night, you're like, can they keep outscoring their problems? What are they going to do here?

Sean Gentili (49:51)

They're the, the textbook definition of like the penny jar, right? Like you're. Or the, the dollar. The dollar jar. Put some change in there. Like over. Over the course. Over the course of time. Like it's going to add up and eventually count for something. It's that way for them, except with overpaying for dev players by a little bit. It's like you give someone, you overpay someone by a million or five hundred thousand or a million and a half or what? Or whiff on, you know, like trade for Tristan Jariel, you know, and, you know, yes, you know, whatever that. That hit is, what it is. But, you know, all of a sudden you don't have money to spend when you need it most. Oh, boy. And then, of course, we got Connor McDavid getting annoyed by questions and then losing games based on poor goaltending and bad play by Darnell Nurse. Same as it ever was. It's. It's incredible. I think I'm saying Vegas, okay. I'm watching them down the stretch to see just how far up in the echelon of cup contenders they deserve to go because they have been a pretty wildly inconsistent. This goes back to last year, too. We don't know what we're getting them in a given, you know, six, game eight, game ten, game stretch. And I think, you know, we have Seen Marner find his space in that lineup certainly, certainly over the last month or six weeks ahead.

Shayna Goldman (51:18)

Was that at center, too, like, very impressive.

Sean Gentili (51:21)

I love it. I love it. And. But also, there's still work to be done. I think we need to see if Tomash Hurdle can turn some of the way he played into the Olympics into NHL momentum. That's going to be very interesting. Vegas is a team that I want to like more, and that's been true of them, I think, for a couple seasons now. And I will there with 50, 58 games left. So they got 24 games to go. I'm very, very interested to see what they look like headed into the playoffs because, again, this is a team that, you know, is streaky in both directions and who knows what happens when. When. When April rolls around, right?

Shayna Goldman (51:56)

Yeah. And it feels like for as much as they've addressed any weakness they have, they're like, we're going to buy and fix it. The center position, you know, replenishing their winger depth, fixing the blue line. This year, they already added Raspberry Sanderson. They have done, I think, a pretty poor job in net for the most part. And you look at it this year of this situation, you look at the goalies that have been moved in favor of others, like, you know, having Aiden Hill as a number one, like, they are not a team that needs elite goaltending, but you can see just how much they've crumbled when the goaltending has been so below average. So it just like adds another wrinkle for them, like how. How good, how strong of a team can you build in front of the blue paint that you don't need that.

Sean Gentili (52:38)

Logan Thompson gently waving from Washington, saying, hello, hello.

Shayna Goldman (52:42)

I remember he even said, how. How good of a goalie is he outside of the Vegas system? Like, I think we found out pretty good.

Sean Gentili (52:50)

I think Vegas wouldn't mind having him around at the moment now that. So. You know what? Let's get. Let's get Caps. Vegas in. In the cup final. My, my, my. Two teams. Let's do it.

Shayna Goldman (53:02)

Bring it back.

Sean Gentili (53:02)

Bring it back.

Shayna Goldman (53:03)

Nice rematch.

Sean Gentili (53:04)

Run it back. Put it down. Yeah, we're calling it now. Shayna's on board. I'm not Shayna Goldman.

Mike Russo (53:11)

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Sean Gentili (53:12)

Cup picks, Cup, Caps, Caps in Vegas.

Shayna Goldman (53:15)

I'd love to pick a team outside the playoff picture to make the Stanley cup final on February 26th. Book it, everyone. I mean, listen, it could happen. If you listen to. If you listen to Tage Thompson, it's not going to be the Buffalo Sabres in the Stanley Cup Final because they are not going to the White House.

Sean Gentili (53:30)

We're going to leave that. We're going to leave that for someone else. How about that? Thank you, Shannon, for the time. Always. And thank you, Russo, wherever you are. He might be in Vegas as we speak. Prospect series returns tomorrow with with a new episode. Haley and I are back next Thursday. Until then, enjoy the 12 game nights. It's back, baby. Thursdays. We love it. Have a good one. That new thing. Yeah, we've got it. The Drop By GNC bringing you all the newness that matters. Hand picked by the pros who actually know what's up and what's proven to work. We keep you on top of the trends and dialed into what's next. Whether you're crushing it at the gym, leveling up your game or thriving every day, the Drop by GNC is where the latest solutions in health and wellness land first. Nonstop innovation and fresh finds daily. Explore what's new and what's next on the Drop by GNC Underwear drawers are

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