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This is the athletic hockey show prospect series.
- [00:57]
A
Hey everybody. Max Boltman here alongside the Athletics, Corey Promen and Scott Wheeler and Flow Hockey's Chris Peters for another episode of the Athletic Hockey Show Prospect Series. Fun show on tap for you today. Corey's got a 2027 mock draft. Really more of a 2027 ranking I think and how we'll discuss it today out for next season. So our first look ahead to next year's draft class. We got a mailbag on tap but we got to start guys with the earth shaking. News of the weekend. The the Philadelphia flyers tendering an $18 million a year by five year offer sheet to Leo Carlson. This is seismic for a lot of reasons. It has big picture implications for the NHL. But I think first Corey, we got to start with with the impact on the Anaheim Ducks and the decision they now face to match it because this was a team that we talked about it through the draft process even like one of the teams that's really headed in a really promising direction in the NHL with their young forward core and and at the center of it is Leo Carlson. He is now set to become the highest paid player in the National Hockey League. And as good as Leo Carlson is and he is awesome and he's going to even get better. The highest paid player in the league has a weight to it and it really impacts what Anaheim can do in the short and the long term now. Yeah.
- [02:09]
C
And I think once you get past Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Matt Schaefer, I think you're starting you mentioned Leo in the next one or two names in terms of best young players in the league. Like he's a projected number one centerman who can drive play and it's going to put up a lot of points and he has size skating elite skill like it's a very, you know, he's an awesome player. I think we are all getting used to these new cap numbers we're seeing. I think we're getting used to seeing Bowen Byram get 12 and we're used to seeing Pavel Michikov, now it's 7 and, and obviously this, now the China we just, we're seeing Carlson get offshoot. I'm not saying that any of these players obviously Michikov had a threat in operation. This was an offer sheet. But obviously there's gonna have to be a recalibration in general of what we think of when we think of player salaries. I, I have however seen a lot of really bad analysis on the Internet when it comes to the, some of these contracts and what players are worth and the different and particularly people who look at Carlson and say well he's 18 million and Capra's off is 17 million and it's like, well that's not apples to apples at all for a bunch of reasons. One is you have to look at the percentage of the cap when those two players sign their contracts. Also cap resolve is a pure UFA contract. These are supposed to be Carlson's cost controlled years supposedly and obviously these are not, this is now not going to be cost control at all. These are RFA years. So you're thinking about a guy who in another time this would have been like considered you know, you know, a 20 plus million dollar contract in terms of UFA value. It's, it's a lot. And you think, and I have to match it like there's no, there's no way, if you look at how good Philly is going to be if they get Carlson, those are gonna be late first and there's, there's no way this, that makes sense. The question now with Anaheim is how do you make your team work now going forward? And I still think they can like they're not going to lose Goce and Seneca. They'll find that you can, you, you can find ways to move pieces and make. And there's always a way to find money even in a hard cap. The question is now you, you thought you had this great young core. We're going to build a runner, we're going to go sign free agents, we're going to go trade for guys, we're going to go make a run and get out of the deadline. And that's obviously not going to happen now. So now you got to find value elsewhere. But I still think it's a great young core. Guys.
- [04:43]
A
Yeah, it's almost inevitable that they have to shed. I mean it's not just that you're build around, you're going to, you're going to lose guys. I mean they already lost defensemen from their roster. John Carlson and Jacob Truba it seems inevitable now. One of Chris Kreider or Alex Kaloren is almost going to have to go out just to make everything work for them next season. And so they're, they're very plausibly going to take a step back next year. SCOTT Assuming they match it, am I fair to assume that you would also match this?
- [05:08]
D
SCOTT I would also match it, but my grub with all of this is like just sign your players early, like just get this over with. Don't be, don't play hardball. And I know Corey talked about this being RFA years. The RFA years were recalibrated a long time ago. Austin Matthews and Mitch Marner reset the market on what an 18, 19, 20 year old can get signed for on their first contract and what that money looks like. And it looking like UFA money and William Nylander held out like Toronto kind of made this bed for everybody else and now the league has to deal with it. And it seems like there are a select number of general managers who have figured that out and have got their work done early and have paid their guys and given their guys term. You look at what Montreal's done and then there are other general managers who still seem to think that they can play hardball with the best young players in the world and get these guys to cave or to come down to a number that they, that they thought they might not feel comfortable with. And that's just not the case. These kids know their leverage and with cap, the cap going up and going up to the numbers that it's going to go up to over the next two or three years now we'll see whether that stays. I have serious doubts on whether this kind of incline continues, but we know that at least for the next two or three years it is going to look like this. And all of a sudden the offer sheet becomes a much easier tool for teams to stomach because they can afford to throw out crazy numbers over the next couple of years. But it's on like this is on Pat Verbeek to have gotten this deal done prior to this, prior to the offer sheet window becoming a reality for him. And now they have, they have to live with this and it's their own making. Like I have no sympathy for, for these guys who are now getting offer sheeted.
- [06:54]
C
SCOTT When I met my Costco, I didn't insinuate he's gonna get like 5 million or something like that on a bridge deal, but I but something like, you know, 10 million, 11, 12, which is, I think that was the numbers that were actually being thrown around something like with Bedard's being throw around with a little over what Demodov got. But like this is UFA dollars. I mean just got a curiosity guys. What do you let's say you were an NHL gm, you had reasonable, you know, plenty of cap space and Leo Carlson, 22 year old is a UFA right now. What, what, what would you offer him on a, on a seven year contract?
- [07:26]
A
AAV probably 14 or 15 million. But the, the offer sheet factor of this is that you have to make it so uncomfortable for Anaheim. Right. And that's so it's all, it's all baked in.
- [07:36]
C
It's.
- [07:36]
A
You're losing the picks and you have to overpay.
- [07:39]
C
You would offer him 14 or 15 for a UFA 23 year old on a 22 year old on a 7 year contract. You don't think he, they. He would get like 17, 18, 19 on the free market?
- [07:49]
A
Well I'm looking at what other. I mean I, I the age fact. We don't ever see players. Right.
- [07:54]
C
But that's what, but that's why I'm just saying and that's my point is more like this is almost like you know UFA dollars he's getting right now.
- [08:01]
A
It is UFA dollars.
- [08:03]
B
I think it's more than, more than UFA dollars. Yeah.
- [08:06]
A
Point like it's not that I think he's not going to age into this being still a fine contract by the very end. But it's only five years is the thing. Right. It's not seven year deal.
- [08:14]
C
And he gets walked into free agency by this at 26.
- [08:17]
D
Right.
- [08:17]
B
Like he insane. I mean like yeah it's, it's really a bind and, and you look at, you look at this and Corey asked about the young core. Young core is pretty good. Second tier of this roster, not so good. And I look at the blue line right now and where it is relative to where it was last year. The reason they had to pay Pavel Mintukov 7.2 million a year is because they had nothing else.
- [08:40]
C
I'm more that contract than paying Carlson 20 million.
- [08:44]
B
Me too. Me too.
- [08:45]
D
That to me I don't understand how he gets Brandt Clark money in the same window that Brant Clark got that money when because they had 40.
- [08:51]
C
No defense.
- [08:52]
B
This. Yeah. This is the reason you look at the rest of their roster. Nick Jensen, Ian Moore, Drew Hellison, Tristan Luno, Tyson Hines. They had to get rid of Olin Zellweger. They had to get rid of Truba. They had to get rid of Gutis. This blue line is rough. Unless you're going to play Jackson Lacombe, 38 minutes a night.
- [09:11]
D
They gave up or like on last
- [09:12]
C
year, Heinz and like Noah Warren going to play for them this year.
- [09:16]
B
Now they're going to have to probably. And are they going to help you? You know, like, no.
- [09:21]
C
Yeah.
- [09:22]
B
Like, Luno is going to have to play, like, top four for them this year. And that's not a. That's not a position that I think he's prepared for. He's had some good AHL years, but, you know, so I. I do think that now they're. They're in a. They're in a position where you are going to have to overcommit to your core in the same way that we saw Toronto do. And this is now all of a sudden, when you look at team building, I think Toronto is viewed as a failure of. Of overpaying your core. And now this is really the situation that I think Anaheim is going to find themselves in. We are talking about a team that was ahead of schedule last year. I thought that them winning a series against Edmonton was a way ahead of schedule situation for this particular roster. Now you're a little bit worse and you're a lot more expensive in this scenario. So I agree. I'm with everybody. You've got to. You have to match that offer sheet to Leo Carlson. I would have done it yesterday.
- [10:21]
C
Yeah.
- [10:22]
B
You know, like, and that's the thing is that this is all of the sudden, and to Scott's point, this is a situation completely of Anaheim's own making. You can.
- [10:32]
D
If you were haggling over 11 or 12.
- [10:34]
B
Oh, like, I mean, there was. I saw. There was like. Like, Leo was basically like, on the record saying that he would have taken, like last year, would have taken like, nine. Nine and a half. And it's like, you know that it was in Swedish press and I thought, I apologize for sharing that without attributing because I forget exactly where I saw it, but, like, nine and a half, like, if that was the case, you're in. You're in deep trouble now. And the thing is, you can draft as well as you want to, you can develop as well as you want to if you don't protect your assets when they become more expensive. The other thing that drives me nuts about this are the Samuel not one of the richest owners in the damn league. Like, seriously, like. Like you're operating on a budget, and I understand that, but be a big league owner or don't be I don't know, this was little league BS to me.
- [11:25]
A
But that's where like Scott's point about the executives, I think really rings true there because I, you know, I, I don't know the inner workings of it, what level of the organization you take it to. But, but Pavik comes from the grind during school, right. And that, that applies to his former boss in Detroit, Steve Iseman. Both of those guys have had some really grinding negotiations with like Lucas Raymond and Mo Cider. Both went into September on their long term RFA deals that were like in the mid eights and are now two of the 15 best contracts in the NHL. Like, why did you need to grind it that hard? And Verbeek is cut from that same cloth. So it's, I don't know that I'm willing to say this is a Samueli put his foot down thing and not just this is how Pat Verbeek does business thing.
- [12:04]
D
Scott and Pat Verbi clearly needs to learn from this. Like this needs to be a lesson of maybe I went about doing my business the wrong way, not I need to dig my heels in and, and toughen up even further. Like the league is changing. These kids are changing. Clearly the way their agents are operating is changing. And that is all out of your control. What you can control is the offers that you make to these kids early and the length and the term that you commit to these kids early.
- [12:34]
A
Corey, you made a point earlier about RFA versus ufa and I. The point you're making is that in theory the team is supposed to be able to get you a little cheaper in these years between year, you know, basically year four. So whether it's seven, whether it's 10 of your career, depending on how long you sign, those are supposed to be the value years besides your elc, which is dirt cheap.
- [12:54]
C
Well, you're supposed to be negotiating with yourself most of the time. I mean, I know offer sheets exist, but you, you know, you're not supposed to be talking to having other 15, 20 teams going after your players. So you should be getting them a little cheaper.
- [13:07]
A
Yeah, and I think there's two kind of ripples now from this is one, have we more normalized the idea of the offer sheet? And it's been such a talking point for my entire career that every time it's discussed it's like, yeah, maybe we've now seen two this summer, including a massive one, including one that would make a guy the highest paid player. The National Hockey League. There's the impact on RFAs, right? Adam Fantilli, Connor Bedard, all those guys, I think that is an obvious ripple. The second one is I think all the guys who are a year or two out from UFA and we've been seeing teams and players come to agreements here before getting to unrestricted free agency. There is a clear indicator now of how much money is out there in the market and right now this is being spent on to Corey's point of 21 year old. But what we've, we've seen the, the reported number on Jason Robertson in Seattle and what they would have been willing to give him. Does this have any chance to revive free agency now that players can see like, oh my gosh, this is the kind of money that teams are willing to throw around for a great player?
- [14:02]
C
Well, I think once we get past the point where you can sign eight year contracts, I think free agency is going to come back with a roar. I mean that's why you have seen so many long term deals is this is their last kick of the can at the eight year contracts and I think we'll just have to get used to a new pay scale. I don't know if it's going to dramatically change free agency, but obviously there's a rising cap. I think that's the one distinction between Anaheim and Tyrel. It was Toronto got kind of screwed by the flat cap there for a couple of years when they built that core. Not saying anon's going to get saved by a rising cap, but there'll be at least a little bit more wiggle room there. And obviously they hope that some of these kids develop and they get some value from some of these second third round picks and whatnot. Yeah, but it's, it's tough. Like it's a, it's definitely a balance balance here in terms of try to make, you know, there's some overpays happening but I think in, in the context of this new era, I don't know, I don't know if these are going to be like considered dramatic overpays. Even if Robertson did get like 18 million, I think that's just what the percentage of the cap is for a star player.
- [15:03]
D
There's also a scenario here, I think where we've maybe been too harsh on the Ducks in terms of what the Runway looks like for some of those young kids. Are they worse on paper with in and out contracts? Yes. But you're counting on Beckett and, and Leo and Cutter to continue to get better now. That absolutely has to happen. There's no margin for error of Any of those three players plateauing. Right. One of those three guys plateaus, you're in big trouble. But if all three of those guys get better, you're a better team. Even with some of the losses to
- [15:33]
C
Max's point about whether these are here to stay too, it kind of feels as long as the Tulski management groups around in Carolina, these are going to be here to stay. And as well another like kind of analytic heavy group. We haven't even talked about one that's actually still out there. Barrett Hayton is signed off for sheet by New Jersey and I think that one's got a chance to go through quite frankly, I think it'd be really. Because I think, you know, Barry Hayden's name's been out there for a long time in terms of trade rumors. So it wouldn't shock me if Utah just cut bait there.
- [16:04]
B
But yeah, it's a second round pick in the return for him. Correct?
- [16:07]
E
Yeah.
- [16:08]
B
So second round.
- [16:08]
C
Yeah. I think it's. While they give him 5 million or not.
- [16:12]
B
Yeah, yeah. So like and, and the other thing too is that if they match they can't trade them so.
- [16:17]
A
And it walks on the free agency.
- [16:18]
B
It walks them to free agency. It's a tough one. Like and I think where Utah is, this is an interesting one because where Utah is right now, yes, he's been on the block and in a second round pick isn't nothing but like where you're at right now. Wouldn't you rather have the center at that point? Wouldn't you rather have the player for this season and basically you're just basically using them as your own rental.
- [16:41]
D
It's not a crazy number either. Like the Leaf signed Colton Sissons in the four millions and he's a fourth line ten point guy. The high fours for Barrett Hayton in this new environment is not unpalatable. I think what's unpalatable would be potentially losing him a year from now for nothing.
- [16:57]
C
If you didn't get tro check it'd be different. But I think when you now that they've added TRO check I think it changes a little bit there.
- [17:02]
B
Yeah, for sure. Good, Great point. Yeah. And absolutely I think that, you know, just I, I would probably still rather have Barrett Hayton but I, I think the, the scenario around him, not, not I wouldn't rather him over Vince Trocheck but like just having the player but the situation around him does make that a bit more challenging.
- [17:20]
D
Their calculus on Caleb Daneway and Teach again also factors in there, right? Sure. In just in terms of the roster spots that they may or may not want to leave open.
- [17:29]
B
Yeah. And I think neither of them make the team next year, but they'll probably get a chance to.
- [17:33]
A
One of the rationales I've heard for why we don't see more is that they're a waste of time. That you're. You're going to spend all this work and get, you know, sign off on this money, and then you're still not going to get the player. And that, in my opinion, is how this is going to go for Philadelphia. But Corey, was it. Was it worthwhile for them still? I mean, it's. It's one of the.
- [17:49]
D
You're taking a shot.
- [17:50]
A
I mean, it's. It's one of the best young players in the league, and you're at least giving yourself a chance to get him.
- [17:55]
C
Absolutely. It was worth it. I mean, how. For how long have we been talking about Philly and their center issues and how they don't have a star number one center and Nesbitz a second or third liner and Luchenko is in. Bergland is. And, you know, where are they going to get the center unless they bottom out? It's like, oh, they're like, okay, well, how about this? How about this avenue? Let's try and. Let's try and get it this way. And I think it's perfectly reasonable. And I, I think I was saw. I think it was Elliot Freeman who says he was talking people in the league who said, like, Brier, better watches back now or something like that, which I think is ridiculous. Like, it's just. It's like. It's like what you say, it's like, what do you see? Like, the unwritten rules in baseball and all that crap.
- [18:30]
A
Like, you play to win the game. I mean, everyone's trying to win.
- [18:33]
D
Offer sheet.
- [18:36]
A
I just.
- [18:37]
C
People are so stupid. Yeah.
- [18:39]
B
It's business. That's the thing, is, like, it's business. And nobody seems to take things more personally in business than in the NHL. I mean, I know it happens in other leagues and everything, but you look at the way that player movement works in other leagues and why, like, it just.
- [18:55]
C
It's entitlement. Like, you're. They get like. And this. This is something that goes back decades where, like, managers and owners feel like they're entitled to players, and it's like. And only when they get to unrestricted free agency do they lose that right for it to be their player. Like, it's a rule.
- [19:11]
B
Yeah. And here's the other thing. Look at what is happening with players right now. They are fighting back in a way that has never been seen in the NHL. And I love it because this is actually happening across the board and across and across the levels. There is a reckoning happening where players are finally not just taking it as they had for years and years and years. There are players that have always tried to dictate their moves, whether it's going to junior hockey or where they commit to college or all those different things. And now they're put in a system where that, that opportunity is taken away. Those players are now taking that back. Get ready for it. I also saw something about, like, maybe Leo doesn't even want to be in Anaheim. I was like, who doesn't sign an $18 million contract?
- [19:57]
C
That's what I could assure the Athletic. If someone comes and offers me whatever 10 million dol than I'm making right now, I will be going there. Sorry. Not. It's not an insult.
- [20:07]
B
You just, you just heard it. Corey makes $8 million.
- [20:10]
C
No, I said $10 million more than what I make right now. Okay.
- [20:16]
A
All right. Stephen A proman on the, on the, on the salary
- [20:22]
C
also. I, I hope, just, just like, how, like, players are sticking it to the teams. I hope teams stick it to players, too. You got to do it right for your team. Like, like, like you saw, like, everyone got up in arms. Eyes of. It's like, oh, I'm not going to trade Lin unless, you know, I, you know, unless I feel it's right for the Red Wings. SS is right. Doesn't get a good deal. Tell them I'll see you September 15th. Like, I don't. You got to do. It's, you know, it's like I said, it's just business. So you got to do what's. What's in your best interest.
- [20:48]
A
Yeah. All right, we're gonna take a quick break right there. We'll come back with the 2027 draft ranking. Be right back. One thing I love about summer is how easy everything feels. The days are a little more relaxed, and I find myself reaching for the same comfortable go anywhere pieces again and again. That's why I keep coming back to Quince. They focus on well made essentials that naturally become those everyday staples you actually live in all season long. Quince's 100% European linen pants and shirts are breathable, easy to throw on, and the summer upgrade your rotation needs. Starting at just $34. Everything at Quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. They work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen. So you're paying for exceptional quality, not brand markup. I got one of their polos. I got a pair of shorts. I've been known to wear the pair of shorts a couple days in a row. Don't tell anybody. And it's not just clothing. Quints has become a trusted favorite for everything from home to travel to everyday essentials, so make your summer wardrobe easier. Go to quince.com Athletic Hockey for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U I n c e.com Athletic Hockey for free shipping and 365 day returns quint.com Athletic Hockey
- [22:05]
E
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- [22:36]
B
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- [23:07]
A
All right, we are back. And Corey, on Monday you had a 2027 mock draft go out. I mentioned it off the top. It's really more of a rank. We don't know how these teams are going to finish, but it's a good window into the 2027 draft class. And we talked enough about it that I think people know the biggest name in the class is Landon Dupont. But I want to know, is this a number one with a bullet situation for Landon Dupont or is it going to be kind of similar to where it ended up in 2026 where we kind of have a group of names at the top? How does it kind of stack up in that way?
- [23:37]
C
He is number one and I don't think it's like number one and he's tied with number two. I think he is the first. He isn't the best prospect right now in next year's draft and you know he's just a tremendous skater, tremendous puck mover, competitive player. He's been just a really elite producing defenseman in junior hockey. But it's not number one with a bullet, that's for sure. I think there's two players right behind him, the center, Alexei Joseph, who plays in the queue in Saint John, and Nazar Pervalov, the big power winger from the Red army over in Russia, that are within striking distance of him. And I think those three are the clear top tier for next year's draft.
- [24:15]
D
Draft.
- [24:15]
C
I think all three of those guys would have either been in the conversation with Gavin McKinnon and Ivar Stenberg at the top of this draft or might have. I think. I think Joseph and Dupont definitely could have gone over them just because of the premium positions. I think people would have been scared of the Russian winger and may have preferred McKenna or Stenberg in those scenarios. But, like, those are like, you know, Dupont could be number one defenseman, Joseph could be a number one center. Like, those are, you know, anyway, he's 6, 4, 6, 5 as well. Like, those are premium, premium NHL prospects. And, and things could change, obviously. Like, I think there's some other good four prospects, particularly, I don't think. I think there's a distinction now between those three and the rest of the group.
- [24:58]
D
I do think Joseph's U18 worlds, it was only two games, but I do think his U18 worlds did well. I know it gave some evaluators pause. Like, he was obviously demoted out of Canada's lineup after starting in their top six through the first two games and never made his way back into Canada's lineup. And there were some players on that team that didn't get picked up in, in this year's draft that were playing ahead of Alexi Joseph. And they, they were really down on him coming out of those two games and again, just two games. But I think there was a lot of criticism of him not moving his feet, not being involved, a lot of gliding around, a lot of watching the play. He's going to have to just dominate and sort of quickly put some of those maybe minor questions that popped up at U18s to bed and be one of the very best players in the queue all year next year.
- [25:44]
C
And I expected the holy cous he's gonna do that. Like, I was just watching his U17 challenge again this past week and like, oh my God, was he so good? Like, he's, he's. He's a real special talent. I don't know if the offense is going to be elite Elite like there he might be closer to like there were some people, there were some scouts I was talking to, the U17s after that was over who were comparing him to Malkin and he stopped Malkin. But I think like you know he's, he, you know, maybe he's like more like Byfield who was, who was second overall. Like that's. I think there's like some rhymes there with the athleticism and like the good but maybe not special brain. Like you know, it's, you know. What about sizing interior? Doesn't skate like by field. I think he makes more plays than Byfield does though.
- [26:27]
A
Yes, I would say that's true.
- [26:29]
C
So there's never a perfect comp like somewhere on that spectrum. I think that's kind of where, where I think he lands like right now
- [26:37]
D
I would, I would have Dupont and Privilev like a cut above like I think I'd have them in a separate tier than Joseph.
- [26:44]
C
I just watched Pripol play a couple times at the Milstein camp. I don't think he makes like a ton of plays either to be perfectly honest. The thing that excites me about him is that he kills everybody.
- [26:52]
D
Yeah.
- [26:53]
C
And he's 64 and he can skate and he's got offense. But I think there is some minor questions there how he'll elite his offense is going to be too.
- [27:01]
A
But the bigger question there Corey is, is now the contract, right? Like it's, it's, there's, there's the play style and then there's the reality that he just signed a long term extension. Is it four years with Cisco?
- [27:11]
C
Yeah, four years. And then Yakunin, who's also a mid first range guy, signed five years with Spartac. There's a lot of pressure now because of this new, you know, from these top Russian players to take the bag of money and sign long term over there. Obviously we saw with the Mosfet Mishkov situation that there is a way to get out of the contract if it's mutual. But if the team really likes the player, it may not be so mutual. I think Scott was willing to let Mitchkov go. I don't know if CSK will be so willing to let Prav out of this so early and waiting two years is not that big a concern. Four years is tough. Well it'd be three years post cont. After he gets drafted. So it's, it's not unreasonable amount. Like I feel like if you feel like there's a drop but it might if it's between him And Joseph, I think that's definitely a variable.
- [27:59]
B
Big time. Yeah. There's zero chance he goes first overall. I think, you know, with contract, he'd have to have, like, one of the best seasons ever to go even overall, even then.
- [28:11]
C
Especially with the nuts that. The nuts that take a guy like that and you're. You were so bad and you win overall pick and you're like, we'll see this guy in maybe three years.
- [28:20]
B
Yeah. It's just. He can't. You can't do it.
- [28:22]
D
I think Landon, regardless of where everybody ends up on Landon as a player to just Landon being Landon is going to have a similar impact to Gavin being Gavin. For teams, especially if you're a Canadian team, he's going to play at Michigan, they're going to go likely to the Frozen Four again or on a deep sort of conference run. He's going to have. He might not have glossy, glossy, glossy, sexy sort of point totals, but even if he has a really good year and he plays on Canada's blue line at the World Juniors and they win a gold medal like the. There's just going to be a lot of attention on Landon, and I think that will make it. Even taking the player out of it, it will make it hard on teams to not prioritize him.
- [29:03]
C
If he has Czech yet this year, I think that'd be impressive.
- [29:07]
D
Yeah, they got to win some games first, but. Yeah, no, it's. It's just. I think who Landon is, is going to be a part of it big time.
- [29:15]
B
Yeah, that's the pressure. The pressure that comes with. With. With the selection is that, you know, he's the guy that everybody's heard about for years. He's, you know, the way that the news cycle works now is all of these guys are game changers. They're going to change the face of the franchise and. And all that stuff. And the truth is, is that, you know, some of them will, not all of them will. And I think, like, we've got a long way to go. Like, I would have. I wouldn't have thought that there was a lot of, you know, opportunity to catch Gavin last year at this time. I still thought that he was certainly, you know, flawed enough where there could be, you know, some challengers. And we knew about Stenberg and we knew about those other guys. I just, I, you know, I haven't seen enough from anybody to really challenge him at this point. You know, he gives me the most comfort. The thing that I kind of look at, though, too, and I'm sure we'll talk about it a bit more. Is as deep as last year's draft was on defensemen, this one comes with a lot of concern about what the D class looks like. As far as I can tell, even though we've got the potential number one guy, it thins out pretty quickly after that.
- [30:23]
A
It's a great point, Corey, because number one on your list is DuPont. There's not another defenseman until number 14 here.
- [30:28]
C
And we could have some reasonable debates about whether Douglas Johnson could have been a little bit higher, whether Brock Crips could be a little higher. Crips is. I mean, he's dynamic.
- [30:37]
D
Crips is phenomenal.
- [30:38]
C
Yeah, like, he's got, like, he does have some Hudson vibes to him, the way he plays kind of thing. Both. Both Hudson brothers. Well, not both, but Cole and Lane. That is, you know, talking about the defenseman like, he's got some high and offensive traits. He's just. But he ons and skates a little bit better and also has a lot of offense. So I, I leaned there. But yeah, I would say, unless I'm missing somebody obvious and you guys can help me, like, maybe it's Diego Gutierrez or something, like. Or like, there's no, like, six four mobile puck mover in this draft that, like, we're like, oh, my God, he has got all the tools. And I, I haven't seen that player yet among the defensemen, which kind of leads you to, like, these three puck movers, these three offensive guys. And then, you know, Crips is 511, not an elite skater. Johnson's 511, 6. Zero good. Not at. Not, you know, pretty good skater. Like, those are not typically top five, top 10 picks. Dupont is 5 11. But he's an elite skater. So those are the distinctions there. Yeah, I mean, this definitely seems like there's. But there's a lot of really good centers and centers with size and skating and off and offense. Like, that seems to be much more what makes up the premium names in next year's draft class.
- [31:56]
D
I have had some people in the WHL named Boston Tate as. As sort of a potential riser in this class. Like the kind of guy who could be a top 10, top 15 pick. But the offense, we're gonna. We're gonna have to see the offense there. He's big and he can skate and he's physical and he's competitive.
- [32:11]
C
He's even that big. He's like six one, six two.
- [32:13]
D
I think he's. I think he's like over six two. I Believe he's over six two now.
- [32:17]
C
Okay, I watch him. He's good again. You can make a pass. He's good skater, you know, competes well enough like nothing wrong with him but to get him to like top 10. That seems aggressive from what I've seen so far. But obviously this is recording this. July 2026 a lot. None of us had Caleb Malhotra top three a year ago. A lot can change.
- [32:38]
D
Canon, Will, White, Cohen.
- [32:41]
A
Yes, and we expect changes. But it's, it's a good starting point to know kind of what the, the shape of this class looks like. And to Corey, to your point, a lot of centers and wingers. All right, let's take a break right there. We're gonna come back. We haven't done a mailbox bag in a long time so we got a lot to get to there.
- [32:58]
E
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- [33:30]
C
It's a cold day here in Alaska,
- [33:33]
B
but there's one animal seemingly unaffected. Bright eyed and determined enters the husky. Observe as they go up the mountain. Guided by pure instincts, instinct. They are truly amazing masters of this wilderness. But even these amazing pets can't sign up for Lemonade Pet Insurance. You can sign up now@lemonade.com Amazing.
- [34:03]
A
All right, we are back. We've got a mailbag here. Starting from PET 75 210. Corey. What prospects drafted in the third round or later from the 2025 draft have really raised their stock in the last year.
- [34:17]
C
I think the first name that comes to mind is Tampa's prospect Ben Routianen who was the clear leading scorer in Liga last year. Now he did as a 20 year old, but just the year he had was insane. And you're looking at a guy who's a good skater who showed a just a tremendous level of offense and you think like fourth round pick who has a real chance to play for Tampa in the near future, especially given how little depth they have in their system. Like this is a guy who I think is going to get a real opportunity to play for them. Like that's the one I think obviously Bryce Pickford had a really good year in the Western League. I think you're a little worried given the quality Western League, how's it going to translate up levels. But he still looks like he's pretty strong prospect. Guy who has a. Maybe instead of going the third round he goes in the second round.
- [35:07]
D
If you read.
- [35:08]
C
If we do that draft route ynin maybe goes the fourth round he goes top 50, top 60. Like I think that's kind of the range. I'm thinking of another Montreal prospect we haven't really talked about. Alexi Cornoyer. He had a really good year on Cornell last year. He was one of the best goalies in college hockey. Just transferred to Wisconsin from Cornell. Fifth round pick. That was a guy who had a really promising season. And then obviously Ethan Wittenbach, the Calgary prospect from Quinnipiac, seventh round pick, one of the, you know, it was a Hopi candidate. Those are the main ones. Any, any ones that I didn't mention. Guys that you. That you're passionate about.
- [35:45]
D
I would probably. The USHL was what it was last year, but I would probably throw Cooper Simpson in there. Like Cooper was. Cooper lit up the USHL and he's now been invited to the world Junior Summer Showcase with USA Hockey. And I think he's got a chance to score in college and he's 6,262 and a half and. And has a legit NHL shot and can score and proved he could score it in a junior league that where typically is. Which typically is lower scoring. So he. I'd add him to that routine is the one though. Like he's got legit like in a phone booth hands too. Like one on one skill is. Is. Is real there. Like I think he's got a chance as a fourth round pick to, to potentially even like point and play on a second line and play on a power play in the NHL if all goes well. And like he's going to come over and score right away in the ahl. Like I have no worries about him producing in the AHL and then it's just okay. Is he a quad A guy or. Or is this is the skill level legit NHL skill? I mean Wittenbach can pick for Wittenbach and Pickford, we'll see. But routine. And he was an overager too.
- [36:50]
C
Yeah, yeah, he was.
- [36:52]
D
Yeah. He went to Leafs development camp and it sort of lingered around for a while.
- [36:57]
C
Yeah, I have some mild reservation because league of quality has been down the last five so years. So lighting up, lighting up that league is not if it was a good year, you're like whatever. But he like, he was the clear unreal year.
- [37:09]
B
Yeah.
- [37:09]
C
Yeah. So it's a different level of impressive. A couple other, like minor ones. I'd probably throw out a honorable mention to Nathan Beam, Chicago pick, third rounder. He had a. He was a top score in the Western League, you know, six, two. He can skate. He's got offense, looked, look worked a little bit harder than he did in his draft year. And one of my favorite names in that draft class, Mons Goose. He had a good year in Sweden, I think. Fifth round pick by Dallas. He's a goalie who looks like he's got a chance to play in the NHL.
- [37:38]
A
All right. Scott Lots in 44 says. Would it be fair to say that Keaton, that if Keaton Verhoff had stayed in the Western Hockey League and dominated like he did in his draft minus one, that he would have been ranked and perhaps drafted higher than he was?
- [37:51]
D
Yeah. I always wonder with these questions immediately after the draft whether lost in 44 is a San Jose Sharks fan by chance. But no, it's yes. I mean, the answer is probably yes. Would guys have gone higher had they stayed in junior? I think that's probably true of potentially even Tynan Lawrence. Like I had guys who said if Tynan Lawrence had gone to the queue which was available to him, that he would have been a. He would have gone even higher than 11. And. And you can go down the list. It's easier to hide some of the warts. I do still think that people would have still come on strong for Carson Carls and for Chase Reed and I, Dax and Rudolph. Would he have necessarily pointed like those guys? Probably. Would Victoria have been a top team had him and Cole Rashni stayed? Of course they would have been, but I, I don't know. I think there's a lot of hypotheticals at play in that and frankly, it doesn't matter like it. It truly does not matter where you go. They were all high picks. They're all going to be prioritized by their NHL clubs. They're all going to be put in positions to succeed when they're done in. Jun. Done in college and turned pro. He's still going to be put in that position. He's probably better off, frankly, for having tested himself at North Dakota and. And now he's going to be more prepared for North Dakota this year. And I don't know, the questions of the what ifs with the draft, I don't think really matter in the grand scheme of things. He was still a top 10 pick at the draft, whether he goes 3 or 7, 8, 9, I don't think really matters.
- [39:28]
B
Yeah, I would agree with that. And the other thing that I think Corey said a few episodes ago when we were getting ready for the draft is that the information that we got on these players is better. Yeah, that's the, that's the big difference is that a lot of some of the hockey sense things that we saw with Keaton Verhoff wouldn't have been as exposed, I feel like at Junior, especially in some of his reads and different things like that, because the pace of play was different. And so I do think that because our data is better on the players and our views are probably more meaningful, then we're. We're slotting these players into better places. So I think, you know, the hypothetical. Would he have gone higher? Like. Yeah. Would he have had 70 to 80 points in the league? And that would have changed probably his draft, slotting and the way we view him. But I think that because he played in college, we had better analysis of, of. Of the player, saw the flaws for what they were. And the same is true of Gavin McKenna and a bunch of other guys.
- [40:21]
D
And he had better analysis of himself.
- [40:24]
B
Agreed. And like, the thing is, is what is better for the player long term? You know what like, is. Is going ninth overall better or was staying in the dub going third overall and then. Then going to North Dakota, then probably having to spend another two years there. Like, there's a lot.
- [40:41]
C
And he didn't. He doesn't lose any money whether he goes nine or three.
- [40:44]
B
Exactly.
- [40:45]
C
He might lose some money if he goes 90 versus three, but.
- [40:48]
B
Right, right.
- [40:49]
C
But yeah, you're. He's still a priority guy for San Jose. They're going to create opportunities for him whether he goes 3, 5, 9, 11.
- [40:58]
B
Yeah.
- [40:59]
A
Yeah. Chris Austin Bolt wants to know if we're seeing a changing of the guard in the Western Conference with the rise of Anaheim, San Jose and Utah. Obviously the Leo Carlson situation a big part of this discussion. But it is interesting because you look around at like the Dallas and Minnesota rosters and they're still really good, but. And I don't think San Jose in particular is quite ready to knock on that door. But it is interesting that some of these young rising teams are really making a push now.
- [41:25]
B
Yeah. I guess my only question is, who is the guard? How many Stanley Cups have we seen one out of the Western Conference?
- [41:31]
A
So Vegas and Colorado are the only real two in the last seven years, I think.
- [41:35]
B
Exactly. Yeah. So. And it's it's, you know, so I think to the, to that point, like, no, like Vegas, Vegas and Colorado will still probably be the standard bearers of the conference and that, you know, San Jose still has a lot of building to do and Anaheim now is in a, in a flux situation with, with their, their situation as it is right now. So like you've got Edmonton obviously has been among those in that group. I think they're really in tough to stay in that group. Obviously always having Connor, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl keeps you in that range. But I think the clock is very much ticking. And are they any better as collectively I would say nope. You know. So like, I think that that's another kind of factor there, but we're not there yet, but we're on the way. And I do think that San Jose is built in a way that is reminiscent of the way that a lot of eventually successful baseball teams have been built in terms of like the way that they have stockpiled their picks, but also taken advantage of getting some of those like, generational players, you know, having, having gotten. Macklin Celebrini is a cheat code for, for a rebuild. But yeah, it's, it's. We're still a ways away from the, the full. Changing the guard now Anaheim, will it change? How much it changes? You know, is, is really challenged at this point.
- [42:57]
D
I think some of what expansion has revealed to the league too is that everybody has flaws now. Like, it is hard to be a juggernaut in the league. It's hard to have 12 legit forwards, six legit D, two legit goalies, and it's only going to get harder to build.
- [43:12]
C
Carolina was a juggernaut, I thought.
- [43:15]
D
Yeah, yeah, but it's, it's only going. Yeah, but will they look around the league? Like, how many teams were just mediocre last year? Like, how many teams, how many teams did you feel confident could contend with a Carolina last year? Right. Like, there's just.
- [43:29]
C
The league feels like just Colorado probably.
- [43:32]
D
Yeah. It's just going to get worse. We're going to go to 33 teams here shortly and then we're inevitably going to 34. And I know people don't like to hear that, but that's, that's coming here. So the league is going to get watered down further here and as a result, stars are going to get paid more. And the. Some of these trends that we're seeing are only going to continue to scale up, but it's going to be hard to build a top to bottom team that a coach feels really comfortable with.
- [43:57]
A
Even Carolina, like whether it was goalie, whether it was and having to go kind of with an unproven second line center in Logan Stankman. Although playoff pedigree was. But I don't know that when you're drawing this up that you're saying like this 22 year old, you know, 5, 9 center is going to be like our, our winning piece going into a season, you know, and it like he was a really promising player but it
- [44:16]
C
going into Keandre Miller. Things change there too. I think these are now both guys that are going to be in national team conversations.
- [44:23]
A
Totally. Totally. All right, next question here. Corey from Beep boop Bop wants to know if we think that we nitpicked Gavin McKenna's name too much this year. Clip that please.
- [44:35]
C
Well, beep boop bop I guess. Well this is where I, we'll talk about everybody else's estimate, I guess. But you know, I said he's the most skilled player in the draft. Does anybody disagree with that?
- [44:46]
B
No. No.
- [44:47]
D
Nope.
- [44:48]
C
Smartest player in the draft. Does anybody disagree with that?
- [44:50]
D
Nope.
- [44:52]
C
Okay. Okay. So he's the critic anyway. Anyways.
- [44:56]
A
Yeah.
- [44:57]
C
Okay. I think he's a pretty, he's good but probably not elite skater. Anybody disagree? Anyone disagree with that? Nope.
- [45:04]
D
Nope.
- [45:04]
C
Okay. I think his compete was average, fine. Not like an asset. Not like the laziest player I've ever seen in my life though. Like it was. He's an average competitor.
- [45:13]
A
Yep.
- [45:14]
D
I, I was probably a little harsher. I think it's below average for a star caliber player.
- [45:19]
C
But okay, so Scott doesn't like his compete and Chris thinks he's not as smart as I do. But, but, but somehow Chris said smartest.
- [45:27]
B
But I get your point.
- [45:29]
C
But I mean I think for us like I don't think we really had fundamental disagreements on the assessment. I think maybe the minor on like the exact level of the offense. And then the real debate just came down to how does his profile, how valuable is it compared to Stenberg, compared to Malhotra, compared to Chase Reed, compared to Albert Smith? Like that was more the debate. Not that we didn't see that Gavin McKenna was a game breaking winger who did not have tremendous off puck habit who you know, had you know, off puck issues and was not like a tremendous athlete. Like I feel like we were all pretty unanimous on that and I don't think there's a lot of pushback on that around the league and around even like people who've watched this. Anyone who's watched this guy regularly. It's just, is it, I feel like the debate was just more. Is it 80, 90 point offense or 120 point offense? That's really what the debate came down to. Am I misremembering anything here, guys?
- [46:27]
A
I think that that debate on that profile, that's something we've seen recur over multiple draft cycles. I mean, we've had Connor Bedard has played centers and Terry career, but we had similar conversations about him. We certainly had similar conversations about Mavi Mitchkov and I think McKenna's a level higher. There's less uncertainty. But this is a, this is a recurring thing, Chris.
- [46:44]
B
Yeah, it's a recurring thing. And to answer Beep Boop Bop's question directly, the answer is no. This is what you do. This is how you do the job to make the best, the best assessment. And I think that what we all agree on with, with Gavin McKenna is that we believe he's going to be a top line producer in the NHL. If you can nitpick that further. The thing is, is that, is he like, if he went to a team where he wasn't going to be the number one guy on the roster right away, like he, you know, if, or that he was going to be the number one roster, I would have more concern about that because he's going to a roster where he's insulated. And I was like, he's, he's definitely a great complimentary player. Now we're going to have to find out if he can be the legitimate, you know, driver of a team and we may not have to fight, figure that out in Toronto like we would have in other places.
- [47:37]
C
For me the debate was always, is he, is he Kucherov or is he Panarin? That was the debate for me. It wasn't like, is he not like an awesome player?
- [47:46]
D
I, I think I tend to disagree with Chris on the absolute no of this question though. Like, we've still given him the most attention. We've been extremely critical of him over the course of the season in a way that we weren't for the shiny new toy and Caleb Malhotra or Chase Reed or Wyatt Cohen or whoever popped it. Like, I do think there is something to these guys who have been on the scene for a year or two longer, instead of two years pre draft of us watching them, there's sometimes there's three, or in Gavin's case even four years pre draft of watching them. I do think there is a, not, maybe not a trend, but I, I Do think we can fall into the bad habit of like being too hard on the kid that we've seen over and over and over and over again. But to our earlier point, that also gives you, it gives you more data. Like on Keaton. It gives you more data. We have. The reality is we have seen Gavin play more than we've seen Wyatt Cullen player Caleb Mel play. So there is naturally going to be more opportunity for us to find flaws in his game. And I think in many cases people actually end up on the right side of that. I think they ended up on the right side of it with Shane Wright. I think they ended up on the right side of it with nitpicking Brad Lambert. Like there have been guys that were on that, on the, the scene for that extra year who after all of the nitpicking, well, maybe, maybe they were flawed, maybe they did have issues in their game. So. But I do think that it, it's, it is true like to the, to the question at least it is true that we, we spend more time nitpicking the guys that we've been watching for longer. Like I think that's a natural, right?
- [49:17]
B
But I would say that's the one you can't get wrong though. Like, like we nitpicked it to the point and still ended up with him at number one.
- [49:26]
D
Well, Corey didn't but.
- [49:27]
A
Well, some show did.
- [49:29]
C
Yeah, show did. The show consensus. Yeah, I do think as well there's like a human nature part of it where if you're told we focus on 16 and 17 year olds for the most part, 17, 18 year olds. If you're told there's 14 or there's 15 year old wonder boy and then he finally gets to the level where you're starting to evaluate him. There's like okay, let's see what you got, hotshot element to it a little bit. You have to control your biases in that car. You got to evaluate everyone the exact same way. And I think, think I try to do that anyways. But there is definitely, you know, when you're told that Shane Wright is like some wonder, you know, prospect and you're like keep watching him. You're like, I haven't seen him actually make a play all game. Like there's, there's like, you get a little, you could be a little over critical at times too, for sure.
- [50:17]
D
The reality is also that Gavin didn't have a good start to the year and so like that, that produced, that produced what followed.
- [50:25]
B
I will say there like Connor Bedard Just put it.
- [50:28]
C
Where does he go? We did the hypothetical on where's Verhoff go if he goes to draft month one. What happens to McKenna if he gets injured in mid November, doesn't play another game?
- [50:40]
D
It's a different conversation.
- [50:42]
B
Ivar Stenberg, come on down. Yeah, no, it is. Yeah, that's a good. That's. Yeah. And I think that, that, that's a really interesting way to put it. I will say one guy that we nitpicked ended up on the wrong side of. Not everybody, but like certainly myself and I think others. Porter Martone. He. He was a guy that came into that year as the, the guy that we all thought would go number two and ended up going later and not that much later. Not what. Six. Right, Six. That's.
- [51:12]
D
I mean, that's. Freddie Martin was drafted in front of him.
- [51:15]
C
Yeah, that's. Yeah.
- [51:16]
D
Like we didn't.
- [51:17]
C
That's the egregious one. Yeah. But like, I don't know. I think Misa's still awesome. Frondell's really. I mean, I like.
- [51:22]
B
Yeah, I would still take Martone over both of them at this point.
- [51:25]
A
So I'd have to go take. Look. I actually think our show list, I think Martone ended up being a compromise candidate, ended up in our top three or four. I, I'll have to think and look at that.
- [51:34]
C
I believe it was me who argued for that one.
- [51:36]
B
Yeah, you did. Yeah. Because I remember arguing against it because I, I didn't see it on the hockey sense side. And here, sure enough, he goes to college and it wasn't exposed. It was in fact. Oh, he's actually quite good at that.
- [51:47]
C
So he's only played like 20 NHL games.
- [51:49]
B
Yeah. I'm not saying, yeah, we shouldn't take a victory lap or anything, but I do think that that was a player given the fact that he had had the Pre, the draft minus one that everybody kind of saw, had the great under 18 worlds.
- [52:01]
A
Yeah.
- [52:01]
B
And then boom, here he is in college. He's, you know, or then in Mississauga, then he goes, you know, all those different things.
- [52:08]
D
So also great at that U18 worlds. Gavin McKenna.
- [52:11]
B
Yeah.
- [52:12]
C
One of the best hockey I've seen him play was at that U18 worlds.
- [52:15]
E
I thought.
- [52:15]
B
Yeah.
- [52:16]
C
It still just in terms of his like game to game dominance. Yeah. I don't know, the eight point week, eight point night or whatever it was against Ohio State. That's. That was, that's pretty good.
- [52:27]
B
But yeah, I, Yeah, that one was interesting.
- [52:30]
A
All right. Scott, washed athlete says what scared Some teams off of Mathis, Preston seems like he fell farther than most thought.
- [52:38]
D
Well, I think when you're a five and we talk about this over and over and over again, but when you're a 5, 10, 5, 11 winger, you have to produce. And everybody was excited about Mathis coming out of last year and coming into this year because he produced. And if you go back and you look at some of the consensus lists and some of the early lists, early on Mathis was viewed as a potential top 15, top 16, like front half of the first round candidate. And then he didn't produce in Spokane and then he got traded and he got hurt and I think the injury played a role in it and he, he was very, very good that very first weekend before he got hurt in Vancouver. He was, it looked like a different player than the one that, that, that people had seen in Spokane. And I know Spokane, things didn't go well for him there and I think they might have beat up on him. When people made calls to Spokane to, to, to ask about Mathis, they, they weren't thrilled with him leaving the way that he did and with the way that he played in the front half. And so I think there were all sorts of little things that sort of piled up against Mathis. But ultimately you've got to produce to go high at that size. And we saw guys who did that go high like this draft class. JP Hurlburt did it and he went high and Nikita Klepov did it and he went high. And had he had the 90 to 95 point season that those players had, he would have been a first round pick. But he didn't and so he's a second round pick. I, I still think the, with Matt and Corey and I, I think differ on Mathis. Like I still think with the way he skates and the skill level that he's got a chance to look like a first round pick eventually, but he didn't necessarily look like one this year. And there were issues with his competitiveness and the way he came and went in games and perimeter and those are just things that when they pile up on a 511 guy, it's just hard for a team to tell their general manager like this is the guy at pick 25 or whatever that we have to go to bat for. It's a lot easier to go to bat for them if they have the kind of season that a Hurlburt or a Klepov had. Right.
- [54:32]
C
I went out to spoke there in the fall to Go watch him a couple of times. And I just kept thinking, he reminds me so much of Fabian Liesel. Like, the skating and the skill are awesome. He just doesn't see it very well. He doesn't get to the inside consistently enough. Like, there's. It's first round tools. That's why I am as a first rounder. We all have as a first rounder coming into the fall. But, like, I think there was like one play, the U18s that was just hilarious. I think he had like a two on. Oh. And he shot it into the goalie's chest. And it's just like stuff like that where it's just like he. His decision making, his vision can be like, really poor sometimes.
- [55:07]
A
All right, last one. Corey Hockey Bear, 1990, wants to know where the Leafs rank now and prospect rankings. I know you're going through this process right now on your U23 stuff.
- [55:16]
D
Stuff.
- [55:16]
C
I'd say upper half of the league. I don't know the exact spot, but, like, if people are. I remember I had some comments because I gave the Leafs an A plus grade on their draft and they're like, I thought you had McKenna fourth. And it's like, ah, yep. But I said it was a tie and I'm. And I meant it like, he's in. He's an awesome prospect and he fundamentally changes their farm system. On top of the fact I actually liked a lot of the other. I thought they're. They had arguably the best day two of any team at the draft a few weeks ago. But I think with McKenna and now you add that, you know that, you know, good day two group. And you have Easton Cowan there now, too. Ben Danford's. You know, I don't love those two guys, but they're. They're legit NHL prospects. Like, I think this is a good farm system. I think it's a great or like extremely deep farm system, but with McKenna at the top and you got some decent depth, like, that's an above average farm system.
- [56:07]
D
Yeah.
- [56:08]
A
All right, before we wrap today, Chris, you are wearing a Chicago White Sox hat on your head.
- [56:14]
B
I am. That's true.
- [56:15]
A
Who would you say is your Mount Rushmore of Chicago White Sox baseball players?
- [56:19]
B
Oh, wow. Put me on the spot here. The Mount Rushmore. I have a personal Mount Rushmore.
- [56:24]
A
Hit me with it.
- [56:25]
B
So my personal Mount Rushmore, and this is all guys that played while I was alive was Frank Thomas, Paul Can, Erco, Mark Burley, and I'm. I'm debating between Carlton Fisk and Ozzie Guillen, but because Ozzy then managed after playing for so many years, I'm going to go Ozzie Guillen. So that's my personal Mount Rushmore. You can talk about other guys that were on there. You know, if you want to go back to the Nelly Fox era, if you want to go to Luke Appling and Louis Apparitio, if you want to go to Shoeless Joe Jackson, totally understand. But that's my Mount Rushmore of guys I got to see when I was alive. Got my tickets for July 27th. I. I had had. You know what? The most offensive thing that's ever been said to me on social media, Max.
- [57:09]
A
Yeah.
- [57:09]
B
Is people. Somebody in the comments said that I just started wearing the White Sox hat now that they're good this season. And buddy, let me tell you, nothing has offended me more than that I grew a born and raised on the southwest side of Chicago.
- [57:25]
C
Just.
- [57:25]
B
I think I was born with a hot dog, no ketchup on it in my mouth. All right, so let's, let's. Let's get a. Let's get it. Let's show a little respect for the fandom. There's.
- [57:35]
A
Well, I like that list.
- [57:37]
C
You suffered through the 40 win season.
- [57:39]
B
I did.
- [57:40]
C
Or whatever. Or whatever it was.
- [57:41]
B
And I will also say doing this job, doing a prospect job. I. It has been years since the White Sox have been relevant when I was able to actually start watching them again. And unfortunately, they're not on a platform that I can watch them as easily anymore. So I am. This is. This is. This is the worst. This is the worst off season I could have imagined.
- [58:00]
A
Well, I liked especially the first name you said on that Mount Rushmore. Because while we were at the draft last week, Scott and I were walking into our hotel and they had a silent auction going at the hotel. And one of the items just actually arrived at my house. Are you kidding me?
- [58:17]
C
To let people know we were not at the draft. We were. We were in Chicago courting for the draft. So just.
- [58:25]
D
Yeah. One of the best things that's ever happened.
- [58:29]
A
I was the only bid on the signed Frank Thomas jersey that will now be owned by one Christmas, Chris Peters.
- [58:35]
D
No way.
- [58:35]
C
Yeah, of course.
- [58:37]
B
Oh, man, we see. So, yeah, the big hurt. I mean, that was like right in my wheelhouse. It was 10 years old when he was winning MVP. He's like, oh, man.
- [58:46]
D
We had walked past it a few
- [58:48]
A
times and we were just like, we gotta get.
- [58:50]
D
We just wrapped up the coverage. We'd had a couple of adult beverages and Max scrolled by. And the. The page was still empty with bids. And he said, I have to put one down. And if we get it at this dollar, it belongs to Chris Peters
- [59:05]
C
and
- [59:05]
A
showed up at my house a week later.
- [59:06]
B
So I will, I will venmo you because. No, no, no.
- [59:10]
E
That is.
- [59:10]
B
No, no, no.
- [59:11]
A
Like I said, we got it for the minimum bid here, so we got a deal.
- [59:15]
C
What was the minimum? Medicare.
- [59:17]
A
We'll keep that to ourselves. Yeah, I'm very comfortable.
- [59:20]
B
See, this is. This is the life of a White Sox fan. I bet you if it was. If it was like an Anthony Rizzo jersey, you would have never gotten that. But here's the funny thing. The unloved. You got it. Thank you.
- [59:30]
A
This is the funny thing is that the reason that it became a bit for Scott and I at our hotel is that it was up against a Ben Zobris jersey and the Ben Zobra jersey had bids. And the Frank Thomas did it.
- [59:41]
B
This is more offensive. That is more offensive. If you were on the 2016 cup like Frank Thomas technically was on the 2005 White Sox, he is a World Series champion.
- [59:50]
C
So did Zoe with the cups.
- [59:53]
B
Yeah, he did. He did. So if you, if you win a, if you win a World Series, the Cubs, I guess it. But we were waiting for 86 years for that World Series. That's still the greatest sporting thing that has ever, like, you know, obviously all these championships. Like, I, I was two years old and the Bears won the super bowl. The White Sox winning the World Series 2005. That's my number one sports moment ever. And I was by myself in a fraternity house in Iowa State. Only White Sox fan anywhere within 20 miles. And I, I made it back for the parade at least. So true blue. So if you ever question my fandom again, I'm gonna wear that for. No, I'm not gonna wear that Frank Thomas jersey. That's going to frame in my house. That's where that's going. Thank you, Max. You guys are the best. That's podcast going today. Wow, what a group.
- [60:35]
A
All right, that's gonna do it for us. Thanks for listening. This episode of the athletic hockey show Prospect series. Remember, you can catch more of Scott and Corey's work on TheAthletic.com and more of Chris over at Flow Hockey and on his podcast called up. We'll talk to you soon.
- [60:52]
E
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