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Mike
You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network.
Jeremy
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Rose
Ever since switching to T Mobile, something weird has been happening. I get to cut lines.
Roy
Oh, right this way.
Rose
Who, me? I can stream shows at 30,000ft and I was able to buy reserve tickets for my favorite band.
Mike
It's not just you. With T Mobile, everyone can get VIP status. That means access to exclusive events and experiences just for being a customer. At T Mobile.
Roy
VIP means y ou check out the VIP treatment at@t mobile.com benefits.
Mike
Roy.
Rose
So, David, how about some hockey today?
Mike
Hi, Rose.
Rose
Hi.
Mike
You're not Roy.
Rose
No, Roy. Roy. Sorry, Roy has been demoted.
Mike
Roy's been demoted?
Rose
Yeah.
Mike
Where's Roy?
Rose
He's on the other side. Hey, Roy.
Roy
I don't understand how I'm able to be demoted considering I'm the goddamn executive producer of the show, apparently.
Mike
Rose, what's the deal?
Rose
Apparently I'm gonna have to mute that part because you don't know how to produce. But.
Roy
What?
Mike
Hi.
Rose
Hi, everybody. I am Rose. And here I have David from the Hackney News. To my left, there I have Ethan Badowski. And there I have Roy.
Roy
Oh, this is gonna be fun. Watching you try to do traffic here.
Rose
Yeah. So, as you know, we start with our hot takes. And today I want to give you my hot take because we just not only talk about hockey. So I have a video of my hot take. I'm taking over the hockey show.
Mike
This is like the. That seventies show when they would, like, all get high in a circle. And the zoom, that's what that reminded me of right there.
Ethan
What is your take, Rose? I don't understand.
Roy
I am taking over the Hawkish.
Ethan
I thought you said that just now.
Mike
Look at Rose playing with the English language a little bit. I like it.
Rose
Oh, how about that? Well, what is yours, Dave?
Mike
What am I? My win. Hot take. What am I doing?
Rose
Not your hot take.
Mike
My hot take. Okay, I've got two. My first one, Players need to stop crashing into goalies, and defensemen need to stop helping players crash into goalies. It's happening all the time. I get you need to defend. I get you need to play hard, but you got to be aware of your goaltender and you got to protect your goaltender. Stop.
Rose
Of course. Biased. It was going to be a goaltending thing.
Mike
Thank you. Thank you, Roy.
Ethan
She's fitting right in. She's just like, Roy, dude fits right in.
Mike
But am I.
Roy
This is plagiarism.
Mike
Am I wrong? Am I wrong that players, that defensemen are pushing guys into goal like it's at a stop? Well, David, I mean, Jacob Mardstrom going down for. Something actually happened, Rose.
Roy
Oh, okay.
Rose
Yes, I do agree, but just goaltending. I was hoping you were going to say something Barky.
Ethan
And this is a big loss. David, just to touch on this Markstrom loss, he's probably going to miss the. He's probably going to miss the four nations. I don't know if we're going to be able to get any hockey analysis out today.
Mike
This isn't a message. Eligibility for the Vezina, which he was probably number two behind Connor Hellebuck.
Ethan
I mean, Connor Hellebuck's going to run away with the Vesna this year, but. Yeah, Markstrom. I was listening to 32 thoughts this morning, and Elliot Friedman was basically saying he's going to be out a minute and it's probably going to throw off his four nations, which for Sweden, they're now down Markstrom, they're probably down Olmark. So they're going to be on their third, fourth, fifth choice goalie possibly. And it could. That could throw off their entire tournament. Like, the Swedes have a solid team that could be really competitive and all Of a sudden, injuries might get in.
Roy
Their way here as far as defenseman pushing the opponent into their own goaltenders. That's something that they should actually teach you. Well, there's no checking in mites, but they should absolutely teach you that in mites. You don't do that to your own goaltender.
Mike
Right.
Roy
Doesn't make any sense to me.
Mike
Just to finish Ethan's thought, the Behind Markstrom and Olmark, NHL goalies from Sweden, Anton Forsberg, Philip Gustafson, Sam erson in Philly, JoJo who everybody loves, little Jonas Johansson. But yeah, it kind of falls off a cliff a little bit after the top end. So it'll be interesting to see how.
Ethan
That Preach was saying they're going to have to call Erson and then he made the joke of, you know, getting Joey Decord, get some Swedish nationality.
Roy
Detective test determined that was a lie. So now you're playing because Miami courts now. What are you doing? What are you doing?
Rose
I'm trying to tell Ethan that that was a lie.
Roy
Okay.
Rose
What's your hot.
Roy
How do you know that?
Rose
Oh, I don't know. I'm just guessing here. What's your hot take, Roy?
Roy
Thank. Thank you, Rose. My hot take is let's never lose this. In the Maple Leafs Blue Jackets game. We got ourselves an old school tilt. Look at this. This is Ryan Reeves. Finally the good stuff here. Finally getting into his first fight of the season. Finally. Yeah, that right hand, look at this is Matthew Olivier.
Mike
I love that. I love all of his extremities. Kind of went a different direction there for a beat.
Roy
Yes.
Ethan
I love these swings. Look at these swings. Right.
Mike
Caught himself. And where's the. Here comes the fun part, right? Where they just start wailing.
Ethan
Oh, they wailed already.
Mike
Oh, did I miss the whales?
Ethan
My hot take here is there's nothing more try hard than not wearing a visor in 2024. Like just put a visor on.
Roy
We can't. Well, that's mandated now. Yeah, right. It's grandfathered in.
Ethan
It's the. The shield that goes over your eyes. And it was mandated that everybody after 2013, 14 has to wear one. Yeah, but there are certain guys that because they played a certain amount of.
Mike
Games before you were in the lead, before the rule was made, then you're Grant kind of grandfathered in.
Ethan
Correct.
Mike
It was like, we're talking about this for like Craig Matavish back when Roy and I were growing up watching Hot to. You guys probably have no idea, but he was like the only guy in the lead for years that didn't wear a helmet. He had this big curly haired thing and must have been like 10 years, maybe about that. He was like, literally the only guy in the NHL that didn't wear a helmet.
Ethan
Yeah. I think there's only four guys left that don't wear visors and they're all just like. Just do it, man.
Mike
Jamie, Ben, I don't get it. Protect your eyes.
Ethan
Get over yourself. Jamie, Ben.
Roy
You guys have hijacked the hot take. Like, legitimately hijacked the hot take. And you will be as soon as.
Mike
He sucks being on that side.
Ethan
Yeah. Rose hijacked your seat, man. Don't get mad at me.
Rose
That's today.
Roy
Today. I'm not done. I'm not done. And as much as people over the past 20 years had wanted to get fighting out of the game, you can't. You absolutely can't. Fighting is very much needed in this sport.
Mike
100%.
Roy
100%. They need this in the sport. So the sport can never really fully get rid of fighting. They can regulate it, but I don't.
Mike
Even want to think about a world where hockey tries to, like, take out fighting from hockey. Can you imagine, like, just the response?
Roy
Well, can you imagine? Can you imagine all the stick work? Because, I mean, they're playing with dangerous objects out there. You get angry enough, you're gonna see some swings out there. That's why fat fighting is.
Mike
They need to let out that aggression. Right?
Roy
Yes, absolutely.
Mike
Yeah. Actually had a second hot take. Do we. Can we get back to that for a second?
Roy
Well, Rose has to direct traffic, so I'm just asking. She's the host today, Jess.
Rose
Yes, yes. Go to your second hot take.
Mike
Okay, so the other night in Toronto, Toronto was playing Columbus and Columbus won, which was, you know, nice. But. So when a goalie loses their stick, generally they are able to take a player stick instead. If a goalie stick gets broken or whatever. So in this case, Columbus Golden Center. Is that Mers Leakins? I think lost their stick, picked up Auston Matthews, whose stick was on the ice for some reason. And then Matthews decides, well, bleep you, I'm going to take your goalie stick. And he tried to play with his goalie stick. My hot take is, why is this illegal? If the.
Roy
Why is it illegal?
Mike
Why is it illegal?
Roy
Because it's interference if the goalie drops.
Mike
His stick and can pick up a player stick.
Ethan
Did he get a penalty for this?
Mike
Yes.
Ethan
I didn't know.
Mike
They both did, actually.
Rose
Then he was a hot cake.
Roy
You're making yourself laugh.
Mike
All right.
Roy
I don't understand what you. You interrupted his take for that.
Mike
Let's move on.
Roy
You want to move on?
Mike
I'm sad now.
Roy
All right, host, please. Traffic.
Mike
Let's next Rose next.
Roy
And turn on your mic.
Rose
It's wins of the week and I'm going to start with Dave because we cut him off. What's your win of the week, Dave?
Mike
Okay, well, thank you. My win of the week. And I kind of dedicate it to Roy and to Ethan because you guys give me crap for crapping on the Sabres. But my win of the week is for upl UKO Pekalukin and Buffalo's goalie for making this ridiculous save on our buddy little Connor Garland as Buffalo won in Vancouver the other night. Buffalo is actually. Since they went on that 13 game losing streak, they're actually above.500, which is interesting.
Roy
That's amazing.
Mike
7, 6 and 1. However, to be fair, they have lost 4 of 6 and 7 of 11, so they are still the Sabres. But some love for Buffalo. Above 500 since the losing streak. And upl with a pretty ridiculous save for a big win in Vancouver. Yes. Laughing cow.
Roy
Turn your mic on Rose.
Mike
Lead your mic on Rose.
Ethan
Try and say oopa pek UKA peka Lucanin. Uka peka Lucanin. There you go.
Roy
You make it sound like a Polynesian chance.
Rose
No, it's not a Polynesian sand. I was trying to find where to talk to Maui, but I cannot find my button.
Roy
See, I know. Okay. All right, next.
Rose
Next. So my win of the. No, Roy, we're gonna go to you. So what's your win of the week?
Roy
My win of the week? This ass sound. My win of the week comes from Roy Darren Pang Experience.
Jeremy
Can't experience experience until you experience the.
Mike
Experience in this league.
Ethan
What?
Mike
Well, it's just math, clearly.
Roy
See, all it takes is experience and so come experience some of my. That's right. You can't have. You can't experience experience until you experience the experience. Because when you experience the experience, you only thing will be the experience of learning the experience. That will be experience. You're now experiencing the strength of hockey knowledge. Ethan, I don't.
Ethan
I don't got anything right. What do you need?
Roy
You don't have any experience.
Rose
That was harder.
Ethan
I'm getting there. I've got some experience.
Rose
Your traveling was harder than upa baluga.
Roy
Peka my kungalingus. What are you talking about?
Rose
Find it in Spanish.
Roy
Why we speak. We speak English on this.
Rose
So my win of the week goes to our girl 22. Where's my video.
Roy
Why are we showing basketball?
Rose
22 turned 23 on the 22nd. You see my true was there. Look at her.
Mike
That's a nice assist.
Roy
We're showing wnba.
Rose
Yeah, wnba. Because that's my win of the week.
Ethan
Called the Hockey show, not the Caitlin Clark Show.
Roy
Also, the WNBA season is not started yet.
Rose
I had jacked the thing. So it's the Rose saying happy birthday to Katelyn. Happy birthday, Katelyn. My win of the week.
Roy
I want you to look behind you at that screen. What does it say?
Rose
The Rosie show.
Ethan
We need to make one Rosie. We need to make a graphic. The Rosie Show.
Rose
Oh, and I want also the hot cake.
Roy
You want a hot cake?
Mike
Hotcake.
Rose
Yeah.
Roy
Because you want a hotcakes. You want pancakes.
Rose
Hotcake. Hot cake. Okay, so there's no wins without loses. So losses, losses.
Roy
Sorry, Linguist. Yeah, can't get. Whatever you said.
Rose
I'm getting English next.
Roy
What?
Mike
HR is going to come for this?
Roy
We have hr.
Mike
I don't know, but all this talk about stuff I don't. Rose is trying to find the button to push. Roy's talking about Connie Lindis back there. And I'm just sitting here like, what? Can we just talk about hockey?
Roy
Hey, listen, I just repeated what I thought I heard.
Rose
David, what. What is your win of the. Wait.
Roy
Fail of the week.
Mike
Sorry, I think I'm living it right now. No, my fail of the week is not the Buffalo Sabres, Roy. It is the San Jose Sharks because they were winning five to one in Nashville the other night with like seven minutes to go in the second period and lost in regulation.
Ethan
It's not just that they lost in regulation. They were down 6:5 with 11 minutes left in the third period. So from seven minutes in the second period, that's seven. About 16 minutes of game time it took for them to go from up five one to down six five.
Mike
I feel bad. Like, what do you do if you're a coach, as you're. You got a big lead, you just stand there. But no, for your goaltender because Georgiev just got pummeled and they were pumping goal after goal after goal, but he's got the lead. But do you switch your goal even though he's ahead and maybe try to give your team a boost because they're obviously getting shelled and the wave of the Predators is coming on top of them. And that whole sentence is something I'm not comfortable with. But the whole issue with the San Jose Sharks. Don't stop laughing. I can't. The whole thing with the Sharks, like, I really thought for a minute, for a beat that maybe they were turning things around. And then they traded Mackenzie Blackwood, and it's just been falling apart a little bit since. But. But that right there, that was rough.
Roy
Microphone, please.
David
Oof.
Roy
That's what you were wanting to say.
Mike
Stop turning your mic off.
Roy
Stop turning your mic off. You're not dance. Stop that.
Rose
Oh, I'm not supposed to turn it off?
Roy
No.
Rose
Oh, okay.
Roy
You're in a host chair. Your mic is supposed to be on all times during the segment.
Rose
Okay, Beautiful. Don't give me a mic, because if not, see what happens.
Roy
Yeah, I'm watching it right now.
Rose
I'm loving it, so.
Roy
I'm loving it.
Rose
Roy, what's your fail of the week?
Roy
My fail of the week is coming from Auburn, Jackeye. And this. We're getting back to fighting here. During the Maple Leafs Canadiens game last week, Montreal got out to a 3 nothing lead, and Ryan Reeves wanted to fight. You know, he wanted to get into a fight. And Aubrey Drag. All he did was point at the scoreboard and then skid it away. And then later in the game delivered a check on Ryan Reaves and just insult the injury there. You know, laying the hit and not fighting is just that. I mean, that's. That's not cool. Now. Now there's. There's a code. There's an unwritten rule here, and I would like to get somebody like Stu Grimson on the show. Stu Grimson right now is working for NHL Network, and he's a noted pugilist. That's like, he knows what the fight game is about and what should happen in these situations, and we really should get him on.
Mike
But maybe he should have fought, though, because he should have fought. He was saying. No, he's pointing to the scoreboard that they were up 3 to nothing at the time. What happened?
Ethan
The best part.
Roy
Yeah, at the time, by the way.
Ethan
Because he's pointing to the scoreboard and then they go on and lose. Seven three.
Roy
That. Thank you, Ethan. That's why I was trying to get you.
David
You weren't.
Ethan
You didn't get to it. I thought you were letting us get to it. I thought you were letting us get to it.
Roy
I'm supposed to be the host of the show, except I got kicked out of the goddamn studio by Rose because.
Rose
The name of the show is Hijack. Royce gets Hijacked.
Mike
Roy. The.
Roy
The Maple Leafs.
Mike
Karma, though.
Roy
The Maple Leafs came back to win seven three.
Mike
That's karma.
Roy
Yeah.
Mike
Fight, fight. Your fights. Auburn Jackey, you learned a lesson.
Roy
It doesn't end there, because the very next game the Canadiens played, the Rangers and Auburn J0 problem fighting Matt Rempe. Now, as big as Rempe is, and this is technically a mismatch in size. I mean, this is a heavyweight tilt. But Rempe is tall and got some girth to him. Let's be honest. Rempe is not a good fighter.
Ethan
He's.
Mike
He's.
Ethan
Is he good at anything besides being big? Like, this is what I always say about Rempe. Like, his only thing is he's big, he's slow, he's not a great offensive player. We know he's a fourth line guy. He hits people and gets suspended every time he hits somebody, and then he gets in a fight with Jac Guy and he gets his ass kicked. Yeah.
Roy
And this clearly means to me that Jack Eye ducked Ryan Reaves well.
Mike
And look what happened this time, though. He ducked Ryan Reaves and they got dunked on. They lost seven to three this time. He fights fights. They're losing when he fights. And then they came back and won.
Ethan
Fight your fights.
Mike
Fight your fights and you'll win your games. Like, there's a lesson to be learned here.
Roy
Ryan Reeves was asked why Jack Guy ducked him in the Canadiens Maple Leafs game. This is what you have to say. What was your perspective on how the.
Ethan
Interaction with Jack I played out on Saturday?
Avery
Well, unfortunately. Well, depending on who you look at, whose perspective. But unfortunately, we rattled off seven after that. I guess karma there. I guess so, yeah. I mean, you know, I think when you're a younger guy and you do that to somebody who's been in the league for that long, you know, maybe that guy's not gonna give you one when you need one. You know that anytime there's a fight now, you know, somebody needs some momentum. And, you know, if he needed momentum and asked me and I give it to him, then, you know, I expect it back. And I would have. I would have obliged if he would have done it there, but, you know, you want to point the scoreboard and then get rattled off for seven, and tough luck.
Roy
He's absolutely right. Absolutely right.
Mike
Lessons learned. What the hell are you doing, Rose? Well, Ryan Reeves was talking. She took out Scotch tape and taped her mouth shut.
Roy
You're supposed to talk as the host of the show. Why are you taking your mouth shut?
Rose
I don't have any fails of the week because it is just win, win, win for me.
Roy
So, okay, get out of studio. I'm done with this. Avery Lewis McDougall of the Hockey news of Avery's sports show and of the third intermission podcast. He's going to talk about the oldest and what's going on in the league coming up next. Get the out of the studio.
Rose
I'm gonna have to blip that.
Unknown
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Roy
Okay. We are joined by Avery Lewis McDougal. He is the host of Avery's sports show and the third intermission podcast. He also writes for the Hockey News covering the Edmonton Oilers. And I am going to get started with what happened last week between Conor McDavid and also with Tyler Myers because they both got suspended for three games. Let's show the video of Connor McDavid's cross check to the face of Connor Garland. This happened during the all his Canucks game and as you can see, Conor Garland was hassling him little bit. I mean there was like three penalties for Conor Garland there. Holding, holding, holding. And then, oh, there's a cross check to the face by Connor McDavid who was then tossed out of the game. And on the other side of the ice, well, not on the other side of the ice, on the. For the other team, for the Canucks. Tyler Myers near the corner ended up cross checking Evan Bouchard in the face, much similar to Connor McDavid's cross check. And yeah, both guys got suspended for three games. They will be back relatively soon now the amateur Oilers and this is just embarrassing. In fact, Ethan thinks this is pretty much a big time l as he told me I was gonna make it.
Ethan
Our loser of the week. But yeah, I wanted to ask Avery about it.
Roy
So yeah, let's put the press release on the screen for Avery and I'll read it out loud for audio. The Oilers organization is disappointed and we share in Our fans, frustration over the three game suspension of our captain, Connor McD David. We support him through this process and the organization and our fans look forward to having him back in the lineup versus Seattle next week. That's. That's embarrassing.
Mike
It's a little bit.
Roy
That. That. That's embarrassing. Avery, you cover the Edmonton Oilers. I don't think you're gonna have any bias in this situation. That was clearly a suspendable offense, even though he's most definitely not a dirty player. Uh, he was defending himself, but, you know, you gotta do a better job than that. And the Edmonton Oilers press release, what do you think about what happened in that situation?
I
Okay, I'll throw the press release. First of all, guys, and to me, what did that solve? We all know you're mad. We all know you're mad at the suspension, which, yes, was warranted. You can't cross check a guy in the face. No. No matter who you are, no matter if you're Connor McDavid, if you're a third line guy, you played and simple cannot do that. It'll be a suspension every single time. But the statement I thought was, you already know you're mad. That was kind of a pointless thing to put out there. I don't understand what you really accomplished with that. And to me personally, gang with that play. This is more blame to go on. The officials, they let that filament of play turn into a get a gong show that is on West McCauley and his crew losing control of that game. And I am so done with West McCauley and how they call games. Like, call the rulebook, call a penalty on Connor Garland because Connor Garland was right out there trying to sack McDavid. Like, he's. Like he's Max Crosby. You can't do that. Call a penalty, dude.
Roy
Yeah, that's. That just seemed like. As far as Connor McDavid is concerned, that seems like some Sydney Crosby shit.
Mike
I think Connor McDavid was really pissed at the end of that play, and rightly so, But I think McDavid may have been trying to draw a penalty because he wasn't really fighting back that much. Look, Connor Garland. 510, 170. Connor McDavid, 611-95.
Roy
Dave, I don't think they're going to call penalties that late in the game.
Mike
No, but I'm saying Connor McDavid is not going to get manhandled by Conor Garland unless he wants to get manhandled by Conor Garland.
Roy
So he's saying he was flopping.
Mike
David, stand up for himself, throw him off. You're clearly got a size and weight advantage there.
Roy
You're saying he was flopping?
Mike
I'm saying he was. I don't know. I don't. I'm saying he could have thrown him off if he wanted to. He really looked like the submissive as we watched that video over and over again. He looked like he was just taking it from Connor Garland and then he got pissed off when nothing happened at the end. So that's just my two.
Ethan
I was watching this game live and it had the feel of a playoff game at the end of it. And to me, like, is this something that's getting called in the playoffs when it's a one goal game, there's an empty net already and guys are just out there scrapping, trying to do anything they can to keep the puck away from the start player.
Mike
I don't think you're going to see that in the playoffs because a McDavid isn't just going to let himself get taken out of a play for 30 seconds with a playoff game on the line. I don't think. I just don't see that happening in another situation. I'm. The more I watch it, the more I'm wondering why was Connor McDavid not fighting back harder. It really looked like he was just taking it, dude.
Roy
Quite frankly, and we've seen this, I don't think they're calling a penalty the entire period in the playoffs, let alone in that last minute situation.
Mike
Well, for a cross check to the face out of nowhere, they'll call that. But for all that, you know, dipsy doodling, gripping, clutching, all that, I don't think so. But I also think you got to fight back. Like Hunter Garland wasn't doing all that much. Like they were literally just sitting there on the ice for a good five seconds, barely moving, like, what? What are we doing guys?
Roy
Avery, I think you're right. The officiating at least this season has been pretty lackluster. And in that situation it was pretty lackluster as well. I mean you got, obviously you got to give game misconducts to both McDavid and Tyler Myers, but you pretty much, I think you're pretty much calling for Russ McCauley's firing at this point.
I
I mean there's gotta be some level of, if not discipline, transparency with the officials in this league. There's got to be a level of okay, like other leagues have a pool reporter. Like in Major League soccer, like the NBA, Wes McCauley should then talk to a pool reporter and Say, hey, this is what I saw. This is why we didn't call penalties on Connor Garland for this. For abcd, referees shouldn't be allowed to escape without any scrutiny from the media or the fans after a game. They shouldn't be allowed to. You should be forced to account for why you didn't call for demolition derby happening in Vancouver.
Mike
So Avery, I want to move a little bit past our frustrations with with what happened against the Edmonton Oilers in Vancouver tonight. So I want to talk to you about the trade deadline that's coming up in less than a month or just over a month now. I think maybe five weeks. It's on March 7th. There's been a lot of talk up in that neighborhood. Speaking of Vancouver, of J.T. miller as he's probably on the top of everybody's trade deadline list. You're hearing a lot about Brock Nelson, the goalie market maybe not as high in demand. I think John Gibson's probably the best one out there. But as we get closer and as somebody who's up in that neck of the woods, what are you hearing about J.T. miller and just what's your take on the deadline as it's coming up?
I
So start with J.T. miller. It sounds like a trade will eventually happen, but it's not like the teams that have been mentioned have been teams in Eastern Conference in Eastern usa. A possible deal to New York was discussed, the Devils, Carolina. So it sounds like if there's a deal for J.T. miller happening, it is going to send him back to the Eastern Conference. I know Elliot Friedman has suggested that he didn't want to be traded to another team in Canada. Not sure how true that is, but it does sound more like J.T. miller. If and when he gets does get dealt, it's going to be back to a team in Eastern Conference gang.
Ethan
Avery, I heard a few weeks ago Elliot Friedman report that there's a scenario where one gets traded, none get traded or both get traded. So it seems like at least one is definitely going to get traded. But what's the possibility that both J.T. miller and Elias Pedersen get moved at this deadline?
I
Right, right now it sounds low. It sounds like the move to make is more J.T. miller and it, I think that's what it should be is younger, there's more upside, there's a brighter future long term if you stick by Pederson and Vancouver. I mean yes, J.T. miller is a guy who has given the Canucks in the past 90 point seasons been a solid player. But in terms of you're looking for the future in three, four or five years, then you only win by keeping Elias Pedersen. You do not thrive by dealing both Miller and Peterson. You're kind of restarting things. You're kind of telling people you would know to have success or to win is fully closed if you trade both guys.
Mike
In my mind, Avery, I want to switch gears and go out east now. I don't know if any of us can answer this question, but I'm just going to put it out into the atmosphere as I talk about it. Has a goalie making the league minimum? Ever won the Vezina or the Heart? Probably not, right? We got a guy this year who is definitely in that conversation and his name is Logan Thompson.
Roy
When he's not distracted by nachos.
Mike
Look who's not going to get distracted by nachos. I feel for him there. I'd get distracted by nachos if I was in the crease or any real snack food when you're on the ice. To be honest, Logan Thompson's making 776k this year, which to us is a lot of money. To an NHL guy, not quite as much.
Roy
Now it's not quite as much.
Mike
For real, this is a guy who I saw him get traded at the draft last year. He was at the sphere signing autographs as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights. And while at the table signing autographs, he gets traded to the Washington Capitals. Now the Capitals are one of the best teams in the league this year. Thompson is certainly in the conversation for the Vezina. Obviously Conor Hellebut's kind of running away with it, but as we saw, Jacob Markstrom got injured. You never know what could happen. But either way, Thompson's having an incredible year. And I just wanted to get your take on such a. Such an unique situation where goaltender not thought of as a whole lot heading into the season. Obviously not. And really taking the lead over one of the best teams in the east this year.
I
No, it's a really cool story. You know, when the season began, I didn't know. I didn't really know what Washington's direction was going to be. An older team wasn't sure what their direction was going to be after missing the playoffs. But to see Logan Thompson coming in. As you mentioned, David treaded at the draft. The funny situation. Guy who endured himself to the Vegas fan base gets dealt, goes in. It's a really great story of him making most of his opportunity in Vegas. And you see the Capitals are now the best team in NHL. Like a Real juggernaut going forward here in January.
Roy
Avery, you covered the Oilers and we've all seen the disappointing start, but they have now scratched and clawed their way to a point out of the Pacific Division lead. Was there a switch that got flipped? What happened there?
I
I would say honestly it was a matter of guys not named. McDavid and Draisaitl stepping up as well too. But also Leon. Leon is a guy who is leading league in goals. He's probably going to hit the 60 goal barrier for the first time. But it's been more than just him and McDavid stepping up. You've been getting production from again, guys like Zach Hyman. You've been getting scoring from the back end. This is a team that after many, many years, people always wonder where the oils are. What is the production going to come up from guys beyond those two players. And they're finally getting it now from other guys like I mentioned, like Hyman and the game again, the game we won last night. You got goals from guys like Casperi Kapanen. You're seeing role players stepping up more and more. So Edmonton finding ways to be a well balanced team is a major factor in this team being one point out of the division lead.
Mike
As somebody who's been covering the league for a while, Avery, I wanted to get your opinion on something that I read in the Athletic. I don't know if it was yesterday, maybe it was this morning. It's hard to keep track. Apparently communal hangouts and drinking is down in the NHL and gaming and THC gummies are up in the NHL. And this may be a sign of the times, but I can remember as like a, you know, a teenager going after Panthers games across the street to the Wolfgang Puck restaurant and like following like I think Lance Pitlik. I got his autograph in the bathroom once. Like it was just the coolest thing because you had access to players as they were out hanging out. Now we don't have that anymore and it was just kind of saddening to me. And as somebody who's covered the lead for a while, I just wanted to get your take on whether you think this is kind of the sign of the times now.
I
I think it is. You're seeing players now in large part taking care of their bodies more. They're not going to those vices like alcohol as much. And gaming is really the thing that bonds all the players together now, especially the younger players. And I saw it myself. I started covering hockey at the whl level at 16 years old and I covered my First NHL game at 18. So I relate to a lot of guys who are in that category who were gamers. I was really the first generation of guys who were diehard gamers, be it NHL, FIFA, Madden Fortnite, Call of Duty. And that's really their thing now is not going out in large part drinking. It's more, yeah, gaming. And again, you're imagining thc, cannabis use. The times are changing. I think it's for the better in.
Roy
My mind, really, before we close this out really quickly and I might even add another OLA to this situation for the hard trophy this year. McKinnon McDavid or dry Seidel, meet someone else.
Ethan
That's not the question I wanted to ask.
Roy
I gotta ask.
Ethan
This is the question. This is the question I wanted to ask. Avery, I've got a take recently. You get to watch Connor McDavid every night. You're very lucky. It's harder for us to watch him every night over here.
Mike
No direct flights.
Ethan
I really love. I watch Nathan McKinnon and I say, is that. Is that guy really that, like.
Roy
It's McDavid best player, really?
Ethan
On a different level. So. So best player in the league. Okay, McDavid or McKinnon?
I
Oh, that's for me to answer. Oh, man. I. I still think it's Connor McDavid. I still think it's coming, David, because when he's not scoring, he's probably one of the best playmakers in the NHL. He finds ways to be effective when he's not scoring, he's the kind of guy who can go out there and say, oh, you know what, I may not be able to have a 40 goal year. I'm gonna have 100 assists. Like, he's still a guy who can think the game better than 99, 99.9 of the league. And Nate McKinnon is a beast as well, too. That's a guy who in 15 years will be in the hall of Fame in Toronto. But I might be a little bit biased still, but I am still going to go Connor McDavid, in my mind.
Ethan
I'm going to take his hesitation as a win. Because the fact that he had to even think about it means we're getting to a point where I'm not crazy for thinking that McKinnon might be.
Roy
No, you're just crazy.
Mike
I think we're seeing the bias, though, because to your point, Avery, Connor McDavid right now, 20 goals, 45 assists. Nathan McKinnon, 19 goals, 56 assists. So who's the playmaker now?
Ethan
By the way, dry Soto has 35 calls already. It's crazy. Well, yeah, and 74 points.
Rose
Get off behind the plane.
Mike
They got some good, good players in Edmonton.
Roy
Hey, this is not the Dan Levitar show. Why are we playing that sound?
Mike
Just because Rose is producing now Rose is pushing buttons.
Ethan
This is why we can't trust Rose in the big chair.
Mike
Rose is just. She's taking over today, for better or worse.
Roy
Stewardess over here. Avery Lewis McDougal. Go. Oh, my God. Avery. Sports show and the third intermission podcast. And he covers the Oilers for the hockey show. Avery, thank you.
I
Oh, pleasure, gang. Anytime. It was a blast.
Mike
And we apologize for Rose.
Roy
Yes, we apologize for Rose. What the man?
Rose
Get off my plant.
David
Hey, Jeremy.
Mike
Yes, Mike?
David
Have you ever had a fireside conversation during a football Sunday during the winter?
Jeremy
Sure.
J
We don't have a lot of fireplaces down here, but I've had the premise of it.
David
I wish I could, but it's South Florida. When it gets down to the six seats, we're like. We're bundled up, but certainly no fireplaces. Still too warm for that. But we do have our football Sundays. And one thing that always makes football Sundays good. And I know you've had plenty of experience in your life with this Miller time.
Mike
Oh, yeah.
David
Miller Lite makes the winter better. It makes football Sundays better. It makes even hanging out around you better.
J
Thanks, Mike. That was kind.
David
I appreciate that. You're my friend. When I have a Miller Light in my hand, pretty much everybody is my friend because we are like minded. Because we like beer that actually tastes like beer. Oh, and now the new year. It's the perfect time to have a Miller time. Miller Lite is brewed for taste. People out there, I want you to listen to me. And Jeremy, you too, because, you know, it hits just different than other light beers. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options, dear. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tastes like Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
J
Hey, friends. Jeremy here. And like a lot of you, I imagine I'm someone who has multiple jobs, wearing multiple hats, working all sorts of different hours throughout the week, and it can be kind of exhausting. Did you know that sleep is actually one of the most important parts of. Of recovery? Whether you're a pro athlete or you're just looking to crush your day. Getting the right kind of rest is key. And that's where sleep number smart beds come in. Because since 2018, Sleep Number has partnered with the NFL to help elite athletes get the quality sleep they need to perform at their best. In fact, 80% of NFL players sleep on a sleep number smart bed. That's unbelievable. Tough workout. The sleep number smart bed can be adjusted to suit your needs. Firmer one night, softer the next, giving you the ultimate recovery boost. And let's talk about those sweaty sleepless nights. I know they happen a lot here in South Florida. While the new climate cool smart bed adjusts up to 15 degrees cooler on either side with scientifically designed cooling programs to keep you comfortable and undisturbed. Why choose a sleep number smart bed? So you can choose your ideal comfort on either side. And now save 40% on the new special edition smart beds ends Monday. Shop a sleep number store near you sleep number official sleep and wellness partner of the NFL. See store or sleep number.com for details.
Roy
Okay, it's time to review what happened this week with the Florida Panthers. And what happened with the Florida Panthers is they went above.500.
Mike
They did. They won twice against the same team.
Roy
Yes, that's, that's exactly what happened. It started at home against the Anaheim Ducks. First half of, of a home and home series against them. Spencer Knighton had 34 saves, got his ninth win in his second shutout of the season. He played very well, except in this situation. Sam Reinhart got himself into a bit of trouble. Very uncharacteristic hit by him. He ended up banging knees with Isaac Lindstrom and got a knee and major in a game misconduct. That was, that was pretty surprising. That's something that he doesn't usually do.
Mike
No. And I don't think if you watch the replay that there was any kind of like ill will or intent there. I think it was a funky angled hit because they were going into the corner. Reinhardt was coming from up the ice. Lunderstrom was coming from behind the net. And the way that. And he moved like right at the last second. So it was, it was just a funky play. The penalty was deserved. It was. It happened. It should have been like that. But I don't think, I think nothing supplemental from the lead was right because it's Sam Reinhardt. He has zero reputation for that kind of thing.
Roy
Yeah. So his night ended in 16 minutes. So that was it for him. But the Panthers ended up winning three nothing. The Ducks ended their six game road trip losing three straight, going 14 in one day and not having a good season.
Mike
No, it's. It's rough for a few teams. Like, it's funny because so many teams right now are in the playoff race, whether it's in the east or the west, but the bottom of the Western standings. It's just. It's getting a little murky down there between, I mean, the Sharks and the Blackhawks, but, you know, you got Nashville, you got Anaheim, Seattle. Are they going to get their stuff together? Utah is trying to figure out if they're going to be a playoff team or if they're going to be what. But it's not quite as compact as the east right now.
Roy
As you mentioned, no retribution for Sam Reinhardt from the league. No. No punishment from the league and no retribution from the players because they know better.
Mike
No, it's. It's Sam Reinhardt. Like, he's not a guy that's out there headhunting. He's not a guy that's a big hit guy. He's. He's not like a Barkov.
Roy
Yeah. And we're talking about the second game of this home at home as the Panthers went to anaheim. They won 5, 2. And maybe they should have some retribution because he ended up scoring this game.
Mike
It was a little concerning at first as the Panthers took a couple penalties. They gave up the power play goal to fall behind, which are things that they've been trying to avoid. But they snapped into form rather quickly. It was Ryan Hart that actually got the first goal of the game for Florida to get things moving. And they. They kind of did well in Anaheim. I mean, five goals was strong. It was. It was a tighter game, I think, than the score would allude to. But overall, I mean, when you beat the same team twice in a row by a, what, eight to two combined score, one in each, building it, it kind of shows how Florida is used to the travel. They've had some playoff success, so I thought. I took that as a good sign heading into the trip.
Roy
So Gabrowski with 28 saves and Carter Verhe loves, absolutely loves playing against the Anaheim Ducks because he had a golden assist in this one and now has a point in 10 straight games against Anaheim.
Mike
Nice.
Ethan
You missed the biggest storyline from this one for me, Roy. It's Sam Beneket back on the score sheet.
Roy
Yes. That was huge.
Ethan
He hadn't scored in. Sorry. He hadn't scored in 21 straight games, and they really needed him to start getting scoring again because their scoring has been too concentrated. You Know, if Reinhardt's not scoring, you know, Boquist has been the guy that's been stepping up or even, like, you know, some of the guys down the order. But they really need guys like Bennett, Barkey, Chucky start putting the puck in the net again. And Chucky, Barky and Rhino have been great on the first line together, but they really needed to get Sam Bennett going. So seeing him see one go in, I think will be huge for his confidence and could get him back in his scoring ways.
Mike
And we know he can score because he had eight goals in the first 11 games of the season. Like, we know that the guy can put the puck in the net. So him getting that one, hopefully that'll get him going in for Florida because they could use little offense on that line. That line, by the way, with Bennett and Lou Storinen and Samoskevich.
Ethan
We need to talk about Samoskevic.
Mike
It's been fun to watch. And what I really liked about Matthew Samostevich, he's a player. It's not the scoring. His defensive play has gotten so good. He's taking the puck away in the neutral zone. He's back checking like a beast. He's really rounding out well. I'm excited.
Ethan
He has an element that something I feel like the Panthers kind of miss from the rest of, like, maybe the elite teams like Colorado at Edmonton, like, they don't have as many guys that just kind of fly up the ice. Mackey brings this speed dimension to the second line that feels like the Panthers are missing sometimes. The way he gets the puck going up ice, like, any time. And Bennett says he's been mentoring him. He loves playing with him. So that line, I pomo. He shook up all the lines. Erod's been great on the fourth line. He scored twice recently. The third line has been good with Verhege down there. And Boquist has been a great scoring threat for the Panthers. So I like the way the lines are playing right now for the Panthers. I actually think they've got something going.
Roy
With them putting those lines in a blender, because for the majority of the season, we've seen on the second line, Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk and Flip Flopping of the other wing. Now we're seeing this combination of lines and obviously dealing with an injury, but hopefully, because they are. I mean, this has been a tough stretch for them. Hopefully we'll see them actually play well with what we're seeing right now on the ice.
Mike
Yeah, it's what. What Paul Maurice has not done much of in his two plus years as a coach is placed Sasha Barkov and Matthew. Excuse me. Together consistently. Like it's something that they'll go to late in games if they need to. But now we're seeing it, you know, for what like seven or eight games.
Ethan
At this point and they've been overpowering.
Mike
Yeah, they're starting to really click.
Ethan
Rhino and Barky, I think it was the, it was the Rhino goal against Anaheim. The play where Barky makes an interception, dishes it off to Kachukachuk, finds Reinhardt down low. Reinhardt finishes like that line. The way they control the puck, the way they control the play, like that's something that needs to stick together because it just throw your three best players out there. McDavid and dry side Will out there are together all the time.
Mike
Like yeah, but I, I like that they have kind of the options. I wouldn't want to play that consistently throughout because you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket. I like the idea of spreading the wealth when you have a team that's deep enough to do it. But I do like that they're doing it now for the time being get them acclimated to one each other. So that way when you do go to this, whether it's in the playoffs or down the stretch, they're that much better at it. They're that much more familiar.
Roy
Yeah. So we saw Cutover Hagee and we saw Sam Bidded score and two of both of these players have been in slumps and finally hopefully to be consistently playing well from here on out. But unfortunately the entire team did not play well Wednesday at the Los Angeles Kings. That was an emotional game for the city of Los Angeles. We see the Kings are going to do a benefit hockey game with celebrities and alumni to benefit the firefighters and everybody out there affected with the, the fires out there on the, on the left coast. The Panthers had a one nothing lead going into the third period. Now normally shut down city when the Panthers have a lead in the third period. That's not what happened here. They gave up the lead in the third period and it started with Spencer Knight diving for a puck to try to cover and completely failing. Yeah, and Samuel Helenius got his first career goal. Good for him. Congratulations to him. Adrian Kempe with the game winner and the Panthers are now eight team two and zero when leading after two periods.
Mike
That's a big two because that, that was as you said, shutdown City was like their bread and butter. So to see those struggles. But again midway through the season. If you're going to have it happening, this is kind of the time to do it because this is when you're going to work through your. Your kinks or whatever. But yeah, a little bit concerning considering that's been an area that they've been so good for a while now.
Roy
Yeah. And I also score first in this game. It's the sixth loss in 26 games which they scored first. Six losses in 26 games in which they score first. I think it's the back to back games that's getting to them.
Mike
Yeah, well, another what, five and two on the second end of back to backs after that loss to the Kings. And there have been a lot of games this year, I don't have the number in front of me, but where they've haven't scored first and they've been able to come back and win the game. Yeah. I think what my takeaway from this week is so far is Spencer Knight is rounding into form that I love. This kid is playing lights out since. What is it? I guess since the start of the year. Four starts, 315 appearances. But his goals against is 1.12 and his safe percentage is.960. That's like elite, elite numbers. And granted it's small sample size, but this is Spencer Knight. This is what we've kind of expected him to become. So if this is him kind of getting on that Runway, I'm very excited for what the future could bring.
Ethan
Save percentage on the season up to.907. I just saw on ESPN in the stats department. But you know, going back to the third period lead stuff, you're talking about how it's concerning. You're talking about 18 and 2 or whatever it is. 5 and 2 on back on the second end of back to backs. Like it's concerning. We're nitpicking here. You know what I mean? We know the Panthers are really good. We know they're going to turn it on in playoff time. And we're just kind of nitpicking and it's concerning because it doesn't happen to the Panthers very often. But when you take a step back and you look at it and they're. Sometimes you're going to lose when you have a lead going into the third period. You're not always going to win. Like sometimes it goes overtime, whatever. Obviously, you know, you want those regulation losses to be limited when you have a lead in going into the third period. But I thought the Panthers in that Kings game at the start of the game looked like A team on the back to back. And then I fell asleep, to be honest with you. But waking up and seeing what happened, clearly that back to back got to them because it was just. They just kind of ran out of gas. So, you know, Vegas coming up on Saturday and then San Jose, I think, before coming home.
Roy
No, that's flipped.
Ethan
Flip the other way around. Sorry. San Jose on Saturday and then Vegas first. Vegas to close out the trip on Sunday. Another back to back. Am I right, Roy?
Roy
Yes, it is. Another back to back. I mean, too many, too many back to backs, man. Now the Panthers playing the worst team in the league, San Jose Sharks, before sliding into Las Vegas to play the Vegas Golden Knights. The Sharks are coming off, as you said, blowing a 51 lead to lose 7 to 5 against the Nashville Predators. So that tells you what type of season that San Jose is having. But they're having fun.
Mike
Yeah, I mean, I'm excited. I'm hoping that we get to see Yaroslav Estarov in goal when Florida plays San Jose, just as he's one of my favorite young goalies to watch. But yeah, it's been, it's been a rough season for the Sharks, better than last year. And Macklin Celebrini has been a lot of fun to watch. He's a really good player. He's a great two way player. They're, they're hopefully getting their stuff.
Ethan
They're a bad fun team. They're really fun to watch. They play like an up style hockey and celebrity is great.
Mike
Did the Panthers ever have a bad fun team or was it just bad?
Roy
No, no, it's bad, right? It was just bad. Yeah. Don't, don't make me.
Mike
I'm sorry.
Roy
Make me remember these things, man. Like, we just want to stand the. I say we. I'm an unbiased journalist, even though I'm not a journalist at all. I don't have a degree in journalism, but I am very much supposed to be an unbiased professional. And yeah, I'm not supposed to say we in this situation, but we want to stand a couple last season. So what's that, Rose?
Mike
We were on the ice with the Stanley cup, as Ethan loves to remind us.
Roy
Yes.
Ethan
Thank you for finally embracing that. Thank you, guys.
Mike
I've not shied away from it. I've just not.
Roy
I've been on the ice for Stanley cup celebrations three times already.
Ethan
Gross.
Rose
So beautiful. Bukapeka Lucano, we all agree. Barki is beautiful. This was two minutes in the panther den. It went to 10 minutes more. So we just want to say thank you for listening to us. And David, do you want to say thank you?
Mike
Thank. Who am I thanking?
Rose
I don't know.
Mike
Thank you to whoever, to you, the listener, the viewer. Thank you for not turning the show off when you saw Rose in the main chair today. Thank you for riding it out with us as we go through this trial period and.
Roy
Trial what? And sorry, Roy, this is not happening again.
Mike
Thank you to Roy for his patience as we navigate this situation.
Rose
Thank you, everybody. See you next week.
Ethan
Gross. Say uka pekaluca ukalaqui.
Roy
This is never happening again.
David
Hey, Jeremy.
Mike
Yes, Mike?
David
Have you ever had a fireside conversation during a football Sunday during the winter?
J
Sure. We don't have a lot of fireplaces down here, but I've had the premise of it.
David
I wish I could, but it's South Florida. When it gets down to the 60s, we're like, we're bundled up, but certainly no fireplaces. Still too warm for that. But we do have our football Sundays. And one thing that always makes football Sundays good. And I know you've had plenty of experience in your life with this Miller time.
Mike
Oh, yeah.
David
Miller Lite makes the winter better. It makes football Sundays better. It makes even hanging out around you better.
J
Thanks, Mike. That was kind.
David
I appreciate that. You're my friend. When I have a Miller Light in my hand, pretty much everybody is my friend because we are like minded. Because we like beer that actually tastes like beer. Oh, and now the new year. It's a perfect time to have a Miller time. Miller Lite is brewed for taste. People out there, I want you to listen to me. And Jeremy, you too, because you know it hits just different than other light beers. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one Miller Light. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell. Beer tastes like Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
Jeremy
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Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Episode: The Hockey Show: Get Off Rose's Plane Release Date: January 24, 2025
Overview
In this episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz titled "The Hockey Show: Get Off Rose's Plane," hosts Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and their team delve deep into the latest happenings in the NHL. From heated debates on player conduct and game strategies to insightful discussions with guest Avery Lewis McDougal from The Hockey News, the episode offers a comprehensive look at the current state of hockey, player performances, and impending trade deadlines.
Timestamp: 02:02 - 03:10
The episode kicks off with Rose introducing the day's focus on hockey. A playful banter ensues as Rose attempts to take over as the host, leading to humorous exchanges among the team members.
Rose:
"I'm taking over the hockey show."
(02:04)
This segment serves as a light-hearted lead-in, setting the tone for the more serious discussions that follow.
Timestamp: 03:10 - 08:11
The hosts present their hot takes on pressing hockey topics, sparking lively debates.
Mike:
"Players need to stop crashing into goalies, and defensemen need to stop helping players crash into goalies. It's happening all the time."
(03:30)
This comment addresses the recurring issue of aggressive plays against goalkeepers, emphasizing player safety and game integrity.
Ethan:
"There's nothing more try-hard than not wearing a visor in 2024. Like just put a visor on."
(06:32)
Ethan criticizes players who neglect protective gear, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the league.
Roy:
"Fighting is very much needed in this sport."
(07:30)
Roy defends the role of fighting in hockey, arguing that it serves as a necessary outlet for aggression and maintaining team morale.
Timestamp: 21:03 - 34:07
The episode features Avery Lewis McDouggal, host of Avery's Sports Show and The Third Intermission Podcast, offering expert analysis on recent NHL events.
Discussion Points:
Suspensions:
Avery discusses the three-game suspensions of Connor McDavid and Tyler Myers following incidents involving cross-checks during a game against the Canucks.
Avery:
"You can't cross check a guy in the face. No matter who you are, no matter if you're Connor McDavid, if you're a third-line guy, you played and simply cannot do that."
(22:50)
Trade Deadline:
Predictions and analysis of potential trades, particularly focusing on J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson.
Avery:
"If there's a deal for J.T. Miller happening, it's going to send him back to the Eastern Conference."
(26:02)
Player Performances:
Insights into Logan Thompson's standout performance and its implications for the Vezina Trophy race.
Mike:
"Logan Thompson's making $776k this year, which to us is a lot of money. To an NHL guy, not quite as much."
(27:50)
Avery’s commentary provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of player dynamics, team strategies, and the broader implications of recent NHL developments.
Timestamp: 09:12 - 16:00
The hosts analyze the recent performances of teams like the Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks, highlighting key moments and player contributions.
Mike:
"My win of the week is for Upa Pekalukin and Buffalo's goalie for making this ridiculous save on our buddy little Connor Garland as Buffalo won in Vancouver the other night."
(09:25)
Roy:
"My fail of the week is coming from Auburn Jackeye... Ryan Reaves wanted to fight, but he just points at the scoreboard and skid it away."
(14:30)
These discussions underscore the volatility within team performances and the impact of individual player actions on game outcomes.
Timestamp: 34:07 - 47:00
A substantial portion of the episode focuses on the Florida Panthers' recent games, examining both their victories and setbacks.
Wins Against Anaheim Ducks:
The Panthers secured two consecutive wins against the Ducks, showcasing strong performances from players like Spencer Knight and Carter Verhe.
Roy:
"Spencer Knight diving for a puck to try to cover and completely failing..."
(37:42)
Struggles in Third Period Leads:
Contrasting the Panthers' usual proficiency in maintaining third-period leads with recent losses, highlighting concerns over consistency.
Ethan:
"It's concerning because it doesn't happen to the Panthers very often. But when you take a step back and you look at it..."
(42:48)
Player Performances:
Highlighting individual achievements and improvements, such as Sam Bennett’s scoring resurgence and Matthew Samoskevic’s defensive prowess.
Mike:
"Matthew Samostevich... has been taking the puck away in the neutral zone. He's backchecking like a beast."
(40:53)
These segments provide listeners with an in-depth look at the Panthers' current form, player developments, and areas needing improvement.
Timestamp: 30:18 - 31:42
The conversation shifts to broader NHL trends, including changes in player lifestyles and league operations.
Avery:
"Players now are taking care of their bodies more. They're not going to those vices like alcohol as much. It's more gaming and THC gummies."
(31:00)
This observation reflects the evolving culture within the NHL, where modern players prioritize health and alternative recreational activities over traditional post-game celebrations.
Timestamp: 43:10 - 49:30
As the episode winds down, the hosts recap key points and set the stage for future discussions.
Mike:
"Spencer Knight is rounding into form that I love. This kid is playing lights out since the start of the year."
(45:28)
Ethan:
"We're just kind of nitpicking and it's concerning because it doesn't happen to the Panthers very often."
(46:29)
The hosts express optimism about emerging player performances while acknowledging ongoing challenges within the league.
Mike on Player Safety:
"Players need to stop crashing into goalies, and defensemen need to stop helping players crash into goalies."
(03:30)
Roy on Fighting in Hockey:
"Fighting is very much needed in this sport."
(07:30)
Avery on Suspensions:
"You can't cross check a guy in the face. No matter who you are, no matter if you're Connor McDavid, if you're a third-line guy, you played and simply cannot do that."
(22:50)
Ethan on Modern Player Lifestyles:
"Players now are taking care of their bodies more. They're not going to those vices like alcohol as much. It's more gaming and THC gummies."
(31:00)
Conclusion
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz delivers a robust episode focusing on current NHL narratives, enriched by expert guest insights and passionate discussions among the hosts. From analyzing player behavior and team strategies to exploring broader league trends, this episode provides listeners with both entertainment and valuable hockey perspectives.