The Hockey Show: Yammering With Dave Dameshek

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: The Hockey Show – "Yammering With Dave Dameshek"

Date: April 10, 2026

From the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Hockey Show brings together Roy Bellamy, Ethan, and guest Dave Dameshek for an action-packed, wide-ranging discussion on NHL coaching/front office shake-ups, late-season playoff races, award predictions, memorable moments, and the enduring Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin rivalry. Recorded amidst NHL playoff tension, the show features Dameshek's signature storytelling, playoff beard debates, and lively banter typical of the Le Batard universe.

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Key Segments & Insights

1. Personal Updates and Playoff Atmosphere

• 01:01 – 03:10
  • Dave Dameshek joins from Disney’s Animal Kingdom, updating on family vacation hijinks.
  • Ethan gets advice from Dameshek for an upcoming “Drink Around the World” at Epcot:

    “Stay hydrated and don’t do it on an empty stomach… Maybe don’t start in Mexico… ease your stomach in with a beer or ale.”
    (Dave Dameshek, 02:59)

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2. Around the NHL: Coaching & Front Office Changes

• 03:28 – 08:33

  • Late-season coaching and leadership overhauls become a focus:

    • Vegas: Bruce Cassidy out, John Tortorella in.
    • Toronto and the Islanders also make significant changes, with Islanders hiring Peter DeBoer in a “pre-emptive strike.”

  • Discussion on the trend’s normalization:

    “This is a new. I don’t know necessarily that this will be a new trend… but you have three, four teams making changes late in the year like this. Like it’s a big deal.”
    (Ethan, 04:50)

  • Islanders’ season and Matthew Schaefer’s surprising impact are highlighted.

  • Seattle Kraken Focus:

    • Ron Francis steps down as team president.
    • Lack of identity and playoff struggles:

      “Seattle’s been kind of lost in the middle ever since they’ve been a franchise, really… They just need something. They need a spark.”
      (Ethan, 07:10)

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3. Playoff Picture: West & East

Western Conference

• 08:33 – 13:10
  • Disparity between divisions; the Central is “awesome.”
  • The Kings called out for “loser point merchants.”

    “The Kings are complete and utter loser point merchants this year. They are 33, 26 and 19. Nineteen extra points from overtime losses.”
    (Ethan, 10:38)

  • Predators/Kings playoff hopes dissected.

Eastern Conference

• 13:33 – 20:22

  • Atlantic Division:

    • Tight race among Buffalo, Tampa, and Montreal.

  • Ottawa’s playoff potential and physicality praised:

    “I wouldn’t want to go to Montreal if I’m Tampa… That building is electric jumps and every single game, it is going to be such a hard place to play.”
    (Ethan, 15:33 – 15:49)

  • Philadelphia Flyers’ surge, coaching change, and playoff race scenario debated.

  • Red Wings’ collapse discussion, future uncertainty, and Flyers’ overachievement.

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4. Awards & Panthers Segment ("Panthers Den")

• 20:22 – 23:14

  • Bill Masterton Trophy nominee: Brad Marchand, for his off-ice support and perseverance.

  • King Clancy Trophy nominee: Sam Bennett, for “Benny’s Buddies” pet adoption work.

  • Reflections on Marchand’s transformation to a leadership figure:

    “He’s kind of changed his image a little bit since coming to Florida… The leadership he displayed with Barkov down…he picked up an ‘A’ this year.”
    (Ethan, 22:30)

  • Lottery hopes: fans “may they continue losing” for better odds.

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5. Puck Luck Segment

• 23:35 – 25:41
  • Ethan previews parlays and picks for the upcoming NHL slate:
    • Predators +1.5 vs. Wild
    • Senators ML vs. Islanders
    • Flyers ML vs. Jets
    • Blue Jackets ML vs. Canadiens
  • Quote on Montreal’s “emotional comedown”:

    “Montreal, I think they had a very emotional game against Tampa… I think they’re going to have a bit of an emotional comedown, and Columbus needs this one desperately.”
    (Ethan, 25:01)

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6. Wins & Fails of the Week

• 25:57 – 30:35

  • Wins:

    • Cole Caufield’s 50th goal for the Canadiens, emotional moment with his father witnessing in the stands (26:00).
    • A baby born during a Golden Knights/Oilers game at Rogers Place:

      “Breaking news. We have word that someone has gone into labor here tonight…”
      (Dave Dameshek, 27:28)

  • Fails:

    • Matthew Tkachuk penalized for being punched (“reputation call”).
    • Goalie skate blade crisis: Joe Hofer loses his blade and must awkwardly scoot to the bench.

      “These skate blades are now attachable…they’re going off on their own and flying all over the place…Gotta fix this!”
      (Roy Bellamy, 30:07)

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7. Story Time with Dave Dameshek

• 33:30 – 43:44

  • Dameshek shares a story of how a heart-breaking Penguins loss to the Islanders in the ‘90s altered his life’s course:
    • Delayed a Chicago lease decision to await the Penguins’ fate.
    • Penguins’ loss led him to move to Chicago, ultimately meeting his wife and moving to LA for a successful comedy/writing career.

    “If I had it all to do over again…would I trade it all for a third straight Stanley Cup? Yeah. Yeah, I would.”
    (Dave Dameshek, 41:02)

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8. Penguins Playoff Discussion & Eric Karlsson Praise

• 43:58 – 50:34

  • Roy queries the prospects for Pittsburgh; Dameshek points out blue-line weaknesses but praises Eric Karlsson’s historic March:

    “That month that Eric Karlsson put together in March is unlike anything I’ve ever seen…he was cleaning up in his own end constantly…”
    (Dave Dameshek, 45:07)

  • Goaltending uncertainties weighed:

    “They have Murashav, 22-year-old prodigy… but they rolled with Skinner, basically telling the world, Stu’s our guy.”
    (Dave Dameshek, 46:32)

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9. Crosby vs. Ovechkin Rivalry: NHL Reborn

• 50:34 – 58:03

  • Discussion on potentially the final head-to-head between Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin and their impact on the league’s resurgence:

    “Ovechkin and Crosby… saved the NHL. That is just about beyond argument at this point.”
    (Dave Dameshek, 51:07)

  • Ethan and Roy (playfully) push back on Crosby-worship, sparring over his “golden child” status.

  • Dameshek (jokingly) ranks Mario Lemieux as one of the greatest “people” of all time:

    “Lemieux is the greatest person of all time because he bought the team… Mother Teresa, yeah… Lemieux in the top three of that conversation.”
    (Dave Dameshek, 57:38)

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10. Closing Banter & Sign-off

• 58:09 – 59:38
  • Parting thoughts on the Penguins’ playoff chances and the importance of eliminating the Hurricanes for a possible Pens run.
  • Shout outs, social media plugs, and final camera gaffes.

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• "Maybe don’t start in Mexico. Maybe start on the England side at the pub and just kinda work your way in..."
  – Dave Dameshek, 02:59

• "The Kings are complete and utter loser point merchants this year…"
  – Ethan, 10:38

• "That building is electric… such a hard place to play…"
  – Ethan on Montreal, 15:33

• "He’s just such a rat on the ice, but off the ice, I mean, he’s always been such a great Samaritan."
  – Ethan on Brad Marchand, 22:30

• "If I had it all to do over again… would I trade it all for a third straight Stanley Cup? Yeah. Yeah, I would."
  – Dave Dameshek, 41:02

• "Ovechkin and Crosby…saved the NHL. That is just about beyond argument at this point."
  – Dave Dameshek, 51:07

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Memorable Moments

• Emotional moment as Cole Caufield scores his 50th in front of his dad (26:00)
• Edmonton baby born during a Golden Knights game (27:28)
• Dave Dameshek’s “life-changing” Penguins/Islanders playoff story (33:58–41:02)
• Goalie skate blade detachment “fail” and concerns for player safety (30:03)
• Lively Crosby-Ovechkin debate and “greatest people” banter (55:49–58:03)

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Final Thoughts

This episode showcases The Hockey Show’s blend of sharp sports insight, rich storytelling, and comedic banter. The playoff races, front office intrigue, emotional milestones, and humorous asides offer an engaging lens on "all-things hockey," with Dave Dameshek’s contributions amplifying both nostalgia and unfiltered fandom.

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Transcript

[Ethan]

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[Dave Damaschek]

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[Ethan]

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[Dave Damaschek]

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[Ethan]

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[Dave Damaschek]

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[Ethan]

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[Dave Damaschek]

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[Ethan]

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[Dave Damaschek]

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[Ethan]

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[Roy Bellamy]

The playoff matchups in the NHL might come down to the last game of the regular season. And it's story time with Dave Danishek. This is the Hockey Show. David Druck of the Hockey show is not here. He is currently in Orlando with his two kids trying to survive. Rosie is in Guatemala escaping the United States right on time. So that leaves me with Ethan.

[Ethan]

Yeah, you got to be happy about that one, Roy. I know you're all excited. It's just me and you today.

[Roy Bellamy]

Okay? Dave, you are in Orlando right now with the family. How is it going? Are you going insane yet?

[Ethan]

No, not yet. It's still fairly early.

[Dave Damaschek]

We. We got out of the house before six today and headed up. We're at Animal Kingdom right now. The wife and the older kid are on the rapids. I've got the little one here, Nathan.

[Ethan]

Say hi.

[Dave Damaschek]

Hi. There we go.

[Roy Bellamy]

Hey, Nathan.

[Dave Damaschek]

So we're gonna head over to Magic

[Ethan]

Kingdom when they get done, and I think we're coming back here for dinner tonight.

[Dave Damaschek]

And then, you know, it's always crazy

[Ethan]

when you come up here. I just got to keep up with my wife.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah, I see you are in front of the big fake tree over there at Animal Kingdom.

[Dave Damaschek]

Going to a hotel.

[Ethan]

Yeah, we're gonna go to a hotel tonight.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, fancy you. Fancy hotel. Dave, you have fun with the family. We appreciate.

[Ethan]

Wait, Dave, real quick. Real quick, Dave. Next weekend. What's up? I'm going to Epcot. I'm Drinking around the world for the first time ever. Do you have any advice? Stay hydrated and don't do it on an empty stomach.

[Roy Bellamy]

Technically is staying hydrated.

[Ethan]

No, no.

[Dave Damaschek]

Like water. Like drink water.

[Ethan]

It's a marathon. I'm a little scared. Yeah, I'm a little scared. I'm not the biggest drinker, so I'm a little scared by just drinking a million different liqu.

[Dave Damaschek]

Maybe don't start in Mexico. Maybe start on the England side at

[Ethan]

the pub and just kind of work your way in. Kind of ease your stomach in with like a beer or in ale or something. Yeah, starting with the margaritas might be dangerous. Okay.

[Roy Bellamy]

Get a stout. Get a stout. Yeah, that should really help you, Dave. Have fun. Try not to get yourself in too much trouble with. With the aforementioned drinks, Dave.

[Ethan]

If my puck luck hits this week, we switch seats next week. Definitely hitting this week because there's no games.

[Roy Bellamy]

No, you are staying your ass back in the video room next week, whenever that might be. All right. Thanks, Dave. So several teams over the past month have made late season coaching and front office changes. First Vegas, with Bruce Cassidy getting fired for John Todorello. We talked about that. We talked about Toronto firing the GM Brad Tree living. And now the New York Islanders fire Patrick Roy in favor of Peter DeBoer, which seemed like a preemptive strike. So they can get ahead of everybody trying to sign probably the best name on the free agent market as far as coaching is concerned. They had a bit of a scare last night because Matthew Schaefer blocked a shot in his shoulder area. He left the game early but then came back out and accepted his star. So probably, he will probably be all right now. It was a 53 win against Toronto, by the way, who continues to tank. The Islanders are chasing in the playoff race right now. We'll talk about that in a little bit. Also Seattle, we had Alison Lucan on last week. Ron Francis has stepped down as team president. So we got all this going on around the league with teams losing front office members this late in the regular season. This seems like it's being normalized now. Do you think that's the case?

[Ethan]

Yeah, I would say this has become probably one of the storylines of the season. Right. Is that this is a new. I don't. I don't know necessarily that this will be a new trend. This might just be a one off thing, but you have three, four teams making changes late in the year like this. Like it's a big deal. And especially when it's specifically coaching changes. Right. We talked about Cassidy, a Stanley cup winning coach being fired for John Tortorella. Patrick Waugh has done a great job this year, in my opinion, with the New York Islanders. Like I know, Matthew Schaefer has been an absolute revelation. This team was not expected to be anywhere near the playoffs and they're one point out as we sit here with three games left in the season behind the Philadelphia Flyers. They've got a real shot to make the playoffs here. Now, was it too little, too late? I don't know. We'll see because Columbus is right there hanging around. Philadelphia is right there hanging around. I don't think they have a real shot to get into the wild card spots. So they're going to be battling for that third spot in the Metro Division with the first two spots in that division already locked up. So it's going to be interesting for me, Roy and I. Clearly this was a move to get, like you said, to get deboer, because this deal comes with term, whereas Tortorella is basically a tryout or just kind of a, hey, this is going to be our guy to try and get the most out of this season that we can in Vegas. But I, I, it was very surprising to me. I did not see this coming at all, Roy, in terms of letting WA go, because I thought he's done a pretty solid job this year. And I know they've kind of slipped up at the end of the year, the Islanders, but I didn't really think that was enough to warrant a firing. So I guess they just had DeBoer on their radar and said let's get our guy now rather than waiting, see if he can spark us these last five, six games to make a run at the playoffs, which would like I said, would be a real surprise run if they get in.

[Roy Bellamy]

You know who's the happiest of this? Anthony Duclair.

[Ethan]

I was going to say not Ilya Sorokin.

[Roy Bellamy]

No, definitely not. Ill. The goaltenders are probably going to have a tough time with this one, but yeah, it just three out of those four teams are in playoff races and I'm including Seattle in this one, although they were on a six game losing streak. Yeah, up until that win last night.

[Ethan]

Seattle, their, their chances are kind of basically dead in the water here. They're eight points out with four games left, so they're pretty much done and win with help. Yeah, they would need a lot of help. They have a lot of teams to get over. They got to get over the Blues, the Sharks, the jets, the Preds, then get in over The Kings, they do have the most regulation wins, I believe. No, no, never mind. Ignore that. Anyway, point being the title. Seattle. Yeah. Seattle's been kind of lost in the middle ever since they've been a franchise, really. Right. Like, we haven't really found an identity for this Seattle team. I think they have some good players. Shane Wright, Matty Veneers. I love Brandon Montour, obviously, but they just kind of can't. They don't have a superstar. They can't find a superstar in House. So it's not a surprise to me that a team that's searching for an identity is going to go in a different direction in the front office in terms of the guy that's heading that front office. Because they need to find an identity fast. This Pacific Division was wide open for them this year. They could have. This should have been a year where they really took a step and instead they just kind of find themselves toiling in this mushy middle that we always talk about in the National Hockey League. Roy. And so it'll be interesting to see what direction they go in exactly. But yeah, it felt like a change was necessary there because again, they've just been like. They made the playoffs in their second year. They upset the Avalanche. That was a big storyline that year. But since then it's just been no playoffs. And they had a real chance this year. And then they fizzled out at the end of the year and they just need something. They need a spark. They need something to go their way. Maybe a ping pong ball bounces their way or something. But I don't know, Roy. Things are. Things are a little bleak for that franchise out there.

[Roy Bellamy]

I would say, looking at the lottery list right now of the seven, and then Florida's the 17 right now on that tier, Seattle is fifth. They have not officially been eliminated from playoff contention, but they are fifth. It's crazy in. In the play, in the lottery. I know that. That's pretty.

[Ethan]

The disparity in the west and the east this year is so crazy, Roy. I mean, it's just the Panthers, you know, they're seventh in the league right now. They're obviously second to bottom in the Eastern or third to bottom now in the Eastern Conference. But yeah, it really is a disparity. I was looking, and it's even within the Western Conference. It really comes down to the Pacific Division. Like the Utah Mammoth right now would be leading the Pacific Division, and they are currently the first wild card team because of how great the Central Division is this year, which, by the way, that division. I know we'll get to it in a second because we're going to talk about some of these playoff matchups. That division is awesome. All three of those teams are great. But the Mammoth right now have 90 points. That's even with the Edmonton Oilers and they have one more regulation win. So they would be the first place team in the Pacific Division right now. And then you have the Golden Knights at 89 and the Ducks on 89 points as well, with the Kings at 85 holding onto a playoff spot, which. Can we please get the Predators in there over the Kings? Man, I just don't want to see these Kings again. And at least they won't have to face the Edmonton Oilers again this year. But this team has 20 regulation wins, Roy. To, to put that into perspective, The Rangers have 24 and their bottom in the Eastern Conference this year. So the, the last place team in the Eastern Conference has more regulation wins than the second wildcard in the west this year. And obviously they've got all those loser points that have come in handy because they, they set the record. Right, for the most overtime games played this season.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah. Crazy. They do not have a lot of wins in regulation this season. In fact, I think they might have the lowest out of everybody who are in out of.

[Ethan]

Not even just that, Roy. They have the lowest in the league, excluding the Vancouver Canucks.

[Roy Bellamy]

Tough Jesus.

[Ethan]

So The Canucks have 15 regulation wins. The, the, the Kings have 20. The next worst team is the Chicago Blackhawks who have 21. So yeah, the Kings are complete and utter loser point Merchants this year. They are 33, 26 and 19. 19 extra points coming from overtime losses this year.

[Roy Bellamy]

Well, look at it this way. Edmondson's probably not going to play the Kings, so. Because Colorado would have to play the Kings if the Kings clinch the second wild card spot. The Kings are not going to catch Utah. And the Kings are not going probably not going to get third place in the division. So there's that. So we're not going to see the oil is in the Kings again.

[Ethan]

We should all be very thankful for that. We should all be grateful. Now they could tech. I guess they could. They have a game in hand on Anaheim and they're four points back. They could sneak into that third spot in the division at that point. They'd play. Oh my God. If Edmonton falls to second place, they play Edmonton again. Nobody wants to see that. Right? But no, I, I, the West is going to be really interesting because obviously these three teams are so far ahead of everybody else in the Pacific Division, but two of them are going to be eliminated before we get to the Western Conference finals, which, if any, year is going to be the year where we should change the playoff format. It's obviously this one because you're going to lose two of the three best teams in the entire National Hockey League before we get to the conference finals. Will the team that emerges from that Central Division be so beat up that a team like Edmonton or Vegas could take advantage? I don't necessarily think. I think Anaheim's too young to realistically have a shot against one of those teams in a series. But with Vegas's experience with Edmonton, obviously going to the finals the last two years and having McDavid and Draisait all, I don't think they're good enough this year to take down one of those teams. But it will be interesting. And look, Utah could give Edmonton, like if the playoffs ended today, would be Utah and Edmonton. I think Utah could give Edmonton a run for their money in that series. Utah's a really sneaky good team. They've got a very, very talented roster.

[Roy Bellamy]

So not a single team in the Pacific Division has clinched the playoff spot yet. We know that Dallas and Minnesota are going to play each other in the first round. That's set in stone. And Colorado is going to win the President's Trophy. So that's the West. That's what we know right now.

[Ethan]

Roy, did you watch that Dallas, Minnesota game at all last night? That series is going to be a war. It's going to be awesome.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yes. Yes.

[Ethan]

It's going to be awesome.

[Roy Bellamy]

Definitely looking forward to that. We are going to try to have some live streams. So in this playoffs, trying to have at least one every week, that is the plan. So hopefully you guys can join us as we go over at least one game per series. So we are going to do that during the playoffs. We let's go into the east since we talked about the west, the Atlantic Division.

[Ethan]

It's fun, Roy. It's getting fun here at the end of the year.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yep. It's basically the play for first place right now. Buffalo and Tampa and Montreal, whoever wins that, I mean, that is going to be tough. It's going to be tough coming out of the East. Like you talk about teams beating each other up. That Eastern Conference is going to be a tough thing to get through.

[Ethan]

That Atlantic Division is really going to beat each other up. And right now it's looking like it'll be five Atlantic Division teams again. I think it was the same case last year because Boston has I think they've pretty much got that wild card locked up their five spots or five points clear right now with three games to go, Ottawa seems like they're going to be the final team which if Ottawa plays Carolina. I like that matchup for Ottawa, man, I do. I think last year that that playoff experience will do them a lot of good. They're playing good hockey at the right time, but man, let's take a look at this Atlantic Division, Roy. Right now you've got the Sabres, who have played an extra game on the Canadiens and the Lightning. 106 points, 104 points, 102 points. After the Canadians beat the Lightning last night, that pretty much should. Unless they blow it here in these last three games, that should lock up that they'll have home ice advantage against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the. Of the playoffs, which right now that looks like the most likely matchup. Tampa's got to be careful, man. That. That Montreal team is good. Like, if you look around the Eastern Conference, really the only teams that I think we all expected to be in the playoffs before this season were. Are the Lightning, the Hurricanes, I would say the Senators. A lot of people expected the Senators to get back to the playoffs, but the other team is Montreal. Like everybody expected Montreal after they finally broke through last year and got to the playoffs. To get back to the playoffs this year and be a real factor and be able to make some noise. I wouldn't want to go to Saint Rebel if I'm the. I did it just.

[Roy Bellamy]

Just for you. Just a pissed for you.

[Ethan]

I wouldn't want to go to Montreal if I'm Tampa and have to play those first two games on the. Because I don't know if you how much Montreal hockey you've watched this year, Roy. That building is electric jumps and every

[Roy Bellamy]

single game, it is going to be

[Ethan]

such a hard place to play. And I think the thing last night, in last night's game, that was impressive. Sorry, I'm fighting a cold, guys. It's a flu game right here.

[Roy Bellamy]

Did you hear Jeremy this week?

[Ethan]

Yeah, I know. But anyway, point. I was watching that game last night and the Lightning tried to do what they do, which is muck the game up and. And kind of beat up on a team. And I think the Canadiens not only fought back and stood their ground. I thought they beat the Lightning's ass last night. Like they were physical. Yeah, they were mucking up and winning those scrums. They were taking the Lightning down in those scrums. Corey Perry was trying to mess with Lane Hudson. And Lane Hudson wasn't having it for a second, like they were beating the Lightning at their own game. And then the Lightning came back, tied the game in the second, late in the third period. Darren Radish, 22 goals on the season. Something. I don't know what's going on there. 78 point season for Darren Radish. Point not withstanding. And then the Canadians came right back and scored and won the game. And I. I'm watching that game last night and I'm saying to myself, the Canadiens could absolutely get the Lightning here and what a disappointment that would have to be for the Lightning. Roy, if they don't have to run into the Panthers and they can't even make it out of the first, we

[Roy Bellamy]

will be laughing at them. Oh, we the Metro. All right, let's get Carolina out of here.

[Ethan]

Like, yeah, we are. We all about that.

[Roy Bellamy]

Pittsburgh clinched the playoff spot and good for them. They've had to scare. They had two injury scares with Sidney Crosby, and they got through that and managed to make the playoffs. It is about third place right now in that division and we're looking at the Philadelphia Flyers possibly making the playoffs here over the Islanders. And yeah, it was first of all. The Red Wings win. I'm like, what are we doing here? What are we doing here?

[Ethan]

I know the third straight year, right, that they've collapsed in March. The Red Wings.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

And they. I mean, they did blow them out last night to keep their hopes alive at least a little bit. But three points out with three games to go, and in an Ottawa team that's 63 and one in their last 10, it's going to be a tough ask for the Red Wings to get in. And I don't know. We talked about it a couple weeks ago. I don't know where they go from here. If they don't get in. They have to make a big shakeup. I don't know if it's letting Eisenhower.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah, it's probably going to end up being Steve Eisenman.

[Ethan]

I think it's going to be because it's nine years now without the playoffs in Detroit, a team that had gone to the playoffs 26 years in a row before that, Roy. I mean, that just can't happen. But where did the Flyers come from, Roy? I know they made the coaching change with Rick Tockett. They made the trade for Trevor Zegras, which I thought was a nice pickup for them. Porter Martone, they've injected into the lineup at the end of the year here but they were out of it, Matt. And then all of a sudden they've come from nowhere. They're 6, 40 in their last 10 games now and they are in a much better spot than than the Islanders and the Blue Jackets as well. I still think with three games to go, I'm going to take a look at the schedules here. The Flyers have Winnipeg, Carolina and Montreal to finish.

[Roy Bellamy]

That's tough, man.

[Ethan]

That's a tough finish for the Flyers.

[Roy Bellamy]

Winnipeg, by the way, they've come back.

[Ethan]

They're sneaking in. Yeah, I mean that team, you know, has greatly underachieved this year. Three points out with four games to play. They could legitimately do it, but I don't really see it happening there. Columbus has Montreal, Boston and Washington. That's a gauntlet to end the season. Montreal's on fire. Boston's on fire. And Washington has been in, out, in, out. I think they're out of it now. They're five points back or they're three points back of the second spot in the metro. And then you take a look at the Islanders. They've got Ottawa, Montreal and carolina. So all three of these teams have gauntlets. 10 the season. If you think about it like none of these teams have an easy road to get into the playoffs here. I don't know who I favor, to be honest with you, Roy. I think I favor Columbus because I like their roster the best here. I think they're the best team. They came really close to making the playoffs last year. They probably should have, but they fell apart in the last few games of the season. I like their chances the best, I would say, just because I trust that team the most. But Rick Tocket's got the boys playing great hockey at the right time and you know, with Mitch Kov and this is a good like a Flyers team that has definitely overachieved this year. But this could be a sign of things to come for the Flyers.

[Roy Bellamy]

All right, let's go into the Panthers den and we got some Trope Trophy updates here. Let's start with the Masterton Trophy. The Florida chapter of the Professional Hockey Riders association has chosen Brad Marchand as the Panthers representative for the Bill Masterton Trophy. For the player who best exemplifies the qualities and perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey. If you remember back in October, Marshand stepped away from the team to serve as coach for an under 18 high key team that he co owns in his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Because his friend JP McCallum who is the head coach of that team lost his daughter tragically to cancer. This is the type of guy that Brad Marchand is. He stepped away to support his friend, and the PHWA felt like, you know what, good on him. We're going to make him one of the nominees for the Master Jen trophy. So congratulations to Marchand. Hopefully, you will win that trophy at the end of the season. The NHL today announced the nominees for the King Clancy Trophy, and all the teams picked that separately. Florida chose Sam Bennett as the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made noteworthy humanitarian contributions in his community. In this case, Sam Bennett's nonprofit organization, Benny's Buddies, where he sponsors pets to be adopted through the Humane Society of Broward. So those are, so far, your two candidates as far as Florida Panthers are concerned for the NHL awards this season.

[Ethan]

Can you believe we reached a state where Brad Marchand is being nominated for a sportsmanship award? I mean.

[Roy Bellamy]

I mean, given. I mean, given what we know about this. This man. Yeah, I'm not really surprised. I won't. I wouldn't have been surprised if he was nominated for King Clancy in Boston. Yeah. As let alone Masterton. So good on him.

[Ethan]

No, it's great. He's just. He's just such a rat on the ice, but off the ice, I mean, he's always been such a great Samaritan. And, yeah, he's. He's kind of changed his image a little bit since coming to Florida, I would say, because, yeah, the leadership he displayed with Barkov down, he picked. Stepped up and picked up an A this year. He was wearing an A for a lot of the year.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

You know, and I think nobody really expected that when he came to Florida, but, I mean, man, he's been. He was huge for the Panthers before going down, and obviously we've seen how they've played since he, you know, made his way out of the lineup. They needed him bad. Yeah, they need him. They wouldn't have been even that close to the playoffs if it weren't for him this year. So hopefully he comes back healthy and rested next year and can take another run at it.

[Roy Bellamy]

And obviously, we mentioned earlier that the Panthers are currently seventh in the draft lottery odds, so may they continue losing. I mean, if they can get into the top five, that would be great. Awesome. But, you know, it is what it is. It is time for puck luck. It is brought to you by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours. Go ahead, Ethan.

[Ethan]

All right, so no games tonight. So we don't have player prop odds out yet. So I'm going to put put together a little. I put together a little four game parlay for tomorrow's slate of games. We're going to start with the Wild and the Predators. I'm going to take the Predators here plus one and a half. Predators have been a really feisty team late in the season playing really, really good hockey very, very quietly. Steven Samkos is having a 40 goal season and nobody's talking about it. So I'm going to take them. The Wild already have their spot locked up. They still need to fight for home ice advantage. But they did lose to the Stars last night. Puts them in a precarious spot. Don't think they'll win but they'll put some in a pickle. Don't think they'll win by more than two there. Let's go to the Senators and the Islanders. Two teams we were just talking about. Senators playing great hockey. Islanders not so much. I'm going to take the senators there. Moneyline minus 125. The Flyers, another team we just talked about. They're on the road at the Winnipeg jets as we just talked about. I'm going to take the flyers money line. Plus 110. I think Rick Talkett's got the boys ready. I'm not sure they're going to sneak into the playoffs, Roy. It would be really impressive if they do. I would love it if they do. I always like rooting for new blood to make the playoffs. I'm going to take them though. Plus 110 there. Just think they're a better team playing better hockey than Winnipeg right now. And finally the Columbus Blue Jackets. I don't love this pick. No, I love this pick.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, you changed your mind.

[Ethan]

I'm going to tell you why. Because Montreal, I think they had a very emotional game against Tampa the other night. I think they're going to have a bit of an emotional comedown and Columbus needs this one desperately. This is basically their last stab at it to make the playoffs. I think they're going to win Tomorrow night in Saint Tribel in Montreal.

[Roy Bellamy]

What are you doing?

[Ethan]

Plus 120. Add it all up, Roy. This is a big one right here. Plus 1137 as a parlay. So big odds here. We're taking a stab at it, Roy. We're going with a four game parlay. Taking a stab at it. Two plus money lines here. But I like it. Hope, hope we win some money. Hopefully I do better than Jorky does.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah, well at those odds is going to Be a lot of money. So hopefully you actually do something

[Ethan]

let's

[Roy Bellamy]

not be able to do.

[Ethan]

Yeah, exactly.

[Roy Bellamy]

Win people money. You happen to have a stat of the week.

[Ethan]

I do not have a stat of the week, Roy. Let's go into wins and fails.

[Roy Bellamy]

All right, so let's go with your win. Go ahead, Ethan.

[Ethan]

My win of the week comes from last night's game against between the Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Cole Caufield scored his 50th goal, and his dad was in the crowd to see it, and his reaction was just beautiful. It was so emotional inside. I'll call it Bell center just for you. Right inside Bell Center. The reaction was incredible. They kind of, like, stopped the game for a little bit to kind of let the crowd cheer on Caulfield. He's the first 50 goal scorer in, like, 30 years for the Canadiens. Like, I don't exactly have who or when the last one was in front of me right now, but an incredible achievement for Cole Caulfield. Who? Roy. I know they won the gold medal, so we can't really critique the roster, but how is Cole Caulfield not Milan? Man, what a great player he is.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah. Excellent. Excellent. Excellent player so far. Excellent season. As you know, he changed his number for Johnny Goudreau. Just an emotional moment. And having him score 50 this year, that is. That is big time. And hopefully the Canadiens can take that momentum into the playoffs.

[Ethan]

He's got a real shot at the Rocket Richard trophy. Yeah, he's one goal right now behind Nathan McKinnon, although I think McKinnon might have scored last night, but he's right there with McKinnon neck and neck for that trophy, so.

[Roy Bellamy]

Certainly has been the MVP of the Canadiens so far this season. My win of the week happened in Edmonton when somebody scored midway through the Golden Knights all this game, but not in a way that you think. Play the video.

[Ethan]

Breaking news. We have word that someone has gone

[Dave Damaschek]

into labor here tonight.

[Ethan]

There's a baby being born on the

[Dave Damaschek]

seventh floor at Rogers Place as we

[Ethan]

speak, so someone's going to have a

[Dave Damaschek]

great story to tell.

[Ethan]

It would be nice to have the

[Dave Damaschek]

mother join us on after Hours to

[Roy Bellamy]

describe what's happened, but that could be

[Dave Damaschek]

asking a bit much.

[Roy Bellamy]

You know, somebody on Twitter, currently known as X right now made the joke. At least someone is delivering. McDavid sure ain't. Biggest one that game, five to one. So.

[Ethan]

Yeah, right. That kid's gonna be Wayne Gretzky, huh?

[Roy Bellamy]

He's gonna be named after somebody who's on the All Yeah, that he should.

[Ethan]

They should be. For sure.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah. So, yeah, that happened at Roger's place this week. Baby was at least delivered in the arena. Hopefully they got transported to a hospital where they are perfectly healthy and fine. We don't know yet.

[Ethan]

That's an amazing story, man. I was born. You get to tell your friends in 10 years. I was born at an oil. Not during an Oilers game. Like, not. My mom was watching it on the television, you know, and my dad was cheering while my mom was giving birth. I was at an Oilers game and they lost.

[Roy Bellamy]

And they lost and they lost.

[Ethan]

No, they got to win at that point. You got to win. I mean, come on.

[Roy Bellamy]

I was born at an all his game and it was my.

[Ethan]

And they lost.

[Roy Bellamy]

What is your fail, Ethan?

[Ethan]

All right, I'm going to go with. I'm going to throw in a treat, a bone for David here. Let's roll this video. This was supposed to be David's win of the week for Sam Bennett backing up his teammate here, Matthew Chuck takes a punch to the face. This is a fail for me, though, because Matthew Tkachuk got a roughing penalty on this. I don't understand how that happens, where you get punched in the face and you take a roughing call. Feels like a bit of a reputation call to me. So shout out to Dave. We miss you, buddy, and we hope you're having fun in Animal Kingdom. Roy, your fail of the week for

[Roy Bellamy]

the past couple of seasons, and we've been mentioned this before, seems as if players have been losing their skate blades a lot more often. It has been a bad situation. It happened again this week. Blues goaltender Joe Hofer lost his. And after he lost his skate, blade got pushed.

[Ethan]

This is so great. This video is great. It's coming up here. So you see him scrumming around kind of.

[Roy Bellamy]

He's trying to shovel his way back to the front of the net. And now he can't skate to the bench to get it reattached. So he has to scuffle all the way to his bench, all the way to mid ice near the blue line to get back on the bench to have his skate blade reattached. This is getting out of hand. We need to fix this technology.

[Ethan]

What's going on here that this is a thing. When did this start happening?

[Roy Bellamy]

Like, these skate blades are now attachable. They can be detached, like, but seems like they're going off on their own and they're flying all over the place. So we don't know what's going on right now. And hopefully somebody gets this done, you know, CCM Bauer. Get fix it. Got to fix this, right?

[Ethan]

Feels like it could be dangerous.

[Roy Bellamy]

It is dangerous.

[Ethan]

Skate blades just flying around like all over the place.

[Roy Bellamy]

We already saw somebody in college hockey get their handcuff escape blades, so you never know what's going to happen.

[Ethan]

By the way, quick, college hockey shout out to Denver and Wisconsin national championship on Saturday.

[Roy Bellamy]

All right, take a look at that for the Frozen Four. For those of you who are watching on DraftKings Network, check out our YouTube channel because we have Dave Damoshek from Football America giving us story time. That's coming up next.

[Ethan]

Mike, you know I have one rule to live by, right? Don't place parlays on multiple long shots. Don't say a game is won when

[Dave Damaschek]

it hasn't hit triple zero.

[Ethan]

Always drink your Jagermeister ice cold. That's the rule. Everything else is merely a suggestion.

[Dave Damaschek]

Everything else?

[Ethan]

Everything else. Wearing clean underwear every day, well, that's just a personal decision. Brushing your teeth, obviously smart, but not a rule. Never pee pee on an electric fence. Okay, maybe there are two rules.

[Dave Damaschek]

But the one that is 100% that

[Ethan]

I insist on completely, Jagermeister must be drank ice cold or don't drink it at all. Damn, that's cold. Exactly. You're finally starting to get it. Drink responsibly. Jagermeister liqueur 35% alcohol by volume imported by mass Jagermeister US White Plains, New York.

[Roy Bellamy]

In sports, championships aren't one alone. The one with the right people around you. That's exactly what Intuit TurboTax brings to taxes with Toboltax Expert Full Service match with a dedicated tax expert who handles your taxes from start to finish. The experience is seamless. Start in person, finish online, move between both whenever needed. The dedicated tax expert keeps things updated every step of the way so nothing falls between the cracks. Think of it like having a great head coach with a solid game plan. The plays are called, adjustments are made, and the work gets done while everyone stays focused on what actually matters. And just like Gamefilm doesn't wait for business hours, neither do taxes. With TurboTax Expert full service, you can get any tax question answered at no extra cost, even on nights and weekends during tax season, this is having someone in your corner running the whole operation and helping put points on the board. Get [e-mail] only available with Intuit TurboTax full service experts real time updates only in iOS mobile app.

[Ethan]

Hey, Roy, buddy.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yo.

[Ethan]

You know that energy shift when the game gets good and everybody all together in unison knows to stand up on their feet.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, absolutely. Mike.

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

You've been at many big time sporting events. You know that moment quite well. That's what it's like when you take your first sip of Cuervo.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, delicious.

[Ethan]

It's the signal that says, we're not checking the time anymore, pal. It's when small talk turns into stories. Cuervo, man. It's that high five. A random stranger effect. That's right. The game is popping. You're hugging people you never met before. That's the kind of energy that Cuervo brings. It's so smooth, so delicious. That's the Cuervo effect. Keep it Cuervo.

[Roy Bellamy]

The host of Football America here on Meadowlock Media, DraftKings Network. Lobata, friends, whatever you want to call us right now, goes by the name of Dave Damaschek. He has lived a life. He is currently still living a life. And right now, that life involves telling us stories, telling us young buck stories, because he is old. It is time for story time with Dave Damoshek. Dave, take it away.

[Dave Damaschek]

Oh, yes, I'm sorry. I was just getting ready for the playoffs here. Growing my playoff beard and all of that. What's happening, fellas? How are you? I hope you're doing all right.

[Ethan]

You gonna grow a playoff beard, Dave? Are you a playoff beard guy?

[Roy Bellamy]

He's already has a. I know you

[Ethan]

have a beard, but are you gonna, like, go to, like, what I did last year is I. Way down, I went to the low, I went to the lowest, you know, blade, and then I just grew from there, just started from there. So what do you do? What is your playoff beard tradition? Do you roll with one?

[Dave Damaschek]

Should I. In other words, should I shave my face clean to start? Like a.

[Ethan]

Not necessarily clean. I'm never a clean guy. No, I just go like, I take off the guard and I go all the way down. And when whatever's left, like, if it's just stubble, like basically what it is now, but way lower, then I roll with that. So are. Are you going to grow a playoff beard for the Penguins this year?

[Dave Damaschek]

I. I think that going Kenny Loggins here in the year of our Lord 2026 probably wouldn't provide much, Much inspiration for. For the boys in the dressing room. So I. I probably will stick with what I've got there and let Stu Skinner, who is apparently going to be the guy between the pipes, at least in the short term. We'll see how long the stay in the playoffs can go for. These Pittsburgh Penguins. But it looks with that glorious Civil War era mustache that he's sporting there at least makes him a winner in my book. Let's see what he can do.

[Roy Bellamy]

Highway to the Danger Zone. We're gonna get into the Penguins in a little bit, but you have a story for us?

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah, it's, it involves the Pittsburgh Penguins, per usual in my, my, my fandom as far as that goes, by the way, at a later date, since I just told it on the LeBatard show on, on this past Friday, my run in with Wayne Gretzky. That's a story for another day or go back and listen to that one however you wish. In the meantime, I want to, I want to make clear, as if die hard sports fans don't already know this, how the trajectory of your favorite hockey team can impact your real life. When I was at the dawn of my grown up years, I had a choice to make as I was matriculating or finishing up doing that at Indiana University. On one hand, I was considering moving to Chicago, Illinois with my pal Reggie.

[Roy Bellamy]

You should have.

[Dave Damaschek]

And, and, and in an effort to do that, we went out, we found a, an apartment on the north side right in the shadow, just about literally a Wrigley Field. And so we had to sign the lease and we had about two weeks to make our final decision if we were going to sign that lease and what we were going to do at the. On the other hand, my other pals in Pittsburgh had a great apartment that they just found and they had an extra room for, for their old pal Dave to move into if he wanted. At as all this was going on, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mario Lemieux, Yarmier Jagger, Kevin Stevens, all the rest of the greats were chasing their third straight Stanley Cup. And this was the best addition of this dynastic run that they were on. And so we were seeing how it was playing it out and they, they, they vanquished the. And then they were in a surprisingly tough battle with the upstart New York Islanders. And so while this was going back and forth and I was literally going to the bar of one of my Pittsburgh pals and he would give us free beers and wings and we would watch the Penguins playoff games. And I was thinking, how could life be any better than this? And then Chicago was calling to me a great place to go. It's sort of like a, sort of the headquarters for all the Big Ten schools post grads. Everybody extends their college years by a half decade or so by moving to Chicago and swinging up on the north side for a few years before you really kick into high gear with. With adult responsibilities. And so I was back and forth and I was really. I wanted to see the signature of 66 is great career, the greatest in the history of people and all of that. And I was really was hanging in the balance, my decision, and I was keeping my eye on the Penguins at the same time. And then the Penguins lost on the island, the force a game seven. And I said, okay, I got to delay the decision a little bit further here until game seven. And I see how this goes. And as you may or may not know, the Penguins rally from two goals down with a couple of minutes to go. They force overtime. And 11 years prior, the New York Islanders in 1982 were chasing their third straight Stanley Cup. They were on their dynastic run and they met a team, the upstart Pittsburgh Penguins, who took them in a best of five to game five on the island. And the Penguins were up two goals late, but then they gave up two bad goals in regulation, then lost in overtime to John Tenelli on a goal. Michelle Dion, the greatest goaltending performance I've ever seen in my life to this day. Wasn't enough. The Islanders advanced and went on to win their third and then their fourth Stanley Cups. Then 11 years later, exact same thing. Flip. Penguins chasing their third straight down two rally to force overtime. I thought in between in the intermission. Finally, the reckoning of all reckonings. This couldn't be tidier. The Penguins are gonna knock off the Islanders now, who gave them their best, their best shot, but it's not gonna be enough. And now the Penguins will beat the Islanders and then Lemieux will go back to his homeland in Montreal, and they will vanquish the Blue Blanque Rouge. And then they would advance to play Wayne Gretzky in a head to head for all of time to settle the hash of who the best player is. Kings v. Pence, Pens v. Kings. Of course, 66 would win that. Instead, in overtime, David Volek beats Tom Barrasso. And that's that. The Penguins are done. And I decide as I'm leaving the igloo that night, well, that's that. The. The sports gods are sending me a message. I signed the lease in Chicago the next day and began my life that ultimately one thing led to another. Met a girl who convinced me to move to Los Angeles and try comedy. Writing out as a profession that worked out relative well. And here we sit today and I bring this story up because if I had it all to do over again. God damn it. What I wouldn't give for David Volek to hit the post and then Lemieux score at the other end and I

[Ethan]

could rest of my days so you don't have to live in la.

[Roy Bellamy]

Come on, man.

[Dave Damaschek]

That's it. I would never. We wouldn't be having this conversation right now.

[Roy Bellamy]

You wouldn't be married right now.

[Dave Damaschek]

If Lemieux.

[Ethan]

No kids.

[Dave Damaschek]

If Lemieux. I wouldn't have. I wouldn't know the children that I have that living under my roof right now. I wouldn't have the. Why I wouldn't have lived in L. A. I wouldn't. I wouldn't have known all these things. Would I trade it all for a third straight Stanley Cup? Yeah. Yeah, I would.

[Roy Bellamy]

Scotty Bowman will still be head coach in Pittsburgh, too. And that's the other thing.

[Ethan]

I hope Dave's kids are watching. I hope Dave's kids watch this show and say, my dad would trade everything we've ever had with my mom and our life in Los Angeles, our beautiful life in Los Angeles, having written for Jimmy Kimmel and lived in some of the great cities in America for a third straight Stanley Cup.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, John. Claude.

[Dave Damaschek]

I don't know. You know what? You're right. I appreciate you bringing that. Maybe. Would I. Would I undo all that? I don't know. I do think, though, that three straight Cups would have a special with the exclamation mark of beating, like I say, his hometown team to beat the Habs and then to advance, to put on a show for. For his people, and then to advance to the final and to vanquish Gretzky head to head for the sport of hockey, would have been. That would have been, I think, the signature event. I know, the Olympics and otherwise. I think if you could have had Gretzky, who won the MVP, you know, the. The garbage MVP that he. That. That he won in 89, that he had no business. He had Wayne Gretzky. That's a conversation for another time, unless you really want to deep dive it. The 89 heart trophy that Wayne Gretzky wins despite scoring 30 fewer goals than Mario Lemieux and scoring 30 fewer points than Mario Lemieux. Mario Lemieux has 199 points in 76 games.

[Ethan]

Totals they used to put up are insane. One hundred and ninety nine. What do you mean? A guy scored 199? I know.

[Dave Damaschek]

No, no, no. There is a major distinction. I know people don't want to believe it 30 years, whatever after the fact, but the difference between 1982, the standard and scoring and how easy it was and all the rest of it. The, the difference between 1982 and 1988 is vast. I agree with you, Roy, about the pads and all that. Still a big difference because of the expansion and the, you know, the Oilers make the league in what, 80, along with the Winnipeg jets or. And. But anyway, yes, there's a, there was a man. Look at who. Look at the goal totals. Look at who's scoring those goals in roundabout 82 and 83. Danny Maruk and all those guys. And the point totals by the end of that decade. It's, it's apples and oranges really.

[Ethan]

Now, Dave, that. Sorry, Roy. That 90. That would have been 93. So that was the last year a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup. Right? The Haves went on to win that Stanley cup and that was the last time a Canadian team won. Wow. And it doesn't look likely this year, Roy.

[Roy Bellamy]

Dave, your Pittsburgh Penguins have clinched a playoff spot and will play whoever ends up in third place in the Metropolitan Division. You've already survived two Sidney Crosby injury scares. You don't know what's going to happen with the future of Evgenie Malkin. Offensively you guys have been excellent, but defense and goaltending. So what do you think about the, the Penguins going into these playoffs?

[Dave Damaschek]

I mean, obviously a flawed team. They, as you say, the blue line is suspect. Eric Carlson. I don't know how much people are tuning into games that don't include their favorite team and watching Eric Carlson regularly. But the march that he had without getting crazy, without getting hyperbolic, it really is. And I, you know, I saw the, the Nick Lidstrom years and Raymond Bork and Paul Coffey and, and Zidane o' Char and whoever else you would hold up as just game changing defenseman and Scott Stevens. Whoever else.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah.

[Dave Damaschek]

That month that Eric Carlson put together in March is unlike anything I've ever seen. He just was so puck dominant and I mean at both ends he was lightening up, you know, scoring big time goals and making spectacular plays in the offensive zone. As you would expect Errol Eric Carlson. But he was cleaning up in his own end constantly. Just really taking away what you would think were, you know, odd man breaks and just using his wheels to clean up that killing penalties, all the rest of it. And this is with 87 and Geno Malkin both sitting down with injuries and suspensions and all the rest of it that he kept them afloat. I mean re. I really thought this is a Nice story, man. Undone by injury once again. That's not the first time that's happened to Sidney Crosby. What a shame, because this was a really marvelous run. But I guess it's over if Crosby's out for the month. And Eric Carlson just almost single handedly changed that with his performance. I've never seen somebody dictate the action from the blue line, really. I'm talking about watching games for 40 years now. I've never seen the defenseman just alter the steadily 20 minutes at a time, 25 minutes a game. Just dominating the game in the style of, of where that game went and the flow of the game the way Eric Carlson did. Anyway, long answer there. Sorry, Long answer from Dave Damaschek.

[Ethan]

Stunner.

[Dave Damaschek]

I know it's.

[Roy Bellamy]

Why are you talking shit about.

[Dave Damaschek]

I will. I'm with you. I'm with you on the goaltending. Obviously I'm spooked by it. They have Murashav, the 22 year old prodigy who a lot of people thought was going to get the start against the Devils in Jersey on Thursday night. He didn't. They rolled with Skinner, basically telling the world, Stu's our guy, at least for the first couple of games. I guess he'd really have to poop the bed before they considered she Loves or Murashov, which would be a weird thing if you call up the kid and throw him between the pipes in the playoffs. But I also think that there's a narrative around Stu Skinner that he's not a high end talent and I can kind of talk myself into, like, it's not a fluke. I get he was playing with McJesus and dry seidel and the rest, but he was in the final the last two years, so he's not a bum. He's not, He's. He's not the guy you necessarily would point at. I don't think Edmonton, I know in their quest to find a goalie led them to Tristan Jari, which is the greatest. But I mean, you could point out to the final, he played well.

[Ethan]

He played really well. Yeah. In the first series, from games four through six, he gave them a chance to play well to, to get to Game 7. He obviously gave up a soft one in Game 7 to Sam Reinhart, but he only gave up two goals in that game. Like, it's not like the Panthers won that game seven to three.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah. But earlier in the playoffs though, you can actually point to him like he didn't play on that wall.

[Ethan]

Yeah, I, I think the, the bigger Playoff problem was last year where they went. They rode Calvin Pickard for a while and then they were going back and forth between Skinner and Pickard in the final. And Skinner, I think, ended up being the guy for the last couple games Pickard played games three and four. I want to say. I can't remember exactly, but yeah, I mean, look like Dave, he's been really solid. It feels like he needed to change his scenery and there's clearly a talented goalkeeper in there somewhere. But this change of scenery has clearly paid off for him because he's been great since heading over to Pittsburgh.

[Dave Damaschek]

He's been mostly real, real good. They love him, apparently in the dressing room and all of that for however much that matters. And the thing that in the Whales this year as it stacks up, the Canes have sort of established well, I mean it's been this way for. For many moons now that the Canes are relevant and they can't seem to get over the hump and people are talking about this maybe being a different year for them and I guess we'll have to wait and see. And as it stands now, should the Pens be able to survive the Flyers or Islanders, you know, eternal rivals and all of that. Should they survive that series, the likelihood is that they catch the Canes. And I would think that that will be the end of the road. They just do not match up with the speed and the aggression of the way the. The Canes play things. But the Canes are perhaps for all the talk this whole regular season about how top heavy and I've perpetuated in the Campbell Conference that you have those three heavyweights in one division in the Campbell Conference and then the balance and relative mediocrity of everybody in the Whales. It feels now like, man, the Canes, let's see what the Sabes do. They haven't been there in forever. And the Lightning matter obviously until. Until they announce that something is. Has changed with them. But I mean the year Kucherovs had, the stretch he's had. And the Lightning are a scary team as well. I wouldn't want to play the Lightning if I'm depends. And I wouldn't want to play the Canes. Shocker. I know both of those. I do think that the Canes would outclass them a little bit. But I think that the Penguins are a weird. A weird because you know, the goal totals are going to go down a little bit once the playoffs. It's going to be tighter than it is in the regular season. But man, the they are four line they are a legit four line team and they up up front are they can compete with just about anybody. Their shortcomings on the blue line in between the pipes like you say.

[Roy Bellamy]

Finally, before we let you go, this could very well be the last two matchups between these two players with back to back games on a home at home starting tomorrow and ends on Sunday. Alexander Oveskin, Sidney Crosby might be looking at the final matchups here going against each other and these are, these two games are going to be important for the Capitals who are still chasing right now in the playoff race. Let's talk about Crosby and a Redskin. Talk about how important this one matchup has been for the history of the National Hockey League.

[Dave Damaschek]

Well, I'm going to use the word again, hyperbole. It's getting very popular I've noticed with sports radio talkers. People they want to cover for themselves. I don't want to get hyperbolic, but. I don't want to get hyperbolic. But Ovechkin and Crosby, Crosby and Ovechkin saved the NHL. I mean that is, that is just about beyond argument at this point. The dead puck era, the lockout and everything at the early part of this millennium really endangered the sport. And that was started before any of that got going. His fans started to care a little bit less. It is not a coincidence that the New Jersey Devils won that 1995 Stanley cup which really the. The NHL was going in a really interesting direction coming off of the Gretzky Messier Oilers into the Lemieux Jagger Penguins and then the, the Rags win their Stanley cup in 94 and things are really going in a fascinating direction with expansion. And then the Devils just clamp down on it like they clamped down on better skilled players and better skilled teams with the skill for free, left wing lock or neutral zone trap or whatever you want to call it. That really exacerbated or accelerated the dead puck era because a lot of other teams, including the Florida Panthers as an expansion team, skill free, could be competitive by clutching and grabbing the, the talented guys. It was sort of the irony of that is, is that Bettman learned at the knee of David Stern, who in the 80s recognized that we have to let our stars be as big a stars as we can possibly make them. We have to liberate Jordan and Bird and Magic and the Hammond Eggers cannot foul their way to competitive to being competitive with with our superstars of the league. Somehow Bettman processed that and came out 180 degrees away from that and said yeah, but we Want fans to show up in South Florida and in these new hockey markets. So we'll allow some clutching and grabbing to go because it will diminish the distinction between true skill and what they're throwing out there in the short term. And that's how the Florida Panthers wind up playing for the Stanley cup in their first season and how glorious it could have been because the Panthers played the exact same way that the New Jersey Devils did. You know, which, which negated that, you know, at the height of, you know, Lemieux powers, he was already diminished by the time the Panthers beat them in 96, you know, height of their powers, like, you know, Lemieux would be able to shake off the clutch and grab. He couldn't do it. By the time we got to 96, that, you know, the Devils beget the Panthers and all the other crap. And then the dead puck era happens because every game is one, nothing, two, one unsatisfying game results. The fans weren't. And then on the other side of that comes Ovechkin and then in short order, Crosby right after that. And they both are hyped beyond belief. And these two guys have to save the sport. And then they did it. They saved the sport, those two guys. And the rivalry that emerged and that it endured as long as it did with both of their teams being high end teams for as long as they were and meeting in springtime after springtime and all the rest of it was grand stuff. And somehow I don't know why people like Roy have arrived as we wrap up this brilliant career, one of the three or four best in the history of the sport, that somehow you've processed all of that and been like, yeah, I don't like that Sidney Crosby. I, I can't imagine, I realize, I can't imagine in a world of Tom Wilson's, how can you spend any. How do you have any energy left over to Disney Crosby?

[Roy Bellamy]

I didn't say I like Tom.

[Dave Damaschek]

I'm sure you don't like Tom Wilson. That's what I'm saying. That's. That's a good place to focus your energy. Tom Wilson is a scumbag. Yes, hate him. You hate, you hate Sidney Crosby.

[Ethan]

Why? It's exactly, it's exactly because of people like you, Dave, who have shoved him down our throats for 20 years as savior, golden child, who is a magical person who can do no wrong. And he, the reason Canada will win the gold medal this year is because they have Sidney Crosby. And the Americans don't guess what the Americans Won the gold medal and they beat Sidney Crosby. And I know he wasn't on the ice, but that's besides the point.

[Roy Bellamy]

They didn't beat him.

[Ethan]

That's besides the point. It doesn't matter. It's because of people like you who have turned him into this all powerful, all seeing, all great being that can do no wrong. The golden child of the NHL who was the league, was blessed with his. To save the league.

[Dave Damaschek]

That's what he did.

[Ethan]

That's why we hate Crosby.

[Roy Bellamy]

You've.

[Dave Damaschek]

You hate him for saving the league. You hate.

[Ethan]

I don't hate him for saving the league. I hate him because people like you, who. I love you, Dave, very much, you know, I do have shoved him down our throats as the golden child, the savior, the All Pro.

[Dave Damaschek]

I don't know how this sounds. I don't know if it sounds like I'm working blue. He shoved himself down your throat by. By. With his. With.

[Ethan]

Wow.

[Dave Damaschek]

I know that doesn't sound right, but spiritually, I mean, but with his greatness. What are you talking about? And by the way, the thing that people like the knock like, people like. Oh, Penguins fan. So spoiled. You go from Lemieux and then Jagger to Malkin and Crosby and you have this uninterrupted streak and all of that as a reminder for all their greatness and their Stanley Cups and all the rest of it, Lemieux and Crosby also have in common, not human tragedy, but athlete tragedy level. Right in the prime of their. Both of their careers. They miss massive. They miss giant chunks of their career. They would be even higher up, if that's plausible, to move higher up in the standings of the greatest people of all. The greatest players of all time. They both would rank people even higher time the great.

[Ethan]

See, this is what I'm talking about. Sidney Crosby ranked on the list of the greatest people of all time.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, my gosh, no.

[Dave Damaschek]

Lemieux is the greatest person of all time because he bought the team. They were going to leave town, but he's like, no, no, I'm going to buy him.

[Ethan]

I can think of about 35 people off the top of my head better than Mary.

[Dave Damaschek]

George Washington. Washington.

[Roy Bellamy]

George Washington.

[Dave Damaschek]

He did some good stuff. Mother Teresa. Yeah. Shout out to her Lemieux in the top three of that conversation.

[Roy Bellamy]

All right, get out of here, Dave. We're done with you, Dave Damosheka football America. Thank you, Dave.

[Dave Damaschek]

Thank you, fellas. Enjoy your free time this spring.

[Roy Bellamy]

Let me tell you, we're going to rest up and come back next year. And we're going to kick your and

[Ethan]

I'll be watching the playoffs, damn it. I'll be too.

[Dave Damaschek]

Locked.

[Ethan]

Locked in on the playoffs, just so you know.

[Roy Bellamy]

Go Sabers.

[Dave Damaschek]

I'm not against that. If, if I have to assume that the Penguins can't win the Stanley cup, but if, if the Senators or the Bruins can do the Pens a great favor and eliminate the Canes, then all bets are off. It depends really. Could cause if Crosby gets it going a little bit and that team, they get, as you've seen, they can, they, they can shoot it out with the best of them. My, my concern is in their end of the ice. But if, if you somehow could remove the Canes from the Whales conference conversation this spring, then I think, then I think the Pens have an actual chance. That's what I'm saying.

[Roy Bellamy]

Thanks again to Dave Damachek for joining us and giving us another story. That was a good one. Remember to check us out on YouTube at the Hockey Show DLS, on TikTok at the Hockey Show 7 and on X Instagram and threads at Hockey Show DLS. Thank you for David for stopping by and saying hello, as well as Nathan. Thank you to Jason who's back there and Gino who helped us out in the video room for Ethan. And we miss you, Rosie. Roy Bellamy. We will wrap up the regular season next week.

[Ethan]

Oh, I looked at the wrong camera.

[Roy Bellamy]

You sure did.