32 Thoughts: The Podcast - Babcock Decision Coming?

Episode Date: September 15, 2023

Bedard, Crosby, J. Hughes, Leon Draisaitl & a piece of podcast news to wrap up the podcast. Jeff and Elliotte kick things off by discussing the Babcock situation (1:00), the Player Media Tour in Las Vegas (9:00), PTOs (15:30), Shane Pinto and Ottawa (18:30) and they take your questions (43:30).The guys then chat with Connor Bedard (23:00), Sidney Crosby (33:55), Jack Hughes (49:30) and Leon Draisaitl (1:05:30).Finally, the gents say goodbye to a member of their team (1:19:00).Email the podcast at [e-mail] or call the Montana's Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemailMusic Outro: Future Islands + BADBADNOTGOOD - Seasons (Waiting On You)Listen to the full track HERE*Also heard on this episode was … Not The I Care - Tell MeThis podcast was produced and mixed by Amil Delic, and hosted by Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman.Audio Credits: Barchords.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Me and Quinn living together. Luke, go as you please. He was back and forth. A couple trips. Was he in Michigan? Yeah, it was good. Ready to get going, though. I believe it.

Especially, like, you guys have a hell of a team, too. Yeah, been saying that all week. Like, showing up to camp when you're expected to do well, so much better than when you're like, 82 games, here we go. What's going to happen? It's 32 Thoughts the Podcast, freshly back. I don't know if you've slept since the red eye,

but freshly back from Vegas, Elliot Friedman as part of the NHL Players Tour. Merrick Friedman and Delich. A little bit later on, you will hear from Sidney Crosby, Conor Bedard, Jack Hughes, and Leon Dreisaitl.

That's a heck of a show right there. But we also have news. We also have big stories. And the biggest one this week continues. As we record this, it's Thursday. We'll see what Friday brings. Well, we know what it's going to bring.

It's going to bring a meeting between the NHL Players Association and the NHL. And on the agenda, It's going to bring a meeting between the NHL Players Association and the NHL. And on the agenda, the Mike Babcock cell phone photos situation with various Columbus Blue Jackets players. You write about this at Sportsnet.ca. I encourage everybody to have at least a peek at it. Babcock, the Players Association, the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets, Yermo Kekulainen, John Davidson, and everybody else who's either directly or tangentially involved here.

I really think we're going to get a good idea on where this is going sometime Friday. So from Vegas, as you mentioned, the NHL and NHLPA had their event, their North American showcase in Vegas, and league officials are there, and NHLPA officials are there. Marty Walsh, the executive director, is there. Ron Hainsey, who's the assistant executive director, he was there. It was supposed to be Tuesday and Wednesday, and I don't know when they flew but basically first thing Thursday morning Marty Walsh and Ron Hainsey were in Columbus and they were in Columbus to meet with the Blue Jackets players and basically from what I understand here's what happened when this story first broke from Paul Bissonette on the spitting chicklins podcast couple of players boone jenner the captain and johnny goudreau who's obviously as secure as

about any player on the roster said that they were okay with what happened and they downplayed it and i will say this on tuesday afternoon both the league and the players association were satisfied with what Jenner and Goudreau had to say. Like basically there was nothing going on. And then on Tuesday night, late Tuesday night, word reached both the league and the players association that there were some players who weren't comfortable with what had happened here. And those included some of Columbus's younger players. And, you know, you talked about power dynamics and I think that's a big part of what this is here, obviously. I think there's also a difference between, you know, veterans and younger players. People can disagree with that, but I do think the fact that the veterans

were a bit more secure with it, there's a big difference between maybe some veterans being more secure with it and some younger players who really weren't. And I think when they heard that the younger players were, pick the word, uncomfortable, unsettled, didn't like it, whatever, I think everybody's feelings changed and they said, we have to look into this more.

So Walsh and Hainsey went to Columbus, you know, they had a meeting with the players. I don't know how, how long it was, but it was at least a couple hours. And, uh, you know, all people would tell me was that it was really intense. They wouldn't give specific details they you know they were very careful about it but they said it was a really intense meeting and i think the other thing too here is that you know some of these young players and i don't know who they are but some of these young players they're going to be the core of the Blue Jackets for years and years to come. And what are you thinking of as an organization in Columbus when you look at some of these players and say, holy smokes, this is our future?

You know, you have to be thinking, never mind what the details are, but like, are these players, do we have to protect these players and show that if they're not comfortable about something and legitimately not comfortable about something, we got to protect them. So I think that became a conversation too. So, you know, I think there's two things here. I think there's number one, did Babcock commit a violation. And I think there's also number two in a huge year for the blue jackets where much more is expected. Are you going to be in a position where this team is going to play for this coach? Plus also what we talked about where we know

everything now is just going to be the smallest thing that he does is going to be a frenzy. So I think between all of those things, you know, the league and the players association are going to meet tomorrow. And I think not only is, like I said, I think for Columbus, not only is this about, you know, did he commit a violation? I think it's also about, can we reasonably expect success with our team, uh, with him

as the head coach. You know, one of the things that I wondered about, you know, on our way back from Vegas, because, you know, we're all consumed with this story and everyone's, you know, thinking about it from a number of different angles. And again, we don't know what's going to happen here. But, you know, what would it be like for Babcock to go into that room with those players?

What would it be like from Babcock's point of view, looking around the room and wondering who, and what would it be like from the player's point of view and how much credibility would they give their, their new head coach? What would that be like having Mike Babcock in that room after all of this right now? I just wonder, you know, from both sides, one is a credibility issue and the other is a suspicion issue. It's not healthy.

I think both things are right. And, you know, the other thing is they had their first game in Traverse City. They played the Leafs and, you know, he was there. So that says to me, at least for the day, they're proceeding as normal. We'll see where we go. But,

you know, the other thing here is I understand that some of the former Maple Leaf players were contacted, uh, by, I don't know if it was the NHL, the players association. I honestly don't know.

I just heard they were contacted. And because, you know, as we've reported, Babcock did this in Detroit and Babcock did this in detroit and babcock did this in toronto like hainsey was in toronto under babcock played for babcock yeah you know where some of the stuff happened and i think the players were asked you know how they felt about this particular process and i will say this and i can only talk to the people i've spoken to some people perceive it

very differently some people were okay with it some people were not okay with it but i'll tell you this too jeff i think some people and other people the interactions in terms of how the phone was handled or the pictures were sent they weren't all the same so there's a variation here as part of this all too. But look, I think this, I think everybody wants to move quickly to give an answer here one way or the other. And I think we're going to know not too long. We'll find out the answer to this maybe as soon as Friday. I don't know.

Weekends on the horizon. Is this a contained fire around solely Mike Babcock in Columbus, or can this stretch out further? I don't know. And we wondered about this on the last podcast. He was hired by someone. There are necks that are out on this hire right now. We said this at the time. This is a risky hiring.

Did we know it was like this? No. But we all knew that it was a risky hiring. I just can't help but think that there are other people here that are having uneasy sleeps in the Blue Jackets organization who stuck their neck out for Mike Babcock. I don't know. I would say this. If I own the Blue Jackets, I wouldn't be happy.

If I was the owner, I'd be asking those questions. And I'm sure it's happening. So we'll see where this one carries into Friday and into the weekend as well. So as I mentioned, we just came back from the NHL Players Tour in Vegas. You'll hear from a number of players. Bedard, Crosby, Leon, and Jack Hughes. That's all coming up here on the podcast.

Any takeaways from this event? This event used to be in Chicago. It now takes place in Henderson, Nevada. There was some players from the east that maybe groused about the travel a little bit, getting into camp, and then they got to fly out West and it's easier for the

players West. And why can't we do this in a central location? Chicago was so nice. Uh, do you have a thought on either that or just a thought on the event itself? After getting all these players to sit and talk to us, it would be kind of lame for us to rip the players for complaining about getting there. Like seriously, Jeff, nobody's ever going to talk to you, it would be kind of lame for us to rip the players for complaining about getting there.

Like seriously, Jeff, nobody's ever going to talk to you again. Hey, listen to all these great interviews. We've got Sidney Crosby, Conor Bedard, Leon Dreisaitl, and Jack Hughes on this pod. And they all came from the Eastern time zone and they're miserable. Like what kind of setup is that? They're not miserable, but you know how players get.

And especially when you're just getting into your city and you're comfortable and you have to pick up and go out west if you're a team on the eastern seaboard. And you're saying to yourself, this used to be in Chicago. Can we do that again there? It was nice just having it central. Hey, man, I'm happy to go to Vegas anytime. Like we didn't stay on the strip. It was still lovely. For people who are unfamiliar, basically what happens is there's some rights

holders there there's some other media there but there's also like for example when you see the open and the player on the graphic shooting a puck or something or skating that's all filmed here like espn's they're filming it tva the french station is filming it we're filming it you know that's all filmed there and it moves very smoothly like the the building staff in vegas they're outstanding the nhl staff they're outstanding like i said the players are in a great mood and they don't hate us yet so it's fantastic i'm getting really old now that the like crosby is the constant like he's always there um and obviously conor bedard is going to be there, but it's, you know,

Bowen Byram, it's not a guy I've really had a lot of time to talk to. And, you know, it was great to sit down and chat with him. I like just some of the younger faces, the players.

I don't really know that well, cause I'm not in the field as much anymore. I really, really enjoy the conversations. And so I loved it. I had a great time you know what i was thinking of you know what conor bedard must be dying to do by this time play a hockey game he hasn't played a hockey game in a pretty long time here elliot what is his last game april i want to say and

there's been a lot of media. It's the draft. It's, you know, dragged to this event and this sponsor and these interviews and shoot this promo. Like, did you not think that when we were sitting there talking to him and you're going to hear the interview in a couple of moments here that this guy at this point might just be saying to himself, can I please play a game now? I've done everything except play a game. I'm dying to play a game of hockey you know what else i heard about him i heard he was a bit sheepish about being invited

like if you remember when he did his interview with ryan rashog after they won the gold medal at the world juniors ryan tries to ask him about his success and he says no i just want to celebrate with my teammates yeah so i think he's very much team over me and oh yeah very much and some of the other players told me that they got the sense that he was a little bit embarrassed that he was chicago's representative before he's even played a game i thought that was really interesting And everyone here will hear the interview, but I'd like to thank Rob from my flight. His name was Rob or Ron. I'm really sorry if I get this wrong.

Rob from my flight down to Vegas who pulled me aside and gave me a great Conor Batard story that turned out to be 65% true, but was a great way to start the interview. It's a higher percentage of truth than it was normally on this podcast. So thanks a lot for this story. Normally the truth readers are about 36, 37. We got up to 65 with that one.

Well, let me fly through and get your thoughts on the players you're going to hear in a couple of moments here. And I want to get to a couple of issues, a couple of news stories here. But really quickly, you mentioned Conor Bedard. You know, Sidney Crosby is the constant. Crosby's at a place in his career right now where, I mean, his words have always carried a lot of weight. But, you know, right now, given his position in the game,

I mean, when Crosby says something, I mean, there's a real gravity to it. And you remember Sidney when he started. You probably remember Sidney when he was playing in Rimouski in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. How do you see Crosby now? Because I look at him as someone that has the potential to really change things because his words carry weight. He's very vocal about international hockey. I think that's a great thing.

And he's not shy about using his voice for it well first of all i would like to say that jeff wasted the sydney crosby interview because normally it was you too no no i just i just sat there i was an innocent victim in all of this so basically what happens is you get about 15 minutes with each player sometimes 20 if it's later in the day and nobody's around them and Crosby comes in and sits down and Jeff asks him a question. Like that's what you do. You ask a question. So while they're almost like fiddling with the mics for like 36 minutes and, you know, they're getting everything set up, you know, you just have to, you know, do an icebreaker and Jeff, you know asked him a question and off camera crosby gives a really thoughtful answer does jeff stop and say let's start the interview

no he asked some more questions and crosby is giving him really good stuff unfortunately it's not on camera so we wasted eight minutes before we said anything on camera to Crosby. So first of all, I think Crosby has really grown into who he is. And you remember what last year he said he won't be playing when he's like 40 something, right? I think the game is really going to lose something when he's not around as a player. I really love dealing with him. Okay. So also you hear from Jack Hughes, Leon Dreisaitl on the horizon.

Meanwhile, news. I want to ask about a couple of PTOs, but someone who's not interested in a PTO is someone we're going to start with. And that is Paul Stastny. What's the latest here? Yeah. I had a few people tweeting at me about Paul Stastny. So, you know, I made a call and basically Stastny does not sound very interested in

a PTO. Nobody should be surprised that teams have called him and asked about PTOs. I don't think that's what he's interested in. He can still play. He can still help, but he wants to go in with a guarantee. So I think unless some team steps up, he's willing to sit and wait and be patient, but it doesn't sound like he's interested in a PTO. Speaking of PTOs, a couple here.

One, Nick Ritchie with the St. Louis Blues. Now, interesting there, you know, before he was traded last year, for his brother, by the way, if you'll all recall, in one of the more bizarre trades in the history of the NHL, I was told St. Louis was interested. Like, this goes back last season when they were looking to get heavier and they were looking to get tougher. And let's not forget, we've always talked about it on the podcast.

The St. Louis Blues always want to have some weight behind the logo and, you know, they want to have some muscle. So probably shouldn't be a surprise that since they've been interested before, they're interested now, albeit on a PTO in bringing in Nick Ritchie. As you said, that fits the Doug Armstrong MO. Big man eats nails. Doug Armstrong. That might be the name of the podcast.

Okay. Josh Bailey, Ottawa PTO as well. We're going to get the Shane Pinto here in a second, but Josh Bailey finds a place to skate, albeit on a PTO. You know, I was happy to see this. You know, as we'd said,'d heard that bailey had some interest and just had to decide you know where he wanted to go josh bailey another guy i've always really liked dealing with quiet sometimes i want to see how people are out of their comfort zone you know he got his a thousand games in the islanders which everybody

you know really wanted wanted to see. And now I want to see him somewhere else. Like he's a guy who you look at and say just a new lease on life. And also he's like an Ontario guy. So it's close. I just wonder how a new lease on life is going to affect him. You know, we'll see about the Sanders here. As you mentioned, they've still got another roster decision or two to do here,

but I'm curious to see once the Pinto thing gets done one way or the other, then I wonder what Ottawa's roster is going to look like. Because if, let's say for example, if Pinto's not there, who's their number three center?

Let's get there. One closing note on Josh Bailey, DJ Smith, the head coach of the Ottawa Senators, was his assistant coach with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. So I would have to imagine that somewhere along this road, DJ Smith was part of the conversation to bring in Josh Bailey on a PTO. We've talked a lot about Shane Pinto. Now he's in a very unique place,

and we talked about Jamie Drysdale's status with the Anaheim, not too dissimilar. Cannot be offer sheeted. If the team wants, they can grind. I don't know that they want to alienate the player that way. But what is the latest with Shane Pinto here in the Ottawa Senators? I always say this. Anything can change with one phone call. That goes triple for right now.

Because deadlines spur action and we're getting i'm getting close to the deadline of training camp so we'll see if something gives way here to this point the two sides hadn't been close i you know i think also because auto was going to have to do something to fit in pinto's number, whatever that's going to end up being somewhere in the mid twos, I assume. I do think the talk around Pinto has picked up. Now, anybody's allowed to talk to Pinto because he's a restricted free agent, but as you said, you can't offer Sheetum. So there's nothing you can do without Ottawa's kind of approval here. I think teams have asked Ottawa, okay, what are you doing here? And, you know, I've heard there's been some talk about if a team wants Pinto, does Ottawa say, look, if you want him, you may have to take another player that clears up our salary situation, you know, for

whatever Ottawa gets in return, because Pinto is a good player. This is not going to be a small return. You're going to have to give up something to get them. And it's been suggested to me that maybe you might have to take something that else that Ottawa needs to clear up some of its salary room. So I think that's out there. But I do think there are teams who are interested. To me, first and foremost, I think Ottawa wants to keep the player. But, you know But we'll see.

I think Ottawa knows if they trade him, they're going to get a good player back. So we'll see. Teams that I kind of wonder about in all this, I do wonder about Boston. Any center that's out there, you have to wonder about Boston. That's a given. What does Boston have to give up? That's the one thing I look at. I wonder about Boston. That's a, that's, that's a given. What does Boston have to give up? Like, that's the one thing I look at. I wonder about Boston.

I also wonder about someone like Philly. Like, I mean, that's the thing here. The one thing I have heard is, is I do think some teams have kind of talked to Ottawa and said, okay, we're getting close.

What are you thinking here? A good young center who scored 20 goals in this league? Like who isn't going to be interested in that? Every team's looking for that, sir. Thank you very much. It's going to be really tough to get away from Toronto headlines involving William Nylander. A lot of it revolves around the contract.

We talked to him when we were in Stockholm with the European Players Tour. What questions do you still have about the william neilander situation on the ice off the ice with the agent what's there left for you and william neilander look the only like look i think this is going to play out uh over the year i really think that's the position, but one of the things I've heard kind of talked out there is that will the leaves try them again at center. I think that's been something that's kind of discussed,

you know, does he see some run at center this year? Is that part of the lure to get them to sign? I think that whole thing is just going to play out. All right. That is the news as it sits right now. But Friday is going to be another day. We'll see what happens.

When we come back, you'll hear from a number of NHLers. You'll hear from Leon Dreisettl. You'll hear from Jack Hughes. You'll hear from Sidney Crosby. And kicking it off, you will hear from Conor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks hey guys this is Nick from Holland Michigan and Holland is an interesting place about halfway between Detroit and Chicago so with the recent rumors of Patrick Kane heading to Detroit I'm

wondering your opinion on will it be worse for Detroit fans to have to reconcile Patrick Kane on their team if he plays for them or for Chicago fans to see Red Wings jerseys with Kane on the back? Thanks, guys. Thanks for the pause. Appreciate your work. Bye. Conor Bernard, number 98, Chicago Blackhawks.

Conor, we're going to start the interview by turning the recreation over to Elliot Friedman, who's going to do some hard-hitting journalism here with you. Elliot, the floor is yours. So I heard this story when I was flying down to Vegas. A gentleman named Rob on the plane told me this story. I wanted to ask him to see if it was true. He said that you were a young player. You can tell me how old you were if this is true.

And you were going to a hockey tournament. And when you got there, you realized you'd forgotten your elbow pads and your shin pads. So one of the fathers of the player on your team, a player on your team, he happened to have his hockey bag there and he gave you his elbow pads and shin pads. And you went out and scored four goals in the first period on them. Is this story true? Some of it. The four goals in the first period on them. Is this story true? Some of it. The four goals is definitely an exaggeration, but yeah, I was 12 years old and yeah, we

were playing, it was like playoffs of our league. So it's like do or die. And I got to the rink and yeah, I couldn't find, it was actually my jock and my elbow pads. And so he had his bag, he had a senior men's game or whatever whatnot so i i borrowed his and then i was getting dressed throwing all my stuff on and i was putting my pants on and and there was my jock and my elbow pads so uh so you were saved from wearing this other guy's job yeah so i got to take his jock off and put my own on but uh yeah pretty funny story and uh yeah i

was pretty young so it was good well and and other thing is, if you had forgotten your equipment, was there a team penalty or something like that? Yeah, yeah. So the rule was if you forgot equipment, you had to miss 10 minutes of the game. So like the first period. So obviously, do or die game, I'm like, no way I got to miss 10 minutes of this. Like, this sucks. And then.

So hang on, that was mandatory even for you? For everyone, yeah. It was a team rule. And I was upset, of course. and then so that hang on that was mandatory even like with all the even for you for everyone yeah it was a team rule and um i was upset of course and then when i found the gear i was because i already told my coach and everything then i ran to him i'm like i don't know from his 10 minutes of the game i found my gear so uh it's funny it's funny too because on well you know this minor hockey youth hockey sometimes when there's a hard and fast rule like that if it's a do or die game you put it to a vote and all the players that if it's a do or die game you put it to a vote and all the players say you know the vote is should we waive the rule for in your

case conor bedard normally all the kids will say like yeah waive the rule it's so nothing like that no i think it was good i mean that was the rule and um stuck for everyone and um it was good i just you just shouldn't forget your equipment and i i, I didn't, I thought I did, but, uh, yeah, I was fortunate. I can absolutely see you from as, from everything I've seen about you so far is that you would not like anyone to ban rules for you. That would bother you if that happened.

Yes. Yeah. I think, um, we actually had one of those team votes sort of thing. We had a similar rule in midget and it was like late to breakfast. Um, someone missed their alarm. Some,

some unlucky happened and we're going to the game and our coach is COVID and it was playoffs. So that game was the last game of the year. It got canceled. And then, so our coach kind of knew that and he's like team vote, like, you know,

you want these guys to play and then ended up getting canceled and warm up. So I've been on both sides of that was obviously for a different reason, but I think if, if it's a rule, then everyone should should be you know um under that rule how was competing against sydney crosby with colby today yeah i don't want to spoil it how was it uh good i think people would be surprised not surprised but uh maybe the competition he thought i'd win he won and the one i thought he'd win, I won. So it's funny.

Can't wait to see it. You know, one of the things, and we saw this through your junior career with Regina, specifically in the final season. One of the things that people always talk about with you is, and we saw this with the rules conversation as well, is loyalty. And there's a way that things are done and you're not going to

budge from them like this year there was a big hue and cry you know but dard to cam loops but dard to cam loops guaranteed memorial cup got to get them there and you said no this is my team and i'm on this ship yeah period what does loyalty mean to you in sports i mean it's a tricky conversation because it's a business, but what is loyalty to you? Yeah, it's big. And I mean, whatever team I'm on, I expect to win. And I'm not saying because I'm on it or anything. It's just like the mentality of the game. And with Regina, of course, we had a good team. Of course, it fell short and everything, but I really liked what we had and kind of, you know, I had so many of my good friends

on that team, and, you know, I think just kind of you're there all year, and you're working towards the same goal, and I think that's something that's so much fun, and for me, that's, I wanted to carry that out and continue with them and try to win, and that's what we did. Of course, like I said, we came short, but, you know, just sticking with your guys

and that is huge. This is going to come a bit out of left field but i listened to that i remember your interview with ryan rashog after the gold medal game when you talked about team you're a very grounded person i'm kind of wondering what are conor bedard's rules for life like what are your guidelines that you these are absolutely the way i'm going to do things and I'm not bending my principles for them at all? Kind of be, just, you know, be, be good to everyone. Kind of, you know, honesty. I think that's something my parents, you know, were pretty big on is, you know, in life. And, you know, I think you can get so carried up in, in your own life and, and whatever

and kind of, you know, but you got to take the time for everyone. And that's something big for me off the ice. But, of course, with everything I do, I try to put in my all. And, you know, I don't think a job's worth doing if you're not going to, you know, go out and try to do your best. So a few things that I kind of live by, I guess. You're going to be playing on a team with Taylor Hall. You're going to be playing on a team with Corey Perry. You're going to be playing on a team with Corey Perry.

You know, this is a Chicago Blackhawks team that's, you know, we think of, you mentioned Sidney Crosby and what Pittsburgh did when he was drafted first overall and brought in a lot of veterans to help insulate and surround him with. What are the conversations with Hall or Perry been like? Have you had those types of conversations? And sort of what are you expecting with a couple of these veterans?

Yeah, I mean, I've been lucky to be able to talk to those guys and stuff. Hall sent me a text and Perry and Nick's been unreal. Foligno, I don't know if you guys know him at all, but one of the best people I've ever met. So they've been great. Perry's been there a bit this past weekend and week that I was in Chicago.

And Nick, I was in Chicago. Nick, I was able to go to his house and meet his family, have some dinner and stuff. I'm really lucky. Like I said, these people seem unreal and so welcoming of myself. I felt really comfortable going to the room this past week without really knowing people. That shows a lot about the characters. Have you thought about that opening face-off pittsburgh chicago 98 87 yeah like a little but not a crazy amount i mean i'm trying to just go on a camp and focus on that and um you know of course there's there's preseason we got a rookie uh rookie games coming up and everything but i mean it's hard not to dream of and think about here and there but

try to just kind of focus on the present have you figured out who you're going to live with this year i've got to ask that question a lot i've always kind of uh not answered i guess so uh well you know you could always change right yeah yeah so i mean we'll see see what happens do you know and you just prefer not to say or well. Well, I mean, I, I kind of know, but I don't know why I just haven't answered yet. Okay. Fair enough. I can tell that all of my tactics here are not going to work on you. So I'm going to give up for you.

Elliot always rolls his eyes, but I love asking equipment questions of players. Is there something that you've always worn? Like I look at, you know, players that play like their entire careers, you know, with the same shoulder pads or the same shoulder pads that they played when they're

playing midget hockey. Is there something that you're particularly attached to a piece of your equipment that, yeah, you know, until this thing disintegrates, I'm going to wear it. I don't really love new gear except for sticks. I think gloves example i've i used the same gloves for the past like two years in regina and every practice every same pair same pair and just had to repalm them yeah my trainer there uh repalmed them here and there but i don't know just kind of new stuff i find harder to get used so i'm getting better with skates i think you kind of need new skates here and there but how often do you change them skates yeah last season i only used like three ish but like i'm i used to like really not like getting new ones but now they feel all right right away so i probably switch them a little more but i don't know i have some old

old gear that is uh pretty ugly so i'm sure it's so ugly it's beautiful last one for me connor like away from the rink what What do you do to relax? I don't know. Really. I like to like be with friends and family. I like to, uh, like go play other sports with some buddies or,

you know, Vancouver is great to like being in the nature or whatnot and go to, uh, go on a hike or go, um, I got a Canyon right by my house. It's pretty sweet. So stuff like that,

just kind of being with your buddies and, uh, your family. Have you done the gross grind? Yeah grind yeah what's your time my best ever was 39 um i did it three three times this summer and i got 41 and a half and then 41 so a little slow progression but it's hard it gets harder every time i feel like uh last one for me i'm curious because uh i've got a couple of kids and they're huge fans or one's 13 and one's 11. And they're really excited that of all the people that Elliot and I are

talking to, they're like, are you going to talk to Conor Bedard? What was it like? Or was there like a particular moment where you realize you'd become hockey celebrity for younger kids? Like I can recall a very specific moment in time where everybody all of a sudden all these kids were doing the conor bedard tape job yeah i think for me like it was

a bit when i was 15 16 in regina of course but that world juniors in halifax i think really changed yeah you know everything and um after that it was a lot more attention and you know kids were fired up seeing him or something you know i go home and i'm like why why are these kids excited to meet me or whatever i'm just like normal guy but um no that's pretty sweet that you can have an impact on on these people and you know i think getting to meet some kids and talk to them and uh maybe they have have questions for me and stuff i find that pretty pretty cool yeah, just knowing that you can impact people's lives just by being you and, and living your own life. And that makes you want to do things,

you know, that much better. This has been great. Best of luck this season. Yeah. Thank you. Appreciate it. Good luck.

Yeah. Thanks. Listen to the 32 thoughts podcast ad ad-free on Amazon Music, included with Prime. Sidney Crosby, it was the summer of the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was the summer of Kyle Dubas. It was the summer of Eric Carlson, and all eyes are on your team to kick off the season. How do you feel about that? I'm okay with it.

It's for a different reason than maybe other years. I mean, you know, there's been a lot of turnover, like you said, and coming off of last year where we just let it slip there late, it was disappointing, but we should be a motivated group because of that and then because of all the changes like you mentioned. So I'm curious, the night you flew in, I

guess, to meet with Dubas, is that, is that, is that not true then? No. So what happened was, is he was coming to visit and I had just got back from vacation and, uh, it just happened that I was coming back into town for a day or two before leaving again. And, uh, they had said that he was, you know,

going to the practice rink. So I just happened to be there at the same time and, uh, had the opportunity to meet him. But, uh, it wasn't like some, it was really last minute. You've rolled your eyes a lot at me over the years. That was a good one.

Yeah. I didn't fly. I didn't fly in. Like it was actually the way it worked out was perfect. I was literally home for like an hour he happened to go to the practice rink so it worked out well i could go you know meet him and say hi and at that point nothing was for sure i think he was just trying to check things out get a lay of the land and and uh take a look so it wasn't it was far from you know being uh permanent and it just worked out well.

It was nice to get a chance to talk to him. I didn't know at that point, but I was glad I had the opportunity to meet him. What was the most interesting thing he either asked you or said to you? It's hard to pick one. I think he was just trying to see where I was at just with what I thought with the season. It was pretty fresh at that point. I think as people in hockey, everyone has their own opinions,

and you're not there, you're not in it, but I think you just want to see how I felt and where I thought the team was at. I think coming off the season that we did, obviously it was so disappointing, and I still felt like we were pretty competitive. For the most part, we were pretty good. We struggled in our division against, you know, the Islanders and Carolina. I think we lost every game against those two teams.

But you take those games away, and, you know, we were right there. And once you get anything can happen, you saw Florida. So as tough as it was, I was still pretty optimistic about our group and thought we weren't far off. So I don't know how he took that, but he seemed pretty encouraged too and seemed to see the same way. How do you see Kyle Dubas as your general manager? You've had a number of general managers when you started. It would have been Craig Patrick, who was a general manager, Ray Shiro at your mother for it, et cetera. How would you compare Dubas to all the other managers you've

had i'd say he's probably like the most new age when you when you think of a gm and just with all the analytics and all the development stuff that goes into organization you know obviously being a part of the leafs there's lots of opportunity to add to staff and you know you look at their you know every staff really training staff and medical and development everyone that's it's a huge organization and they really had every opportunity to kind of build that and he was a big part of that so it's just cool like for me i've seen hockey evolve you know you go from one strength coach to to three and you know all the sport science and all the development roles and player development and everything that goes into that. So I think he's somebody who is constantly trying to add to that and be ahead of the curve.

And I think he's brought that approach. Not that the other guys didn't, but I think that's been something that's really been his specialty from, you know, from coming from there. We always focus so much on what's different, what's different. This has changed. This has changed. This is, this is different than when I broke in. But from your point of view, like what is the one constant in your hockey life, whether it's training, whether it's whatever it is, is there one thing that, you know, going back to my first game in Rimouski to, you know, last year at the end of the season, this is non-negotiable. I always do this. This is the same. Yeah. I think you just got to learn. I mean, you got to learn, you got to evolve. So that's, that's how I look at it. I mean, there's things that, you know, I believe in that helped

me when I was a younger player that I feel like I still need to do and and then there's other things where you know you have to find a way to evolve and and learn from you know whether it's things you've done well in previous years or not done so well and as you age managing you know your energy a little bit and you know trying to find that balance so it it's, you know, it's just constantly learning. So I've always had that mentality, and I think that's an important one. And, you know, when you have the passion for it, when you love it, that comes pretty easy. I reached out to some of your teammates, said,

who can we talk to today, and one of them said, I don't know if I've ever seen him as pissed off as he was at the end of last season. What pissed off Sidney Crosby last year? It was just such a struggle for us to find consistency. You know, at one point I think we won seven in a row and then we lost seven in a row. As a guy that's been in different situations to get into the playoffs, I mean,

I've been in a situation where you're first all year and you just ride that into the playoffs. And then, you know, the year that we won in 16, it was like we were out of the playoffs and then went on a great run and had momentum going in and just caught fire this was a new a new situation for us we were kind of chasing it right from early on but we had put ourselves in a spot to get in you know like it wasn't like you know it was a miracle we needed I mean we needed to win our last two games, you know, like it wasn't like, you know, it was a miracle we needed. I mean, we needed to win our last two games and, you know, to get, to go through all that, all the ups and downs and to be in a position to, you know, to get in and not be able to find a way.

That's something we had done in years past and we didn't, we didn't do it this time. So that was frustrating and there's nothing better than playing the playoffs. I mean mean at this point that's the most exciting thing and when you get up for the matchups throughout the regular season and you have that motivation but playoff hockey is just that's why you play you just crave that you crave that atmosphere that environment and the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. Last one for me. There's someone who said to me that they really think that what the NHL needs is you and Connor McDavid on the same team playing for Team Canada.

That's what this sport badly needs. And I wanted to ask you what you thought about that. Yeah, I mean, any opportunity we can get to play for Canada. And, you know, he's mentioned a ton of times with best on best seeing you know seeing that seeing all the other countries you know you look at their their lineups I mean it's pretty tight I mean there's no real favored team I mean it's it's easy to say Canada because we've had success the Olympics and that sort of thing but I mean the hockey is incredible and from my experience it doesn't

really get any better than that when you're looking at the lineups and you're looking the players that are assembled and you know any opportunity i can get and it's it's too bad it hasn't worked out uh for a while here but it's looking like that could change so you know that'd be awesome who moves to the wing i'll go there no. You're supposed to say he goes there. He goes there. You're supposed to say he goes there. Listen, I've skated with him and I've played both. I think I'm good either way with playing center,

wing, whatever he wants to do. He can carry the mail. I'll just, I'll find the, I'll find the opening. Find the open spot. That's right. Let me wrap this up by asking a question about, a big picture question here. One of the great things about hockey is it can be kind of vague.

It's not really black and white. I am curious now that you've been in the game for so long, have an expanded vision about it. What confuses players? What confuses you about the game? What confuses your teammates about the game? I would say maybe just suspensions. I think that, you know, maybe, you know, penalties

are always going to be like that. We're always going to question, you know, what we saw. It's so easy with replay, we can, you know, dissect it. But I would say, you know, it's still something where you see a highlight, you see a clip, and you don't know the range of a suspension. You don't know whether it's going to be a suspension or not that's that's how I feel I know it's not an easy job for anybody but yeah I still feel like there's a bit of a gray area there and you know I don't think anyone's ever going to agree on length or you know that sort of thing or what the intentions were on a play that's always going to be debatable but I'd like to think that we can get a little bit closer

to what it is exactly and maybe what the punishment is. Great player, great thinker of the game. Sydney, thanks as always for stopping by. All right, thanks for having me. I woke up and I feel like I've been stuck without you Now I got you in my head Don't ever leave, leave, I'm begging for you You make me a fool I, I wonder why

I think of you every time Before the break, you heard a four-piece band from Toronto. Sisters Jessica and Alyssa met Layla and Sam in music school and formed the band Not That I Care. That was Tell Me off their debut EP Lost All Sense. Okay, Elliot, now time to get to the Montana's Thought Line, Montana's Barbecue and Bar, Canada's home for barbecue, to which you always say... Try the ribs.

32 Thoughts at Sportsnet.ca is the email, the line, 1-833-311-3232. It is the Montana's Thought Line. And the first one is a voicemail. Sheldon in California. Hey, Sheldon on the beach in California. Thinking about Connor's salary and this whole concept of, I want more than this player than that player because I'm the best in the world. But when he's done, would Conor rather look back?

I mean, he's clearly secured the bag. He's never going to want for anything. But wouldn't he rather take a serious discount, allow the Oilers to sign just about anybody they want, maybe go on a two or three year deal at league minimum and win three Stanley Cups, be the next dynasty since what? The Oilers? I just think that'd be amazing.

Or do you think the pressures from the other players in the league to keep the salary climbing or whatever would be too high? And you just couldn't do that. Have a good one. Sheldon in California. I can only imagine if Bob Goodenow was still the executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association, what he would think, Elliot, of what Sheldon in California is proposing here for Connor McDavid. I've had this argument with

people. Whenever my contract has come up, I have had people say to me you have a responsibility to raise the bar to people for others and one thing I wouldn't ever want to be is for people to say well we only pay Elliot X now I should say this I'm not allowed to discuss my contract with anybody else and I don't but it's kind of like the honor system right would you ever want uh like your employer to say, you know what, you're not getting a cent more than X because that's what, say, Elliot makes and we're not paying you more than him? I would never want to be that person. Now, one of the arguments I have, Jeff, in a salary cap world is it's 50-50, right? The salary cap in hockey is a little bit different because it's a hard cap mostly and the more you take the less there is for someone else so it's a bit different

but look i think this if you remember mcdavid was initially supposed to sign this contract i think for 13.33 he took it down to 12 and a half because he wanted the team to do well. So I think he's going to do that for probably his career is he knows he could get 20% of the cap. I heard last time the Oilers were prepared to pay it. Like if he would have walked in there and said,

I want 20% of the cap. How do you say no? Edmonton would have done it. Yeah. Do you want us to petition the league for 23%? We can no uh but that's what's going to happen he's always going to take a big number but i think it's always going to be less than what the max could be nice try uh i'm going to guess here that sheldon in california is an edmonton Oilers fan. Nice try. Another voicemail on the Montana's Thought Line, 1-833-311-3232.

Let's get to Chris in the Hoof. I have no idea, Elliot, where the Hoof is, but Chris in the Hoof. Shoot. Hey, guys. Great show. It's Chris in the Hoof. I got a question.

When a player gets bought out, a la Oliver Ekman player gets bought out, I'll, I'll recommend Larson. What happens to the retained salary of the other team? Do they keep paying it or does it get bought out a percentage as well? Thank you. You guys are great. Take care. It's a great question.

I've been hoofed. I don't think I've ever been in the, where's the hoof. Can you please, someone please let us know where the hoof is. The hoof steakhouse in Madison, Missouri. Oh, okay.

Very good. All right. That could be it, but you know, I'm sure we'll, I'm sure someone will let us know. This happened to Arizona this year as the caller mentioned.

It stays on Arizona's cap and they lose one of their three retained salaries. Retained salary positions. Yes. So it stays on their cap. The same rules for Vancouver apply to Arizona.

Great question there, Chris, in the hoof, if the hoof is indeed a place. That reminds me. I made a mistake on one of the previous pods. Yeah, we just gloss over those things. I've made plenty, and we just move along. It's kind of the way we do it on the pod. I said that Yager was the only player at 20%.

Ah, there was another one. Yes. And I had one person from the NHL reach out about it. I had Jeff Villette, who's a listener of the podcast and anyone who has Twitter knows Jeff. And I had a fan tweeted at me too. I'm surprised it wasn't Ron McLean that tweeted at you.

Yes. Give, given who the person is. Brad Richards was over 20% when he signed his extension. Cause the cap hadn't been set the next year, but when he signed his big extension in Tampa, it was over,

it was at 20% of the cap. So there've been two. All right. Uh, thanks everyone for contributing. Uh, the Montana's thought line, 32 thoughts at sportsnet.ca, one, eight, three, three. so there have been two all right uh thanks everyone for contributing uh the montana's thought line 32 thoughts at sportsnet.ca 1-833-311-3232 now let's hear from leon dreisaitl of the edmonton oilers but before him here's jack hughes of the new jersey devils

jack hughes number 86, New Jersey Devils. Okay, so Jack, a few weeks ago, Elliot and I were in Stockholm, European NHL players tour, and we talked to, amongst other people, Jesper Bratt. Guess who he was talking about when he said this? He skates like a magician.

Give him the puck and skate to an open lane. Who was he talking about? He was talking about me. Yes, he was. Because he's a good guy. Or is he accurate? Do you really skate like a magician? I don't know if skating like a magician is a thing.

Playing like a magician? Yeah. I don't know. But Braddard, great guy, great player. A lot of respect for him. What's it like playing with him? I mean, he's played with you. He's played with Nico a couple of centers.

From a center's point of view, what's it like playing with him? I love playing with Bratter because it's like the same with a Zgris when I played at the program. Bratter, we don't even have to talk about hockey. We get on the ice and it's like, he knows exactly my reads and I know his reads because we're so similar in the way we skate and handle the puck. And there's no selfishness whatsoever. It's like finding each other, working off each other, delays, pull-ups. It just like meshes so well. So I love playing with Brad.

He works so hard in the summer that it's no surprise that every year he takes another step forward and he gets better every year. Is there a goal or a play last year that you would tell everyone to go look up and say that is the quintessential Hughes-Brad play?

Yeah, I mean, there's been a lot of goals where on the power play, either one of us is on our forehand side, looking, looking, and then we just turn our wrist and right through the seam for a one-timer. But the goal that sticks out the most for me is against Carolina late in the season to make it 2-0.

It was a four-on-4. It was like Pesci and Shea, I think. They had really good gaps, and they got the long sticks, obviously. And this doesn't happen much because they're great defensemen, but we give and go, and I delayed right at the blue line just enough to not go off sides but enough to pull it back so that they didn't poke check me. And Brad, I was just darting and I found him and he scored. And to me, that's perfect.

It's like give and go, give and go, read off each other, bang, scoring chance. That's awesome. You know what you sound like? I used to do a bit more golf and you go to the players. They'd come off the course, they'd go to the press room and they'd say, go through your birdies and your bogeys. And they would say, okay,

on one, I took a three iron off the tee. I put it to here. Like they could remember all their shots. Can you do that with hockey plays? Like, do you have that kind of mind that you remember everything? If you asked me every single play from the season?

No, that you remember everything? If you asked me every single play from the season, no. I can remember pretty much all my goals and a good chunk of points, I'd say. Really? I'd say so. What's your favorite play from last year? Of me personally? Yeah.

My favorite play was my goal against Philadelphia on the power play. Talk us through it. It was similar to my Ottawa goal. We were on the power play. They just like dump one down, but they didn't get it all the way down the ice and they were changing. And I like looped this way. And then I like came down and I kind of weaved through Proveroff, but like I put it on the back of his heels. So like just enough where like the guy coming off the bench couldn't get me because he had to get to the far side.

Provorov came this way. My favorite part about the goal is like my footwork when I score because I don't just stick handle with my hands. It was like with my feet too. And that's been something I've been working on for years. So it's my favorite play because it's like shifting my weight so the goalie moves. And when I go on my backhand, he thinks I'm going backhand,

but I bring it back to my forehand, and I have pretty much the whole blocker side just from the way my feet are moving. It's almost like stick handling with your feet instead of your hands. That's awesome. I love hearing Kraft stuff like this. Okay, let me take that one step further then. How much in your mind do you have a book on goalies in the NHL?

Because what's going to work against the Flyers might not work against the Rangers, might not work against the Penguins. I would say a lot of elite goal scorers have a pretty good book, even if they would say they don't. Some guys' shots are just so good they can just beat the goalie. But I would say there's probably five or six guys in the league maybe say they don't some guys shots are just so good they can just yeah beat the goalie but like i would say there's probably five or six guys in the league maybe that can be at the top of the circles and just beat the goalie no screen and i'm definitely not one of those guys i was gonna

i remember having these conversations around draft time it's like in junior you can blow pucks past goalies you can't do that in the nhL. In the NHL, it's different. They're so good. But I watch a lot of hockey, so obviously you see where goals go in. A lot of stuff is repetitive too. At the end of the day, it's hockey. If you get a puck in a certain spot, low blocker is going to be your best chance to score, depending on the angle. In division, you know a lot. Sorokin or Shursturkin, they probably know my game

better than someone in the Pacific, just like I know their game better than someone in the Central. I'd say definitely the Metropolitan, you have your little secrets. What's a secret on Shusterkin? Well, it wouldn't be a secret. Well, come on. I got to try. I can't even say there's secrets on him. He's going to see this too. He's so good that sometimes you just got to get a puck on net. He's a top two goalie in the league,

in my opinion, him and Vasilevsky. So I hate gassing him up because he's a ranger too, but he's top goalie for sure. Speaking of Rangers, how much was that? I mean, it's not the Stanley Cup, but how much did it feel like your Stanley Cup last year beating the Rangers? Yeah, that was definitely part of the problem in the Carolina series was that like the Rangers series was so like emotional because you knew it was happening for

like three months before it happened too. Oh yeah. From February on, we knew we were playing the Rangers. It was pretty much who got home ice, but then like, was it even home ice because they're so close to each other. So that was just like, we went down 2-0 then the overtime goal Dougie like biggest goal of the year because if we lose that we're down 3-0 we're done score that massive we're like crazy in the locker room then game four we take it to them game five we take it to them game six we're like all right let's go we're gonna beat them like they're down and out game six they dominate us game seven Colorado played the night before Colorado loses to Seattle everyone's like anything is possible tomorrow and then we played great game seven and then we played two days later

in Carolina and we were just probably flat because one we were a young team that we were so emotionally invested in the Rangers series that we might have taken the Carolina series a little easy at the start, which we shouldn't have done because they're such a good team. But that's what we're learning. I have to ask you, you didn't talk about it at the time, and you can tell me if you don't want to talk about it now. I heard you were hurt. How bad was it? Yeah, I mean, like you didn't talk about it at the time and you can tell me if you don't want to talk about it now i heard you were hurt how bad was it yeah i mean like i didn't think i was gonna play but i'm a hockey player like you go in the room get shot up and then

what are you gonna do with one of the boys like they look at you and you're gonna say no but like that's all i had to give with my final game but definitely no golfing for like a month after. So it was, it was something. It was, it was, yeah, it was enough where I was like, would have been tough to play game six. Good on you. That Ranger series, was there a moment, because I always think about boxers and a boxer would say, yeah, you know what?

I didn't put him out to the eighth, but he quit in the fifth, but it took a while to get him to a place where he counted the lights. Was there a moment where you knew you had the Rangers? Honestly, no, because it was such a give and take series. Like it was more of like the first two games they won solely off their power plays. And I went in the media. We were like, I think we were all on the same page. Like we did not get to our game, you know? We weren't playing well. We beat them three to four times in the regular season. So we were confident heading in.

We thought we were the better team. And we just didn't get to our game. And they were on the power play. So we were like, if we just stop taking stupid penalties, we'll be in really good shape and that showed in game three four and five game six we thought they were done but it's the new york rangers like patty cane panarin zabinijad shisterk and foxy like yeah they're not going anywhere like those are elite, elite players.

And then game seven, you know, anything happens in game seven. Now there's expectations. You know, the devils have gone from eh to you're now one of the favorites. Yeah. How does it feel? It's good. It's, I was just telling you, it's exciting. Yeah.

You know, cause in previous years, it's like you're walking into camp and what's going to happen this year? What pick are we going to get? Who are we dishing at the deadline? And even last year, we were like, all right, it's time to take a step. We're no longer the young team that can just use that as an excuse every year. It's time to be like, let's go. It's time to make playoffs.

We got to start winning some hockey games now. Because at what point is it like maybe Hughes, Heischer, Bratt, maybe they aren't the guys if they can't win any hockey games, you know? It doesn't matter how young they are. But last year was crazy because we just like exploded and no one saw it coming. And then this year we have expectations. And I don't think,

I think for us, like last year we set wins record and points record for the devils. Can we do that every year for the next 10 years? No, it's impossible. We don't need to do that. We just need to work on our game through games, one to 10,

10 to 20, and try to get better and better and better and get to the playoffs. And by the time we get to the playoffs, hopefully be in full-fledged and be kicking well. So you're like a 10-game segment guy. That's the way you look at it? Yeah, I think, and especially this year, because last year we made the playoffs, we won a round, and now there's all these expectations on us.

I think if we go into the season and be like, we got to do this. We got to do that. It's just going to collapse. I think if we go 10 games at a time and we try to have a really good 10 game segment, play well, then we move on to the next 10. And that's just like not putting the cart before the horse. Does the number 100, as you smile and laugh, what does that number mean to you?

Yeah, I mean, like I'm a competitive person, so definitely a little like, damn, you know, you wanted that. I wanted that because I'm competitive. You're so close and you dream of being a star and you want to be a hundred point guy. Luckily we were making playoffs. So once the season ended, bang,

you're on to the next and your whole focus changes into like team, team, team winning hockey games. I could have no points in the series. We win hockey games. All is good, but definitely like at some point in my career i want to be a hundred point guy and i believe i will be so i just got to stay on the path i'm on and keep my nose to the grind

and i should get there tell us about the summer of the hughes brothers do we want to know like training wise or fun no i don't care about the training i know you train yeah take your hockey i want to hear about the fun stuff. Well, we went on a few trips, first of all. But yeah, we got the house back in Michigan. We're always on the lake, friends over, playing pool, ping pong, golfing, tennis. You won't see us much on the couch just hanging. We're out and about doing stuff, golfing, playing tennis, like I said. Who's winning this summer? Who had the winning summer?

Golf, without question, me. Tennis, I'm a good tennis player. Pool, I was so bad. We just got a pool table and we were keeping track of every game. But our friends too. So there's like 20 guys on a chalkboard. Luke was like 200 and like 144. Like he had like 350 games down. Like it's competitive. Like me and Quinn would be like 10 o'clock at night and we'd just be like snap up. We'd be like, you want to play some ping pong? And then we'd be like play ping pong till like 12 at night.

Just like chopping it up and grinding. So we love it. We're always doing active stuff and pretty much that all right we gotta wrap but i want to ask you one last thing okay quinn hughes captain vancouver canucks yeah i mean uh surprised i didn't hear that on 32 thoughts we did say we thought it was coming yeah yeah we did say we thought it was well we listened to you guys we got a 30-minute ride to the rink.

And you're that bored, are you? There's no talking to me. But as a family, we're really happy for him. I think it's really well-deserved. I think people probably look on the outside and are like, oh, Quinn's a reserved quiet guy, but

he's a really focused I think talk said it they did some really uncomfortable things spoke up once Bo left he was the guy that would talk in front of the media which isn't easy I watched Nico do the same thing all those years when we were losing like I'm the first guy to take my gear off like damn that was bad game Nico got has to sit in the stall and take questions he doesn't want to take. And Quinn had to do the same thing last year. So I think he's a really well-liked guy in that locker room. And obviously, he's a guy that everyone on the team can connect with.

He's just a really good guy. So I'm done talking. We're wrapping it up. He'll do great. He'll do great. We all know he'll do great. And as will you. We're wrapping it up. He'll do great. He'll do great. We all know he'll do great. And as will you. Jack, thanks so much.

Thanks for having me. Thanks, Jack. Yeah. And I told him that was only because he didn't want to face the order. Yeah, exactly. If you can't stop us, you're going to take penalties. That's the name of the game. You said we had good power play, too.

Yeah. Right? Always entertaining. Always a great interview. Always love talking to Jack Hughes. And as always, we say, Jack, thanks for always parking some time with me and Elliot at the NHL Players Tour. Coming up next, here is our final interview of the two days in Nevada. It's almost become a staple. We don't leave the Players Tour, Elliot,

until we talk to Leon Dreisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers. Leon, thanks as always for doing this. It's almost become an annual tradition, getting together before the beginning of the season. I'm curious where your head is at going into this season. So it's the Oilers, so the expectations are high. Sometimes players come into a season angry. Sometimes players come in happy, relaxed, all all of it where is your head space at knowing the expectations for the soilers team well expectations are definitely high uh i

wouldn't say that i'm angry i'm disappointed in how last season went uh i think we all are but that being said i'm also looking forward to this season you you know, it's another, another great chance at, um, you know, chasing what, what we all want. And, um, so obviously, like I said, a disappointing end, but you know, you got to learn from it. There's a reason we, we didn't win and get it done and take those lessons and, um, you know, eventually turn that into something, uh, what we all want. Jack Eichel was in that same chair a couple of days ago and I asked him about that series. And I said, why do you think you guys win? And he said, depth. He said they thought they were just a little deeper than you guys. When you look back, what happened after that series was 2-2?

Yeah, I mean, they're definitely a really deep team. There's no doubt they can play their fourth line against any line in the league, really. And that's a big plus, of course. But I think what happened is that we couldn't get to our top game. And I don't know if they did, but it just seemed like the last two games, you know, there's little mistakes in game five, couple penalties that, you know, turned the game around. We were pretty much in full control.

And we just shoot ourselves in the foot a little bit. And that seems to be the case a little bit with our team at times. You know, we find pretty much in full control and we just shoot ourselves in the foot a little bit. And, and that seems to be the case a little bit with our team at times, you know, we find ways to lose games and, you know, again, those are the same things that I talking about learning from them. You know, we gotta, we gotta grow up, mature and, and, you know, learn from them and move on.

Someone said to me after that Vegas series, he said, look, I know Leon hates to lose, but he said he was particularly miserable after this one, that this one really hurt more, maybe more than some of the previous ones did. Is that fair? Yeah, absolutely.

I think we all kind of felt that way. I think that it really felt like we, we can beat any team. And I, I still stand by that today. You know, that series that could have went either way, it didn't. But we had a really good chance at beating Vegas, there's no doubt. And we knew that going in too. But they just didn't make those little mistakes that we made,

and that was the difference. They played just a touch better than we did, so they deserve to move on. Change is inevitable. All teams change in the off season do you think you're a better team now than you were last year i know we haven't played a game yet but yeah does it does it feel like i'm gonna spoil this i'm picking the oilers to win the stanley cup thank you i appreciate that thanks elliot um yes i do think we're a better team i think we're a more mature team i think uh we've learned from last season. I think Brownie

will really help us. Obviously, we have to give him a little bit of time, a couple months to get up to speed, but I think he will bring something really, really important to our group. I think just in general, the feeling around our room is really positive right now and really good. We're all excited to get going and once again prove that we're all excited to, to get going. And, you know, once again, prove that, you know, we're a top team in the league. Last year,

you told Connor McDavid to be more selfish that he could score 50 and he got 60. This year, did you tell him to score a thousand? I should, maybe he'll score 80 or something. No, um, you know,

it was going to come eventually. I'm not, I'm not the guy to take the credit here, even though maybe, no, but you know, he, he just gets too many opportunities not to, and he knows that. And it was just a matter of time until he finds that part of his game and who knows what else can happen.

But you, you challenge each other and I've heard that that is such a big part of who the Oilers are is that the way you two push each other to be greater. So this summer, how did you guys push each other? What did you guys say to each other? Well, sometimes it's not so much saying, you

know, sometimes it's just being on the ice together, you know, we spent pretty much the entire summer together skating or a big chunk of it and um you know we push each other we compete against each other and and we want to beat each other whether that's little games or whatever it is or when we play together you know we want to dominate and and you know it's very healthy you know we're really really good friends everybody knows that but yeah, he makes me better and I would like to think that I've made him a little better over the years too. So it's a very healthy competition.

Is there anything that you guys have said you're going to see this different for me this year, or you're going to see this different from each other this year, or have you challenged each other to do something this year? Well, I think for us, it's almost, it's always kind of, you know, the defensive side of it, uh, even though, you know, I think at times our defensive game gets overlooked

a little bit. Um, you know, I think if you watch the games that if you really look at the games, you can tell that we try to defend every night, some nights it happens better than other nights, but you know, the, the effort is always there. And, you know, I think that's always the part of our game that we work on and we hammer in on is the defensive side of it. So it's going to help our team.

It's going to help us continue playing long into the summer and just keep chipping away at it. What was the best one-on-one competition you and McDavid had this summer? I mean, we have these weird drills where you have to whack a puck off and then stop and the winner of the race gets a breakaway. It's hard to beat a man. Like, he's too, like, it's crazy.

Like, you think you have him beat, but then he just comes out of nowhere somewhere. So we've had a couple of good battles. Do you think he lets you have a lead and then he just catches up to you and says, I'm going to let him think he's going to win? No, I don't think he's that arrogant. I would like to hope that he doesn't toy with me

like that. What's your advantage? Because his is obviously speed. What's your advantage in that game? Protecting the puck from him. You know, I got long reach. I got a big bum on me. So I can stick that out pretty far and keep the puck away.

So, yeah. I think we have a headline for the interview right there, Elliot. When you look around at your division, we've seen this trend away from the Central into the Pacific. You know, once upon a time, Central was like, that was it. Like, that was the best division in hockey, period. Yeah. And now I look at your division and holy smokes things have changed and they've changed quickly what do you see when you look around and maybe how much of a wild card is calgary in all of it what do you see in your division right now i mean listen the cups in

the division you're in the division se Seattle's making the playoffs. You mentioned LA. It's a good division. Yeah, really good. Really, really competitive. I mean, even teams like Vancouver, you know, if you go look at their roster, I mean, they have everything you need, essentially, to be a successful team, right? So they're going to be good, I think. They're hard to play against. Calgary's going to be competitive.

You know that. Seattle is good. LA is good.'re really good so it's a tough division that's for sure but you know it makes you better as a group and you know obviously those are the games that you get up for the most in your captain skates who looks good lots everyone i honestly have to say everyone looks really really good a couple of the young guys look really good. Dylan Holloway, he looks good. Broberg looks really good right now. Obviously, you know, these skates, you can only read so much into that.

I've done that mistake a number of years, you know, both ways. Oh, yeah. Both ways. You've looked at some guys. I'm probably one of them sometimes that looks like that. But, yeah, no, everyone looks, looks really good. Everyone looks engaged and, and you know, excited

for the season. I know this might be too early, but do you ever think about your future? I knew that question was coming. Of course I do, but I'm going to give you the most cliche answer right now. I'm in Edmonton right now. I want to win a Stanley Cup in Edmonton,

and we'll see what happens over the next two years. I don't think it's a cliche answer because I think you guys can win. Obviously, I don't know you, and I don't know Connor that well. But the one thing I notice is sometimes you can't tell if someone really wants to pay the price to win. And I look at the two of you guys, and I can see you guys both burn to win. And I think there's a recognition there that it can happen here. And I've always felt as long as everybody believes they can win there, it's not going to be a problem.

Is that a fair statement? Yeah, I would think so for sure. I think, you know, talked about connor and me we we want to win so badly it's we've talked about we talk about it over and over again and you know we we want to do it and um but our whole organization wants to win and that's the feeling that i love the most you know everyone that's around the feeling that we have is about winning and you know it's hard it will be really really hard to win next season but you know I got all the belief and all the trust in our organization as a whole

that we can get it done and I get that same feeling from everyone in our organization and that's a great feeling to have and that's the best starting point you can have to start a year. If you get there if you do, how much of a factor do you think Matthias Ekholm will be? Massive. You know, he was probably the best trade deadline in addition all last year. You know, he was incredible for us all season long. I can't wait to have him for a full year. You know, he, he really rounds our team out and he's going to be a massive piece. You know, for, for the longest time we've, we've always heard that, you know, when he was in Nashville and now with Edmondson, he's, he's the player that players look at and say, that's a good player. Yeah. What is it about him from your

point of view? Cause we can watch him and we see with our eyes but you play what is it it's his all-around hockey sense the way he he does the game he the way he anticipates the way he sees the game the way he reacts to the game is just he's a pro and he knows what it takes to win and he makes the right decision it seems like 99 out of a hundred times. Like it's, it's crazy. He's just so, he makes no mistakes. So, uh, very, very lucky to have him. I heard your dad's going to be able to make a trip this year.

Cause he's been trying to, he's going to be spending some time with you. What are you guys like when, when you're together? I mean, I know you got games to play, but what are you guys like when you're together? Uh, he's a hockey guy. So we talk, we talk hockey, of course, but you

know, sometimes it's just about, you know, catching up with the family. Obviously I don't get to see everyone that much back home and he's around and my sister just, uh, had a newborn. Oh, congratulations. Uh, yeah. Thank you.

Um, so just keeping me up to date a little bit and whatever, uh, whatever two hockey guys do, you know. Do you play better when he's around, do you think? Uh, I don't? I don't know. He hasn't been out that much. Seem to be playing okay when he's not around.

That is true. You got me on that one. So I love having my dad at the games. It's like because partly it's because it doesn't happen that much. So when he's there, I know how proud he gets and how, how, uh,

how proud he is of me. And, and, you know, trying to put on a bit of a show for him is, uh, you know, something that I certainly love doing.

That'll take us to our last question. And, and, you know, whenever we get together, I always love to ask you about, um, German hockey and your dad was a big piece and is a big piece of German hockey history. The World Championships, great for Germany. I think

as much as everyone was crazy for Latvia, Germany was a wonderful story as well. Just give us a snapshot from your point of view on where hockey is at in Germany right now. I think worldwide, it's really, really really good I think that you know internationally we continue to play good tournaments we continue to bring good players over to the NHL and players that play you know significant roles on good teams and you need that so very excited about it I'd love to you know scramble together a team Germany and see what that team could look like in an an international tournament do you know dennis schroeder at all i do know him a little bit yeah tell me he's fascinating guy tell me about this guy he's he's interesting yeah he's uh um in germany we work out with the same trainer so i i have a little bit of insight on um what

kind of a guy he is and i think think he gets maybe a little misread sometimes, at least in Germany. You know, he does so much in his community, in his town back home, and everyone knows him. And he has the time of day for every person around. So I think he's a great guy and obviously a very interesting dude. This has been great. Good luck this season.

Thank you. Elliot's already set the bar. I like it.'m sure you have thank you thanks thank you very much appreciate it guys bye okay all right let's go all, coming down in three, two, and one. So before we finish the podcast today, we have an announcement. And by we, Elliot and I mean Amal. Yeah. Delitch, the floor is yours. Yeah, after six seasons,

it's going on seven seasons for you guys, and 475 episodes, I will be leaving the podcast. I'm leaving Sportsnet altogether, and it's been a tough couple weeks, but I think it's the right time for me to time ago and here's your hat what's your hurry uh no listen we're uh i i think safe to say we've always looked at this podcast as a three-person operation yeah uh and you're just such an enormous part of this this is a great news for you and your family and for that reason i'm happy yeah uh selfishly i'm sad because you're a colleague and a friend and i'll tell you the the one thing i never elliot i don't know about you but when i going back to when i started 94 95 i've never liked listening to myself listening back to anything that i've ever done so i just don't do it no matter what show i've ever done. I do not go back because I just can't stand the way that I sound. I just, I can't do it. But this podcast I'll listen to,

and I won't listen to the whole thing, but I'll go back and listen to chunks of each one. It has nothing to do with me. I'm always curious what you've made me sound like, or you've made this podcast sound like. And I think I've said this on the pod before, nothing I've ever done has been confused with art, but this podcast is the closest. And that's because of you. Nothing I've done, nothing Elliot's done, but because of you, you have brought me closer to art than anything else. And for that, I thank you for all your hard work. I thank you for the hours, for the headaches, for putting up with my diva moments. Yes.

I thank you. And I really hope that one day we can work together again. Something off that I do want to say, when I came over from the CBC, I worked on a couple of properties there that I was really proud to be a part of. But what I was most amazed about with those properties was they had writers, they had sound designers, they had showrunners and chasers and researchers. All these people were able to work together and make something beautiful.

From that beauty, the listeners came. There wasn't just a story that was attached to a property or project or a brand. There was all these different elements that went into making it beautiful. So when I came over from the CBC to help you guys build this thing, I wanted to bring a bit of that. I wanted to bring a bit of beauty to sports podcasting. Something that people didn't have to work hard to listen to. They could just put on something and just enjoy the show and kick their feet up. And I noticed that during the pandemic, especially a lot of people messaged you

guys about how it was just nice to kind of get away from whatever was going on at the outside world. But my main goal coming in and then helping you guys when Scott Moore approached me in the hallway at the CBC like seven years ago was I think it'd be a good fit for you with these two guys. And the first, like I said to you before, like the first month was really challenging. I was really scared. I was like, wow, these guys have no idea what they're doing. Wow, what a shot, eh?

Nothing's changed. Goodbyes come with criticism. But what I did see. Nice, classy, Amel. Keep it classy. But that was month one. We're on like month 110. What I did realize was your guys' work ethic

is nothing like we've ever seen before. And no matter what time of day or what month it is, holidays or whatever, you guys are always on. And it drove me to turn my work ethic up a couple extra notches. And I'm really grateful for you guys are always on and it drove me to turn my work ethic up a couple extra notches and i'm really grateful for you guys to show me that sometimes to make something beautiful you need to give that extra couple hours a couple minutes stop rolling your eyes elliot

um you have to give that extra time and i'm really grateful to you guys to kind of show me that well first of all like jeff i think you said it right uh i'm really happy to you guys to kind of show me that. Well, first of all, like Jeff, I think you said it right. I'm really happy for you and your family. You're making this decision for the right reasons. You know, I'm not thrilled about it from a personal and professional point of view. I'm going to be honest about that. I'm really sorry to lose you for a lot of different reasons. And all I'll say is this, because I'm not really one to pour out emotional goodbyes.

I don't believe people are irreplaceable. I don't believe that. But I think you're as close as anyone at Sportsnet is. And I think it's a huge loss for us. We'll figure it out. We'll get going. But I think it's a huge loss for the organization, Amal. You did unbelievable work, not only for us, but for other podcasts.

What's the curling podcast? Inside Curling. What's the baseball podcast? At the Letters. What are the other podcasts you've done here? Free Association, Tape to association tape to tape swing at a bell with dan shulman the lead with jeff blair and steven brunt you went above and beyond with them just like you did with us and not only that but you expanded the podcast into let's do some tv

and youtube interviews with our feature in combination with our features department, uh, led by Jeremy McElhinney. So, uh, a lot of the expansion that this podcast got was in your brain. So like I said, Amal, and I want it to, I want the last thought between us to be this. I don't believe anyone is irreplaceable, but I think you're as close as anybody who works in this company. I never thought like this many doors would be open to me when I joined full-time the company seven years ago. I know with hard work, I could open up doors, but just walking down the hallways here in Las Vegas, I knew most everybody.

I know every team PR person, lead people, and they know me me and we get along so well. And I think it's a respect thing and a work thing, but it's also just these friendships that I've built. And I'm very grateful to you guys for letting me into your world. You did it with your own work. It wasn't us. I just want to say thank you for that.

I'm truly grateful for you guys letting me in and trusting me with your voices. Because sometimes it can be really hard to have someone come into your world and be like, I'm going to trust this person with my brand, my name, my voice. I'm just really thankful that you did that. Because my number one rule is don't waste a listener's time. So edit the hell out of the podcast and protect your people. And I always try to protect no matter if it was Ben or Arden or you guys or Kevin Martin or Dan Shulman. I always try to protect the people on the mics because it's your reputation. It's your name.

It's your brand. And it's what you have. It's what you live by every single day. And I want to make sure that you guys trusted me with that. So thank you. Seasons change And I tried hard just to soften you And seasons change But I'm wrong tired, trying to change for you

Cause I've been waiting on you I've been waiting on you I've been waiting on you As it breaks The summer will wake But the winter will wash What is left of the taste As it breaks

The summer will walk But the winter will crave What's dark Will crave what's all We'll be right back.