32 Thoughts: The Podcast - Oettinger Understood The Assignment

Episode Date: December 16, 2022

The chase is on! Jeff and Elliotte kick things off by talking about Alexander Ovechkin’s chase of the goal-scoring record (00:10) and how Jack Oettinger had other ideas with a little motivation from Pete DeBoer. They also get into the salary cap as it was discussed at the Board of Governors meetings this week (8:10), wonder if we’ll see a new look to the schedule next season (16:10), Ryan Reynolds and the Senators (18:40), potentially more expansion (21:20), the Ducks get a win (22:50), David Perron plays in his 1000th game (26:05) and they explain why teams might be interested in Karel Vejmelka (32:55).GET YOUR 32 THOUGHTS MERCH HEREEmail the podcast at [e-mail] or call The Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemailThis podcast was produced and mixed by Amil Delic, and hosted by Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman.Music Outro: Aviator Stash - LEFTYFind the full track hereAudio Credits: Bally Sports Detroit, Bally Sports SoCal, LA Kings Audio Network, Sportsnet and WJFK 106.7 FM.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.

I think seven is better. Okay, that's good now. Okay. All right, we are good to go. Welcome once again to 32 Thoughts to Podcast. Jeff Merrick, Elliot Friedman, Amal Delich along with you. Presented by GMC and the new Sierra AT4X. A lot to get to in this podcast today, Elliot.

Let's start with the chase. The chase for how? Chicago's own. Blackhawks starting. And now the turnover in front. And Mantha feeding it to Kuznetsov. And chase for Howe. Pinch empties. Alex Ovechkin is the third player in National Hockey League history to score 800 goals. He does it here in Chicago, Illinois on the 13th of December, 2022. History here at the Madhouse on Madison. Alex Ovechkin, Gordie Howe, and Wayne Gretzky are now the only three skaters ever in National Hockey League history

to score 800 goals. Alan May, I can't believe it. The chase for number two didn't happen. Dallas Stars beat the Washington Capitals 2-1 lone goal for the capitals scored by connor sherry and some interesting motivation here by dallas head coach peter deborah so remember this whole bxhara thing about motivation and what really happened in that 2011 series i got a call from someone who said, this whole thing is ridiculous.

Your motivation should simply be to win the Stanley Cup. Who cares if they celebrate it or who cares if they didn't? The Stanley Cup is right in your touch. That should be all it takes. And I think generally that's true, Jeff. But I think sometimes whether it's a long season or you're battling through what you have to go through to win the cup you need someone to remind you of why you are there or give you a slight kick in the pants and here's Peter DeBoer with all the Capitals

fans in their glory at home riled up to celebrate 801 and possibly 802 and he tells his team hey guys yeah I mean I don't want I think Pete said before uh that these next two goals that he's going to score the whole team is going to come off the bench so obviously I don't want that to happen and uh not against us so we can do that stuff another night and uh you know it's always fun playing you know one of the best to ever do it. And it was a fun challenge, and we stepped up. And I know people who would roll their eyes at that, but you know who didn't?

Jake Ottinger. And that's the guy who matters the most. He was like, that's red meat to me. I'm not letting that happen. And I think the Capitals fans deserve to see Ovechkin do this That's red meat to me. I'm not letting that happen. And I think the Capitals fans deserve to see Ovechkin do this in front of them. Like, the Capitals fans are spoiled, right? They've watched Ovechkin now for 16 years or however long it is,

and he's done all these great things. But I think about a lot of, like, the biggest moments. The Stanley Cup was won in Vegas, right? And they all celebrated, and they all celebrated and they all got to be part of it that became part of the story though like that became like the best celebration ever bellagio ovechkin partying in the fountains and everywhere with the fans but also like the the incredible night in chicago the other night came as i said, in Chicago. I think there is something about that if he's going to pass Gordie Howe, and first of all, Mark Howe's done a ton of great interviews, and I think he's going to do even more.

I would like to see it happen in Washington, Saturday night on hockey night against Toronto, Monday at home against Detroit before they go to Ottawa. I think there would be some poetic justice about doing it there. But I just have to say that that was Peter DeBoer knew who he was talking to and he was talking to his goalie and his goalie took that as wait, what that's not happening on my watch. So big night for the Dallas stars,

shutting down Ovechkin and picking up the two points. They beat the Washington Capitals by a final score of 2-1. One of the other big stories that we've been talking a lot about, Trevor Moore, you've been writing about him saying, hey, a new deal is on the horizon. It arrived on Thursday. Five years, $21 million. And Trevor Moore goes right about

the business of earning his money. The shootout winner as the Kings beat the Boston Bruins. Trevor Moore can win it. He'll pick it up here in round seven. Moore in on goal, shoots, scores! Trevor Moore wins it in a shootout. The Kings rally here in Boston to win it.

3-2, they were down 2-0 in the third period. A pair of Kempe goals tied it. After a scoreless five minutes of overtime, we go to seven rounds of the shootout. Do you have a thought on all of this, Frej? First of all, what a great night

for Trevor Moore. This one had been trending towards getting done for some time now. And I'm glad it got done. You know, here's a guy who was a total long shot. You know, this is a guy who was not drafted. He was a college free agent out of the University of Denver because of where he was born in Thousand Oaks, California.

I remember once having a big argument with Scott Russell, and this has got to be even before I got hired at Hockey Night in Canada. I had a big debate. I think it was on like a TV Ontario show with Steve Paikin. Oh, wow. About who was bigger, Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan. And at that time, I still did a lot of basketball, and I'm a big Jordan guy, and I've always been a big Jordan guy. And Scott Russell argued for Wayne

Gretzky and he said, how many teams in the NHL exist because of Wayne Gretzky and being traded to the Los Angeles Kings? And I look at this guy, Trevor Moore, and here he is born in March, 1995 in Thousand Oaks, California and going to the University of Denver and being a college free agent signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs as he said traded to the Kings in the Jack Campbell Kyle Clifford deal like a month before the pandemic and what does he do he comes out and he gets a $20.8 million contract. I mean, this is a success story of success stories. It's a great story however you write it.

And then as you said, he goes out and scores the shootout winner against the Bruins. And it's almost like he says, hey, Kings, you didn't do enough for me today. You didn't just hand me $20 million. I'm going to validate this all on the first day on the first day it's an awesome story uh you know we've been talking about california kids

and focusing on mainly on on jason robertson but this is another great one and you know what i you know one of the things i wonder about the kings right now they sent quentin byfield down to uh the ontario rain wanted to give him a long stretch of playing a lot of minutes, and he is producing for them. When you send someone like Quinton Byfield down to the American League for each, you kind of cross your fingers and say, Guy, go down there and rip it up. Force us to call you up and get you back in the lineup. This is a second overall draft pick that they've invested tons in.

I don't know how they do this and what the subsequent move is, but do you not kind of get the feeling that Byfield's really forcing LA's hand here? Like they have to call him up soon-ish, don't they? I think they like very much that he's making their decision hard on him. Big time. That's what I think they like the most uh

we'll see what happens there so a couple of other things here that i wanted to get into um we haven't really talked here on the podcast we have on the radio show since the the board of governors and you know we've we've talked plenty about what that well a couple of things one not too long ago gary betman you know musing about a four million million bump in the salary cap, which, you know, everyone, you know, passed around, you know, like catnip. And we all go, ooh, goody, goody, goody, here we go. There's going to be some more flexibility for general manager in the off season. And then it was cold water and a bucket of it at the board of governors with the musings that, well, most likely it's only going up $1 million. that, well, most likely it's only going up $1 million.

I think you've rightfully and others too have said, I wonder if this is a not-so-subtle attempt to lure the NHL Players Association into a negotiation to raise the salary cap next summer. What's the latest on this? And I will call it a saga because I expect it to continue. What's the latest on this salary cap saga? Well, it will continue, Jeff, because it doesn't have to be decided until June. That's about the time when the NHL basically goes through its audit or decides here's what

the revenues are. And with the players association, they figure out what the cap is going to be for the next year. So we still have time. Now, ever since I wrote this today, I've had some people say to me, you're overthinking this. I've had other people say, I agree with you. I've had other people say to me, what size head do you have so I can send you a tinfoil hat?

I've had a lot of different reactions to it. Have you not had, you've been hanging out with Merrick too long? Have you not had that one in LA? No, I didn't have that one. You've got your own issues. They don't blame me for that. So someone pointed out to me that if you go through the recent MOU that was signed by the league and the players when they renegotiated during COVID, if you go to section two, the payroll range,

there is something that says the parties could agree to increase the upper limit in excess of a million dollars in order to allow for a smoother transition. And so they could do that here. Like Bettman could say, hey, we're close enough. Let's work out a number that is acceptable to both sides. That could happen. Now, I still think if he does that, even though there's a mechanism for it, he might want to ask for something in exchange. It's not his way to do it for nothing, right? Oh, yeah.

Now, I did have some teams tell me that they think this is very simple. Who does Bettman protect the most? Owners. Yes. And it makes sense for him to say, look, until this debt is repaid, I'm not freeing up everybody to do whatever they want. And some people do think it is as simple as that. He's saying, look, I'm staying to the letter of the law.

I protect the owners. Who doesn't he like? He doesn't always like GMs. He thinks they can't control themselves. And so he feels the need to sometimes say, I'm locking you down. I'm holding you in a Cobra clutch. That's my hip Sergeant Slaughter reference. Sergeant Slaughter, very good.

And I'm not letting you up to do anything that I'm going to regret or you're going to regret some people do think it's as simple as that others do think there could be a negotiation here i think the interesting thing is i had a long talk with someone on thursday who said to me that the most interesting thing about all of this is that he agrees that there are a lot of teams who want the cap to be bumped up he agrees there are a lot of teams who want the cap to be bumped up. He agrees there are a lot of teams that want the playoffs expanded, but Gary Bettman is not crazy about either of those things. And even though he was the one who suggested it in the cap case, and if it's going to happen, it's going to happen on his terms. And I agree. I think that's the message that he kind of sent out this week.

We'll see where it goes. There's time here to figure this out. Although I do completely feel, Jeff, that some of these teams and the agents are frustrated that it's preventing things from getting done. There's no question about it. Just as an aside, we're always looking for that forbidden TV show in hockey, whether it's a bring the cameras into the salary arbitration hearing.

That would make for some dramatic television. I'm sure you've heard these stories before. I remember one ex-GM mentioning to me how one of the toughest things he's ever had to sit through at a manager's meeting is going through his entire salary structure for his team with the commissioner in front of everybody, contract by contract. Why did you sign this player at this? Oh, you guys have made all these mistakes. Now I have to fix it for the system. He said, it's one of the toughest things he's ever, and pretty embarrassing at times too, ever had to do.

You know what, Jeff? People are always out there asking for sports book references, like just about the way sports work. There's a book called Lords of the Realm, okay? And it was written about the baseball owners. It's called The Lords of the Realm, The Real History of Baseball. It was written written i want to say in the early 90s i have it somewhere in my house it's by an author named john helliar h-e-l-y-a-r

and he talks about baseball in the 80s and there is a scene in there or i don't even know if i call it a scene it's proper to call i mean i'm it's a book not a movie but there's I'm going to call it a scene because I'm very rebellious Jeff oh you're such a rebel so controversial Elliot I know I'm very controversial like just stay away from me I'm like Barry Weiss or something like that anyway he talked about Peter Uberoth and he became the baseball commissioner after he was very successful running the 1984 los angeles olympics and he gets in there and he starts an alphabetical order of the teams and he tears down the owners why'd you sign this guy why did you sign that contract and the reason he goes in alphabetical order is first i think is, is Atlanta, which is run by Ted Turner, who

couldn't control himself. And Peter Uberoth took on the biggest guy in the room, Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, and ripped him for the contracts he signed. And you don't think that some of those baseball owners sunk into their chairs listening to Uberoth tear into Ted Turner? It's a really good, it's a great book if any of you are interested. I'd love to read it. But yeah, that sounds very much like this scenario, starting with Anaheim, Atlanta, and going all the way down. It was, it must've been a harrowing affair.

So to that conspiracy then, do you think it is at an opportunistic time, namely when the NHL Players Association is in a transition era here, going from Donald Feer to unknown future executive director of the Players Association, which, by the way, I think we're probably looking at this being done in the next couple of months. Well, there were some reports that now it might be closer to the end of the season. So I look at it this way, Jeff.

I had people who told me that doesn't matter. I had people who told me it does matter. The biggest thing is the players are obviously going to want the cap to go up if it can. Yeah. So I think, you know, you can say to your staff, whoever's running it in the interim that we want it to go up and can you make that work although i generally agree with you i think you'd prefer

that the next person make the final decision i mean you don't want you don't want to make a decision that could have a long-term effect the players association for someone who hasn't taken the job yet i i do see the concerns. Hey, how did you, uh, how did you react to that NHL schedule story that came out on Sportico on Thursday? Well, the first thing that somebody did was call me and say like, who is this guy? And this is a reporter from a company called Sportico. His name is Ibn Navi Williams. And a few months ago, someone called me and said, do you follow this guy on Twitter? And I said, no, I'm not familiar with them. And they said,

you should, because he's got a lot of sources and he talks to a lot of very important people. And for example, I think he was one of the individuals who first broke that Nashville was for sale or going to be sold. I think he's got a lot of very, I think he used to work at Bloomberg for that reason. I think he's got a lot of sources in the business world. So this is not somebody who's unqualified or anything like that. Like, I don't like crapping on other reporters to begin with. I don't like reporters when reporters would do that, but you know, he has a good history of good information. Now I was told this really didn't come up at the board of governors meeting, but what I do think is out there, Jeff, is I think there have been some teams and GMs and beyond the GMs, some people at the president,

and GMs and beyond the GMs, some people at the president, if not the owner level, who don't like things like the fact that Edmonton and Calgary played three times and they're already done with each other. I definitely believe there is a feeling that that is not good and they would like to see that change. Now the teams in each division playing each other six to eight times a year. I'm not convinced that that's what the plan is or the suggestion was, but I do think there are a few managers who've talked about if we want to fix that issue. And I think a lot of fans would agree that, for example, that Calgary Edmonton situation is not what anyone wants how can they do it and one of the things I do think that's been discussed out there is you know can we maybe play less games against the other division in our conference and more against our own division that's what I've heard so I don't know that that scenario that came up today is serious, but I do think he's right in the sense that some of the teams have looked at

the current matrix and said, that isn't good enough for us. All right. Elsewhere, a couple of quick hitters here. Is it a take it to the bank that no matter who ends up with the Ottawa senators, Ryan Reynolds is going to be involved.

The league says no officially. But at this point, it feels like the most massive downer for Ottawa Senators fans if it doesn't happen. This really is a masterclass in how you get attached to an ownership group here being conducted by Ryan Reynolds. Put it this way, we asked the league specifically that if it had to happen and they said no, but it's going to be a

massive bummer if it doesn't occur right at this point 100 these waters have been chummed for ryan no matter who ends up with this thing this is a tidy bit of business by him here i'm really impressed you know what someone said to me though it's it's that one of the things that these leagues do is if you want to have a piece you have to put up some of your own money. Again, I've, I've used the names Macklemore and Marshawn Lynch in Seattle and they had to pay to enter.

So that's the only thing that ever comes up. I think that Ryan Reynolds has kind of got himself in a position where maybe he doesn't have to, because no matter who's successful in this bid, the first question that's getting asked is, do you have Ryan Reynolds with you and if not why I do believe at least one of the bids at least one and could be more for Ottawa has spoken to him or at least has at least an understanding with him but one of the things

I've learned over the years is that the people who are successful enough to buy these franchises, they don't give away things for free. I get it. You know, Jeff, you could say I am donating 30 minutes of prime real estate on the Jeff Merrick show to whoever buys the Ottawa Senators a day. 30 minutes a day, you get to come on and say whatever you want. And I know that's really, really prime real estate and a tempting offer. But I'm betting Mike Andlauer or the Kimmel family, they're not going for that. That's awesome.

For 1% of the team. for 1% of the team. I just stand so impressed here at what Ryan Reynolds is doing right now. It's a master class. It is a master class. Listen to 32 Thoughts, the podcast ad-free on music included with prime a couple of things um that you muse about in the end the 32 thoughts blog at sportsnet.ca more expansion sir more expansion that's just kind of me talking i'm wondering about it seattle and vegas are in the top five in revenues i think in ticket sales that i think they're in the top six and they're in the top five in revenues and i've had a couple owners telling me that this is kind of raising eyebrows a little bit the fact is they're all talking about what a success this is, right?

And they've got to sort out Arizona and kind of figure some things out. But I don't know, Jeff. I had a couple of guys say to me, these teams are so successful and everyone sees it. What's that going to mean? Well, just have a look at how many how many groups are are interested in the ottawa senators like we've talked about this before like there is major demand for sports organizations right now yeah there's major demand and although i want to

see the difference between the people who are kicking tires and the people who are really serious there are big money people out there oh there that want this and big money groups, not unlike what we just saw with Fenway and how they conduct business. I think it would be foolish to suspect that they're the only ones that are going to follow that model. Strongly suspect there's going to be more like that to follow, but I'm with you. I think they look at Seattle and Vegas and say, hmm, let's look around the map here. Who could be next? Oh, one thing I should have mentioned earlier. You know who I'm really

happy for tonight on this Thursday, just after 1030 Eastern? The Ducks? The Anaheim Ducks, who went up 2-0, saw it fritter away, and then ended up winning 5-2 against the Montreal Canadiens. By Allen. Frank gets it back, feeds the right point. Klingberg-Wine scores! Great screen 5-2 against the stick of Jake Allen. Harris does, and makes it impossible for his own goaltender to make a stop on that play. Elliott, under the umbrella of they needed that one,

the Anaheim Ducks really needed that one. So earlier tonight when we were preparing what we were going to talk about on the show merrick texted me and said what do you want to talk about and it was two nothing ducks over montreal and i said we got to talk about the ducks and give them congratulations and of course the next time i looked up it was too all i was like anyone from anaheim listening uh dallas akins pat verbeek, any of the players, blame Freed for what could have been a squandered night. I think we all understand what the Anaheim Ducks are about this year.

They're on the front of a rebuild, but nobody signs up for that. They've played 31 games. That's their second regulation win. Nobody signs up for that. They've played 31 games. That's their second regulation win. Nobody signs up for that, Jeff. And there's a lot of people that we both like dealing with in that organization, on the ice, behind the scenes. I think there's a lot of real pros there, whether it's on the coaching staff or it's on the roster. And to go through that, it's brutal. And you look at people on those, like veterans,

like Henrik Strom, John Klingberg, Cam Fowler, Shattenkirk, Bolio, Kulikov, nobody signs up for that. Those guys have been around the NHL for a long time. They've been in good situations. They've been in good situations. They've been in tough situations. And the other thing too is you never want your kids, and they've got some really good kids that are going to be a key part of the team when it's good, you never want them to think that that's okay. Like it's okay for us to go through this.

Ah, we're going for the top pick. What's the big deal no you can't allow that to ever see ben and you know i wrote in the notes jeff that you know a couple people said it to me like they said are you going to want to trade for those anaheim guys when they haven't played a meaningful game in months or they've only won one game in regulation all year and i gotta think to some of those guys that really hurts like they have a lot of pride you don't make it here without having a ton of pride i'm happy that they got a little bit of a reward they really miss ryan gets left yeah not that i think that they would be a playoff team with them but i don't know that this happens

this way if ryan getsff is still on the team. Ladies and gentlemen, this past Saturday on the road against the Dallas Stars, Red Wings forward David Perron skated in his 1,000th National Hockey League game, becoming just the 374th player in NHL history to reach this remarkable milestone. David was a 2007 first-round draft pick of St. Louis, who went on to play nearly 700 games in a blue sweater. In addition to time with Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Anaheim, and Vegas, before signing with Detroit in 2022. At this time, we ask that David make his way to the Zamboni entrance

for a special ceremony recognizing this outstanding accomplishment. Joining David to celebrate this achievement, please welcome his wife, Vanessa and children, Mason and Victoria. I was glad that you wrote about David Perron, one of my favorite players. Yeah.

I love highly skilled and not so subtle, dirty players. Oh, he's amazing. He's awesome. You know, the players. Oh, he's amazing. He's an awesome guy. You know, the other thing too is Perron's a guy over the years who, like whenever I've come across him and I say,

why does this work this way? He gives a great answer. He gives excellent answers. I remember a few years ago, it was the year that the Blues won the Stanley Cup. They were having a tough time early in the year and they came through Toronto. And I had a long conversation in the dressing room with David Perron and Brayden Shen. And I can't remember who the player was we were talking about, but they were asking me

about someone who's in the news and everything I've heard about that person. And it was someone whose contract was up or was a UFA and they were heading. I remember that it was a UFA was heading into the last year of their deal. And they go, tell me everything you know about his situation. And I was talking to him about it and I told them I was working on it and they said to me he can't do that he cannot do that whatever it was and I said why and they both laid it out to me like it was Perron and Shan and they were taking me through the process and they were saying when you report this this is what you should say that other players tell you that this is what this guy should do and this is what he should ask of the team.

And this is what he should consider acceptable. And this is what he shouldn't. And it wasn't only about business, but it was also about play. Like if I saw play, Perron was always really good about explaining to me why things happened. But I always remember that conversation with him and Shen. And I did have a player who texted me who said, like, who are the 20 guys who you think really know a lot in the league? And I would say, obviously, I felt Shen's one of the guys. I kind of would probably have to put Braden there,

and Perron would be a third. Like, just the way those two guys talked about the situation that player was in. And there was another time, I remember talking to Perron inburgh about the way he played and playing with crosby and really broke it down for me i'm a i'm a huge perron fan i think he's a really cerebral smart guy favorite hockey player growing up alex kovalev yeah wanted to dress like him play like him and every now and then you see a little bit of Kovalev. And don't forget too, Kovalev, as you know,

for each one he wanted to, could be real nice and dirty. Yes. He could be that player. That's one of the reasons why I love David Perron. I also liked how you wrote about, well, the story about the uniforms and I'm with you on the Florida reverse retros. I think they're gorgeous.

I think that logo is beautiful. Uh, and your story about Lou Lamorello and New Jersey was a fascinating one. You want to share that one? Cause I got something to add to that. Well, sure. Basically what happened was, um, on Monday's pod, we talked about, and I said how I loved the reverse retros for the Panthers. And I do think the Panthers have some

big plans for those. Great. And I think it's great. I love them. And I got a text from a broadcaster and, you know, I like to keep people's names out of these things. So if anyone gets mad, they can spit on me and not these other broadcasters. But, you know, he said, I disagree with you. I don't think you can read them. And I don't like that. And he said he heard a story where Lou Lamorello, when the Devils were changing their uniforms, sat in the last row of the arena and had someone skate to the other end of the ice, and he said, if I can't read the name, we're not using those uniforms. The fan in the last row, and then it was the Meadowlands

or the Brendan Byrne Arena, whichever you want to call it. He said if a paying customer in the last row of the stadium could not see a player at the other end of the ice, the jerseys were not acceptable. So I pulled him aside at the GM meetings and I asked him if that's true

and he said it is true, but it was Peter McMullen who was John McMullen's, the owner, his son, who did it. And he said to me at least three times, make sure when you tell this story that you credit Peter McMullen and not me. To the point where, Jeff, I knew if I told the story improperly, I might be ending up in a paper bag somewhere.

So I made sure I told the story properly. In concrete under a football stadium somewhere. Very nice. When I read that, my first thing, when I used to do Marley's games with John Bartlett, when the Marleys moved from Newfoundland to Toronto, the team we always dreaded coming to town to call the games was the Milwaukee Admirals

because they had this combination of like light blue and gray and all bled into each other and you couldn't see the numbers and you couldn't see the numbers and you couldn't see the, the name on the Jersey either. It was an absolute disaster. And, you know,

it got me to thinking about one other thing too. One of the logos that I love that I don't think works in the NHL is the Minnesota wild. Like when you look at the Minnesota wild logo up close, it's gorgeous. It's really beautiful. But the further you move back, it just looks like a blur. Like it's almost as if someone saw this thing up close and said, yeah, let's go with it.

It's gorgeous because it is. It's a gorgeous logo up close, but you go back a few rows, you go back a few sections and it just kind of looks like a smudge. Like all the subtlety just vanishes that's why you know to the point in that story where it's like go to the back row and and then tell me if it's a good look i'm with that 100 and to me that all gets played out with the minnesota wild logo which i think is a gorgeous logo mr garen if you've got a problem this time call jeffrey Don't call me.

Mr. Guerin, you weren't there when they made the logo, sir. Please don't take it. One other thing before we wrap up here. Carl Vemelka is someone I mentioned at the beginning of the season that I told you, like, look, I'm going to cheer for this guy all season long because we know what the score is in Arizona, and he's going to try to keep this team in as many games as possible I'm still cheering for Vemelka you write about him under the uh you know under the under the banner of sure teams are interested in Chikrin and I'm sure teams are

interested in Gostis Bear and a lot of other players on that team but maybe top of that list should be the goaltender yeah and obviously I don't think anybody's called Arizona or asked about Arizona, but I, you know, one of the things about the Coyotes I really believe is I think they're trying to line their group up. So if they get the building in three years, that's when their team is really ready to go. Yeah. And I know you're a huge Logan Cooley fan.

I'm hearing a ton of good things about him, but I think that's what the target is here. Be ready in three years to go, like open the building with a team that's at least ready to make some noise. And you know, the problem with that is if a milk is signed for two more years at a great number, does he really fit your timeline? Now, the one thing I really do agree with is, you know, when you've got a young team and we're talking about Anaheim and how much they're losing, I think you need a goalie who can steal you a few games.

If there's a few extra times in a year where you go back into your room and you feel a little bit better about yourself because you got the W. I have not stopped thinking about that Christian Fischer interview with Kyle Bukowskis when they won in Toronto. I love that one. Where he basically basically says everybody thinks that we stink, but the beer is going to taste

as for sweeter tonight. There's a lot of talk about this team, but I thought the guys worked their butts off tonight. And that's, that feels good to, you know, with a difficult year and all this outside noise. It doesn't matter. We care about our 23 players and that's it. And we're going to have a nice cold beer and enjoy this one with the boys. Andre Tourney was saying there's a lot of work just in terms of the staff. I really understand that. The Kings have the worst goaltending in the league, unfortunately, this year. I think they're a better team than that,

and it was just something I threw out there. Does it make any sense to them? Now, I think there's a lot of talk going on around this league right now and i really do think that there are a lot of teams out there that are starting to say how can we release the constipation a little bit like are there ways to be creative about getting some things done and some of the teams I wonder about are teams like Calgary. Are they looking out there to say, is there a way that we can find a way to do something if we want to?

You know, Vancouver, we know they've got a lot of lines out there. They're trying to do some things. Like what I've heard is Toronto was out there trying to determine, okay, these are the guys we want. They're watching a lot of players right now, which is not unusual, but I think they're trying to get an idea of what's our list. Like what do we prioritize? And I think there's some other teams out there who are kind of looking at it

and saying, is there any way we can try to do some things? I think Vancouver would like to create some space to sign like an Ethan Bear for argument's sake. That's going to take them clearing some things. So I think there's some teams out there who are trying to see, can we break the log jam to get some stuff done release valve is what a lot of teams need right now that's the way i've been describing it elliot they need a uh a release valve and you know what time it is now for each what time is it it is time for you me and emil to take the l out of Loverboy.

Show's over. Taking us out, an electric five-piece band from San Diego, Aviator Stash, put out their debut record in 2017 and since then have been taking home some serious hardware. Their style blends contemporary indie and pop melodies with raw and powerful rock and roll energy and here with their latest single is Aviator Stash with Lefty on 32 Thoughts, the podcast. Perfectly perfect You were hot to sit Felt too hot to sit

You said solitude Is not so bliss Cause you always tried With your fist in the grip But your fist don't mean What exactly you mean. Everything is just a gain of power. This is it.

This is that. This is news with a whiff of a bat. New York games, pennant flag. Beastie Boys are coming back.