32 Thoughts: The Podcast - The Oilers are Buzzin

Episode Date: May 7, 2025

In this edition of 32 Thoughts, Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman begin by reacting to an electric Game 1 victory by the Edmonton Oilers over the Vegas Golden Knights. They also touch on the Carolina-Washington game (9:25). Afterwards, the hosts delve into the Sam Bennett-Anthony Stolarz elbow incident (15:14) and Game 1 of the Leafs-Panthers series (24:07). The Final Thought focuses on the remaining Round 2 series that has not started yet: Jets vs. Stars (28:15).In the back half of the podcast, Kyle and Elliotte revisit the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery broadcast (33:14). They discuss how winning the lottery now alters the Islanders' plans for their vacant GM position (37:29). Kyle and Elliotte talk about the Buffalo Sabres adding to their mix (40:38) and discuss General Manager Chris MacFarland extending a vote of confidence to Jared Bednar as head coach of Colorado (43:01). They move on to the LA Kings, where Rob Blake will not return (45:51) and wrap up the podcast with Ottawa, as Ryan Bowness and the Senators part ways (51:26).Email the podcast at [e-mail] or call the Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemail.This podcast was produced and mixed by Dominic Sramaty and hosted by Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas.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

How much of your analysis and insight for your panel hits comes from your interactions at your local gym? I'm starting to wonder more and more. I'll tell you my new workout is called the beach body workout kyle. Oh Apropos yes so far. It's false advertising, but i'll keep trying to get there Um, is that your way of saying panthers and six? of saying Panthers in six? Welcome to 32 Thoughts, the podcast presented by the GMC Sierra AT4X, Sramati, Friedman, Bukaskis back with you and Elliott like a Jean Principe haircut. The weight of a sluggish start to the playoffs seems to now be off the shoulders of the Edmonton Oilers. Wasn't perfect to start on their heels against Vegas early on in game one on Tuesday night, but they now look to be one of

the most dangerous teams of the eight remaining right now, playing from behind, five straight. They have come from behind to win an NHL record in the Stanley Cup playoffs off on the right foot in Las Vegas. Excellent. Gene Principe haircut reference. Did you notice in his pregame interview with Leon Dreisaitl when Gene mentioned the word fresh, Leon looked at Gene's head? Yes, yes. And I was thrown off. What did Ron say at the top of the telecast? It was at 22 degrees in Vegas and also in Edmonton last night. I missed that part.

I think he said it was 22, but when the Oilers put out the video of the players leaving the hotel, Dry Saddle had a toucan. I'm like, they are in Vegas, aren't they? It was unbelievable. Noah, there had been some terrible rain in Vegas. So I know somebody who was at the game and he said one minute it was like the flood of Noah and the next minute it was perfectly fine. So it was the weirdest weather that he had experienced in quite some time. It was biblical and then it was calm. And then after the first period the flood came at the Vegas Golden Knights. Shots 18 to 7, Edmonton after the first and that was the thing. I just think it was a point where the Golden Knights just didn't look dangerous. And all credit

to the oilers, they smothered them again without Ekholm they didn't have a ton of breakdowns. Klingberg to me has been unbelievably good like much better than I thought. Remember when he looked like in Toronto last year Kyle when he wasn't healthy he was really struggling that surgery he got done he just looks like a different player right now. But again, the biggest story with me for the oldest right now is their performance without McDavid and Dry Settle on the ice. So during the regular season without those two on the ice, five on five, they got outscored 88 to 68. They were minus 20. Last year in the playoffs without McDavid and Drysiddle on

the ice, 5 on 5, they got outscored 21 to 12, minus 9. Now they're 7 games into the playoffs and after what happened on Tuesday night, they're plus 4. They're 11 and 7 without those two on the ice. And just as the winning goal and the insurance goal scored by Zach Hyman and Connor Brown were without those two out there. It's very, very impressive. It's a complete turnaround than what we're used to and it's a good omen for them. I'm sure you saw it, but that goal celebration by Connor Brown on the 4-2 goal was one of the best goal celebrations this year.

Just mean mugging. Yeah, he stopped in front of the Vegas bench. He didn't look at them. He looked away from them. And he made the Oilers come to him. And they were laughing their heads off. They loved it. Yes, it was the perfect exclamation point on a very productive night it became for the Oilers and you just wonder about where the switch was made. Like as you say, like all year we had talked about that cohesion that had been such a big part of what they accomplished last year. You just didn't see it in spades and it was clear that Chris Knoblock wanted everybody

to be involved out of the gate against Los Angeles. That didn't happen right away. It took a bit but now it is. Now everything seems to be clicking and it was interesting because Knoblock pointed out before the game that finally they have a little continuity with their lines after so much of the year between injuries and other circumstances. They just haven't had that. You know what it was? It's very clear what it was. It was the sled dog speaker. The what? We talked about this. Oh yes. I understand Kyle, while you forgot, because it went kind of into the ether when they lost the first two games of

the King series. But the speaker's name is Jason Campo and he played in the Ontario Hockey League for the North Bay Battalion when they won, actually they might have even been the Centennials back then, when they won the OHL Championship in the mid-90s. And one of the things he did after his hockey career was done was he became a musher. And he competed in the Iditarod, which is the big sled dog race. And he competed in another one of these races in the Yukon.

And in that one, he fell off the sled and his dogs stayed and waited for him. And it's very scary in those situations because your dogs can take off on you and if that happens you're basically dead but his dog stayed and it saved his life and he talked about everybody having a role so clearly it is the sled dog speech that has saved the Euler season. A bunch of dogs in game one they were. So now as we go to game two there was game five in Edmonton, the Lambeau SUV that Evander Cain rolled up in, Rolls Royce game one in Vegas. I wonder where he takes it from here. How

about Glenn Gullitzen's sunglasses? Yes, we've got to mention that. That Kevin showed. Those things were almost as big as his entire face. Yes. It was excellent. Well, obviously, some of the big things here is that Frederick is healthy and can contribute. Kane is healthy, and he can contribute.

And Yanmarmark and Brown are really going. Dorafiev didn't play for Vegas and you know he's a 35 goal scorer. Patrangelo didn't play for Vegas. He was sick and those are two big losses but that's not the reason Edmonton won this game. Dorafiev doesn't sound long-term and because Patrangelo was sick you don't think he's gonna be long-term but after the first period they were absolutely smothered and again you know Eichel really did a nice job on McDavid in the first it's interesting how Edmonton's goal happened because they got McDavid out there when either Vegas wasn't

expecting it or couldn't make the change, Vegas is simply gonna have to be better in game two. They weren't good enough to win game one. Long series. I do have to wonder about Jack Michaels though. There were some things that happened with Jack Michaels in this game that concerned me. When Edmonton fell behind early in the game, he started talking about how the Oilers, like a bunch of the series they've won lately, they've come from behind in the series to win it. And so Ron, Kevin, Kelly, and Jake Allen and I are looking at each other and going, there's like 50 minutes still to play. The night was done for Jack.

I don't know if Jack wanted to get to the $25 tables or what he was up to. And then at the end of the game, he's like, the others have at least a split in Vegas. And the same, we're all sitting there going, wait a minute, like, maybe they want to try to win too. Jack, Jack, just, you know, just don't don't be so pessimistic. Jack. The others look good. Jack. As the very least, there's only one loss in Vegas to begin the series. That is good. Oh, man. That is so good.

That is good. Oh man, that is so good. And it's impressive too when you're watching Elliot, like when those top guys smell blood, like you mentioned that you did a great job. Kevin did breaking down, catching them in the line change in the first lead into the parry goal. But even on the tying goal where McDavid saw some room and just took off down the boards and dry sidled the one touch out of the air perfectly

timed right off of Hill's pad and in. Hill had been playing a hell of a game up until that point. Man oh man. It's neat to see when they smell blood in the water at a moment's notice. Vegas will be a lot better. A lot, a lot better in game two. Now, the other one here, Carolina, Washington, I have to confess, I didn't see a ton of this one. You know, obviously, Slavin, the $10 million man, if he was a UFA, like, that might be one of the best contracts in the NHL, is Slavin's deal. They're very lucky they got that one signed before the Four Nations when everybody realized how good he is. But he

scores the winner and Carolina deserved that win. There are times when Carolina plays and people say they're just shot merchants. They fire the puck at the net and they make their possession numbers look good, but it's not a true indicator of a game This was a true indicator of a game. They were the dominant team most of the game and it was one of those weird ones, too Kyle where we're not only do you out shoot the team you're playing against but you also Out-hit the team that you're playing against. You don't often see that, like those two things tend to be opposite because obviously if you're out hitting someone, in theory you don't have the puck as much.

But in addition to out shooting them two to one, they also out hit them by 15. So it was a game where Carolina really dominated and really earned the win. So obviously I expect Washington to be a lot better in game two. It was kind of a flat performance from them I thought. I thought it was it was quintessential Hurricanes hockey in a lot of ways. You mentioned the shot volume, the zone time that they racked up, all earned and they stayed patient. There was the one opportunity the Protas took advantage of. They had the lead for a good long while and right around

the midway point of the third, they get their opportunity. Logan Stankovin made good. They didn't change how they were playing. They just kept at it. And their moment came in the third period. And they kept at it in overtime. And it wasn't long before Jacob Slavin had an opportunity to get it to the net through traffic. And it was even one of those ones where you weren't even

sure, did it get through Logan Thompson? Jordan Stahl was the closest to the crease there. He saw it buried into the back of the net. He was the first one to react and then it was like kind of a ripple effect. Everybody else behind him in a Carolina jersey reacted from from that point onwards. I watched back Spencer Carberry's postgame press conference. Like we talked in the first round of how complimentary he was to Montreal for so much of that series and all the nice things he was saying and how reflective and thoughtful he was.

I'll admit I haven't watched every Carbury press conference after a loss over the course of this season, but I'm going to hazard a guess there weren't many others this year where he was more short-winded, more visibly irritated about his team's performance than how he came across when asked about what happened from his team's perspective in game one Tuesday night. Hasn't really needed to be. Hasn't really needed to be. Logan Thompson continues to be really good. I wondered if Carolina saw something glove hand. They really took a lot of shots at it. I mean generally teams try to shoot high anyway and I don't want to jump to conclusions on this but it did seem to me like they were looking glove hand quite a bit. The

other thing, did you see, I mean I saw the highlight of Wilson grabbing Ajo's mouth guard. When Wilson gave it back to the official, someone said to me, Ajo put it back in his mouth. Did you see that? Yeah, I think, and Ferraro was all over it between the benches there. He's like, yeah, just hose it off with a bit of water from one of the bottles on the bench and away they go. You see it happen all the time, like whether a mouth guard falls out onto the ice and it's right back in there.

I wouldn't even think that's like top five when you think of just the grossness that comes about at sport at times. Yeah, you know, I got to tell you, I just could only imagine like Tom Wilson's gloves and just the crap that's been on them over the years. I'm sure it's a new pair of his second game for him other players faces stuff like that. It's just like I would not put that back into my mouth after it's been in Tom Wilson's glove I get a picture like ah-ho not wanting anything to do with it and Bryn Damore Just giving him the look on the bench like don't give them an inch don't give them an edge

Don't show that you're bothered. Don't show that you're bothered. He's like okay fine. Bryn Namor probably would have put it in his mouth if Oh didn't put it back in his own. Disgusting. Now that's disgusting. Well done. Also Frederick Anderson though he didn't face a ton of action, only 14 shots. He looked good in his first game back after not being able to finish the New Jersey series. Yeah, he did. And the one goal was a little bit rough, but other than that, he was really good. I don't complain about a lot of this stuff here. I'm really big in the playoffs of it's not how, it's how many. If you win, you win, you celebrate, you figure out whatever

you have to deal with and you move on. I'm very big like that. I don't really pick apart things too much for winning teams because it's hard to win at this time of year. It really is. Okay Elliot, Toronto, Florida. There was probably more going on in game one on Monday night in terms of the sidebar dramatics alone than the entire Battle of Ontario combined. It was really something. That was a heck of a way to begin a second round series. But we went we went from like the least nastiest series which was Toronto Ottawa to a great game and an immediately nasty series. Toronto, Florida as expected.

And as expected, all the dialogue on Tuesday was still the reaction to Sam Bennett running into Anthony Stolarz in the second period there. Stolarz left the game, went to hospital. The news from Toronto on Tuesday and the Maple Leafs was that he was in the facility. Some of the players saying that they saw him, seemed to be in good spirits, smiling. So that's all a good thing when you think about Stolarz's health. Craig Borubey didn't have an interest in discussing it all that much further, though everyone else certainly wanted to. Elliot, do you have a different spin, a different look on the matter, something that hasn't been brought up yet when it comes to the Bennett Stolar's file? So I got a call on Tuesday afternoon from someone in the league and he said that he was surprised

that after everything that happened in Monday night and the aftermath that Sam Bennett hadn't signed a contract extension with the Panthers by Tuesday afternoon. He said that all of this noise is the best advertisement for Sam Bennett to stay in Florida than anything else that could have happened. And you know, I've always believed that most likely he stays. But this guy, he works for another team. He guaranteed that Bill Zito and Paul Maurice were going up to him and saying, really, you want to leave where we are to go play like somewhere like this where all this noise is going to come every time you do something, you don't want to leave Florida." So he was laughing. He was like,

he was like, maybe we'll wake up tomorrow morning, Wednesday, and the extension will be done. Or they'll sign it at center ice in the warm up of game two. Like he was was just laughing. He said this was the best thing that could have happened to the Panthers wanting to keep Bennett. You know, hey, Bennett's a great player. He's a difference maker. He was on the Four Nations Canada team for a reason. He is a great player. I'm not surprised at all, Kyle, with no suspension.

If you follow George Perros and the job he does, there's a couple things he's very consistent about. Number one, he doesn't believe that you look at something via the consequences or an injury or reputation or history. He says, what I do is I decide if the act is suspendable. And if I decide the act is suspendable then I look at all of those things and people can agree or they can disagree but Peros is consistent with that that's the way he goes and he didn't think that that was suspendable I thought it should have been a penalty I even got referees

who said to me they didn't think that was a penalty and I was like you guys have got to be kidding Me like that's a penalty and what's interesting was in the Vegas Edmonton game Connor Brown got a penalty in the third period for bumping Aiden Hill Like it wasn't really a dirty play or anything like that He was going through the crease and there was contact and he was trying to score But I guarantee to you Kyle that that Connor Brown penalty was called because of what happened with Bennett in game one of the Toronto series. I don't know if you see that call if it's not for Bennett.

So there is, I think, an overflow here. But I think it should have been a penalty. And, you know, there's some people who are saying, look, the real damage was caused by the Sam Reinhart shot, not that play. And maybe that's true, it's possible. I don't like to guess about these kinds of things. But still, I didn't like the play.

One of the things I really thought about was what Kelly Rudy and Jake Allen said, which is that when you're a goalie, St know, Stollers is trying to make a play on the puck there. He's trying to grab the puck and he gets hit from a place he can't expect to get hit from. He's focusing on the puck and Bennett comes and gets him from the side. He can't protect himself from that. And you know, Allen and Rudy have obviously played the position or in Allen's case is still playing the position.

You have to take their word there. So like that's the reason I didn't like it. You know me, Kyle, I like a hard, mean, nasty game. I love the playoffs for what they are. I think they've been incredibly entertaining partially because these players go at each other hard. But I think the goaltenders have to be held to a bit of a different standard, a more protected standard and where I really go back to was Milan Lucic and Ryan Miller all those years ago and I remember the first GM meeting after that play they talked about how the goalie had to be seen as the quarterback, like that's our quarterback, they have to be protected and Toronto's lucky that they have a talented guy like Joseph Wall Who's got playoff experience?

But not every team would have that and I would say that any team that had that happen to them would be furious Just like the Maple Leafs were now. I do think the Panthers believe that things got laid on a little bit thick on On Monday night like with all the reports about the stretcher and I had the report about the hospital. I heard they were like, oh, come on with this stuff. But you know, I think any team would be upset if that was their number one goalie. But whatever the case is, it's done.

Now we move on and we see where we go in game two because it was a great hockey game and this is going to be a great series. The more I watch the video back, Elliot, and I'm with you, like you've got to protect the goaltenders and it was and over and over again and you're looking for something vicious or something with real poor intent. And it's just, it's not there. It's interference for sure. For sure it is. You're coming into the crease there the way he did. He's taking it harder than that.

Okay, trying to score for sure. But when you're cutting it that close where the goalie is positioned there is there needs to be some sort of consequence but you know beyond a penalty called on the ice within the game I understand the outcry depending on where your allegiance lies but beyond you know two minutes within that game Elliot yeah it's it's it's hard to envision a scenario knowing how George Perros calls it and just seeing the evidence, plain and simple, in broad daylight. So maybe there's a conversation that needs to be had as we go forward where, as you say, protecting the goaltenders a little bit different because of how valuable they are,

because of how vulnerable they can be in certain Situations even though all the the equipment that they wear But maybe it's not always about the act first and then you consider the outcome Maybe sometimes that the outcome needs to be put forth But in this case here, I've just I've struggled to find a an angle or a piece of video of it that that shows okay yeah that was that was really nasty something needs to be done beyond what the referees could have done within the game yeah I was a two minute penalty like it it was I agree I agree with that no I mean like I said what's

done is done of all the quotes I thought the funniest one Maurice had a few really good quotes like Toronto's gonna have its hair on fire and I've seen every hit He's made since he was 12 years old and a part of one that the parking ticket The one I really laughed at was after after game one. He said I Know you guys are gonna go crazy about this, but I'm gonna prepare to coach game two Hopefully I was like what is he worried getting fired in between games one and two like hopefully yeah That start yeah after that start you never know That was great he doesn't miss I gotta say like that was a great game.

Just a great hockey game. Game one of that series, obviously, you know, aside from the injury itself, which you don't want to see, it was just great, great hockey. It was everything you'd want it to be. Toronto gets off to the great start. Florida with the great comeback. You have to think Bobrovsky's not gonna be like that for most of the series. He was not Himself I think that Florida third line like that Laura Starine and Lindell Marchand line

That is a real difference maker for those guys. It was it was a tough game. It was a mean game Nylander obviously played incredibly well as we record the pod. He was tied before Tuesday night's games. He was tied for the playoff lead in scoring. He made a huge impact right away. Like everything about that game aside from the injury was exactly what you could have wanted and hoped for in a game between Florida and Toronto. And you know, I wanted to shout out our producers and our truck too, Kyle, because we didn't get that video of Stolarz being sick, vomiting on the bench, until we were live on the air.

And so I'm live on the air in the second intermission and they're like, okay, there's video coming in, fed from the truck of him being sick on the air in the second intermission and they're like okay there's video coming in fed from the truck of him being sick on the bench. So it's like you know one of those moments you're not exactly sure what you're going to be seeing. You're only being told it but you're not exactly sure what it's going to look like. But I thought it was really important that our guys got that to us because obviously it was hugely important in the overall status of the game. And just hope that Stollers is okay and as you said it looked like he was on Tuesday.

So you know Toronto will remain to be frustrated about that whole scenario behind the scenes, but it was very clear publicly on Tuesday that there was the mandate of we are past this we are not extolling any more energy outwardly about the lack of no penalty in the moment no supplementary discipline for what happened to their goalie from Toronto's perspective and you know what it reminded me of Elliot 2019 Eric Carlson's hand pass yes Yes it did. Big goal. Craig Barube. Simpatico.

Yes. He was the one, the story goes, right, that went into the dressing room after that game, the place was going haywire because of a missed hand pass, San Jose scores, they go up two to one in the series, and Barube went into the room and said, we're past this, no whining about it, we're on to game number four.

What happened? St. Louis ripped off three straight wins. They outscored San Jose 12 to 2 combined, won the series and of course went on to the cup final and won the whole thing. Yeah, Barube is good at that. He's good at putting that stuff behind them. I have to say this too. I don't like to give our producers too much credit because it goes right to their heads, but the Savvy Meter is a big hit. People were interested in that and they were saying he was really tough on the grades, but what happens is once you give somebody a 10,

you can't keep having 10s. Yeah, I know you're used to getting 10s all the time, but not everybody can be eligible. You know how that first started? How? So, one of our producers at Sportsnet Elliott, Matt Kostek, after game one, round one, Toronto, Ottawa, I guess he was sifting through all the melt footage afterwards and putting together the tees ahead of game two, and he just happened to stumble across that first

look of him going bananas on the bench in Barube looking at him going what are you doing and so alerted us we ran it in game two and now it's just taken on a life of its own so credit to Matt for being the one to unearth it initially and it's become a fun little thread throughout the playoffs from Toronto's point of view. Yeah it's good it's fun stuff people like fun that that is definitely fun and this is just one game of a heck of a series gonna be a great series. All right and with that we'll get to the final thought which is brought to you by GMC the remaining second round series that has not begun just yet. Game one will be later on Wednesday night from Winnipeg. The Jets and the Stars, another heavyweight bout in the Central Division.

Jason Robertson was skating with Wyatt Johnson and Mason Marchman at Stars practice. Mark Shifely, Josh Morrissey, Logan Stanley were in non-contact jerseys for Winnipeg. How are you feeling about this series leading up to Game 1, Elliot? I'm feeling excited, Kyle. I'm really looking forward to seeing these two teams go at each other. I think one of the most interesting things is going to be just how was their emotion after the way the previous series ended for both of them? They were so spectacular and so powerful.

I know they have a few days to ramp it back up, but I can almost imagine how you'd be spent after everything that you gave in game seven for the Stars and for the Jets. Like how much do you have left in the tank? After two or three days, do you feel good enough? Or are you looking at this other team and say I don't have the same emotion as I did after seven games of the other series against the previous team. So I'm I'm really curious about that. Does any of the do any of these teams just start a little bit flat?

I think the possibility of Robertson being injected will help Dallas with that. You get an excited player who's ready to come back into your lineup. Obviously if any of the Jets guys can come back, same thing. But that's one of the things I'm really concerned about for the beginning of this series is the emotional level there. The other thing I'm really interested in is just Hellebuck. You know, he could be free now. You know, that is a huge, huge piano off his back. I know if I was in his shoes, I would be feeling pretty invincible right now. And the thing that really stood out at the end of Game 7 was he was really challenging those shooters. He looked really confident. And now he's got something I know it's only around one

win but it's a win and it's his first one really big one in a long time and I think it should do wonders for him and I and I hope it does so how Hellebuck plays that's gonna be a big one in the series for me. But I'm really looking forward to it. I think it's going to be a great series. I have no doubt the arena in Winnipeg on Wednesday night is going to be a glass cauldron of emotion. I'm just wondering if the players are going to be able to get up to that level right away. And I'd say the other thing about this is that I think Kyle there's a lot of players on both these teams that have reason to feel really good

about themselves. Because when prominent guys are out and you still win in spite of that, it's because everybody pulls in the same direction. Like Hayden Flurry, there's a guy starting this series, you know, he should feel really good about himself. Like a guy like Ilya Lebushkin, he had one bad minus five game, but otherwise he played really well. I would feel really good about myself if I was a guy like Lebushkin. So I look at a lot of these situations and I just wonder how these two teams arrive after the way their last two series ended. Yeah because it feels like in years past the second round can kind of be where that emotional wall hits because the first is can be such a grind and so demanding for so many reasons because of how fast the pace is out of the gate and then it hits you have like, holy smokes, we still got three more rounds to win in theory if we

want to go to the end. I'm with you, like that's the that's the real test for both teams coming off emotional game seven wins. How do you handle and regather yourself for another demanding series here amongst two of the best in the entire league not just the central division. If you're Winnipeg though don't allow it to get to a game seven. You know I say this too like if Florida, Toronto was any example I agree with you generally there's there's usually a second round drop-off we're we're not going there like we're not having a second round drop off, we're not going there. Like, we're not having a second round drop off this year, not occurring. No, that's good. Keep the pace high.

Final Thought brought to you by GMC. We'll take our first break and come back with other news and notes around the NHL. Stay tuned. All right, welcome back, Elliot. Before we got to enjoy game one of Toronto, Florida, we had the 2025 draft lottery that saw the New York Islanders move from 10th to 1st. Utah also moved up 10 spots as well. They'll be picking 4th overall later on at the end of June. First, though, not a new format in the way that they drew the lottery balls, but a new format in how they presented it.

We got to see it all happen live, Elliot. What did you think of it? I actually liked it. I liked the fact that they did it that way. The only change I would make is that, and they won't have to do it again because everybody will know it if they do the same format next year. But the only thing I would have done, and I admit this is with 20-20 hindsight, is I would have done a video beforehand of a trial run just so everybody understood what it would

have looked like. Right? But it's a small thing. It's a small criticism. It's not... I liked it this way. Because I understand the way it works with the four number combination I knew exactly what they were doing and I liked how they showed the live odds and if this ball Comes up this team wins. I thought it was a really good touch. Like I said, I just would have done a video beforehand saying

This is what it's gonna look like so you all know beforehand saying this is what it's gonna look like so you all know. So I thought a couple of things, when they're initially putting all the numbered balls into the machine and Gary Vettman's calling up, I'm like bring in the count next time, have him count out the balls from Sesame Street and it also made me think of that scene from Spaceballs about when they got King Roland to give up the combination to the air shield. One. One.

One. Two. Two. Two. Three. Three. And onwards from there, I couldn't get out of my head. That's your second Spaceballs reference on this podcast.

And I had to make sure I was specific about saying this is a reference from the movie Spaceballs because we got flack for it last time glazing over that part of it. That's true. That's true. But otherwise I liked it. Like it was and then as it's unfolding I thought of your great line of I was told there would be no math. But once it got down like it was fun, like you're seeing okay this team needs that number this one needs that number or that number I think it was the great they were going for the dramatic finish and I think in a lot of ways they got it especially with the islanders of all teams moving up you know I would be curious to see if you

could do this for next year it would take probably some AI but there's a lot of really talented graphic people out there that, and I'm just thinking about this as you're talking about it, as they reveal the number, any time a team gets eliminated, like basically their graphic was, okay, here's all the teams in the orders of their odds, now here. There's there's their new updated odds So you could technically go from 9% to 12% to 35% back to 3% then a team could get crossed out Again there's nothing wrong with it But we could make it a little bit better by just having sort of like a movable graphic

Where after every time a ball is drawn the odds shift right? Right so the teams actually moved so let's just say they draw the yes the number seven eight nine okay and then we're waiting for the last number what you could do is you could say, okay, you could put them in order of percentages and then move off to the side the teams that have no chance. I think that's something you could probably do for next year. But again, it's just nitpicking, trying to make it a bit better. I don't, obviously I'm not knocking it or ripping it or anything like that.

I never want to rip people for trying something different and this was different and I like the fact they tried it. And so the Islanders will pick first overall for the first time since 2009 but at this current time they don't have a general manager in place Elliot. So did the Islanders GM job just get even more coveted, more valuable now that they are set to pick first in June? Kyle, I'll say this. It didn't hurt. Nobody's running away from a team that's got the number one overall pick.

I think the biggest question I now have after it is how much faster are they working to get this done? You cannot screw up this pick. I mean, even if they would have picked 11th, you can't screw up the pick. It's a really important pick for you. But now you have the number one overall pick in a year where there's no clear cut number one. Like I don't follow enough of these kids to really know Kyle. I think if you ask Jason Buchla and Sam Cosentino at our place, I believe they like Schaefer, but there's no clear-cut guy. Depending on who you talk to, there's a lot of differences. So you've got to get your new hockey ops in there. You've got to get your new amateur staff in there.

You've got to make sure you're prepared, you're organized, you're doing your necessary due diligence to get this done. So I think that's one of the bigger questions that this make their search. I think the Islanders wanted to be pretty quick to begin with. Now I think it might even get sped up faster. Arthur Staple of the Athletic had a tweet on Tuesday that had a lot of the key information. I think Ken Holland's been in there. I think he's met with them.

I think he's a very, very legitimate contender there. He had also said that they were going to reach out to Montreal to ask for permission to speak to Jeff Gordon, who's the president of hockey operations there. I'm not a hundred percent convinced that that is decided one way or the other at this point so I'm gonna leave that open. You know you've heard some of the other names Mark Berger van, Jarmo Kekkeleinen. One of the things I have heard is that the Islanders have asked around about just some different candidates. Like, is there anybody out there that we should be looking into that isn't obvious? Is there anybody out there we're missing? of the things that was kind of being wondered is

has their timeline sped up because they really have to make sure they get this right and are well prepared to get this right. The Islanders already got Cole Iserman in their prospect pool, Callum Ritchie in the Brock Nelson deal, and now a first overall pick awaits later on this year to kick off the off season. So suddenly the prospect pool on Long Island is starting to look pretty good once again for a team that would love to score more goals moving forward. How about the Buffalo Sabres, Elliott?

Does they continue to find ways to find answers to a problem that has plagued them for years and years and years, finding the right mix that breeds winning. What are they looking at in terms of adding to their mix? Okay, so it was the After the Whistle podcast, or After Low Whistle podcast with Craig Reve and Andrew Peters, who I think were the first ones to report on Tuesday morning that GM Kevin Adams is back next year. There was a series of meetings with the owner Terry Pagula there and some of the other members of the organization. I believe Adams and Ruff presented as well and so Kevin Adams is going to be back.

Lindy Ruff is going to be back as head coach. I've mentioned before, Kyle, that I had heard there were going to be some changes inside the organization. And there's a couple of things I'm looking at right here. First of all, I've heard they've begun to look around for a senior advisor to work with Kevin Adams. And I heard this person will report to Kevin Adams, but they'll work with Kevin Adams.

And it's someone who's been in the GM chair before, or someone who's been in a big chair before. That's what they're looking for, to add some experience to their front office. And as they've been calling around, that's the phrase I've heard. Someone who's been in the chair before, but they will report to Adams. Adams reports to Terry Pagula, the senior advisor reports to Adams but works with him. I've also heard that Eric Stahl

will be joining the organization. Kevin Adams and Eric Stahl have a history. Of course, they played together in Carolina. The Sabres have been looking for some new blood to help them make some decisions and look at things in a bit of a fresh way. I don't know when they're gonna be announcing this but I've heard that Eric Stahl will be joining the organization as well. So some of the changes in the front office are beginning and we'll see over the next

little while what if any potential changes they'll be discussing on the roster. Stahl also played 32 games with the Sabres during that shortened season back in 2021. Okay the Colorado Avalanche Elliott they had their season ending press conference with Joe Sackett, Chris McFarlane. Among the topics there, 100% Jared Bednar remaining the head coach of the Avs as gutting of a loss that was in game 7 to Dallas. Really, as you look at it through a sober second lens, no surprise that Bednar remains behind the bench there. No, no surprises at all. They did announce that Ray Bennett, who ran the power play, is out.

He was the assistant coach there. So that change they did make. But I'm not surprised in the least about Bednar. I think one of the things about Colorado is A, they were the ones who kind of discovered Bednar out of nowhere because Chris McFarland knew him from the organization in Columbus but also they stuck with him after their first nightmare season where

you know he really didn't have a chance so I think they take it as a real point of pride that he's someone they discovered and like I said he's been successful and he has a good working relationship with Nathan McKinnon nothing that was said in that conference, there were that media conference with Sackett and McFarland has changed my opinion on the fact that the Avalanche are eager. Like this was the Ratnan revenge, their first round. Next year they're gonna try to make it about their revenge. Like they did a lot this year. They tried a lot this year

and it didn't work, but I don't think it means they're going to give up or go backwards. And I think one of the biggest questions is, you know, Martin Natchez, last year when Carolina talked contract with him, he was willing to sign for only two years. He was only willing to go right to unrestricted free agency and that was it. So I think one of the things that we'll be curious about this year is does Natures feel any differently? Does he stay commit long term to Colorado or what happens here? So that's going to be an interesting one to follow. I did have one Penguins fan who complained to me and said how come it's always about McKinnon convincing Crosby to go to Colorado? Why can't Crosby

convince McKinnon to come to Pittsburgh? Why does nobody talk about that? Why does Sid have to leave? Why doesn't McKinnon have to leave? So, you know, just for the Penguins fans, I figured I'd, you know, throw that out there, just so you guys felt like it could go both ways. Yes. Well, we're gonna have a lot of time together over in Europe over the next few weeks of the world, so I'm sure all matters, all hypotheticals will be discussed. All right.

So let's move on to the Kings. And so Rob Blake was a mutual announcement that he wasn't coming back. And you know, I'd said on the podcast on Monday morning that there were rumors that he might not want to return. I think I have a bit of a better picture of this right now. At least once over the last year, and most people seem to think it was at least twice, but I only know of one. But everybody points to last summer and then there was a time during the year where either Blake was had a conversation

about an extension or he was given an extension to sign. I don't know exactly. We'll just go with this full picture. But he had indicated he wasn't sure he wanted to stay. He wasn't sure he wanted to continue. Last year might have been his last year anyway. So whatever the case was, it never got done. And one thing I absolutely believe now, Kyle, is after that incredibly disappointing loss, I think there were people in the organization who just said, you know what, we're going to move on. And it wasn't signed and, you know, it was such a disappointing loss, fourth time in a row to the Oilers.

I think it was, it's time. So I think mutual decision is the right way to do it because they wanted to extend him and he wasn't doing it and then I think at the end after the loss they were like, let's just move on. So that's kind of the way it went. You know I want to say one thing about Rob Blake and, you know, Rob Blake has accomplished a hell of a lot in his life. He's a Stanley Cup champion. He's Olympic gold medalist. He's made a boatload of cash. And, you know, I've met some people who are like that, who really aren't that grounded, But I just really like dealing with him. He was, he could be

very airtight. He didn't like to give away a lot, but I just, I always found him very professional to deal with, really enjoyed it. And so, you know, whatever he decides, if he wants to go surf every day, he's a big surfer, I would say, you know what, you've earned the right to go surf every day and go enjoy it. It's gonna be interesting because I think a lot of people, Lou Robitaille spoke to the media on on Tuesday and you know a lot of people kind of thought that the day that Blake was done it would be Mark Bergevin's move into the number one chair chair the GM chair. I don't know how everybody interpreted it but after that

Media conference, I'm not so certain Anymore like I could be totally wrong We'll see how it all plays out as we mentioned Berger van's been a contender in New York with the Islanders, too They have other internal candidates. Nelson Emerson's been there a long time. Mike Unetti's been there a long time. But I certainly was left with at least the impression that the Kings weren't 100% certain they were going internal.

And you know, maybe we'll wake up on Wednesday and I'll be proven to be totally wrong. But that's the impression that Robitaille left me with. He did say that Jim Hillers under contract next year and expected him to be back. You know, I remember when Mike Gillis kept El Anovinio in Vancouver, I don't automatically assume that just because the new managers coming in, it means that they want to get rid of the head coach. I don't think like that. If I ran a team, I wouldn't allow that thinking, oh, a new person comes in, let's get rid of everybody. I don't necessarily think that's successful thinking, so I'm not going to jump to conclusions there. Where I'm curious about is some of these extensions. You know, Gavrikov, there certainly was a lot of belief and I've said it that he was going to sign. Robita indicated they want

to sign Kuzmenko. Kempi is due an extension on July 1st, he can sign one. Laferriere is an RFA. Tanner Janos, non-restricted free agent and they missed him. Like I think that was one of the biggest differences in the series, Kyle, when Evander Kane started going and Trent Frederick started going. Tanner Janot was a guy who could have countered that and he's a guy that the Kings could have used. I think they tried to sign him during the year. I heard it really never got close. So we'll see. Like, any time there's a new manager,

you know, is the plan still the same or the plan changes? I'm less certain on some of these situations. One thing I did here on Tuesday was that I think the Kings were one of the teams that took a real run of Brad Marchand and You know Marchand wanted to go to Florida and ended up in Florida, but I think they were one of the teams during the season that Tried to try to get them. Hmm. So perhaps one of the more active groups potentially come the summertime and free agency then Be interesting to watch.

You know, like I said, they've got some big extensions they might have to deal with here. Like you've got to think in particular, Kempe is really important for them. He's becoming one of their best offensive players, if he's not already. So you always wonder about how they view their cap situation. But it wouldn't be surprised to me if they tried to be aggressive yes. And lastly Elliot, news out of Ottawa on Tuesday. Ryan bonus no longer a member of the senator's front office. Was that a surprise at all to you and where do you think the senators go from here as the new regime continues to make its mark within the National Capital Region? Well

first of all I want to wish best of luck to Ryan. I don't think it comes as a huge surprise. There had been some rumors during the season that there were going to be some changes there, and potentially Ryan was one of them. So just wish him the best. One of the names that I think is going to potentially be out there is Matt Turek. Um, Matt Turek, who in NHL circles, people will know him as the person who pushed, uh,

Arbor Jacki on the Montreal Canadians. He was, uh, he knew Jacki well. He saw him in the Ontario hockey league, he had him there. And it was on his recommendation that the Canadian signed Jack I. And so that was a, and, and I will say for this, I'm not a big fan of Matt because I tried to talk to him about it and he wouldn't do it. He turned down an interview request. So immediately one of my favorites and immediately I'm down on Matt Turek, but you know, he, there's a tie in with Ann Lauer

and Steve Stoios. He was the GM of the Hamilton now Brantford Bulldogs. They know him well. He knows them well. And I'll say this. I think there would be some people who would be surprised if he wasn't the guy or very high on their list. We'll see how it all works out. All right and two games to keep an eye on tonight as the Stanley Cup playoffs roll on we're on the air at 630 Eastern on Sportsnet getting you set

for game number two from Toronto Leafs and Panthers and then later on 930 Eastern, 830 Central. On Sportsnet West it will begin and join on CBC when the Leaf Panthers game is over. Game one, Stars and Jets. Great lineup of hockey again as the second round continues. Elliott, enjoy being in studio with the gang once again. We'll talk to you again on Friday.