Empty Netters Podcast - 51. 2023-24 Pacific Division Predictions

Episode Date: August 30, 2023

The boys touch on Auston Matthews getting the BAG with his new deal in Toronto and how it affects their chances of making a cup run. They also go over their Pacific Division breakdown where they predict where each team is going to finish in the division and who is going to have the best chance at going deep in the playoffs.    (0:00:00) - Intro (0:02:37) - Auston Matthews resigns with the Toronto Maple Leafs (0:20:22) - The Anaheim Ducks Predictions (0:30:50) - The San Jose Sharks Predictions (0:39:45) - The Vancouver Canucks Predictions (0:44:45) - The Calgary Flames Predictions (0:52:40) - The Seattle Kraken Predictions (0:58:12) - The LA Kings Predictions (1:07:26) - The Edmonton Oilers Predictions (1:14:14) - The Vegas Golden Knights Predictions   SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuf52MHW1O7guPMzsMvv2kA FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/empty.netters/?hl=en FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@empty.netters   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the Empty Netters podcast. This is my favorite time of the off season. I thought you were going to say year. And I was like, what about Christmas? Nah. Favorite time of the off season? Because we're getting into division breakdowns starting today. I wish...

I'm fucking pumped, dude. This exists. Oh. I see what you did there. No shit. You see what I did. Wow. I think this is a fucking...

I think this is a hobby, bro? We're starting with the Pacific Division today. CP's got his Seattle Spunk shirt on. I wore mine last night. Really? Yeah. How many times did you get laid? Wait too many to count.

Oh, let's go. Also, every time I wear my Spunk shirt, I get a comment. Oh, I thought you're going to say, get laid. I was like, that's a given. I'm a no-sex till marriage guy. Yeah. Reborn. He wasn't originally, and then he became reborn.

Guys, if you like that shirt, pop onto the Friday beer shop. Get it. It is the best shirt in the world. If you are a Seattle Cracken fan and you don't have it, I don't know what the fuck you're doing. You are doing it wrong. Yeah. But this is truly, these are truly some of my favorite episodes. I would like to go back and find the, these from last off season and just see where we had everyone. Yeah, yeah.

See how fucking wrong it was. I wonder, I wonder, I'm just so, I'm eager. I can't wait for hockey season to come back. I feel like we're in the doldrums right now. free agency is more or less over. Everyone's on their team or resigned with the exception of a few people. It's a time where we need hockey talk

and breaking down the divisions is such a fun thing to do. Yep. I love it. I'm frothin. Yeah, frothin. We're going to do the Pacific today. Yeah.

What I would like to do is go in reverse order of the standings from last year. Okay. So we'll talk about the teams. You and I can say what we like. We don't like about them. And then we're going to go one, two, three, and say where we think they finish in the Pacific. Okay.

There's eight teams in every division, so one through eight. So that means we'll be essentially picking who makes the playoffs for sure of the top three season in each division. Okay. I'm not weighing in on wild cards yet until we kind of get everywhere. Do you think we should do the one, two, three at the beginning of the team and then talk about it or talk about the teams and then one, two, three? Brian, what do you think?

I think beginning. Beginning. And then you could be like, what? Yeah, and this is where we do. We don't want to not talk about it after we, okay, after we disagree. I like that.

Oh, I like that. Okay, we have to interrupt our regularly scheduled pod because after we recorded that episode, the Austin Matthews deal finally broke. So you know we had to jump on remote. DPs in London, CP and studio,

but you know we're going to talk about it for you. So here we are quick, before the Pacific preview, Austin Matthews, Dan, take it away. Listen, man, I just feel like I need,

the listeners to know how important they are to me, the fact that I'm in, I'm in London, mate, and I'm here to talk about Austin Matthews signing a new deal with a throttle Maple Leafs. Can you believe it? Dude, what part of London are you in that produces that accent? I'm in like, I'm in the ghetto. I mean, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a white chapel street rat right now. Just eating, eating the scraps of fish and chips. That's what I'm saying. That's Ripper territory, dude. Yeah. Dude, I wanted to get in the thick of that. I'm not playing games here. not a posh boy. I'm getting down in the dirt and the grind.

And you know what, Dan, you actually made me think of this. We should have, we should, the OG listeners will know that, um, we now know where in the world is Austin Matthews. Like we can, we can move that dot right into Toronto, into Scotia Bank for at least the next four years. Um, yeah, it finally happened, dude. Listen, I, uh, I'm bumped. That let's, let's start right from the jump. We're not even getting We're not even going to get into the term and the AAV just yet. I'm bummed that Matthews resigned. I want chaos at all times. I think it's rare in the NHL that we get a UFA, a star UFA. It's not that common anymore. I mean, we we had it with Johnny Hockey a couple seasons ago

and that was electric, but we want more of it. You know, like we there's some, I feel like the, the big centers that were coming up here was Matthews. It was Elias Lindholm and it was Mark Schifley. And Lindholm and Schifley are still possibilities for us here. But I really wanted a chaotic year in Toronto with Austin Matthews being like, listen, I'm going to play out this year and see how we do, but I'm not going to resign. Like, let's see what happens. It would have just been so insane to watch the city of Toronto and Scotia Bank burn from the inside out.

but we'll give him some credit there that this was nice to do but what's not nice is the money dude like let's talk about that well dan before we even talk about the money to the point you just made dude think about how insane the Toronto media is anyway on a on a random fucking oh yeah think about the Toronto media imagine if the Leafs imagine if the Leafs were in a midseason stumble and Matthews was just unsigned like just a roaming free agent in the dog days of January I can't even I can't even fathom the talk radio that would have been going down. You know the final scene, I think it's the last episode of the last season of Game of Thrones after Danny has burned down Kings Landing and Ardaa is running through the streets covered in ash and soot.

That is what I believe downtown Toronto would look like if they were like a wildcard team. Matthews is not having that great of a season and he's unsigned. I just truly feel like Maple Leafs fans would burn the city to the ground and it would be amazing to watch. And I'm not seeing this as a hater of Leafs fans. Like, Leaves fans that are pumped right now, I'm happy for you. But I just, I can't believe how Austin has re-signed and yet this is still awesome. Like, there is still chaos here because I just, I have bad news for you, man. Like if you think, if you're a Leafs fan and you feel comfortable right now, I think you need to strap in the seatbelt again because he could have signed for eight years. He deliberately signed for four. He could have taken a team friendly deal and made things better for Toronto and made, given them a better chance at winning a Stanley Cup. But he signed for the highest AAB in the history of the NHL. So like it's not, it's it's unbelievable. And Chris, you.

You found the stat that was there are, there is one team in the NHL that has more than one player making $10 million or more. And it's the Leafs and they have three. And I just look at this team and their failures over the last four to five years of getting past the first round. They obviously got past this past season, but then got gentlemen swept. And now that team is like, you know what we could do is we could kind of reshuffle here with the AAV so we can build a better team like a lot of our rivals are doing. And Matthews was like this, yeah, we could do that. But I could also get 13.25 mil a season. Let's try that.

Let's see how that works for us. Dude, it's right now they have number one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and nine in the top ten Aavs in the league. Like, I think I put this out of the story, but it's 40.2% of the salary cap, dude. And I fully admit they were in a tough spot in that you have these deals. It's Tavares, right? He's at 11. Yeah, you have Tau drags at 11. So I get that it's hard on paper to go pay Austin Matthews less than Johnny Todrax, right?

Like that I get Matthews agents being like, of course not. Matthews himself, like these players have pride, you know, like I get that too. But you made the comment I think about some of those B's team. and Crosby's making 8, 7, not giving a fuck, you know, like these, you have to check that ego and that pride at the door a little bit if you want to really build something. And Matthews is paid, dude, and was going to get was, was getting paid. Nothing's promised, but he was going to make so much money in his life anyway. I hate, oh yeah. I hate doing that thing where you go, great.

And like, I hate doing that thing where you go, what's one, this guy wanted 11, give him eight. And I'm like, well, that's $3 million. dollars. Like I know that's the number three so it feels small, but that's a ton of money. I would love $3 million right now. That'd be sick as hell. But so I'm not saying like, let's take take three less, bro. It's nothing. It's chump change. But it does to me illustrate a priority, right? Like I think maybe that's harsh, but I'm like, you take fucking 13, you are saying out loud, you'd rather get the most money possible than build a winning team. Yeah, and I think there's two ways to look at it here. I think, let's, you know, I'm going to be a total optimist and I'm going to be a total pessimist.

The optimistic Leafs fan take is that Austin is going, I'm doing four years and I'm doing the highest AAV because in these four years, I'm going to get us a cup. We're going to win a Stanley Cup. We're going to bring the cup back to Toronto. It's going to be amazing for everyone. It's going to be amazing for the team, for the fans. and then after four years, I'm going to re-sign for another four, or even let's, because he's going to be, what, 30 then? He could sign for eight in four years. And he's going to go, I'm going to sign for eight at eight million Aav. And I'm going to be a leaf for life. And I'm going to, you know, we got us a cup. And now I'm going to go for long-term sustained success.

That is a possibility, sure. But why would we ever believe he would do that? because the reality is he could have signed for eight right now. He could have signed for team friendly right now. He didn't do it. You've got to imagine that in four years, he's still, he's going to be 30 years old. He's still going to be pumping in 60 goals a season. Another team is going to go, here six years for 14 million a year.

And he's going to go, yeah, done, take it. And in the nightmare scenario. Yes, dude. And in the nightmare scenario for Toronto, if in those four years, they haven't one of cup. If you don't think Austin Matthews is going like this, bye, see ya. You're out of your mind. And like he's done, he's gone through everything with the Maple Leafs. He just signed again. If in four years they still don't win a cup, deuces, dude. I'm out of here. And in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if in four years, we're in this same scenario comes into the summertime.

Austin's got one year left on that deal, I wouldn't be surprised if the Leafs traded him and got as much as humanly possible for him. Yeah. Dude, the thing that sucks is, I feel like if you were the, and some people have been saying this, but if you were the Leafs camp or a Leafs fan, it is nuts to me that you couldn't get either lower a team, more team friendly deal or more term. And I've heard a million times. that Matthews camp would not budge on four years. Then I'm like, then you have to get him down. Like, you just can't let him walk in and be like this. Give me the most expensive contract of all time. And I'm leaving in four years. Go fuck yourselves.

Like, and they just, they took it. And it's such a market, dude. Like, he can't walk, you know, like, even if you trade him, even if you trade him, dude, for all of King Midas is silver, you still get buried by Leif's fans and reporters, right? Like, if you trade Austin, Mattis. Definitely, right? Like, there's no, there's no win there. So I get that they were up against it, but holy shit, dude, like that money and that short of term is just such a little spanking by Matthews. Chris, the thing that actually blows my mind is the Leafs are in such a shit situation where they have to win every year.

Like last year, even with the Bruins breaking the record and, you know, they choked in the first round, but even with them breaking the regular season win record, if you're a Leafs fan, you're still going, we have to win the cup this year. Like look at our team. How do we not win? Yep. They're going into this season as the top team in the East or top two or three at least. So you have to win this year.

That's what the media is saying. And frankly, when you look at the landscape of the East and the NHL, that's what the NHL is saying. So they're going into this season going, you have to win a Stanley Cup. And if they don't, they go like this, shit, we lost. All right. What do we do? How do we address this?

And they go, oh, well, Austin's cap hits going up to $13.25 million next year. So let's address what we can, but there's not much we can do. And you also have to resign Nealander here or trade Nealander. So it's like they're in such a brutal situation of win now. And it's even worse because your best player's money is going up next year. And if they don't win this season, you go, okay, we still didn't have the pieces to win. What do we do now? And you go, well, you have even less money to work with.

Let's see what the cap going up does. But holy shit, man. They, you know, you've locked up for four more years, a top easily 10, let's call it. five player in the NHL. And that's a good thing. But the pressure for you to win the Stanley Cup, it has never been higher. And Austin didn't make it easy. And on him, by the way, eh?

Right? Like, what if he, what if he's got, what if he's got 10 goals at, at all stars, you know, 15 goals at All Star break? Yeah. Like, the, he's, that'll never happen. He's, was the number one pick. I know. But just, you know, like, that.

There's added pressure of these huge deals. And you also said it right. Neelander up next year, tow drags and Marner up the year after that. Just like, holy hell, man, a lot of changes you'd think coming with this squad if they don't pull it off. I wanted to ask you one thing. Do you think we have seen, because you would said, I wish Austin got to UFC. And so do I, just for the sweepstakes, right? It would have been so far.

But with what Maddie Kachuk did last year. which at the time I was like, wow, what a cool guy move to be like, hey, I'm not coming back. So get something for me. He almost might have set a precedent there. And he's probably not the first person who's ever done that. I don't mean to ignore anyone who's done that before him. But it almost feels like maybe there's a precedent there where any huge UFA coming up, if they don't give their team a head up, I'd be like, what a dickhead?

Like, why didn't they just let, why didn't they give him the heads up? I'm not coming back. Let me trade you to the point there. I'm like, I'm not even sure we ever see a huge, huge, huge UFA go again. because they'll either re-sign like always or they'll tell the team, yo, trade me. Yeah, dude, I think about that all the time. And it's funny how much flack Johnny Goddrow got. But you wonder if Johnny Goddrault was in a situation where he genuinely didn't know what he wanted to do and he wanted to see how the season plays out.

And frankly, I feel like a player should be given that freedom. Like you should be able to do that if that's what you want to do. But I'm with you. it's it's looking more and more like we'll never see that again um but then again we might see it right now with shy flea and lindholm so yeah yeah let's see where's the bar of like superstar yeah yeah and and if you don't think those two guys are all-star superstar caliber players you know you're an idiot in my opinion so I think we'll see it with them we'll see it with them and if they do it or not I don't know but um

To address your point earlier of like, we're going to see some changes with the Leafs. Like I think you and I said in our end of season review, like, or after round two, when they got bounced in five games, we were like, big changes are coming for this team. And there's been none. I mean, we lost, they lost, they lost Dubus. And that was shocking to me because we thought that Dubus. And I think everyone in the NHL world agrees with that. Dubus did everything he had to do to get them over the hump. And he did it. They got out of the first round and then the team laid an egg in the second round. I think big change are happening in the future.

And this year you are fully in one of those. We see it in the high school hockey all the time. I remember Dad had that one season. But you see it with like, we just need the first line to win the title. Like hope the depth holds, hope we don't get the injury bug and the first line wins it by themselves. And like that is literally the plan this year in Toronto.

Hopefully the studs get it done. It's, you know, it's funny to, I need you to check me on this. But I think it was up until the Abs cup two seasons. ago. No team had ever won the Stanley Cup with a player making 10 million AAV or more. And the only team that had ever been to a cup with someone making that was the Maple Leafs in the bubble year

with Kerry Price still on the roster. And the Canadians in the bubble year with Carrie Price on the roster. And they obviously got gentlemen swept out of the cup. So I don't know if McKinnon's 12.6 or whatever it is had kicked in the season they won the cup. But I don't think, I think, can you check their cap space? I think this past season was the first season, McKinnon was making 12 or more. You know who just won a cup making 10? You know who's got a mug making 10? Does Jack have 10?

Yeah. Jack makes 10. Yeah, dude. Isn't that great? Okay, so he was making 10. But the Colorado year, I do think McKinin was still on his previous contract in this season. that they just lost in the first round to a wild card Seattle Cracken was the first year he went up to 12 plus.

So basically my point being, it's interesting that the Leafs, the Leafs of all teams are the ones being like, you know what, you know what teams going to do it is us. We're going to be the guys that are really the first team to break through and win a cup with multiple players eating, 50% of our cap. That feels like a crazy, crazy move from the Toronto Maple Leafs. But here we are.

And I think, unfortunately, you are in a position where the Leafs could not afford to let Austin Matthews sign somewhere else or be traded somewhere else. So they were very much at his mercy and he showed zero. Yep. I think you're right, by the way. I think McKinnon's A.A.V. jumped this past year or maybe even this past year. So I think Jack was the first one. I think Jack was the first one to do it, and now they're hoping that they go, they go trifecta burger, Austin Tavares and Marna are the next three to do it all at the same time. And I mean, listen, that's going to change. We'll see. We can move on from this topic.

But obviously with the cap going up, you know, year after year, hopefully as the league continues to grow, that will change. And we're going to see multiple teams win the cup with guys making over 10 a year. but it's a wild strap from the Leafs and the drama continues. So I'm very excited to see how the Maple Leafs Fair this season. Same. I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks. Everyone snap it around. Let us know what you think about the contract.

And that's it for us on this. Had to jump in and talk about it. But now we'll get back to the Pacific breakdown. Finishing in eighth place in the Pacific last year was the, formerly mighty now just regular ducks of Anaheim. Anaheim ducks. They went 23, 47, and 12 with 58 points.

Damn. In of the teams in the Pacific, Dan, on three, where do you think the ducks finished? They finished eighth last year. Okay. Actually, Brian, you do the three. And we're going to go, we're going to say... Give me one second. He's going to go one, two, three, and then we're going to say... And have a good think about this, dude. Okay. I'm ready. Me too.

All right. One, two, three. Sixth. You say, Yeah. Not far off. I got a spicy one coming, but I'm willing to give them six. But, man, even I am looking at that point gap, and it's significant to the teams above them. Let's talk about what they've done. What are you happy about? I've got their free agent tracker up right here. They signed Gudis. They signed Gudis. Killer

They gave Troy Terry a pretty fat deal They got By killer Colorn They got killer Smaller deals here and there

What do you think Talk to me about why they're better Here's players I like on this team That I think are going to make a significant Significant difference this year Trevor Zegris Frank Vitrano Troy Terry Ryan Strom

I always have And always will love Yaacob Silverberg I think Coulorne is going to be huge. Henrique is going to continue to be huge. Goudis is great. Fowler is a stalwart great player. I think Jamie Driesdale has a chance to become a solid player.

Leo Carlson has a chance to step in and be a good player. I think even with the addition of Radco Gutis, they are still not the best on defense. And the biggest thing for me is John Gibson. John Gibson is such a good goaltender. and he has requested a trade. Yep. I don't think that there's a world

where John Gibson gets dealt and you get a starting goaltender back. My point being, I don't know what this team is doing in that. And if you lose Gibber, you finished dead last last year, and now you're losing

your all-star caliber goaltender. I don't know what you're doing. So, you know, do you look at a trade do you look at a different type of situation you start you start to look at your prospect pool you look at dose all I don't know what the situation is

that worries me I think they're I think they're not doing any higher than seven I think the so what worries me we talked a little bit about this last app I don't and they have plenty of time to remedy this in fact maybe it's even remedy by the time this comes out but they, I don't want an unhappy Trevor Zegris. I don't want a, I don't want a bothered Trevor Zegris.

Forget about unhappy. I want a very content and happy Trevor Zegris coming into this season. So if that's not resolved, that is worrisome to me. Yeah. But otherwise, dude, and the reason I go six is because I'm looking at the guys, they had a fucking million UFAs. and I'm looking at it and there's some unsigned still

but the ones they've lost like you're not that mad about you know like Shatt and Kirk's on the beat yeah I'm like okay 27 points last year but yeah dude they don't have they didn't lose much and I think you're excited about Leo I think Goudis is like just crazy enough

to help a little bit at least in the in the fun guy locker room vibes and kind of had some success vibes. I just don't know how fun Goudas is. He was pretty chill. He is pretty chill.

He was funny when we got to talk to him during the Stanley Cup, but I'm not sure anyone would consider Radco Goudis like a funny locker room guy. He is a strong, tough defenseman, and that is going to be great. What I really love about Goudis is Anne Coulon, honestly, you added two guys who are going to be good for the protection of guys. like McTavish, Zegris, and Terry. Yeah. That is important.

You're going to let, you're going to get two guys on the ice who are going to be big bodies that can stand up for them. They're going to take a brunt, a lot of the deep in the corners work, front of the network, and let your young flashy boys get flashy. Get a little sexy out there on the ice. Yeah. And I think McTavish is going to be like full strip teas all year, I think. I think with everything that went down last year,

good and bad to me Zegris had 65 points 23 goals and 81 games really impressive to play 81 games I think that that should be the standard but you know we see guys

get little knocks here and there but he played 81 games he was far off of point per game far off of 30 goals I think Trevor Zegris needs to have his Jack Hughes year this coming year and maybe that's

Unfair. Maybe that's unfair to say because it's really only Trevor's third, fourth year in the league, really. Well, I mean, it's, well, what was it? It was Jack's fifth, maybe. Was it that many? Fourth, fifth, fourth, I think. Yeah. So, yeah, I think, I think this needs to be Trevor Zegris's coming out party. I want Zegaris getting 80 points this season and just leaving no doubt that he is the best player on this team. That is what he needs to do. Okay. And I think he needs to do that for him. And I think he needs to do it for the ducks.

And you've got a situation right now where he is at the point of recording. He is still a restrictive free agent. They haven't settled in on his new contract yet. And when you're making the stance that you're making rightfully so, wanting the money that he wants, you've got to produce. So I think monster year needs to be incoming for his year. Absolutely. I think part of the my six is of what I have to say about some other teams coming next, less than I have to say about the ducks.

And you know what? I should check myself a little bit too because I think if they had taken Fantilli, I would be like higher. I'd be pushing the six because I just believe in them. And all reports are Leo's just as good. If not, you know, I like Adam more, but I don't know Leo and maybe he will develop and do even better player. Who knows? But I do think that everyone believes he's a super.

talented kid and is only going to help this team. I think that they are, they need the jump from Zegris. Just to finish on that thought too, though, I don't know that he has that. Like, I think he... You don't think Ziggs has an 80 point year in him? He might have an 80, because what do you have this year? 6.67? 25.

23 goals. He probably does have an 80 in him. I think Trevor's going to get 35 goals next year. Dude, few things would make me happier. I fucking love that kid. I just don't know. Because I feel like we posted the top 100 thing and everyone's like,

Zegra's too low. And I'm like, are you sure? Like, he hasn't done that much. Dude, and he's the man. We got a stat pack coming out that he's a fucking machine in the shootout.

Like he is manipulating the puck and he's so good for the game because I love that he's out there trying everything. That's fucking sick. I just don't know. I feel like they want him to be Jack. I don't think he is Jack.

I think he could be Jack. Like I said, I hope so. But I just don't know if he is. My big takeaway with Zerker. and then I want to move on to Leo. Yep.

Zegris, people forget that the Ducks, they're a Stanley Cup winning franchise. They are, they have had iconic, iconic talent in the names of, you know, Paul Crea, Timus Lanny, and then Getslav, Corey Perry,

like they are a good franchise. And they could get there again. I think Zegris needs to get to this next level. So that next summer and next summer, these free agents go, yeah, I'll play there. Yeah. I'll go play. Because I got news for you, dude. People are doing that for Jack in Jersey.

I want the stock for sure. Some of these trades, some of these free agent signings, and then re-signings are people being like, I believe in what's happening here in Jersey. I believe in Jack. I believe in Harvey Dent. And we need people to believe in Trevor Zegris. And I think they do, but I think a Jack Hughes or... Do it.

Whiffs of Jack Hughes is going to make that happen in Anaheim. So if Ziegs can pop off for an 80-point year, they can finish 7th or 6th. I think things will start to happen in Anaheim. Leo Carlson, good player. I'm with you. I'm higher on Fantilli. I, after hearing Tomer, Nate Thompson, talk about Leo and what he's heard some of the people in the organization, and they say they see him as becoming a player like Anjicopatar.

Yeah. That type of player to me is more impactful in a few years. Fantilli would have made more an impact on the Ducks this season. And the fact that I think the Ducks actively took Leo going, we're playing the longer game here, makes me think they believe that Zegris is going to pop off this year. Terry is going to get better this year. Mason is going to get better this year.

And they're going to be like, We're climbing up the ranks in the Pacific here. We're going to be great in a couple of years. Trevor, here's your bag. You're resigning. It might be another tough sledding year, but strap those legs in, put maybe an extra turtleneck on, and we're going to get to smoother, smoother snow coming down the line here. I really liked that description.

Yeah, okay. It's funny because I feel like in the passionate out, you sounded higher on them than I do, but I have them six. I just think it's going to take a little longer Yeah, yeah All right, moving on Next The San Jose... God, I fucking love these episodes, dude

The San Jose Sharks finished 7th in the Pacific 22, 44, and 16 for 60 points They actually won the least amount of games Less than the Ducks Uh, Dan

Yes Or Brian, I should say Are you ready? Yeah, I'm ready One, two, three Eight Yeah Hey

Hey, listen to me Ready? Yeah. San Jose Sharks Organization. Listen to me. But dude, they did, though. Lo! Listen!

Blow it up! Dude! Blow it up immediately. And I'm talking this, dude. Trade Logan Kuchre at the deadline immediately. And that is obvious. Like trade him right now. No, I would trade him at the deadline.

Okay. You trade Logan Kachor to a contender going for the cup to be a third line center, second line center. no question. Yep. You just in the Eric Carlson trade picked up Mikhail Granland. Yep. Trade him immediate. Good day.

Immediately. I would, Thomas Hurdle. Dude, that one, that is crazy. How old is Hurtle though? Thomas Hurtle is 30. He has four good years left in this league. well, you need to offload these people so fast. It is blowing my mind that they are not currently gone.

I think they will. I think the, it's funny that you didn't do this right before the generational fucking talent was in the draft. But I feel like the writing was on the walls here anyway. they actually we actually kind of chirped them the other day about like their rebuild sucking because like they they're a tough one because they never actually want anything

but realistically they were kind of they felt in the running for a long time right like you even look back and remember the whenever that Vegas shark series was with the crazy five and a major that wasn't that long ago

you know because the sharks were in contention for a long time Joey P was there Thornton was there, like they were still running it back. Since then, they have been on like this, okay, let's blow it up mode. And they sucked last year. They were awful. And they didn't quite get the, I mean, Will Smith's the man. They just didn't quite get the pick they wanted probably going into the year.

But I think they are, they're aligned with you. This isn't you lecturing them. They're like, oh, we know. Like, Carlson's gone. All those boys you just said are going to be gone. Like, they're fucked. You're right. And that wasn't me lecturing them.

that is me giving my blessing. Yes, yes. Continue to blow up the ship. Because here are their stat leaders from last season. Eric Carlson with 101 points, Logan Couture with 67, Thomas Hurtle with 63, Timo Meyer with 52 in 57 games. Yep. Then we drop down to Barabanov, 47, LeBank, 33.

Yeah, like, and Meyer is no longer on this team. Right. Carlson is no longer on this team. So you have two guys who had 67 and 63 points as your highest point scores, and then you go down to 47 and then 33. And then in the 20s for the rest of the team. Again, they finished 7th, so it's not. Like, this isn't that jarring. But what I'm saying is, Cature and Hurtle, they're 30 and...

33, 34, yeah. You're not doing anything with those guys as a part of this team. Yeah, and Logan's a... that'll be a tricky one for them. Well, it depends on what he wants. Like, if he's like, yo, get me the fuck out of here so I can try to win.

I'm pretty sure he already said, he was like, I'm committed to the sharks. That's what I thought. There was an article recently that was like, Kuchur committed to the Sharks rebuild. And if I'm the Sharks, I'm like,

buddy. No. No. Please know. Yeah. You have no. Why would you ever be a part of this? And you can get something for him right now.

Like, he could score, he could score 30 goals on a good team. I think so too. I think Kature is a, classic case of a dude who if you put him on a team with good talent and that's do me favor and look up his his contract that to me is a deadline deal where you eat half his salary if not more to just get him on a team and if you put him with good players he will fucking be that boy he will eat he'll have a great season so next year he's making 8 mil

So his AV is 8 mil. Next year, the year after that, the year after that, the year after that, and the year after that, then he's UFA. Yeah. But that's not, I mean, he'll be 34 this season. So like you're obviously. He's getting paid eight into, into him being 38 years old. 37. So 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38 of the UF.

That's not bad, though. On that struggling Sharks team, he had 67 points. You're not telling, you're telling, pretty good deal. Some team. And what I'm saying is, man, I guess maybe you can't, you can't eat half that salary for three more years. No, but if you, if you, if you're another team, you're pissed about the eight when he's fucking 37. But the cap's probably up and you're not that pissed about it right now if he's giving you 30 goals.

You want to hear something really funny? Yeah. You know where I think Ketruar is way more valuable. Where? The ducks. Yeah, they're kind of stacked in the middle now, though, you know? I guess. Like, because Leo is the center, right?

Yeah. Yeah. So it's like Zegris, Mason, Leo. And I'm like, and you can move them around, but I'm just like, I don't know where Logan goes. Leo feels like center to me. Mason feels like an easy bump to wing to put in with Kachur. And I'm like, yep. Or Zegris.

And I'm like, yep. That's interesting. But yeah, move them all, literally finish. Win zero games. Win zero games. Yeah. Sharks, you just, Kature. That's an interesting one, dude, because that contract is actually weirdly harder to move than I thought.

It's not horrible, though. It's not horrible. but $8 million cap hit is an $8 million cap hit. You know, Troy Terry is making less than that. And I think everyone on Earth is taking Troy Terry over Logan Kuture. Right now, probably. 100%. So Hurdle also make an 8.

That's easier, though. He's 30. Yep. And he's on a fat deal or a long, long deal. Yeah. Next year after that, the year after that, the year after that, the year after that, the year after that, year after that. It's a free agent in 2030. man those are tough contracts for the sharks yeah but it's not a bad number eight's not that bad

it's not good though dude but it's i mean yeah he's again hurdle is easier to swallow 20 30 so he's he'll be 37 it's it's it's 37 it's and hurdle you got to look at he's got four real four should have four really solid years left yeah so that's a guy that i'm like you have him in control at eight million dollars that's one though i could that's a but that is a a Red Wings, Buffalo, Ottawa, that's a, even Seattle, that's a team that's like, you're a wildcard team right now

with some cap space. That's a guy that I'd be like, pretty good at for you to look at. For sure, because he was a pretty good, he almost went this year. 8 mil is too much for some of these cup contenders who have no wiggle room. They can't get that.

They can't get Kachur either. And Kachur is a 34 years old. If I'm a team like the Red Wing, no. Yep. Not worth it. Cature is hard to move now that I think about it. Yes, because you've got to go to a team that can, has a ton of cap space that is like, sure.

Yeah, like the Yotes. Yeah, I'm like, if you're the Yotes, I'm like, do you want that though? Right. Probably not. I don't think you do. I think there's a chance. You want it at the deadline if you have like center depth issues and you're making a playoff push. After this whole, this whole conversation, I could see Cature getting bought out in a couple of years.

Yeah. Dying a shark. Yeah. And hurdle's a tricky one too because this one you could justify being part of the rebuild. You know, if you're like, in three years we want to be ramping up again. And I'm like, sick, he'll be 32 and at eight. I'm like, that's not that bad for hurdle. Well, in three years, like he'll be 33 at eight.

Yeah, like, but I just think it's worth. Like, what would you rather? I'd rather move him for something. Trade him for a first round pick or a prospect that's going to be good and 26 in three years. Or, you know, if it's a draft pick next year, you could, if Thomas Hurdle's having a good, year at the deadline, you could flip him for a first round pick. If hurdle at the trade deadline is around 60 points, that's a first time. I do that for sure. But I can live with him staying if you're like, whatever, maybe he's part of it. Yeah. All right. Sharks finished dead last. Good for you. Yeah.

Finishing sixth in the Pacific last year is the Vancouver Canucks. They went 38, 37, and 7 for 83 points. Are you ready? I am. Hold on. Yes, me too. Can I count down instead of up? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Three, two, one. Five. Nice. Okay. The, I will kick this right back to a massive discussion we had all last season. Vancouver Canucks. How are you not better? Dude, like, I'm so crazy.

How are you not a better team? The Pacific is kind of stacked by the way. They are. They're a very, very low-key, good division. The reason the Vancouver Canucks have multiple top 100 players on their team. Multiple. They have a top arguably five defensemen in the league. They have a really strong goaltender. And they have a top 10, if not higher, I would borderline say, six center in the league.

league in PD. How are you not better? They, I got burned, I think, I can't remember what I said, but I at least I felt it. I got burned on them last year. We talked about this, but I was like, they should be good. And then they sucked. Yeah.

And part of me is like, I don't know how you don't, where's the solution, right? Like, you might just suck again. Um, but I look at their team, dude, and I just love a lot of guys on that team. and you know what else I love because this is not a given for example take the bees last year incredible team

broke all the records well balanced scoring right but we talked about this before the playoffs it's like pasta has 70 and then no one else has more than 22 you know like

we've seen a lot of these teams have pretty unbalanced scoring the Canucks have three guys that could score 40 goals yeah I, you know, I agree. That is a hard thing to find in the league.

I think my thing is this. They are so young. You know, it's, you look at this team. Brock Besser is 26. Thatcher Demko is 28. Connor Garland is 27. Quinn Hughes is 24. Anthony Beauvillier is 26.

Ian Cole, or no, sorry, that's not what I want to read. where is he Flip Peronik 26 Kuzamenco 27 J.T. Miller is only 30 You've got guys like Pedy and Elias Pedersen I didn't even read is

24. They have two Elias Pedersons. They're both 25. You've got guys like Petey who's already dominating. Quinn Hughes already dominating. Kuzumenko already dominating. J.T. Miller already dominating. Brock Besser had a bit of a down year. I see him having a much better year next year. Anthony Bovillier only played 33 games last season.

I think he had something like 26 points. Bump that up to 80 games. That's a monster year. Right. I just think they had a couple of guys who had weird off years. They are so young. Presumably all these guys are just going to get better. I think Demko could have a much better season.

There is no reason for this team. to struggle as much as they did last year. So I see them moving up and they have to. They have. Like it just, it, something's fundamentally wrong if they don't. The,

the fact that I have them five is a testament to how good I think the teams that I'm going to list one through four are. But Vancouver, absolutely, I said we weren't going to get into wild cards. Vancouver, in the five spot, I could see absolutely competing for a wild card.

because it could be both from the Pacific they get in. I think they will have a much, much, much better season. They did not see a lot go out the door. Bo Horvett was the biggest thing they saw go out the door and he already gone.

You know, like you're dealing with that and you're fine. So I think this team is going to score a lot and be very competitive. And I'm ready to get burned on it again, but I'm like, I'm high. I'm high on the Canucks.

I'm not high on them, but I think they're going to be fifth. Yeah. And definitely better and trending in the right direction finally. Because again, they have no business being as bad as they were last year. It's crazy, dude. Like how can you pump in goals like that and just stink? Okay, good.

Next we go to the Calgary Flames. They finished fifth in the Pacific last year. They went 38, 27, and 17 for 93 points, narrowly missed a playoffs. spot. Brian. Three, two, one. Seven. Six.

Six. Yeah. Yeah. So we have ducks and flames flopped right there. So this is the tough one that I wanted to bring up because, like I said, I'm not that high on the ducks. And obviously the flames had a pretty good year. You know, like it started really slow, got hot.

It looked like they might try to pull off that last backdoor playoff spot. I think Toff even said, like, don't let us get in. You know, like, if we get in. but and by the way dude they got guys in their roster like Elias Lindholm like Cadre even

but Huberto like guys that I think are sick that didn't quite have that sick of years last year so I would hear anybody being like massive bounce back year coming in Calgary a lot of new faces

weren't used to the new city here they go now they're settled and all this shit but I just don't know I buy it dude like I think there's something wrong in Calgary like people are like jettisoning out of there

no one doesn't feel like anyone wants to be there yeah without name and names we've heard some not great things about Calgary lately and it's not the city it's yeah it's city's great it's the you know

the barn is falling apart literally I'm not even joking and it's a brutal place to play some guys got out of there this year and seemed pretty happy about getting out of there. You're right, Chris. I think Huberto having such a dud year after his monster year.

Monster year in Florida. Definitely surprised a ton of people. I think people were shocked by that. I expect to bounce back year from him. Codry, huge year in Colorado, dud year last year. Not horrible. What are you in Colorado? Do you remember?

I think he was sniffing 100 points, right? And he had 56 this past year in 82 games. Maybe you're right, actually. Look that up. 87. 87. You know, that's, that's, that's, a huge drop-off. That's a 30-point drop-off.

Yeah, 28 goals last year, or two years ago, 24. He was still scoring it's just like the assistant down. Well, the big thing, dude, is he was a minus 19 this season. Yeah. Like, that is so bad. Um, he, and dude, he's tough, plus 16, Lindholm, plus 6, backlin, plus 24.

Codry is the third highest score on the team, minus 19. Yeah. Like, you're a walking dash out there on the ice. That is not good. It's so tough. You know, you got, you got you got to fucking figure that. Yep. do me a favor while I'm talking look up Lindholm's contract situation yep because Calgary is a weird one for me where you have you you you have Toph's breakout year and boom trade it to the devils you've just lost your leading point score and leading goal score

Huberto really bad year after a career year Cadry pretty bad year after a career year Lindholm Low year After a monster year the year before that You've got a ton of guys Who were underperforming What's Lindholm's contract? Strait

4.8 He's making 4.8 Yeah Absolute fucking steel Oh my God 4.8 and this is his last year Yeah I got terrible news for you Calgary

He ain't signed Probably not I don't think he is Like unless you see some... What is there a cap space right now? Good question. Because I just don't think... If he were...

And again, Boston was in this situation with Posternak last year, right? It was all summer. Everyone was like, please God, resign. And he didn't resign until, you know, way into the spring. Yep. So it's not end-all-b-all.

But you would think if they wanted to keep him, you would get that done now. Calgary Flames projected cap-space. negative $200,000. There's just over. Bye. Bye.

You can't afford him. Yeah. He's gone. Well, here's the thing. It's kind of on him, right? Like he had not a bad year, but a way worse year. So if he shows up in his contract year nuts on everybody and then demands a fat ticket, then yes.

However, he's not super young, right? He's what? He'll be 29. It's pretty young. That's young, dude. Yeah, he can sign a seven-year deal. No doubt. Yep.

So, yeah, they can't afford him. He'll sign a seven-year deal with someone. So you move him now, dude. You move them, or you move him at the deadline and you finish seven, just like I fucking said. That's what I'm saying. Yeah. If I'm the flames, I'm not far from a blow-up, dude. Yeah.

Because I mean... You have no cap space. You're arguably, arguably your best player is about to be a free agent, and you have negative cap-spice. Huberto extended, right? Yes. For like eight. You have to trade Lindholm.

Well, what's fucked if you're the Flames is you, Cadre must be on the hook for a while, right? That was a new one. Huberto's on the hook for fucking seven years. Brian, look up the Calgary Flames cap space for us. All right. So, yeah. Looking at the Flames Cap Space, Huberdo is signed at 10.5 per year, Tilt 2029

codri is signed at 7 per year till 2029 Maggiapani is signed until 2025 at 5.8 and then on the defensive side we are is at 6.25 until 2029.

Like go down Brian is Markstrom making a ton Markstrom's making 6 until 2026 you know they've got some weird contract space divvied up here. Like the fact that they're, they've got

so many of these mid contracts that are eating them. Yes. So that's what I was going to say. What's fucked for them is, I'm like, oh, you guys stink, fucking blow it up. But you've got those boys you just named, signed for a while that like certainly feel like they want to be part of something. Hubrado is like, are you fucking

my dad right now, dude? Seriously. So I came here and did this extension. It's tough though, right? Because Huberto and Cadre are necessarily young. They are 30 and 32. So yeah, if you're Huberto, you're like, are we about to go into our rebuild, dude?

Yeah. Like I just left Florida. Florida just went to the cup. Yep. And we're now in a rebuild, but I'm kind of like, yeah, unfortunately you are. And this is what I'm saying.

If I'm, you know, I'm sorry. If I'm Lindholm, I am Outsville USA. Blake Coleman is making 4.9 mil. Yeah, tough. And you aren't moving that contract.

You are fucking dealing with that. And last year, Coleman does. went 82 games, 18 goals, 20 assists, 38 points. I mean, he's a good third line player. Yep. But, you know. So, 31.

Dude, yeah, that's why I picked them seventh. I just think they're in trouble. Me too. And it sucks for, Cadre. It sucks for McKenzie Wiegard. It sucks for Huberto. But I would, if I were the flames, I would be looking to trade Elizland home right now. You're obviously having conversations.

You're going, dude, are you resigning? And that is brutal. So, yeah, I've, I, I think the flames are sufficiently missing playoffs. But you still like them over the ducks, though. You have them six. I do. I just think it's going to be... Yeah, yeah.

Honestly, dude, I said it. It's the Gibson thing for me. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so the bottom four teams didn't change from last year, but they certainly changed order. Yeah. Now we get to the top four. The Seattle Spunk. Oh, finished fourth in the Pacific.

They made the playoffs. They won a playoff series. Game seven on the road against the abs. How are you? God almighty, do I love this team? They went 40 fucking six. 28 and 8 for a hundie spot. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?

Brian, actually, are you ready, Dan? I am. Three, two, one. Four. Yeah. You know what? I want to go higher, obviously. I want to go higher too, but here's the deal. The Pacific is lit. We've already said that. They are lit. I think they're going to finish four, but I think that they're going to be a, you know, they're not at risk of missing the playoffs. I don't think. I like everything about this team. I went on my rant. We can even repost it if we need to. they are such a complete, well-rounded team, and I absolutely love it.

Same. We said how they don't have any massive, massive stars. I think Jared McCann, I think Vince Dunn are really your big guys, and Maddie Baneers is coming in like a freight train. I think Maddie Bineers, 80 games, 57 points. Pumped that up with, by the way, 24 goals in the national. That was his rookie year and that won him a calder. So, put Maddie Bineers down for another Jack Hughes year along with Trevor Zegers.

Maddie Bineers is going to be looking at 70, 75. points next year. I am looking at 30 goals for him. I think this team is going to be so dangerous. I just wonder if they can do enough to get past the three big boys ahead of them. I don't think they can. We'll get into part of that in a second because I agree. I could see them finishing third and I'll talk about that in a second. But I have them at four and I have them, you said this, but I couldn't agree more. A mortal lock for the playoffs. Like yeah, they're. four but they're a wildcard team everyone else in the in the west

if they do finish four everyone else in the west is fighting for that second wildcard spot i have them dialed in um looking at who they lost here nothing crazy right like no one you're just absolutely crushed about I don't think I don't think

um they brought back Vince done where's that let me just scroll you know you're good you're good so like that look at that contract for Vince Stan, you're thrilled with that, keeping him RFA here. They bring in Dumolin, who I'm happy about. Is he on there already? Yeah.

Yep. Like that's a very manageable deal. Absolutely. He's a great ad. He's a great ad. He's done so much. Yep. Great teammate, good leader.

I think that's it. And just the perfect type of person to add to this team. Truly, I mean that in every way. But I'll say it again. God, I love this team. Me too. So here's what I. You know I love this team?

Listen to their points. Not even going to say names. 70, 64, 63, 57, 48, 46, 45, 40, 39, 38, 35, 34, 33. Then we get into 28. That is so many guys in the 30s are higher. They are sharing the puck, sharing the wealth, getting wins, getting in the playoffs, beating the former Stanley Cup champions in the playoffs, getting spunk all over the place, dude. Everywhere.

I love the Seattle Cracketkin. They did lose Sprong to Detroit. I forgot about that. They lost Geeky to Boston. Yeah, but you're not devastated about that. No, but those are great role players. And that's how they made their money, right? But McCann, I believe in.

Like, that's one. I believe in McCann. I think he's a 40 goal guy. Like, straight up. I believe in McCann. I believe in Dunn and I believe in Benares. Okay, so this is what I want to say to you. Such big ways.

I think Maddie, this might be chaos. Also, let's not talk about this. Sorry to interrupt you. They have Shane Wright. Yeah, good point. Could bounce back. Very easily. Shane Wright was a projected number one pick, then fell to four, struggled a lot, went down to the HL, went back to junior, actually, and he's now back.

Yep. He could explode. He could absolutely explode. I love everything about their contracts, but this is what I wanted to say to you. I think Matt, I'm not even saying he'll have a better year this kind of. coming year than what I'm about to say. But I actually think Maddie has a chance to do the jack jump that you were talking about more than I think Zegris does. Well, absolutely, he's on a better team. He's got way better players. You know, like Maddie did, what did you just say it was?

57. 57, 24 tucks. Like, he could go 75 points next year. That's what I just said. I said 70, 75. And if that happens, this team is like significantly dangerous. Oh my God. Like you want nothing. Dude, if McCann's going 40 again, Dunn's doing his thing, Ben Niers is doing his thing and you've still got the Yanni Gords of the world are just like balancing this roster out. And they've got a little playoff experience now.

Like they know what it takes. They're a hundred point season. The fans there are pumped up. This team, it's hard to put them forward, but it's just a testament to the Pacific. but man, of a couple leaps here, this team is a real problem. Yeah, I love them. I'm putting them at four,

but this, we're in the, anything can happen. Yes. Agree, agree. I guess that's it. I feel really high on the spunk. I hope no one is worried about the spunk next year because it is not dry.

Yeah. We are firing. Okay. Next, finishing third in the Pacific, the Los Angeles Kings. They went 47. 25 and 10 for 104 points. Okay, Brian, give us a countdown.

Three, two, one. One. Whoa. One, dude. Thought I was getting greedy. I'll tell you why. Do you want to go first? No, I've been going first a lot.

I'll tell you why. I guess this is kind of spoiling it, but it was going to get spoiled anyway. I have Vegas at three because of the hangover. I think Vegas has kept I don't have to talk about Vegas yet but I have Vegas at three So I was between the Oilers and the Kings Obviously for one two here

The Oilers were the better team last year They have the better player Deserers a couple You know I'm just And we'll get into this I guess in a second two But I'm just a little concerned With how hard the Oilers were firing last year

Like I'm not quite sure that shit is repeatable And we'll save that So I'll get into my King stuff. We talked, certainly with Trevor, maybe we talked on a pot, I can't remember, about the PLD move and does it

even make you better, right? There's a lot of question marks there. Some talented players went out the door, a lot of production went out the door. I just think PLD might

well become the guy they are paying for. He hasn't quite done it, but he hasn't quite been in a situation that he was happy with yet. And not that I'm defending that. You know, I don't need the whole league turning. This doesn't need to be the NBA where everyone's a little whiny baby boy. But, and it certainly fucking felt like he wanted to go to Montreal. But I just think everyone we've ever talked to, Dan, loves the facilities here, loves the players here, loves the organization. This team has been building and building and building. They had like the quickest fake rebuild, like turn it right around. We're back, baby.

I've ever seen. And even though we had talked last year in the playoffs where they did a little worse technically, but you felt like, you know, you improved. Yeah. And I'm just like, I don't think they don't keep doing that. I look at Fiala season, who is a stud who missed a little bit of time. I think Kempi could score 50. I know we said that last year, but I swear to God he could do it again.

Get off my fucking bit, dude. Fuck you. Yep. So, Jesus. And I think PLD, who's at a career high of like 67 points or something. like that. I think this is his 80-point season. Playing with weapons. It's the depth down the middle there, which is such a fucking thing in the NHL. The center depth on this team is literally the best in the league. The best center depth. It's literally the best in the league. And I just

think over an 82 game season and you need good health, but so does fucking everybody. With good health, this roster, I think with a little regression from Edmonton and Vegas, which I'm counting on, could very well win it. The biggest question like it was last year is goalie. and if you can get a performance do you have their contracts up we'll get that up and I'll go okay go ahead here's my things with the Kings I think this team started off a little weird

then found their groove and really started cruising at the end of the year and I think they're in that cruise mentality I think adding PLD is absolutely huge they've lost a couple of tough pieces in Trevor Moore they are Trevor Moore Alex Ayafalo is a really tough loss

they have lost Valardi right Valardi which is kind of tough and Dersey yeah here's a big thing dude jerseys plus minus

not so great a part of losing Jersey Mikey Anderson is an absolute stud 24 year old defenseman played 77 games last year 20 points

his plus minus was plus 20 he's about to step into a more significant rule which is all positives across the board you add

Kevin Fiala last season missed a little bit of time, 72 points and 69 games, over point per game. Trevor Moore, 59 games. He's going to be playing more games. Calliyev, 56 games. He's going to be playing more games. Quentin Byfield, 53 games.

He's going to be playing more games. These are all guys that are now going to be getting more time. Huge emphasis on Q there. Okay, I want to talk about this. Yeah. You get 10 plus more games out of guys like Kevin Fiala and Calliyev. Like, that is amazing. Quentin Byfield is a natural.

Center who is staring down the reality that you have Anji Kopitar who just signed an extension, Pierre Luke Dubois, who just signed a long-term deal, and Phil Dono, who is arguably the best third-line center in the NFL. Quentin Beifield, you are not playing center for the Los Angeles Kings for the next four years. So what do you do? You're playing wing now. And you're going to be playing wing on the first or second line, which are two of the best lines in the NHL.

He stands to have a phenomenal breakout year. And if he stays healthy, which he's good at, he can play 80 plus games. He can have a 60 plus point season. That is monster. And then they're a wagon, dude. They are a wagon. However, dude, so much of this rests on the shoulders of Phoenix. Copley.

Yes, correct. Phoenix Copley came in at the end of last year and played very, very, very, well, but, dude, you get Corpusolo, Corpusarlo played in the playoffs. Corpusolo is now playing for the senators. Your goalie is Phoenix Copley. Oh, I mean, they signed Talba for a year or something, yeah. They'll tan him during the seat, but Phoenix Copley is your guy. Yep.

Phoenix Copley is 32, dude. Yep. Like, he's not some young guy who finally got his chance. Like, he's in the last three years of his career. And he has a chance. to Tim Thomas himself here. Yep. But that is the big if.

Like if Phoenix goes, no, I am good. And the guys love and trust him and it works, boom. You are a wagon. But we'll know pretty fucking quick. That's all I'm saying. 20 games to 25 games into the season,

we're going to know real quick if they're finishing second or first or if they're a wildguard team. Yes. And well, actually, a couple things. One, Phoenix is career as insane. He's in Alaska boy. We love Alaska goal.

He said what up sway. But he basically has played never until the 2018, 2019 season for the Caps. He played 24 games and went 16, 7, and 3 with a 905 percentage and 2.9 goals against. And then 35 games, 37 games, excuse me, for the Kings this past year, 24, 6 and 3, 903 and a 2.6.4. Yeah. Those are pretty good numbers. Corpusala was better. That's why I think he's a good goal.

But I'm saying, you know what I mean? Like every time he's, it's not like he's one of those guys where you're like, yeah, he's been bouncing around the league and he's always sucked. Every time he's got in, he's been pretty good. And he literally saved the King season this year. Literally. So I'm definitely putting my support. I'm putting my chips in in the Phoenix Copley, fucking throw the roulette wheel,

throw the roulette ball and see if it comes up. What was his number? That would have been a sick pole right there. Phoenix? I think he wears... You always know this shit. Throw the roulette ball. see if it comes up 29. I'm definitely putting my chips on that because I think he can do it.

The good news is, if he can't, I feel like the kings are almost in the same fucking situation they were last year where they're like, we're sick, we just need a goalie, and you've got to act on it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they could. There's things to do, there's whatever. Like, they would have acted on it this past year if not for Phoenix showing up and being like, yo, I got you. So I think the kings are fine no matter what. I have them top three in this division. But if Phoenix does be there, they're up against. it on the cap so you know but if phoenix does the damn thing they win this division uh but yeah man like like i said i mean my my big challenge for the kings this year like those guys i listed who

missed some time i'm looking for them to play more of a full season and be huge contributors juice kempie is my boy that is my fucking dog uh i said last year he was going to score 50 people came for me in the comments calling me a moron he scored 40 so eat my ass you're close as fuck I'm not actually calling for him to score 50 this year. I think he's going to get 40 around again. What I'm calling for Kempi to do is up his assists. I want him to do what Ovi did the year they won the cap where he turned himself into more of a two-way player,

passed a little bit more. I think there is such, I mean, obviously, you're adding 20 points to your game. But if, if juice can go from 40 and 26, to 40 and 40. Oh my God, dude. He's one of the best, he's one of the top 25 players in the league.

If he can round out that part of his game and be more than just a score, it just makes the Kings more dangerous. You're exciting. I agree. And I think he's going to do it. I haven't won. All right, let's move on. Next, we have the Edmonton Oilers.

They finished second in the Pacific last year, going 50, 23, and 9 for 109 points, including a scorching second half, almost caught Vegas. Brian. I'm going to count up again. fucker one

two three three two I think we're on the same here I just don't

think they can continue this momentum they had you know a Connor McDavid 153 point year

they had a dry saddle 128 nuge 104 hymen 83 guys were popping off

Connor went full nuclear is Connor going to have over 100 points again next year absolutely is dry saddle

absolutely but I just don't think they're going to snake some of the wins that they snaked last year. I do not believe in Stuart Skinner. That's what I want to ask you about. He was an all-star last year. And then, dude, we did it. You know, we broke down when they lost in the playoffs. He was a liab.

Yeah. He was having bad, bad games. And everyone going off on us. Oh, yeah. People screaming at us saying that, you know, we put in those tears we made. Like, where's your goal? Yeah, dude, he had bad performances. I don't think

I think there's just the same amount of possibility that Stewie locks in and has an even better season but I'm not buying stock just yet so yeah I think that they come down to earth a little bit and I think I look at the kings more on the rise and so I'm not sure that I see them having as dominant of a season So I have them at two.

The only reason they're not one, which I almost did, is because of things you just said where it just, like, I think I have the stats up still. And you were just saying it, but like, Hyman, R&H, are they going to do that again? I don't think so. So just from a simple regression to the mean standpoint, I'm like, this team has to produce a little bit less. I don't personally believe in their goalie as much. Neither do you. They, they, they're, I feel. like their defense actually takes a little bit of a bad rap because they score so much that

everyone's like, they suck a D though. And I'm like, they don't suck that bad. D. So they're good. They're okay. They're good. I think they're going to finish second. They could easily finish first. If Skinner is good and Copley is bad, I think they'll finish first. The tricky part for me with them, though, is like they are this fan base. And I'm sure the general, the organization is what I was trying to say, is feeling this insane. why haven't we won yet pressure, if that makes sense? And it's because of Connor. It's because you have Connor.

Yeah. But I don't. Well, and Leon. But I don't feel like the progression of this team is, I'm like, how is this team not on a cup yet? The way I was saying that about the sharks maybe or some of these other teams that have been so consistently good.

Yeah. I feel like the whole world is only saying it because of Connor and Leon. Yeah. And which is putting insane. Like right now, they're like, their exit interviews last year were like, you know, another wasted year. Like, I can't believe we're blowing our window here.

And I'm like, you just have you two, though. Like, you guys, I look at this team. And I'm like, you're not that good. They're pretty good, though. I mean, you did it, dude.

They were the better team than Boston for the second half of the year. They were the best team in the league. Because of those two guys, though. It doesn't matter, you're right. Like, it's, you know,

Mario and fucking Yager. It's Gretzky and Messier. It's, you know, like you, they are two generational, they're the two. of the top three players in the league. Yes, I'm just saying. And, dude, Connor is preposterous. He is so much better than everyone else. You are right. It's not like they have, you know, 10 all-stars, but they've got a lot of really good players. Nurse had a bad year last year. It's like,

you've got Nurse, you've got Bouchard, you've got Barry, you've got Connor, you've got Dry Settle, you've got Hyman, you've got Evander Kane, you've got Ryan Nugent Hopkins. You should be in the Stanley Cup. Yeah. And well, the thing is fucked is I'm like, to me, this, this team feels like they could and should be as long as Connor and Leon keep doing this. And I'm like, I'm not sure they're going to do this again. And what's fucked is they just might. Like, Connor might have 200 points next year. And I'll be like, oh, my bad, dude. And what's funny is they might do exactly this again and they might lose in the Western Conference Finals. Yeah. You know, it's like, they might lose

in the second round. Yep. It's, they are so weird in that, yep, you guys might win the division and you're going to get bounced in the second round. And I would not be surprised at all. And by the way, as much shit as I want to talk about Stuart Skinner, I don't think, and no one's saying this, I'm just saying it to the listeners. I'm not like, move Stuart Skinner or like, you might have a big goalie problem.

The way I'm like, the Kings might have a goalie problem. I look at this team and I'm like this, do nothing. It's kind of like what I said about the Leafs last year. I'm like, what do you really want this team to do? Yeah. That you have the roster to do it. I just don't know. You know, we talk about the guys in the league.

Stu's making what, what is that, 2.6 mil. Is that right? Yeah. 2.6 mil, you're not getting someone much better. Yeah. He's fucking young, right? Yeah, he's 24 years old. Yeah, like, come on.

That's your goal. That's your goal. Way better. But, you know, like, if he Carter-Hearts himself and he's like, I'm kind of this. Yeah. But you put Gibson on this team, they do get better. Yeah. And that's-

But you need to see, like, I don't think you can guess Skinner this year. Absolutely. No, no, absolutely not. Yeah. Skinner is your goalie. Yep. And, and, yeah, I just, I don't know. They are so weird, but I think they have to slip a little bit.

And it's mostly to me, I think the kings are going. The kings are better than they were. I think so, too. And I, but I, but I, that's penis coffee. But these guys are nasty. I have them two. They could very easily be won. I just, it feels foolish.

You know what, man? It simultaneously feels foolish to bet that Connor does that again. Because I'm like, that hasn't happened in 30 years. That feels just as foolish as it does to think Connor won't do that again. Yeah, yeah. Because I'm like, what the fuck would stop him from scoring 70 this year? It's crazy. It's, they've got such a good lineup.

I'm looking at it right now. and god damn I more think it's the for me at least and it's more the supporting characters yeah

like I don't know that R&H goes for a buck again I don't know that Hyman has 80 plus points yeah yeah I feel that and maybe they do

if Connor is a billion but I'm just like that one that one rattles all right last but not least the Vegas golden nights

of elimination we can say what we think you've got them at three I've got them at one yep actually I want to let Brian do his count

yeah there's a count up now yeah one, two, three. One. One. Tell me why.

I hear the hangover. I don't see the hangover coming personally. I think Bruce Cassidy is not the type of coach that is going to let a hangover happen. And I think that we also live in a league where, with the exception of the bubble year, these teams who have been in and around the cup are they're in and around the cup yeah you know for a while Tampa is you know they were just doing it

and doing it and doing it Vegas to me we talked all all about how Jack Eichle was their leading point score this past season with 66 points but like Jack played 67 games Marsha played 76

Stone played 43 they these stone and Ikel missing you know stone missed almost half the season Ikel missed almost 20 games yep you get 80 game seasons out of those two they're so deep dude they they they beat the shit out of teams in the playoffs that was and that was that that was their team right you got their full force of their team in the playoffs and they beat the bag off of everyone they played I just I think that this team, maybe the first 10 games will be a little sleepy, have a little bit of cup cobwebs,

but I can see them healthy, fresh. I can see guys like Jack Eichel, dude, our boy, is going to be playing without a care in the world. Yeah. And that's a special thing. I just, I can see

him being like, I did it, I got my mug, I stuffed it in the face of people who were saying, you know, I'm the pick after Connor, and people in Buffalo hate him and blah, blah, blah. He goes to Vegas and he wins a cup immediately. I'm so fired up. Could have won Kahn Smythe too, you know, and Marshie's unbelievable. He'll have another great year.

Stone is unbelievable. So I don't see a hangovercoming. They've got some young guys too who are going to be getting better and better, including Eichel. Yep. And I don't know, man. I just, I have a hard time watching that playoff performance. and not looking at them like I looked at Tampa three years ago and and being like what's stopping them.

I think the sleepiness will last a little bit longer than you do, which I think they're fucking dope still. It's certainly not going to cost them the playoffs. I just think it's going to cost them that one or two seed. You know, you're like, oh, shit, it took us 20 games to wake. It's almost like the Kings last year. Like, oh, it took me 20 games to wake up. We were sick for 60 games, but now we're the three seed. And they don't fucking give a shit about being a three seed, by the way, with this team. I love a lot of guys. I think you're right. they can get even better. I think Riley Smith loss.

Huge, huge loss. It hurts more than people think. Yeah. Right? So you're missing that. And he's a big one, that's a huge loss on the ice. That's a huge loss in the locker room. Riley Smith is a guy that any team in the league would love to have.

Agree. Johnny Quick is gone. He was never going to play anyway. L.B. is gone. So you've got Aiden Hill and Logan Thompson. Logan. We can say what you've got to say Logan Thompson's not the guy

Yeah He is not the guy I don't I don't think he is I don't think he's he's the guy That the players on that team want in net And I don't think he has What it takes to be in net Aiden Hill is the goaltender for that team

Yes I don't think I think Bruce Likes Hill more Yeah 100% So I think the boys like him Yeah so Aden Hill was a fucking First of all he's a tremendous dude Second of all

He was a blast to watch in the playoffs Like, what a story. We said it last year. Like, what a story. But he, I feel like you have, he's younger, right? Whatever. But I feel like you have to have similar coply skinner conversations. Like, you know, I'm like, yo, is Aden Hill dope?

Dude, so I was waiting to say this. Yeah. We talk about how good the Pacific is. They got goalie issues, bro. The Pacific has the weirdest goalie situation I've ever seen. There's, you know, no disrespect to any of these guys. We just like, I love Aden. I love Phoenix.

I think Stewart has just as much of a chance to get way better next year and be elite as I do. Maybe he kind of just flatlines. But there's question marks in Vegas. There's question marks in L.A. There's question marks in Edmonton. There's question marks in, uh, uh, uh, Anaheim with Giver. Really it's Demko, Markstrom, Grubauer

Those are the locks Those are locks I mean there's other Skinner's a lock to be the guy Yeah yeah but those are guys that I'm like You are a great goal time You're a good goalie I know what I'm getting Yeah

And the sharks Is Blackwood and Capo Yep And I'm like I don't know who's starting there Yeah I certainly don't think Blackwood is a Is going to

The sharks are in left out of his shell and be some dominant goalie for them. So yeah, it's a weird goalie situation in the Pacific. Yep. And what is so cool is you have certified four, possibly five really, really diabolically strong teams in this division. Four blue chip playoff teams. Yep. And so much comes down to the goaltending of where they finish.

So true, man. It's fucking wild. I'll be interested to see what's up with Kessel unsigned. Bruce obviously scratched him in the playoffs, but in the regular season, it's a different animal, right? Like regular season. You wonder if Flip is a Joe Thornton of this past season. Yeah.

It's a, you're retired and you don't know it. Right. That'd be sad. I just don't see what team needs Phil. Is that true, dude? Well, it's just one of those things, man. Like, look at Joe's last year. He was still putting up.

some numbers, you know, Phil put up some numbers. Phil put up. It's a matter of, do you need him on the team? Yeah. And I don't, I don't know. Maybe you don't. But my larger point being, this guy, these guys, this is like one of those years when a high school team wins the title and they're all juniors.

And you're like, oh, we just bring back most of the same team. They're bringing back most of the same team. They graduated Riley Smith. That's tough. If Aiden Hill's the guy, I think they're really strong. they play a game to me that is more repeatable than maybe the oilers. Like the oilers are like, we live on like this high flying risk score a billion goals. I'm like, what if you don't?

These guys, and credit to Bruce, by the way, but these guys play a like, we're just going to beat you to death. And I don't even mean they're like bully physical team. They're just suffocating. These guys play the right system, the right style that I'm like, this is repeatable. They can do that again. I think they start a little slow, which is why I got them three. But always a threat.

I love it. All right. Well, that is our Pacific Division breakdown. I got Vegas first. You got... I'll go do mine. I was going to do it. I was just to say who you have first. Kings, Oilers, Knights, Spunk, Canucks, ducks, flames, sharks. And mine went, Vegas, Kings, Oilers, Spunk, Canucks. Canucks, Flames, ducks, sharks. Yep. Blow it up sharks. Think about blowing it up Calgary.

Anaheim. Keep doing what you're doing. And then those top four boys, man, it's going to be fun. Duke it out. Got to be fun to watch. All right, that's it for us this week at the Empty Netters podcast. We're going to be coming at you with the Central Division breakdown next week. By the time this comes out, your boy's traveling.

Yeah, yeah. You'll be going to be on the road. Probably be doing some remotes. Yeah, I'm going to be doing some remotes. I fucking hate remote. I know me too. I mean, no one hates it more than me, babe. But yeah, flying in London next week.

Ooh! Unbelievable stuff. By the time you're listening to this, I'll be in London, yeah. I'll love that. Love that about recording early. Yeah. People are going to be like, what the fuck? Yeah.

All right. Guys, we love you. We'll be back next week for the Central. And until then, skate hard.