Empty Netters Podcast - 59. Wings World, Party Time, and Early Overreactions

Episode Date: October 25, 2023

It’s time for early overreactions! The Yzerplan is firing and the Bruins have the two best goalies in the league. The Oilers are dead, the Penguins are dead, the Flyers have lost their damn minds, and some rookies are starting to get on the board. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yo! We are here! Yeah! We're here! I have a question for you. Go. Are you hungover still? Donald, get hungover.

Yeah, I know. Fuck you. Tommy texted me. Tommy gave me this shirt, by the way. Isn't this shirt popping, dude? Shout out Tommy. Like, this is the freshest green I've ever seen my life. So really weird move by CP to wear a Boston Celtic shirt on our hockey pot.

Just a cool shirt? Definitely super strange, but I like the color. Yeah, me too, dude. I just like the color. For the cream base is nice. Yeah. Dude, we're back. Brian's back.

Brian, you were just at a sick Formula One event. Yeah. Shout out our squad with the Red Flagg's team. Yeah, great guys. Great weekend. Lovely event. But yeah, now it's back to hockey time. Here we are, dude.

Back to what you really care about. That's what I fucking want to see. Yeah, you guys fight over me. It's true. CP, you were the drunkest boy in school on Saturday. And I won the award. He did. I always win awards.

I win so many. How did it feel? I feel like you haven't popped off like that in a while. That was great. And I told everyone I would before it even happened. Really? Yeah. Oh my God.

Because I told you. I was like, dude, it's Saturday. Every time we go to that game, it's a weeknight. Yeah, but I don't think that means, I don't think that translates to you going, I'm going to become nonverbal by the end of this night. Well, that, I knew that. I didn't know that would happen, but it happened because we had, or you did most of this, but we had a marathon day.

Like I had events from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. That's true. All of them. All of them were drinking events. It was October Fest, then a pre-game, then the Kings Bruins game. No meal either all day. Ah, yeah. Which is a killer.

I'm sorry, there was a breakfast sandwich, a little egg, fried egg, and ham that Will made. Snides made a sick sandwich. But I had that at 9 a.m., and that was all I had all day. You got to put more fuel in the tank. That'll get you. Yeah, you were, you were buzzing. Yeah, we were snapping it around. We sure were.

That's really all that matters at the end of the day. And you know what else is buzzing, dude, is the NHL? Yeah. Oh, my God. It's better than I even remember, dude. Yeah, I don't know what it is, but there's no doubt about it that we're two weeks into the season here, and it just feels even more fun than ever. It's electric. There's so many guys on new teams.

There's surprises. They're shockers. And, God, damn, it's fun. It's great. There's been great action, too. Do you want to dive in and get into hot ice right off the bat? Howie's Hockey Tatee's? Howie's Hot Ice?

Yes, absolutely. The hottest ice, the hottest news stories, bringing you all the action from our friends at Howie's Hockey Taped. Let's start with the Bees Kings game. Okay. I wanted to say this. Oh, he's prepared. Yeah.

I had to rewatch the game. While we were there, a pretty cool a moment. Copatar played his 1,297th game While we were there becoming the most games played by a king Pretty sick. Past Dustin Brown, Dustin had a sick video montage. I didn't even know that was going to happen pregame. I don't know if you were on that already.

I was on that. That was a cool surprise. Unbelievable player, unbelievable career, props to him on that accomplishment. I was laughing though because today on NHL.com there was something about that being like, congrats to Copey. And then it said,

now that he's hit this milestone, good job. Yeah, milestone. Now that he's hit this milestone, let's put up a poll. Best Kings player of all time. And it was like, Copey, Brownie,

Luke Robitai, Dowdy, Dion, Gretzky. And I was like, no Blake in there? Blake, he must have been. I don't think he was. And I was like, is this,

Is this even a conversation? Part of me was like, it's ridiculous that it's obviously Gretzky who would even put this up. But then I was like, oh, I guess they're trying to argue like all of Gretzky's big, big, big years were Edmonton. Yeah, I'm not even sure if I put Gretzky in the top three. Oh, dude. I'm so glad I brought this up. This is bananas. Well, he's not a king.

Yeah, he sure is. How many years did he play for the Kings? How many do you think? I would guess four or five. I'm a look. Yeah. So in that regard, like, you know, like. Obviously, I know that you're not saying this.

It's not the, who is the greatest player to ever play at any point for this team? Because obviously it's, I mean, Gretzky would be that for every team he played for. I think it's got to be who is the greatest king, the overall... Eight seasons. He played eight seasons. God, I'm a fucking idiot. Five, I said five. That's not that bad.

You know, it's bad. You're pretty close. Well, he got traded in the eighth, so seven and a half. Okay. That's not that bad. But that's way longer than I thought. So yeah, his numbers are surely way higher than anyone else. He's just got such monster years.

Give me his points for his seven and a half years. Like, does he have a 200 in there? No, but there's only been four 200s ever, and they're all him on the others. Okay, his years on the Kings, 168, 142, 163, 121, 65 in 45, Yeah. 130, 48 in 48. Oh, and then 81 in 62, and then he was traded after two games. Ah, that's so good.

So, like, it's got to be him. Is he the all-time point leader? On the Kings? Yeah. No way, because, like, Cope's been playing, like, I don't know, dude. That's, like, there are a bunch of 160s in there. Like, he actually, absolutely might be. Let me see if I can find that.

Toss that up. Look up all-time leading point scores for the game. Ooh, cool. I got it. Okay. I don't know how. Ryan, you can get the next one. Update this is.

Okay. Gretzky is fifth with 918 in 539 games. Yeah, it's remarkable. Dave Taylor, who is actually mentioned in the article, fourth, 1069. Copee, third. Yeah, he's right there. 1,146. Luke, 1,154, so he'll pass that.

And then Marcel Dionne, 1,3707. Yeah, okay. I would hear Dione. Dione is the answer. Yeah. He's the greatest king of all time. I think. And then I think Luke,

I mean, like, come on, Luke works for the club now. Yeah. The face of the club. Over PPG. I just think 918 and 539. He's got over a thousand games played. I mean, I think it's got to be

Luke, Dion, and Anji. I'm going on Jain. I'm going on Jain over, over Wayne. It's Kretzky, dude. He's the best king of all time. But Copey has more games and more points.

And the biggest one, significantly more cups. Yeah. Significantly, infinity more, in fact. Infinity. Yeah, I stand by... Okay, so the pole is on side. Wayne is not top three. That is, but bonkers, dude.

It's not. Look at it. These guys are kings, man. Dione, Robitai, and Korn. Copie are kings. Through and through to their core, they all have more games played and more points than Wayne.

In seasons, dude. Like, how many years would he have had to play for a king for you to call him a king? One more. You motherfucker. But I think the bigger thing is he played more seasons

with the Oilers. He's an oiler. Yeah. I mean, I don't think the... Actually, I don't even know if he did. Well, I think it's pretty close. But the league... How many...

The hockey Hall of Fame doesn't do, like... Just look up Wayne, Gretzky. Just type in Wayne Gretzky stats and go to hockey reference or DB. The NHL Hall of thing doesn't do the thing the MLB does where you go in with a cap, right? Like the MLB is like which team's hat do you want to wear? So he played one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine versus eight. Versus eight. Versus eight with Edmonton. Yeah. Well, sat and a half, seven and a half, but it's eight, it's eight.

It's fully because it's 62 games. So he's an oil. But that's way closer than I think people realize. Agree. I think it's way closer than people realize. And he was 28, dude. He was in his middle of his prime. Yeah, like he's a king.

What I was going to say is the NHL Hall of Fame doesn't do this, but if they did, he would wear an Oilers jersey in the hall if he got to choose. He would be like, I'm an oiler. 100%. But since they don't do that, I'm like, he is just as much a king as he is an oiler. And he's a big staple here in L.A. Yeah. You know, Waino is very beloved.

with the kings. That's fair. I think it's a little harsh of me to say he's not a king, but the reason I say that is because he is an oiler, and he is an oiler. That's where he won most of his hardware. And, and at the end of the day, I stand by, I take Dion, Luke, and Copie, as the best kings ever over Wayno. That's so dumb. I wonder if there's anyone, like, so Gretzky is the best oiler of all time. Bobby, yours the best Bruin of all time, et cetera. I wonder if there's anyone that is the best blank of all time of more than one team. In hockey.

Yeah. And like that's probably the closest one. Yeah. Well, Yager, I think, had a case maybe, maybe with the caps. Or would it be the Rangers more? Well, Ovi's the best cap. Well, I was going to say, but until then. Yager might be

Zerberr might be Zero Burger. Yeah, that's actually true. Isn't that crazy? I really want to... Is this Yog? I want to think about this more. We don't do it live on the air. He was only in Washington for a few years.

Yeah. No. But that's really interesting. I'm fucking just... I'm throwing shit at the wall. But let's think about that. That's a fun one. We'll maybe put that up on the story or something to see it.

We'll use some... Who is the best? I mean, it's a great example. But he's not. I don't even think Wayne's close to Marcel. but yeah who is is there a guy in the n hl who's the greatest of all time for more than one team okay this is hockey writers came out this year this march best player on every team okay i'll just go do them fast ducks team uselani that's crazy why i just think gets off so good but yeah uh coyote shane

don't bobby oar on the bruin hasick on the sabers until tauta ys Pageriege on the flames, Eric Stahl on the Cains, Stan McKeeta on the Blackhawks, wow, that's a competitive one. It's that. Sackick on the abs. Columbus Blue Jackets. Who do you think they got? Rick Nash.

Bobrovsky. Jesus. Stars Mike Medano, Lidstrom on the wings. That's crazy. That is insane. Oilers. So wrong. Gretzky.

Ooh, Panthers Burray. Cool. Cool. Kings Deon. There you go. Wild Gabrick. Canadian's, Belavu, competitive. Pecorina on the Preds.

Marty Burdur on the Devils. Mike Bossy on the Islanders. Brian Leach on the Rangers. Sick. Eric Carlson on Ottawa. Wow. Bobby Clark on the Flyers. Lemieux.

That is, dude, what is this article? Like Eric Carlson over Daniel Alpherson? Like, what are we talking about? Carlson's sick. Joe Thornton. Brett Hall on the Blues. Marty St. Louis on the Lightning.

Dave Keon on the Leafs. Wow, it's competitive. Sedeen. Oh, Henrik Sedeen. Probably right, actually. No, it is. This is a crazy one I've seen. Vegas Golden Knights.

Who you got? What is it? Like Stony or Marsazo or something? Flurry. So stupid. What? O.V. Dale Howard, Chuck.

Yep. So, like, it's hard to think of someone that played another team long enough. to pass the criteria. I bet Waino's the closest. I'm going to put this to the listeners. Yeah, yeah.

That's a fun one. Anyway, sick game. Yeah, great game. Been a tough start to the season for the Kings, but I think they're coming into it. I think, like we talked about, they need to... I give them 20 games.

20 games to figure out what the situation in that is. Yeah. And I still want to give them that 20, but the start is not great. It feels like a tough, tough start as far as confidence in that. Because I like their D. Yeah. It was funny. I talking to a couple of guys on the Kings after that specific game, they lose that

game, what, 4-2? That ended up, but it was 4-1. We got a, you know, last minute, England and Frederick were going at it all game. Yeah. And Frederick takes a stupid penalty with one minute left. They get a quick power play goal and makes it four two. Realistically, that game was one for one. But I just don't think the Bruins beat up on the Kings that much.

Swamen was unbelievable in net. The Bruins D was unbelievable, which we'll get into. But there were just a couple of tough bounces. It felt like the boys on the Kings were buzzing a lot of that game. And then it's like, bang, all of a sudden it's 4-1. And you're like, oh, fuck. Like, is this over? Yeah.

You know? And I think that's happened a few times. So we'll give it 20 still. But that tick-tock, that team is too good. I think Byfield is off to a quote-unquote slow start. But if you look at XG, he's all over the ice team. He's carrying that line. Yeah, yeah.

With Kempi and Kopey, like he is the guy on that line in the highest danger scoring chances. He is creating as much, if not more than anyone else on that line and on the team. really no one's totally awake, right? It's like we expect Fiala to be all over the stat leader board. We expect Kempi to be there. And PL and they're not yet. So the kings are going to wake up more for sure. But it's definitely not the start that they wanted.

And on the other side, the fucking Boston Bruins, dude. Crazy. Five and O. Crazy. Five and O and frankly, no one's come that close. They're winning very solid like 3-1, 4-1. Yeah. Those types of games.

We were joking. I'm smashing the under on the Bruins every single game. And I said, dude, when we did, you had them missing the player. I sure did. I had them finishing third in the Atlantic. And I said my biggest confidence with this Bruins team is that the defense and the goaltending didn't change at all. And it was the hands down, far and away best in the league last year.

And so far to start, it looks like the best. And I'll tell you what, dude, Omar and Swayman are the one and two goalies in the NBA. And a lot of it has to do with the defense that they play with and the way that they all work together. But those two just look so carelessly confident in that. Neither of them, both of them, I think, go into every single game and they go, I'm not going to get scored on today.

Right. And it's not even, they're like, yeah, it's like, no question about it. It's ridiculous. I love it. And I obviously were Beast fans. I couldn't be happy about it. the thing that, like, sometimes it feels like high goals, if you're, I'm trying to, oh, the Sabres last year, perfect example. Yeah.

That can dry up. Like if you're the team that wins six, five every night, that can go dry up and then you're in trouble. This is a model that works. Playoff games, usually it tightens up. It's harder to score, you know, and that can bite the bees too, because if they can't get goals, they're not going to be able to get goals when the other teams are tightening up. But defense and goaltending play all year, to your point. So that's pretty exciting.

Yeah. We'll get into some more surprise in a second, but let's get to the next thing I want to talk about that I know you're fired up about. Just quick, O-Mark has a 9-6-2 save percentage, and Sway has a 9-4-3 save percentage. Ridiculous. And there's a lot of other guys who are operating. But they're both undefeated. It's just, you know, holy shit. All right, Dan, who has the most points in the league at the time of this recording?

One Alex De Brinkett. Six games, eight goals, four assists, 12 points. Do you have the next most points in the league? I sure do. my guy, my personal friend, Dylan Larkin, captain of the Detroit. Captain Dylan Larkin.

That's Captain Dylan to you. That's captain to you and you and you and you. Six games, three goals, eight, assists, 11 points. The wings are five and one. That Cat Larkin, Lucas Raymond line, is ripping. Yeah. And the wings have won five in a row. They sure have.

Could I have the floor, please? Yes. I have been loving, loving, getting online, getting on the X, seeing people chirping and talking about this, and going, wow, the wings look amazing. They look so fun, blah, blah, blah, blah. You know what's at the end of every one of those tweets?

Are they still tweets? No, they're exes. They're Zetes. Just call them tweets. No, they're ex. You know what's at the end of every one of those Zets? Zets. What?

Who would have thunk it? Who saw this coming? Yep. Who had that on their bingo card? I'll tell you who. Me. I said it in the middle of last year. I was like, this Red Wings team is super injured.

That's the reason they're not performing as well. Huso is a new member of this team. He's going to ease into it just like O'Mark did. And then this summer, they added monster pieces. They get to brink it. And I was like, this top line is going to be elite. And then I also included Larkin very high in the top 100, just where he belongs. I got chirped to high heaven and I went, just you wait.

Yeah. You morons. I was with you on that one. This team is going to be so fun. And listen, it's so early. Who knows? But without a doubt, it's clear that they are good. Yes.

This is a good team. The Eiser plan is going exactly to the tee of his masterworks. And Dill Markin is a fucking elite hockey player. Elite. It's awesome. all I have to add, dude, is you kind of just hit it at the end because it is early. And I do think the teams that they're above right now,

obviously I'm super high on the Leafs. I think Otto is going to be in it the whole way. Buffalo is in eighth right now. Like you are high on Buffalo. You know, like there's teams. Vassie comes back. Yeah, like there's a lot of behind the wings that can come right now. But I will happily admit, because I fucking Detroit is sick.

What a cool team. I've always loved the wings. I'll happily admit, coming into this, I was like, They're in the middle, but I think they're going to be a little bit lower. And I also was preaching, like, and don't panic about that. I don't give a shit if they finish 7th next year. They're still on a great trajectory, and Eisenman is the man and everything's fine.

So I was on that early, but I was like, they're not going to really be in the mixer here. And that seems objectively wrong. Yeah. Even if they finish fucking 6th or something, it will be because everyone else was nasty and whatever. But like they... Heavyweight battle. Yes. But like they are in the mixer.

And it's awesome. No doubt. And, you know, I think barring injury, you're absolutely right. They're going to just be battling like this. And what I thought was really awesome for the wings themselves and the fan base, the wings, the Sends and the SABers, to me, are very much going to be in a bubble together all year long. Those are the three teams. Okay. You don't have Buffalo. I feel like you had Buffalo a bit. I feel like you had Buffalo a tear about that. I do, but it's the same thing. It's going to be a matter of what, four games? Like, I might have Buffalo finishing second and Detroit finishing fourth and Sends finishing six, but again, it could be a matter of like six points. Yep, yep. But I think those three are all in the same bubble in terms of you guys didn't make playoffs. Yeah.

You're trying to make playoffs. You're super young, exciting, fun teams. They're all very much in the same camp. Yep. And this past week, having that great game, Ottawa, Detroit on Saturday that I got on my juice with. I was like, hammer that. Yeah. Hammer that over. Two exciting teams. And Detroit bundled them.

Yeah. It was a absolute shit kicking, both in the hockey they played and then a physical beat down. And I'm not going to say that's going to happen every single time. But if you're Detroit, I feel like preseason, you had all these people just slobbing on Ottawa. Slobbing on Ottawa. They're going to make the playoffs. Detroit. Yeah, they're not there yet. and you speedbagged Ottawa, that feels awesome. Yes, yes, it does. And I don't think they, the Atlantic is just so crazy. Because I feel like I was ready to be like, yeah, I was one of those Ottawa people.

But then I was like, I didn't even have Ottawa in the playoffs because it's like it's that hard. But it is those are the games, dude. Every fucking game matters. You know, they always joke about when the winner classic rolls around or some of these outdoor games. It's like it's two points, dude. Don't overhype anything. Every game is two points. It's going to come down to the wire.

So I want to be like, you know, you just get your wins, dude. No game is more important than the other, but that head-to-head shit against those teams you know you're going to come up against down the stretch there do matter a little bit more. So it's like, yeah, those are huge wins early. My question for you is we kind of listed Detroit as a possible team that needs to upgrade at goalie. Do you still think that? Whose has been unbelievable so far. What do you do? Do you have his stats, or maybe you or Brock can get his stats?

Because I don't think he's been unbelievable. Well, you've got Rimer and Huso and Nett. Because Rimer's actually been a bigger surprise to me. I'm like, Jesus Christ, dude, yeah. So far. Again, guys, we know that this is... Yeah, they played four games. I think Hussos played four games. Hussauds got a 901 save percentage.

Rimer's got a one goals against average second in the league. Yeah, and what is who's that? Because I think it's... 3.04. Yeah, so his numbers... 9.01, right? 9101.

9101 and over 3 GAA is not particularly good. We got a lot of wins. Oh yeah. Hell yeah. And how do we keep score, dude? Wins and losses. So that's great. But I would say I'm not off the wings might need goalie help train yet.

Because I'm like, whoso hasn't been that good. And Rimer, I don't, has been amazing. I just don't believe it. And can't be your guy. Yeah, I'm like, who knows? For 45 games. Yeah. Maybe.

50 games. But right now I'm like, if I'm a betting man. Yeah. Bet MGM, man. I don't bet that. either. So like, whoso's been good as far as the wins of the loss column, but decidedly lower goals again, or, you know, higher goals against lower, say, percentage than Rimer and the tops in the league

right now. So it's a funny situation. You're on a five-game heater, but I don't know that we're totally sound insecure in that yet. The end of the day, the NHL, shout out Witt, Witt said this on Twitter the other day. The NHL is better when the Detroit records are good at hockey. And that is so palpable right now. Seeing NHL Twitter a buzz with like, holy shit, look at the brinket, holy shit, look at these guys, look at Larks, look at Raymond and cider buzzing, the additions buzzing. Everyone is like, this is awesome to see.

And yeah, that's the best. So two redwings, top two in points right now as we're recording. Do you know who's three? Yeah, your boy, Jack Hughes. Your boy, Jack Hughes. Jack has played four games, four games, four goals, six assists, ten points as the most points per game of anyone in the league right now. And an absolutely disrespectful overtime winner. No sally. Just, dude, what I want to say about Jack real quick is this, I think we all saw the huge leap he's taken in recent years. And it's like, so it's hard for me to even argue that he's taking another huge step

because he looked confident last year. So I don't want to sit here right now and be like, he looks more confident because I'm like, well, he looked confident as hell last year. But I don't know, dude. Like I'm just watching him play right now. And he is like, it's, he's doing that. He looks like when you're the best player in juniors by a mile, you know? And like, he's not like badarting everybody and it's insane like Connor was last year in

in juniors. But he is like, he's doing the crock and no angle. shots. His fucking hands are all over the place. He wants the puck. He's just like, and I love how small he is because he's just this waterbug everywhere. And it's, I know you want to say something so go, but I'm just saying I was really excited to watch Jack play this year. And so far early sample size, I'm like, oh, he is, he is a top three player alive. Well, I was, I was about to say, can I, can I back you up while also disagreeing with you? And I'm only, I'm only disagreeing with, with you walking something back. When you just said, you don't want to say he looks confident because

he looked confident last year. I actually think you're totally right on that. I think he does look more confident in the sense that I think he looks more settled. Ooh, okay. Fun, fun little moment. I like that word. Remember last year in the playoffs when he was wheeling and dealing and he fucking

tripped over himself in the blue line? He was just moving too fast. I think that was a good metaphor for last year. Jack came out as the water bug and was like, sup everybody, I'm a 100 point guy and the entire world was like, what the fuck? Holy shit, Jack Hughes woke up. I think we've got that Jack Hughes back and then some.

And I think the knowledge of him having done it before has really allowed him to settle into that game. People are afraid of it. They're afraid of what he's capable of. And there's an extra added element of smoothness to his game this season so far. The way he just wheeled around in the offensive zone on that overtime winner the other night, the cushion that he's provided shows the respect and fear defenders have for him. Yeah, good point. And that to me is I'm like, people aren't maybe stepping to him as much as they were last year because now they know.

This guy's going to hurt us. And I love it. I think you see it in the way he skates. I think you see it in the way he plays, the way his teammates play with him. I think there's a palpable difference of everything looks more slow motion for him. And it's terrifying. Dude, yes, we had him at 12. I was just looking.

We put him at 12 in the top 100. And I'm like watching a play now and I'm like, he is easily a top 10 player in this. It is insane. He had that play. Sorokin made the save actually, but I called you in to watch the replay. When you like had the breakway, lost it, got it back. Insane Mets backhand up. And then Sorokin made the save.

But it's plays like that. And you kind of like see him put his head back like, God damn it. But it's plays like that where I'm like, oh, you are, you know that no one can really hang with you. Or very few people can hang with you. kind of a weird start to the year for the devils, honestly. Like two one and one, I think, with some weird losses, some weird wins even. So they're not off to the races like some of the other teams in the league we've seen, but I could not be less worried about them or Jack Hughes as a significant heart candidate.

I think I completely agree. I think it's a little cobwebs is what I see for them. I think there's also elements of we're going to get into Toff watch later, but Toff got his first of the season and good God. Yeah. One of the sexiest nips you'll ever see. I mean, just took a page out of Jacko's book with the Dragon Snap and just labeled the top corner. And I think that, you know, sometimes you get situations where you have larks and cat playing together for the first time and it just clicks immediately.

I think guys like Toff are going to settle in and we're going to see that explosion of points that he's capable of. Brat has been amazing already. I just think they're all going to settle more and more and more into their rhythm, and they're going to be fine. Before we move on, I do want to talk quickly, Atlantic and Metro. Okay. Just like in the Atlantic, what are some things that have kind of surprised you? And I do want to quickly go back to the Bruins and just give some flowers to Maddie P. Oh, yeah, good call.

I want to do. Matt Pantra, I think he was something like fourth. third or fourth in points in the OHL last year. What I love about this story is Matt Potra comes into camp for the Boston Bruins and was not the top name. Yeah, got it. There were guys like some kind of familiar names like Jacob Lauco, Johnny Beecher, who have obviously both made the team and have been very, very solid on that fourth line.

But then there were guys like Fabian Lysel, Mason Lurye, Georgie Murculov, guys that, who names have kind of circulated before of it'd be really awesome to see these guys make the team. Yeah. And then Matt Potra comes in, makes the team, led the Bruins in points in preseason and scoring, and he's played all over the lineup, dude. He's been the center of the third, second, and first line so far this year through five games and gets two goals. I think he is the something like fifth, fifth youngest Boston Bruin to have a two goal, two goals. night behind like Berg,

pasta, Sergei Samsonov and like some, you know, a great, great company to be in. Does this, if you're the Bruins, does the ascension of him on this team

totally change your mindset heading into deadline and then possibly even summer free agency. Oh, interesting. Because I think you look at this fresh bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, 19-year-old center. Mini Berg.

Who is all over the ice and all over the lineup. And you're like, oh, boy, this might, we might, you might be staring at the net. And I say this in terms, I'm not, I'm not saying he's going to be exactly what these guys are. But I think you're staring at the first Bergeron or David Creachie that you've had since those two. Yeah. I, say it, dude. He is going to be that. He's my little golden boy.

It's amazing. It doesn't change your attitude at the deadline because you're doing jack shit at the deadline because you can't afford it and it's over. Summer, very much maybe. Now, I don't know what's going to be available, right? Like we kind of had eyes on Shifley and like, you know, things, yeah. Lindholm and Calgary apparently still very far away from each other. Which I love.

You know I love him. So maybe because it's like, I don't want to bring up everyone's contract right now, but like, Zaka, who I think is a great player, I don't want to be one C. So I'm like, can he come down? But I do think it gives you a lot of confidence moving forward that you're like, maybe I don't need the biggest splash. Or frankly, like multiple big splashes is what it felt like we were gearing up for with

the cap space. And then with this kid, you're like, I don't need multiple. Maybe still want one, but don't need multiple. So super exciting. Pumped to see him get those. Pumped to see himself. You know, he's like going so hard, big sellies. Yeah, that was great.

I'd like to save the surprises, though, for the end of the hot ice because I wanted to do a big surprise thing with you. Let's do that. Okay. All right. Then let's move on. Let's move on and we'll get into surprises later. Bad, bad news in Edmonton. Awful news.

Tragic start to the season for this Oilers team. Oh, dear. They're getting pinballed, giving up so many goals. Skinner looks really shaky and that. The defense looks fucking horrendous. Yeah. McDavid and Drysidal, and I got to give it to him, Nude is still just like playing out of his mind.

They're still pumping it in, but this team is off to a brutal start, and now Connor McDavid goes out for one to two weeks with an upper body injury. Not the end of the world. Probably will be three to five games. Yep. So let's just like the sky is falling. Yes. So let's start with just Connor real quick.

I don't have any info. I haven't been on X today. I haven't seen any zetes. You haven't been zieting? Haven't seen any zetes about it today, but the... Ryan doesn't like Zete, dude. It's so ridiculous. It's zits, dude.

But it looked like he's joining the rush. He just comes up, joining the rush. He crossed the blind. He kind of like grabs, you see him like grab at his side. You hope that's just like a muscle strain. You know, it's not, it didn't look like one of those... He's not grabbing a dangerous part of the body. It's not one of those non-contact things

where you're like, oh, man, something just tore. It just looked like, man, maybe he strained something. The timeline they're giving aligns with that, so you should be okay. He might miss the Heritage Classic, which would be a bummer if he's still out. That would suck for the fans that bought tickets to that game.

But you never know what you want your guy to go down, but hopefully they manage this. But with him out, so now let's transition into kind of the Oilers in general. with him out like if you go on like a three game skid now because you're without McDavid what's their record

one three and one or something yeah I believe they are currently sitting at fifth in the Pacific at one three and one like if you with a minus fucking seven if you drop to one seven and one

over the week and a half he's out I'm like yo dude however Dan I will say this. As I was looking at this, we were talking about wanting to discuss the Oilers. Last year, they were playing,

I was having a laugh about it, dude. They were playing 500 hockey. I don't have the data, but they were playing 500 hockey easily 15, 20 games into last season. Right? Like, I'm not crazy. And we were joking like, oh my God, you get the best player

in the world and you can't be over 500. Then, even just before the All-Star break, but certainly after the All-Star break, they went absolutely nuclear had a better record than the Bruins the second half of the year and the Bruins set a record. So the Oilers were insane. This Oilers team for me, and maybe I'm giving them too much credit, but with the firepower they have and the flip, the switch that they can flip, I'm like not worried about them. They could suck till the All-Star break, dude. And I would probably still be like, oh, they're fine. Now, they're fine. And they're fine. And they're fine.

they're getting in. The aves weren't this bad, but the abs were out of the playoffs for a while last year. And we, you and I were both joking, they will win the Central. And then they did. The Oilers to me, I don't have to win the Pacific if they suck till the All-Star break, but I swear to God, this Oilers team can suck till the All-Star break and then go like this. Anyway, fuck you. And now they're, now they're the three seed, and nobody wants them in the playoffs. So disaster start, disaster injury, but I think they might be fine. Yeah, it's, It's a fantastic point. What I cling to with that is, let's look at last year, Florida, kind of trash all year.

And then they sneak in when it looked like they might miss playoffs and they go to the cup. So absolutely, that can happen. But then I also look at Vegas who really rolled to the cup and they were the second best team all season long, realistically. I fear for them that if they do that, it's still just we're seeing the signs of the foundational cracks immediately. And yeah, if they get hot and then they get in the playoffs and then they lose in the first or second round, or even the conference finals, it's going to be because of these cracks. So there is still a part of me. Again, part of me is like, who gives a fuck? It's five games in the game.

Everyone calmed down. But I love this shit. I love getting fired up about this stuff. And if I'm an Oilers fan, we said the sky is falling earlier, kind of as a joke. But if I'm an Oilers fan, I look at the start and I go, damn it, man, this is the same shit that has led to our demise every fucking year since we've been really, really good and real legitimate contenders. So it's not great, dude. And the Skinner fears that we kind of started, they're real fears so far through this. And that's one thing that's interesting about tendies, man.

I can't remember the last time a real legit, Tendi had a like trash start to the year. And then they go on to like win the Vezna. And that's me saying I can't remember. I'm not saying it's never happened. I'm just saying usually when someone is, when someone's your horse all year, they're your horse all year.

And do you think it's fair to say that? Because we always get so dogged for being like, the Oilers have goalie issues and everyone freaks out. And I'm like, they kind of have goalie. But we're objectively right. We certainly were last year. And I'm like, okay. But my point is this, don't, wouldn't everyone say at this point?

And by the way, I mean, I hope Aiden Hill becomes a fucking legend, but Vegas just won the cup with Aden Hill. You don't need Otter, Soroka, and Vassie, right? But it helps. And I don't think even the biggest oiler supporters are like, Skinner is that. right? Like I, we are saying he's, they have goaly issues and they're being like, no, we don't. He's good enough, I think is their argument. Or do you think people are really like, Skinner's one of the guys? No, I think it's the former. Okay.

He's good enough. Yeah. Which, and that I'm willing to entertain. I'm like, yeah, maybe he is. But right now, agree with you where I'm just like, I don't know, man. It's, it's a weird position too mentally as a, as a skater. And I, they believe in Skinner. I'm not saying anything like that. But it is a weird position as a skater when you start to get in the back of your head in a playoff series like is my guy going to hang us out to dry a little bit here that's that's troubling yeah it's you know i think no disrespect to this guy but like i think i think that they look at skinner and say especially when you think about the comps of offensive firepower i think they go he's a darcy kemper yeah right yeah yeah good one he's a good yeah top 14 goalie in the

league and you know they had nate dog they had landy they had moose they had kale all those guys he was good enough to get a cup. I think they're going... And can get hot. Yeah, yeah. Could get hot for a series. I think they're going, we've got Connor,

we've got Leon, we've got Nuge. He's good enough. Yeah. But they are playing so badly. And now Connor goes down. Honestly, oh,

crazy. This early, I'd almost say there's a part of me that's like, Connor missed three, four games. Oh, yeah. Oh, get right.

Get right. 100%. And you guys come back out and figure out this shit. but the wouldn't you say too though that the Pacific isn't I guess maybe the Canucks the Canucks are the only possible like oh that wasn't expecting that if you're the Oilers but if you're the oilers trying to rationalize what I was just saying earlier of like oh we're going to suck for a while and then we'll figure it out like we did last year the Vegas rolls on but then the Kings are

off to a horrible start the Cracken are off to a horrible start so I'm like if you're the oilers you're kind of like whatever dude like I'm I I hear that I think that there's also the argument of the opposite of that of going, let's look at the Pacific, right? Vegas is rolling, Vancouver's hot, kings are kind of whatever, Calgary's where Calgary we thought would be Seattle's way worse than you think.

But right now you're fifth, again, everybody. Yeah, five games. But I think you look at, fuck, if Vancouver's good. Right, because that's the only possible fly anyway. Vegas ain't going nowhere. Yep. Right?

The kings are going to get better. They're already above you. Seattle is doing poorly and presumably is going to get better. So you're in fifth right now and you're like, fuck, this is not good. Like if Vancouver's good, this is very bad. Like we cannot be this. You just, with how good some of these divisions are, I don't think you, and obviously no one would do this, but you can't bank on the, we're going to kind of limp our way there

and then, you know, around the trade deadline, we're going to hit the gas and we're going to get it. It's like, no, get a phone. It's got to be before that for sure. I do think one of a few teams in the league that I'm like, they're good. Like, I'm not worrying about it. So we'll see. Taking a quick break to hit you guys with some info about Howie's hockey tape. We are obsessed with Howey's.

I hope you guys know that at this point, they got tape, they got laces, they got hats, they got hoodies, they got joggers. I hope my family is down with only getting Howie stuff for Christmas this year because that is exactly what's happening. And if you want to get your Howie stuff, go to the website and use promo code empty for 15% off, going to be the easiest decision you've made all day. Let's get into some rookie talk. Oh, I would love to. Got a couple of firsts. Yes, we did.

Well, Maddie, which you said. Yep. Boom. Then my son. Your son, your child? My son scored, Brian, and I wasn't even there for it. Who might that be? Adam Fantilly.

Big goal. Huge. Gave the boys the lead in the third period. They would end up winning in overtime, so it wasn't the GWG, but still sick. Grabbed a pass, the neutral or in the uh in the uh in the high slot quick rip right under the bar i feel like he saw it going for anyone else too gave a fucking nice little sely i was really happy for him it's weird when you get we're right about at the mark of games if you don't have one yet where you know it's you start

to think about it like i don't think any rookies thinking about it for the first handful of games but right about now and you're like yeah got to get one but i i i love it fans has a goal and assist through five games i think he's got around 11 shots so he's averaging like two shots a game. Pumped that up, I think. Yeah, yeah, get those. Those are rookie numbers. Let's get those numbers up. The jackets are three and two. Yeah. I love it. Me too. Like I said, I think with the firing of Babs, it was a cool little adrenaline shot, and I could see these boys having a little bit of fun here. So I love to see them with a winning record so far. And for me, last year, I think we saw an interesting thing with Slavkovsky in Montreal. Yeah.

Shane Wright had the same thing in Seattle. Those were kind of two marquee guys. Got off to a slow start. Slaff finally got his first goal. And things kind of just still, he got injured, but things didn't really unfold like they should have. With Fance, I'm so excited about it. The first one went in.

I think they're going to start rolling here. I think he is, as we've said, he's just one of the most mature young kids in the league. His hockey IQ is through the roof. I think he's already doing, you know, he scores his first goal and he's doing a press conference and he's like, I got to get better about my defensive side of the game. Yeah, yeah. And just the wherewithal to say that kind of stuff, it just, it excites me so much about him

and how he's going to develop. So I think the doors are going to open there. My favorite part about his goal, can I tell you? Yeah. He gets his first career NHL goal against, do you see who it was? I know. The Minnesota Wild. Oh, sorry, was it gut.

I think it was Gus. Oh, yeah. But I'm saying he scored against the Minnesota Wild. The Michigan man cannot stop scoring against Minnesota. Yeah. Of course. Of course. I knew he would do it, dude.

I was like, oh, he's got the Wild. I bet he pumps one past that. Did you hammer that? No, I should have. Oh, you idiot, yeah. I knew he was going to do it. The Michigan Man, dude. And then we've also got another first in the kid who went one pick above him,

Leo Carlson in his first NHL game. Yeah. Said, what's up, dude? Yeah. Troy Terry slide and we had some sauce and let me put it under the bar. Leo showing up in the league grabbing his tarp, I think what's he number 91? I think so. I think it's 91.

That was unexpected for me. Yeah. Feels like a 34 guy to me. Him coming in wearing number 91, being kind of promoted as this more pass-first, defensive two-way center, getting compared to Kopey all the time. And then comes in and absolutely cheddars one for his first tuck in his first tuck in his. first game. I was like, oh shit, that was sick. So love to see that. Great goal. He was fired up. His parents were there. I love when that happens. He's only got the one goal so far, but it was like we said, he's only played two games and had in his first game. Let me hit you with some other

rookie stuff, because I just want to discuss this whole Calder race. Yeah, I just want to say one thing about the ducks before we move up. I can maybe save this to surprises, but I don't know if it's a surprise given everything that happened. The ducks are one and four. Yeah. And I know that some haters would love to jump on me in some of my takes with this, but Trevor Zegris through five games has one point, one assist. And to that, I say, I know a lot of people are going to go, yeah, we told you he's not worth the money, he's not worth this, he's not worth that. This, for me, is a message to the Ducks organization.

No fucking shit, dude. Okay. You dip shits, drug this out, and then, Didn't give the kid a preseason whatsoever. It wasn't with the team whatsoever. Of course, they're off to a slow start. And I just want you to hear that fucking loud and clear. Could not agree more.

It is a one-to-one function equation. This is what's happening. Like Verbeek, what the fuck? Yeah. You iced him out. Now he's playing preseason right now. Yeah. You're welcome.

Agree with you completely. He also got fucking stapled by McAvoy last night. I don't know if you saw that. I actually didn't see that. Oh, my God. Okay, here's what some rookie stuff I got for you. Logan Cooley, still looking for his first goal. He's got four assists, and he's flying out there, but he doesn't have a goal yet.

Badard has two and two, Mattie Nyes has two and one. Zach Benson still needs his first. He has two assists. Maddie P. has two and one. Pretty sick. Sick. Luke Evangelista got his first this year, and he's a rookie. He's done that.

Luke Hughes, Maddie Nyes. He's a rookie technically, too. Sick. A little equipment manager. Sick goal. Did you see that goal? I actually did see that, yeah. Yeah, dude.

You just said goal. The equipment manager, Pete Rogers, I think is his name. Unbelievable wear with all. I think Chicklets put up that video last year of like the guy on the sticks. It's just so dope, but they're like, boom, here you go, and tuck. Equipment manager, apples are so far. Yep. So that was great.

Luke Hughes has one goal, no assists. Right now, if you had to award it right now, Dan, who would you give it to? The Calder? Yeah. I mean, it's just that this is so dumb. Answer the question. What does Bajad have?

Two and two and two. I think I give it to Matt Potra. Oh, okay. I like that. I like that. He's on a 5-0 team. He's got one less point than the highest guy, right? Yep.

Tied for the most goals. Tied for the most. goals. He's playing all over the lineup. He's the most versatile guy. Okay. Matt Potra. There's absolutely zero bias there. I still love Cooley's game. I think I would say Cooley and Baudard. I need Cooley in the back of the net. Me too. If he had one, I would give it to him easily right now. Yeah. Cooley and Baderd look the most exciting right now to me. Like I watch those two and like, yeah. Like Badaard is out there shooting 20 times a game and has a couple tucks.

Coolie's making ridiculous plays, ridiculous passes. I don't know, dude. I know he only has two assists. I put Benson in that. Yeah, no, he's looked great. He looks phenomenal. Yep. Devin Levi threw four games.

One in three with an eight, nine, two, save percentage, and a three-two-six goals against average. That was a heavy favorite pick. Sleeper pick. Yeah, I was like, he's not a favorite, but it was a sleeper. Got to need more from him. Yes. But again, it sounds silly, but first of all, we got the goat heads on for the first time this season and absolutely shit-pounded. Yep.

Love that. The sabres are fine. All bits aside, those numbers aren't great from Levi, but they're so inflated by two bad, bad games. Yeah. Good point. I also, there's part of me that's like, Buffalo, what the fuck are you doing playing him so many games? Like, let's get more of a tan. I know.

I just think they were like, we had issues last year. You are saving us. Please go. And actually, even though you're right, it's completely inflated by a couple bad ones, I don't even hate that take from them because you know how goalies can get where you don't want to feel. It's obviously going to be a tandem to a degree, but you don't want to feel like, oh, one bad game and I'm getting yanked. You know, I'm going to lose the job. It's kind of nice to go, dude, just get popped 10-0. Still, you're a net.

You're the guy we believe in. So I'm kind of good with them riding him at least early. Yeah. He's a young kid, dude. He's got young niece. He can play 50 games. He can. He can. He can. Young knees. Super young niece. Um, I do need more from him. I, I, but, but, dude, Tage, Tucky and Skinner are, they're quiet so far. Let me check in on that. It was won nothing with a Skinner goal, or one-one with a Skinner goal. Yeah. Skinner from cousins and Dahlene. So, like, there you go. Skinner's got his third of the year. Like, they're starting to wake up. I feel great about a win tonight against the habs. But, they're all going to wake up and everything's going to be fine. Cooley on Tuesday, I believe, plays at the Kings. He does.

And then later in the week, I think, plays the Kings again. Does he get one in these next two? Yes. You're calling it right here. Yeah, that's a confident yes. Confident, yes. Kings tomorrow, Kings on the 27th. He's going to find the back minute.

Okay. Cooley gets his first against the Kings. It's pretty cool. Yeah. Pretty coolly. Yeah, you love to see that. All right, what else you got? I would like to talk about the Winnipeg Jets situation.

Okay, I would like to do that with you. Before we move on to some other topics here, what do you think is going on? For the listeners who are unaware, the Jets last year kind of made the news because we had big things like Shifley and Hellebuck coming up here. We had things like PL. wanting a trade out of there. There was all this chatter about no one wants to play in Winnipeg. It's not a destination.

It's not a fun place to play, to live, blah, blah, blah. Those things are decidedly untrue. PL came on this podcast and was like, Winnipeg's amazing. I love it there. There's great places. It's our super fun barn.

There's an awesome article out, I think today on NHL.com. I don't know if you saw it about IAFollow and like how the boys are showing him like the fishing spots and like all the stuff he's doing. So yeah, read that. too. It's just a great spot. It really is. And it's a fun barn and a really wonderful organization. I thought when we got the news last, you know, what was that three weeks ago when Shifeley and

Hellebuck re-signed for seven years apiece. Yeah. I kind of thought we were going to get some, you know, tides turning here. Like Winnipeg. We're, we're back. We have two, two of, two of what, top four possible UFAs next summer. It re-signed. Like that's huge. Yeah. They have had an attendance problem all year long so far. And that can't be happening, dude. Like, we're talking about the white out spot of the playoffs a few years ago. You've got guys like Mark Schifley.

You've got Connor Hellbuck and Net. You've got Eelers on this team. You've got the most underrated player in the league, Kyle Connor, on this team. You've got Josh Morrissey on this team. What are you fucking guys doing not going to these games? So I suppose I don't want to target this at, Jet fans, but who else can I target? Yeah, but I don't know how to finish. Why are you not going to games? What, and I'd love anyone who's listening to this, if you guys are Jets fans in

Winnipeg, please hit us in the DMs. I'm curious what's going on. Are, is it the arena? Are they not doing a good enough show? Are they not taking care of the fans? Yeah. Because the product on the ice is good, in my opinion, in terms of, like, look at those players. We're obviously battling back to get into the playoffs here, but the Winnipeg Jets, being one of the teams in the league that is having attendance problems is unacceptable. Frankly, any Canadian market, right? I'm like, come on. They're two and three right now, and you're a smaller Canadian market too.

Dude, you will lose that fucking team quick if you keep this shit up. Just got them back. Yeah. What are you doing? So that just cannot happen. Good call, really good point. I think as a fan, one of the most frustrating things, you can go through is when, I guess maybe the two is it feels like there's no plan at all

from the management or when it feels like you were literally just a feeder team and good players grow up there and then just gone. I can come up with some baseball examples and some soccer examples, but you know what I'm saying, right? Like if you aren't spending the money to keep players around or bring in good players via free agency, that is very frustrating as a fan. So if you are a member, or you are a fan of the Winnipeg Jets, like you said, locking up Shifley and Hellebuck, come on, dude. Like that is, I can't, I'm hard pressed to think of a way to excite the fan base more. Like, look, the guy, everyone's bought in.

Like, boom, here we go, dude. The guys are staying. Everyone talking about you're going to lose those guys. That's a top five goalie in the league, top four goalie in the league. An unbelievably underrated center. You've got studs up and down the roster like you just named. I just don't know. And PLD was going to move anyway.

And you got a pretty good haul. I know Gabe got hurt and that's not great. But like, you know what I mean? You got a pretty good ballback. Yeah. Like you're fine. So this team was a playoff team last year. You've got to feel like you are a competitive playoff team again.

Yeah. So let's go. Get the boys going. Like I think PL said the fan base in the playoffs was one of the coolest things he'd ever experienced. You know? Because he was like, oh, he missed like one of the years. It was a COVID year or whatever.

You know, like you miss some stuff playing. That, you feed off that energy. The players are feeding off that energy. Show up for them. If you want this team to be a playoff team, go. Go be there. I don't have much to say on it other than that, but it is just, I think it's fucking crazy. Yeah.

It's something that has to be such a priority for you if you are the Jets in terms of management and team ownership. Like, you have to fix that problem. Absolutely. I mean, if you're a smaller market. especially Canadian market, a top three thing about your team has to be, the games are electric. You're in Canada, you're in a great area,

a beautiful area. The fans have to be a huge selling point. And if you're not even filling the barn, hard to attract. What the fuck are we doing here? I mean, that's crazy. Agree. That has to change.

All right, now let's slide into our next segment. Brought to you by Islide. Let's I Slide into some surprises. I slide into some surprises, Dan. I know you had some at the top you wanted to bring up. Look at that. Look at that eye slide. It's so sick.

My favorite thing in the world. I wish, me and Bri, I wish they were two, so I could clonk around and I'm around the office. Yeah. That would be fun. That would be sick. We should give them to shack or something. They probably wouldn't even look that big on them.

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I slide into some surprises. Would you like to go first? Sure. The MET division is a... It's a mess. A mass. I've got a surprise in the Mett division. It's a mess.

What's that movie? The campaign. The campaign. Throwing Zach. Galif and Afuck. Welcome to the fucking show. Gallif and Ashok, Purple Onion, deep cut. The Met is a mess.

And if there are some teams in the middle there, the Rangers look rejuvenated. I feel good about the Rangers. I feel fine about the devils. The hurricanes are three and three. I don't care. They're going to be fine. That's my surprise.

They're going to be fine. Again, way too early surprises. The Keynes being three and three and looking really ugly. They're not playing D at all, which should be their bread. I know. Also, did you see Nate Dog put Slavin in a fucking washing machine the other day?

Oh, my God. Dude. Yikes. Yikes. And would you say, I think, I feel like we had argued about this already, but would you say that the Kane's goaly situation last year overperformed.

I'm not saying those guys are bad or anything. No, no, no. Yeah. Based on their history, right? It's like Freddie Anderson comes in and was laughed out of Toronto because Toronto's brutal. But I feel like he found a home and was like, I'm good. It's pretty good. Just like get off my ass and I'm good. Yeah. But yeah, they were pretty elite. And that was a really solid tandem. But I test.

I look at Freddie Anderson and Ranta as like Kemper. I feel like I'm fucking sewering Kemper here. But I'm like you're not in that A tier but you're in starting goalie tier but you're not winning me

a cup. And they're kind of I mean certainly not Ranta Ranta to me is like one of the best backups you could have. He's a starter on some teams but yeah I hear the

overperformance thing. It just felt like you said I test when I go into the playoffs and I'm looking at them I'm like oh, that you could lose because of that. That might be why you lose. I'm not even saying that is why they lost

those last few years or whatever, but that feels like a concern. And again, for the billionth time, super early, but I am now like, oh, do you have a goalie problem? Because if you do,

then you have an issue. They look so wildly unorganized. And I just didn't really see that coming for that team. The capitals are an eighth. Okay, so another, this one. And I am not surprised by that. Me neither.

But I am surprised by just how bad they are. Because they stink. I buried them in my prediction. They stink. Who would I have had? I might have had them fucking seven. I think you, six or seven, yeah. We both have the missing playoffs.

I killed them. And boy, golly, do they. stink so far. I mean, I've put they are just eight, dude, did I? I don't know.

No, because I was on the blue jackets, dude. I think I might have. Oh no, flyers, I had the flyers eight, that the flyers eight. I was like, who the fuck? Flyers who are in first? Yeah. Okay, so obviously, no, hold on.

I want to say on the cast for a second. They are bad. And also, and again, these teams are separated by like a game, you know, because it's like they've just played various games. Yeah. But the penguins are you're probably a little scared right now if you are the penguins

if you are a fan if you are dubus if you're like I'm like oh no because they lost to the hawks I said last step they lost the hawks and I was like oh god and then they were like win win I was like never mind we're fine Sid's firing

we're all good we're making playoffs and now I'm like wait do you suck and you don't even though it's early you just did not want to be sitting in seventh place I said it to you I might have been the last episode I said it to you I think

Sid is asked, he is asked too much. Yeah, you did say that. And I don't need to go on it again, but it, yeah. I think if you're the penguins, you're not thrilled. Yeah. Again, it's too early, too early, too early, too early, too early. Semi-surprise Pitt in Washington. Like, talk about change, you had mentioned way ago.

Like, changing in the garden in the east this year. And I'm like, pit in Washington in 7-8 bingo. We're staring at it. Flyers, first place. Let me ask you a question. What exactly would you say they're doing? Dude. And this very well, I would be, I will take off my hat and I'll eat it for lunch.

Yep. If the flyers continue doing this and make the, if the flyers are the devils of last year, I will take off my hat and I'll eat it for lunch. You have to assume that this falls off a little bit. Yes, it will. I had Carter Hart as maybe my number one goalie to see possibly getting moved here. Yep. And he's looked really great so far. You've got to look at this for the Flyers as like,

this is the best start you could have ever asked for as far as if you're like... If you think you're going to make a run at it. No, no, I think if you're like, we're going to trade some people at the deadline here, like get that value way up. Oh, well, it's tricky though, because if you are... are too good. Too good, yeah. If they're in the playoffs,

then you can't trade to our heart. Yeah, exactly. The, right, and my theory is the Philadelphia Flyers are drunk on Eagles and Phillies vibes right now.

Yeah. The city is firing too hard for them to lose hockey games. Luckily for the Flyers, or unluckily, depending on how you look at it, those seasons

are going to be over eventually. The Phillies, I hope the Phillies won the World Series, but the Phillies soon-ish and the Eagles, you know, buy the All-Star break. And I just don't know that they can keep this momentum up.

And I also think, yet again, we said this when they hired Torts, I just, it feels like he's going to coach you to like a below average season. And that's not a knocking him as a coach. That's him,

that coach with this roster is going to get you like, oh, you will get the sixth pick again. Yeah. And I'm like, Why? Well, it's... I don't...

I mean, the tanking obviously is not real in hockey. Yeah. You look at fucking Chicago getting the first pick this year. Like, it's clearly not real. So you can't tank. And I also don't believe in the... With hockey, I don't believe in a, like... Get a higher pick.

Yeah. I think the Flyers are another team where I like the league when the Flyers are good. Me too. And I actually really liked what they've been doing the last couple of years. I we said I think I picked them last we both picked them last and I said it with the I kind of had the the atmosphere of you're going to be last and you guys are a mess but there's really good things on the horizon here and I believe that yeah me too connect me is so good yeah I love cutter Gautier you know like I really like and and fucking Mitchcoff yeah yeah yeah yeah

coming into play here soon. I'm feeling pretty good about the Flyers. But yeah, to me, if they sneak into the playoffs this year, I am kind of like, what the fuck are you doing? Yeah, there's no way. But that's been a crazy one.

But it would be electric to have playoff hockey and Philly. You know, like so, you know, who cares? They hot boys. That's a big, big surprise. Well, anything else? I don't really, I don't have crazy surprises, but there's a couple of things I want to talk about. Yeah.

Top of the total. pole, bottom of the totem pole. Go. San Josei Sharks, only winless team in the league right now. Think. Not unexpected. Yeah.

We doing our division breakdowns, we were like, blow your team up. And I said to trade a guy like Tomash, Tomas Hersch. Yep. And some fan in the

comment section came for my throat. Yeah. And was like, do you even understand what a note? No move, no trade clauses. Yes, I do.

Those things get waived, people, just so you know. Genuine question for you. Can, Brite, look up Tamash Hurtle for me, please. H-E-R-T-L. I think he is 29 years old, I think. And I think he signed a... Yeah, 29. 29.

Oh, wow, he's damn near 30. He's about to tear a third. 30. So he's 30 years old. He very, very recently signed a long-term deal. Serious question. Again, early, early, early, early, early, early, early, early, early, only five games in the season. But you're 04 and 1. If you're hurdle, are you seriously telling me that you're like, this is where I want to be right now? Okay, if you're him, that's, yeah. No, you are like, I would love to be on a contender. I would love to be competing for a cup for the next few years.

Dude, here's the deal. Not everyone plays, not everyone's Bergeron, not everyone's Copey. Not everyone plays till you're 38. Yep. This guy's about to turn 30. He has not been in the playoffs in years. And you must be looking at this team.

And even with great picks like Will Smith, you're not making playoffs for a little bit here. Correct. If I'm him and I'm 30, Yep. I go to management and I go, trade me and get a huge return. Yeah. And that, I don't mean to talk about it again.

But this is me doubling down on my take and the fucking, you know. Oh, dude, they're going to. The pitchforks that came from me of being like, you don't know what a no move clause is. Yes, I do. And this exact situation is what I was talking about. Because if I'm in his shoes and I don't know shit about his family, and that's whatever, his family, I get it, dude. But it's also, this is his fucking profession.

This is his career. Yes, you have a family. But I've got news for you, dude. When you're a professional athlete and you get married and you have kids, I imagine part of the fucking conversations you have with that family is I might get traded. I might need to move to a different team. I might ask for a fucking trade. Sorry, that's how it works. And if I'm a professional athlete that's as good as fucking him and I'm third.

and this team is winless and not looking like they're going to make the playoffs in a long fucking time, I am probably going, wouldn't mind a fucking trade, Greer? Wouldn't mind a trade? Hey, fam, a few places out there have no state tax.

It would be pretty cool to go there, get all our money, and maybe win a cup. So that's all I'm fucking saying. And yeah. Now, other side, other end of that total. Yep. Is Las Vegas right now

The undeniably best place to play hockey. If you are a professional athlete right now and you go like... Do they have state tax? Nope. And you go like this. Hey, cap is not an issue. You are a player in your prime right now. Pick any team to play for.

It looks like a ton of fun. The crowd is amazing. The, I mean, the boys look like they're having fun. We know a lot of those guys now and they're all awesome, but winning is fun. so that's kind of how it goes. What's sick about it, to your point, is the city is so sick in terms of night.

You can get whatever you want there, but then you can also, but you live in those suburbs of just like gorgeous places, golf courses, pools, everything's amazing. So that is pretty sick. It is hot as dick in the summer, but you're kind of traveling anyway, I guess. You're in your AC house.

You're in a pool. I mean, I'm hard- This is what I'm saying, dude. In six years, they have literally always been a contender. They've just won a cup. There is no state tax. There's some of the best golf you could ever ask for.

There's the best night life you could ever ask for. And amazing home and family life when you go over to like Henderson or wherever these guys are living. Electric show, one of the most fun game and home ice environment. Yeah, pretty good. Pretty good. I'm hard pressed to think of some ones better.

I think it's got to be one of the best places you could ever possibly hope to play for right now. And they look disgusting again. Not a surprise at all, by the way. Nope. Anything else for the Preds have kind of been fun for me so far. Three and three, yotes obviously been pretty fun. Sabers will figure it out, but not as fun. Yotes are so fun.

By the way, here's shout out my BetMGM people, my gambling dogs. the Yotes have been my dog so far. They are a fun team. Getting great odds on the Yotes all the time and they're hitting. Coolie, dude. It's all coolie. Look at that Yotes money line. There was one other team that was kind of, oh, the wings we said, but that's not what I want to say.

I think you make an argument for Boston, dude. Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. Boston, I don't think we saw that kind of. Let's see. Yeah, on the cracking, I guess I was going to say. I'm just bummed out. slightly spunkless right now. Slightly spunkless.

But they're going to turn it around. All right. Let's do our hottest teams of the week. All right. I'm going to start us off. Hottest teams of the week. Again, we're not saying these are the best teams. We're just saying these are the hottest teams.

Number three. Coney at number three hottest teams of the week. The Colorado Avalanche. They had a three in a week. They beat the Cracken, who again are spunkless right now. Tied the record of 14 straight roadways. So sick. Whoops.

They have a chance to break that record. night, Tuesday night. So you guys will be listening to this Wednesday. So we'll see if they did it. Yeah. See if we see that. They're playing the Islanders. They also shut out the Hawks and beat the cane six four. Avs are undefeated. And Nate Doug looks so. Yeah. Honestly, this, we had the abs and bees tied at three last week. And that could have just happened again because they're both five and no. But the abs have just looked.

I didn't want to keep putting ties. So the ab just looked meaner. Yeah. Second hottest team was one last week. Could easily have been one this week. They're the only 6-0 team in the league, but we're giving the Vegas Golden Knights, the second hottest team. They might never lose again, honestly. They could go 82 and O and win the cup. They beat the stars in a shootout for the star's only loss of the year so far. They beat the Jets 5-3, the Hawks 5-3.

I can only assume they're going to rattle off several 5-3 wins because apparently this is what they do. They just beat teams by the same score over and over and over, which is pretty sick. You said it all. They look amazing. Second hottest team. They look fantastic. And the hottest team of the week. talked about them a lot today. The Detroit, Red Wings, opened the year with a really hard

fought 4-3 loss. I tweeted that. I was all over it. I was like, dude, you went into the Devil's Barn. They were so good. You had a great game. And then since they have won five straight, unbelievable stuff, they have beat Tampa, the Blue Jackets, Penguins, and Senators, and Flames. De Brinkett is the leading score in the league followed right behind his good buddy Dylan Larkin. They look as good as you could ever ask for. Stevie Wise. Goons. Yeah, yeah. Beating people up and pumping in goals.

The Detroit Red Wings are possibly back. Yeah, oh, not possibly. They're back. You'll love to see it. They're back. Hottest team of the week. Toth watch? Yep.

He's only played one game since we last checked in, but he had a disgusting snipe in that game. Slipp! So, in four games, Toph has three points. Very happy with that pace. He's right on pace. The devils are going to be fine. He's on face that many points. The devils are going to be fine.

He's going to be fine. We're really happy. It's early, but he's still. And it was nice to see one go in. Oh, yeah. That's what I'm saying. The damn broke. He is going to be buzzing.

He looks like he's buzzing. He's flying around out there, settling in. I see a three-point night coming for Toff in the next four games. Oh, I love that. So let's keep an eye on that. But I see it happening. What do you got for me to close here? You want to do games to watch first?

No. Okay. Then I want to talk about the banners. Let's talk about the banners. Okay. This is actually. really awesome thing, guys. This just came across our desks, as they say. But everyone, Dan, we love hockey. Everyone that's listening and following loves hockey. We love to share hockey.

We love to bring it to places that don't have it and make a really expensive game free if we can. And that is exactly what's happening in Baltimore right now. For 20 years, the Baltimore banners, this hockey team, has brought hockey to neighborhoods that have more murders and homicides than anywhere in North America. And the team becomes their family. The game becomes an escape. It's a place where they can just reset, clean slate, get on the ice, and do their thing. The mission is a reasonably simple one, but it is literally changing people's lives.

We at empty netters are very proud to be huge supporters of the Baltimore banners. And I'm going to put all their info in our story and we'll link it on the episode and everything. you guys can go check it out. Please read up about this squad and this organization. And if you can, I'll put the GoFund to me right on this story. If you can, please see if you can go donate. They do amazing events with games and tournaments and all this stuff. We're going to be going to some of them this year.

But every little bit helps bring these kids gear and ice time and all this stuff to just truly, truly change their lives. I'm actually going to read something. Their nonprofit is called Tenderbridge. I want to read this because it's actually pretty amazing. Tenderbridge uses hockey, along with other activities, as a vehicle to build lasting relationships with marginalized youth in high-violence areas of Baltimore. These relationships help our youth access meaningful opportunities and support on the road to successful adulthood as they define it themselves. The vision is create life-changing opportunities, foster deeply rooted in lifelong mentorships.

It's a program that's owned by the community and beneficial to the entire community, and they want to guide our teammates to become leaders in Tenderbridge, their families and the community create a cycle of success. It was founded in 2003. They've served over 500 kids. Today they've got 40 kids, two teams, plus a learn to play. In neighborhoods of Elwood and McIlderry, there's approximately 50 shootings per year in a 10-block radius there. Okay. But these guys give free gear, free food, free transportation, door to door, free ice time,

three times a week, Tuesday mentorship meetings year-round and other activities like hiking, biking, sailing, swimming, et cetera. And they have other support like clothing drives, mental health coaching, homelessness, support, legal support as necessary. It's an unbelievable, unbelievable thing. got going on there. So as I said, we'll pop up the GoFundMe, check it out, read all about it, check out the videos. It's super inspirational and please help if you can. Oh yeah, love that. Guys, you need to sign up for BetMGM right now because we have an epic promo going on.

You use the promo code, Netters, and here's the deal. Your first bet, it has to be at least 10, but it can be up to $1,500. $1,500. Make that first bet risk-free because if you win, congrats, sick bet, not too bad. Take your winnings and go over. about your day. If you lose, BetMGM will refund your money. Up to $1,500. I will say it again. promo code netters on your first bet with BetMGM. Unbelievable deal. Please take advantage. Unbelievable deal. Disclaimer. BetmGM.com for terms and conditions. 21 plus to wager. U.S. promotional offers not available in D.C., New York, or Ontario. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-800, Gambler for Colorado, D.C., Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland,

Missouri, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Call 8-7-7-8-Hope-N-Y or text Hope N.Y for New York. Call 1-800. Next-St. for Arizona. 1-800-327-50-50 for Massachusetts. 1-800-Bets-Off for Iowa. 1-800-2707-1-1-7 for confidential help in Missouri, in partnership for Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. All right, I got a couple games to watch.

Sweet. I got a Thursday Friday. Thursday, head on down to Texas. Leif's, stars. I always love a game where we've got Titans going head-to-head. We've got Austin, who's just pumping in goals. Marner and Nylander versus Robo and Hints. I have.

Tip drill. Yeah. I love, love a game. like that. That was my finals prediction over the summer. Yeah. And then Friday, don't call me biased, but Savers Devils just looks like it's going to be a fun game.

Yeah, it does. Nice Friday tilt, young guns all over the place in New Jersey, quick little pop down from Buffalo. I love a game like that. And great jersey matchup. Yeah, good luck. I love a good jersey matchup. Okay, I got three. Saturday, Canucks at Rags. I'm just excited about that game. I'm going to pop on on. I'm really like it. I'm really liking what the Canucks

doing so far. You know I'm on, you know, I've been excited about the Rangers. I'm going to be checking that game out. Also Saturday, Wings at Bruins, two sick jerseys, five and one, five and at the time of recording. I'm surprised, you're not, but that's, that's a tilt. Oh, six matchup. You got a lot of an original. And then Sunday, outdoor game alert, the Tim Horton's Heritage Classic. Um, Battle of Alberta Flames at Oilers in the Commonwealth Stadium. Going to be sick. Everyone there will have a blast. Hope, hope, Hope, Connor's playing for the family. but you know I'm watching an outdoor game. I'm always watching an outdoor game.

I've got one more thing to watch. What you got? The Almost Friday Pod. Dude, it's honestly a perfect time for this too because they're right up on their one-year anniversary. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, we got Halloween coming up and they go off for Halloween. I mean, their whole thing is like epic characters.

I was actually having a conversation the other day about what someone was like, what are you being for Halloween? I hadn't thought about it yet. And Will and Liam were in the room. And I was like, honestly, I might be one of your. Yeah, dude. There's a same thing. of things that absolutely kill me with those characters.

One, when they dress up, it's so funny. The extra attention to detail. The names are out of this world. There was one episode where Liam threw in a bunch of Harry Potter references. He put in like grip hook in one of his names and I was like, I don't know if people notice that, but I want you to know that I appreciate it. I hear you. You are very heard.

Those guys are absolute goons and they're firing right now. They just had Dylan Francis on, which was so dope. And they've always got great episodes. The little characters they make up are so funny. They've got, you know, Our good buddy Luke Null goes on there all the time. He's a riot.

But it's one of the best podcasts. Cody went to school with me, my old college buddy. That's right. Cody's on there all the time. Episodes every Thursday. Yep. Almost Friday Pod is the, in my true and genuine opinion, it is the best podcast you could ever listen to if you just want a laugh.

If you just want to sit back, put on the YouTube, watch the guys clown around if you're driving, and you just need someone to lighten your day and make you giggle, no questions asked that the best. best in town. Fantastic. Thursdays. Watch some hockey this weekend. Watch almost Friday pod on Thursday. Yes. And until then, and until you see us next week. Happy Halloween, I think, right? Yeah. Happy Halloween. And Skate Hard.