Empty Netters Podcast - 95. Vegas Strip Belongs to The Stars w/ Keith Yandle

Episode Date: May 3, 2024

What a turnaround in the most exciting match up of the first round! Keith Yandle is here to debate if the Leafs can finally flip the script on the Bruins and if the Predators can pull off the upset. Plus, Stamkos is playing WHERE next year?!?!  PRESENTED TO YOU BY LABATT BLUE LIGHT 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 (0:00) - Intro (2:30) – Power Ranking (6:52) – Bauer Hot ice (7:10) – Rangers/Caps (8:55) – Canes/Islanders (12:06) – Oilers/Kings (17:54) – Panthers/Tampa (24:43) - Canucks/Preds (28:45) – Toronto/Boston (32:23) – Vegas/Dallas (35:50) – Armchair GM (40:08) – God I Wish I Was (47:55) – Temper Tantrum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the Empty Netters podcast is brought to you by Labat Blue Light. Can I get real with you guys for a second? If you're a long time listening, you know that this is a crisp Canadian pilsner, and you know that every sip is brewed with Canadian kindness. But what you don't know is that this is literally my favorite light beer. I implore you to go try one. I know it's not in your regular rotation. Put it in your regular rotation.

I don't care if you're watching hockey, if you're pre-gaming, hanging out with the buddies, day drinking, doing whatever you feel. like when you're ready to crack open a cold one, give Labat Blue Light a try. It has changed my beer drinking game permanently, and I assure you it'll do the same for yours. Ice is ready, and we are back with another episode of the Ampty Netters podcast, joined by our good buddy Keith Yandel coming to us from Florida. How are we doing, bud? I'm great. How are you guys doing? I imagine you're great, dude, because it is the Catlantic, as you said. Dude, you got there on the last day of the year.

I couldn't believe he pulled it off. This motherfucker, dude. I wasn't even worried about like winning the Atlantic. I'm more, I'm more focused on the playoffs for them. This is their season right now. And the way that they're going right now, I mean,

you guys, you're Bruins fans, right? Like, do you want to play the cats? No, dude. And also I'll say this. I was saying this earlier. You're so right.

and we talk about paths to, I mean, like Edmonton in the West has a pretty good path to the Western Conference final. I mean, dude, I love the Bruins with all my heart, but it feels like the Panthers are going to dick slap whoever comes out of this shit show in Boston and Toronto. Give me a break. Yeah, I think the Rangers could give them a good fight. I just, I don't see anyone beating them. The way Bob's playing, they're deep, they're fast, they're mean. Their power play is good. Their PK's good.

Barky seems to be buzzing right now. I think that was huge for him in a close-out game against Tampa to have the performance that he had. I think it's going to be huge for his confidence, not that he's lacking confidence ever, but I think it's just huge for him. And I think he's going to be a problem in the next few rounds. Well, this is the perfect segue into the first segment of this. We do this every Friday up, Yance. We do.

we start the up with a power ranking of the top five teams left in the playoffs and we can't move on until we all agree. So it sounds like we're all already happy with Florida at one. I think I'm happy with three. And maybe someone in the actually. Because I feel like you had Rangers won last time. No. Yeah, I did. I did. I did. But Florida is one right now. I feel very confident saying Florida is my one. Okay. So we're all happy Florida one. Who's your two, Yans? And it's like how they're playing right now. Like who's the second best team left? So for me, for two, I'm thinking either Rangers or Colorado.

Yes. I think Colorado is buzzing right now. They look so good. They're getting rest. I don't know. What do you guys think? For me, it's either either of those teams, Colorado or. I completely agree with that. And I would have said Rangers are my lock. But with the way Colorado just finished that series and then Hellebuck's comments, I'm kind of like, oh shit, I think the abs are buzzing out of control. So I think abs are hopping the Rangers. Okay, so we go and I think I'm okay with that because of how scary they looked. Like I made a prediction that I was like, Helibook's going to lock, we'll get into that later, but I was like, Helibook's going to lock it down and then another five, six pumped by. Yeah. And think about it, guys. Like that Jets team is not bad.

And they're so much better than that Caps team. So the fact that Colorado handled the Jets like that, I mean, they gave them one and then swept them. So I'm kind of like, dude, Colorado is a problem. Okay, so we're going, Panthers 1, Avs 2, Rags 3. Yep. And now I feel like for 4-5,

we're probably talking Cains Oilers. It's got to be some variation of that. I think we've got to put respect on the canes, put them in that force. Or is Dallas even in the conversation, even though they haven't clinched yet. I like Dallas. I've had Dallas the last two years,

so I even like Dallas more than Edmonton, but. Okay. I like that, I completely agree with that. And we're probably going to eat Crow and Vegas is going to beat them in game six, and we'll take it to game seven.

But I agree. I like Dallas more than Edmonton. So what about more than Cains? Do we like Dallas more than Cains? It's hard, right? Because the Cains are kind of in that same category with the Rangers where it's like, yeah, they, you know, essentially swept the team. But are the Islanders that impressive?

Am I that impressed with that beat down? No. They made it too close for comfort for me. If they spank them every game, I'd be fine. But they were like pulling wins out of their ass. Yeah. Scoring three goals in the last 15 seconds. What are we talking about?

And it's right now. Like Dallas has just won three straight against Vegas. Like Dallas might be four, maybe three. Yeah. No, okay. Come. Relax. Relax.

But yeah, I mean, I'm not. I think Dallas four. Okay. I'm happy with that. Me too. Me too. But then I refuse to have the Keynes not on this list. I mean, like, give me a break.

So Keynes over Edmonton, we're okay with this. Yeah. I'm fine with that. Because I think the Kings might have stunk a little bit. They are in a tough way. Yeah, I think so. But yeah, I think I'm happy with that. Florida, Colorado, Rags,

Dallas, Cains. That's a good power ranking. I think that's right. All right. I'm happy. Good job, team. Yeah, we did. That was well done, boys.

That was really well done. Squad, we're taking a quick break to talk to you about Bauer hockey. I don't need to give you the ins and outs on Bauer because they have been the industry leader since the beginning of time. Bauer is elite. in the world of hockey. And right now, I want to talk to you about your training. Whether you are an elite player or if you're just getting into the game, Bower Hockey has you covered. We're going to take you to Bowerhockey.com slash training, and you're going to find all the things you need to take your game to the next

level. They've got the digital reactor dangler, if you want to work on your stick handling, and they've got the reactor slideboard if you want to work on your skating. No matter what, Bower Hockey is the best way to make sure you get to the next level. And we're going to save some money on shipping for you. So if you go to that website, you're going to put in promo code empty and you're going to save all of the shipping costs. You can also head to a Bauer retailer nearby and get started today. Either way, Bauer's got you covered on those next steps to getting your game to the level you've always wanted it to be. All right, let's get into the Bauer hot ice right now with Yandel. We're going to rip through

the series right now and just kind of like give quick hitting thoughts on everything that went on. let's start with the next round matchup of, or our first round matchup of Rags Caps. Not much of say, right? Yeah. It is what it is. They handled their business, right, Ann? Is that all there's to say there? Yeah, handled their business.

You know, OV, I don't think, I mean, I remember playing against him in playoffs when I was on the Rangers and you didn't want to be on the ice against them. He was either shooting a puck through your shin pads or running you through the glass. So to see him like that just looked like they used so much of their effort to get into the playoffs that they just kind of ran into a wall there. But I think the Rangers did a great job of handling their business, you know, showing who was boss and, you know, really loved their game. I thought Trochec was amazing. Not just saying that because I love him, but I thought he was amazing. you know obviously panair and fox those guys are always going to be great but shish thurkin too

dude lights out the russian goalies man are a problem right now take it over it makes sense when you think about good goalies are often lunatics and then you add the russian element there's no wonder no competing with that they're fantastic no competing with that i i agree with all that i i pick trocheck as my dark horse con smite winner i mean he's been unbelievable i will say ovi clearly battled injury all year, came back, was buzzing a bit, got over 30 goals. But I think he's not right. And then we find out, oh, she had a broken hand. They were banged up. But yeah, Rangers took care of businesses. It wasn't exactly pretty all the time. But I don't think they're phased by that. I think this Rangers team is very grown up. And they were losing for like two minutes and 50 seconds of

that series. They were just like, it was a joke. You're fucking dead. Next one that I want to talk about a little bit. And we just were touching on it is, Cain's Islanders. I had one question for you, Yens. Because you're right, they made it, you know, they gentlemen swear, or five games, whatever, a couple games too close for comfort, but twice in that series, and almost twice in game five alone, Kat Kanemi hit the crossbar. But the Islanders gave up goals 10 seconds after a goal. Is there anything to that, dude? Like, are they just asleep at the switch off the center ice draw, or how does that happen to an NHL team twice in one series.

Yeah, that's what I mean, that's why we're talking about it because it usually doesn't happen, especially if you're leading, you know, if you're down a goal and a team score is too quick, then you're kind of, you know, pushing for offense. But when you're leading and give up two goals that quick, it is the biggest buzz kill on the bench. Like there is not a worse feeling. Obviously, every guy out there doesn't want to give up a goal, but it's, it's heartbreaking for a team, you know, tough to even like get morale.

If you go into overtime after that, I think one of the games, they tied it up and then won it in overtime, right? No, the 1-O-T game, the Islanders is the one they got. Barzzi got it, I think. But there was one, yeah. They were down three-nothing, dude. And then with like five minutes left in the third, they tied it and then fucking scored again eight seconds later.

And they lost in regulation. They lost like by two. They won five three. Yeah. Yeah. Like, what the fuck. Yeah, it's like, I don't know. I honestly, it's a great question.

I don't know how it happens. Like at what point do you? You shouldn't even be able to get into the zone in 12 seconds if you're really trying to walk it down, especially the islanders. Like they're known as like a hard to play against a defensive-minded team. So it's not not fun when you give up goals. Yeah, you can't imagine it's fun coming back to the bench for the change after that one.

I remember in college one time, we got, we got scored on like two games in a row on the first shift of the game. And my coach was like, hey, dickhead. like head in the game and I was like yeah we're playing you know it's just bad balances here and there and then that game that third game we come out dominate 50 seconds of zone time and then they like chip one two on one the other way goal and I just came back to the bench like it's all right well fucking asshole you change on the back check yeah yeah that wasn't it wasn't on me

the one thing I'll say about that series is and you're so right yans it's like they did get themselves into hairy situations where I was like what are you doing Carolina but similar to how the Rangers took care of business. Even in game two, when they were down 3-0, nothing, something about this Kane's team does look like they were not rattled at all. They were just like, yeah, we'll

come back and we'll take care of this game and win. And then, yeah, like we said, win in regulation by two goals in that game. So I don't love how their, a lot of their DNA is they've got one of the best decors in the league and Freddie's playing really well. But you're getting scored on a decent amount by that Islanders team

and now you're going up against the Rangers. that's a little nerve-wracking. Freddie will be a big way. The Rangers can score. The Islanders can. Exactly. A big difference. If you're giving up two or three to the Islanders, that's a sick spot for the range.

Yeah. Laffey's going to be scoring on you. Christ. Okay. Oilers Kings. Oilers, two years ago, one in seven. Last year, one in six. This year, win in five, make quick work of the Kings.

Similar to the Islanders, they got a desperation OT win, other than that got kind of spanked. I know you had something here. What do you want to talk about? I think, Jans, I'm curious how you feel about this. Last year they lost in six, but I actually didn't look at that as a step back. I thought it was a great series. A couple bounces went the wrong way.

But I thought they had a lot of good things to take home with them and feel good going into the next season. I think that this season has been a utter disaster. Like, truly this is a, if I'm Rob Blake, if I'm Luke Robatai, I am clutching my pearls for my job because like, holy moly, the moves that you made, not only did they not work, they were a disaster. And the season was just such a disappointment after December. And now you come in against the boogeyman and you get promptly swept. They're not swept, but you know what I mean, dismissed from playoffs. It's just like, I think it looks real bad. Yeah.

And Rob Blake has done an amazing job with that team. You know, sometimes deals don't work out. That's what I think it goes back to like the old ways of like, you know, teams trading for these big superstars. I think it's going to be kind of like you look at the teams that have won. Like the Tampa is when they were winning their cups. Like they were picking up third, third line players that were really impactful like Coleman. who also did they get at the deadline, but like even the kid Paul.

Yes, yes, yeah, absolutely. You're picking up bottom six guys because usually if you're a team that has aspirations to win the cup, you have enough superstars that can help you win games. Like I liked how this year that the Panthers didn't go out, you know, and I hate to say anything bad about Jeru because I love them, but like they went out that one year got Jeru and I think it kind of hurt them because it's just,

Or last year with the Rangers, they bring in Kane and Teresanko. And it's like there's not enough pox out there for all these superstars. And when a guy like Patrick Kane or Jeru comes to your team, like you want to please them. You want to pass them to the clock and kind of getting away from your game a little bit. So I think I think a lot of these bringing in third line guys stay at home DMA. And I think that I think that trend for deadline trades is going to be the new it. But I mean, obviously, anytime you can sign a free agent big name guy in the summertime, that's a huge thing. But, yeah, I don't know where I see the Kings going.

Dude, didn't it feel like they had an insanely quick rebuild? Like, I was like, oh, the Kings are leaving that era of Brownie and Copey and Dewey. And then all of a sudden, two years ago, they were back in the playoffs, which felt like surprise. And I was like, whoa, the Kings have just completely retooled on the fly. They're golden. And now I'm with you all of a sudden. I'm like, oh, wait, they might be fucked. Like, they might now be dropping into that rebuild.

Yeah, and Yans, you're right. Dude, we did a little, like, quick research the other day because one of my buddies brought this up. You have to go back a significant amount of time to find a team that made a big trade at the deadline for like a blue chip guy that ended up winning the cup. So there's something to be said about, like, the depth, guys that are going to share the puck is the better move at the deadline. Yeah.

Even Colorado traded for Ray Bork. They lost that year. Yep, exactly. They did. Yep. Absolutely correct. So it's like you get that whole other year on your belt where you get familiar with guys, you know where they're going to be on the ice. Like that's such a big part of the game is no one where guys are going to be.

No one where guys like the puck. And it's it's a quick turnaround. The deadline, you got 10, 15 games with a team, whatever it is, maybe more. It's a tough turnaround. Yeah. One thing I wanted to ask you about this series, Yans, the we had talked about in our preview. the Kings come in with the second best penalty kill in the league and they got crushed by the Oilers Power Play last year

that'll be all the difference this year and then the Oilers went like 9 for 15 or something on the power play and the Kings went 0 for 12 and as a guy who played in the league oh for fucking 12 it's insane like that is so unacceptable is there anything to like we have a great PK but not against the Oilers like could a team have your number on the special teams or is that they just fucked up yeah it i mean does anyone have good numbers against yeah they always have everyone's number actually it's basically like they're playing five on three when it's five on four they're so good on the power play

but it might be a little bit something that like there's a lot of mental things that you hear and during a season like oh even little things like oh we haven't won with our third jerseys why are we wearing these jerseys yeah like i remember stuff like i don't know if that's because i was so mentally ill, but, you know, there are things like that that. We all are. Yeah, for sure, for sure. It is funny, though, you know, we were at game four, and the one goal they score is a one one nothing game, the one goal they score was, you know, Connor to Leon, to Connor,

to Bouchard at the point goal. And you're watching those three snapping it around and you do sort of have that feeling of, I don't know how you stop that. Yeah. It doesn't matter who's on the ice. It's insane. All right. I mean, when your PK is that bad against, I mean, every team's not going to have a good PK against them,

but your power play has to find you a way to score some goals. You cannot have that discrepancy. Yeah, like if you're number two in the league, PK isn't getting the job done against their power play, like you got to get yours on the power play. You got to get your cookies in 0 for 12, ain't it? Next series, your cats versus the bolts. Cats do it in five. And honestly, I don't even think that's enough impressive.

that's even more impressive than it sounds because I think Tampa gives any other team in the East an incredibly difficult series. So the fact that this was five is amazing. Talk a little bit about how good the Panthers look and goodbye stammer. What do you think on that, dude? I know a lot of people were saying

looking at him on the bench, taking it all in was just the captain doing his duty being the last off the ice. Do you think there's anything more to that? I think he's packing his U. Hall and driving 4333 miles. miles southeast to south florida really oh my god i really do for some reason um really i haven't even i haven't talked to anyone about this i obviously it's a shot in the dark but i think he can see the way that the tides are turning probably doesn't want to leave florida my guess probably doesn't want to leave tampa and i'm sure they're going to do everything to get him signed i hope he stays there he's one of those

you like to see on one team what he's done for the league, what he's done for that organization. It would be cool to see him finish out there. But I also know from, I mean, I don't know him very well personally, but I know how competitive he is on the ice and I know he wants to win. Yeah.

After what, he has 40 goals this year. Yeah. Over point per game again. I love that take so much because I, you, there have been a lot of, something the other day popped up online that was the most likely destinations. and it's the ones we've all heard of.

It's like Boston's been mentioned. Detroit's been mentioned with the Eisenman connections. Montreal's been mentioned with the Marty St. Louis connections. And I'm like, I can't really see that one just because, like you said, he feels too competitive to me. I think he wants to go to a contender right away. He's 33. He probably has, what, three, four years left?

And then someone mentioned Florida. And I initially was like, no. And then you think about it. The way you say, I could see him wanting to stay in Florida. I could see him wanting to fight for a cup immediately. And I'm like, oh shit, that does make a lot of it. And there's going to be big changes on the Panthers roster with the cap stuff. And Stammers's coming in at probably a lower number, not a low number, but a lower number,

than maybe what you'd have to pay some of the younger guys and with still great production. That would be, hey, are we seeing people burning Stammer jerseys in Tampa if he makes the switch across Florida, though? No, no, no. Can't, right? He's done too much for that organization. Yeah, no way. What happens when they play in the playoffs again next year? What kind of reception does he get on the video tribute?

I think if he leaves, they're not making playoffs. Yeah, fair. That's a good point. They'll always be competitive. You know, that's just my hatred for them, for them beating us up my five years here. But I don't know, it would be interesting to see. I mean, you remember the whole, when he was going to go to Toronto, like that was big news, that whole summer. Yeah.

Oh, yeah, yeah. It'll be interesting to see. But at the end of the day, I can't imagine he wants to leave Florida. So I think he either stays in Tampa or comes to South Florida. That's a great call. And I would love to hear wherever, let's say he stays in Tampa. I'd love to hear after the fact if that was a, you know, how close that might have got. Because I agree, he's not, he's not leaving Florida.

Yeah. That's, I love it. I love it. All right. Move on to Av's Jets. All right. Avs Jets. I wanted to ask you, Jans, that Hellebuck.

who I love, has had two playoffs in a row, one round. So it's small sample size, five games, where his numbers aren't great. His playoffs before that are fantastic. And the last two, it's like under 900, say, percentage, over three goals. I think this year was like over five, literally, goals against. And you just gave this dude a seven-year ticket. And I'm like, are you at all worried if you're the Jets? But then I know you saw because we were talking about it.

A quote comes out from Hellie today that says, believe me when I tell you, I was playing the best hockey of my career in this series. versus the apps. So, I mean, what do we think about that? That's wild. It is wild, but I mean, you can't take away anything that he does. I think he's probably the best goalie in the league. And it doesn't hurt him that he's American.

You always got to support the American guys. Yeah. I don't understand, like, a lot of people, like, I did a show yesterday. Like, every single guy on the panel had Winnipeg winning that series. And I don't know, I didn't watch a ton of Winnipeg this year, but I don't know. I just don't see them being as good as people thought they were just because they have an elite goalie. Like it takes a lot more than that in playoffs to win, right? And yeah, it's tough to hear like especially I was, when I heard those comments, I was thinking like next year you got the team USA.

He's most likely going to be the USA goalie. I think we have the way better goalies than Canada. Yeah, yeah. do you give him the start? I don't know. Especially, Jan's like you're looking at Swamen playing the way he's playing in playoffs and you're kind of like, that's a tough decision all of a sudden. Demko, yeah.

Demko's been great too, Jesus Christ. As one of those idiots on a panel who I said I could see the Jets winning in seven. Well, they did sweep up in the regular season and tagged them all three times. And the only reason I said that was because the end of the season and going into play, Giorgiov was completely rattled. And I was like, if he's like that, they're going to lose. And then he was like that in game one. Yeah.

So I think that's why people said it. But the second he got it together, which he did in game two, you could see this is the abs team everyone was worried about. That's the team that I picked to win the Stanley Cup in January. Yep. And they're playing like that again. And we don't need to harp on about it because we talked about it earlier. Holy hell, do they look good.

And middle stat, Jans, to your point, like that's a great ad. And you know what I mean? They didn't trade for like a massive superstar. You bring somebody over who can bolster that middle six and help you make that deep run, right? Yeah. Duane, Middlestadt, the Dman Walker. They made great trades at the deadline. They sure did.

They were probably the most productive, I think, at the deadline. Do you think the Jets need to let Heli go do one year in the KHL? Get a taste of it. Get a taste of the Russian madness. come back and then he'll be a playoff goalie. Is there anything to that? I mean, he's in Winnipeg. It's the same thing.

He might as well be in Moscow. Tremendous point. He might stay. Yeah. They need to scoop someone this summer who's Russian and just move them into the Helly's house. I like that more, Dan. Get him a Russian roommate.

Get him a Russian roommate. Okay. All right. Canucks Preds, goalie madness in Vancouver. They somehow got three. And then Preds just made it a series again. Where do you feel? Do you feel like we've been saying on the show

that we think the Preds have been better just about every game and they were down 3-1? Do you feel that way too or are we crazy? No, I think the Preds have looked better. I think J.T. Miller's been great. Who else has been? Garland's been good. I think all around Nashville has been better.

Yeah, that's one of those series. I think Nashville is going to pull it out. somehow but do you i was gonna ask you hate to bet against talk my guy talk like i hate to bet against him but it's like i don't know like i just don't see it with that team like you know peterson peterson he's got to step it up a little bit oh big time big time he's got he's got to bring it um you know even quinn hughes like he had an amazing regular season up for up for norris um amazing He's got to steal them a game somehow. You got to give him another exploding golf ball,

get his confidence up. You know, he starts feeling good about himself again. Then he'll be buzzing again, dude. Yeah. I do think, I'm with you, Jans. I mean, I said my big prediction this week was that they're going to take it to seven and hopefully they do for our entertainment's sake.

But I'm with you. I mean, I love that Vancouver team. I love talk. I love Quinn. But it does feel like if Nashville loses this series, weirdly enough with the seating and against all odds, like, they're going to be kicking themselves. A hundred percent. I mean, look at those games that they were leading and then like bang, bang, they're losing.

And it feels like I think they'll at least take it to seven because they have controlled every single game. You've got to win one at home, right? They can't lose all three in Nashville. I will say they're not scoring enough. At all. Or, excuse me, considering the Canucks goalie situation, I'm not chirping those goalies. I'm just saying, like, you cannot be scoring one point, whatever.

goals per game. I mean, Demko's. Yeah. And I think if Demko was playing, I think then it might be over by now. If you look at it that way, like they haven't been able to score. But that's the thing about playoffs. It's like

whoever stays healthy, usually wins. The most, you know, the least banged up team can make runs. So there's no excuses this time of the year, but it is one of those things. It's like if you're that for real, they should be smoking.

Nashville in my mind, you know, just with their roster alone, like they, you know, it's, that's the thing. It's tough. They're on the third goalie. Like, what do you do? I know. Dude. Nothing you can do.

It's tough to even like. Arters, she love is just in that. And like, also I will say J.T. Miller came out in practice today and she loves, uh, dress shirt. So like, that's fun vibes from a grumpy guy. Yeah. I'd be feeling bad if I were Nashville. How fucked up, um, is that for you is a psyche in the locker room?

Yens when it's like you're on your third string guy. Because obviously you're behind him and you're rooting for him, but deep down, are you guys like, fucking Christ, we're dead. It actually in playoffs, it can work a little bit different because, I mean, you're blocking shot. Everyone's blocking shots in playoffs. But it could be one of those things where you're diving in front of them even more than you would be. Your attention to detail in the defensive zone is even more so than it would be if your starting goalie was in there. So sometimes it couldn't be that bad of a thing. like you're definitely tightening up defensively

and that might be taken that that might be what's taken away a little bit of their offenses. They're focusing so much on playing D. Yeah. Great call. I actually did see last night before it got out of hand, dry saddle had a one timer on the power play

and Riddick came over and made a sick save because he kind of read it and Dewey started like immediately pounded his stick on the ice right there and he was like, out of boy, Ritty! And I was like, oh, sick. Like you get the guys back, you know, and it's the backup in there. All right.

last two series, probably the juiciest that remain, both headed into game six. Let's start Boston, Toronto. Talk me off the ledge, Yens, and tell me why the exact same thing isn't about to happen to my bruitts, because that's how I feel. I know. I honestly, this game,

I can't wait to watch this game tonight. It is that last game had too many of the same feelings as the Florida series last year. Dude. The only good thing, I think, for the Bruins is it's Toronto. Like, they've had their number. They've had their number. They know what they're getting.

You know, Matthews being out, yeah, you can find a way to win a game, but you need him. You need him to win. Our boys on the hockey thread, who is it, Burdo? Said someone was like, what's wrong with Matthews? And he said he has a torn motivator cuff. And I said, 15 out of 10, Dad, Joe. Yeah, he's, honestly, he's a competitive guy for, I mean, you look at him and how good he is and how easy he makes the game look. You might not think he's as competitive as he is, but he is a competitive dude.

My saying, like when it comes out what he had, people are going to be like, oh, wow. I said the same thing. Yeah. Everyone's having fun with their jokes and their memes online, but I guarantee Willie as well. I guarantee what the book of them are doing, dealing with is no joke. Like you think those two dudes don't want to win a playoff series? Like, are you kidding me? The two. Especially there in Toronto. Yeah, exactly. The two big differences for me with Boston are it is Toronto. It's not the same as Florida and Swayman. I think Swayman is a game breaker for sure.

It is just so tough in that game five. Sway plays out of his mind. gives up one fucking goal until OT obviously and like you can't on home ice you can't just get that close out game boys like that's such a bad fuck because i feel like they'll win in the leaps will win in toronto like they're not going to lose all three there and now it's game seven and now i'm gonna fucking off myself and and and hindens out who's been a serious glue guy for you and penalty killer yeah it's just uh it's interesting looks to me this one has game seven written all over yeah what's your call yes yeah I think it's going to go game seven.

I just don't. I don't will have to circle back if it gets to game seven because then one team's got all the mojo and the other doesn't. So it's, but that game in Boston, I was texting my group chat. It was so bad. Like,

I don't know if the Celtics played 20 minutes before. The ice looked so bad. It was soup. It was terrible. You don't see NHL guys missing tape-to-tate passes. Yeah. Very often. Yeah.

It was happening. and a lot in that game. And it was one of those things. Two, the goal, he's both played great. I think Wall stepped up. And,

you know, it could be one of those things where he, he's failing himself today and, you know, has himself a game tonight, or he could go back to Canada

and be like, oh boy. Yeah. If the Leif's win today in a low scoring one, I'm terrified because of Wall. If the Leaves win, even if the Leaves win tonight,

but it's like six, five, I'm kind of like, we can score on him. We're okay. But, but yeah. Another wall shutout is not what I need. See, I disagree with that because then Toronto also feels like we can score on Swayman.

Yeah, Sway's dialed out. That's a disaster. All right, let's close it up with the final one, Dallas, Vegas, aka the Western Conference Finals. Holy shit, man. What do you think? Oh, man. I think that series, I thought Vegas after the first game was going to win.

You know, just, I just, I think for some reason, I think Dallas is going to pull it out and get this win, win this series. But it could be a Western Conference Finals matchup this series. It's tough to, you know, you hate to see this series done after one. I wish they played two series. That's how good both teams are. You'd like to see them both move on. But I think it's Dallas's year.

I think that the goal tending is there for them. I think the last, I think since that Ben hit, what was that game? four. Yes. Yes. Yep. And then, yes. And then the game that they played after that, I thought they played a lot more physical. And I think you have to do that against Vegas. Like they're, you know, obviously all the stuff with Stone not playing all year or not all year, but you know, oh, towards the end of the year. And what's his name from St. Hurdle? Hurdle not playing. You know, you got to be hard on those guys. Like they haven't played for a long time. So it's, it's, I think.

as long as they play hard and continue to just beat them up as much as they can, then I think they can win that game. Just goaltending, too. Because Vegas's goaltending has been a little down, right? Because Hill was nasty. There were stretches where both Logan and Hill were great this year. But it just hasn't quite been that level, right? And Otter's kind of stepped up.

I agree. I think that might be the difference. I've got two things to say. One, and I know he's our buddy, so I'm a little biased. but it's been wild to see how good these teams are, how much talent there's on the ice. Jack Eichael is the best player in this series. He's been awesome. And I actually like, I don't think he gets enough credit, truly.

I think he is such an insanely special player and watching how much he dictates the positives of Vegas' game is crazy. That said, this series is over. Oh, wow. I think Dallas takes game six. I think that the tables have turned. I think Otter is locked. and I just think that momentum is going to be good for Dallas and I think they take care of business.

Unfortunately, as much as I'm with you, Jans, and I love the stars and I want them to go the distance, I just think this series, even if it ends in six, is too brutal, and then they're going to run into the buzzsaw of Colorado, and I just don't know. I don't think you can survive Vegas and Colorado. I know. It's a gauntlet. It's a gauntlet.

Would you have gone to Hill, Yance? for game five I think that that kind of that's kind of the Boston last year like I think you need your number one like you just need a guy to know he's going to play like if you're a goalie and you're like oh if I lose tonight I might not play like that that can't be good like for confidence yeah agree yeah I would try to I mean obviously it's easy to say as a guy sitting behind a computer but not a coach I would try to just have one guy and roll with him you know if you lose a game, you know, you're not going to win every game in the playoffs.

So it's all about battling back. And yeah, I'd probably stick with one guy, whether it's Hill or I'd probably go Hill. Yeah. Well, another great segue into our armchair GM. Do any of the boys have a thought on a coaching adjustment you might want to make that you're seeing out there? Line up change, goal change, whatever. Does anyone have one that you're thinking of? Mine was just the, I kind of just touched on it a little bit, was Dallas,

just playing hard. Like they're, I know playing against Jamie Ben for a long time. Even Segan, like he's a highly skilled guy, but he can, he can hit, like he finishes Chisie.

I mean, you saw him, it was a little bit high of a hit on, is it Martinez last night? Yeah. You know, but, yeah,

he got punched in the face by Petrangelo, so he was pissed on. Didn't Segs get tossed in that game or in, in? No, they were going to give him a major. And then they did. Reviewed it.

Yeah, yeah. But like that's, but that's, But that's that physicality. I like it. You know, keep throwing the body. I think the physicality with them, and if they do win that series,

they'll have to bring it over to Colorado. But I think the way that they're said, you know, I think they're the how you have to build a team. If you're a GM, draft well, have good veterans, obviously a good goal. I mean, it's easy to say. But, like, Jamie Ben has gone from, started as a fourth line guy, was a first line guy for a long time.

And now, like, with these younger guys that are so good, like, he's accepted his role as a, you know, he's still a dominant player and tough to play against. But you see him out there, you see him coming on the forecheck, no visor. Like, he's a scary dude out there. Yeah. He'll fight anyone, you know, tough dude. So I think he leads the team in that department of, you know, leading the way with the physicality. So I think those guys, the bottom six, and Dadna, I think Dadna has been amazing. Oh, God.

So good. scoring from behind the net. Yeah. Did he miss? Who missed that 3 on O though? Was that him? They had that 3 on O that Stank sent over and if someone put it over the net. Do you see that?

I did see that. I don't know if it was dad and off. That was crazy. But he's been awesome though. He's been awesome. Yeah. I love that one. Mine was actually going to be keep Domi at the center position on the dot if Matthews was back in the lineup,

but he's not. So they're going to keep that line together. So mine is looking to Carol. Rangers series, mine is Carolina needs to tighten up a lot because the way they, like we said, the way they've been beating this Islander's team is like, oh, they've given up a couple goals. And then, you know, Gensel gets buzzing, guys start going and they just win in a shootout. You will not win in a shootout against the New York Rangers. Yeah, right.

So if they're going to win, they need to tighten up whatever it is in their adjustments in their D-Zone, they can't be given up sloppy goals and hoping they're going to beat the Rangers five-four. So they need to focus on a game of lockdown, shut down, their big guys as much as possible, and hope to win tighter games because you ain't going in guns blazing against the Rangers and winning. Yeah. Promise you that. All I had was Eichel and Marsha, so leading the Knights and Points, hurdle on that wing,

it has been a ghost. Maybe you try something different there. You know, it's not like he's been on the, not like he's been playing with those boys for three years. I'm like, I don't know, bounce him around, put him with Willie, put him with stoner, something like that. because they got to get back in this thing, man. I thought they had. I like that, too. Everybody knows we have an incredible deal going with BetMGM right now,

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Huge shout out to Keith Yandel, our boy, Yans, you, the man. How much fun is it with him? Yeah. He's just the funniest, coolest guy in the world. Also, he's got great takes. Got great takes. I thought his takes when he came on earlier this season were hot, but it turns out that they were the perfect temperature. Turns out it was the cat Atlantic. I was about to make fun of him because the bees were in the first place all year and then

he was right. He was right. He was right all along. And I bet he didn't sweat at once. Not even until game 82. He ends never sweats. Unbelievable. Okay. Let's get into God, I wish I was. God, I wish I was. You go first this time. You want me to go first. I think I went first last time. I can't remember. Actually, no, maybe I... I'll go first. Fuck you. Okay. Nice. God. I wish I was Jake Ottinger. Oh, good one. How about that? Good one.

Listen, start the series in Dallas. They go down 02. Season over. The big bad LTIR dragon came to torch them. Yep. Then they head to Vegas. They head to the fortress, home of the Vegas flu. Where they could have been swept.

Huge win. Huge win in O.T. Now they're up. Up 3-2 in the series, and they are buzzing. This is the Dallas team we loved all season long. This is the team that we were afraid of that we knew was going to make some noise in the West. And then they drew Vegas in the first round. And everyone was like, oh, you're dead now.

Nightmare. But look at that. They've responded. They've come out physical. And a lot of the criticism fell on Otter's head. We had people in the DMs. I'm looking right at you. Some of these stars fans, who I love, by the way, they're here.

They're loud. They're proud. They're banging the glass. Dallas hockey is real. They're banging the glass. They're getting fired up for their team. But they were saying, do we need to have questions about Otter? Is he going to get traded?

We got the mailbag last step. Is Otter on the hot seat? We talked about it. And I said he's on the, you got to perform better seat. And wouldn't you know it, he's performed better? Let me talk to you for a second. Yeah, do it. Last three games, 3 and 0 record.

0.936A percentage, two goals against. He has been nails, and he has made monster saves. You've got close-out games coming here. Yeah, which are the hard ones. Those are the hard ones. And you're playing the hardest team to close out, I would say, in the West. We're going to see a lot in these next couple of games, maybe one. And I just feel like Jake Ottinger has never felt better.

This is the Jake Ottinger we fell in love with three years ago. Dude, he's back. He's a brick wall. Yep. and you love to see it. Because again, I'll reiterate, he's making colossal saves. Like we were talking about earlier,

that O.T. or excuse me, the breakaway save was gargantuan. Because I actually, and that Carrier goal was a little soft on that wrap round. Like,

he just wasn't ready, it looked like. So to have him, I was legitimately nervous when Stevenson got that breakaway. I was like, oh, no. Just for honor.

You know, I wasn't even mad that the game might put over the RET. I was just like, fucking hell. He saved it so, calmly. He was just like, and you're stuck. Like he knew. Great person to be. Great person to be. I just think he's buzzing right now. I think he's buzzing. I think

Dallas is buzzing. But what I really love, you lost two at home, you won to in Vegas. Then you got one at home. Vegas is not one at home yet. So you know that they want to, but I do think we're going to flip it and go, Dallas has the edge because they go, you don't know how to win here in the playoffs, bitch. We do. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Right? Like that? Oh, man. Otter goes, you think you're going to beat me on this ice? Yeah.

I don't know how to lose on this ice. I'm undefeated in the playoffs on this ice. Wow, dude. You haven't put more than two by me in the playoffs on this ice. In a week. And I think he shoves that in their face. God, dude. The Otter masks were out.

Did you see that? Oh, yeah. So sick. Bang in the glass, dude. Bang in the glass. Jake Ottinger. God, I wish I was him. That's good.

That's good. All right. God, I wish I was Val Natchewski. Oh, which version, dude? Which version we talk in here? Both. Honestly, both. Here's the thing.

Guy has fun. Of course, guy has fun. And we know that he was dealing with some personal stuff. Yep. And frankly, obviously this was always the intention, but there was no promises that he would even come back to the team. Yeah. Right? He took the time he needed to get himself right when he did it.

Quick bump, get mind right. And not, in fact. By bump, I mean a mental clarity bump. Quick mental clarity bump. Yeah. Get mind right. In fact, no bump, get mind right. Yes. No bumps, get mind right. No bump, clarity bump, get mind right. And then he comes back. Plays the last, I want, I think two games of the season. Yeah. Gets a couple of talks. So he said so. I was like, man, he's scoring. That was great. Starts the playoffs on the second line. L. What happened in game one? L. How fell?

L. And he scored. It wasn't his fault. A shootout L. As in... Yeah, yeah. Not a literal shootout. So, you're Val. You're the Choo Choo Choo Train. Okay?

You've just returned from the team. Mind is right. You're back on the team. And he's like, okay, playoff here now. Let's go. Second line. We're playing the Jets. Shit, are the Jets good?

I've been gone for a while. What happened? L. And he's like, oh my God, who is this? They swept us in the regular season, what's going on? Then, the house's going like this. You are now on first line with Nate and Moose for the next four games. Let me hear those stats.

Four games. Four games. He's now on the second, first line with Nate and Moose. He goes six tucks in four games, four wins. Whoops. Whoops. No apples, which is so gas, by the way. I know, dude.

Like, you, that's an assassin. right? That's a Russian assassin. I am here to put puck in net. Dude, imagine imagine being Val and knowing that you have now gentlemen swept the Jets, you play with Nate and Moose, you score well over a goal a game, and your mind is right.

I'd be terrified to play against that. That is got to be the greatest situation anyone's got in the league right now. He also feels like a perfect player to be with Nate. I imagine Nate looked at him and went like this. hey look at me, look at me. The puck will get to your stick, put it in the... Shoot it in the goal.

That's all I need you to do. Yeah. And Val's gone like, I can do that. Yeah. That sounds fun for me. Seven goals. That sounds like something I'd be happy to do. Seven goals in five games, no apples.

Unbelievable. God, I wish I was vowed at you. What a life, dude. We talk about Ovi after he won the cup. We talk about O'Shee after he won the cup. Guys, you've had a really good time. Bowen Byron was the... Yeah, yeah.

Of last Colorado Cup. You got eyes on Val. If they win the cup, I got eyes on Val, dude. I'm following him around like a puppy. I want Val to win Kahn Smyth. Because his mind's right. Because his mind got right. And now he has, and I want him to have 35 goals, no apples in 23 playoff games.

Yeah. And they're like this, Kahn Smite. No, your role, dude. Oh, my God. Nate's like this. Go pick up the trophy. And he's like, oh, okay. Like, just do what Nate says, dude.

Just shoot puck in net. Pick up trophy. Get puck put in net. Get mine right. Get Kahn Smyth lift up overhead. That's all he needs to do. God damn, Val. Beautiful stuff.

All right. Next segment. Next and final today. Yeah. We're going to close out like we're going to do every Friday with a little bit of a temper tantrum. A little bit of a rant. Last week we ranted about the Panarin hit. Yeah.

People yapping about it. This week, we got something about the officiating. Do you want to start or me? I can start. A little old DP rant. Listen, I hate ref rants. I hate it. Fish eating's been terrible this year. Listen, there's always bad calls. There's always suspect calls. We could rant all day. The calls should be even. We all agree.

There's something, shut your whore mouth. There's something specific that we got to rant about. And I want to say, I like refs. Yeah. When I was playing, I would love chatting with the refs, get on their good side of a little bit, maybe. Call them, sir. Shout at our boy, Chris Rooney. These guys are amazing people. They're great at their jobs. Oh my God. That's, sorry to stop the rant. That is my favorite part about the ref bitching. I know. I'm like, would you like to try it, dude? It's one of the hardest jobs in the world. We always talk about how fast the game is. Imagine being on the ice

of them trying to call. You call offside. Like, shut up. Like, the fact that they nail that so often is baffling. So I'll come to ref's defense a little bit. I will say this, though. fucking enough with the four inch just off sides calls. Okay. Guys are carrying the puck in the zone.

They reach the red line. They don't, they, not even dumping it in. They're putting it in deep so their forwards can go crash in and get it. And they're four inches from the red line and these reps are going like this.

icing. Oh, sorry. Yeah, you said offside. Oh, did I say outside? My bad. icing. Dude. Didn't mean to say offside.

Iceing. Enough is a nice. enough with these fucking it's just barely icing fuck off dude the we saw

Charlie McAvoy got called on one you saw it happen to Edmonton last night we're recording Thursday it happened in Edmonton game five happened to Dewey in game four of the King's Oilers series I understand that there is a rule

that it's if you're this side of the red line that's icing I understand that and for the baseball fans out there it reminds me a lot of that neighborhood play on the double plays when the you still have the middle infield that just kind of

be near second like yeah he's out like you don't even have to touch the base this field icing has felt like that always

where they're like yeah just get fucking close to it and throw it in there and it is like that in the regular season and I get of course too that the playoffs are more intense

and you want to crack down on this shit but it just I don't feel like they call all of them like all of a sudden it's like oh dude that you were a step away

and if you're gonna start doing that bullshit of like you weren't at the red line then I'm like okay, then this now needs to be like a challengeable thing where I can literally go to a video and be like the puck wasn't over the redline

if you want to get that in the arm, which I don't want. Yeah, we can all agree. I'm being like, get fucking close to the red line and get off my ass. The only point I'll hear, and I want your take on this, is if a forward is actively trying to not let that defenseman get the red line because he's like, oh, like I want to force you to make a play.

So they step, you know, a foot before and are about to hit the rushing defenseman and he shoots it in to let us. that be fine because you're like he was close enough. I am kind of like, that sucks, because you're working hard to make sure he doesn't get that line. We live already in a judgment-based zone with NHL referees, with hockey referees. It's a judgment game. So I'm fine with that. Leave it to judgment. If a guy is rushing the puck up, there's no pressure. They clearly have possession. They're not scrambling. They're not looking for an ice for a change. And they dump it in and

it's the neighborhood vibe. It's a little early. don't fucking blow that. But yeah, if they got pressure. If a forechecking or, yeah, a forechecking player on the opposing team puts a little pressure on them and they dump it a little early, I'm okay with that being icing, and that's where the judgment comes in.

Because I'm like, you were going to get hit, dude. You were going to get hit and you let it go early. Yeah. And that's an ice. It's these ones where these guys are, there's really no pressure on them, but it is the right play to be like, I'm getting pucks in deep right now.

Yeah. And you're like, that's an icing. I'm like, fuck off, dude. And that's what these players are doing. These players are like, are you fucking joking me, dude? Like, that was not a fucking icing. Yeah. I have the red line.

I want a turn-in-two situation in baseball neighborhood rule here. Yeah. You're, if you, if the extension of my stick. Oh, I like this. Hits the red line. Okay. Yeah. As in on-Cara could have fucking shot it in from his own zone.

Absolutely. Yeah. We're going to start getting more guys like Renpy on the ice. Yep. This is the case. But you know what I mean. I love this. And I dump it in and the extension of my stick is on or over the red line.

I'm kind of like the momentum too. Yeah, yeah. Not like a dump reach. I'm talking like, I shoot it. Yeah. We're getting the red line here. Come on. I'm there.

We're getting the red line. Yeah, I'm had enough about the early icing calls. I might even, no, never mind. No, go. Let that crazy CP brain go. For a second there, for a second there, I was going to say it should only be icing if you're in your own zone. Any dump from the neutral zone should be okay. For a second there, I was going to say that.

Can I be honest with you? I see why you wanted to say it. Yeah. Because part of me is like, you're out of the zone. I'm like, whatever, dude. Just fucking like, if you get it out of your zone, then I'm like, just chip it in there. Who gives a fuck?

Like, it's hard to get out of your zone. I shouldn't also have to get to that red line. I might actually. I might be saying it now. No, no, no. No, no. Listen, I like that you're exploring things. You're letting your mind wander a little bit, but we say it now.

No, no, we can't be saying. I got to think about that. Think about stuff like you're going for a stretch pass. Like if you're taking the risk and it misses, touches no one that's got to be ice. Well, that's actually what I hate about it. Like, I feel like it's a dumb, if I'm out of my own zone, I cross my own blue line, and I see my off-wing cutting and I fire a pass to him and it misses him. The fact that that's icing, I'm like, what, dude, come on.

What are you talking about? That should be fine. I'm out of my zone. If you're trying to fire a stretch pass from deep in your zone and it's icing, I'm like, yeah, you missed him. You're getting out of control here. I think there should be No, I like you thinking about it Yeah, but we can't hang our hat on.

All right, fine, keep the icing at the red line, but chill with the calls on the intense laser down the line. Don't need it. Don't need a laser pointer. I just need some common sense. Yeah, agree. That's the temper tantrum, we're sticking to it. That's also it for us today on the Empty Netters podcast.

Huge Game 6, Bruins in Toronto Tilt, only game of the day. We've got a busy weekend ahead before you guys see us next time. We're going to get game one of Rangers, Carolina, under our belts by the time you hear us next time. So we've got a crazy weekend. Enjoy the derby. Enjoy the hockey. Let's see what's going on. And until then, skate hard.