Empty Netters Podcast - Cale Makar Is The Richest Man In NHL History

Episode Date: September 1, 2026

Sooooooooo Cale Makar has set the bar for the D market, eh??? What does this mean for the Avs depth? What does this mean the other stud defenseman in the league? What does this mean for McDavid’s legacy?!??! Helly is getting traded before the season starts and we need to know where it’s going to be. Now homeowners have entered the beer league hotline chat and things are getting serious. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:49 - Cale Makar’s Monster Contract 23:08 - The Future of Quinn Hughes 36:30 - NHL Contracts Enter a New Era 1:01:19 - Connor Hellebuyck Wants Out of Winnipeg 1:26:10 - Beer League Hotline PRESENTED by BetMGM. Download the BETMGM app and use code “NETTERS” and enjoy up to $1500 in bonus bets if you lose your first wager! Thanks to our Sponsors! BetMGM: Use bonus code NETTERS when signing up to receive up to $1500 in bonus bets if your first bet loses. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US) 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Empty Netters podcast. Can you believe what this has become? There was a full 48 hours where I felt like I was like literally Superman. Jumbo loves playing Fortnite, so he gets on the sticks. Did TR show you the sauna cycle or was that all year? No, no, I invented that. Almost a year now that I haven't taken a body check. That's kind of nice.

So we are back. We are horned up and we are going deep. Finish tonight with some chicken fingers and a few guineasas and ran into you guys. That's where this pod came to life. Ice is ready and we are back with another episode of the empty netters podcast brought to you by BetMGM. All of the boys are remote. Your boy, Dano here back in LA after some crazy travel. CPs and fucking Boisier or some bullshit and Dr. Watkins is holding it down as usual. How's everyone doing boys? I'm great. As always, I'm incredible. I've saw a bunch of music. Dan, I'm here in the clean air. The clean air, dude. You just, I bet it's amazing. It's incredible. it's not as good as Sweden, I will say it. True. I'm absolutely depressed to be back.

But the good news is, is we finally have good news. We finally have anything going on in the fucking world of hockey and CP holding down the fort on your own style last week, getting up that helly reaction. We're going to talk about that today as well. But folks, Kail McCar becomes the highest paid player in NHL history. Connor Hellebuck has requested a trade formally. We have actual hockey news. It is September 1st.

Wow, fuck. It is the month hockey is back. So hope you had a good summer. And if not, suck it because we are right back in the shit of every single day. Hockey being shoved down our throats by yours truly, his truly and his truly. Let's get right on into it, boys. We have no time to waste today. We got to just talk about it.

If you think this isn't about to be a 30 minute KL conversation, then you are high. We've got zero time to waste. There's nothing else to talk about off the top of the rip. Kail McCarr. Huge deal. All right. I'm going to run us through a lot of talking points here. Okay.

The first one is, and I think we'll all agree, Kale McCar is at dead worst, the third best player in the league, maybe the second best player in the league, maybe the first best player in the league, depending on your opinion, and is worth this money. Yeah. Agree?

Okay. Let's get that established at the top of the podcast. It's, you know, not breaking news. What I do think, uh, what I do think we are going to quote unquote break, if you will is like our actual react. There's a couple of people who have been saying certain things and using specific buzzwords about this contract that I'm not going to call out, you know, directly, but I am going to be like, we're not going to be hyperbolic here. We're not going to be over the top. We're going to be honest. And the God's honest truth is what we tweeted right off the rip

when it happened worth every penny. It's not even a discussion, not even a discussion. Okay. So then, Dan, let's get right into, though, the convo we had with Las via text, which was like, which was his tweet, I think, right? Which was like, this will look good in a few years. Yeah. And you brought up the point that the kale, two things can be true. Kale can be worth this, the whole duration of this contract. But I'm not sure 20.4 will ever look good in the way that you're going, wow, amazing. We only have kale for 20.4. If you're going to throw us right into the fucking deep end here.

We have no time, dude. Yeah, if you're going to throw us right in the deep end with this topic, let's be incredibly specific about the language. It's look great. Yeah. Good is very different. Fair, fair, fair, fair. How many times do we have that conversation on the show?

Like, people, we got to be very, very specific about language here. I think good and great are very, very different. Make great, great again. Yeah, make great again. That's what we said. I do think very specifically saying something looks great is like that looks that's so like you know what looks great dude lane hudson's contract lane hudson's contract looks great Zach wrenski's current contract looks great great i think needs to be reserved for when you are legitimately getting a bargain now we talked about calling out some people's

language, there, there are people right now who are going, this Kail McCar deal is a bargain. Yeah. I don't know how you can literally ever say that the highest paid player in the league is a bargain. I mean, it's just not possible. In terms of the market, there are bargains and then there's literally the highest. That is not one of them. By the definition of the word, the true definition of the word. Yeah.

And, and guy, like, I have, I have sat right here on this show and said, I think Kale is the best player in the league. I think he's better than McDavid at there have been times in the last. several years. I think right now I'm probably going Connor, but like it's a toss up every season between frankly, in my opinion, the three of those guys and Nate being the third. And yeah, my comment to Las and to you guys is I do not think in two years 20.4 AAV looks great. And this is where I think things get complicated. Timing is everything in these contracts. I saw a couple people who were like, who just, who were some of the big dog defensemen who just signed deals? Like, people brought up

Sanderson, people brought up Lane very specifically. And they're bringing up these guys and they're going, so-and-so must be fucking kicking themselves. They must be so mad. And I'm like, no, dude. Like this, listen, sometimes it's unfortunate, but you're not kicking yourself because timing determines everything, dude. And here's the other fucking thing. Kale McCar should be driving in a car right now to Philadelphia to suck Danny Brighier's dick off his body. Yep, yep. Because if he doesn't fucking blow the lid off of the league and offer sheet Leo Carlson for 18 mil, Leo doesn't sign for 18. Maclin doesn't sign for 18.8. Is that what he got? Yeah, yeah. And I don't think kale signs for 20.4. Danny Breyer reset the market, dude. Not Lee.

Carlson. Danny Breyer did that. So, yeah, I think everyone who's like, and they're not doing this in a bad way, they're saying it legitimately, but anyone who's pointing to like the Lane deals and all that and being like, oh my God, like they must be so pissed off. They must be kicking themselves. It's an astute observation of how crazy the contrast is. I don't think Kale is more than 2x the player contract wise that Lane Hudson is. But it's, that's not what it means, dude. It's all timing. Like you get so lucky sometimes with these contracts where someone, some GM overpay someone and it resets everything. Someone negotiates really well and it resets everything. But the biggest thing is, is it then has to line up with when you are eligible for extension or when you are a free

age. Dude, I was going to save this for later. I had a thought about this, Dan, because you're completely right. And we've heard this a million times. Timing is all that matters. The Hughes brothers can't be competitive. It's about timing. Krati gets more than Berg. It's about timing. We have that has been beating down into us and I'm like, oh, you're right, you're right. Dude, I had a thought and I'm really curious if this will happen moving forward. If I am a good young player, dead ass, dude, when I am up for extension and we saw people take five, it used to be just take the max term, right, no matter what. Then lately it's been like, ooh, take term that will, the math will line up for me to get another good contract, right? Like, let me take a five year,

because then I'll be X age and then I can get another fat ticket. I actually think the strategy, 1,000% should be figure out when the best player at your position is up for extension and take your contract to be up right after that. Like if I was Jackson Lacombe and just signed my eight years, we'll get into these defensemen who took big deals for bargains. If I was these guys, I literally would have taken two or three year contracts just to line me up after kale because I didn't know it was going to be 20, but I know for a fact, his deal is going to completely reshape the market. So I'm just going to make. make sure I'm up for extension right after kale blows it up because then this will never happen to me.

That is 1,000% what I would do moving forward if I was a young player. Like try to identify who is the big dog. Yeah, find out when their extensions up and be like, just put me right after them. Because as soon as that contract hits, everything's going to change. And I want to be involved in that. Like that is a no-brainer. Unless you tried to do that with McDavid and then he takes a two-year haircut. And you're like, fuck.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But even that, it's still high. You know, like, okay, well, it's just the bar is what it was. So whatever. you know but yeah no brainer okay so yes we're an agreement there dan um i want to go to this next uh for the people that are on the other side that are being like because i think this is important to get out that are saying kale is an is a dou she's fuck the ass 20.4 whatever whatever there's

there's there's stuff to talk about on that front but just for those people this is an important fact we saw all these defensemen take five year tickets and kale is 27 seven he takes a five year at 20.4, that means at 32, he takes a seven year for 20 fucking four million and he truly fucks you. More. Yeah, you know what I mean? So I'm like, the fact that he gave you the eight legitimately was doing the abs of favor. The 20.4 was no favor. Don't get me wrong, but actually giving them eight years because now he's going to be 30 fucking five and he'll sign it. He'll sign for less. Yeah. You know, so at least give him that credit that he didn't go five years and truly bend them over. I think that's important.

Yeah, no doubt. And listen, man, to get back to the positive, he's the most generational defenseman we've ever seen in our lifetime. It's a true story. Like, I, you know, I, I don't even know what's sad. I think I tweeted out credit to me. I was, credit to us, credit to the show. We were one of the first to kind of identify it, Kale by AAV, and honestly, maybe total is the first, it's the first time that a defenseman has been the highest paid player in the league by AAV since the 70s, when it was Bobby Orr. He was making like a thousand bucks of four. fucking a month or whatever. But that that is a good example of how unbelievable he is, man. Like this guy has done it all. He's 27 years old, as you mentioned. He's won everything.

He's done it all at the college level. He's done it all at the NHL level. And every year, he does stuff that we cannot simply comprehend. And he's such an unbelievable human being. He's such an unbelievable player, such an unbelievable teammate. It's what we talk about, with so many of these guys, and we even mentioned it with young Leo, sometimes there are guys that you simply cannot lose. It would be damaging to your franchise makeup if you let a certain type of person walk out the door. Kail McCar is that. He is everything you could ever dream up in a lab of a perfect defenseman in the National Hockey League. Doesn't matter what year or what decade. He is a perfect player. And it's huge to be able to keep him for players to come in the future. Imagine

being a young defenseman getting drafted into that franchise or someone signing a deal and going, oh my God, I get to play with Kail. And you also get to say that with Nate. It's, you get to say it with Nate just like they're doing an amazing job of keeping unbelievable talented players around. If you want to get into the, you know, what is this do for your team? It makes it harder, man. Like it is. Okay. Keep going. It is what it is. Like, and that's not, that's not a knock. It's not a, oh, well, you know, you're in a tough one, nabs. No, you're not. You have Kail McCar.

You have Nate McKinnon. You are in a tough one in that this happens to every great team. Every great team eventually, even guys who do take haircuts like Sidney Crosby, like Patrice Bergeron, guys who have actively taken less for the betterment of the team or a betterment of a situation. That doesn't mean guys who don't do that, don't care about winning, don't care about the team. I think you could make the argument, if not the certainty, that Kail Makar absolutely does care about winning. That's why he's staying in Colorado, a team that is perennially a top three team,

top three contender every season, every year. So it makes it harder, yes, next year when this number kicks in, but you still get to build around him. You know what's harder? Not having Kail Makar on your roster. That's harder. Yep. And obviously he's, well, okay, I'll say this. Uh, Kale, and I said, texted you guys this, because I do want to say this, to the people that go, you can't be taken less as superstars. It's your responsibility to set the market. I actually fucking hate that shit. Because if a superstar wants to take less to have more money for his team to spend, that is his right. And for the people who are worse than him going, well, you're making me, I have to take less now. I'm like, then fucking leave or be better at hockey and deserve more money. Like I, I hate anyone that chirps a superstar for, for taking less. Because. it's his responsibility to set the market for the other players. And I'm like, no, dude, it's his responsibility to do whatever the fuck he wants because he's the best player in the league or one of and blow me. So I'll get that out front.

Kale, dude, if he was going to take this much money, then yes. I guess he's going, yeah, I want to win because I'm in Colorado. But dude, no team pretty much ever has won a cup. It was the 10 million mark. You know, remember it was like with anyone getting 10, that number comes up now that the cap comes up, but it's essentially just a percentage of the cap. No team has ever won a cup with one player getting this percentage of the cap. That will eventually, that curse will eventually be broken. Some, right, I really believe, and maybe it's the abs. Maybe it's the abs. But I really do believe

that by taking this deal, the abs are have now entered a maybe they will win one thing. Maybe they'll be the one team that breaks this curse. But it does cost them the chance of being a, a black ox, a penguins, a thing where, and maybe, maybe Kane had a shitload of money that year and I'll get chirp for this, but it wasn't, it wasn't that threshold. But anyway, my point is, I'm not sure that I am, I'm, I'm selling stock in, oh, the abs are going to win three more cups over the next, over this KL contract. I'm like, you threw that chance out the window, in my opinion. You guys might get one because you're so good. Yes. But, but that's it. And you could have gotten three if you had taken 12.6 with Nate. Yeah, it is, it is weird. It's like when I, especially

in today's day and age, you do look at a team when you go, who could who could go to three cups in a row, who could win two, three cups in a five year period. You do, as we keep saying, have to kind of get lucky where you sign someone elite to a long term extension on a really good palatable number because they're so young, like because they haven't won everything yet, because they haven't proven it fully yet. And that's when you go, holy shit, did we just get Kael McCarr on his last ticket, for example, for however many years at this number, we got to go win now. And that's why we've said a number of times, it kind of sucks that Colorado hasn't won. Like, we, the fact that they didn't win last year, the fact that they only

have one cup since 2021, when it felt like every single. year since then they were a top contender and they just got so unlucky with injuries and other things. We say that every season. And it like breaks our heart because the abs are just like the coolest franchisees ever. And yes, you do now. I mean, dude, I think this year is very important. Like you've got big time. You've got Burns. You've got Burns back. You've got Kale still on his old contract for one more year. I think they have to go into this season being, can you imagine how good it will feel to win this coming season and then Kail's contract hit in, like, it's all worth it. And you get to get that distraction out the door. You're not worried about, like, it's already done.

Go out and play and you go out and win, you feel phenomenal. Then he's kind of a genius too, because they'll probably, in my opinion, statistically, they will probably never win again once his contract hits. But if they win next year, then he gets, he goes, I have two cups, dude. And then I'm like, actually, you're right. You have two cups. You took all your money. Who cares? But if it's only the one, I am kind of like, man, you should have won again and you took too much money. Well, I hate that phrase. I hate you took too much money because, and I know you're not like saying that to Kale. Yeah, because he's worth more than that.

Like he could take whatever he wants. You know what? I don't like that comment either. I think I saw Witt say that. Witt was like he's underpaid. And I'm like, what are we doing here? Like if we're speaking ridiculously, and I don't mean that in a negative sense, I'm saying like in that he's worth all of King Midas's silver. Then I'm like, yes, of course he is.

But like, in my opinion, in today's day, in today's NHL, if you get 20.4 mil per year, you are not underpaid. Yeah, I agree with that. Even if you're Kenner, you're not underpaid. If you were the highest paid player in the league, you are not underpaid. But I do get the sentiment and I do agree with it. So I'll, because Nate, Nate through, and again, timing, timing, timing, but Nate through 2031 at 12.6 when he's like, I am better than you. Or at least at like, you know, me and you are the guy. and I'm like, oh, you doubled my contract.

And Kayle's like, yes. I'm like, dude, maybe you could have come a little closer. It's absolutely insane. But yeah, man, you know, it's interesting in that I do think this year's super important for them. I think they're going to be a contender every year that Kate, that Kale and Nate are on the same team. Kate. I like that actually, Dan. Kate with the C.

Every year that Kate is healthy, they are, they are, they're a contender. Yep. And this deal had to come through as it did. It is worth every single penny. He is the most, what a joy. What lucky people we are to get to watch Kail Makar. It's fucking unreal.

Damn right about that. Let me take you, Ergo, keep going. Oh, I was just going to say, the only thing is the pressure. I suppose it does start next season. But, and you know what? I commend the abs. I commend Sackick. I commend Kale for,

taking the song. It's pressure, man. Like, it's in every sport. You sign a contract this big. It's a lot of pressure. And it, that starts for him this season, even though the money doesn't kick in time next. Like, already fans are going to be like, you're a 20.4 mil. Like, and dude, there were some insane comments, people being like, well, he fucking disappears in playoffs. He's a pile on defensively. And I was like, what is going on? So that is only going to be amplified now that this contract has been signed. Let me take you through some ripple effects here. First one I have. Hold on. Before you do that. Okay. Because that's what Chris is alluding to. We're going to talk about some next contracts because this is related. First of all, every single person who was like on X being like overpay.

I'm like, miss me. Yeah. It's just like, come on, man. You're either a rival fan and you're trying to stir up shit or you're just don't get it. I, we were talking with shout out Lazz again. We were talking with Laz about this over the weekend. I really am, and I would like people who know better than I do about, you know, things with the PA and agents and all this and all that. I really don't like this.

Players have to take these contracts because of what it does to the league and what it does to the PA. I really do not like that argument. Dude, that's what I was ranting about a second ago, where I was like, you don't have to do shit, dude. Yeah, yeah. I kind of veered off. I want to circle back to what you were saying because I agree. It's I think my take honest to God, Chris, is what I said to you guys over the weekend and that you're passing the buck. Like, players get mad because you pass the buck to the next guy up.

That's what I think it is. I genuinely don't think it's a, it hurts the PA because what are we removed? Dude, two years removed less. we're one year removed. We're one year removed from Connor McDavid taking a discount. And then what's happened? Everyone's the richest people of all time. Look at Leo.

Look at Bedard. Look at Mac. Look at kale. Like, it did nothing. Dude, it's as if people go. It's as if people think that agents and GMs won't like a no slash admit that someone takes a discount. So for example, this is the scenario people think is going to happen.

Connor McDavid's next deal. goes, you know what? I really want to win. I'm only taken eight. And then the next guy who's up for a contract goes, I would like my new con. And some superstar, right? Like Jason Robertson next year is going to go, hey, what am I getting? And they're acting like every team he meets with is going to go, well, Connor McDavid only gets eight. So per the math, you're worse than him. So you get five. And it's like, no, his age is going to go, Connor took a discount. And the GMs are going to go, oh yeah, you're right. No shit. Connor took a discount. You can have 15. Like, dude, It's not like a literal step ladder of what Connor McDavid takes ripples down.

It's like negotiate whatever the fuck you want. Legitimately, it's like a, yeah, we don't need to waste more time on it. But that's, to me, that's all it does is add one extra layer of annoying agent conversation. Where a GM gets to go, well, so-and-so has this much. And then all you have to do is the agent is you go, can you stop being a piece of shit? you know exactly why they took this much. Exactly. That's literally all it does.

And for players, it's like, this is why I said credit to kale. Dude, it's not fun being the highest paid player in the league. It sucks. We made a joke. Like, if I were, if I were, you know, perfect segue into what you're saying. If I were Quinn, I would be like this, pay me 20.3. Yeah. Like, I would always, if I were the best player in a league, I would always take like a little bit less than the top paid player.

It's like, you never want to be the most expensive house in the neighborhood. You know? It's like, it's hard. Yeah. It's hard. So like credit to kale. But yeah, it's like, I think there's a huge part where players are like, yeah, dude, I want the other guy to be the one who fucking breaks the glass ceiling. Like I don't want to be that dude. And that's what I really think it is. So I maybe I'm so wrong. And this is why I'm saying like people who know better let let us know. But I think it's a bullshit excuse. I think the whole like, oh, you're damaging the PA. I think it's dog shit. Because we never see it actually happen. All that happens is it's the next guy up who has to do it. It's like it's like it's like stock. It's like stock. Dude, the stocks, stocks always go up. So do player contracts. Everyone just goes up. I just think it's players and agents don't want to be the one to do it. I think that's really all it is. But get into the ripple effects. That brings us to Quinn Hughes. And Quinn has been eligible for an extension since July 1st. He is in the last year of a six year deal at 7.85 AAV. Per Elliott Friedman, he is not having any regular discussions with the wild about a new contract as of right now. And keep in mind, if he entered, this season without a deal. Like, he literally needs to be traded. Otherwise, he walks for free and your life is over.

Disagree. Disagree completely. What do you think happens here in terms of timing? Like, does he get a deal before the season? Does he keep talking during the season? Does he write up the whole season? And then what do you think it's going to be for? Let me address what I just said disagree completely. I, we keep talking about the whole leverage thing. obviously Quinn playing with Jack and Luke is a big deal.

I understand. If there is a discussion inside the Wild camp where they're like, Quinn is like, I'm out, dude. I am not resigning here. I think only two things can happen if you are the Minnesota Wild. If he says that. Yes. Yep. Number one, you go, okay.

And you try to win this season. You do everything you can. Almost you treat it as if he was a rental that you bought this year. win this year and you go all in and you try to win this season with Quinn Hughes on your team. That is number one. I would much rather, if I were Bill Guerin, I would much rather go all out and try to win this year than to give him to New Jersey for fucking pennies. I would just never do. And that's not petty.

I think that's just bad business. Number two, you trade him at the deadline to a major contender and get a fucking mass. massive haul for him. Because even then, that contender will go, we know we're not going to keep him, but we're trading to get Quinn Hughes for four months so we can try to win a Stanley Cup. You were going to get a better deal with that than whatever Jersey gives you, in my opinion. Just think about it. You'll be a rental, though. You won't get that much because he's going to walk the second of the season's over. I don't think it doesn't matter. Because dude, this is what we always talk about. Trade everything you fucking have and win a Stanley Cup. That is all that. Dude, the only thing that matters is winning Stanley Cups. And yes, it's not a guarantee, but that would be a very good thing to get a first pack for sure. Are you out of your fucking mind, dude, rental or not, you are getting much more than one first round pick for Quinn Hughes. You're out of your fucking mind, dude. Look at what certain guys go for at the deadline. Like, teams are desperate at the deadline.

And if you're telling me you can get Quinn Hughes. And then there's also the delusion of people going, like, think if it's a Tampa and you trade and you get Quinn Hughes and then you win a cup, you believe that you can get Quinn Hughes. Tampa and you trade and you get Quinn Hughes and then you win a cup. You believe that you can go, do you seriously not want to stay down here in Florida? We just want a Stanley Cup. Like that delusion does exist. Sure. And I don't think there's a world where in that scenario, Quinn looks at that that franchise and goes like this. Enjoy these five months. Do because I'm gone no matter what? Because that's also bad business. Yeah, because he didn't say that in Minnesota, even though he is going to be gone. I think. No one does that. I don't, I don't think I agree with that.

Do you, do you think he... Hold on. I'm not done. I'm not close to done. I just think this is similar to when Patrick Kane went to the, went to the Rangers. If you are Minnesota and you're trading Quinn Hughes right now to New Jersey, it's just like, if you're sunny, you look at him and you go, go for it, dude. Like make me an awe. Like what do you think I'm going to give up to have this happen right now? Unless it's a situation that's like, if they do it now, I'm kind of like, then yeah, all right. This is, it's a full season. You know, you're trying to reset your team for the new year. Yes. But if it's like deadline shit, I'm kind of like, what are you possibly going to be able to get for that when you know that's exactly where he wants to go. So I just think it's-

I was like, what do you mean? But yeah, he's just going to wait is what you're saying. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Got it. The bigger thing is like, again, if I, yeah, like, if I'm sunny and Bill Garron's like, give me all of this shit, I go like this. No. I'll sign him for free. Yeah, I'll wait one year, dude. Like, are you nuts? So that's why I just think you're in such a shit position if you're Bill, if you're negotiating with the devils. So I'm like, I wouldn't do it. I honest to God wouldn't do it. But the bigger thing for me is especially, and we'll get to this later in the episode with the Connor Hellbuck talk, no disrespect to the goaltenders on New Jersey. Minnesota is way closer to a Stanley Cup than the New Jersey fucking devils. Way closer. And I know a lot of Devils fans are going in their minds are going, well, we already have Quinn.

So we are way closer. And I'm like, well, if that doesn't happen, no, you know, you're not. So like, I am not entirely sure that it makes all the sense in the world. Like I've said this a number of times, dude. If I were Quinn Hughes, no offense, Luke, I would sign a two-year deal. And when him and Jack are both up at the exact same time, you both sign in New York and play for the Rangers. That is exactly what I would do. Yeah, because like clearly, and I think that's what they want and what makes the most sense.

but that does eliminate Luke from the situation, which is not fair. And I'm sorry about that, but you weren't on the Olympic team. But then New York, you just trade for Luke. That's where he's trade for one guy. Exactly. All right. So, dude, do you think he's, because I've agreed with you. I've always said he's going to try to line up with Jack.

The kale thing kind of throws a wrench in it. But do you think he has a contract, an extension with the Wild before this season start? So do you think he literally plays game one as an looming unrestricted to pre-age? You know, I'm going to be honest, I have no idea. I know. I have a tough read on this one. And you guys all know I'm as big of a Quinn fan as exists on this earth. I fucking love that kid. And I love Minnesota. I know I love when Minnesota is good. I said it from day one when this trade happened. I went, please God, Quinn, sign an extension the second you can. I think he looks great there. I think him and favor playing together is one of the coolest. best handums I've ever seen in my life. And I know a lot of people don't care about the left shot, right shot thing. And I respect that. Like there's, there have been tons of my favorite player of all time, Nick Littstrom. He played both sides like it was nobody's fucking business, but also he's the greatest defenseman I've ever seen until Cal McCar. Yeah. And there are guys who don't care

about that. But like, there's a huge part of me that's, you know, when you talk about the devils, people are like this. Oh, well, Luke can play right shot. No problem. And like, then they'd be playing together. And I'm like, yep, that would be awesome. That would be awesome. But I don't know. I just think Quinn in favor is so awesome. If I were Quinn, like, man, playing in the state of hockey, the Minnesota wild, you know, you get to have your place there in the summer on Lake Minnetonka. You get to come down to fucking sea aisle in Jersey and New York whenever you want to visit Jack. And I'm kind of like, why would you leave? But yeah, at the same time, dude, we just saw Brady and Matthew do it. I know how much those three love each other and the idea of all through them playing together for the same

NHL franchise must be the most appealing thing in the world. So I do get it. But at the same time, dude, it's like you, you got to, you got to assume with how competitive these guys are, how much they've dedicated their entire lives to the game of hockey, you've got to assume that winning needs to be more important than being with your brothers, who you talk to every day and see all the time. I just think they think they can win with them. Yes. It helps their chance.

I can feel Devils fans blood boiling as I'm saying this. Let me jump into. The Devils can win. I mean, like I was so high on the Devils when they bounced the Rangers a few years ago. And it has just been nightmare fuel since. And now you don't have a goalie. So I'm a little bit like Devils, you can do it.

I think Sonny is an amazing person. to be at the helm of this job right now to figure these these things out but yeah dude i i just don't i don't know man i i to me if bill garren trades quin hughes right now it almost undermines everything that the wild have done like i i can't imagine what you could possibly get like let's let's think about it like what do you think you're they've already moved nemec so what are you going to get dude shamus casey and like dougie hand old man douged this isn't even worth talking about because you're right. Like there's, they're not,

I'll be stunned if he trades them to the devils now for, for peanuts when Sonny could just wait. Like, yeah, you're right. And you're, you're actually pretty much right. And you even said this the second they got Quinn that it was like,

I think you might have to just fall on this grenade. Try two times with Quinn, get nothing back. And then look at the fans and go, but we were really good for a couple years and it was worth it. And then they'll go, okay, we want a playoff series.

Yeah. And it sucks. It sucks. Dude, but the, but the fucking crazy thing, though, now is you said earlier like, Quinn, you would take 20.3. And I was actually texting with Marty.

And he was like, Quinn should get 20.5. And I was like, that, though, kills Jack. You know what I mean? Like, you can't take 20 and play with your brother ever again. So it'll be really interesting because Quinn now, everyone's talking about where does he fall on the kale thing? And I'm like, dude, Quinn has to go. I'll take 12. If he wants to play with his brother. If he doesn't, then whatever. You know what he could do? Actually, this would be some fucking evil genius shit. He should take a 20.3. for two years, get his bag and line up with Jack, and then his extension, then take, go down to 12 to play with Jack, you know, like, just get a quick 40 and then be like, now I'll take a huge discount so I can play with my car. That would be great. Also, man, like I, we don't consider all this stuff. That is such a funny dilemma of all this. Like, they want to play together so bad, and that is amazing. And it just so happens that the two of them are two of the best players in the like. Yeah. Like, that just sucks. Like, it's like, I'm sure they're talking and Quinn is like, hey dude like i love you but like he's got a lot of money i'd like to make some money here

you know especially because they've been on discounts like it's not like they have a ton of you know like Quinn hugh's making less than all of them is hilarious i i i can't i can't imagine that that's not a factor right you know like they must be saying that to each other it's crazy but it's it's it's so interesting i mean like i know that they have uh select have they have Seamus Casey still who I really love but you just like are is that enough for Quinn fucking Hughes? Yep. What?

We talk about it all the time like these guys that Matthew Kachuk trade stands out all the time as it and even the Quinn the Quinn trade with Vancouver is like you really got to have a lot of fucking assets to be able to pull off a trade like this. Yep. And when you're when you're talking about this one, think about some of the guys that moved. that Matthew Kachuk deal. Like when when Vancouver moved Quinn, they were in a rebuild. They were like, we're, we'll take Zeeve, we'll take picks.

Like we're resetting here. When Florida traded for Matthew, Florida was good. Like they were like, you know, we're getting Matthew because we want to win. And Calgary was good too. That's why they needed pieces like we, pieces like Hubertoe. Jersey's not moving anyone like that. Like everyone who could be a comp like that is an incredibly valuable and important part of this team.

Like you think they're trading brat. You think they're trading even a guy like Meyer. Like maybe Meyer could move. But it's like these guys aren't moving. So it's all, that's why I'm saying it would undermine what Garen has done. Because if you make that trade now, I think you are taking guys like Selyev, like guys like Casey. And you're kind of going, yeah, we're not good this year anymore. Or certainly not as good.

And I don't think Garon wants to do that. Yeah, no, I agree. Agree completely. And Quinn's decision is going to speak so much. If it's two years, you know he's leaving to play with Jack, right? If it's seven years, you're like, oh, shit, if it's seven for 20.3, you're like, oh, my God, he is, you know, like, we're doing this. Maybe Jack comes over. Who knows?

Or practically, Pat's probably dead. Anyway, his decision will make a huge, huge impact on what happens with that family. Yes, for sure. Let's take a quick ad break, and we'll be right back. Football season is all the way back. It is already September. And with BetMGM's Bet Defense, you can back your favorite players with even more confidence,

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Next off season, you have Werenski and Schaefer. Werencki has two years left as of right now on his six-year 9.5 AAB contract. He will be 30 when this new contract we're discussing kicks in. And then Schaefer obviously is fucking 12. and maybe he'll want to go a five like all the kids are doing. But he's interesting too because if he develops, if he takes another step, it's going to be hard for GMs to negotiate against an agent going, this is the next Kale.

So he should be at that number. So what are you thinking on Werenski and Schaefer's looming extensions next summer now that Kail's at 20.4? Yeah, it's funny. It feels like Werenski simply has to extend with the blue jackets after everything that went down. And even though I'm on record saying he's going to not and be like, it's never mind, dude.

I try. But I hope, yeah, for their sake, I hope he does. I think a lot depends on how the blue jackets pan out. Like how the blue jackets perform, I think could change those statements.

Let's say, I mean, they almost made playoffs last year. Yeah. Let's say they are bottom five team this coming season. That is the type of thing that could lead to a GM or a team and organization being like, hey, we're way further than we thought for the best interests of our player, we're going to move you.

And it kind of, it's, it gets him off the hook of the statements that he made and, and all that whole journey because it's like, dude, we love you. You wanted to commit to us. We wanted to commit to you, but we're not doing it for you. So we are going to instigate this. That is the only way I think he doesn't stay. I see Werenzky with who he is, his age. I could see him doing a like 15 to 20. I could see him going on the lower end. I don't, I mean, he just won the Norris as he absolutely fucking should have. I think he should have won at the year before that too. I love Z. He is the type of guy to me that isn't like I, even though he's just as good as those guys, I'm not entirely sure he is the type of guy who is like, and I now need to be paid to show it.

Like, it's, he got a great ticket. He'll be signing. And I, I would imagine this next ticket is going to be seven years as well. I think he's just going to go, boom, let's get it done. I don't think his is going to top Kales. Now, if I'm his agent, I'm like, going up. And I'm like, yes, it is. Dude, no, no disrespect Columbus, especially if it's Columbus. Yeah. Because I'm kind of like, dude, like after all that, If you want me to stay here, if you want me to be here, like spend my entire career here, give me that fucking money. So like, if I'm his agent, I'm asking for $21 million next year for sure.

And in Ohio, $21 million is like $50 million. Yeah. Dude. Dude, you never, you know. Because it costs a living. You'd never work again, dude. It's incredible. It's the heart of it all.

Hard of it all. Hard of it all. The money of it all. Yeah. If I'm Schaefer, I mean, I could never be Schaefer because I could never be that perfect of a human being if I'm Schaefer's agent there is no planet where I sign a day over five years. I mean, I agree. I'm going low term.

Yeah, because he'll be like 20 fucking six when that deals up. That's what I'm saying. I'm going low term if I'm Matthew Schaefer, Matthew Schaefer's agent, because I'm like, this kid could sign three monster tickets. And in that case, I don't think it'll be that high. I think she, because Shafe, you know what? Schaefer is the perfect example of what we're talking about with the Lane Hudson's, with the first Kale contracts where it's like, actually, not really with Kale because

kale already fucking won by then. But Lane is a great comp and that it's like, are you one of the best defensemen in the league already? Yes, absolutely. Are you also still drinking milk from a sippy cup because you are a child? Also, yes. Yep. You haven't won a cup yet.

We can use that to be like, maybe you shouldn't be the highest paid defenseman in the NHL. So I think Shafe will be like, to me, Schaefer's deal should be five years, 15 mil. Okay. Yeah. So my guess is if it's Columbus, Werencki will sign for seven, not kale, but I bet it's like 18, 19. Like I bet he's like, fuck you. Not fuck you, but like, you know, I'm here.

I will take this money. Yeah. I could see him, though, taking a discount if he gets moved. Like if they go, hey, you're going to Florida, you know, whatever, but like, you're going to Vegas. You're going somewhere. We want you to win, but they can't afford it. I could see him taking less to have a shot at it.

But if he says in Columbus, he's getting that ticket. And Schaefer, I agree with the five, but I bet it's higher than that. I bet probably not 20, but I bet it's Mac and Leo. Because they're going, dude, they're at the young kid. Like, Schaefer's going to go five years 18.8. Let me say this. if Shaf has a Maclin year two, then yeah.

He should get 21. They should be like five at 21. If Shaf, which I bet he will, but if Shave takes even close to the two second year jump that Macklin took, oh my God.

Like I'm kind of like, this is kale. Right? Like this, he actually has the argument. In which case, if I'm the, the aisles,

I'm like, make it seven, please God. Right. Because you're just like, stay here as long as you, He's like, no.

Yeah. No, he would. He's, he's just. So those two are going to get bags and I support it. Here's my next question for you, Dan. The next offseason, summer 28, Mero, Fox, and Bush are all eligible for their extensions. The cap will be at one projected, 130 by then. And it's only projected to be 113 now.

Like keep in mind these Cal deal deal is happening. It's going to go up to 130. Bush is on a 10.5, Fox on a 9.5, Miro on an 8.4. Bush and Miro will only be 28 in that summer. By the time they're getting this extension. So what are these guys going to get paid when the cap goes up another 17 mil and the kale bar is 20.4? Maybe even a Quinn, a Schaefer has already reset it. What are teams going to be paying fucking Adam Fox and Evan Bouchard when their contract and Miro when their contracts?

are up in summer 28. Yeah. I'm going to leave Bush out of this conversation because I think, I think Edmonton already fucked themselves with Bush's contract and they're going to have to be, that will be an issue of itself. I think we, over the last four years, we'll call it, we've kind of had this benchmark defenseman contract. It's what a lot of these guys are on it, was the 9.5 to 8.5. We've got McAvoy on it. We've got Sandy on it. Werenski's currently on it. Miro is currently on it, like that number, that 8.5-ish to 9.5-ish was kind of like the standard for your number one defenseman on a team gets this much money. And you got to remember, in all that, we also had Eric Carlson's. We had Drew Dowdies, like the way top, like the

10 to 11 type guys. So we've already lived in this world where you have the best defensemen in the league are on a crazy high number. The rest of these teams with a number one guy get. this other benchmark defenseman contract. So I don't think we can think this way of like KL signs this, Quinn is probably, Kale signs 20.4, Quinn's probably going to sign around there too, probably. That is not the new benchmark. I think that is the new Dowdy Carlson number. So we're going to see one of these guys set the new benchmark, in my opinion, for a team's number one guy. I think it's going to be around 15 to 18. we'll call it.

Yep. And I think that's going to become the new gold standard of a number one guy. So when guys timing lines up like this and they're getting these deals, that is what I imagine

your like certified number one dude is going to get 15 to 18. Which is crazy because that's more than like every best forward in the league is getting. Yeah, but again,

it's just timing dude. It's like it's the same. I mean, dude, that was the case with all of these guys who were signing, I mean, Charlie McAvoy,

other than pasta makes more than every forward on the team. Like that's how it works. Like your number one D-Man, first of all, fuck you. D-man win championships, bitch. Correct.

It was just the market. It was the market, yeah. But I think you're disregarding, dude, like look at a lot of teams, all of these number one benchmark defensemen who were making that 8.5 to 9.5,

those guys were all probably more than maybe one or two of the forwards on their respective team. So like that's normal. I think this is going to become more, especially, you know, with the cap coming up and the whole cap percentage thing, it's like, this is what's going to happen. And, man, I mean, shit, you look at it, dude. We are in a very fun era of defensemen in the NHL where these guys are as important,

if not more important, offensively than a lot of your forwards. Lane Hudson is instrumental to the offensive output of that Montreal Canadiens team. Zach Wrenski is the most offensive output on the Columbus Blue Jackets team. Quinn Hughes is instrumental to the offensive output of the Minnesota Wild. This is the league right now. So it's like, yeah, these guys should, I mean, you look at that Team USA gold medal win, and it's like you've got Quinn Hughes scoring that golden goal against Sweden in overtime. You've got Zach Wrenski bodying Nate McKinnon and making a game-winning play to win the gold medal against Canada and feeding it to Jack Hughes.

Like, these guys are hugely important offense. So do you think that Miro, Bush, and Fox are all going to come in, or what you just said, like, they're going to come in between 15 and 18. I would guess. And that wasn't me. I wasn't trying to disrespect Edmonton or Bush, but like I thought Bush's 10.5 was high. I know he's an offense. I know he's a points machine. But I thought that that was a high number given everything Edmonton is dealing with. So Bush already being at 10.5 and signing for a short term like he did and now being up again. knight make Bush's agent, rightfully so, be like, he's going to be on the high end of that. Yeah, like, I think he's going to go give me 20 million. Especially if he has another fucking 90 points. Yeah, exactly. I think Foxy and Miro are more so going to be in a similar camp.

Yeah. And Fox will be 30, so it's a little bit, but so Orenski, and that's plenty. That's easy to give a seven-year deal to, you know, like I'm not saying that's all. That's on the old then. Yeah. So that's so fine. And yeah, that's a good call then. it will be cool to see where that number is that's not K.L. Or if it is KAL, or if Werenski goes,

I'll take 20, thank you so much, seven years 20. And you go, oh my God, that is the mark. Because then I do think even the mirrors and the foxes are going to be like, I'll take seven by 18 and a half then. And then it's like, holy shit. So KAL is a domino, but there's a chance it resets a little bit. 100%. Here are some guys that I wanted to discuss with you about their, what level. of frustration do you believe they feel based on the timing of this contract. Rasmus Dahlene is on year three of an eight-year deal. He signed. He's 26 years old. He's getting 11-mill AAV. Zero. He goes, okay, it is what it is. Sucks to be me, but it's fine. Well, no, I don't even think he thinks sucks to be me. I think it's like, again, these are very fairer questions by you.

but I think he is to Evans point like he's living in Buffalo and he's like he makes 11 mil a year he's 26 like that was a great contract I think you guys know how many garbage plates 11 million dollars a year will get you I guess a lot you could 11 million garbage plates yeah let me let me let me be real it's not zero um what what what is the scale you're giving me zero to 100 no zero to 10 with decimal so same thing all right all right all right i think dalene is at a like 3.5 to 4 because i think he sees that number and he goes holy shit but i don't think he's like fuck me because again he's year 3 like three like three years ago that was exactly the perfect deal he could sign and and he'll be he'll only be 31 or 32 when this is up so he can probably get a 7 burger for pretty high you know like the market will be high by then you know probably maybe maybe not a full seven, but we'll see. Okay, but I'm with you on that one. Jake Sanderson,

eight mil. He's on year three of eight. He's 24, eight mill a year AAV. I think one point six. Okay. Because Sandy at 24, he's going to be 29 when he gets to renegotiate and he goes, thank God, this number is that high. Yep. So like before he is 30 years old, he's going to sign a 20 plus million dollar AAV a deal. So I think he is maybe even a zero. Yeah, he's, he feels pretty good. He feels pretty good. And it's a, and he's a steal right now. So like maybe his team can fucking put some players around him over the next four years. Five years. That would be nice. Mo Sider in year three of a seven year ticket. He's 25. He's at 8.5 AAV. I think exactly the same. I think so too. Honestly, you could make the argument that like some people could make the argument the other way.

given these guys age, I'm actually going so low on all these guys because they're in their early 20s right now, kicking with millions of dollars. And now they know by around 30, they're going to get even more. Yeah, right, right. Not too bad. Okay. Harley is in coming into the first year of an eight year ticket. He's 25 at 10.5 AAV. I think Harley's a 4.5 maybe. Because again, like a 32-year year old Harley can still sign a good deal. But I think Harley's mad about his performance last year. I think he's like, but I think he's motivated. I think he's going to have a great season. And again, I think when he signed 10.5, a lot of people were like, what? Yeah, I agree. I agree. He was thrilled. So I think, yeah. Yeah, you're fair. I was going to give him a 6.5, but I think as on a frustration,

but the fact that he's over 10 mil, I will knock it back down to a flat 6 for me because he's like, whatever, at least I am getting some money. Jackson Lecombe in entering the first year of an eight-year ticket, he's 25 at 9-mill AAV. Jackson Lecombe is an eight out of time. Oh, buddy, he's 0.5.9. Because he, but really I think Jackson's eight is because of Leo as well as. Yeah. Like I think he is like, are you fucking kidding me, Leo? Are you fucking kidding me, Verbeek? like you got me done at 9 when I am your fucking horse. Like I'm arguably the most important player on this fucking team. You got me done at 9.

You got me to buy into the fucking dream. To the bullshit. And then you waited on Leo and you let Danny Breyer fuck us. Yeah, he's pissed. And now I'm going to be 33 when this is, and I'm like, I can't even sign a big deal. Like, are you out of your mind? Someone better be paying me under the fucking table. Yeah.

That is a disaster. And then, dude, Elaine Hudson, entering the first year of an eight-year ticket. He's only 22, thankfully, but at 8.8 AAV. Two. Oh, dude. Oh, dude. Again, look at the age, brother.

Like, Chris, look at the age. Lane Hudson is 22 years old. A fat bonus check just went straight into his bank account. And he is one of the best defensemen in the league already. And everyone is bringing him up as the comp here. So when he is 29 years old, he is going to go, you fuckers owe me so much money. So he is going to sign the fattest ticket you have ever seen in seven years. And it's going to be incredible.

Dude, the problem is he, the reason I have him higher is it's not a, well, I guess it's a ripple effect from kale. But it's not a mad about kale thing. It's this. Lane is a offensive-minded, Calder winning defenseman, right? And he signs, in his second year, he signs for, 8.8, right? Like, they're like immediately. And then the next year, there's an offensive-minded Calder winning defense man who is

going to sign in his second year a five-year term for 21 million. And he's going to be like, oh, my God. Like Schaefer gets three 20 plus million dollar contracts and I signed it year 8.8. He's also in brutal tax Canada and Montreal, which is an expensive city. So that doesn't help me. Oh, dude. And dude, but here's the thing, bro. Maybe they win three cups.

And then I go, it's all fucking worth. This is what I'm saying, dude. Exactly. Like, you look at Cole's deal, Suzuki's deal, Demadov's deal, Lane's deal, Dobson's deal. Yep. That is the team where I'm like, when I was referring to, sometimes you get lucky where you get a bunch of guys who haven't quite proven it yet who signed a great fucking contract. That's when you could go to three and five.

That is what Montreal is feeling right now. Yes. And dude, that's going to be crazy. but holy shit, I can't wait to see the Schaefer contract up against what happened to Lane. All right, I'll leave you with this last insane fact because I looked this up. I wanted to see who had the most career earnings in NHL history, just from contracts, not endorsements, but just straight up who has made the most money from contracts. Have you guys already looked at this?

I'll make you guess who's number one is if you haven't already looked. I have not looked. Who do you think has made the most money in NHL contracts ever, Dan? Weirdly enough, I would have probably O. Yeah, Alex Ovechkin. Alex Ovechkin won, Sydney Crosby 2. Oh, wow, Crosby's 2. Oh yeah, right behind him.

Yeah, that makes sense. Yep. Alex Ovechkin 2, Alex Ovechkin 1, Sydney Crosby 2, Malkin 3, Copee 4, Yager 5, Stammer 6, Drew Dowdy 7. Shout out our boy, dude. Come on, do.

Seventh most money of the history of the league. But you know what I love about this list? Yogs were going to not count. Sid and Gino, if you're the penguins, you look at that and go, well, fucking worth it, dude. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well worth it. And if you're the kings, you're the kings, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.

Yes, Ev. And if you're the kings, you look at cope and you look at Dewey and you go, well, fucking worth it. Yep. You know, like, that's what made, like, oh is like, you know, they got their cup and you obviously got to pay O. Yeah. But it's like. And stammer well worth it.

Absolutely. You know, and I bet actually Cooch probably isn't that high up there, but yeah, well worth it. A lot of this is because they've just played so long. You know what I mean? Yes, for sure. But again, like the fact that all these guys have multiple cups and like, oh, I'm going to count multiple cups because you have multiple hearts, you have multiple rockets. Like, it's worth it. So I've got a question about this, though, because you bring up the multiple cups thing.

Maybe this is some math that we don't have the brains to do at the moment. But like, for example, Kale's contract is only. almost at the max of, like right up against the 20% of the salary cap, right? So you have one player eating up one fifth of your salary. When Crosby was getting paid, what was his like percentage of the entire salary cap? You know what I mean? This is great. So the first year, or go ahead, no, no, go.

I don't remember the exact number, but the first year, the first time he signed 8.7, it was pretty high. It wasn't this high. This is the highest ever. But it's close to the Leo. It's close to that 18. It's like just below. It's below. So for its era, it was a little more mind-blowing, but not quite as mind-blowing as what we've just witnessed.

Yeah. And then Leo and then Mac and then Kale has even far, far exceeded it. And they didn't win then. Like it's hard to win when someone has this much of the cap, right? Like they really started winning. In theory. Yeah. Like, in fact, like it's never happened.

No team has ever wanted to stay on the cup when one one player got this much of the cap. So I'm like, and you know what? I hate this argument, dude, because it's a smart argument. But I actually think it's a coping mechanism argument because every time a team plays a player this pays a player this much money, they immediately go to the cap percentage argument and they always bring up SIDS first 8.7. And I'm like, you are fucking acting as if the player you're discussing is Sidney Crosby. Or we'll turn in to Sidney Crosby. Can we please stop using Sid's number as the benchmark? Because then also, to Chris's point, they did not win right then.

It took some time. And it's like, please, enough, enough, enough, enough. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so, boys, the reason I brought this up is Dan Ovi's career earnings. Every contract he's ever signed, making him the highest paid player career earnings in NHL history is $170 million. Kale McCar's current contract is like, five mil off literally the most anyone has ever made in the history of the NHL in this one deal hockey players making some money I was like holy shit dude just put that

in context dude this kale has signed two previous contracts and we'll sign another one maybe like it's just in this one little contract he just signed he has made more than anyone in the history of the NHL and you know what's funny is like this is this is very speculative but like just thinking about it this way. It's like, does that affect the locker room, how they interact with each other? Do they look at them differently? Or are they so beyond the threshold of pain where it's like, once you make a few million dollars, it's like, what's the difference? You know what I mean? Like, now it's just bonus money. Like, you know what I mean? I don't think it's quite like that, but I think from what, you know, guys have told us and from what I understand, when a guy gets paid

like this, it's like, you look at him, you're like, good fucking job, dude. Like, it's, it's better for the league, it's better for all of the players. And presumably, if you are a player of Kail McCar's caliber, you deserve every cent, which I believe he does. So if you're a player on that team, you're like, fucking rights, dude. Like, good job. I think a little bit, though, Evan, I'm, I'm not basing us on anything. Every player we've talked to has said, like, oh, it's all good. We understand the timing, the business. But I, just my take is from human nature, there's a little bit in your head. Like, there's just literally no way Nathan McKinnon isn't like, what, dude. Like, Kale McCarr is getting 20.4 and I'm getting a player.

I disagree with that. I disagree with that. I think if you are a player of that caliber, you understand, as we've talked about this entire episode, the timing of it. I don't think you go, what, Kail McCar is getting that much money. I think you go, shit, I wish I was getting that much money. Or more. I think he's going, I wish Kail McCar. Kail McCar, you're right. Wrong tone. Kail McCar deserves that much money. I can't believe Kail McCar took that much money when I get it. And I'm just saying that's. my thought up here. Well, okay, put it this way. Let's put it this way. What if, what if Chris got an email right now and it said, Chris, we're giving you a raise 50% and Dan, your salary is the same? Would you go good for you? I'm happy for you, Chris. Would you say happy for you, Chris? Or you'd be like, huh? I think that that's impossibly different because that's like there's no contract term that's like up and down and up and down. But if there was a world where I'm like, yeah, it was because of timing, I would go, fuck yeah, dude, good for you. But this is what I was going to say.

If I'm Nate McKinnon, I look at kale and I go, your ass is paying for dinner for the next five years. Yeah. And if that's, if that happened to us, I would look at Chris and go, your ass is paying for dinner for the next five years. Is, you know how like teams they do the, uh, the credit card roulette when they're on the road? You know what I mean? Like is that officially done? It's done for the a ads. Evan, if we, if I was a member of the abs, every team dinner, I'd be like this kale.

Put your guard in, dude. You got it, dude. You got it, bro. You got this one. For sure. So true again. Okay, well, an all-time contract, an all-time moment in the NHL history, holy fuck. And actually, the coolest part isn't even this contract being signed.

The coolest part is seeing what's going to happen with all these other contracts and with the afts. Because this will be an incredible one to look back in history. A ripple effect. Yeah. All right. As we said at the top, CP touched on this a bit for us like a legend, but we've got to discuss the Connor Hellebuck on the show officially situation. Connor Hellebuck request to trade. There was a few people who, as we were talking about this on the page, on Twitter, whatever, you know, being like a huge deal.

A lot of people were like, you know, wasn't this already a thing? This is the official Connor Hellebuck announcement, which I think is way different. I think when the player actually officially makes a request like this, you can't really take this back. Oh, dude, agree 100%. And what's your take? Evan and I chopped it up a little bit. but what's your take on the public versus private? Because we got a very clear one-to-one with Larkin and Halebuck here.

And as I said, if no one listened to the midform, as I said, leaks are not, leaks are all strategic. So maybe Dylan Larkin wanted it to be private and someone else leaked it, maybe whatever something happened. But we had one USA player going, trade me right now at the beginning of summer, and we had one USA player who asked in private and said, please respectfully get this done so you can get the most for me. so teams don't know I'm demanding this.

It was not done, and then he went public with it. So what's your take on, you know, the order of operations there, Dan? Dude, I think everything needs to be public. Interesting. You know, but, you know, you don't want to sewer a team. But it's funny, as a huge prem fan, like we're dealing with deadline day as we speak. And like, I always, there's just rumors everywhere. And one of my favorite moments of all time, shout out my NHL and European football

crossover fans. There was a time where some, like, big account tweeted out, like, Reese James to Arsenal, who says no. And Reese James commented on it and goes, me. And I was like, oh, and it's just like, dude, when the player or the team addresses rumors and shit, like, it just squashes stuff immediately. And, like, if I, I would almost have someone, if I were a GM and there was rumors swirling all the time about a player's future. And I had a good relationship with that player and was like, hey, dude, are you cool? Like, are you happy here? and they were like, yes, I would address that shit.

I would go like this, just spoke to the player. He's not fucking going anywhere. It doesn't need to be traded, want to be traded. And all of a sudden you go like this, oh, well, that's that. And like, look at Werensky. Like Werensky sits down with the Bluejack because they have a conversation. And they're like, we're fine, dude. We haven't spoken about that since.

Like, I think it's very effective. I think it is very cool when a player does this, you know, like, hey, talking to the team, I would like to move. I don't want to make a big deal of this. I want to put you guys in a good position, but like, can you get me out of here?

I'm with you. I think that that's really cool. But fuck, man. When, did I just say butt fuck? Yeah, you did. Hell yeah, brother. When the Jets, when it's September 1st

and the Jets haven't traded him and he's like, I want to leave, I understand a player's frustration. And being like, dude, I, you know, you leave me no choice. I'm, man, I want out of it. I love it for a million reasons and I'm not trying to sewer Larks at all because it's, first of all, different cases call for different things.

And again, I don't know what the, uh, how his story got out in the first place or who wanted it out in the first place. But I love this from Helly so much. I love the private because in my opinion, it does help your team who you really do like and you owe a lot to. And obviously, Helly did what Larks did when he said in private. I'm, and I'm, I don't know this for fact. I'm just saying it is a fact.

He went, yo, here's where I'd like to go. Trade me, please. And here are the four teams I would like to go to or whatever. So they've been working on it. And then when they don't do dick, just like the Red Wings haven't, I fucking love that he goes, yo, FYI, I asked for a fucking trade. They have done absolutely nothing. So now I'm putting it on record that if I am not traded and we have a shit season and

I'm in a bad mood all year, you all know why, because I asked for this respectfully three months ago and they did nothing. I'm in on it. And again, it is becoming the NBA where these guys are just demanding trades. But I'm like, whatever, dude. Like, fucking no one wants to be, no one wants to play somewhere where they're not happy. I ask for a fucking trade. Do your fucking job and get something back for me. It doesn't bother me at all. I think I, you know, I think you earn it. I do think, this is a topic for another pod. I do think when you sign a full no move contract and then demand a trade, there should be a, your no move gets altered. to a like, you know, wiggle room. Eight team trade lists.

So like the team can have some wiggle room. Absolutely have. Yeah. But I think this is huge. The one thing I'll say, I'm sure you guys discuss like where he ends up. We did a couple, but there's some few more teams have entered the chat

that I'm interested to talk to you about. Yeah, yeah. We can get into that. The one thing I'll, it's, and I mean no disrespect here, I really, really don't.

But like, it must be. be tough as a team like Winnipeg to, oh my God. It sucks. It's, if you're trying to get players with no moves to come back and you've got star goleys going, I want out. It's hard.

Especially a dude who loves it up there, like legitimately of all people to be like, I don't, and he's, and by the way, he did not say, I don't like Winnipeg, the city, like at all. He loves it, but I was just saying it's, it's a guy like Helibuck is built for Winnipeg. So it's tougher to get people to come back the other way. especially Dan when, God, we can't get into the whole no-move thing, but it just really handcuffs the GM so badly where I'm like, it just makes it harder to do your job. It makes it harder to do your job when people were refusing to go somewhere else.

And I'm like, it's a fair trade. You know what? Fuck, I just said this is a topic for a different episode. But I do think that if you have a full new move and you demand a trade, you need to be more flexible than going. Here are my three teams. and I stand by that. Who said it should relinquish some of the no move?

We were talking about this off air. Like if you demand a trade, you now lose your no move. It was Laz and Lewis. And like I, but I understand. I mean, if you're the GM, you're, you would agree with that. You'd be like, yeah, fuck you. You demanded a trade, yeah. But as I've said, I think it should be a, I actually like the idea of an eight.

Like you, if you demand a trade and you have a full no move, you immediately have. have to give the GM an eight team. Yeah. I don't know why I put up four. We just doubled. Four times two. Yeah, yeah. You have to give them an eight team trade list.

That's like, I will go to these eight teams. Yep. Because we even joke up with the Brady one. It's like the reports of Brady were like, I will go to these three teams. Mm-hmm. Wink, wink, wink. Like, you're trading me to Florida. Yeah.

And it's like, that's tough. But I stand by the reason why I don't think it should be a full relinquish of your no move or anything like that is because as the team, yes, when you give a contract and you give a full no move, the player then has a responsibility to honor the contract and play and play hard. But the team also has a responsibility to try to help you win. And like, it's a two-way street. So I don't think it should be fully relinquished. Anyway, move on.

Let's talk about teams for help. Okay. Well, actually, I want to ask you this first. Who do you think is more likely to move Larkin or Hemp? Hellibuck before the season starts. Hellebuck more likely. For sure. And do you think both move or are you like Larkin's not going anywhere?

Hellabuck is. I think both I think both move. I am utterly shocked it has gotten to this point with Larkin. But I do think a big thing with Lark's is I think that there were some teams that felt likely that certain moves were made that then made it impossible. So now I think it's forced Larks to be like, okay, what are some other teams I'm open to? I also think it doesn't fucking help that the Detroit Red Wings don't have a GM. Yeah, right.

You know, like, it's, dude, Larks is texting people. That's a great stalling mechanism. Yeah. We can't trade you if there's no GM, dude. Who could sign the trade offer, dude? Yeah, I mean, we're at like hostage crisis level with Lark and we're on like day 200 of the hostages. I need an Argo.

And Ed, there's no negotiator. Like, yeah. People are calling. Bring in Sam Jackson. Like, what's happening? Yeah. I need an Argo level parody of like, them getting Dylan Larkin out of Detroit.

With the plane? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's taking off out of Detroit and they clear Michigan airspace. And he's like, yes. Oh, my God. So good. Okay, Dan, here are some teams that have come up. A lot of them we've talked about.

Buffalo Sabres. Let's start with that one first. Absolutely love it. I think it makes a lot of sense. I think that they have pieces that they could move. They've got decent cap space. I think he would be thrilled and happy in Buffalo. I think him in Buffalo.

Buffalo makes all the sense in the world. Yep. That one feels most likely. Like, is that aggressive? Like, or is it, okay, okay, second most likely. But that one is easy because it's A fit, both a personality felt like you said, but also a team fit. That felt like an Achilles heel of Buffalo last year, no offense to UPL and Lyon, but it's like if they got more consistent goaltending, they would have been really special. And they already have the space. So that one, they're going to go really hard. Oh, Dan, and I said in the midform, if you are a Sabers fan. I just want your take on this. If you're a Sabers fan and you don't land Hellebuck and you hear the offer was shit, then riot. Because you should, you better go down fucking

swinging on Hellebuck, in my opinion. If he goes somewhere else, he goes somewhere else. But your offer better be level with the best, the best offer the Jets got. Yeah. Okay, next one is Vegas. And I'm taking this from an, I'm an athletic article. Oh, no, no. That's a big talking point. Yes. And especially because I did forget, you know how they just haven't had any picks? I forgot they got the first round for Dorfiev, which is a good swing. So they actually have some first to dish. And then you'd need to send Hill back both for the jet's sake and to clear the 6.2 cap space. He would have to waive a no move. But he's a Canadian dude. Like I would not be that shocked. There was Edmonton Hill rumors, right? Like it wouldn't be crazy for Hayden Hill to be like outplay in Winnipeg. Yeah. And also, Aiden's, I think Aiden has an eight team, no trade list. Like, it's not that big. Okay. Yeah. And who knows? Like, Winnipeg might not even be on that. So that could be helpful to that situation. But I also think, I think Aiden wants to fucking start. And, and, and good, yeah, he's a Canadian boy. I think if you go like this, here you go, dude. Like, you are the starter in Winnipeg now. And, like, we should be competitive. You know, like, it's not like Winnipeg is one year removed from the president's trophy and then surged at the end of last year. I just don't know, you know, you know,

they got to figure something out roster-wise regardless, but to me, I don't know that Carter Hart is like, I'm a backup now. I don't think those two can exist on the same team. Interesting. Okay. I mean, he's so movable, though, if they wanted to. You know, like he's, well, maybe some teams don't want to take him up. Well, I guess, dude, my point is, if he's not a starter anyway, then you're just not a starter, pal. Like, I'm sure you want to be a starter, but if no team wants you to be their starter. You have a very easy, movable contract. Sure.

Sure. So that one is very interesting, especially because Vegas just goes to get anybody. Keynes, Keynes come up a lot. They have made a living off of having cheap goleys. And this would veer against that a little bit. But, I mean, it's Hellebuck and he's nasty and you guys are already good and a good chance to repeat. Yeah.

That's the one for me. It's, you know, I think bus, I think the world of Bussy, we obviously, we've been busing for Bussy this whole time. But is Bussy a every single day starter? I think the tandem is what made them successful. And I think we will never, ever, ever know what would have happened if they went into the playoffs and Bussy started every game. Him coming in, won them a Stanley Cup in. Correct. Yep.

That's nothing against Freddie. I just think that the tread on the tires of Freddie has always been his issue, and Bussie was able to come in and relieve him of that. That's why they won a Stanley Cup. Can Bussy be Bob? Can Bussy be the guy that comes in and does everything? I don't know. But you have to imagine if Carolina makes a trade for Connor Hullbuck,

if you're the Winnipeg Jets, you're giving me Brandon Bussie. Yeah, yeah, right. God, interesting point, yeah. Because they have plenty of asking. But I suppose you would do that. I mean, here's my take is if you, I mean, you just miss playoffs as the one to Peg Jets. If you're trading Connor Hullabuck, you were completely rebuilding. Yeah, yeah.

It feels insane to say when you have Shifley, you have Connor, you have Morrissey, like, you were a very good team. But I just, I do not think that you can lose Conner Hellbuck and think anything remotely playoff worthy is going to happen unless there is a team that has a, unless there's a team like Minnesota that could give you Augustifson. But if you're in Minnesota, are you like, do you want Hellebuck and the wall on the same team? Aiden Hill is probably the best example. But I stand by, I really don't see a world where Hellebuck and 79 exist on the same team. Like, I don't really see that.

So it's an interesting one where unless you get a starting goaltender back, I don't, I don't really know. It is funny that both the cup teams are in the mixer here because I feel like, and Evan and I said this. I don't know what you think, Dan, but it certainly feels like if Vegas had had Connor Hellebuck that whole time, they would have won the cup. You know, like, their goalie play just faltered down the stretch. So it's like, you do feel like if either of these cup teams could just get Hellebuck right now. They're like, oh, they would have won. And then now we'll win this year. You know, like that's, you're certainly arguing that. Okay, so Keynes year one. Mammoth. Mammoth listed as a sneaky contender.

Love this one. Yep. Love this one. It's in, it would be in division trade, which is tricky, obviously. And Mammoth don't have enough cap space right now, but if VEG went in the return package and- Which would. Yep. And Winnipeg could roll with like veggie and Skinner. It could happen. But Utah would also be a pretty cool spot for Hellibuck.

I think you would like that a lot. And they were the mammoth, dude, fucking tusks up. They were surging at the end of last year, too, gave Vegas a hell of a round. So I think they feel like Hellebuck, they make big waves. Yep. I love that one for sure. that would be sick. Okay, next one, Devils, we've talked about this a lot.

They don't have a goalie. You said this at the very top of the episode, Dan, the devils do not have a goalie. So getting Connor Hellebuck would go a long way. And that one, to me, is a rebuild move. I think that is a multiple first picks, young prospects, and you go, like, okay, here we go. Like, we're restarting here. As in the Jets, they just go, all right, fuck it, take the picks. You take picks and prospects.

galore and you move. And that would be dope, dude, because his contract is so good. I mean, this is fantasy land, but if the devils were somehow able to swing a Connor Hellebuck and then a Quinn Hughes on a discount and put the Hughes brothers together, got Hellebuck, and I'd be like, wow. Yeah, I mean, to me, man, like, that is the for the devils. That's the way forward. You make the trade for Hellebuck. That convinces Quinn. And then I think Quinn sees that and goes,

Okay. Dude, that's actually an incredible call, Dan. And then that's when Quinn talks to Garan and goes, dude, I can play with Jack and we have our dog. I'll give you this. No, I don't think he asks for a trade. I think he asks for a trade. Because I think if you trade for Hellebuk, you then don't have the assets to trade for Quinn. I think you trade for Hellebuck. Quinn sees that and goes, I'm going to give it my all one more year in Minnesota and then I sign for free in New Jersey next year.

Does Quinn have a no move? Not full. I believe Quinn has a. let me look because I think there's a chance Dan that Garen would go actually I was going to say if Quinn told like if the devil's trade for hellbubach right now

I didn't even know if Quinn has I mean he he must but he certainly does not have a full no move if he went dude I'm going to Jersey at the end of the as soon as I'm a free agent I'm not signing an extension I'm going to Jersey they just got Helplock I'm going to play with my brothers

and this and our USA goalie this is amazing yeah I think Garen might have to trade him just to get something but I agree with you that Minnesota is good enough that it's like, fuck, we should just take a bit at it. Like, I don't think they'd be the favorite. But it's like, you have Faber, boldy, krill, Quinn, two incredible goalies.

You know, I'm like, you could win. So it might be worth it to just try. But that would be fascinating if it came out that that was what he was up against. Quinn has told him, I'm going to Jersey. What do you want to do? Fuck. That's actually now what I hope happens. Hellabuck to the Devils and then we get this all put into motion.

Okay. I'm just going to save that one for last because I think it's fascinating. Blue Jackets. Evan and I brought this one up. Chance to play with Werenski. Everyone is talking. We put this in our clip, Evan. Everybody was like, the Blue Jacket signed Greaves.

He's one of the best young goalies in the league. And I was like, all right, well, I think fucking Connor Helibuck is worth it no matter what. But okay. I agree with those people. I think Jet Greaves is great. And I think it's just such a good contract. Like, I don't know why you would do that. For Connor Hellebuck?

Yes, dude. Like, I just injured 33-year-old Connor Hellebuck. Yeah, I'm not sure that that makes sense. Okay. I obviously love Helly, but like, also, Helly is like, if you're trading for Helly, you are trading him to a team that goes, we are trying to win in the next three years.

This is what we said too. This was, that was the only thing that was scary. Yeah. Yeah, it was like, that seems like a lateral move to go from Winnipeg of Columbus. You need to be like, we are trying to win now. Yeah.

Because you go there and miss playoffs, you're like, fuck me, dude. What am I doing? I have an unbelievable one that I can't believe hasn't been brought up yet. Okay, there's two more. This one I think no fucking chance, but just bring it up because it's in there.

They said one for one trade to the stars, Otter for Hellie, change of scenery for both. Who the fuck said that? I don't know who wrote it. Just this in the athletic. But did, I died. Because Otter, first of all, has a no move and would never go, would never leave Dallas, which he loves for Winnipeg. And dude, I just loved that like there's some rivalry between those two dudes. You know, like they both want that USA net. And this would just be. be such a fucking debt. Wow. To be like,

we traded you for each other. And I'm like, Jesus Christ, dude. Yeah, yeah, that would be crazy. And then this one is the last one on this list,

which I hadn't even considered, and I thought was stupid when I first read it. And then I was like, actually maybe is the San Jose Sharks Dan. And it said they finished last in this, bottom 10 last season and saved percentage. You have Askeroff, which is like,

you know, a franchise future Vesna winning potential guy. guy. And he certainly looked amazing at times, but looked sloppy at times because he's so young. And the only issue per this article is they're like, oh, the sharks aren't going to be good enough soon enough for Helly. That's why they're going to keep Ascroft because it's going to take some time. But I'm like, they could be good enough soon enough. Like, I actually think you might want it and just go whatever. Like, and then the Jets get their young Vezna potential guy back and it's actually a great trade for both teams. Wow, that's very interesting. Isn't that crazy?

like in a couple years. I don't think that they're good enough in like the next three years to win a cup. I mean, that's what the article says too. So you're clearly right. But I was like, I don't know, dude. Two years, I'm like, fuck, dude.

With Henry. They are good enough. Yeah. Yeah. And like you honestly, like you have the next Sidney Crosby in Macklin. Yeah. This is true.

So I'm like, fuck it, dude. You also just got fucking, you have so many good young players. Exactly. So that I thought was fascinating. What was yours, Dan? I say, Dan. To be clear, I think Carolina and New Jersey make the most sense. But here my...

Even more than Buffalo? Yeah. Maybe not. Maybe I have all three of them. That's my podium. Those three. I now hope it's Jersey for the Quinn thing, but go on. These are the two that I love. One is absolutely preposterous and would never happen. The other one, I actually think is quite interesting. Number one, the Florida Panthers. Trade him one for one for Markstrom.

Go like this. Oh, Dan. We tried to figure it out. It didn't work. Just now do it now. Dude, I meant to say to you, Dan, on that topic, because you've... tweeted or said something to me. I can't remember. You go, funny to think that if Helibok had made this public in June, he would be a Panther. And I am actually thinking, he must have said that in private, though. Like when that was all going down, he must have gone to them and go and trade me to fucking Florida, dude. Right? Yeah, but I just still think, like, I think it would have pushed the

envelope more. Because what's Markstrom's contract? Six million, I think. So they would have to find two and a half more. And he doesn't have a full no move. Certainly, Winnipeg is on his no move, but he doesn't have a full. No, that's not disrespect. I'm just saying. It would be the greatest moment in the NHL history

if the Panthers traded for Markstrom and then, or signed it traded for Markstrom, yeah, traded for Markstrom and then just shipped him to an bank for a hell of buck right now. Yeah. He has like a 20 team, no trade,

and Winnipeg must be on that. That would be hilarious. The other one, dude, is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Oh. No. Come on, dude. We need to get young,

I'm so sorry. I agree with that. And that's, again, that's why I said my podium is already those other three teams. I think it's going to be one of those three. But I want to hear your case. This is interesting because as a Penguins fan. Dude, it's just interesting that you guys make playoffs and like Sid is still doing Sid things and so is Malkin.

And like all of a sudden you have like really exciting young players like Rutger, obviously we love, but like you draft the twins and like there's some like interesting shit going on. And there's a part of me that's like, dude, I don't know, like if Hellebuck's all of a sudden, like, and Pittsburgh feels like another good city for Connor Hellebuck, that he'd be like, yeah, like I'm pretty happy here. And it's like, all of a sudden you have Hellebuck. Then it turns into a, I think players are like, oh, maybe I'll go play with Sid for one year and see what we can do with Hellebuck in that. Again, I, it is, this is low on my list. I just think it's more interesting. I'm surprised no one is talking about it. They made the fucking playoffs last year.

I, the one thing I will say is, like, everybody's answer is always like, well, we have Mirosha. We have Mirosha. We have Mirosha. He's great. Blah, blah, blah. The thing is, he is 22. Exactly.

Like, as much as I do think we need to get younger, part of it is also, sit and Gino probably have what, one or two more years max where they're going to be effective. And, like, their window, if you want to call it, which is, like, very hopeful term. But if you get somebody who is also hopeful in that sense, and I know that, um, hell, is younger than these guys by like six years or seven years. Yeah. He still is like on that side of like his, his couple years of like,

I'm going to test this out might line up with those guys a little bit. So to that point I see it. And dude, what I love about it though is if you were going to win a cup, like legitimately win a cup, not just make a run. Think about a hard winning a cup is. If you guys are going to win a cup in the next two years,

two three, I'll even give you with Sid and Gino, it's going to be because of a hot goalie. Right. Like you're good. Right. But you need that like, holy shit. Jean-Sabastian Jaeger went nuclear. Johnny Quick went nuclear and stole us a cup.

And Hellebuck could do that. Like that's a guy where you're like, holy shit. Well, he's proven. And Murshov is a prospect who has, you know, potential, but we don't know anything about it. But doesn't even stunt him that bad. Hellebuck only has five years left on his deal, I'm pretty sure. And then that kid, you know, by the end of Hellibu's deal, maybe he's the backup anyway or you move him, you know, and then you give the reins to the kid at 25. This was just like a...

I love it, Dan. No, no, it's not going to happen. I think it was just a funny one. When we're throwing out teams, I'm surprised no one brought them up. Yeah. But at the end of the day, I do really think, I think it's Buffalo, Jersey, Carolina. You know, the more we think about it, the more I do... I mean, I can just see Hella Bucky in a Buffalo Sabres uniform.

And like I know, I think it makes a lot of sense for that team. I think they have bodies they could move for it. I don't know. That would be fun, too, like Montreal and Buffalo becoming like, you know, you know, You know, the powers of the Atlantic. It would be cool. Sick in the next couple years. Awesome.

All right. Let's wrap things up with a beer league hotline. Ev, what do you got for us? Guys, I'm just so tired. I don't know if I can read this. If only there was an energy... Oh. Hmm.

Oh, amazing. Just going to crack this open. Just get pumped up a little bit. Hear that? Get pumped up a little bit for the Beer League hotline. That is nice. Mango passion fruit, delicious flavor. Come on.

The tension? Ah, I hear that. For our listeners and not viewers, sipping a delicious Celsius. Here we go. We are about to get into this beer league hotline. Are you boys ready? I'm ready, sir.

All right. The guy who runs our team as a realtor. Another player on our team recently bought a house, must be nice, and didn't use said team rep as his realtor. Our team rep had a freak out and said he needed a one-on-one meeting with the new homeowner because he couldn't get over the fact that he did use, that he didn't use him as a realtor. Yeah, that's okay. He couldn't get over the fact that he didn't use him as his realtor.

The team rep even threatened to kick said homeowner off the team. The rest of the team said he was crazy and we threatened to quit if he kicked homeowner off. So homeowner is still on the team for this season, but now there is bad blood. Who is in the wrong here? Always be closing. Oh, Dan, I fear I'm going to have a controversial response to this. You've got to have brass balls to be in the wrong. be closing.

Yeah. Always be closing. There needs to be some sort of explanation as to why you didn't lose your guy. Dude, okay, I agree, bro. I completely agree. I thought you, everyone, clearly the entire team is siding with homeowner. So I need some follow-ups here because, in my opinion, dude, if you, from what I know about the real estate game, to not use your guy, you have to actively not like him.

Like there is literally no reason. or what? Maybe you already have a guy. Oh, okay, your realtor's like your boy from before. Fair. Yeah. If you have a, if you have a real connection with your current realtor, that should be explainable. Otherwise, if you were just picking blind and you play beer league with a guy who's a realtor who could have got you that fucking house, then you need to be using him. I'm sorry. He has a family to support and you need to be using him. I have a question. If homeowner is married, this excuse works for me all the time, just be like, oh, my wife. wife made the decision on that one. It was her call, not mine, and you know how it is. You don't want to yeah. Happy, happy, happy life. Exactly. That's why I said there's possible excuses that I would hear. One, if you're like, dude, like my good, but listen, your beer league is family. Exactly. If one of your, well, hold on, Chris, Jesus Christ. If one of like your best friends is, is also your realtor or a guy you've used before who got you an amazing deal. And you can't understand that as a realtor yourself as a guy on the beer league, then you're, you're kind of, I'm going to be honest,

dude, you're not a good closer. Like you're a bitch. Yes, Dan, correct. You are so mentally weak, you're so emotionally weak that you can't handle something like that. That's why you're not closing deals and getting new customers because you got a vibe that I can't really get on board with. So there are excuses. The wife excuse absolutely is one. The partner excuse, whatever. They also, if you've used someone before, that is like someone you are close. two, then you're like, no, dude, I'm sorry, I got my guy. But you have to make that clear. And it feels like you haven't made that clear, given this guy's freak out.

Now, I think his freak out is too much. Threaten him to kick him off the team. Dan, crazy. But at the same time, though. At the same time, dude, you know what this is? This is a pretty good tactic for future deals. Like, you got guys on this team. It's a lot of people.

It's a big pool. His intimidation tactic. You've got some of these other guys who are thinking about buying a home and they're like, I'm getting kicked off the fucking team. If I don't use this guy as my realtor, that's a lot. good move. I hope he's got a younger team because if he does, everyone that's approaching home ownership on that team, you're right, is now going to use him for fear of being ejected. Yeah. That is very smart. This is crazy to me because like what if this real estate agent doesn't

have homes in the neighborhood this guy wants to move to? What if the homes are too low end or too high end? You know what I mean? Like there's so many other factors here. It's like, oh, I just, like, I found a house I liked. You're not the real estate agent for it. Sorry, it's the perfect spot. It feels like this guy is such a savage. He would have made it work no matter what, dude. Like that's like, he's being like, I would have moved. He's a shark for you, dude. Now I'm going to move you off the fucking team.

Dude, now I'm going to move you off the team and move you to a different state. I'm fucking burning that house down. And then I'm going to sell it to somebody else. Listen, I respect this, dude. A guy, shout out Charlie, a guy on my soccer team, my men's league soccer team is like a commercial real estate guy. And I feel like every single game, he sits down. He's like, what's good with the empty netters office?

Like, where were you guys at with that? And I'm like, Jesus Christ, buddy. Like we just signed a massive lease. Yeah, yeah. He's always checking. ABC. Hey, when you're ready, when you're ready, you hit me up. You guys are moving.

Always be closing. Always be checking. Yeah, I've got to check in. So listen, I think you went a little hard. I think you got a little too emotional. And that's what I need you to look within yourself and kind of ask yourself, why did I get so emotional about this? But I love the tenacity.

You got to be on it all the time. And I'll say, dude, my stance is if there is no excuse. if this guy doesn't have a realtor he loves. If he was looking in the same neighborhood this realtor works, if his wife didn't care and he went with someone else, he should be kicked off the team. Wow. You should even go, you're off the team, dude.

You actively didn't pick me for no fucking reason. Damn, you're gone. Getting kicked off a beer league team is so intense. I'm not sure I can condone this behavior, so I'm going to disavow that statement, but I do think that there's merit to what you just said. Thank you so much. Yeah.

All right, folks, that's going to wrap up this episode. Crazy amazing news in the NHL. hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to tune in tomorrow to episode six of the Red Rising Breakdown, our penultimate episode of Book 1. Unbelievable shit going on. I love how much we're growing the Howlers. It's fantastic. Guys, like, subscribe. Give us five-star reviews, Spotify, Apple, if you can. Please, please, please, pause right now. Do it. We love you guys. So much fun shit going on. We will see you later this week as we have a blast and have the best week ever. Happy September. We love you guys. One thing to do to get through this month. Skate Hard.

Don't you wish you could just hit skip on the worst parts of your life? You know, the same way you can skip an ad? I get it. I'm Siaiaa and I live in Ice Cove. I've made some questionable decisions that didn't end up the way I planned. And today, I'm still figuring it out. Somehow things usually get worse before they get better. Apparently, that's how I roll.

So bundle up and come along for the bumpy ride. Stream a new episode of North of North Tuesdays on CBC Gem.