Empty Netters Podcast - Did Tate McRae Ruin The Devils Season?!

Episode Date: January 8, 2026

Look at the Devils record before Tate went on a date with Jack. Look at it after. That’s all we’re going to say. The Ducks are in trouble for the first time all year. The Rangers can’t catch a break. Dallas needs another time out. We are at the halfway mark so it’s time for the Mid Season Awards! The Professors of Puckline are all the way back, so congrats on becoming rich again. The boys debate french fries and play a game of Connective Tissue to send you home NEW EPISODES EVERY TUESDAY & THURSDAY! Watch full episodes, shorts, and clips on YouTube. Listen to the podcast on Spotify or anywhere you get your pods. Subscribe & follow Empty Netters everywhere: YouTube: / @emptynetters Instagram: @EmptyNetters TikTok: @EmptyNetters X: @EmptyNetters 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.LUCY: Order your LUCY Today by going to https://www.lucy.co/Friday and use promo code FRIDAY for 20% off your first order 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.

Finish tonight with some chicken fingers and a few guineasas is right into you guys. That's where this pod came to life. Ice is ready, and we are back with another episode. episode of the Empty Netters podcast brought to you by BetMGM. I am your host, Dan Powers. And on the sticks, he is back and he's got a belly full of Shepard's Pie straight from Ireland, Sean Buffini. Welcome back to the studio. Thank you. It's God, it's good to see you. It's good to be back. There you go. You'll love to see it. And coming to us, remote, his hat is as pink as his nose. He's hitting the slopes and getting sunburn.

I can tell Chris Powers. As always. Oh, man. How is it up there? It's cold. It's cold. Tons of snow. Got in late last night, so haven't really been outside yet, but it's cold as hell when I was walking from car to cabin. Wow. That's special. And you're going to rip it up today. That's the plan, hopefully, hopefully.

Hell, yeah, that is fantastic. Well, listen, we're going to let you get out there, and we're going to jump into this episode. We've got a lot to talk about today, folks. We've got tons of hot ice, lots of stuff going on the league. We've got our mid-season awards we're dishing out. We've got the professors back with some puck line picks. The accents are going to blow you away as they always do.

And we've got some fun games. So let's waste no time. Let's jump into it. Make sense that it was just the Christmas season because the devils are gone. They're out. They are absolutely toast. Folks, Jersey got humiliated last night in a 90. piss pumping by the New York Islanders, their friends in the tri-state area.

Unbelievable stuff. First, let's give a little tire pump to the Islander, CP. I mean, my God, Sorokin, 44 saves in a shutout in his return from injury. You had big save Dave just killing it for the Islanders. And then Sorokin comes back and does that. It's also shocking that it a 9-0 win, the devil's managed 44 shots. Like that game was just an absolute barn burner. It's the most, like, what do they, what's the term for this?

But it's like the game that didn't tell the story. The scoreboard tells a different story than what actually happened, right? Like, this feels like a game where the devil shot 18 times and got pumped. Yep. And you watch it, and I'm like, they were all over. They have 44 shots. And a lot of the goals, I know we're going to get into this in a second, but a lot of the goals, the Island scored were nasty.

It's not like, you're like, oh, yeah, yeah. He's fucking sieve, a brutal night at the office. I've never seen a tale of two goalies harder than this. Like a 44 save shutout on one end, a nine-gold, no-pole, no-pole performance on the other end. It was absolutely insane. It felt like a beer league game, but one team just couldn't score somehow, which never happens in beer league. So that was just mental. Anthony Duclair, star of the night, he had a hat trick and five points on the night.

Natural Hattie, yep, three. straight tucks for the kid. Five point night. First five point night by an islander since 2021 when Matt Barzell did it, which is fantastic. And that's another example. The islanders, the vibes are different things are fantastic. They tied a franchise record

of the largest margin of victory in a shutout since 1986. I believe they also won 9-0 against, well, of course, they won 9-0, but against the Penguins. So another Met opponent, fantastic. Well, let's get to Jacob Markstrom, like you mentioned. Nine goals against was never pulled. Do we think this was a Vassie situation where Vassi is always like, when I'm getting lit up, don't pull me, I want to see the shots, I want to see everything they've got, or was this cruel and unusual punishment by Sheldon Keefe? Dude, I had the same thought, and actually,

while I'm answering this, Sean, can you Google the biggest shutout victory in NHL history. I'm just curious. Yeah. Yeah. So, Dan, I had the same thought, man. Markstrom strikes me as a guy, and we can probably find this out. We'll call up Eddie Lack and ask him to ask Markstrom. But he strikes me as a guy that would want to eat the shots, eat the pucks, you know, like, whatever, dude. Leave me in. But then his post game was a little, like, he was bummed, and he was like, that was embarrassing. Like, that's all I have to say. I'm humiliated. And that kind of made me feel like he did want out of there.

Like at some point he was like, yo, dude, can I get the fucking hook, please? So I'm a little worried. I would have thought he wanted to stay in, but I'm a little worried that he wanted to go. Listen, I'm not a goalie. I've never been a goalie. I don't know how to get in the minds of goleys. I would never do that. I would never subject myself to that type of torture because the mind of a goalie is a dangerous place.

But I will say, I think if I were a goalie, I would want to stay in. because getting yanked is humiliating too. I would rather die on my shield. I would rather die on my shield. And I would go like this. You think this is bothering me? Ring it up. Yep.

Light me up like a Christmas tree. I don't care. I respect it when goalies do this. I have the biggest shouldout victory in NHL history is a 15 to zero win by the Detroit Red Ring. Sorry. The Detroit Red Wings, easy for me to say, against the New York Rangers on January 23rd, 19th.

The Rangers. The Rangers. Of course. Of course. It was the Rangers. Fifteen rip is so tough. Oh my God. 15 rip in an NHL in a national hockey league game is tough.

That is a tough pill to swallow. At that point, you've got to start gas and beers on the bench, Chris. I'm saying they were in 144. They were in fucking World War II, dude. We were fighting. We were fighting the Germans. Who gives us a shit? shit what's happening against the Red Wings, you know?

I mean, seriously. It's like, I honestly, I would hope that some of the boys on the devil started popping a few in the third period in this one, because it's just brutal. So let's get to the devils, a team that we all, everyone in the hockey world picked to be atop the Met this year, we wanted revenge Jack this season coming back from an injury last year. And here they are. they are seventh in the wild card right now. They're four, five, and one in their last 10, lost two in a row. I have a lot of questions about the devils.

Number one, actually, I'll change the order of my questions. Number one, are we entirely sure that this isn't Tate McCrae's fault? Dan, you mentioned it to me, and I referenced the national all the time, and we saw Roy Hobbs become the victim of this. So it could be anybody. It could be any team. It could be any player.

And you mentioned it to me, and I said, no, that's not fair. And then I went to the tape, Dan. I checked the game notes, as our boys, Merles, and Army would say. The New Jersey, and Jack Hughes and Tate McCray spotted Gossip Girl style on November 21st on dinner, eating mutton ragu on November 21st, sucking down mutton, beanie on. Okay. So I checked the tape. I checked the game notes.

Before that dinner, the New Jersey Devils 13, 6, and 1. Post that dinner, the New Jersey Devils 9, 13, and 1. Now, I'm no math major. It's something to think about. Something to think about. Can I put it back on you really quickly? Is it a Tate McCray curse, which I would hate to see? I'm a huge fan of her.

I'm a huge fan of Jack. I'm a huge fan of their relationship. I'm a huge fan of the Devils. I would hate to see that. is there a chance it was beanie at dinner curse instead of Tate McCray? Because those are the two things that happened. I start eating Tate McCray. I wore a beanie while eating mutton ragu.

I think there's a chance it was that. I think you could maybe fix it by going out to a nice dinner and dressing up and doing your hair. Listen, I'm never going to sit here and tell you that it's not that. I couldn't. I couldn't tell you that. What I will say is this. There's too much stuff. going on here. Too many distractions. And also, we love love. I think we have well established

ourselves in the NHL and the hockey world as the horniest podcast and the loveliest podcast. We love, we are champions of love. And I don't want to stand in the way of that. But I will say in a time where Jack Hughes kind of needed to have a big career year where he stayed healthy and then he cuts his hand on a wine glass. In a season where we've got the Olympics, where Jack Hughes wants to shut up the haters who were saying he didn't have the best four nations. In a season where the devils need to get back on track,

where my boy, Keith, who I said, is a regular season God, and it was all Toronto's fault. It was all Toronto's fault. Watch him take New Jersey to back-to-back first place finishes. I now, that's not good. I now feel bad about that. We don't need distractions. And I just do think international pop star, voice of an angel, dancing legend,

gorgeous, gorgeous gal, and bowls of mutton is not what Jack Hughes needs. That's not it. Do you believe that if this was confirmed, if Tate truly loves Jack, she should let him go for the devils? Like, do you think if she truly cares about them, she needs to sacrifice herself and her relationship so that the devils can make playoffs? I think it's definitely something to consider, and I will also say this.

Again, shout out the boys, shout out Biz, Yance, Witt, G, the Chicklitz crew, because they brought this up. We can't be entire, listen, we can't be sure of anything, as we've said. Yeah. We can't be entirely sure that Tate McCray, international superstar, Canadian superstar in an Olympic year, isn't a saboteur.

This is one of our bright, shining stars and Jack Hughes. All of a sudden they start playing bad in New Jersey. Jack's confidence goes down. That leaks into the USA locker room. We can't have that. I'm not saying Tate's doing that. I would never say that.

But I am saying it's possible. Think about it. Think about it. So my next question for you on the devils, are firings, trades, changes being needed at this point. Keefe is fine as far as I'm concerned.

We need to give Keefe time, but fits. People are wagging their finger at fits. People are saying, fits, you're not doing enough. We've talked about their defense, how many defensemen they have, and then they're just getting rung up like this. I don't know. Maybe we consider, do you trade some of these guys?

Do you trade something? Something has to be done in the positive, though, which is crazy. and they might, this might come back to bite them, but no one will be fired this year, in my opinion. And if they make moves and they should, it will be as buyers to fix this and not sellers. Like, I don't think they're going to go, oh, wow, we fucked up and we're firing people

and we're strading off assets to, like, retool wrong. They are going to be buyers. They better be. And if that also doesn't work, Dan, then yes, in the summer we can start talking about, then we can talk about making that love. Because they need, they need, They need a little love in here, dude, real bad.

Yeah, I'm going to agree and disagree, sir. I agree that they need to be buyers. And I'm talking to trade trade, like something to shake up the tree a little bit here. They need to make a trade. I've said before, it is nothing against the player. I think the player is great. It's all about the younger guys behind him. Dougie Hamilton needs to be traded from this team.

I just think that that is a, Dougie Hamilton is a, really solid piece. He's a good player. And you have those guys, like I said, behind him on the depth chart that can step up into that role and you can get a lot back for Dougie Hamilton. So I think he is one that should be high on the list of potential trades. But you got to do something. The part that I disagree with is, I assure you, someone could be fired if this team continues on this trajectory. If the devils miss playoffs, like if you are the New Jersey Devils and you have the players that you have and you had the expectations you have and you miss playoffs because the Islanders and the Flyers jumped you, that is poo-poo on you, sirs.

And that will not be acceptable at all. Correct. I just think they'll wait because I don't, unless they're, unless they, like, truly crater Dan and they're, like, already eliminated by the trade deadline. That's what I just said. Yeah. Do you even listen to me when I talk to you? I just said if they stay on this trajectory.

No, no. I said if they stay on this trajectory. Like, dude, they're in seventh in the wildcard. If in 20 games from now, they are in seventh in the, like if they are terrible, if they continue to lose, if they dip into a losing record, God, you got to listen to me, bud. Yeah, but take some notes. You always say this. Three points out is, is, like, people go, they're seven out. And I'm like, they're three points out, dude.

Like, if they are, I promise you this, Dan, if they are three points out of a wildcard spot, no one is getting fired. If they are, if they are. I agree. But like I said, Chris, I talked about this trajectory, three, five and two in their last, or excuse me, four, five, and one in their last 10. If they do that in the next 10, they'll be way more than three points out. That's my point. Yep, fair.

They can't keep losing like this. They can't keep losing like this. Speaking of teams who are losing, we've got a flight, a new flightless bird to add to the animal kingdom. We've got penguins. We've got ostriches. We're adding ducks. The ducks, they can't fly right now.

They're flightless. Ducks fly together. Ducks die together. And I'm sorry. And they might be dying. They currently die. They might be dying at a rapid rate. This might be a true epidemic going on in the animal kingdom.

We've been saving the bees. We've been saving the whales. We might need to save the ducks. Because they are one, seven, and two in their last 10. They've lost three straight. And they are out of a playoff spot for the first time in a month. months and in their last six games Chris they have given up five goals seven goals five goals four goals five goals and six goals leaky way too leaky way too leaky what do you think about

the ducks I think that insane take here but I think that they are completely fine they are absolutely going to make playoffs the Pacific is a joke anyway and And they are going to be all right. This sucks. And I think they, I think, Dan, this might be just what they needed. Because this team came in here, man, being the hot playoff team. And everyone was like, look at the ducks. The ducks where everybody's fun pick, right?

Like the ducks are going to make playoffs this year. They might get a wild card. It's going to be so cool. And then they've been in first in the Pacific for three months of the season. And all our boys who are ducks fans were doing the jig, everybody's happy. And I think you wanted some adversity. No joke, I think if this Ducks team waltzed into the playoffs as the one seed in a weak Pacific, I think they are in trouble early in playoffs.

They don't have a ton of experience. They're not ready for this grind, all that shit, right? You're running into like the Oilers, the Kings, Vegas, like, holy fuck. This is a bad, bad stretch of hockey that they are thrilled is coming right now. and even if it leaks for another month, which is a nightmare, even if it leaks for another month, you get the Olympic break and you can kind of get some rest and reset. So feed me this problem right now,

and I don't even care if it goes until February 11th because they're going to be all right, and I still have them in playoffs comfortably as a top three seed, and thank God it's now and not March, or fucking April or May, worst case. Okay, I agree with all of that. There are a few things, a few issues with the ducks that I would like to bring up, And I do think this is not a team I'm panicking about.

Obviously, they need to turn things around quickly. But Coach Q behind the bench is a perfect coach for a right-to-the-ship situation and a don't-panic situation and a little bit of adversity, as you said. I do think going in a big concern with the Ducks was their decor is pretty young. They have Truba and they have Radco obviously in there. That's great. but they're a little young and you got to take care of your

goaltender, you got to take care of dostall. And he doesn't have the best numbers right now. They're giving up, as I just said, those last six games, they're giving up way too many noodles. So we've got to tighten the screws on D in a big, big way. And then there are also a couple things. You look at this team, the leaders of this team,

points-wise. Leo and Troy lead the way with 42 points each. Fantastic. point-per-game players. The fact that Leo is already up there, as we've talked about a million times, a lot of these guys is fantastic. But at the same time, has slowed down a bit. There was a time 25 games into the season where it was like Maclin, Badard, and Leo were like top five in the league. So he's slowed down a bit. You've got Cutter with 40, unbelievable, and your boy Beckett, 32 points in this, you know. Just like truly in his rookie season, this is fantastic.

I do think if you are the ducks, you are looking at Mason McTavish and you need more. 26 points, 10 goals from this guy that you essentially traded Trevor Zegrois because you were like, we know we've got Mason. Then we had the contract situation. Now here we are. He's got a new bag. He's out here and is playing at like a 50 point pace. Needs to be way better.

And dude, this is anecdotal because I'm sure. everyone in the comments can find examples of the exact opposite of this. But coming off of sway last year and McTavish this year, and I would even like kind of say Luke Hughes maybe too, there's something to the like, dude, get your contract done and get in camp and get ready and get with the boys and get with the fucking program. Because it's a couple years in a row where it's guys, and I'm not even blaming the players for not getting,

like for fighting for the deal they want because I think everyone I just named deserved the deals they got. but there is something to be said about getting joining late and then these slow starts these slow first years coming out of that contract you know I kind of I kind of hate that

yeah agree and when I look at this team and Flyers fans don't worry we're about to jump into the Flyers but when I look at this team I believe this team is very good and I believe you know they just slipped out of a playoff spot but I think they are a playoff team and I think that they should be going for it this year

they've got a lot of picks and a lot of pieces. And when you look at their forward group, Crider, Leo, Terry, Cutter, McTavish, Beckett, Harkins, Granny, Killorn, Frank Petronos on IR, they've got a solid fourth line with guys like Johnson and polling. I'm not sure I'm shaking that up that much, honestly. When Franky comes back from injury, so the question is, what do you do?

Do you add someone on defense? But even there is a spot where I'm, like, I don't even know who you would replace, but do you think this team needs a trade? Not really. I hope they do because it feels like every year at the deadline the team's making a run do something. But I would, if I am, I take a page out of the lightning book all those years of Cup wins where it was like, add veteran bottom six presence, you know, like a great dude on the bottom six who can eat some minutes, win some draws, win some Dzone draws, and kill a penalty

or two. You know, I don't, if I'm the duck, I don't think I make, I don't think I pay for a big move to bring in some top six stud or some huge defenseman because your future is so, so bright. I'm like, give me some depth. I'll pay a little bit for a little bit of depth and see what we got because I think they're fine. I think you're probably right.

That's an interesting take. I feel like we hear names like Kiefer Sherewood all the time being brought up and I'm like, oh, that could be a great lightning style ad. So I like that. All right, let's jump into the Flyers. That's the team that just beat them, obviously. Big, big story here. Trevor Zegris, two goals in his return and his first return playing the Ducks.

He has 41 points on the season. Trevor Zegris is so back. Do you have any idea how... Do you have any idea how close I am with my lawyer? Like, come on. Who do you even know here, bro? Who do you? You're such a fucking bad guy.

Listen, it feels so good. so good being a Trevor Zegro's truther. Yes. Like, Tommy Yolson. Hey, Tommy, I know you're listening. You bitch. Yeah. Shout out our friend Tommy from home who's an absolute poopy diaper butthole who hated on Z.

Didn't believe in him. Never thought he could get back. And I said, every time you're dumb, he will be back. And here he is. He's back. My favorite part about this after the game, he was interviewed. And they were like, listen, your first came back and the whole time he's smirking and he's nodding. And he was like, I've been looking forward to this game for a long time.

I missed it last year. But here we are. And the interviewer was like, you scored two goals, how that feels. And he goes, it felt fucking amazing. And he doubled down. Two. Two F-Brombs, dude. Yeah.

He went, felt fucking amazing. He felt fucking amazing. He even emphasized the second fuck. Don't care about those fines when you score two goals against your former team. And there were a couple little nuggets in that interview where they said, said, oh, yeah, this team might have quit on you, you know, coming back here with a little revenge, and you saw a Z nodded. Like, he was like, yes.

I am here, and I am living for this type of shithousery in the NHL, this type of petty. Be Tom Petty. In a world of Sidney Crosby's, we need more Tom Petty's in the NHL. I love this, because now all of a sudden, we have a cross-conference rivalry between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Anaheim duck. and that is fantastic. It's incredible, dude. And you pile on the cutter thing going the other way.

You know, it's like there's sick ammo there, you know, for these teams to really dislike each other because they've lost, like, young, young talent, superstar talent. The phone thing, which I know you're going to get to, they asked him about his phone celebration. You know, he does the hang up. Oh, yeah. And they go, who do you hang up on? And he was like, I don't know, I don't know who it was. I just let, why don't we just say that phone call I did on the ice was about as quick as the one

They gave me when they traded. Dude. I was like, this is what I'm talking about. So, Dan, shit-housy. I, and I'm,

here's my take, dude. I was so high on Z early and I felt so bad when it was going poorly. And we were always like, believe in him, believe in him, it'll be fine.

And then whatever, I'm glad it was a change of scenery that saved him. But, dude, it turns out that I think he needs to be this. Like, I used to say when he was struggling,

I was like, oh, Zegris is like listening to the media too much. You know, he's like, just play. dude, ignore the noise. And now I'm realizing that, no, he, like, he needs to be, he's a villain.

He should be a villain and be like, oh, I hear it all. And everything, every person that church me, I fucking go, I store all that shit and I ram it down your fucking throat as soon as I get the chance. You know, I thought he was like this golden boy, like cover of NHL. He's like, he can't believe he flipped the puck to Sunny Milana, you know. And I was like, oh, look at this little, our sweet little boy. And now I'm like, no, dude, you are, you are Darth Vader, bro. Like, I want you to go the other way and reach your potential.

becoming a Sith. Do you think, God, Star Wars references at 9 a.m.? Come on. Do you think he has that in him, though? I think he's too sweet of a boy to become. I know he does. He tricked you, dude.

He tricked me. He tricked us. He tricked us. He's not sweet, dude. He's not sweet. He tricked us. Has he been fooling me this whole time? He tricked us.

Okay, so here's my thing. I love this. I love this take. But I wonder if it's a halfway point. Maybe he doesn't go full. villain, maybe he is, maybe he's just a trickster. Maybe he's just like a little cheeky monkey. That, that I like. Him stir in the pot, stir in the pot occasionally, but not being full villain could be his sweet spot because he is, he's just such a happy boy. I don't think a villain

can be that happy. Yeah, maybe he's like, um, puck from a midsummer night's dream. You know, he's like, he's the mischief king. And Pac is exactly. A cheeky monkey. Yeah, he might be Puck Zegris now. That might be his new name. And it's a perfect topic name and he's the Mischief King. Perfect crossover. He is, all right. Trevor Puck Zegris, the Mischief King, I absolutely

love it. The other thing I love Yes, I knight the. Maybe he's not a knight yet, but we dubbed the Trevor Puck Zegris. The other thing I love with the Flyers, dude, Vlodar. You mentioned a Sith Lord. Darth Vlodar.

He has been fantastic. A goalie was a big question mark with the Flyers coming into this season, was last year. Ladar has come in. He's playing fantastic. And that is clearly becoming a huge difference. We've got first year talk who we're going to talk about a little bit later. But this team, this Flyers team is legit, man. They have a winning record both home and away. They're a plus 11 goal differential.

They've got great, great production from guys like Trevor Zegras. I think he's second on the team in points. this is a very, very awesome shift with the Philadelphia Flyers because through all phases, they've got great production going on. It's just really good shit for them. I mean, you've got to be fired up if you're... It's amazing watching some of these goalies the last couple years, Bussie, Lidar, Stolars last year, more so than this year.

You know, it's really cool seeing these goalies get some time and delivering. It's fucking awesome. It's unbelievable. Another team in the Met that we're talking about, not in a good way this time, the New York Rangers. We just mentioned, we brought it back to 1944 when they got shellacked 15-0. Now they've got a couple more L's. We've got Igor Shisterkin, without a doubt, the MVP of the Rangers this season,

probably for the last four seasons, has been put on IR, and then long-term IR, Adam Fox, just came back from a bit of an injury. Now he's on LTIR. Two big losses for two of the big, big players for this team. my question for you, do we think this is a little bit of karma for the Rangers trying to injure Seth Jones in the Winter Classic? I'm just saying.

I'm not going to say that, Dan. Adam Fox doesn't make Team USA. Seth Jones does make Team USA. The Rangers try to injure Seth Jones in the Winter Classic. Everyone gets hurt on the Rocks. And everyone's been hurt on the Rangers all year. Yep.

The Chesty, the good news about Chesty is it looked horrible. They were like, oh, that could be done for the year and he's not going to miss that much time. looks like, but him missing, because they got a bunch of games coming up before the Olympic break, him missing half of those, and then Foxy missing like all of them probably. But I thought they were smoked anyway, though. You know what I mean?

Like, I was sure they weren't making playoffs. I don't think they're very good. I don't think they're making playoffs. I certainly don't think they're making playoffs now. Yeah. I think the Rangers are dead, but they have a great. opportunity. I believe, do you remember, what was it? Oh, you know what it was? It was the Boston Bruins record breaking year. And the Washington Capitals felt as though they were a wild card bubble team.

Everyone was like, oh, this team might sneak into playoffs. And then boom, they traded Dmitri Orlov and Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins. And everyone went. what are you doing? You guys are in a playoff hunt. And they went like this. Full fire sale. Yeah. They went, no, we are not.

Give us picks and assets. And then look at the caps now. I mean, the caps are struggling now. But they were fantastic last year. I believe that they are still likely a playoff team this year. It was good for the trajectory of the Washington Capitals. The New York Rangers, in my opinion, started their retool last year,

but there are still many, many things that they can do. And I believe now with these injuries, just another sign for this Rangers team, they are poised in an opportunity to sell high with a lot of these players. And I think it would be foolish for them not to. Dude, I love this. That would be, it would benefit them big time

because those decisions are coming. It's not as bad as like the Toronto thing. was, but those decisions are coming. Get ahead of it, dude. Control the narrative. Control the story. Get ahead of it right now. Legitimately, I am not kidding you.

I think if I look at this Rangers roster, I would straight up go, Shusirkin and Adam Fox, funny that they are both on IR right now. Those two, Gabe Perrault and Will Cooley, are straight up probably the only guys that I would say are not available. Everyone else is available. Everyone else. And I would go, let's get a shakeup going on here.

Let's finish the retool. I'm with you, dude. Make it happen. Let's do it. Stamped, approved. It's unbelievable. Okay, we've got a quick warning in our hot ice here that we're going to wrap up with. Just a quick warning.

People remember a little while ago, we put the Dallas stars on Fraud Watch. And for any new listeners, Fraud Watch does not mean you are frauds. It means you are on the watch. It means that we are keeping an eye on you to see if we need to call you frauds. And here at the Empty Netters podcast, it often kicks teams into high gear. We put the wings on Fraud Watch twice this year led to two winning streaks. We put the stars on fraud watch. Went on a massive rip.

The stars were very leaky when we put them on fraud watch, and I hate to say it. They appear to be leaky again. They lost 6-3 last night to the Keynes. Seth Jarvis, goal on his return. Fuck you, Bill Garan. That is what Seth Jarvis said, not me. Armstrong, Armstrong.

Sorry, yeah. Fuck you. Fuck you, Doug Armstrong. Dude, Billy G. He takes absolute fucking straight. Total strays. I'm mixing up my GMs here. Sorry, I'm all over the place.

Thank you. Fuck you, Armstrong. Again, not my words. Also, not Jarvie's words, but just like kind of what I would guess. Eilers also, eight points in his last four games. He is third on the team in points with 34 after the slow start that we had mentioned. Nikolai Eilers is absolutely buzzing. And that is fantastic to say.

but as I mentioned the Dallas Stars give up six goals last game including OT losses they have now lost six in a row and in those six they have given up six four four four four four and four

they are a little leaky again so we're not going to put them on fraud watch because they still remain in second place in the central in the tightness central division and they're lucky because the kings were able to give an OT or a shootout loss and a loss to the wild keeping the wild below the stars so we're not going to put them on fraud watch but we are going to give them a little pee-y-wack and i'll say this dan the you just said it about how that the type they are with the wild if you're dallas you've got to believe you can beat the wild you've got

to believe you can beat the abs you know you've got to believe you're a cup favorite or a cup contender but you just don't want that we joked whoever is going to get two and three in the central has to play both right like you got to beat the other team and then you got to play the abs probably and it feels insane that anyone could catch the abs at this point so it's probably Dallas Minnesota and you just want that series at home dude you want game seven of that series at home and to to blow the lead like the wild I had them fucking six seven dude to blow the lead when they were that and you were like you know we're clearly the second best team and I'm like are you going to to finish third in your fucking division. And it's these big slip-ups. And I will say, too, Otter has been so good and so average this year back and forth to the point

that right before this slip-up, we were talking to people, some fans at Winter Classic and shit, being like, that's Otter's net at Olympics. You know, like, he's been fucking incredible. Get Hellabuck out of there. And then you know, like, and then these runs happen, and you're like, God damn it, dude. So it's, it's tricky.

It's so tricky. And also, I get confused by this team because when I look at the Dallas Stars defense having Esa Lindel, Miro Haskin, and Thomas Harley and Nils Lindquist on this team in their top two pairings, and Otter and Net, I'm like, how are you giving up so many goals

so many times in this season? I don't get it. So I'm going to need them to tighten it up big time. And they are in a tough situation where they like their cap situation is so interesting. and this team is obviously very, very good, but they are, I think they have negative cap space technically

when you look at it. Or their current cap space is like 3.2, but the projected is minus 1.2. They have not given Jason Robertson a new deal yet. And I'm like, okay, how does this team get better? Because you wonder, like, this is something that people, you know, sometimes forget when you are trying to tighten up defensively in a team, if that is one of your weak spots, if you're giving up too many goals,

it doesn't necessarily mean defensive ads. Like sometimes it can mean that middle six forwards, those guys who play two-way hockey, that can help big time. And you wonder with Dallas, like, if you have this team, if you have this talent with this group and that goaltender and this defensive core, if you lose in the playoffs again because you're giving up too many goals, that is just like so unforgivable. So Dallas, Pee-PWack.

not fraud watch, don't worry. But again, including O.T. Six straight losses when you are the Dallas Stars, that ain't going to cut it when Colorado is over here and they've literally not lost in regulation at home. If you want to be taken seriously, if you want to be taken seriously and be given a shot, this can't be happening.

So that's that. Okay, let's take a quick ad break. And then we're going to jump into our mid-season awards. All right, everybody. The hockey is in full swing. We've had the winner classic, which means we are on a rocket ship through Olympics and stadium series and all the fun through playoffs. It's going to be an amazing 2026 in the NHL. And that means you need to get on board with BetMGM's hat trick jackpot because then you have the chance to win your share of 10 Gs in bonus bets.

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CP, you went Nate Dog. And I tried to go, I tried to describe it, and you kept, well, I buzzed myself, but you kept, eh, you kept in me. And then I had to get buzzed, so I stopped at Nate because you're right. It was insane. Nate was off to the hottest start ever,

and I went Nate. You did. I went, Mac, McLan Celebrini, my son, my blood. Now, at the halfway point, Christa, you want to make your pick first, or do you want me to go first? I'll go first. Actually, you go first, because I know what you're going to say.

Oh, do you? Do you? My pick for MVP at the halfway point. You guessed it. No bias here. I'm sticking with Mac. I'm sticking with my son. Macklin Celebrini through 42 games,

64 points, 23 goals, 41 assists, and he's a plus 15 on the San Jose Sharks. And also, let me tell you this, CP. Let me tell you this right quick, right now, and talk about something very, very special going on. The San Jose Sharks are a wild car team. They're in the playoffs, as we speak.

When we were doing quarter season, and I was doing my bullshit where I say 10 answers, and I was like, yeah, it's also Mac. I pray to God they give it to him, Dan, and I was just trying to pull this up for you. I don't have the exact stat anymore, but the Mac has, oh, this is, oh, no, this is this year.

How many points does Mac have? I just said it. Mac on Celebrini has 64 points. Yep, here we go. Okay, yeah, got it. Mac has 64 points. Dude, Alex Wenberg is next on the Sharks with points. You know how many he has?

I would guess 25. 29. And they did a gap between highest point on the team, next highest point on the team, and Mack leads the league by a mile, right? So I pray. Now, that would be different, that would be different if Will Smith

hasn't, hadn't missed so many games. But the facts of the matter are, Will Smith, arguably your second best player on the team, is injured. He's injured. And they're, they are in a play. playoff spot, Mack is still doing what he's doing. To me, this isn't even close. It's legitimately not even close. Connor McDavid and Nathan McKinnon are doing what they're doing, absolutely.

But again, you look at the talent on the two of their teams. You look at everyone surrounding them. You look at the expectations of the sharks this year. You look at Macklin's age. The fact that he is only 10, 11 points behind Connor McDavid. He has this San Jose Sharks team in a playoff spot right now. The gap between the first and second place. the points scoring on the sharks. I think it is such an obvious Macklin Celebrini is the MVP. I don't even know what we're talking about.

I pray to God they give it to him. I will say the only caveat is they do have to make it. I think if they just miss playoffs, and I wonder what your take is on that, but I think if they just miss, it's hard to give him MVP. I disagree passionately. If they just miss and they have a,

if they're over 500, and they miss the wild card spot or playoff spot by just a couple of points, like anywhere inside five points, I genuinely don't think that matters. Yeah. The fact that they're... It shouldn't matter. The fact that they're in it, yeah.

The fact that they're in it is like everything. And what's funny, my big thing, dude, I would love to hear any Edmonton Oilers or Colorado Avalanche fan argue... Listen, and that's not to say that McDavid and McKinnon are fucking unbelievable. and insane. They are, they are fantastic. Both players I love, but I'm talking about in an MVP discussion, I would love to talk to any Avalanche or Edmonton Oilers fan and be like, how can you possibly disagree with this? That's how passionate that I am about this. I love it, dude. So just as another way, I'm changing my pick to McDavid. Now, I pray Nate scores 70 this year,

and if he does, they can't take it from him. But the way McDavid, I think there's still a game off, maybe, but the way McDavid has come back has more points than Nate. And on, in my opinion, a not very good Edmonton team, has this Edmonton team, which is worse than they've been in a long time after playing the amount of hockey he's played and the slow start he had, Connor McDavid is about to have a hundred and fifty-five point season and take them to first place and win the Art Ross. And I'm going to be like, okay, he did it again. And he hasn't had it in a while.

I think sometimes they get McDavid fatigue and then now he hasn't won in a little while and then they go back to him. So, Nate, Nate or Mac, please fucking do it because I would love to see a 70 or a Sharks playoff. But I think if McDavid goes 150 burger again, then you can't take it from him. I love it. Okay, Norris, take it away. Who is your pick? Last picks.

You said kale. I said Zach Lorenzky. Yep. What are you going to? I'm going to go crazy again because, God, it's hard not to just. stroke Werensky every chance you get. But the way Lane has gotten, Lane is six points off the league,

like league lead for D. He's six points behind Kail. I think in the same amount of games, I think. And Kale suffers from the fatigue thing. Like, he's the goat, dude. Kale's like the best defenseman in the league, and it's amazing. And you give it to him every year if you wanted. But if Lane gets close,

if Lane finishes tied with Kale or two points behind Kale, for defensemen scoring and the habs get the one seed. I could see them going, we're giving it to Lane, because he just produced the same amount of kale on a wagon team, and he took the habs to a one seed. I could see it happening. He's six points back right now.

I'm interested. Give me Lane. Lane Hudson, I don't know what the issue is with people and Lane Hudson. I think it's Canadian fans, not Canadians, Canadian in general fans. I feel like if you're not a Habs fan, you just hate him. Like, Ottawa fans hate him. The discussions on X with Senators fans about Lane Hudson is they're just like,

he's a second assist merchant, he's this, he's that. And listen, we've even said things like I think it was the right decision, him not making Team USA. Sorry, it is what it is. But it's insane. How good the kid is. I mean, he is genuinely, he is a point machine. It's crazy.

Every single time that team scores a goal, Lane is probably going to be on it. And that's nuts. Now, I will say that team, despite where they are in the standings, that team is so talented. There is so much talent on that Montreal Canadian team, especially offensive talent. So it's not shocking to me that he is able to produce when he has all of these guys that he's playing with. But that takes nothing away from it. I only bring that up as to say, you talked about kale, talent around him, you talked about laying the talent around him. There's no disrespect to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

But Zach Wrenski is not only is Zach Wrenski the Norris winner still for me. I think this guy should be getting heart votes. He leads the Columbus Blue Jackins in points. He has 16 goals. 16. Yeah, that's crazy. At the halfway mark. 29 assists for 45 points.

He is, I believe, one point or so or so behind Kale. What's the, he's three behind Kail. Three points. Three points behind Kail. Zach Wrenski is, again, no disrespect. At the moment, feeling like the only good thing about this Columbus Blue Jackets team. And it's the second year in a row where he has been absolutely out of this world for this group. He does it every single night, and he does it defensively as well.

I think, you know, we talk about Quinn Hughes all the time. We talk about Charlie McAvoy's importance all the time. Zach Wrenski is the most important defenseman on Team USA, and I don't even think it's a discussion right now with how he's playing and what he is able to do on both sides. We always bitch about the Norris Trophy and how we need to. We need an or trophy, and we need a Norris trophy. For my money, and I want to say this,

Kail McCar does this as well. Camel Carr is phenomenal at defense. Zach Werensky is a true Norris Trophy winner to me because he is a great defensive player and obviously a phenomenal offensive player on the board. If he scores 30 the year after Kail does it for the first time, you know, it'll be so sick. So I'm here for you on that.

The only push-pelt good of you is the heart because they're so bad. Last year, I agree he literally should have been getting heart votes. And I think he did get some because he played this level D and they were nasty and like in the playoff run until the death. Just being in dead last, I don't think you can be like, you're MVP because you're the best defenseman on the team literally in dead last. They are bad. That is very, very true.

Okay, moving on to Vezna, quarter season. We both gave it to LT. Caps are slipping a little bit right now. We might have a little bit of a switch up. I'm going first I've got two that I'm going to bring up I'm not going to do it I'm not going to pull a you and pick them both

I'm going to pick one but then I'm going to give some stick taps to the other I am going Vassi I'm going Vassi right now everyone wants to forget about Vasilevsky everyone wants to say oh yeah other guys have you know popped up the rankings

above him but Vaselovsky very quietly is just seventh in the league in goals against, and I believe he is 10th in the league in same percentage with 914, and the bolts are top of the Atlantic, with all the ups and downs. But Vassi has just emerged, and yet again, he is the workload king.

Like, he's just playing so many games for this team, and I just think that we have forgotten about him way too often, and he is quite, quite good. It's a cool pick by you, Dan, because he obviously has great numbers, but they're not, he's not even top five. They're not vastly numbers.

You know what I mean? So it'd be a, it'd be a, it'd be a ballsy pick from the voters to be like, whatever, dude. I know it's not the gaudy numbers, but look at what he did. Look at their gold diff, shit like that. So I kind of respect that.

Do you want to give your flowers to? I do. And in fact, I'm going to change my answer. I'm just talking about it. I'm just talking about it. My flowers were going to be for my former Calder pick. I think I've got to go to the wall of St. Paul.

Okay. I was going to give flowers to Yesper Walstead. And listen, the big issue, the reason I think I was holding back, my other flowers, by the way, are Darcy Kepper. The fact that the kings are where they are is 100% because of Darcy Kepper. But Walstead, my issue is he is. is kind of a tandem. Like it's, you know, Gus is playing a lot. Like, you know, it's, he doesn't have as many games as some of these other guys, particularly a guy like Vassie. But at the end of the day, Walshid is so fucking good. I think he's like 11 and 4 on the season. And he just made team Sweden.

He, like, this guy's out of control. And yeah, I'm changing my pick. Sorry for the premature choice there, but I'm going Walshead. Get fucked, Vassie. You bitch. Sorry Vasi. Sorry, Vasi. I'm going, and Dan, you know what's crazy? If you made me pick, like, literally who do you think wins it by the end of the year? I think I might go LT still. But if you're handing out mid-season awards, which is what I'm doing right now,

then give me McKinsey Blackwood. I think games, like you just said about the tandem, I think games are going to hurt him in this vote. Yeah. Don't forget, O-Mark won the Vesna the year that he was in a huge tandem with Swainman. Swamon, played 37 games that year. But Olmark's numbers were moronic, so they had to give it to him. McKenzie Blackwood isn't going to get a lot of games, but I believe, and they should tandem the rest of the way.

Wedgwood's also insane. But I believe he's going to get the majority. So he will finish the year with more than half. And right now, dude, he leads the league in goals against by a good margin, by the way. Like he's at two, let me pull this up, he's at 207, I think. He is 207 and Wedgwood is next at 220. So that's like a decent gap there. And then McKenzie Blackwood's second in the league and save percentage.

And on the season, bro, he's 13 and 1. So I'm like, okay, like enough of the abs lose ever, but Wedgwood has all the other three losses, you know? So it's, or actually if you count the overtimes, Wedgwood has seven losses and McKenzie Blackwood has two. So I'm like, bro, he's lost twice this year. If he plays half the games with these numbers and never fucking lose his hockey games, they should give him the Vesna, even if it's not as many wins as we normally see with like a hell of buck and shit. Yeah, I like that. Okay, going into Calder, last quarter season, I had Walsid.

You had Beckett Seneca. Now, what do you got? I'm going, God, it's hard not to, if he's going to win the Vesna, how do you not do it? But I'm going Schaefer. I think Demidoff has really step. it up and my boy Beckett is nasty and I think if they really go and maybe hit like a 70

point mark it could get interesting but right now it feels like a Schaefer's wall of St. Paul race just give me Schafe because with how many goals he has dude like actual goals not just and not to chirp lane again but not like he has a billion assists that's why he has so many points like Schaefer is scoring

goals from D in the National Hockey League as a fucking 13 year old and literally what he's done with the team. We've said this in three episodes in a row, but like the actual transformation of the vibes of the New York Islanders is because of one child. And I think for that alone, I think that you got to give it to him. Yeah, I appreciate you shouting out Demit up because he really is. I mean, he's what, three points off a point per game? You know, in his...

He's sick, dude. In his technical first year in the National Hockey League, that's unbelievable. I just think it's for, yeah, it's Schaefer or Wall for me. Again, And Walshead's emergence is so undeniable. And I do feel like in our protect our goalies campaign, I also want to respect our goalies. Yeah. And I just don't like as good as Schaefer is, and I still think it probably is Schaefer for everything you just said,

particularly the vibes and the fact that he's 13. I don't know how you don't have Walstead in this exact same conversation. I mean, like this is this guy's rookie year. he has stolen the starting job from Gus. He got on Team Sweet. He might steal the starting job from Gus on Sweden, too. He probably will. Markstrom just gave up nine goals in a game.

Like, he's not fucking starting. That's everybody's net, Jacob. So, yeah, I just think that they are 1A and 1B, and they're unbelievable. Okay, Selke, quarter season. I went Nico Heeshire. you went Leo Carlson. Both the Devils and the Ducks

are on a big time skid, so halfway mark, I think we're going the same guy here, so I'll let you take it away. Give me Team Canada's own, Anthony Sorelli. And as much chirping as he got from me a little bit about making that team, it was more about the high flying goal scoring that I want in the Olympics,

not the Selky-level masterclass. You know what I'm saying? I don't want Selky-level masterclass in the Olympics, and that's just my opinion. But luckily, this isn't the Olympics. This is the NHL, and Anthony Sorrelli is a Selki-level Masterclass Center. I like Nick Suzuki a lot here, too, Dan, but just with the way Sorrelli plays, and look at Tampa's Goldiff, and I know they got a great D, and they got Vasi and all that stuff, but look at their Goldfif, and the job he does competing against top, top competition is absolutely elite. And you can say it was a Cooper pick all you want,

but this is exactly the reason he made the Olympic team, and he's one of the best. nothing more to say my only addition was going to be giving flowers to nick suzuki because he deserves it as well and also just like man the way that he truly does it two ways because i like nick suzuki is much more productive offensively and i think that that is you know something to be considered a little bit in the selki like if you're really doing it on both ends like a guy like burseron like a guy like barcov dot soup did uh jonathan taves kopi like that is worth mentioning and that's why I think Suzuki is definitely in that conversation, too. Honestly, Dan, whoever wins the Atlantic should get it.

Like, if the half of the Atlantic, they should give it to Suzuki, and whoever, if Tampa wins the Atlantic, they should give it to Sorrelli. I fuck with that. Rapping it up with the Jack Adams, coach of the year, I had Coach Q at the quartermark. You had Dan Mews at the quartermark. Who do you got now? Let me go.

I'll let, I'll say answer that I don't want to spoil yours, but then I'll circle back. Give me Rick Talkit. damn and i have a couple other ones that it could have been but just to me as surprising again i won't spoil but as surprising as some other teams have been the flyers just being 100% in the mixer and and him getting stuff out of zegras and getting stuff out of these big players that is fucking awesome because they have been such a joy and they did they did this hot start with torts and then phila that like wow dude the five was ready for the flyers to fall off a cliff every week. And here we are, the Flyers looking like a very legitimate playoff team. What a turnaround.

Give me talk. First year talk. I love it. The other one I'll say is, this is not my pick, but you had this mentioned as well. Patrick Waugh deserves some. Same answer, right? Some shouts. But again, I kind of think I give Shafer the Jack Adams. Like, I genuinely, I'm like, I think I put more stock in that. Yeah. There. And I do. But at the same time, it's like, you see Barzell is buzzing again. A guy like Heinemann scoring as much as he is, but Horvatt is going better than he has in a long time. Waugh deserves a ton of love for that.

Maybe an obvious one, but I feel like it's crazy that we haven't brought it up. I feel like so often people look at Jack Adams and they go, oh, it's got to be to this overachieving, you know, team that no one expected much of. What about fucking Jared Bednar? I mean, Jesus Christ, man. This Colorado Avalanche team. You won it in 2023.

Yeah. This Colorado Avalanche team. is in the best division, and they have 11 points more than the second place team in their division. Like, it's, they are fucking out of control. They've not lost in regulation at home. At what point do we not giving him some love, give him a little bit of a stroke off? Because, goddamn. God damn, the Colorado Avalentra try to control.

You're right. It will be him. If they do this, it will be him. It has to be. It simply has to be. All right, those are our mid-season awards. We're going to take another quick ad break and get into some fun. Babes, we are talking about the best thing in the world of nicotine.

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Daniel, welcome back. the professors took a holiday break we are now here to provide NHL picks that are automatic winners. There is no Meg Parley Recap and no life on the line Parley Recap to go over. Which means Daniel we miss zero games. We miss nothing.

Which is fantastic. Zero misses when gambling is just a fantastic feeling. And we're going to roll that feeling and that momentum into these next picks as we get back into Professor Parley

Christopher, what are we starting with? We start, of course, with the Friday fade. Now, the Friday fade options are caps at hawks, kings at jets, blues at mammoth. Now, I hate betting on the blues, Daniel. I'd like to eliminate that one. Good day. It's simply been a disaster for us.

We can't risk it. It's just something we need to avoid at all costs, at always. So, there are two fades screaming at. me. The hawks have been terrible lately. And the Jets, the Winnipeggers, are in last place, they're in last place. There was a day that the Fade was the team playing the Jets because the Jets were so good. These days the Jets are so bad, they might be the Fade themselves. The Los Angeles Kings are without that captain, Anja Kopatah who is day to day with an injury, week to week with an injury. The Jets are in last place. They are terrible. They're falling apart

at the seams. Therefore, that must be the fade, Christopher. They cannot win, so they must win. Jets Moneyline, Friday Fade. Simple and easy. Now, the Saturday Selly where we pick an anytime goal scorer in the games on Saturday. McDavid has 17 goals in 34 career games versus the Kings. He scored every other game. That is utterly insane. he has been on fire. Now, also, Sidney Crosby, 13 goals in 23 games versus the flames. The Penguins are on an all-time heater at the moment. Nathan McKinnon, Avs have lost two straight in regulation,

which we have not seen all season long. After having lost only two in all of 2025, Nate has not scored in either game. They are playing the lowly Blue Jackets. Chris. Enticing, Dan. as rich, as rich and delicious as the Connor McDavid selection feels. I like Sidney Crosby and I like Nathan McKinnon.

To me, Nathan McKinnon being kept off the score sheet this much recently feels like that is the obvious decision. I would like to go Nate Dogg and I would like to lock that in as the Saturday, Selly. No questions asked. If I was a betting man which clearly I am, I might go all three. But for the professors, for the lecture today, I might go all three then. There's a chance. There's a chance.

Goodness gracious, man. Goodness gracious, come down. I was rich in funds. I would bet on all three, but I am not rich in funds. I've had a long Christmas with gift giving and turkey, buying and anti-scruging. I'm low on funds. I will only bet on one. And I like, you go back to the well, Mr. McKinnon, he's got a billion goals. He'll score a billion goals this year. It feels too easy. Sometimes it is too easy. I'm with you. I love Sid, but I'm with you.

Let us go Nate Dogg for the win for the Saturday 7. Saturday, Sally, Nathan McKinnon, stick it in your pipe and smoke it by the fire. No questions asked. Now, the Sunday hat trick, Pauley. We have the Devils at Jets, we have the pens at Bruins, the caps at Preds, the jackets at Mammoth,

and the Knights at Sharks. You feel like... They were two speaking to me, Daniel, to go to Pauley. To Music Cities. You'd like to go to Music City. Possibly. Do you like that one? The two. There are two. I like the Music City one. I think I like that one as well. Caps at Nashville Predators. You like the Caps money line. Caps to sort of

write the ship, maybe the Preds to cool off. Preds on a back-to-back that night, Daniel, a back-to-back with the caps arrested. I know it's on road, but the Preds are back-to-back, the caps are rested. I like the caps in that case, and I love an Under with L.T. I love an under. You know that. As you have said, Professor, Sharp as a quill, preads on a back-to-back. Capp's Money Line. We're doing the under, and you like Tom Wilson Point. I surely do. After a team candidate a selection, I love a point from Mr. Wilson. I watched Castaway last night, Daniel, on cable television.

And I screamed Wilson at the top of my lungs. He bust score. He bust, he bust score. Wilson! Shall be on the score sheet in Music City in Nashville. With the under, with the Caps money line. That is your Sunday hat trick parley. Now, one of our favorite segments,

we do our Saturday mega live on a beach, parley. We shall go through the entire team, starting with Professor Sean, Professor Feeney. Rags at Bruins? Rags? Oh, I'm just jumping into it. Sorry.

No, I like that. I'm just very eager. He is. So rags at Bruins, Professor Feeney. Who do you like? Definitely the Bruins, right? Brilliant. I mean, the rags are, the banged up.

Everyone's on LTIR. How could the Bruins and not win that game at home? Daniel Flames at Pence. I will take the penguins, sir. Christopher, Jackets at Av's. Jackets, absolutely. Feeney. No, just kidding.

Avs, I thought you guys would react to my lunacy. I thought there might have been method to your madness. I was stunned. I was stunned, silent, frankly. I had no idea how to react to that. Professor Fidi, Stars at Sharks. Stars would be the smart choice, but I'm going to go Sharks. Oh, my dear sweet Lord, Pfezafini, I love it. Daniel, ducks, ducklings at Sabers.

now we've taken every single home team so far and everything about me wants to say that the ducks will find their flight yet again but I don't believe they can I'm taking the sabers keeping them on this hot streak Canucks at Leafs Leaves, Leaves Hot Christopher home team again Leifes Professor Feeney wings at Habs

Habs for sure Habs Yes yes It's got to be Habs right Daniel Katz at Seds I'm sorry to say I'm going to break the trend I will take the cats I believe they can take down the senators incredible Christopher bolts at flyers

I'll go bolts uh Professor Finney spunk at Keynes Spunk because always spunk also you know Keynes Daniel Hawks at Preds Oh dear I'll take I'll take the

Preds. I think the Preds will get one in their back to back and I think it will be this one. I'll take the press. Lovely, Daniel. Christopher Isles at Wild, I will go Wild. Professor Feeney, Kings at Oil. I'm going to keep it local. Go at Kings. Yes, Professor Vini and Daniel Blues

at Knights. I will take the Knights. Oh, Live on a beach, Palais, Bruins, penguins, avs, sharks, sabers, leaves, habs, cats, boats, spunk, Preds, Wild Kings Knights. Let's do it one time, boys.

This is going to be so fucking bad. I have an absolutely horrible feeling about this one. I can't see this going well for us at all. Then we better write the ship with the Life on the Line parlay, Dan. Yes. It is about time that we hit the Life

on the Line parlay. Four games. A four-leg palet. Christopher, what are your two games? Okay, my two games. Game, leg number one. Blues at Nights, and we're going to continue with the rhymes. Blues at Nights.

For anyone new here in our life on the line parley, Chris and I write bits of poetry to amplify the vibes going into this palais. Take us away, sir. Blues at Nights, the Knights lost nine straight. They're due for some wins, and I'd love to see another Jack Tuck. Figure it out in the city of Sin, because if you can't beat the Blues,

You suck. Nights. Night's body line. Fucking hell. I've said this before. I put so much effort into mine and yours are so stupid and yet they're better than mine

every time. Leg number two, hawks at Preds. The Preds have found their fight and the Hawks are without Connor Bedard. To pick against Nashville tonight would simply make you a moron.

Preds, muddy life. Bloody hell, man. Jesus. Well, I'll take it away from there. For my picks, there'll be no cannon fire where their air is much higher, and the abs simply cannot be beat.

Jackets, not a good bet, when last place in the Met, unlike the war, they are doomed for defeat. Kale is a freak and Nate's on a hot streak. The home record will continue to glow. Zach and Krill cannot snipe with woods in the pipes. Might as well just enjoy the snow. Av's money line.

For the second. With Copey day today, I'm sorry to say, the kings will fall to a familiar foe. Sure they've managed to score a bit more than before, but the oilers shall deliver a blow. Connor is back on top in the league's top spot, already closing in on 100 points. With him and Sir Dry, we simply cannot deny. It will be Edmonton that victory anoints. Oilers. Life on the line, Knights, Preds, Ave's, Oilers.

Take it to whatever bank you keep your funds at. Gringott's Bank, hopefully. That is your session with the professors. We will go and enjoy a few games, and we will see you that. Thank you to the professors. Those were electric picks for your NHL weekend. Now, boys, I wanted to pick your brains on something. Little nod-ice action here.

Oh. I am on my way. Yeah, a little knot-ice. I'm on my way to the cabin here, and I stop for lunch, and I order a sandwich, a Ruben sandwich. And they go fries, slaw, side salad, you know, like what would you like with the Rubin? Yeah. And I go fries.

And they go, done. Fries come, they're delicious, I eat it. Get the bill. And it says, Ruben sandwich, you know, however much it was, $15. And then it says, fries, $5. And I'm like, dude. And I have a question, should fries ever be? be extra. Like, there are places that are like, do you want fries? They're not included. And I'm like,

why are they not included? That is fucking ridiculous. I would like fries. Where are you at on extra money for fries with my fucking sandwich? In my perfect world, no, especially at a restaurant, I think no, they should not be extra. Now, if you're going to a sub shop, a pizza shop, or something like that, and they've got sandwiches, subs on the menu, and you got, like some fries too and they're like yeah it's 350 extra that makes sense to me i'm like yeah cool this this isn't a this isn't a restaurant with a sandwiches and burger section i think that makes sense if you go to if you go to jersey mics and you get a bag of chips that's extra that makes sense to me if you're at a restaurant where it sounds like you were that has a sandwiches and burgers section of the menu i mean you're

getting a reuben that that feels like a side should be included and it's should not be extra. I think that that is really tough, especially if they said to you, would you like fries, coleslaw, side salad? And then they don't go, by the way, this is $5 extra. That's something that you should be told. Yeah. By the way, you can't pay rent this month because you have just been fleeced by the side of fries. That's how I felt. I feel like if I, if I order my, if I order my entree sitting down, I expect the fries to be included. And if I order it standing up, then I'm expecting to pay more for fries. That is really good, Sean. That is such a really good, Sean. That is such a good way to determine whether or not your fries should be included. Chris,

where did you order this sandwich? I don't know if I should blast them. I actually don't even know if I know the fucking name. No, no, no, no, no. Oh, sorry, sorry. I meant where and you're in your physical body? Were you standing on your feet? were you sitting on your butt. But in seat, Dan. But in seat. Then that's, hey, this is hogwash. This is hogwash, friends.

Those fries should have been included with the sandwich. I do also love that it's like, this is where Chris starts to take an interest in economics. It's like, I mean, the last few years have been nothing to him, but he's like, what, $5 for fries? Yeah. Not included. I mean, listen, you got to pick your battle.

Sometimes you have to figure out what really drives you up a, up a tree and this this one is that for you so so how much if i'm standing sean and dan if i'm standing and you're expecting to pay for fries how much are fries in your mind okay can i can i get in here yeah i think if we're if we're at an establishment that sells sandwiches subs and and the like and you are standing i believe there should be two portions i think fries with your sandwich should be $350. I think fries as a side should be a little bit more fries, and it should be $5.

I agree with that. I think that's a pretty good rule. Right? Like I think if you're getting it as a side for your sandwich or your meal, it should be a bit of a smaller portion, and it should only be $350. Also, like I'll pay more. I'll pay like a dollar more if it's like garlic fries or truffle fries

or something like additional to that. Yeah, like curly fries. Yeah, but for like for basic fries, I think $350 is fine. Yeah, actually, I'm going to take back what I just said. I think if you add to something like a truffle or a garlic parm or cheese, we need a little bit extra. But if you are a place that has fries, tater tots, curly fries,

I think those should all be the same price. You're just picking your different version of fried potato. Are fries always your go-to? Or would you prefer like tater tots? I, Chris I know is a big tots guy. I'm the tot god, Sean. I'm the taught god every time. He is truly a tot god.

That is very true. That is kind of dirty. Yeah, yeah. Well, he's a thought god and a tot god. Chris himself is a thought. He's also a tot. I'm a sweet potato fry guy. I'm also a curly fry guy.

A nice kind of spicy. In Ireland, they used to have curly fries at McDonald's. and they were the best. They were the best. They took them away? They took them away. During COVID. That's the one thing that I can't get over from COVID is that they took,

McDonald's got rid of their curly fries and never brought them back. Why in the world? You know what? I bet people were, uh, I bet people were buying the curly fries to taste if they, or to check if they had taste and smell still. Yeah. And you know, if they were buying them, they had good taste to begin with.

Yeah. But like now, nobody gets them. That's devastating. It's horrible. And then when I came to the U.S. and I went to a McDonald's here for the first time, and I ordered curly fries, and they were like,

what kind of crack are you smoking? Like, there's no curly fries or has never been curly fries. We've never had these things. I've never felt more betrayed in my entire life. Yeah, that's horrible. I'll tell you what, I try Arby's. Yeah.

Arby's has phenomenal curly fries. I still haven't been to Arby's yet. I got to try it. Listen, I'm a huge. The posters look kind of gross. You know what? I actually, I grew up loving.

loving Arby's. And I think it's, we're from New England and like a North Shore beef, roast beef is a big thing in New England and Massachusetts in particular. So I think we just inherently loved roast beef sandwiches and Arby's thus became a great spot for us. I will admit in my later age, if you've never been to Arby's and you're looking at the advertisements and the posters and that fat slab of roast beef from a fast food restaurant, you're kind of like, I don't know if I want this, but I'm here to say, I still. But you do. You do want it. You do one of those places. It's incredible.

Yeah, I promise. You do want it. They're fantastic. It looks like the kind of place that, like, names their sandwiches, like the heart clogger and stuff like that, because everything just looks so greasy and disgusting. But I can never bring myself to go into one.

I mean, listen, they're worth it. You got to do it. So, CP, I think our final answer, I mean, brilliant call by Sean. If you order on your feet, you need to pay extra for fries. If you are seated, they need to come with the meal. and I'm with you, Dan, I want the same price for regular curly and sweet potato and tots. If you want to do the truffle and whatever,

garlic parm, fine, a dollar additional. Last thought, if you're sitting, what should they come with automatically? Obviously, burger, obviously any sandwich. But do they come with anything else, or is that greedy? Not like pasta or something. That would be weird. Yeah, yeah, but like, if I got, if they have a,

On the menu, like, if I'm in a restaurant that has sandwich paninis and a sub, and I get the sub. I'm like, I'll have a meatball sub. Do they go, you don't get fries with this, you fucking loser? No, I think if you're seated, I think something better come with the sandwich. But again, I think if I'm seated at a restaurant with a sandwich burger section, a meatball sub would be kind of crazy. But maybe it'd be more of an artisanal one. It's a smaller roll, maybe with some sesame seeds on it, maybe a little toasted. Just to add, if I'm sitting at a restaurant and I order a sandwich or a burger and a side is not a part of that order, I am slightly affronted.

I feel betrayed. I feel offended. Honestly, like whenever I order a burger and it's like more than $9 and it comes by itself, I feel like I've been scammed. Yeah. Completely agree. It feels like something that a ski resort does. Yes. Right, you know, they go, oh, by the way, nothing's included with this.

And I'm like, of course. Or like an airport. I love how I so enthusiastically said yes, but I've never been to a ski resort. I was like, yeah. And I'm like, I don't have ski resort money. I hate that. But that is true. That is true.

A tender basket, tender basket comes no fries. And I'm like, what, dude? I mean, that is, there is no world where you've ever ordered a tender basket that doesn't come with fries. Like, I think a tender basket. basket, the inclusion of the word basket in the order means fries come with it. And if they don't, we can't get, we can't get on tenders again. You're getting a knuckle sandwich in return.

If I order a tender basket and fries aren't in it, you're getting a knuckle sandwiches payment. Jesus Christ. All right, let's play a game, Dan. Let's play a game and get everyone out of here. Hell yeah, let's do it. Okay, this game for the new listeners in our Thursday episode, we always play a game, a little trivia-style game at the end. And this one is called connective tissue, where I give you a bio of two NHL players and their names meet in the middle.

So it can be Scott Stevens, Stamcoast, or as in Scott Stevens and Stephen Samcoast, it can be Brandon Carlo and Logan Couture, Brandon Carlogan Couture as to get spicier. And are you ready, Dan? I sure am. Okay. I was drafted 35th overall in 2016, and I won a world junior gold medal in 2018. I didn't make my NHL club until the following season, but I've been there ever since. I made the All-Star game in 2022 and won the fastest skater competition. Then I was drafted 49th overall in 2015 and won a world junior gold medal in 2016.

I also made my NHL club in 2018-19 and have been there ever since. I've shockingly never made an All-Star game despite being one of the most respected centers in the league who is always in the Selke conversation. Now, I have hints for both, Dan. Give me that second player again? Yep. I was drafted 49th overall in 2015 and won a world junior gold medal in 2016. I also made my NHL club in 2018-19 and have been there ever since. I've shockingly never made an all-star game

despite being one of the most respected centers in the league who is always in the Selke conversation. Similar age guys. First guy. First guy. First guy. Yep. Drafted 35th overall in 2016. Won a world junior gold medal in 2018. I didn't make my big NHL club until the following season,

but I've been there ever since. I made the all-star game in 2022 and won the fastest skater competition. And that is his only all-star appearance, by the way. and let me know when you want a hint for either one. And the hint's not a total giveaway, so it'll be okay. Both guys have only played for one NHL team their whole careers. I think I know the first guy.

Okay. I think I know the first guy because of the fastest skater. I actually forgot he won fast skater. That was really surprising to me. Not that I didn't know he was fast. I do, but I was like, oh shit, I forgot you won this. I don't want to fuck. Have we ever fucked this?

up. If the first guy is who I think it is, then I feel as though the second guy can only be one human based on his last name. Then you probably haven't. I'm going to go ahead and say, I don't have a clue on the second guy. All right. You want the hint on the second guy? No. Well, actually, let me say this. Is the first guy currently coached by a dear friend of ours? Yes, he is. Okay, then give me a... I don't even think I need a hint because I genuinely don't think there's another human being who could fit the name pattern.

It's great. If I allow, if I can stroke myself off, it's great. It's really great. Okay, I'm just going to guess because I don't think there's anyone else. Okay. Okay, I believe our player is Jordan Kairupae Hints.

That is exactly correct, Dan. Is it? Yeah, hell yeah. Yes, dude. Go on. And Rupae hints. Jordan Khyi Hintz. The hint was, I've never won a cup, even though my team has been one of the favorites for the last five years and I played in one final.

And I think you got that. That was special. That was really, really special. All right. That was a special episode as well. Huge thank you from all of us. Take those picks to the bank, folks. The professors, if you're new here, the professors,

are on a heater. We're batting about 500. We're hitting at 50% all season long on all of these picks. So make sure that you join in with us on those into the weekend. Guys, go to the merch store, grab some merch if you like, subscribe to the YouTube. Follow us on all the socials. We love you. We love you. We love you. Have an amazing weekend of hockey. Have an amazing weekend of life. And when you do so, make sure to do one thing above all else. Skate hard.