Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Analyzing the Penguins potential trade deadline plans!

Episode Date: January 28, 2026

While the trade deadline is still pretty far away, some Metropolitan Division teams have been making moves - so should the Penguins follow suit? Patrick and Hunter begin the show looking at the moves the New York Islanders have made recently, and if that should force Kyle Dubas and the Penguins' hands. They also look at some possibilities the team could make ahead of or at the NHL trade deadline. (0:00) Then, with the big club off for a few days, they take a look at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who, despite losing some good talent to trades and injury, are still chugging right along. (13:24) Finally, it's Wednesday, and that means it's time to hand out the MVP of the week in another Warrior Helmet Wednesday! (24:12) Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!QuoTry Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go tohttp://Quo.com/lockedonnhlIndeedNow, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/lockedon right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONfor $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelIf you’re a new customer, bet just $5 and get $200 in Bonus Bets if you win. Make it count — because after the Super Bowl, the season is over. Last call for football on FanDuel, an Official Sportsbook Partner of Super Bowl Sixty. Rocket MoneyTake control of your finances and cancel your unwanted subscriptions with Rocket Money.Go to https://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDONtoday.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A couple of the teams that are in the chase for the Metropolitan Division with the Pittsburgh Penguins have been making some moves. So is it time for Kyle Dubus to do the same? We're going to talk about that. Give you an update on the farm system and hand out our Warrior Helmet for Warrior Helmet Wednesday on the Wednesday edition of Locked-on Penguins right after this. You're Locked on Penguins, your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. your team every day. Welcome in to another edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast.

I am one of your hosts, Patrick Damp. You can follow me across all social media platforms at Synonym 4Wet, joined as always by the one and only Hunter Hodes. You can follow him on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. You can give our show's Twitter account a follow at L0 underscore Penguins. You can also find us on Instagram at Lockedon. underscore Penguins and TikTok at Locked on Penguins. Of course, as always, we appreciate you making us part of your daily routine.

Don't forget, we are free and available wherever you get your podcasts as well as YouTube. And if you follow us on YouTube, which you should be, make sure you've hit the notification button. That way you can be among the first to know when we drop our daily Monday through Friday episodes. Hunter, the penguin's biggest boogeyman historically has been the New York Islanders. You look back at their history, some of the most heartbreaking moments, heartbreaking losses, playoff eliminations, you name it, right at the center of them, is the New York Islanders. We talk about the caps, we talk about the Flyers, we talk about the Rangers when it comes to biggest rivals because they are. But low key, it's always been the New York Islanders.

and they have been quite active lately. Most recently, they have acquired Andre Palat from the New Jersey Devils. They also got Carson Sousy from the New York Rangers. And on the surface, these don't look like the most splashy moves. They don't look like a team that is going all in. But when you look at the standings and when you look at the way things are shaping up in the east, the devils and rangers the rangers definitely have waved the white flag on this season they wrote yet another letter to their fans telling them it's over and the devils have just not lived up to

their preseason expectation but then you have the islanders who are chasing the penguins for second in the metro and these teams are going to be neck and neck it looks like for the rest of way. So this is the Islanders telling everybody our team's playing better than we thought. We're going to reward them down the stretch ahead of the Olympic roster freeze. So it brings the question, is it time for Kyle Dubus to maybe make some moves? I mean, I think he's going to be active, but I also think he can continue to be patient and wait for something to come to him. I mean, we all know he's not going to be in the big rental market trading out a first round

pick for a player that's going to walk at the end of the year, like, you know, Artemi Panarin, for example, though. I know Panarin is thinking about an extension for some teams if he potentially goes there, but for the penguins, I'm not really interested in that considering where his age is, Pat, where they still are in this we build on the fly. Something like that doesn't make any sense, but he can afford to be patient. You know, I look at the Ford group right now when everyone's healthy. I don't really see a need to go out and get a Ford.

I mean, heck, they still have Rucker majority and Billy Clove and in his depth and they're down in Wilkesbury, you know, more on Wilkesbury coming up in the second segment. but I don't really see a need there. I still would really like to get a long-term option on the left side. Kulak is going to be a UFA at the end of the year. You know, Watherer Spooned Stills a year left, and he's been fantastic. You know, Ryan Shea will have to deal with his contract situation coming up too. So I would like a long-term option there, if possible, you know, at some point.

Though if you also potentially want to get someone on the right side behind Latang and Carlson, I can see that too. So I do think the blue line is the area of focus where if they're going to make a move, I think it's going to be there. Personally, again, I would prefer a longer-term option on the left side. But if you want to argue that a option on the third pair on the right side is more of a bigger need, I won't argue against it because I do also think that you could use more depth there. Jack St. Ivany is out for the next eight weeks.

That puts you around the end of March into early April. You're going to be kind of cycling in Connor Clifton and Ilius Salove. of during that time. So you can, again, look at that spot. They're set on goalies, at least for now. There's really not too much they're going to do. Like, I don't think he's going to sit back, but I still think he's going to at least reward them

similar to what the Islanders have been doing. Like, those aren't big moves for the Islanders, but I think Matthew Jarsh is saying, hey, you're better than we expected this year. I'm going to go out and get a couple pieces, death pieces that is, that can hopefully help us get over the humpier and get into the playoffs. Yeah, and Darsh has some history with with Pallot from their time together with the Tampa Bay

Lightning when they were winning Stanley Cups together. So there's a familiarity there for him. He probably believes that he can get him back at least a little bit to the form he was in when the lightning were going on their run in the early 2020s. Yeah, the devils were just done with him. I mean, they paid the Islanders two picks to just get out of that contract. Yeah, and it's hard to believe that we're saying all the way back in the early 2020s at this point for certain things. But yeah, I mean, the thing that's really nice for Kyle Dubus and the Penguins right now is one, you said it and we have said it about the forward group.

They have really found something with this group. So you don't need to really go searching for upgrades, especially when you have a couple other players waiting in the wings that could step in. So you don't really need to do anything crazy there. again, the focus to me and to you really has to be that left side on defense. You've got to find somebody that can be there for three, four, five years into the future. But the thing that's nice overall about this is that Kyle Dubus has put them in a good spot to where there isn't really a wrong answer for what he could or should do. the one wrong answer is to completely veer off course, sell some things off and go get a rental. But we know he's not going to do that.

So I think that answer's off the table. But you look at the way this team has played. You look at the way that this cap situation is set, the draft picks, the prospects. If he wants to part with a mid-round pick or two, or if like I hinted at a couple of weeks ago, if you're going to want to move on from a first round pick, it does need to be for a long-term option on defense, basically swapping out a magic bean for a known quantity. And then there's the other option that I know isn't going to be that exciting to the fan base.

He just kind of stands pat and tinkers around the edges maybe a little bit because this team's a lot better than we thought they were going to be. This team is very much in the thick of a playoff race. with each passing win and each passing week, it looks more and more likely like they're going to return to the playoffs in 2026. So you don't need to do a ton to really make this roster better. And then the last part that I just want to quickly mention because you hinted at it. I have seen some talk about it online from Penguins fans myself.

Unless the Rangers are just handing you, Artemi Panarin, you're not getting them. No, he's going to go to a different team. Go ahead. Because the thing that I would say is if you're willing to part with a little bit to get him for the stretch run just to have a better scoring player on your forward group, I'm not going to say no to that. But it cannot be a high price. And you know with where the Rangers are and where they want to go. When they move him, they are going to move him for a lot. Yeah, the thing is, it is going to be a high price.

I mean, Panarin is their best forward. They're going to try to get what they can for him. You know, you've seen Minnesota. floated out there. I think that makes sense. Washington, if they can figure it out, I understand, but again, I think the caps really, A, they need to get healthy, and B, they got to start, you know, scoring a lot more. Like, that's been an issue for them as of late. You know, I like the way Logan Thompson's playing, but again, they just really got to start

figuring things out here because some of the games in front of them, like the Penguins, have games in hand. So they're quickly, they're starting to quickly run out of time here. There's still some time for them, but it's a little, later for them than it is for a team like the Penguins who again has games in hand. But yeah, like Panarin, you know, someone like Trocheck, they're going to get a lot for him. And he doesn't really make sense for the Penguins with their timeline, in my opinion. I think if Dubus goes after someone at a deadline, he's going to try to go after someone young once again.

And he keeps emphasizing that. He wants to bring in more younger players. So if he goes out and get someone at the deadline, I think it's going to be, again, for another younger player who's below the age of 30. you know, I know this team is very much in the playoff hunt right now. I'd love to go get Pavel Mitzikov from the Anaheim Ducks, but I don't really know if they're going to move him around the deadline, considering how good the ducks have been this year. So it's like a dream option on the left side, at least for me.

But I still think he's going to be a little bit active. I just don't think you're going to see him make a huge blockbuster move. Again, like a safe buy option is what I'm thinking of right now. That's kind of where I am. And the other thing to keep in mind is he kind of, kind of did in a way fire the first shot getting Chinakov from Columbus. And granted, at the time, you and I talked about it, a little bit of a high price, a little bit of a risk. But as we sit here on January 28th, pretty damn good risk.

So it's worked out pretty well. But it is something to keep an eye on because if the islanders and even the hurricanes or the capitals, even the flyers to an extent, if those teams start to make a little bit of moves to bolster. their roster. Dubus doesn't have to panic. He doesn't have to suddenly make a move, but it's something to keep an eye on because this is a tight race. And right now, the penguins, obviously outside of the hurricanes who lead the division, are the ones at the front of the pack in this race.

So everyone's chasing them except for the hurricanes. So they're in a good spot. And I do think there is an organizational belief of we are ahead of schedule. We don't need to do. anything crazy here. We can just play with some house money, see what happens, and keep the plan going. Speaking of the plan,

Penguins got a couple days off, so Hunter and I always need something to talk about, and it's something we haven't done in quite a bit. We're going to take a look at the baby penguins out in Wilkes Bear and how they're doing over the past few weeks. We'll get into that when we come back right after this. But first, we've got to tell you about today's first sponsor, and that is Quo.

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That's QUO.com slash locked on NHL. Quo, no missed calls and no missed customers. We're back here on the Wednesday edition of Locked on Penguins. I'm Patrick Damp right alongside Hunter Hodes. Let's take a look down on the farm where the Wilkesbury Scranton penguins are still just chugging right along. And I got to give a shout out to my good friends. over at Pensburg.

They do such good work with everything from the big club to the farm clubs. They are on top of it. And they brought up a point talking about Wokes Bear that I kind of forgot about and flew under the radar because we're obviously also focused on the penguins being in a playoff race at the NHL level that Wokes Bear lost a lot of talent over the past month. You think about it, Sam Poulan, Valtari Poo. Houston in, Danton Hinen and Philip Thomasino all left via trade. And those guys were really doing well for the baby penguins.

So you take away some of that talent. But they're still just chugging right along. You go through their last two weeks, 4-1 win over the Providence Bruins. Tough loss to Hartford, 4-3, but then they get it right back the next night with a 4-1 win. Then they beat Springfield 3-2. They drop an overtime game to the Belleville Senators 3 to 2. And then they get a shootout win, something we don't say often about these Pittsburgh penguins over the Hershey Bears. And then this is the game that I want to focus on because you did briefly touch on this when you talked about the trade market and the organizational depth.

They lose 5 to 2 to the Charlotte Checkers. But Yoel Blumquist makes a season high 35 saves in his return. So that is just the state of the Wilkes-Barrs, Grant, and Penguins are sitting in second in their division, but the team ahead of them has games in hand. So this is a team in a group that even losing some talent is still chugging along. Right. And we have to start with the two goalies mainly with Marischov and Blumquist, because when both have been healthy this year, excuse me, they've been really pushing one another.

You look at just the raw stats, you know, Marischov's played in 21 games, has 15 wins, 922 say percentage 2.1A goals against average. I know there was that sequence pad a couple weeks ago when he just got lit up in a couple of starts. Yeah, a little welcome to the pro moment, I guess if you want to call it that. He bounced back right away after that. And if anyone was actually concerned about that, please, every goal he goes through that when they're developing.

But he continues to play great this year. But don't sleep on Blumquist either. I know he had that rough stint in the NHL, his second stint last season when he was giving up a lot of goals to his blocker side. Penguin sent him down, brought Jari up, which was the right call. He didn't want Blumquist just really losing all of his confidence. You could tell Pat that he was losing some of it with some of the goals that he was allowing. You didn't really want to just break this guy overall. So they sent him back down. Now this season, he's played in 13 games when he's been healthy.

9-20 Sabresage 2.26 goals against average. Him and Marishaw were really pushing one another. And that's going to be a fun conversation to have come playoff time for Wilkesbury for head. coach Kurt McDonald, which goalie do you go with with how both are playing so good this year? If I had to guess, I think he's going to roll with Murshov in the first game, but Blumquist is right there with Marischoff falters, for example. I really like the way that both goalies are going. And you mentioned it about, you know, the players of the penguins have traded away, you know, like a Danton Hinen, like a Phil Thomas, you know, like a Sam Kuland, who have all been playing

great in Wilkesbury before they got moved. But you see some of these other players. and boosting as well. At Lake Calvert has nine goals and 24 points this year. I like how, you know, when he's been healthy, Tristan Brose has 14 goals in 28 points this year. When he's been healthy, I've liked how Avery Hayes has played. Gabe Classen in 33 games has 11 goals this year. I still want to see more from Owen Pickering overall when healthy. He's not having the season that I really wanted him to have, but he's still in the system. McGority has played nine games over point per game. Same with the way Coivinen. You want to see those guys especially dominate down there in the AHL. But this is still a good team. And later on in

the season, after some of the other prospect seasons end, especially in junior hockey, Pat, you're going to see Wilkesbury get more reinforcements. You've seen that, especially the last couple of years. They got Harrison Brunick at the end of his junior season last year, and he looked very comfortable in the AHL. Once his season ends, even though Cam Loops is better this year compared to last year, I assume he will be reassigned to Wilkesbury. There will be other prospects, I think, that will come up as well. So I'm really excited for all of that. Yeah, you brought up Classen, who has been on a tear 10 points in his last 11 games. Eight of those are goals. It's his second year with the organization, spent time with the nailers last year, really coming into

his own as a 22-year-old. We'll see if he can continue this strong play and really continue to develop because that has been and always has been, in my estimation, underrated aspect of the Penguins organization in the Sydney Crosby of Gennie Malkin era is that they use Wheeling and Wilkes-Bair as incubators, more so than most teams. They correctly identified that when you have these big name players, you are going to have to churn out some really affordable, unexpected talent who do well at the minor league level, I'm thinking Jake Gensel, Brian Rust, Tom Coonhockle, Scott Wilson, and so many others

that you didn't really think much of them when they were drafted, because they were drafted third round, fourth round, fifth round, and you're thinking, ah, you know, it's a bonus if they become something, but they identified under several different management groups that they need to get these players who have some good raw talent in the later rounds, let them do their thing in the ECHL or the AHL. And in three or four years, they're going to come up. And they're not always all going to be Brian Rust or Jake Gensels. They're not always going to come up and become top six talents. But they're going to be reliable players that you can put into the lineup, either in your bottom six, on your bottom pairing. And it really helps you fill out the rest

of the roster so you don't have to go free agent hunting. You don't have to spend a bunch of money on players that really end up handcuffing you because they don't have the same level of upside or the same level of talent. The other thing that you brought up that we really got to keep an eye on, Tristan Brose going to be out for a few weeks. The baby penguins are saying undisclosed injury. Tough break because he has been having one hell of a season down there. And again,

he is one of those players. It seems like every time he's close to knocking on the door, something happens, whether it's an injury, whether it's the team gets hot and you just don't have room for him. That's kind of where he was heading at this point with this team until he got hurt. So you really do hate to see that for bros. Right.

Yeah. It just stinks because he's been having a great year for them when he's been healthy. As I said, a couple of times. You know, he's come up to the penguins a couple of times. as well. I do think his time is coming overall when he is going to be a full-time NHL or he's going to get at least a look as a full-time NHLer, but you just, you look at the lineup right now,

even when healthy. There's just not really a full spot. They all will to him saying with Avery Hayes, I know, Pat, they came very close to making the team, but, you know, we're going to have this conversation again over the off season. Also, did want to say Emil Pianney Nemi has been reassigned to Wilkesbury from Wheeling. He has played in 10 games with Wheeling this year. two goals and four points during that time. You remember that entire situation with him in the organization. They've moved past that, and he'll now make his H.L debut pretty soon, it looks like. And you do have to give him credit because the way it started this year,

you hate that from every angle that, one, he's refusing an assignment to the ECHL, forcing the team to suspend him for that. but since they have figured that out, he has been a loyal soldier. He's played well at the ECHL level. He's going to get his chance here in the AHL. And you got to give both him and the organization kudos because they figured this out. They came to a solution. And it looks like he's going to have value for this organization moving forward.

But so far, things looking pretty good down on the farm. A lot to be excited about even as we're still excited about the big. club but that is going to do it for this middle segment when we come back this week i don't have to steal the host chair from hunter for my favorite segment because i'm already sitting in it it's wednesday you know what that means it's time to give out our MVP of the week in warrior helmet wednesday stay tuned to find out who's going to be getting some helmets this week right after this we've got one more sponsor we've got to tell you about though and that is our friends at Fan duel. It's the last call for football on Fan duel. One final Sunday, one last kickoff,

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So last call for football on Fandul, an official sports book partner of Super Bowl 60. Visit Fandul.com to get started. Wrapping up the Wednesday edition of Locked-on Penguins. I'm Patrick Damp running right alongside my good pal, Hunter, Hodes. And it's our favorite, our favorite day of the week. It's Wednesday. That means it's Warrior Helmet Wednesday.

If you're new here, you might be asking the question, what's Warrior Helmet Wednesday? And to our longtime listeners, this isn't going to be me explaining what a quad A player is. I've done that plenty of times. So it's time for me to explain what Warrior Helmet Wednesday is. We give out our MVP of the previous week, the best player or executive or coach or even fan,

depending on what happens that week. It's our segment. We can do whatever we want with it. And it pays homage to the 2016 Stanley Cup winning penguins, who the team will be honoring this weekend when the New York Rangers come to town, where after every win from the regular season all the way through them hoist in the cup, they gave out their player of the game in the locker room with a warrior helmet. In this week, Hunter, I think it's a pretty obvious pick.

I know who I'm going with. I want to see if you got the same one as I do. So Hunter, who you take it? Yeah, my pick this week is Evgeny Malkin, and it looks like we do have the confirmation. I was 90% sure that Pat was going to go with Malkin as well, but he nodded. So we definitely got the 100% of confirmation. But yeah, Gino has to get it for this past week, five points in three games.

Three of them are goals. The goal against Calgary was just hard work and determination in the offensive zone. He was a total puck count winning the puck battles along the corners, gets a really nice deflection against Edmonton, steals the puck from Connor McDavid, absolutely undresses Tristan Jari and net for a great breakaway goal. And then against Vancouver, gets a really nice feed from Tommy Novak, finishes it off for a goal in that game. His assist in the Edmonds in the game was also great, by the way. The way he was able to fit the puck, you know, across, you know, two to three Oilers players was fantastic. And he continues to be so good for this team this season.

13 goals and 40 points and 36 games. Kyle Dubus, if you are somehow listening to our episode today, do us all a favor in the next couple of weeks when the Olympic break happens. Well, it's about a week away now when it officially starts close to it. Just re-sign of getting him all into a one-year contract. This does not need to be a tough or a hard negotiation. One year, five to five point five million, give him a full no move clause. Easy peasy lemon, squeasy, man. Have to re-sign him.

He has been fantastic this season. Hunter said it, that I confirmed it. If you're watching us on YouTube, you saw it on your screen. Evgeny Malkin is also my pick. And you went over all the things that he did this week in the games against Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. I don't have a ton to add, but I do want to build off what you just said. This is a man on a mission.

This is a man who it's not just wanting to play for the penguins for another year, wanting to get to age 40 in play in his age 40 season in the NHL. it is a man showing the world that he still has it because we have said this endlessly on this show. The last few years, you saw flashes of it, but it was too far and too far between where you had a week or a couple of days or a couple of games where you went, there's the Evgeny Malkin and I know that's the Gino I've come to love. and then for another week or two, you would go, what is Gino doing? Where's he been?

What's up with Gino? Is he finally cooked? Is it finally over? This season, when he has been healthy and in the lineup, he is of Genni Malkin. Oh, yeah. Is it 2012 of Genni Malkin? No, nobody is going to be 2012 of Gennie Malkin.

But he is showing Kyle Dubis. He's showing the hockey world that not only do I want to play another year for the Pittsburgh, penguins, I can still play for another year. And I said it on the show. I know that a lot of people wince and I know that there's going to be a larger hockey community that's like, oh my God, Pittsburgh, move on. It's over. You had your glory days. Let's get to the next phase. I'm more than willing to find out if Hvgeny Malkin can play one more year at five, five and a half million. Because even if you give him, which I think they will, a full no move, if he's cooked, no one's going to want them.

Well, they might, but at the end of the day, like, I said, Genni Malkin, man, come on. At the end of the day, like, it's not like you're going to have teams beaten down your door to be like, give us $5 million of Genni Malkin, but that's a whole other discussion for a whole different day. But yeah, Gino absolutely deserved the warrior helmet this week. So let's go over our year long tracker. If you're watching us on YouTube, you can see it on your screen right now.

If Gennie Malkin joins the captain. Sidney Crosby with his fourth warrior helmet of the season. Those two are now tied for the lead. Justin Brzoe has three. He's sitting all by himself with three warrior helmets. Quite a few people with two and one. With two, we've got Kyle Dubus, Ben Kindle, Eric Carlson, Dan Mews, Sergey Murashav. And then with one, Connor Dewar, Anthony Mantha, the power play, the penalty kill,

Archer Sheelavs, and Stuart Skinner. we're keeping track of those because we've got to keep this segment fresh. We've got to keep it new. We've been doing it for a couple of years and we've got to keep the ball moving. And at the end of the year, we'll hand out some year-long warrior helmets, maybe do some other fun stuff with year-end awards when we get to that point. Hopefully it's not after game 82. Hopefully it's after some playoff games in super duper, hopefully.

Maybe it's after they pick up the Stanley Cup. but long, long way to go for that. But that will do it. Let's see if they get in first. As we know, Pat, the vibes are great right now. You saw everyone making fun of Ben Kendall for his tie outside of his vest. Last night, if you saw that video on the Penguins Twitter, that was great. Noel O'Chari, not wearing a shirt.

That was fantastic. Amazing. They got an opportunity here. Yeah, the vibes are fantastic. They got an opportunity to hear these next five games to really bank some more points. and at the end of February, March though, circle that month. That will be whether they make it or they don't. They got to run the gauntlet.

You're playing playoff team after playoff team, basically every other night. That is going to be the month, Pat, where we find out, if this is truly a playoff team or if they're going to fizzle out. That month is going to be a lot of fun to see. Big old red marker around all of March, because that will decide how good this team might actually. be. But now that is going to do it for our Wednesday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. Hunter and I

will be back with a brand new episode for you tomorrow on Thursday to get you set for this little mini homestand that starts with the Chicago Blackhawks at PPG paints arena. So for Hunter Hodes, I am Patrick Damp. Thank you as always for tuning in. And we will be back on Thursday.