Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Andrew Destin joins the show and there are a lot of Penguins related topics to discuss!

Episode Date: February 7, 2023

Hunter has a new guest on Locked On Penguins for this Monday episode. That's right, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette joins the show to touch on numerous topics. They start by getting into Ron Hextall's comments during his press conference on Sunday and Andrew's main takeaways from it. Hunter then looks at how Hextall has to be lying when he says he likes the team on paper because it was flawed coming into this season and it's shown that in a big way thus far. The two also discuss what move Hextall could be looking to make at the deadline and how a revamp of the third line remains the biggest priority. After that, the two get into the returns of Kasperi Kapanen and Josh Archibald and how they could make a difference for this team's forward group (especially Archibald on the fourth line). Finally, the two have a discussion about the game on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche and what the keys will be for the Penguins to win that game, plus how this upcoming road trip might make or break this season.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Athletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NHLNETWORKFanDuelMake Every Moment More. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet to get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Free Bets – win or lose! Visit Fanduel.com/LockedOn today to get startedFANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pittsburgh Penguins will play hockey this week. They will play the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday at PBG Paints Arena, and then they will go to the West Coast take on the California teams, and then they'll play the Islanders. I have Andrew Destin here from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette to preview that massive road trip in the game against Colorado and get his thoughts on Ron Hextall. That's all coming up right after this drop.

You're Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on podcast. Network, your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hunter Hodes. We're going to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow this show's Twitter and Eleanor Shore Penguins.

And of course, thank you all so much for making this. Your first listen of the day. Today's episode is brought to you by FandualSportsbook, The Official Sportsbook of Lockdown, Make Every Moment More. You can visit fandole.com slash lockdown today to get started. Join me now a first-time guest for this show. Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Andrew, really glad I could have you on for this one.

And you got to see a pretty long practice today. It looked like when I was refreshing my Twitter page as I was working today. Don't really think I've seen them have over an hour-long practice. I think this just goes to show that they want these struggles really cleaned up coming out of the All-Star break. Yeah, I mean, I've been on this beat since the beginning of December. And this was by far the longest one I've been to. And it was everything you could think of from the hockey manual, right? I mean, they were working your five-on-four power plays.

They were working breakouts. And, you know, even a modified version of just a good old-fashioned scrimmage, which you never see in a normal practice setting. So you can see it. I mean, you go back to yesterday's practice on Sunday evening. You know, Mike Sullivan was talking about it after the practice, and you're saying, this is an opportunity for us to hit the reset button. And you can tell there was a lot of emphasis on just cleaning things up,

like you mentioned there, Hunter. And the team seemed pretty engaged these last two days. And I'm curious to see what the attendance will be like for the morning skate before tomorrow's game against Colorado, just because this was such an intense practice today. I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of guys, whether it's the vets or whatnot, take some much needed time off before the game because today was an intense one. And it seems like there was a lot of intention in detail there. And curious to see how that transpires coming out of the break.

Because this is a team that, you know, whatever script you want to use, you could say that they were able to eke out a couple of wins and sneak a few points across and losses, or you could say it's a team that was on the downside and need of an all-star break. Whatever narrative you want to use, they need to come up fire and coming here out of the all-star break, and you can tell in practice the last couple days. That was definitely a point of emphasis was that energy

and maybe some reinforcements coming along the way too. Yeah, for sure. I mean, it looks like Esperi Caput and Josh Archibald will probably be coming back. You know, we're going to get to that in just a second, which means there's only two injured players left, which is, you know, honestly, a miracle when it comes to this team with how bad their injury luck has been in brutal years.

I know, Andrew, you know, you're new to the beat here. It's just the Penguins injury curse knows no bounds. I'm sure you've seen it out on the West Coast and stuff. It is brutal. But, you know, hopefully that cleans itself up a little bit here in the second half. But, you know, not to overshadow that. Ron Hexol came out of his cave yesterday. Finally spoke to the media for the first time and it feels like a year,

but I think it was only just a few months. Last time it was, I believe it was when Crystal Tang had a stroke. He came and spoke to the needle. But before that, in terms of the overall team, don't think he really spoke to the media since the beginning of the season. Look like it was just kind of a state of the union address, Andrew. What did you make of Ron Hextall's presser? What were the main takeaways that you took out of it?

Yeah, probably the biggest one that, you know, just to start with is that this is a team that, you know, this is something Penguin fans probably don't want to hear. they want to hear their general manager being bold and aggressive, you know, those types of buzzwords that you hear thrown around in franchises, organizations. I think this is a team that for the most part, barring any smaller kind of transactions, the move from Ron Hextel was, I'm happy with my group. I like the team that I've got on paper, and I know that one's got you shaking your head, but given the cap situation with what this team has, given some of the contracts they've dealt out

some older guys, as well as some contracts that they've dealt out to the likes of a Casperi cap in, or what Brock McGinn's current contract is, you know, there are some guys that, you know, who may be in a normal situation or on another team would be viewed as potential movable parts, movable pieces. It's going to be really hard and really difficult to do with this squad without, you know, attaching something on to it that would be desirable for another team. But then Ron Hextall made the point of saying that I'm not going to attach a first round draft pick on a trade and a salary dumping kind of move, which is another big takeaway for me is that this is a team that's kind of out of flux. It doesn't really know what it wants to do in terms of

win now above all else or plan ahead for five years down the line. I think it's kind of trying to tow that line, which sounds great in theory. We've seen teams across all sports do that, that at least say that. But it's easier said than done when you've got some legitimate franchise superstars to lean on, which this Penguins team does. But everybody needs help, especially for across your four forward lines, across your defense. and across an 82 game season. There's 33 of these to go. And the mood to me was, hey, I'm Ron Hextel.

I like my team. We just got to get healthy. And once that squad, the one that I've put together is healthy, then it can run. Then we can see what this team has. The problem is you've only got three weeks, two and a half weeks and change until the trade deadline. You're going to have to find out pretty soon what do you think of your team? And even if maybe you are a seller, which he seemed to be adamantly appellate. posed to, and I know most Penguins fans would be too.

But that's a reality you might have to confront too if this stretch of February games really does go south or if, you know, Tristan Jari can't come back from injury. And then you're really facing the prospect of what are you pushing for if you don't even have your starting netminder? Yeah, you know, he's really the, you know, the glue that makes this go because if he's healthy, you know, they can win a lot of games. I believe the record this year it's something like 16 and 5 and 3, somewhere around those lines when he's healthy when he's not you know they struggle whether it's case he to smith or

dustinukarsky you know i'm sorry you know i put the meme out there on my twitter that you know i saw the part where he said you know i like our team on paper and i'm like i have that meme of wong and the other i don't remember her name from marvel and it's just like why are you lying because i know you can't be sitting there and thinking that you actually do like the way the team is constructed when healthy especially in the bottom six when so many of these guys are just not producing I did also see, it sounded like Andrew, that he kind of wants to make a change. It sounded like he wants to make a deal before the deadline. I will agree with him, you know, because I've been pretty critical of him this season

and just his overall tenure, I think, outside of keeping the core and Ricard Raquel and a couple other moves, I don't think he's made the best of moves. He's kind of just, you know, he's made the bottom six worst, I would say, over the last couple of years. but, you know, he has had a couple of good deadlines. I want to see that here again. But, you know, I just don't think he can really sit there and be like, oh, I like my team. I want to see when they're healthy when, you know, a lot of the forwards outside of the top six, well, the top six has been pretty healthy this season, but even some of the forwards in the

bottom six have been healthy, like Jeff Carter, like Brock McGinn, like Danton, like Danton but they're not scoring. Brock McGinn was shooting 18%. Look where he is now. Carter has four goals this season, basically. He's a ghost every night. Gantin Hinen scores once in a blue moon. Ryan Paling has been decent since coming back.

Teddy Bougar never scores. I want to see how the fourth line is with Josh Archibald because he really surprised me this season, but I still think they need a little more oomph down there. And while I get that he doesn't want to trade the first to shed some salary, I do think that if you are all in, you should have that first out there. if you think your team can win it. At least that's just how I see it. So I think he does need to be a little more aggressive than, you know,

he maybe he's used to, especially with the moves he made this off season. I just can't sit there and think that, oh, he likes them as it is just because, you know, I think GMs, we all know they lie all the time. Yep. No, this is all leverage move. And I think that's exactly right. The right way to look at it is he likes the team right now on paper, but it might come to the point of the end of February, he goes, all right, well, now it's time to make that type of move.

And I'm curious to see what that exactly looks like because, you know, we mentioned it. The Casperi Capitan, he re-signed for two years in the offseason. Barack McGinn's under contract, I believe, through the 2024-25 campaign. And 38-year-old Jeff Carter, I mean, you know, I'm curious to see what team would take that on if it's not a salary-dumping trade. So, I mean, what kind of upgrades can you make to the third line? It's tough. It really is. And I don't know what that looks like, what fashion that takes.

but the fourth line, you bring up a good point there, because I am very curious to see how that develops with the return of Archibald, because I think Paling has played very solidly, and Bluger for his offensive struggles, which seems like a yearly theme with him this year, albeit worse than most, I'm curious to see how that line kind of jails together, because Bluger has had his moments, you know, whether it's as a penalty killing forward, you know, he's still very successful there.

It's just those other aspects of his game, point-blank high danger chances, all those sorts of things that have seemed to escape him. So I'm very curious to see how that all transpires once we get closer to March 3rd. I just think it's going to be so hard. And I wrote about this, how hard it's going to be to break up that third line. Because those pieces, to me, I'm no NHLGM, but I'd just be hard pressed to believe those are desirable ones unless they are a throw-in or the tack-on or the player to be named later type of move, unless you're attaching a draft pick to it, which, of course, you know, that's mortgaging your future. So it's a precarious slope. It's a tough one to battle if you run Hextall.

But I think there's something to be said about living in the present with your 35 years and older core guys. And especially if Tristan Jari comes back here, which he's day to day. He's been, you know, practicing before the actual team joint practices the last couple of days. So got to believe he's closer to coming back than not. So I think we're really going to get a good look here over these next three, four, five games of what exactly you've got here with this Penguins team. And then that's, I think, when we see Ron Hectorl truly evaluate it. And, you know, the reason for the timing of the press conference, kind of trying to get ahead of the news was my interpretation of it versus end of February

when he's right in the thick of it being like, all right, I'll talk to the media now. And, you know, I'm right in the crunch time of making moves. I think we're kind of starting to turn the gears. You know, the water's starting to flow a little bit. And whether moves get made, what those look like, not entirely sure. But I think it's a little bit too early to say. and it's really going to come down to these next two weeks to determine whether they stand pat, whether they're active for better or for worse.

And I think all three options are viably on the table, even the one of selling. Yeah. And, you know, they have a nasty schedule until then. They got the California trip. They got a game on Tuesday against Colorado, which we're going to get to a little later on. They have a lot of metro games coming up. They're almost done, I think, playing the Western Conference this year, which is pretty crazy to think about. They still got three left against the Islanders, three left against the Rangers, one more against

the Caps, you know, a lot of tough games coming up. So, you know, I do agree that he's going to really truly see what he has in this team yet. The third line is a massive problem. It was very weird to me that they had a whole week off and the biweek and then plus the all-star break. And you get your guys back and you're still putting McGinn and card around your third line. I just don't really understand what the logic is there. But, you know, I think we're going to dive more into that coming up in this second segment. We're going to look at some of the practice notes and why penguins are finally getting some reinforcements back and know why that you know could be a pretty decent big deal here as we get closer to the deadline as in this team is they get

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had a little case of the Mondays as I was finishing up our wonderful read on Athletic Greens there. But let's just jump right into our next topic here, Andrew. So, you know, penguins are getting a little healthier here. You know, I did see the lines for the most part. I liked that they put Raquel back up with Gensel and Crosby. I have heard that Crosby likes playing with Rust a bit more, but, you know, I think Raquel is the better fit up there. Rust has been fine next to Malkin and Jason Zucker, I think, has been the most consistent winger.

I have no problems with the top six. defensively, you know, we can say what we go on about Brian Dumlin. He's had a rough year. You know, he was playing a little bit better before the break. I'll give him his curtains there. But, you know, the fourth line, want to see how it does with Archball back. I see if he can carry Blugar because I kind of think he was before he got hurt. It's just, as I alluded to before the break, Andrew, putting Brock McGinn and Jeff Carter together

when they have had hundreds of minutes at 5 to 5 together this year, below 50, 50% course C percentage, below 50% expected goals, below 50% scoring chances. I just don't really get that. And, you know, someone like Drew O'Connor comes out, someone who I thought was playing really well prior to the All Star break. Do you know why, you know, some of these players just, you know, have more of a leeway over Solnike O'Connor, who I think should be in this lineup on an every night basis at this point, because I could also say the same for, you know, Dan Hina, he was playing really well

before the break finally was getting some games together where he was scoring. But he's also out of the lineup as well. It's just, you know, I think there's just some sort of, you know, a weird thing where even though you play bad, like McGinn has, he still gets to stay in the lineup. So I'm just not really sure why they're sticking with that combination when it hasn't really done much this season. So I really would ask you about that after I saw the lines. Yeah, I think it's for this one, it's a financial investment.

I think it's really what it comes down to me, money talks. And I think the last point about it too would also be that, you know, Capitan's coming back healthy. He'd miss, you know, all the games since I believe it was he got injured January 18th against the senators. He'd been out since then. So I think this is another example of, you know, we're getting a guy back healthy in the lineup, insert him in and see how that does with that group.

But your points are valid 100 because you look back at the prior statistics and say, this three, when it's been paired together, again, Carter and Cappan, it hasn't gotten it done. But you get a little bit more leeway when you've got some, guaranteed contract money when you've got an extension, you've got years on your deal, you know, you get more benefits of the doubt, right? And I think that's exactly what we're looking at here.

I asked this to Mike Sullivan today, too. I was curious with moving Carter back from the wing to center, what was he hoping to see from him there? And, you know, and his answer kind of spoke volumes. It's that offensively we're not getting enough from the third line, but defensively I really like what I'm seeing. You know, that's kind of what the theme of it was, is that defensively it's doing enough there,

are just hoping that more time, more minutes together will eventually lead to offensive returns. You know, it's not my place to say whether or not that's the right strategy. But it kind of seems like what the approach is is that the defense is doing enough, but there needs to be more in terms of offensive zone possession time, puck in the offensive zone. Like, that's what you're kind of gunning for. You're looking for more of that. And, you know, Capitan, who he is as a player, he's a speedy guy.

He can possess the buck on those puck on the boards and, you know, crawl up that side. that's something that he's capable of doing. And I think, you know, there's a point being made that when he's out, that really negatively affects Carter, who we know isn't exactly the fastest skater at this point in his career. And again, with the offensive struggles he's had, maybe it, maybe it does lead to some success bringing captain back in after missing a small handful of games there. And it can lead to things trending in the right direction. But I think, you know, with the fourth line, that's something under Mike Sullivan that also, too,

it's you're kind of looking for a different feel there. But the third line, you're looking for something that's kind of a mix, a hybrid of strong defensively, but also can contribute offensively. I've talked with the fourth liners about this a lot of, you know, how does your mentality change? Teddy Blugher, for one, asked him about how does your mentality change when you're 4C versus 3C? Like, how does that change for you?

And it's a little bit more about, you know, you're thinking about the offensive zone. It's you're thinking about possessing the puck there. That's more of an emphasis. But when you're on that fourth line, you know, if you're not scoring, you better not be letting any up. So I think that's why we've seen that even if guys like an O'Connor or Paling, when they've chipped in a couple of goals like they did against the Florida Panthers, or they had some solid games there, you know, and really found success there at the end,

the fourth line was clicking, but just because the fourth line is clicking doesn't mean it's doing so at a rate that's indicative of what a third line should be doing. You know, it's a lot of words salad, but there's something to be said about. Just because the third line is underperforming doesn't mean the slightly overperforming fourth line would do better than the third at its job. And, you know, a 38-year-old Jeff Carter to have him constantly be pressing, constantly on the forecheck for a fourth line, I don't know if that's the results you're looking for either. And there's still the value of him in the faceoff dot, too, what he does in that realm. It's still something that is, you know, a positive effect on this penguin's roster.

So I think they're kind of banking on what do you get once captain comes back into the fold and hoping that the marginal success they've had defensively, that can lead to some offensive success here too. But to your point, Hunter, it feels like a while since we've seen, you know, Jeff Carter put one in the net, and the same goes for Brock McGinn, too. Yeah, I mean, I think he's probably better off suited at the wing now in his career anyway. I will say, you know, you're right, he does well with face-offs. I will give him that.

I don't like the deployment that I think he has at times. I think Mike Sullivan, it's a little foolish of him to think he can do these six-on-five situations late in games and stuff. I just don't think he's that kind of player anymore to put in that kind of situation. But I mean, playoff time if they make it, you know, even if they get someone at the deadline, he's probably going to be in the lineup just because that's how it's going to work. And, you know, I liked what you said, just third line deployment versus the fourth line. You know, it is funny that the fourth line lately has been outproducing the third line just because

when the Penguins have won their cups in 2009 and 16 and 17, they've had one of the best third lines and hockey. I don't have to remind anyone about Matt Cook with Jordan Saw and Tyler Kennedy and then the HVK line two years in a row. They got to get someone down there that can put the puck in the back of the net. And also just drive play.

The underlying numbers for that line are really poor and that needs to change in a big way. Because right now with how I think it's constructed, at least in my opinion Andrew, you're asking for your top six to carry the water every game. You're asking for a goalie, you're starting goalie to play well, but then you're asking for your bottom six

to just not really allow anything at either end of the ring. It's just kind of like low event hockey is what I like to call it. You're not really scoring, but you're not giving it back either way. At least that's how I thought Hextall was kind of, that was his philosophy with developing this roster over the last couple of seasons. But, you know, you still need depth scoring if you want to win. That's how they've won three straight, three Stanley Cups in this era. But the other injured player that is coming back, Andrew, Josh Archibald, you know,

I was not big on his signing. I will again gladly eat crow on that. He had four goals prior to being heard, hasn't played since mid-December. Kind of a nagging injury, it sounds like he was carrying that fourth line. I felt like before he got hurt. Teddy Bluger actually had good underlying numbers next to Archibald. I think Paling ever since he's come back, has played well, but even his numbers now didn't compare to where they were when Archibald was there.

And also, it was interesting that Hextall really shouted out Archibald during the press conference yesterday. You know, he almost made it seem like, you know, the bottom six went to crap just because Archibald got hurt. And I never thought I would ever hear a statement from a general manager about Josh Archibald in that kind of degree. But it was one that he said, you know, I think it just goes to show how much he values Archibald. And again, he's played well this year. I'm excited and curious to see how he fits back on that fourth line on Tuesday. But, you know, man, just very interesting to hear him say those things about him when he was asked about the bottom six by one of the reporters. Yeah, and it's an interesting point, too, because you mentioned there how much that fourth line benefited from having Archibald in the lineup.

And it's not just the fourth line. It's the penalty kill, too. I mean, this is a PK unit that's been great for the most part this season. But the stats, once Archibald went down, you can look at them. I mean, it's that stretch from mid-December up until now. The PK has taken a step back. It's had better moments from when Paling returned, that certainly boosted it. But when those two were out simultaneously, Paling and Archibald,

that's really when we saw that line take a dip. And, you know, we talked about it earlier on here about how Teddy Bluger hasn't had quite the year up to his expectations. He's said that verbally himself about how he has higher expectations than what he's shown this year, at least on the offensive end. I think the point to be made about Josh Archibald is not that he is the savior, but more so that he alleviates some of the things that other players have had to do in his absence, and then that can therefore allow them to do more. Brian Paling is, you know, by all stretches of imagination, not a 40-goal score. But he's a guy who can chip in 10 to 15 for you in a full season if he's playing 82 games and he's allowed to pursue that type of game.

A very flexible, moldable guy. And you can say that about archballs as well. You can say about a couple of those guys in that fourth line. You mentioned Drew O'Connor. If you gave him a full season's worth of games, he's probably around a 10, 12, 15 goal score in a season, too. the problem has been that with no archbald in the lineup, it's forced other guys to take on roles that maybe aren't truly representative of their skills

or don't bring out their absolute best qualities. It's forced them to be those kind of aggressive guys. And, you know, Sidney Crosby talked about it today is that, you know, when he's in the lineup, he does a lot of things that are really big for the penguins winning hockey games. You know, that's being aggressive, it's being physical, it's being fast. You know, these are traits that, yeah, a lot of hockey players might have. but Archibald relies on them and, you know, exclusively use them on the hockey rink. So I think him come back to the lineup, it really does speak volumes to how much the team needs

those contributions from the bottom six. And I don't know necessarily if that has much of an impact on the third line, but from the fourth line perspective, it definitely impacts those guys, especially for a squad that now he's starting to get more and more healthy, getting guys back that maybe we can see what they're capable of doing at full strength, kind of like they were doing there at the end of November, early December. Yeah, I mean, that's when the team was, I think, arguably the best team in the league when they were just running through teams.

Obviously, the injuries happened, which is unfortunate. But, you know, I thought the fourth line was really starting to cook prior to the All-Star break. The numbers were really decent, especially when Dan Hinen or Drew O'Connor were down there. And again, it's unfortunate that O'Connor's not getting a shot, but, you know, that's no discussion for a different day. But I think Archibald's going to make those numbers go up even more because, you know, they signed him just because of his goal scoring ability in the bottom six. I believe he's about a 10, 11 goal per 82 game guy.

So that's what you're getting out of him. And also, again, his PK ability. And he also does throw his body around a lot. You know, he brings a lot of energy to that fourth line. And, you know, I think it's hopefully going to pay some big dividends as we come down this stretch here. Still have a little more to get to for this episode coming up in our final segment. We're going to touch on the massive road trip that the penguins have coming up.

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slash locked on. Make every moment more with Fandul, the official sports book partner of the NFL. All right. We're back here in this episode of the Lockdown Payments podcast. I'm Hunter Hodes. That is Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. So Andrew, big week for this team here. They got the Colorado Avalanche coming to town for the first time. First of two meetings this season. this is an avalanche team that's kind of hanging on for dear to life right now in a playoff spot, but they have one seven or the last day coming into this. They've just been really hurt all year, I think. Ransson's been hurt.

Landis Scott, I think, is still out, if I'm not mistaken. McKinnon's been hurt. McCar's been hurt at times. But this is still one of the best teams in hockey. You have Nichuskin on their top line. Nathan McKinnon, or Terry Lekkinnan, JT. Comfort, old friend Evan Rodriguez, who I will still forever be mad for the Penguins to not resign during the offseason. and Alex Newhook, Dennis Malgan, Matt Nietto,

Kail McCar, who I think is the best defenseman in the league right now, Devon Taves, Bowen Byram, Sam Gerard. That's a disgusting top four. They also have two goaltenders in Franzos and Georgiev, who have been 9-17 or better. This is a big one for the Penguins, Andrew. What are you really looking forward to seeing in this one for the Penguins? What are your some keys for them to win this game?

Yeah, the first one is just going back to the names you rattled off there, is, you know, look at the firepower of this Avalanche. squad has. And I'm most curious to see, you know, whoever it ends up being that Mike Sullivan Alex put in net, I'd be hard for us to believe it'll be Tristan Jari, considering he hasn't gotten any true team workouts in. But so if it's between Casey to Smith and Dustin Tarkarski, how do you outscore the Southamance team? That's, to put it quite bluntly there is just, this is a squad that when healthy, when firing on all cylinders and all those guys are able to go, they can score, they can outpace anybody in the league. So I'm really curious to see how the team, you know,

approaches that. And I ask Casey to Smith about this, about the term consistency, because it feels like it's been thrown around the team a lot lately about how they've had these high moments and these low ones, and they're kind of looking for a middle and ground. And Casey to Smith is no stranger to the inconsistencies that have plagued the penguins this year, and specifically in the month of January. And for him, he put it well, he was like, hey, if it's a 7-6 game or a 2-1 game, it's about me being a consistent presence in net. I'm curious how the penguins can do to try and keep this one a tighter game because if this one gets loose and they have to outpace the avalanche be pretty hard-pressed to believe they're going to outscore this squad do have the benefit of home ice but

I'm really looking to see whoever's in that can they be a stonewall in front there and then on the offensive side can they control possession can that top six continue to carry this team and I'm really curious to see what do the third and fourth lines look like I mean by all indications cap an in and archibald are trending toward being game time decisions which we know is more than likely means they're going to play. So if those guys are in the lineups, how do the third and fourth lines look? And how do they look like against those avalanche third and fourth lines,

which have been benefited. I mean, you bring up Matt Nietto. He's a guy that they just traded for a couple of weeks ago. He's benefited them since coming over from the sharks. I mean, this is a Penn's team that, you know, they're in search of points wherever they can. The avalanche are the same case, but I feel like it's in a little different position

because that's a team that now that it's healthy and has all of its guys coming back, or at least most of its guys coming back, They're on a hot streak. They just have to continue what they're doing versus with the penguins. Now you're getting the guys back. Can they go on that stretch run or not? And to do so with your first game out of the break against, you know,

the reigning Stanley Cup champion, that's no easy task. Yeah, no, it's definitely not. And, you know, I always look at Daily Faceong because they have the lines, but they didn't have ransom on there for some reason, but it looks like he's going to be ready to go for this one. It's just Landisog, who he looks like is going to be out. And he's been out for a while. I think it looks like Josh Manson's not going to play either.

Darren Helm also out, and I almost sometimes forget that that guy is still in the league, because he played in the final back in 08 and 09 when they played the Red Wings. But no, I definitely agree with that. I look back at these two meetings last year between the two teams, two, you know, pretty decently close games. I thought the first game in Colorado, the Penguins was probably one of the best games of the season that they just did not win, but they controlled the play against what was the top team in the league.

They just didn't get the result. Second game, I thought they were the victim of some kind of nang goaltending, but they got the chances I felt like. But, you know, for this one, you'd have to shut down their top stars. Kel McCar is going to get his. You just know it. I mean, I think of him as a modern day Paul Coffey at this point with how great he is. And that pair with Devon Taves is probably the best top pair in the league.

But, you know, you have to slow them down. And, you know, can you get to two goalies who the Penguins Fed? You know, okay success against. You know, they know, they know, Yorgia from his Ranger days. They played well against him, you know, when he came in for, I think, Chesterokin a little bit in the playoffs last season. But he's had a pretty good year. wasn't sure about that move. He's over 917. Pablo Fray and Soes also over 917.

It doesn't really matter which goal they start because it's kind of been a 1A, 1B thing. But, you know, I'm really curious to see, you know, how they do against a team like this, especially, you know, the penalty kill two, you're going up against a power play unit that can throw out in Nukushkin, Nukkah, Nitchewskine and Lekinen and McCar. You're lucky they're not putting Landiscag out there. That's a big test for that unit, especially with Archibald coming back. So I always love when the penguin play the avalanche. I think the abs are one of the most fun teams in the league to watch Peter Forsberg was my favorite player going up. So I always kind of had a little bit of love for them.

But after that, Andrew, big road trip. They have the California trip. They go back to your hometown to take on the sharks and the ducks and the kings before they close that road trip against the New York Islanders next Friday, which is another massive game because the teams are so close in the standings. This team has to bank points here. You are only one or two, points clear of the Buffalo Sabres, the Florida Panthers, and the New York Islanders. They have never been more vulnerable in all of the time that I've covered the team, let alone watch the team since I was a little kid. Just how important is this next stretch of games for this team as they try to bank points

and maybe create some separation from some of these other teams chasing them. Yeah, it's huge because these are games. I mean, two of the teams I'll mention that right off the bat. I mean, the ducks and the sharks, these are squads that they've already played this year. and one of them was a loss in regulation of the sharks, and the other was a win against the ducks that they shouldn't have had, right? I mean, these are games that were close. They got two points against the two teams that, if I'm not mistaken,

are in the seller of the Western Conference, at the very least, in the Pacific Division. You've got to get at least three. To me, those are two must-win regulation wins against those squads, especially because after they play the ducks, it's the second night of a back-to-back, you play the Kings, and that's a Kings team that with the balance that they have, have between young talent and well as the vets with guys like dowdy i mean this is a team that has been playing very well this year um and with that coming on the second half of a back-to-back

got to believe that's the type of game where you got your backup netminder in whether that's to smith or if that's tukarski uh dependent on you know jari's availability that'll determine that in part but um that'll definitely be a tougher effort against a much tougher opponent so to me what i'm looking at there is got to get to against the ducks if you can get a point against the Kings, great. If you can salvage it, a win would be tremendous, but then, you know, three nights later, then you have to get two against the sharks again. This to me screams a four-point road trip, if not more, which, as we know, is a huge ask in hockey, but these are two teams that are in the bottom of the NHL. And if you can't beat these guys on the road

and you already struggled with them earlier in the year, then what more evidence do you need to believe that this team, hey, maybe they're not that special this year, right? If you can, if you lose to the sharks at home, if they do, I'm not saying they will, but if they do lose at their place, then you're sitting in the mirror going, well, we're 0-2 against one of the worst teams in the West, let alone in the NHL. Maybe you split against the ducks. It's, you know, pretty soon you've got to get the reality check of, hey, maybe this team's not so great. But on the flip end of it, if they go 3-0 on the road trip and get six points, you know, leading into that Islanders one, then we're having an entirely different conversation.

So it's a critical road trip, which if you had asked me in December, If the road trip of ducks, kings, and sharks is going to be the most important one on the schedule, I'd probably tell you you're crazy, but I think that's kind of what we're looking at here, especially given the time frame leading up to the deadline. Yeah, no, I definitely, you know, if you can get the two points, especially tomorrow against the abs, and then go get, win two of those games on the Western Canada, on the California road trip, excuse me, and then you can play well against the Islander's a team that they just got better, they traded for Beau HortVat, they just extended him.

You know, that all I think hopefully really turned. the season around for this team. It's just, you know, can they do that? And hopefully during that time, can they get the number one goaltender back? You know, just relying on Casey to Smith has just, it's boom or bust for him. You know, I keep saying it's Jekyll and Hyde. You don't know what you're going to get with him. So hopefully Tristan will be back sooner rather than later so he can start some of those games.

Maybe he'll be back for the weekend. They keep saying he's day to day. He's been skating before, taking some shots. We'll have to see when he takes on the full practice. And then I think Big Key Andrew is him staying healthy because he's just been injured way too often these last seven, eight months. But I think that might do it for this episode. I really appreciate you coming on for the first time.

We're going to definitely have to do this again at some point during the season. Andrew, you know, just let the listeners know where they can follow you on social media. And, of course, if people are not following your work, where they can find it. Yeah, absolutely. It's on Twitter, you can follow me at Andrew Destin 1. That's Andrew, normally you spell. And then D-I-N-D-E-N-1, the number. on Twitter and then check out post-gazazazet.com to read along with some of my work,

as well as my colleague Matt Vensel covering the Penguins as well. Feel free to check out our content there and keep up to date with us on Twitter. Yeah, definitely check him and Matt's work out. They do a great job covering the team, and we'll have to see if Penguins can get back on the winning note on Tuesday as they will play the Abilinch, a full game recap episode coming up after that one, and then we'll preview the California road trip in more detail a little later on in the week. Again, thank you all so much for listening.

Andrew, thank you for coming on. And we'll have another one of these on Tuesday.