Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 2/21-Time for a bounce-back, plus answers to mailbag questions!

Episode Date: February 22, 2020

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter goes through the big weekend upcoming for the Penguins with games against the Sabres and Capitals. He also plays a youtube clip from poor Duane up in Buffalo ranting about how bad it's gotten up there. Hunter also shares his thoughts on some rumored trade talks between the two teams, including Conor Sheary, Johan Larsson, and Jimmy Vesey. Lastly, he answers your questions! 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.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm, of course, your host, Hunter Hodes, follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, follow the show's Twitter at L-O underscore Penguins. Happy Friday, everyone. We've made it through another work week, school week, you know, whatever you guys go through in your daily lives. If you don't do either, you know, then it's cool as well. But, you know, this is another week closer to me graduating college as this is my last semester. I'll be graduating in mid-May. So, excuse me, it's just, it's pretty surreal that it's just about over and it.

now. And yeah, I just, it's just this glue by really, really fast. But, no, we have a lot to get to in today's episode. The Penguins will have two games this weekend, a back-to-back. Both games are in the afternoon. I don't mind Sunday afternoon games. I hate Saturday afternoon games just because, like, I just have, like, bad memories from the Penguins playing bad in them. They play really bad in some Saturday afternoon games. They also have a lot more Saturday afternoon games than I realize this year. This is, I think, they usually don't have. Any, and I think they have like almost around five this season, or I think a little bit more. I have to double check the schedule.

But it's a much higher number than normal. Then, of course, they play the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow, the Buffalo team that's really bad. And we're getting into that. I'm going to play a little clip of, you know, just because the Sabres are really bad, and they'll play a clip for you guys from the, you know, the poor Sabres fan rant that we had that aired a couple weeks ago. I found a audio clip actually on YouTube for it. Excuse me, I'll play that. It was someone, I think, like some just random person posted it.

It was just really funny. And then, of course, the Penguins have their massive showdown with the Washington Capitals on Sunday. But before we get into that, I do want to say it looks like Dominic Kahum, the Penguins may have dodged a major bullet with him. He did not practice today, but after practice, Mike Sullivan said that he is day-to-day, and that he will be a game-time decision tomorrow. And, you know, I've sent out of this podcast before, usually where Mike Sullivan says he's a game-time decision. It's about maybe 90-95% chance if the player plays.

You know, might take the under on this one. I'm not really sure if he will. He'll play, considering that he didn't miss, he didn't, um, make it to practice today. Um,

he didn't just, I don't know if he skated before, but, you know, it'll all tell around 1230, um, when he's warming up, if,

um, when during warm-up start, if he's playing that. Because he's not going to play. And, um, no, but still, the fact that he's day to day,

and he didn't, he didn't, he didn't, they didn't announce that, oh, he's going to be week to week or he's out for months or after surgery, whatever. That's very encouraging.

That's great news. It looks like, you know, there doesn't have to be like a panicked trait that looks like for a forward, but that's just, that's massive. The penguins cannot go through another injury. You know, especially, you know, they just can't.

They just really, really can't at this point. You know, another team I actually feel really bad for that's going through a lot of injuries as well as the blue jackets. You're not going to get much sympathy for me considering the penguins have dealt with almost the same amount, though the blue jackets are now without, I think, Bjork Strand, Seth Jones, for at least until the end of the season.

Cam Atkinson's out, a bunch more, too. There's so many names I probably forgot. But still, like I said, you get no sympathy for me. The penguins have been banged up like that, basically all season long. There's not much you can do. But hopefully, you know, fingers crossed that Cahoon can play. I saw that Anthony Angelo was on the left wing

and Malkins lined our practice. That's not ideal. That's not ideal at all. But, yeah, so hopefully, like I said, hopefully Domin Coon can come back. But, yeah, the penguins will see the Sabres for the second time of three meetings this season. I think the next meeting, of course, will be in Buffalo. I think it'll be in March, if I'm not mistaken.

I think it's, yeah, I think it's March, sometime in March. But, yeah, I mean, and also, you know, would be surprised to be seeing Jim Rutherford and Jason Batchel having some lengthy chats tomorrow. You know, a lot of rumors are swirling about the penguins probably potentially getting back Connor Sherry. I know Jim Rutherford did say he wanted another or potentially a championship experience who fits our system. Connor Sherry, I think, has both of those. Though the thing with Conor Sherry, I think, is this. You know, I had one of my really best friends and Jeff. He's joined the podcast before.

He's a big fan of Connor Sherry. And, you know, I just, I told him, like, I'm indifferent on it. I'm not like, if the penguins get him, will I be mad now? Because, like, he actually, he fits what the penguins do. You know, oh, yeah, he falls down a lot. Nobody cares. It's really, really not that much. He can bring a little bit of scoring.

Like I said, it's 5 to 5 points for 60 this season. It's around the 1.5 range. It's not really too, too bad. 53 games played. He has nine goals, 19 points for the Sabres this season. Last year, 78 games played, but the Sabres had 34 points in 78 games. So, you know, he's still producing a bit. That's pretty decent for a depth score.

His possessions at 49%, but also the Sabres are not that really good. I'm a possession team. I really don't think. I think the Penguins can have Conor Shiri for probably a mid-round pig. I don't really think Jason Bacherl is going to charge them a high price. I've also seen a couple rumors that the penguins may be looking at Jimmy V.C. He probably would fit the system. It doesn't have a lot of championship experience, obviously.

That I think would be interesting, though. I think it could be one of those. I've also seen rumors about Johann Larson. Excuse me again. But I do think that the most likely trade that will make, with the team is going to be Buffalo. The two GMs just know each other very well. You know, Buffalo is basically out of the race.

And, you know, we're going to get to them more coming up. But, yeah, I just wouldn't be surprised. But I think I'm just, I think he'd probably be a decent fit for the bottom sake. That's obviously where he would go. Hopefully you can get production out of him or he's basically just useless down there. I saw some people saying on Twitter yesterday that, oh, yeah, he's not a better option than, you know, Anthony, Angazino, or Sam Lafferty. I don't think that's sure. I think he's probably a better option than at least all of them except maybe Lappardy.

The Lafferty has been pretty decent in stretches, but I think in a playoff game, who would I trust more? He would probably be Conner Sherry. I would probably put Conner Sherry in the lineup over Sam Laffernie. And besides, you know, the teams that really go far are 13 to 14 NHFOR's deep. So I wouldn't really be too, too upset if the Penguins honestly got Conner Sherry. I know that's maybe going to roll some people the wrong way. I don't really care. I think it's fine.

would he be my number one choice? No, you know, I would maybe go after someone, like I said, like Johan Morrison from the Sabres. I wish they could go out and get someone big like Ricardo Raquel, but that's probably not going to happen. I think you'd have to blow the ducks out of the water. And, you know, speaking of the ducks, that was a really crappy return for Andre Kasse today for the Bruins.

You know, they traded their first round, basically almost a second, late, early second round pick and a prospect. And then, of course, the contract of David Back is it's like, really, Bob Murray, you really had to take on the contract of David back is to help out poor, just help out poor Don Sweeney. Come on, man. Like, that's, that's lame. That's just, that's a stupid return. It's not fair value for Andre Kase. And of course, you know, the biggest thing with Kashi's his health. You know, when he's healthy, he produces. He's really good when he's healthy. And, you know, that's going to make the Bruins just that much more scary.

I think this year's East Conference playoffs are probably going to take years off everyone's lives, especially a boss in Tampa Bay series. That will definitely take years. off people's lives. I have no doubt in my mind. Also, if the penguins go up against one of those two teams, especially with what Tampa just did in training for Blake Coleman, they may not be done. The Bruins may not be done. I've seen them linked to Chris Kreider. You know, no one really knows what's going to happen on the Kreider front. But, yeah, it's just, you know, all the Eastern Conference teams get getting better. You know, the top four teams have all made a move now at least, of course, with Washington getting Brendan Dillon. They may not be done. Apparently there's rumors

that they may go out and get Mike Green, who, It's bad offensively, but as Baltimore Davy of Capps Twitter noted to me, he's actually been pretty good defensively. He suppresses shots very, very well. I mean, we made a hero truck compared to Justin Chultz and his world's betters. But yeah, all these teams have now made big moves, and yeah, the Eastern Conference is going to be a bloodbath and probably the second round at the very least with potentially a Caps pen series and a Bruins series. All right, so of course the Penguins will have my host to the Buffalo. Sabres tomorrow. You know, I already said that probably 5,000 times, whatever. But this is a,

this is, I would say, a very, very big trap game for the Penguins. You know, you can't lose a game like this, especially, you know, you don't want to look ahead to Sunday where, of course, everyone's looking, you know, that's going to be one of the biggest games of the season. You're tied for first place right now. You have a game in hand on the Capitals. The Capitals also play tomorrow. They play the New Jersey Devils. They believe it is in New Jersey. The Capitals will be playing Samsona of tomorrow night, and then they'll start hulpy against the Penguins on Sunday. But Tomorrow, you know, because I'd say to play the Sabres. Of course, you know, I don't think much is being mentioned about how amazing of a season Jack Eichael is having.

It's pretty serious. You know, 75 points in 59 games for Jack Eichael, 33 of those goals, 42 assists. No, he's just, he's really come into his own. His last couple seasons last year at 82 points in 77 games. His career high before that in his third year was 64 points. So he's going to torch that 82 point, I think. He's going to torch that 82 point season from last year. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets to about 100 this season.

He's just really come into his own. I feel really bad for him, considering that the team they have around him. Also, you know who's been really bad for the savers this year. Talk about an awful contract right now, Jeff Skinner. Woof. That's all you can really say about that. I actually just came across some stats for him. He actually has not scored, basically, in 10 weeks.

Two assists in his last 20 games, four goals in his last 37 games. He makes 10 million this season. and he has a 9 million cap hit for seven more seasons. You know, part of that is also courtesy of Cam Robinson Hockey underscore Robinson of hockey Twitter. A great follow, by the way, for prospects and all that. Andchill coverage as well. Shout out to him for some of those stats and everything.

But yeah, that is a big yikes in the chat here for Jeff Skinner. That's not what you want if you're a Sabres fan, considering what he's, you know, it's just, it's pretty bad. You know, he did finally have, you know, I mean, well, he had an assist on the 13. I was looking at his hockey reference. So that was before that tweet came out, you know, just had a brain fart there for a second. But, yeah, like I said, just a really, really bad season for Skinner. 50 games played, 11 goals, 20 points.

I know he's been hurt. He's got a lot of injury concerns throughout his career, but really these last four seasons, five seasons, he's been relatively healthy. Of course, last season with the Sabres, 40 goals, 63 points, 82 games, The season before that with Carolina, 49 points, 82 games. Season before that, 63 points in 79 games, 37 of those goals. It's just, it's been bad. That's just, that's embarrassing.

You know, Sam Reinhardt has actually had a decent season, though, 60 games played. 21 goals, 48 points. You know what you get with him. Of course, they have the rookie Oloxon, who's trying to make his case for a potential Calder Trophy bid to be a finalist, though. I don't think that's going to happen, though. But, you know, good for Ryan Hart. This is a third consecutive season.

of 20 or more goals four out of the last five seasons have been 20 or more goals. He's trying to potentially break his career high in points, which was the last season was 65 and 82. But, you know, on the whole, it's just been a disaster of the season for the Sabres. And look no further than poor, poor Dwayne here from the Sabres. He called in on a radio show. It was posted by someone anonymously on YouTube. They got the clip apparently from the radio site, and he had this to say about the Sabres. to talk about with this hockey team.

And like, I just, I'm surprised the organization remembered to wish Dominic Cashig a happy birthday today. I'll put it that way. I just, it's so mind-boggling how we've fallen this far. And, like, I don't need, I was cautiously optimistic coming into this season because I wasn't fully expecting playoffs, but I was happy with the way that season started because the competitiveness was there. Last year was misery 100% after.

the 10-game streak. It was absolute misery because the competitive is the passion was not fair. And it's been there. And then they go out and lay an egg last night in front of me. Of course, I was at the game. First time I went to a game with my sister, by the way, and she had to sit there through that.

And it's just, it's mind-blowing. Like, I don't need a Jerry Jones type of owner. Like, I need an owner who's going to answer the fans when they misspell names on jerseys and have Chinese knockoffs on alumni. Like, what is going on? Like, what are we doing? Like, I don't understand it, man. Like, bulldog, you live through this,

you've seen it? Like, have you ever been, like, have they ever sucked a passion on you? Like, they have me? The hockey because of the team, man. Like, like, I'm seriously for the first time considering just not being it's even taken older this year. Like, like, even when the team was terrible and talk to fans and address concerns, I don't need the, I don't need a damn camera in front of Terry Pigoula every single day. day, but address their concerns. For the mistakes, you know, like, Palos on Taint

being forced out of the organization, you know, five years ago, how long it was. Like, I don't need an explanation, but it's just been mediocrity. It's almost worse from the bills drought. Like, like, and you know what? I don't know what people's opinions of the man were, you know, with Russ Brandon. But if Russ Brandon was running the team still, I highly doubt

by Danny Garrett in a turkey drive. So, yeah, that's just a taste of what poor caller Dwayne had to say on Buffalo Sports Radio. This came a few weeks ago, really, almost at the beginning of February. Yeah, you just, you can really see how bad it has gotten up in Buffalo. Also, it doesn't help when your general manager is made into a GIF thread, basically the entire week. It is some, I think, some writer, I think of who writes for the team. I think right or it's for Ottawa. I'm going to have to go back and find it, actually.

Yeah, it was Ben Matthewsson who does, let's see, Sabres Gifts. He does sometimes on SB Nation. He did have this whole gift thread of poor Jason Bottle up in the press box. He smashed his papers down when the team lost seven to four to the senators, put his head down numerous times, was basically twiddling with his phone, a bunch of times that it was charging. It's just, you know, looked like the face of just a sad man who looked like he, just the face of a sad man, honestly.

You know, I was trying to make a reference here. Maybe he looked like that he potentially got bad news from his wife, then he maybe got cheated on or something, or, you know, that a girl broke up with him or whatever. But, you know, poor Jason Bottrell. He's probably not going to be employed by the Sabres after this season. I thought, like I said, I thought that clip would be really cool to show. But, yeah, it's just, it's been a season from hell for the Sabers.

And, you know, they do have some top-end talent, like I've talked about. And, you know, they just, they need a rebuild from their recruits. couldn't rebuild because outside of those four really good players, that's just there's not much there. Of course, you know, poor Rasmus Dahlene, too. He's going to be a stud in the future years. Yeah, that, that sucks. You know, the Penguins, they need to take care of business tomorrow.

They can't let, you know, anything off the, they can't let their foot off the gas pedal. And also, they also need to respond from that absolutely embarrassing showing against tournament Aprilese, where they got shut out for a very, which is a very, very rare occurrence this season. for the penguins. They are almost never shut out. You know, you could definitely tell Mike Sullivan, his press conference last night was, he was not pleased. That's one way to put it. He apparently it all but lasted barely

over a minute. He called out the team for the defensive struggles. Basically, they need to fix it. Yeah, you know, when Sullivan does that, you know, he's pissed off and you know he's going to make sure that that does not happen again. You know, it also helps that the penguins usually play well after losses, so, you know, we're hoping for a W tomorrow. And yeah, you know, Just don't play down to the opponent. That team is really, really bad. They're coming off a lot. They came off a loss, the 7-4 loss to the Senators of all teams.

You can give up seven goals to the senators. You know, there is really something wrong with you, definitely. Of course, we'll also talk about a little bit of the Caps game a little bit. Just a monster game inside the division. They'll meet for just the second of four times this season. Of course, the Penguins getting a 4-3 win in Washington, just a few weeks back on Super Bowl Sunday. That was just a monster game.

That was a great game, too. The Penguins I thought played really, really, really. really great for those first two periods. And then, of course, if you'll remember, they played pretty bad in that third period. They were lucky to escape Washington with a win. That's how a lot of those Caps Penins games go sometimes. The Penguins, they'll dominate for, like, you know, the first couple periods. They'll dominate for a period, have an okay period.

And then the caps will just take it to them with everything that had. You know, that was almost the story of the 2017 series where, you know, the Penguins, they got their goals in key moments, even though they were dominated and they were carried by goaltending. And, you know, that's all she wrote. I think for the goaltending situation, though, you know, we just talk about that for both games. I think they need to go Murray tomorrow. I think that needs to happen. And then I think you need to see Tristan Jari go up against the gaps. You know, Jari has never seen the Capitals before.

I know it's the game where Alaskin might get his 700th goal if he doesn't get it tomorrow against the Devils. You know, I saw a thread on Twitter today. You know, would you applaud or stand it, if you give a standing ovation from Ovechkin if he would in Pittsburgh or, you know, if you were at a game and you saw it. Yeah, that's easy. You know, it's a hell of an accomplishment. I'll So Betchkin is one of the best players of all time. He's the best pure goal score of all time. I don't really think anyone can argue otherwise. But, yeah, it's just, you know, there's a very good chance.

You know, let's not be mad if it happens or anything. I know some Penn's fans like to hold a druggage that, you know, of the hit on Gonshire about a decade ago. And yeah, that was a pretty crappy hit. But you know what? It's also 11 years ago. So he also returned in that playoff run. So whatever.

But, yeah, I just, I like Jari to get his star on Sunday. He needs to see the Capitals if he is going to play in the playoffs. If you are going to give him the game one start in the playoffs, and if you are going to ride him during a series against the Capitals, you need to have him see the Capitals for the very first time. I don't think he's ever seen the Capitals before in the game. Doesn't really matter if Matt Murray plays the Sabres. He needs to also rebound.

I don't think he played poorly by any struts against Toronto. The Penguins were just really, really bad in general, as I've said. But, you know, it would be good, you know, for him. Of course, you know, he doesn't, obviously, he wouldn't want to allow four goals again. just needs to have another, just a good game, you know, and I think he will. You know, the Sabres are not very good. And that's what I would do for the goaltending situation. But, you know, you always have to be aware of the Capitals and their high-end talent, their power play has been mint. It has been minted, but, you know,

a lot of Caps fans have been calling for Blaine's-sized head because apparently their powerplay has been really bad. And the Penguins, you know, we got, and the fans, us fans, we got a glimpse of it, obviously a few weeks ago. That Cab's power play was something to be old. It was just did not look like the mint power play that we're all used to seeing with how they move the puck around and all the, you know, the John Carlson bombs from the point. The Alex Ovechkin bombs, you know, from his circle that he absolutely loves. You know, everything else they do on the power play, you know, T.J. O'She in the slot.

Backstrom download, who's netself down there with them, you know, kind of circling around a little bit. But, you know, it's going to be a lot of fun. That's arguably the best rivalry in hockey. And then after that, the Penguins will play two more times against them, this time in Pittsburgh. Both, of course, are tied for the first place in the Metropolitan Division, so it makes this game that much more massive. But, you know, to end this episode of Walkdown Penguins, you know, we're going to do a little bit of a mailbag. I got some questions to answer currently.

Let's see here. You know, now that we talked about, you know, just talked about the Capitals and all that, you know, Nicky Giordano, are you ready for the Capitals to kick Penguins' butt on Sunday? No, because all these games are going to be really close. I'm going to give you a serious answer on that. That's not happening. You know, it's definitely not happening. But I'd hope for the Penguins to absolutely give it to the Capitals.

But, Nicole, please enjoy a safe vacation down in Disney. I'd be very, very nice. Don't go to all the Star Wars stuff without me, even though Star Wars did come out this morning, which was a lot different than a ride in Disney and all the theme attractions there. But if guys have not seen Star Wars Clone Wars, please go see it.

Please go watch it, actually. Yeah, but just a hell of the show, and it was really, really good. But next question here. Clarkie, of course, and a very good friend of the podcast, Kling Karki, Happy birthday to you, my man. We had a great day for your birthday. He asked should the Penguins basically acquire

Sven Barci from the Canucks? He's only played in six games this season. He's been pretty banged up. Two assists in those six games, though. In the past, he's been really just banged out the past couple of seasons. He only played in 26 games last year, nine goals, 14 points.

Few seasons before that, he had 15, 18, and 14 goals, respectively to the league with 28, 35, and 29 goals. respectively. I can see Jim Rutherford, you know, potentially, you know, buying low on a player like this. I don't really think the Canucks are going to move him, though, because the Canucks are also in a playoff chase. Because of all, of course, they know they just traded for Tyler Toffoli. So I think that would be a long shot. I maybe see the kick the tires on him, even though the injury concerns are pretty real. But I just don't see them going for him, even though, like, I guess things are going to go look at other options knowing Jim Rutherford. Then, of course, the last question, a very good friend of the podcast, Cam, of course, not that fair, Cameron Easton, rank your top five mascots in the NHL.

Okay, so a very, very quick question. I can tell you who is not going to be on this top five list of mascots, and that is Gritty. Gritty sucks. He is bad, he's evil, he looks evil, and he's just weird. He's trying to be a knock-off of the Philadelphia fanatic who actually is a good mascot. Yes, I'm giving Gritty slander, and I don't care what you think. I will let that know that gritty sucks. He also just looks very, very evil, like I said.

But number one, bias here, biased here. But you know what? Iceberg of the penguins, you know, who better than iceberg, honestly? You know, he's the goat. I think the HABs have a really, really cool mascot. I'm actually looking at. His name was what? Yupi?

Upie? That's actually the funniest name I've ever heard for a mask guy. I think he's absolutely awesome. Of course, you know, the Calgary Flames mask guy. I mean, of course, you know, Harvey the Hound. Gray, he's just, he looks absolutely hysterical. I'm just looking at a picture of him, actually. You know, the moose in Winnipeg?

What's his name? I'll look at this up real quick. Oh, Mick. Mick. You know, that's a badass-looking mascot. You know, he just looks awesome. And then, of course, Nash of the National Predators, great name as well. He just looks pretty evil.

So, yeah. Moose, Nash, Iceberg, Harvey, and Yupy. I honestly did not know that these names, these, these, those were the names of the mascots. I'm like mixing out my words here. But thank you, I thank you for that question. That was really, really funny. You know, that was just, you know, it was really a fun question to answer. But, you know, thank you guys so much for listening to this episode of Locked on Penguins.

Thank the maker that Jim Rutherford did not make a trade during this. Or I would have been thrown off completely. I probably would have had to pause the podcast. And maybe, you know, or give my live thoughts. I think that would be a really cool episode too. But, yeah, like I said, thank you guys so much. We'll have another episode coming on Monday. Talk about these two games this weekend.

And, of course, it's Trade Deadline Day. It's going to be a big day. Jim Rutherford is more likely than not. He's going to make a move. He always does on Deadline Day. Hopefully, probably for a NHL debt forward. So thank you guys so much for listening to this episode. I appreciate this support.

Keep giving, you know, keep reviewing the podcast on Apple and Spotify. You know, follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hode. about the show's Twitter at L.O. Under's War Penguins. And we will talk to you guys on Monday. All right.