Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - My pitch for Kyle Dubas to run the Penguins...

Episode Date: May 26, 2023

Still no decision from Kyle Dubas yet but it's coming! To start the show, Hunter does a new segment where he pretends to be the Fenway Sports Group and tries to convince Kyle Dubas why he should accept the GM position. He goes into quite a few good points, including how he already has most of the tough pieces in place and will have unlimited power to do whatever he wants. Hunter then looks at when a decision could come and what the main holdup seems to be before evaluating PO Joseph's season. He looks at the positives and negatives and what he needs to work on heading into next season since this was his first full NHL season. He looks at what his ceiling is for the league and how he could take another step offensively if he gets more PP time for next season. Finally, he congratulates the Florida Panthers on getting to the Stanley Cup Final and why he wishes the Penguins could clone Matthew Tkachuk and put a bunch of Tkachuks on the team.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BirddogsGo to birddogs.com/lockedonnhl and when you enter promo code, LOCKEDONNHL, they’ll throw in a free custom birddogs Yeti-style tumbler with every order.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase.ebay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.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.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.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) 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.

Well, Kyle Dubus watch continues in this great city. He has not given the Penguins an answer yet. We'll have to see if that comes on Friday or next week after the holiday. But to start today's show, I'm going to pretend to be Fenway Sports Group and pitch to Kyle Jubis why he should take this job. That's coming up 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. Hello, welcome back to another episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I am your host, Hunter Hodes. You know to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the shows Twitter and Larson Penguins. And of course, thank you all so much for making this your first list in the day. We are free and available on all platforms.

Just a little bit of housekeeping note to start the show off. Really excited to be going to Stream Yard on Friday. You're going to have a brand new graphics package. Nice little new setup in terms of the video. this is going to be a big upgrade. It is a much better platform than streamed. Really looking forward to it. And for those that watch, especially, I think you all will really enjoy it.

And then for the graphics on Twitter, those will be great as well. So let's jump into, I'm FSG, while Kyle do this, should accept this job. Number one, Kyle, you have the core in place. Cindy Crosby, of Guinea-Malk and Crystal Tang, you are going to get at least three to five more years with them together. Sadis has said he's going to play into his 40s. Chris Lettang is signed for five more years. Evgeny Malkin is signed for a few more years,

and they are all playing still at very high level. Cindy Crosby this year, over 90 points. Evgeny Malkin almost hit 90 points. Both were over a point per game at age 35 and age 36. Lettang had a bit of a rough start. His dad passed away. He had a stroke. Came back, though.

look like the player we saw last season, he's now going to have a full offseason to train. He is going to come back with a vengeance next season. You have the court in place that is gunning for a fourth Stanley Cup. And Kyle, you already have the hard parts done. Is there work to be done with this roster? Absolutely. But you have the big three.

You have Brian Rust. You have Jake Gensel. You have Ricard Raquel. all you have to do is figure out what you want to do with Jason Zucker, but the top six is in place. Five out of those six are signed for next season. All you'll have to do is figure out the outer edges of the roster, the bottom six especially, goal tending,

maybe get a defense minute or two, but you don't need to go out there and acquire a bunch of players to play in your top six. That hard part is already done. You have the core players locked up to bargain level contracts. all you need to do is surround them with a better supporting cast than the last regime did. And that's number one. Number two, you will have full power. If we give you this job, again, we as an FSG, I am pretending to be FSG here, you will have total control.

Unlike what happened in Toronto, which has been reported by numerous outlets in Canada, you will not have to go through Brendan Shanahan, who was the team president up there for a move. You will not have to go through the board and to the ownership to make a move. And then it comes back down to you. You will have total control of whatever move you want to make. You will run our entire hockey operations department. You will have free reign to hire assistant coaches, make whatever changes you want around the roster outside of the big three.

And this will be your team to construct. We're not going to hire our president of hockey operations to be above you. you would be the GM and technically the president of hockey ops. It would be your team. That is number two for FSG. Number three, the third reason why we think you should take this job. You know, even though Hextall and Burke left a mess, the city here will have your back.

If they see you are making changes that look promising, this is a very, and I mean a very good fan base. They're beating down a little bit right now just because the lash regime. We didn't agree with some of their moves, especially in the bottom six on the back end, goaltending. But if you're able to make some adjustments and the fans notice that and they see that you're putting together a more competent team for next season, they will rally behind you and they will be big fans of your work. And number four, you win with this team.

You are going to forever be a legend. because these core players, they are in their mid to upper 30s now. It is rare when you see a core this old win Stanley Cups in this modern day and age of the NHL. But look what Jim Rutherford did. Even though the core was a bit younger, he still was able to come in here, change the team around a bit, even though the team was looking stale, got them back-to-back cups, did his tenure end poorly? yes, but people will remember him most for bringing in those two Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Again, the tenure ended a bit poorly with his resignation, some other moves to the roster. But the first thing people think of when Jim Botherford comes up is the back-to-back cups.

And if you are able to bring this city a cup with the moves that you make, you will forever be a legend in this city as a team's general manager. And lastly, we're all in. We have no goal to rebuild. We would accept a little bit of a retool to make the playoffs for next season and beyond. But we want you to come in here and orchestrate us a winner. So, Kyle, what do you say? That is how I would pitch.

do this to accept the job here. And obviously I know family is very important. It's a wife and a kid up in Canada. They'd have to come down here to live. And I have been told that that is the big sticking point right now. You know, he has the offer. Money will not be a problem. That's another thing I would, if I were finding a waste group.

Money is no issue, Kyle. We will pay you whatever you want. just give us the name of your agent and we will discuss a contract that works for you money is not an issue for our ownership group look who we're paying to manage our Liverpool team

overseas that's the last thing I would say in terms of pitching to do this but again biggest taking point in this family I think that's what it's going to come down to money and power he'll have but the biggest question will be whether or not he feels like

A, he wants to take this job quickly after being fired by the Leafs and B, does he want to move his family several hours south of the border? So that is this first segment as I discuss my pitch to Kyle Dubus. Let me know if you have other points that you would make if you were FSG to do this. me down in other comments, you can send me a DM as well. We continue to have Debus watch. Chris Johnston said today on his show.

He said he who's heard from people not directly involved in this situation that it's about 98% that Debus will be taking the job in Pittsburgh. He says, I don't know if I can place my own percentage quite that high, but it seems like things are trending in that direction. We'll have to see, again, I am just a messenger here. I have not heard that. but I figured I would pass that along and transcribe that for people on social media and for people here. If you want to go listen to the full quote, you can listen to the Chris Johnson show on Apple, Spotify.

It's on YouTube as well. He's a very reputable hockey reporter. He does great work up in Canada. So that will do it for this first segment. Coming up in the second segment, we are going to discuss P.O. Joseph's season in review, the final of the six starting defensemen. what I liked, what I did not like, what I'm hoping he improves on for next season, whether I think he will be here for next season. I have to say, because you never know whoever comes in,

could look to make some changes to the back end. I don't think anyone really saw Mike Mathis and being traded. I sure so I have to put that out there for people. So that's coming up after this commercial break. But before we get into that, we do have to. discuss our newest sponsor, Bird Dogs. Attention active individuals. Are you tired of sacrificing comfort for style when it comes to your active wear?

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dogs Yeti-style tumbler with every order. Birddogs, where style meets comfort and performance meets perfection, get yours now and unleash your true potential. All right, we're back here in this episode of the Locked on Penguins podcast. I am your host, Hunter Hodes. Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow this show's Twitter at EnronerStanguins. And thank you all so much for making this your first list in the day.

we are freeing available on all platforms. So let's finish off our starters for the defense here. We should finish all the forwards. We'll do in the defense now. We'll get to Mark Freeman and Chavarweedle and a couple other reserves later on next week and in the following weeks and we'll also do the starting goaltenders. But let's finish off here, save the best for last, and do P.O. Joseph. Played in 75 games this year.

And I really liked his offensive ability, five goals, 21 points in these 75 games. I think that was my biggest concern of his going into the season was how much offense he was going to provide. Because before this season, he had only had 20 games of NHL experience. Not much. Five points in those 20 games. He played in the 16 during the COVID-shortened season in 2021. Only played four games last season.

But this was his first full year. And he didn't really drive offense that much down the minors, down in juniors. But he made big strides with that this season. Again, five goals, 21. I really liked the presence he brought from the blue line. He can bomb a shot from the point. I would actually like to see him get more powerplay minutes next season over Jeff Petrie. Petrie's never really been that good on the powerplay.

His underlines are not super good when it comes to that. But I really liked what I saw from him in the offensive zone. It was defensively where I think he just wasn't that good. you know, around the net. He lost a few ones. The one that really sticks out to me was late in the season. The Penguins played the Canadians. I have the game in front of me, actually.

It was on March 14th, Anthony Rashard scored in the third period. This was a 4-4 game. The Penguins were down 4-2. After the first period, they came back to tie it at 4-4 going into the third. This was one of the games that, honestly, the Penguins will look back on and they'll say, hey, if we win this game, we make the playoffs, and there's a lot of other games you can say that about. but Joseph lets a stretch pass go a little over his stick. He's also playing too far up, and he lets Richard get an angle on him.

He's able to snap it past Casey DeSmith, who was playing for the goal that made it 5 to 4. He just didn't do enough when it comes to that play. He read it wrong. He should have stayed a little back. If he pulls back there, he's able to. to break up. I shouldn't say break up that pass. Even though the pass gets to Richard,

he's able to be in stride with him, and then he's able to break up the play before a shot gets to the net. I just don't think he played it well there. And we saw that, honestly, numerous times throughout the season where his defense was a little soft around the net, a little soft in the defensive zone.

Maybe you can say it was partly due to him playing with Jan Ruda. I don't really think Ruda had that good of the season. But I think his defensive work, needs, you know, it needs to go a little further for next season. Still a very young player, I think he's going to be pretty good in this league. I don't think he's going to be maybe like a staple top four defensemen for this team, but I think he can definitely be a serviceable number five, number six guy for many years down the road.

If he turns into a great number three, number four, that would be awesome. I think right now his ceiling is a good serviceable third line, third pairing defenseman. You look at the underlines the season, the 75 games. When he was on the ice, Penguins had 53.4% of the shot attempts. They also had 56% of the actual goals for, which is solid. 52% of the expected goal share, 53% of the scoring chances, 52% of the high danger chances, and then 57% of the high danger goals for. Again, a good chunk of that was because of his ability to drive offense this season.

He did all this in limited minutes. He was only playing, what, 10 to 12, 13 minutes a night. he wasn't getting 16, 17, 18 to 20 minutes a night like some of these other defensemen were, like Chrysleting, like a Marcus Pedersen. Heck, even Brian Dumlin was getting those kind of minutes and it was just like, why? Because he would screw up worse than PO.

But again, I liked his offensive game. Defensively, he could improve a little bit. As for next season, I do think he'll be here. I could see the next regime, whether it's a Matthew Darsh, whether it's a Kyle Dubus, maybe looking to move him and trying to upgrade at that spot. But he's also a very young player where it's like, I don't think you should give up on him this easily.

He doesn't even have 100 games of NHL experience. It's 95 right now. Close enough, but still, not quite. You got to keep developing him, seeing if he has more to the tank offensively, and if you can work on his defensive game a bit, work on his 1B1 situations, work on his defense in front of the net.

I mean, you can see a real good player for this team next season. He was, you know, allowed it as that best part of that original Phil Kesselty. A lot of people, myself included, were excited about him because of his tape in juniors, finally got up, looked good in some games, looked bad in some games. It was his first true season of NHL experience. You can't just give up on that heading in the next season. So overall, I'm going to give him about, I think a solid B is fair. I don't think he was, you know, C minus bad or even a C.

You can maybe argue with B minus C plus, but I'm going to give him a solid B for this past season again. If he's able to clean him up, clean up, excuse me, some of the problems defensively. I think you will see an even better player for next season. I would like to see him more on the power play. PK-wise, I think you have other players who are better suited for that role, I would say. but overall, like to season, the offensive numbers were really impressive. His underlines were impressive.

It's just getting to that work that I've discussed about 500 times during this segment. So that wraps up this season review of P.O. Joseph. Let me know what you thought about him down in the comments. You can also send me a DM. Do you think he had a good season? Would you have him on the team next season? What do you think he has to improve on? What you think P.O's biggest strengths are?

All of that good stuff. Coming up in the final segment, we're going to do some playoff talk, discuss the Florida Pan. and how they got to the Stanley Cup final. Plus check in with the Vegas Dallas game and just why the Stanley Cup final is probably going to start a lot earlier than a lot of people expected it to this season. That's coming up after this commercial break. But before we discussed that, we have to get into eBay Motors for a championship team.

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in the game in no time. After all, it's easy to bring home a win when the right parts are guaranteed. Get the right parts, the right fit, and the right prices on eBaymotors.com. Let's ride. Eligible items only exclusions apply. All right, I'm back in this episode of the Lockedon Penguins podcast. I am your host, Powner, are going to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, follow the show's Twitter, Elmoreso Penguins. And of course,

thank you all so much for making this your first list of the day. We are free and available on all platforms. So congratulations to the Four of Panthers. They sweep away the Carolina Hurricanes. Matthew Cucuk had a I'm Him moment on Wednesday night, scores the game winner with four seconds left in the third period, but it looks like it's going to overtime. Just a gut-wrenching way for the hurricane.

lose this series. Lose a couple of them in overtime. Another one won nothing. And in this one, it looks like you're about to maybe see if the third time is a charm in overtime, you lose with four seconds left in your season's over. Just gut-wrenching ways to lose. If I was a Hurricanes fan, I would be absolutely sick to my stomach right now. But the Panthers just have that team of destiny feel.

They've won 11 or last 12 games. Ever since going down 3-1 to Boston, they have turned into a completely different team and they remind me so much of the LA Kings of 2012. They are getting that great goaltending that you saw from Jonathan Quick a decade ago. Sergei Vibrovsky, if it wasn't for Matthew Kuchuk, I would be voting for him for the Kahn Smyth. Honestly, you could have a case for Babrovsky, 1A, 1B with him in Kachuk right now. He has been ridiculous for the Panthers.

And then obviously Kukh, this has been a legacy performance from him throughout these playoffs. This series, he was awesome, but in the playoffs overall, showing why, honestly, are there five better players in the league right now than Matthew Kachuk? Serious question. I actually don't know if there are. He's at least top 10 in my book, but you can certainly argue that he is a top five player in the game right now.

I wish the Penguins had a player like that. And I know we've all been so spoiled with the core players that are here in the great top six talent that's come through, but Cachuk can score, he can pass, he can play defense, oh, he'll get in your face, and he'll chirp your brains out. He is such an incredible talent. If I could clone the Penguins with, like, Matthew Cachuck, just literal clones, I would. He has been incredible for them, and they just have that team of Destiny-like Field. Carter Verheagie's been great.

Anthony Duclars are really good since coming back. Sam Ryan Harbinan. Mentor has turned into a bona fide top pairing defenseman. Sasha Barkov. He's been quiet at times, but he's still having a good playoff run. This is not a team. Either of these two teams,

it's obviously going to be Vegas, I think. But Dallas is still in it technically right now. This is not a team you want to face in the final. Honestly, I'm still probably going to pick against them because I've picked against the panes. There's three years, three series in a row, they've won. You have to continue it, right? I'll pick against, I'll pick Vegas, assuming they get in,

just because I'm sure the Panthers will win, but, you know, they have done such a tremendous job to show that, you know, why not us? They're fast, they're deep, they play great defense and they're getting great, great, great, great, great, goaltending. That's what you need to win the playoffs. They play play play play playoff,

hockey and you have seen it. They kicked the crap out of the Maple Leafs and the Hurricanes. Two of the best teams in the conference this season. They went eight in one combined against those two teams. And the only one what they lost was when the Panthers are up

three nothing in the series against the Leafs. It's crazy. Crazy! Congratulations to the Panthers and their fans. I love that they were throwing the rats on ice. First time in the Cup final since 1996. Florida Vegas, assuming that's the final, is going to be a crap ton of fun. I am very much looking forward to it.

But that does it for this episode, the Lockdown Penguins podcast. Really appreciate all of you guys tuning in, whether it's listening, whether it's watching. We'll see if Dubis watch ends on Friday. I can totally see them doing a Friday news dump before the holiday weekend. If not, I assume it'll come next week. We will have to see whether he decides to take a job or if he decides to decline it and the Penguins have to go in another direction. But again, thank you all so much for tuning in. I very much appreciate it. I'll back with another episode for you all on Friday.