Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - NHL SQUAD SHOW: Who makes the second round, ASG cancelled, Canucks coaching vacancy opens

Episode Date: May 1, 2025

Welcome to the NHL Squad Show! Today our hosts Gil Martin (Locked On Islanders), Seth Toupal (Locked On Wild), Tom Callahan (Locked On Utah Hockey Club), and Ann Kimmel (Locked On Predators) are here ...to talk about the biggest surprises of the playoffs so far, plus the 2026 ASG is cancelled, and Vancouver needs a new coach Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.Wonderful PistachiosGet snackin' and get crackin' with the snack that packs a protein punch. Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more! GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Amazon Fire TV Stick 4kDid you know your Fire TV is also an Xbox? Turn any TV into your gaming and entertainment hub with Fire TV Stick 4K devices — no console required. Head to Amazon.com/firetvlockedon to get started. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and compatible controller required.UpworkVisit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free. With Upwork, you can find specialized freelancers in marketing, development, design, and more—experts ready to help you take your business to the next level.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is heating up right now, and well, people have a lot to say about it. We're going to talk about that, plus the cancellation of the All-Star game and a lot more on the NHL Squad Show. You are Talking Puck with the NHL Squad Show, sponsored by game time. From the Oilers to the Stars, Golden Knights, and the Panthers, the Rangers, Avalanche, and yes, even the Maple Leafs. The Locked-on podcast network brings together all its local experts, provide the spooks, breakdowns, and comprehensive looks at all the NHL with plenty of trash talk to go with it. Don't miss the hard hits and glove dropping hot takes on the Locked-on NHL Squad show. It's time to drop the puck.
Starting point is 00:00:49 Here, welcome to the NHL squad. Sit back, grab your favorite beverage and join us as we get you ready for another wild week across the NHL. We are part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, use code Locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase. We have got a great crew here today for this week's squad. We have Seth Tuple of Lockdown Wild,
Starting point is 00:01:20 Tom Callahan from Lockdown Utah Hockey Club, and Ann Kimmel of Lockedon Predators. And Ann, we're going to defer to you. you had something on your mind. Let's hear what it is. Okay, I usually try to stuff my feelings down with food, but I'm trying to eat healthy. And so this is just leaked out.
Starting point is 00:01:40 And now your mistake has given me a forum. But can we just talk for a minute about playoff hockey? This is my biggest pet peeve about this sport. If something is a penalty in the regular season, it should be a penalty in the postseason. season. And I already am up to hear with hearing this play, well, that's playoff hockey when you see an illegal hit that takes a go, let's playoff hockey. That's not playoff hockey. That is not even hockey. This has been my biggest pet peeve in the postseason. And look, I am here for the postseason.
Starting point is 00:02:19 It is faster. I love that. It is more physical. I love that. It is more intense. I love that about playoff hockey. But my biggest pet peeve is this whole, we're going to excuse things that are penalties in the regular season in a postseason game. And we're going to say it's because of playoff hockey. Friends, I've already, I'm like at capacity with this. This is not a thing. There is no such thing is, quote, playoff hockey that makes something that was a penalty in the regular season, suddenly not a penalty in the postseason. This is a hill I will die on. you know it's funny you say that when i worked in the league we used to pass around this little flowchart in the office that was obviously not for public consumption but it was how to determine a suspension and the regular season one had a lot of bubbles and a lot of different what ifs and outcomes and the playoff one tells you how long ago this was the playoff one had two outcomes one bubble that said not a suspension the other bubble said damn it pronger and that was one game so yes so so the that's how they figure out the the playoff suspensions.
Starting point is 00:03:28 Yeah, it wears me out. Like play with more intensity, hit harder, all of that kind of stuff, but do it legally. Like play the same game in the postseason. Play it with more intensity. Play the same freaking game. Drives me nuts. Yeah. I have, I have mostly been listening to the national broadcasts for the opening round.
Starting point is 00:03:49 And I have heard the phrase, they're really letting them play 285. times in the games that I have have watched. And I'll use an example from Wild's Golden Knights. There was a play in which Mark Stone I think it was a slash on Matt Socorillo to the point that Stone skated, was starting to skate to the press box
Starting point is 00:04:11 and looked at the officials and was like, you're not going to call that? Yeah. Like it is, it is fascinating how you know, and we've, We've all talked about it going into the postseason. Like they, the, the opportunities to go on the power play tend to kind of shrivel up. But we're in the middle of the Sahara Desert as far as, uh, letting things go.
Starting point is 00:04:38 And it's to the point that I think officials just don't want to make any sort of calls whatsoever. Or they tends to make a call way too quick. There was, uh, an off sides that shouldn't have been, but was called an off sides in game four. wild golden nights. And instead of just letting it play out and reviewing it, they just, hey, this is, this is super close. Let's just call it anyway. Like, let it play out.
Starting point is 00:05:09 There should be one standard. And the only thing you ask of the referees is to be consistent so that the players and the fans and the coaches all know what is permissible and what is not permissible. And, Anne, I think you're spot on as far as, you know, playoff hockey. I'll take it even a step further. What's a penalty in the first period should be a penalty in the third period. Come on.
Starting point is 00:05:35 You know, it either is or is not a penalty. And, you know, to me, if the game is tied to two, two with a minute and a half left and somebody clobber someone over the head with their stick, it's got to get called just like it would be in the first period of a nothing, nothing game. There's got to be one standard for all of this. It's like trying to figure out the whole first round is just trying to figure out, okay, what are we allowed to get away with? And I don't understand why in the NHL in the postseason.
Starting point is 00:06:11 Like, Seth, you're talking about it was a drinking game for every time you heard somebody say, well, they're letting them play. Nobody would see the second period. Or the light of day for that matter. Or the next day. quite frankly. Yeah. It's such a pet peeve.
Starting point is 00:06:28 Yeah. It's not like it's, oh, this one series is, you know, questionable. It's every series. It's every series. It's every game. It's every period. Unbelievable. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:44 And look, the referees have a difficult job. I'm not going to sit here and say it's easy. It's a very fast moving game. Even faster, as you said, Anne, in the playoffs. the players are bigger than they ever were. They're more skilled than they ever were. But whatever you do, just be consistent. That's all I think fans and players want.
Starting point is 00:07:06 They want to know what they can get away with, what they can't get away with, what's going to get called, what's not going to get called. These are the things that, you know, you need to know to do your job properly if you're a player. And yeah, the inconsistency of it is very, very, very,
Starting point is 00:07:24 frustrated. Well, some of these series are so physical and you have to have some idea as a coach. What do we need to do to prepare? Where is the line? As a player, you need to be aware. What can we do? What can we not do? And the things that they let go and the things that they call and the things that they excuse, like, again, here for more intensity in the postseason, I am not here for more dangerous hits that we let slide. And I just, I'm so, I'm tired. It's the first round you all. And I am tired of quote, playoff hockey. I'm tired. I love playoff hockey. I'm tired of the inconsistent officiating. And, and, and, and, you know, it's just the other factor is this. It is more physical. There's less time and space to operate. Power plays are super valuable in a playoff game, even more
Starting point is 00:08:22 than they are in the regular season because that's one of the rare occasions where you do get that extra half second of time and space and you can create. And in theory, there's somebody open to shoot the puck because they can't cover all five guys who are out there on the ice. To take that part of the game away or to minimize it. And I'll take it a step further. By not calling things, like referees always say, I don't want to affect the outcome of the game. By not calling things, you're affecting the outcome in the game, just like you are if you call them. Yeah, it turns into an umpire strike zone in Major League Baseball where we all know the strike zone is, you know, it's like this. But sometimes for one umpire, it's like this.
Starting point is 00:09:09 Sometimes for another one, it's like this. And if you are a hitter that steps into the box, you're like, okay, so which zone, what, like, what am I supposed to, where am I supposed to be looking? because it changes. And then if it is a particular way early on later in the game, oh, all of a sudden it's changed. You're like, what am I supposed to do? And Seth, that's kind of the point.
Starting point is 00:09:32 Every coach I've ever been around any level of hockey. And this happens at all level of hockey. I don't understand. Did we hand out a book somewhere when these officials first become officials that said, the playoff standard is different, but it's always going to change while it's being different. Coaches just want to know what the standard is. Players want to know what the standard is.
Starting point is 00:09:49 If it's a trip in the first period or more importantly, not a trip in the first period, why do we suddenly call that in the third? We're like, well, there haven't been any power plays. Let's spice it up a little. And that's, they do that. If, in overtime, we're not going to call anything for the first 15 minutes, unless it's a puck over the glass. But after 15 minutes, well, nobody scored yet. So I guess we'll, we'll try to work in a call here at the end of the first OT.
Starting point is 00:10:14 Yeah. It's exhausting. Just what is the standard, whatever it is. Keep it. Yeah. Be consistent. That's the bottom line. Be consistent. And it is not something that the NHL has been particularly good at. And I've been watching hockey for longer than I'd like to admit. And it's always kind of been this way to one extent or another. So I don't expect it to change anytime soon, but I would like to see it. And thank you for getting that off your chest. I hope you feel a little better. Thank you, well.
Starting point is 00:10:47 Yes, very good. You'll get our bill in the mail, but it's, anyway, we have got a lot more to get to on today's squad show. We'll talk a little bit more about the first round of the playoffs, how things are shaping up. We'll also talk about the cancellation of the 2026 All-Star game and a new coaching vacancy. We've got all that and more next on today's squad show.
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Starting point is 00:12:02 and claim your $250 in bonus bets today. That's fandul.com to claim your $250 in bonus bets today. So I wanted to throw this out so far. Guys, what has been the team that has surprised you the most so far in the playoffs and who's been the biggest disappointment? I'll, I'll start with the wild, Seth. You can say the wild. I'm going to.
Starting point is 00:12:39 I'm going to. I think the Minnesota Wild have been super impressive with what they've done in this series so far against Vegas. They have a few, they have two games that they've won by multiple goals. They've lost one game by multiple. But let's be honest. was a last second power play goal that should not. They put it in so that the Vegas betters could get the cover,
Starting point is 00:13:07 the sneakiest backdoor cover you'll ever see. The wild have been in every game. And the two games that they have won, they've really taken it to the Golden Knights, the two games that they've lost, it's come down to just missed opportunities. And with the fact that 19 out of 20 ESPN, analysts picked the Golden Knights to win in six or fewer.
Starting point is 00:13:32 I'm kind of taking a victory lap on that. Now, could it still end in six? Of course it could. And then I will say, well, it turns out they knew better. But it just feels different for this Minnesota Wild team. Like they don't feel intimidated in this moment. And they feel like they are really taking it to Vegas. And the Golden Knights have kind of been scrambling to try to come up with answers. So the wilder the, the, the, the most impressive team for me. As far as a disappointment goes, this is who he is at this point. I don't know if we can call Connor Hellbuck a disappointment because this is just what he does in the postseason.
Starting point is 00:14:13 Like he's done this the last three years. I went back and looked at the goals saved above expected. He's been negative three straight post seasons. He has been dead last or within the bottom. bottom five in pretty much every statistic the last two post seasons. Like, this is just who playoff Connor Hellbuck is at this point. How do you handle that if you're the Winnipeg Jets going forward? You got the best goalie in the league during the regular season,
Starting point is 00:14:40 but he's not getting you to the promise land. You pray. You pray a lot. And you hope that St. Louis, I guess, starts making mistakes. I mean, the last two games, if you're not concerned by what's happening in the last two games, as a as a Jets fan, you're probably not watching because it's, it there has been no question that St. Louis has been the better team the last two games and Winnipeg won the first two,
Starting point is 00:15:05 but like the trains off the tracks as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, I so wanted to come back on this squad cast for a big fat. I told you so because last week I said even though Winnipeg was up to nothing, I was like St. Louis is going to come back. Timings everything. St. Louis came into. this postseason, and I don't care where they were in the regular season rankings, they came in exactly where you want to be. And it has been fascinating to me to watch these last two games for St.
Starting point is 00:15:37 Louis, because like you said, they don't make mistakes. And if you're chasing Connor Hellebuk from the crease, you have this Winnipeg Jets team right where you want them. I think I really, I'm telling you, I think St. Louis could make this very, very interesting and the whole President's Cup trophy curse this this legacy is going to grow because i think st louis i think st louis has them right where they want to regardless of going back to winnipeg any of that i think winnipeg is like what just happened to us and can we make it stop and i don't know if they can i i do agree that s messrs minnesota wild are the biggest positive surprise i'm going to kick this one in gills direction for my my negative team new jersey did anyone tell the devils
Starting point is 00:16:22 that they were starting a playoff series. I look, Carolina, New Jersey was not the series I was looking forward to most. It was probably eight out of eight, right? I was not looking forward to it. But for that reason,
Starting point is 00:16:37 figured it could be very entertaining. It could be two teams about in the same place who could play a relatively competitive series. And the devils have just no-showed this one. And that's kind of surprising to me. I mean, I think the absence of Jack Hughes has been a big factor in that. They're without their best player.
Starting point is 00:16:59 And the injuries really have set the Devils back a lot. It's not the same team that got to this playoff spot. It's the same team that limped into the playoffs, I think. And if they were fully healthy, and I know injuries are part of hockey, you're not going to get rid of them because the game is so physical. But, you know, if the Devils had. some of their better players back, I think it would be a more competitive series
Starting point is 00:17:27 than what we've seen so far. And I can agree to that, but it just looks to me when I watched a little bit of those games, man, they're just not there. Like injuries, okay, they're not an excuse, but they are a reason. I get that.
Starting point is 00:17:42 Right. But that doesn't mean you just fold the tent. You know what I mean? And I expected the devils to kind of go in a locker room and go, all right, well, they're not here. It's up to us to pick it up now. And we've got to go out there and try to, you know, play with energy and really come at Carolina as best we can and attack. And they instead, they just like they're waiting for the inevitable.
Starting point is 00:18:03 That game one, that game one in that series, it looked like Carolina was just waterboarding the devils. You know, I kept thinking of that gif like, stop it, stop and he's already dead. And it just kept going. And I thought, oh my gosh, somebody tap out, tap out because it was almost hard to watch. Now, the other games have been closer, but, you know, I give it to Carolina. Like people could say, oh, they don't have NACIS anymore and they couldn't keep, you know, players don't want to play in Carolina. Carolina's looking around like, we don't care.
Starting point is 00:18:35 Don't care. Busy trying to win the Stanley Cup. I have to say Carolina has been impressive to me. Also, I just, does Edmonton have nine lives? Like, how? What happened? The score is three to one and I'm old and I go to bed and I wake up the next morning and the series is tied to two. I'm telling you, Edmonton has nine lives.
Starting point is 00:19:03 I don't understand. Like their goaltending is like, you don't know really, you know, players are playing beat up. They don't have Matthias Eckholm, former Nashville predator out there so defensively, you know. And yet the series is tied against the L.A. Kings who I think have looked fantastic. That one just baffles me. I'm like, I don't really know how this is happening, but I'm going to sit here and watch if it's before my back. Even if he's not the one directly involved,
Starting point is 00:19:31 he can still bring everybody else up around him. Just incredible. Yeah. And I think the other thing is this, the L.A. Kings are a different team at home than they are on the road. At home, they are almost unbeatable on the road. They're average at best. and, you know, we'll see whether or not having a potential game seven in L.A.
Starting point is 00:19:56 makes a big difference or not because I'm sure Kings fans and the Kings players are sick of losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Edmonton Oilers after doing it three years in a row. But, boy, they've got to play better on the road if they hope to change that outcome. Yeah, and that's a tough, man, that is a tough place to play. that's such a tough place to play. And by way, just real quick, I know we want to hit a break, but before we do, by way of giving credit to Seth's Wild, they were actually a much better team on the road this year. And I think they're kind of figuring out how to get it done at home.
Starting point is 00:20:32 And if they do figure out how to get it done at home, that's actually going to make them real dangerous to make a run. Yeah. Yes, it will. And it always helps to get your best players back and healthy in time for the playoffs. Well, and I think we're seeing having a fully, healthy, Jewel Ericksonac is the key. Like, as much as having Carill Caprizz off in the mix to do a bulk of the scoring is great.
Starting point is 00:20:58 Jewel Ericksonek fully healthy at this point in the season because of how much he mixes it up with people in front of the net and how much just straight up abuse he takes on a game-to-game basis. Having him rested and at full go to go at Jack Eichael has been a huge key in that series. So he's healthy. Carrill looks great. It's it's been fun early on. I'm just hoping that I get a chance to prove all the ESPN people were on.
Starting point is 00:21:25 That's really all I care about. It looks so fun. Like the postseason being in it, that looks streaming. I wouldn't know, but it looks amazing. Yay for you. Yeah, playoff hockey. Imagine that. All right.
Starting point is 00:21:38 We've got more to discuss. The NHL has canceled the 2026 All-Star game. And we've got another coaching vacancy to talk about. We'll have discussed that next on today's Lockdown NHL Squad show. So the NHL has canceled the All-Star game for next year. It was weird to begin with because usually when the NHL players are participating in the Olympics, there is no All-Star game, but they scheduled it. And this was like for my New York Islanders, this was a big deal hosting for the first time since the early 80s.
Starting point is 00:22:21 And now there's going to be some undetermined. event at the UBS arena to prepare everybody for the Olympics. And the NHL still doesn't know what that event is going to be. So first of all, is this a wise move by the NHL? And how do you feel about All-Star Games now, especially in the wake of what we saw at Four Nations this past couple of months ago? I don't think All-Star Games are the worst thing in the world. I think they serve their purpose when it comes to being,
Starting point is 00:22:56 they want them to be a media circus. They want them to grab attention. And they do. And now the Islanders are going to have a kickoff event for the Olympics, which is going to be a media circus and is going to grab attention for the Olympics. In a way, I think maybe Gary Bettman was suggesting to the players. Again, this goes back to the whole history of they don't want them over there or do they want them over there.
Starting point is 00:23:17 Maybe they do. Maybe they don't. And then you're going to bargain for it in the CBA. I think there's a little bit of that history there. So, Gild to me, they should move the Islanders game a year back. You know, and I know you've already announced and promised of whatever, push it back a year and let the Islanders actually have an All-Star game. And then whatever this event is, I mean, the New York market is not the worst place
Starting point is 00:23:43 to feature all of your players before you send them off to play in the Olympics. So I just don't necessarily agree with shorting. the Islander fans, this experience. And as far as the All-Star game itself goes, look, it's still going to evolve. It might be a three-on-three tournament next time. It might not. I think we can agree that that seems to be better than five-on-five hockey.
Starting point is 00:24:05 And Four Nations was great, but in an Olympic year, you're not doing that. So, you know, whatever we get, we get. But, yeah, I'm not super surprised, which is why I would even kind of chuckled at the word canceled. You know what I mean? It's not really canceled. they knew this was coming.
Starting point is 00:24:24 So they've just morphed it into something else. I'm okay with it being canceled. I think you know what? You can't compete with the Olympics. You know, you're not going to make a bigger fuss. I get a little nervous when I hear the NHL has a to be determined event because can we just be honest that the NHL and events
Starting point is 00:24:42 were still whiffing on some. And I loved the Four Nations, but honestly what made the Four Nations so great was the performances, was the Ana Ice product. Like the hype was okay, but the on ice product was what sold the four nations. It wasn't like genius marketing. And I think the Olympics are going to be the same way. I think it's going to come down to on ice product.
Starting point is 00:25:05 But I just, I'm not a fan of the All Star game. I'm not. And look, like was it Kucharov that like only just sort of showed up in the one? Like he ruined it. Like he just, Santa Claus is not real. They don't want to be there. And it's so it just feels. like it's not it's lost something I agree three on three much more interesting but I just man I just
Starting point is 00:25:30 wish the NHL just had a different something when it comes to events just something or just a week off I think if you pulled I think if you pulled players they may maybe not publicly but privately would say just would like some time off because yeah look it's a grueling And especially with the Olympics, with the Four Nations face off, you've got a very crunched season, tons of back to backs, a lot of travel. Like, it gets grueling. And I mean, if you want to, if you want to honor first half all stars, second half all stars, whatever you want to do, I'm fine with that. But like, if they're not, if they're not going, if they're not going full bore, you can tell. I think people just because of what the Pro Bowl has evolved and devolved into, I think people kind of get turned off by that.
Starting point is 00:26:31 Because if they're not, if they're out there not trying or looking like they're just kind of like Kutraoff, people are kind of like, oh, well, why would I tune into this? Like, I don't know. Like just, just give them a week to go on vacation. Jerks and Kikos for everyone. Including the media who has to cover all these. Let's go. I'm in.
Starting point is 00:26:51 I'm down. Let's go. I mean, the thing that made four nations so great was that there was physicality in the game. There was intensity. There was checking. When was the last time that there was checking or defense in an all-star game? I mean, it just, you could play three on three. You could play five on five.
Starting point is 00:27:12 You could play ten on ten. Nobody's checking anybody in an all-star game. And so what we saw was like what the NHL would look like if there were only four teams. which was really, really great. And then you added, I guess, the unintentional juice added to Canada and the U.S. Because of politics right now. All of a sudden, this was a grudge match. It just wasn't a friendly little encounter.
Starting point is 00:27:39 And that took it to another level as well. But, yeah, the All-Star game needs some change if they're going to keep it. Otherwise, do four nations and Olympics on an alternate basis. and let's or maybe go to six nations if they could ever figure out how to include Russia again. But because a lot of good players missed out or maybe you go team Europe and you have players from Germany and Switzerland and Russia or whatever. But there's got to be some solution. Before we run out of time, Rick Tocke out as coach of the Vancouver Caduc's thoughts from everybody.
Starting point is 00:28:19 Would he like to come to Nashville? When is the Philadelphia press conference to announce him as the head coach? It feels like that he feels like he's already signed the deal to head to Philly. Yeah. It does. Would Vancouver then acquire Tortorella to sort of complete that deal? If you imagine Tortorella walking through this past season with Vancouver, like to be a fly on that wall? The paint would be peeling.
Starting point is 00:28:49 Torts. Torts versus. is Elias Pedersen would be worth the price of season tickets. Like, come on. That would be, that'd be high theater. It is kind of interesting. I just heard some of Tockett's comments after the season about the J.T. Miller, Aaliyos Pedersen stuff.
Starting point is 00:29:10 And I guess it was a little surprising to hear him admit that it got kind of ugly at points. I think, you know, you have had some successful years in Vancouver, but it felt like he really just kind of saw the writing on the wall that if things didn't improve, that maybe there wasn't, maybe it wasn't a bad idea to try to find some greener pastures that didn't involve a superstar that's underperforming
Starting point is 00:29:38 and rifts in the locker room. You know, it was interesting. I was listening to Sirius XM the other day and Bruce Boudreau was on there. And somebody just asked, hey, Bruce, if this job was offered you, would you take it? I forget what job it was. But he said, oh, yeah, absolutely. He's like, there's only 32 of these things. And so that got me thinking about good and bad landing spots as a coach, but in the end does it really matter?
Starting point is 00:30:02 You just want to get in there and prove you can do the job. Now, look, if you're Mike Sullivan and you probably have a couple of serious tire kickers, then yes, you could be choosy. But Vancouver's not a great situation. And I don't think that's fixing itself anytime soon. But yet, you know, there's going to be a hundred guys knocking on that door. So that to me is super interesting. How do you settle those internal conflicts and apparently talk it was not the guy? I don't know who will be the person to iron that out. And that's difficult because it sounds like it's something that was allowed to grow and take root and really just infiltrate the whole team.
Starting point is 00:30:40 Like they all got infected from that beef. And that was a horrible season for them. I don't know how you turn that around. It festered and they imploded. And somebody has got to change the culture of that locker room, whoever it is, that they hired. And maybe that's why I thought about Tortorella only because he's just no nonsense, not going to take anything.
Starting point is 00:31:01 Maybe you need, if not Tortorella, a guy like that with a similar personality who's just going to lay down the law in the locker room as much as a modern coach is capable of doing in this day and age. But we'll see how it plays out in very, Vancouver. I want to thank everyone for making the squad show your first listen today for your second listen. Check out the all new locked on NHL game night every game every night until a Stanley Cup champion is crowned. Get local analysis on a national scale. Find NHL game night on locked on NHL on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. It's part of the locked on podcast network
Starting point is 00:31:40 your team every day. I want to thank Anne Kimmel of Locked on Predators, Tom Callahan, of Locked-on Utah Hockey Club and Seth Tuple of Locked-on Wild. I'm Gilmartin from Lockdown Islanders. Thanks, everyone, for watching and listening to the NHL Squad Show. We'll be back next week with more exciting NHL talk. Take care, everybody.

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