Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - One more crossover for this week...

Episode Date: August 26, 2021

It's the week of crossovers as Hunter brings on another face of the Locked On Network onto Locked On Penguins! Jay Forster of Locked On Blue Jackets comes onto the show for the first time to first touch on the Locked On NHL's Top 50 player list and how both franchises got shafted. We first start with Evgeni Malkin and the insanity of him not making it. Should one bad year be the difference? The focus then turns to Zach Werenski and how he was left off as a snub as well. After that, the hosts talk about the Pens-Jackets rivalry as a whole and where it stands today. With the Jackets not expected to be good again next year, will they still come in waves to see them play Pittsburgh? Where does CBJ rank on the list of Penguins rivals? Does Jay expect the Jackets to make some noise next season? What's his favorite Pens-CBJ memory? All that, plus much more on this special crossover episode of Locked On Penguins.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. 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.

You're locked on penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked on podcast network. Your team every day. So because there's not an awful lot going on in Blue Jackets Land right now, I thought it might be fun to invite somebody new onto the podcast, someone that we haven't really had cause to talk too much on account of his team being the worst team of all the,

teams, but we've got Hunter Hodes of Lockdown Penguins here today. And we're going to talk a little bit about the NHL top 50 players poll that lockdown is doing. There's a couple of notable snubs that we were individually pretty mad about. And I figured we would also have some fun rivalry talk because we haven't played the penguins in what feels like a million years. So, I mean, let's let's start off with the, the NHL top 50 list. Like, I was legitimately surprised to find Malkin solo on that list. Yeah, it's kind of stupid. Well, first off, I should say, you know, thank you for having me on, Jay.

I really appreciate, you know, it has been a while since these two teams. I think these two fan bases have, you know, gone out with each other on the social media's a little bit. Just, of course, you know, the two teams didn't play. I'll actually do to the realignment. but whenever, you know, whenever, you know, those two teams play, it's always fun just because, you know, Columbus and everyone out there, they always, they see Pittsburgh as their biggest rival. And, you know, it's obviously, you know, they're only three hours away from Pittsburgh. But then, you know, Penguins fans kind of just see it as like the big brother, little brother thing.

Just because, you know, the jackets have lost them both times in the playoffs and that, you know, a lot of times when Pittsburgh goes to Columbus, a lot of just, I think that, I think a lot of Penguins fans will make the drive there just because you can basically do it. in one night. But as for the top 50 thing, yeah, man, it is a bit weird. I did have my video come out earlier today on my Twitter page and the Lockdown Penguin's Twitter page. I never really understood why Evgeny Malkin is not on that list. I wish I could say I was surprised, but I guess I'm not just because remember about a few years ago when the NHL did that top 100 list of all time during their 100th season, Evgeny Malkin was left off that too, which was, you know, a lot. I think more controversial than this, but one bad season from Gino should not take away from what he's done

throughout his career just before this season, when he, before he got hurt, excuse me, had 74 points in 55 games in 2019, 20, was one of their best players. I thought played fine in the bubble. But then for him to go from that to what happened this year, and it was only because he screwed up his knee. Remember, he played on a torn MCL in the playoffs. was a point per game player. He actually looked ridiculously good in the playoffs while playing on that very bum knee. And, you know, before he got hurt, he was honestly really starting to

turn around his season. He was playing the best hockey, I thought, those three to four weeks prior to really screwing up his knee a little bit. And then remember, came back towards the late stages of the regular season and then kind of re-injured it a little bit. I guess, actually, I think it was in the final game of the regular season. But, you know, there are some players on here. I'm not going to tease who's on here. You know, you all have to see it for yourselves, especially the Lock-on Penguins listeners.

But there are definitely some players on here who do not hold a prayer to what I'm getting mocking can still bring on a nightly basis. Yeah, for sure. And like, as someone who's been following the blue jackets for a while now, like, yes, I think Sydney Crosby obviously is still, I think, a top three player in this league. I think, you know, there's no debate there, but like, Evgani Malkin, like, just watching that guy play is incredible.

Like, he, I don't know what it is about him. I don't think he's, he's obviously not as good as Crosby. He's, I don't think he, he's not that pure goal scorer, like a betcha kid, but he seems to kind of hit that, that sweet spot right in between those two players, I feel like. And just every time he's on the eye. I kind of have that, oh no, feeling. He feels like he's one of those players that every single time he goes out on the ice,

I'm like, oh, he's going to score here. It's a very kind of like a Nate McKinnon type player of he just kind of seems to do what he wants on the ice, and there's not really much that anyone else can do about it. So, like, I wonder if it's partially that he has kind of spent his entire career playing behind Crosby. because on I think literally any other team except maybe Edmonton, he would be that number one center, like, without a doubt. So I wonder, like, how much that has influenced, kind of how people feel about his career.

But, yeah, in my mind, like, he's a, probably a top 10 center in this league. Easy, you know? And so to find out that he not only was, like, one of the snubs, but was also, I think, 60th out of the 75 players that we ended up ranking, just bonkers. Absolutely bananas. Like it makes no sense. It does not make any sense at all.

I think it's, you know, I'm not going to, you know, throw hands with, you know, any of the hosts on here. You know, that's not what we're for. I just will say, you know, I think some people, I don't know, I don't know everyone's ballot. I only think I saw one other person's ballot. But I think some people that left him off their list, they need to maybe watch more than two or three Penguins games a season and see what this guy does on a nightly basis, just like I do, just like everyone that listens to the Locked on Penguins podcast.

And of course, everyone on Penguin's Twitter and the media people. I would agree with you. He has a top 10 center league-wide. He's one of the five best players of this generation. I would love for people to name five better players than a lot. with Gennie Malkin from this generation of players who have played. You really cannot. I mean, okay, Sid, McDavid, McDavid is going to be up there once he plays a bit more.

I mean, he probably is already there right now. But, you know, Kane, Taves. I mean, I would put Malkin over Taves for sure. Oh, 100%. Then you would have Ovechkin. And I think that's probably your five right there. And it's just, again, you know, man, like one bad season should not just say, oh, you know, you're not a top 50 player anymore.

And I get what a lot of these lists are. They're to drive reaction. They're to grow the network. But, you know, he is better than a lot of players on a lot of different. I think I'm trying, what I think I'm trying to say is, you know, you have some teams that have all their players on there that are not better than of getting Malkin. And, you know, some of those players that are on some of those teams got on the list over him, which is just, it's crazy to me. So I'm not

it's not something I'm going to lose sleepover but again man I really do wish people would watch of Gunny Malkin on a nightly basis because he really is that pure power forward type. I really do think if he was on his own team which that's not going to happen anyway I think people would appreciate him a lot more just because you know even when Sid is out

he's still eating up those tough matchups. You know sure he's getting basically the scraps after what Sid gets because he obviously is the main focus for a lot of teams. But, you know, Gino is still crushing his minutes right after that. And even again, like I said, when Sid missed that part of the season due to that hernia, Gino was well over a point per game. I think he had, I think it was like 1.3 points per game or something like that. I have to check the overall numbers.

But, I mean, he took that competition that Sid gets to the woodshed and show that he is still one of the best players in hockey. I mean, this guy's had a 50 goal season. He's won three cups. He's won an Art Ross. He's won a heart. He has a Calder. He has a cons smites.

Honestly, you can make the argument he could have two cons mites. That 2017 run, you could have given it to Sidor Gino. No one really would have batted in an eye. But, yeah, man, I think it's basically my rant on Evgeny Malkin, I guess, to sum it up, I really wish people would watch him more and appreciate what he's done, not just for the Penguins, but for the league as a whole, because he's one of the five best Russian players also to ever play in the NHL. And you can make the argument that he is arguably the greatest Russian player of all time.

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mortar oil, or even new carpet. You can go to rockado.com right now and see all the parts available for your car truck. And you can write locked on in their hired you here by this box so they know we sent you. Amazing selection, rely below prices, all the parts of car ever need. That's rock auto.com. yeah 100% like we talked about this a little bit um just before recording of you know it was a weird season all around obviously you know the we only played what seven other teams like this entire this entire season and i personally am thrilled that i won't have to play

tampa eight times this season i'm really excited that i won't have to pay attention to the dallas stars anymore um but like even so it feels it feels very much like it was a weirdly insular season so i do wonder if kind of that has something to do with it of only maybe seven or eight hosts actually watch the penguins play this season because of COVID. But even so, like it's, it makes no sense to me. And again, like I said just off mic, as someone who has been following the blue jackets, you know, I am intimately familiar with people not paying attention to them and just assuming that they're bad because no one cares about the blue jackets.

And I feel like the penguins, it feels weird out of the penguins are always a really weird team to me because I am super aware of them all the time because we play in that division and, you know, where probably, it's probably the closest thing that the blue jackets have to a rivalry, even though I don't think we're on quite the same level skill-wise. There was a point a couple of seasons ago where you could argue that we were kind of a little a little bit more even, but like right now, I think the penguins are head and shoulders above the blue jackets in terms of skill. But the penguins are only, what, three, four seasons removed from winning back to back cups. And it feels very much like those four years, that's been a very long

four years in terms of like the general, the general kind of, not appreciation, but like, if other people have already forgotten that a little bit, and they're like, oh yeah, the penguins, they exist, I guess. You know, they're not Toronto, they're not Chicago, which for some reason still gets a ton of media attention and fan attention despite being terrible for the past few seasons. The penguins have kind of slipped between the gaps a little bit and gone from being this kind of, seen as this dominant powerhouse team to,

oh, yeah, they're still here, I guess. Yeah, and just to go, just to go. back a little bit. You brought up a great point, you know, with this realignment from this past season, you know, I, you said it best, only probably seven to eight hosts, you know, really saw what of Gennie Malkin or, you know, other players that didn't make it, you know, brought to the table as the other hosts, you know, they were probably focusing on, you know, their division because that's all they were playing. That's, that season. I actually, you know, did not even really think about that going into this. But then, you know, they also could have just done this after

this season coming up because we're back to the 82 games. There's no more stupid Canadian division. Everyone is playing each other at least two or three times division games. It'll be four to five. I think that would have been a better time to do it to really get a gauge of who the top players are. And to see how they do against every team in the league, not just seven to eight. I really do like that point there. But yeah, man.

And also just to talk about like the. the blue jackets, excuse me, for a second. I did see, obviously, on the list. I don't know if anyone knows this. Zach Wrenski did knock it on it. You know, I'm a much bigger Werenski fan over someone such as Seth Jones. I've always said on my podcast, Jay. I'm sorry to say this for, you know,

the blue jacket says everyone that I think Seth Jones is wildly overrated from a lot of hot people who cover the sport, just because his numbers don't line up with how people talk about. him, but Zach Wrenski's due. And, you know, maybe his contract is a bit much. I mean, nine and a half, nine something million for him is definitely more than what I would have given him, but I still think he's one of the top 50 best players in the league. And to have him off the list and a couple other these players on there, it's definitely a bit weird to say the least. And also, I also don't think Patrick Lone had gone on it either. I'm sure he's kind of had a couple

down years, but this is still one of the best pure goal scores in hockey. And if he gets back to that level this season, even though the jackets probably aren't going to be that good, I think he's going to be making a lot of the hosts here look a little bit silly, I would say. Yeah, I mean, so with the line A thing, yeah, I understand why he was left off. I mean, A, he played in Winnipeg for most of his career and then moved to the Blue Jackets. had kind of a down season. I think he was injured when he arrived in Columbus.

Obviously, you know, that was a whole thing. So being injured and being traded and the whole, you know, global pandemic thing, you know, I'm willing to give him a little bit of leeway. I think when we when we start back up again, I would be surprised if he is not stapled to Jake Vorichek's side. Obviously, you know, as as a penguin fan, you've watched Jake Voracek for many years on the flyers. And I think he could be.

a really great addition to kind of helping Linae get back to that potential 40-50 goal scorer that we think he can be. In terms of Zackarensky, yeah, I was disappointed but not surprised, I think, is probably the best way to put it. I agree, I think he is better than Seth Jones. I've been saying on the podcast for a while now, both before and after the trade, I don't think Seth Jones is as bad as the analytics say that he is. I also don't think he's as good as the eye test says that he is.

I think he probably falls somewhere in the middle. That's a good way to say it. Which I think is true of a lot of players. I think there's I think there's very, very few players that you can look at just the analytics or just the eye test and say this player is good or bad. If only because a lot of players, you know, and Seth Jones especially, like some of the things that he does well are the things that you can't really quantify with advanced stats yet. So, you know, his transition play, I think, is his real strength. And it's not something that is super

readily available in terms of advanced stats. So like as advanced stats, advance, so speak, I think his numbers will get better. But yeah, people, people talking about him, like he's, you know, a Norris caliber, a defenseman year in, year out, I think is, is way off. And so, like, I was annoyed to see him go, I think, but the return we got was super great. And, you know, like, I don't know if him leaving had any effect on Werenski's willingness to sign that long-term contract. But having a guy like Werenzky locked up for six years, and yeah, I think it's 9.538. So just a little bit above what Seth Jones is making. if we have to pay that much money to keep a guy like Worenski around who is our,

you know, de facto number one defenseman, it probably will be for a number of years now. Like I'm okay with paying a little bit extra to a guy like Worensky if it means he sticks around because like if you look at the blue jackets in general, like who else are we going to pay? You know, Voracek's making seven, line A's making seven and a half. I believe those are the only three players that are making over $5 million this season. Yeah, when you have a lot of cap space, I think, man, like, you got to, like, show your fan base and everyone that follows a team that, hey, you know, we can pay up to keep one of our young players long term. Again, I will not assign Zach Wrenski to that contract. Nine and a half million is definitely too rich for him, but, you know, I really think the organization wanted to show the fan base.

and, you know, everyone again that follows them, that, hey, you know, we're going to keep this guy. I know we've traded and lost a lot of players these last few years, but we don't want to lose this player because we really like what he can do a long term with this organization. And, you know, I think at some point, Jay, your team has to show that they can at least keep one of your franchise players, so to speak, just because of how many have lost. I mean, you know, switching sports, Libby. I'm a nationals fan, so I've seen a lot of my really good franchise players walk. I'm hoping that's not going to be the case with someone such as Juan Soto, who's up in a few years. You have to show your fans that you have what it takes to keep someone long term and then hopefully build around him to make your next contender. So I get the reasoning for it.

It was just, you know, a bit too rich. But, you know, I'm sure the Blue Jackets, they have plenty of cap space to spend with how many players have left recently. And then, you know, they also, you also brought it up. They brought in Jake Borrachek. That was a trade that I did not see coming from both sides. It's going to be weird to see him back there. If I recall correctly, he was drafted by the Blue Jackets, was he not? Yes, he was.

He was, so he was actually, and this will tie in neatly to another player that I'm sure we'll talk about in a minute. He was who we traded for Jeff Carter back in 2012. So it'll be interesting to see that unfold. Yeah, it's going to be nice to see him back in Union Blue. Again, he is a player who I think is probably on a contract that is slightly too big for him. But I'm a big Voracek fan. I think he's a phenomenal player.

I think he's a phenomenal playmaker. And if we can basically just attach him to Lion A and put literally anyone in the middle of that, you know like you i think you could probably put me on the ice in the middle of that and we will probably get some pretty decent results because all we need all varcchek needs is someone to pass to and all line a needs is someone to pass to him so i think if we can get those two guys you know going i think that could that could be the the making or the breaking of the blue jacket season i think is is how that that duo uh is that how that duo responds yeah i think

Vorechuk, the writing was definitely on the wall for him in Philadelphia. I think he'd been wanting to move away from the flyers for a couple years now. Didn't have the best season this past year, if I recall correctly, but, you know, a change of scenery, excuse me, I'm sure could do wonders for him, even though, like I said, you know, the team is obviously not going to be that good, but, you know, with not a lot of high expectations, I think he could flourish. Then, you know, the other way, you send Cam Atkinson in case some Penguins fans forgot. he was kind of a little bit of a penguin killer at times.

I always thought that he was probably one of the more underrated goal scores in the league. If I recall correctly, he had that 40 goal season just a couple years ago. And was always that consistent 25 to 30 goal score before this past year where he definitely fell off a little bit. But was that due to injuries or just him not fitting in with what John Torrello was saying? Now, before we do get back to our discussion about Camp Atkinson with that deal, we do have to touch on a couple of things. One of them being everyone's favorite betting website, and that is BenOnline.A.G. It's that time of year again, and all eyes are now turning to football as teams are back on the gridiron to start the football season. As always, Betelline is your number one spot for all the pro in college football action this season.

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That's one in code locked 15 for 15% off at belt.com. Yeah, I think he kind of fell to the, what kind of plagued most of the blue jackets this season, which was not necessarily bad coaching from Tortorella. I think I've always liked Tortoralla's systems themselves. My issue with Tortorella has always been that if something isn't working, he will switch it up immediately. So like if four shift into the game, something hasn't happened,

he's like, right, I'm just going to send you, you and you out there. And so I think the problem with Cam Atkinson this season was lack of consistency in his line mates, which is, again, I think something that, I just talked about this with Laura Saba

of Lodont Canadiens, actually. I think it was something that Max Domi struggled with this season is he didn't really have a solid place in the lineup. And so he didn't get a chance to develop that. chemistry with anyone. Linae, I think, was kind of the same. And so I'll be interested to see how he responds to that in Philadelphia with a different coach that maybe is a little bit happier to

just kind of put him on in that top six and just kind of leave him. Because, yeah, like you say, I am a big Camack in Sanfad. I always have been. He had 40, I want to say 43 goals two seasons ago, which is just, that's so many goals. But yeah, he kind of has, fallen off the past couple of seasons. He's getting older. He's 30, I want to say 32 at the minute. So, you know, he is, he is kind of getting to that part of his career where he is going to decline. But yeah, I think probably a little bit, a little bit of aging, a little bit of the fact that no one in the blue jackets knows how to score ever. and John Tororella's the weird lineup decisions

is probably what was most wrong with Atkinson this season. Yeah, I just, I didn't pay it obviously I didn't pay a lot of attention to Columbus just because they weren't in the division but you know, I did notice that he seemed to be struggling a lot more than he used to.

So we will have to see if he potentially finds his game again with the Adelphia. Hopefully for both of our sakes, he does not because, you know, I don't need to be good again next season. I like to, we always like to see them just suffer forever, you know, especially since 1975.

Okay, there's my 1970s. I'm sure both fan bases will enjoy that. But just, you know, I guess moving to the rivalry a little bit, are you excited to have these two teams play again? I definitely missed having the Penguins play against Columbus.

I always love seeing the team going to nationwide because even when Columbus was not even that good in recent years, well, I shouldn't say recent years because they've been good for the most part for the last three or four years. But before that, I should say, they would still pack the house pretty good because, you know, they're playing Pittsburgh. It's three hours away. It's their biggest rival. The roof just comes off the building anytime they win there just because, you know, like it's beating Pittsburgh. I think to them before they go far, you know, it's almost like, you know, oh my God, this is our season. You know, I think it's kind of like, you know, when Philadelphia tried to knock the penguins out of the playoffs,

I think this was back in 2015, you know, that was basically their Stanley Cup that year as well. But just, you know, are you excited to play Pittsburgh four to five times again this season and get back to normal a little bit more? I don't know. The excitement is the word I would choose. I'm super not looking forward to Jake Gensel scoring like eight goals in those five games, because that's what he does. But, yeah, I'm, well, first of all, I'm excited to play literally any other team, apart from the seven teams that we faced last season. I'm, and it's weird. So I'm excited for like a meaningless game against Vancouver in like mid-January, you know, because there was just every single game.

The season was a four-point game. but I am also excited to face teams like Pittsburgh and Washington again, just because I feel like the Blue Jackets tend to play to the level of their opponents. So if we're playing a bad team, we tend to also play pretty crappy. If we're playing a good team, we tend to do okay. Like I believe our most successful season series this season was against Tampa Bay. we had the most wins against Tampa Bay over any other team in our division, which seems a little bit wild. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to playing Pittsburgh and Washington.

But yeah, those, like, Columbus Pittsburgh games, they so rarely end well for us, but it's just so much fun. Like, again, we were talking off my, like, one of the, one of my favorite games in Nationwide. I think it was like, it was a two-one overtime win against Pittsburgh that meant nothing. terms of the standings, essentially. Like, but it was just so much fun. I think it was probably, the, uh, the audience was like probably 50-50 blit. February 17th, 2017, uh, in overtime 2-1. I think, I think that's the game you're talking about.

Yes, it was, it was Brandon Dabinsky from Cam Atkinson, uh, with the, with the game winner. Um, and it was, it was about, I think it was probably 50% Penguins fans, 50% Bluejackets fans. and it was just incredible. Like the atmosphere was good. I worry sometimes that with rivalry games, people are going to get unnecessarily like assholeish about it. But it was, I don't know,

it was just it was a really fun experience. If we had lost, I don't know that I would be saying that necessarily. But it's like it's always fun to play Pittsburgh because there's always the chance that you're going to beat Pittsburgh, you know? So it's yeah rivalry games are fun Like I don't I don't get why people Hate rivalries like it's it's great even even if we get stomped Like it's I don't know it's it's fun

Yeah and you know obviously you know penguins fans They'll never take too kindly to hearing Brandon Dubinsky's name And for good reason um as well without everything he did with the sydney crosbie thing was just And then of course the comments that he made in the off season about it in OV. It's just like just adding, that just adds fuel to a fire. But yeah, man, I'm definitely excited for it. I love when the penguins going to nationwide. The cannon definitely probably scares a lot of people, but you know, it just overall, it really brings Columbus fans into the arena. It just insults it and it sells out. And that's just, that's the nature of it when your

biggest rival comes to town and one that's in plenty of driving distance. So I'm really excited. even though one team is, you know, closer to a contender and one team is closer to, you know, maybe, I guess, a top 10 pick in the draft. But I just, I'm excited for the Metropolitan Division as a whole, Jay. I'm just, I got tired of the same matchups from this past season, probably after the fifth time they played. I'm like, okay, can we just start the playoffs now? But, you know, I am glad you also brought up a blue jacket killer Jake Gensel. you know, I remember just that the hat trick in game three of the 2017 series that we were talking about this as well, you know, the crying Jordan meme that someone made after that goal was scored, they basically put crying Jordan faces on all of the Blue Jackets fans when Gensel and Sid were celebrating when after Sid did his work behind the net. But I honestly think his like point per game against Columbus, it's probably.

I got to be one of the highest marks against any team in the league. It has to be up there just because you said it best man. He scores almost every time they play. And I'm sure this season will be no different, at least a little bit. I don't know if he's going to, you know, pick up his production from the last couple years before they didn't play this past year. But I still think you will see him score at least a couple goals against them. But do you have anything else to add potentially before?

close this one up? What do you expect from the jackets this year? Do you expect them to be closer to the bottom, or do you expect them to potentially surprise some people this year? The jackets are such a weird team that I always feel like they have the potential to go to the playoffs or pick first overall. Like, I feel like this roster could easily do either of those things. I always feel like when I say, oh, the blue jackets are going to do well this season,

then they inevitably don't. Like there was, I think it was the 20, 2015-16 season, I think. We just got Brandon Sard. And they had that insane preseason where they just murdered every other team that they played. And then they lost eight games straight and didn't ever really recover from that to open the season. That was the prior Richard season, right? Yeah, that was that was the first Tortorella season. We fired Todd Richards.

We got Tortoella. and he spent basically the entire season trying to get this team to play well together. And so that was the, that season, I was like, oh, we're going to be really good. This is our season. Like, we're going to make the playoffs for the first time in like three years. It's going to be great. And then they were terrible. And then not this last season just gone, but the season before that, the one that ended up

being postponed and then the play-in series, that was a season where I was like, okay, I assume that nothing good is happening here. we just lost Bobrovsky, you know, probably the best player in franchise history. We just lost Panarin and we hadn't really picked up anyone to, like, deal with either of these losses. So I was like, okay, I made my peace with the Blue Jackets being bad this season and then we turned around and made Toronto fans cry in the playing series. We lost to Tampa, but like that's kind of our brand in the playoffs is using to the event. eventual cup winner. You did your job.

You made Toronto, their fans, and basically the entire city, melt before our very eyes. Sometimes that's, sometimes all you can do is make Toronto sad and you have to be okay with that. But to kind of answer your question in this very roundabout way that I have done, like, I genuinely have no idea what Columbus is going to do this season. I like to think will be better than a lot of people think. like I can't who did it

I think Dom Dom Lissichin from the Athletic did a like ran a model and it had us finishing I think fourth last in the league and like dead last in the Metro I don't think we'll be that bad

hopefully I don't know that this is a team that's going to make the playoffs but like it all depends on you know if it's it's going to rest on a couple of players I think if we can get Zach Wrenski

back to a Zackerensky level. Like he scored 20 goals a couple of seasons ago. You know, like if we can get him back to that level, if we can get line A scoring, if we can get Muzlicans to do what I think Mosekans could do, which is be a top 10 goalie in this league. I mean, again, there was that stretch of games a couple of seasons ago where he had like five shutouts

in eight games or something stupid. You know, if we can get that level of goaltending from him, I think, yeah, this is a team that can make the playoffs. If one of these kind of cogs doesn't fit in the machine, then yeah, I could be, we could be aiming for right or Bidat at the end of the season, which I wouldn't necessarily hate because their potential franchise players, but also, like, losing sucks, you know, and I know the Penguins fans don't necessarily have a lot,

don't know what that's like. Really, I feel like the Penguins have been good, basically, since I've been playing hockey, except for, I want to say one season, and maybe 2014. Well, go back before, go back before Sid, though those teams were... Oh, yeah, for sure. But, like, in the past kind of...

I don't know that the penguins have been bad in the salary cap era. That's true, yeah, I'll give you that. They basically... Every year. Yeah. Except for Sid's rookie year. They did not make it that year,

but then they made the next year, then, you know, I was like, okay, you know, we're going to go pretty far. This was only when I was like, I think nine or ten. I was like, okay, you know, we're ready to play. Then they get Ottawa in the first round. And Daniel Albertson, Danny Haley, Jason Spets,

has showed them who's boss and they sweep them in the first round. So sometimes babies need time to develop, you know? Like this was what, Crosby was, what, 19, 20? Yeah, his second season, they, everyone was so hype. Everyone was camping outside Mellon Arena. And then Ottawa just showed them what playoff hockey really looks like. Yeah, that was, that felt very much like, the first time the Blue Jackets of the Penguins faced each other in the playoffs in 2012 was...

Columbus was just so hyped to make the playoffs. And then we had that... I think it was an overtime win in Pittsburgh where Matt Calvert scored. And then it was an overtime win back in Nationwide with Nick Folino's goal for game four. And obviously, you know, the rest is history. You know, we did not win that series. but sometimes you just like the first time you make the playoffs in forever is just so exciting even if you get schooled by you know by the big kids it's it's so much fun um so yeah i will

flip flip the question back to you then how do you how do you think pittsburgh is going to do because i feel like you haven't moved a ton of stuff around from what i remember like you haven't had a massive change of of personnel in the office season. Jim Rutherford is not in charge. So it's all uphill from there. Yeah, exactly.

In that series, I think that was what, I think it was 2014, the 2012 year I saw a PTSD about because of the Philadelphia Flyers stuff as does I think every Penguins fan. But yeah, you know, I just said it.

Jim Rutherford is not in charge, so you're not going to get a lot of personnel moves. You know, he would just throw shit at the wall and hoping that it sticks. Ron Hextall's not going to do that. He never has done that. He's much more of a patient general manager. It's a very funny thing to think about considering

they are polar. Ron Hextall's kind of on ice persona. They are literally polar opposites, man. You know, you have one guy who literally basically tells the fan base and the media of what he's going to do and then goes and does it. And then you have the other guy who kind of talks to the media the fans says the bare freaking minimum

but then keeps the plan to himself and then goes and executes whatever plan that he has. It's just a stark 180 between the two and I liked most of what they did this all season. I think the Brock McGinn signing was really good. Of course, you know, friend of the locked on painting podcast. I have to throw that in there. Of course, of course.

If you haven't, like Blue Jacket fans, like if you haven't listened, it is a really great interview. I know that they're the enemy, but like what a what a great show I really enjoyed that yeah Brock is what a great human he is I'm really excited to see him on the ice this year they brought Danton Heinen on basically kind of as a debt player but I think he could be a lot more than that yeah he's been over a half a point per game player while he was with Boston played with the ducks the last couple of years everyone

knows the duck stink so um he according to natural statrick I think he's two most common linemates last season were Jakob Silverberg and Adam Henrique, two players who are not nearly as good as they used to be. He'll be going over to a team in Pittsburgh that potentially he'll play with Jeff Carter, maybe Jason Zucker, maybe a bit higher up as I don't know when I'm getting Malkin is going to be back from his knee surgery.

But I really liked those signings, you know, going back to the McGinn one a little bit, that's kind of the tan of replacement, four years, better than six years and the 2.75 million per a lot better than three and a half. and if he continues his offensive production from this past season, that contract is going to make some of its detractors eat a lot of growth because for some reason I saw some people kind of dumping on it,

which I didn't really understand. They'll have to figure out the number six defensive spot. Cody C.C. got one heck of a contract from Ken Holland, which is just, I don't know what Ken Holland is doing up there. The Oilers are so much fun. Like as someone who is non-oiless fan, like it's so much fun to watch. It's a walking dumpster fire,

I think is what Ken Holland is doing up there. You know, he's going to probably have Conor McDavid Askout, I think, anytime now. But yeah, that's a C-C contract. The Penguins were never going to pay that. 40 years,

three points, whatever million dollars it is. You're just, you can't pay a bottom parent defense from that. They'll probably go into the season with one of Chabar-Reedle or Mark Friedman as that guy down there or potentially P.O. Joseph, if they feel like he is ready.

If he has another really good camp, I personally think that he is ready. They double down on bringing the goalies back. The only trick is that they fired Mike Buckley and hired Andy Chiodo. And a fun fact for any Blue Jackets fan, he was one of the Penguins goalies during the years that Sid was not here.

So back in 03-040405 before the team got Sid. So he will be the team's new goalie coach to oversee Tristan Jari and Casey Smith. I think Hextall is hoping that was some guidance from him, they will be able to be a lot better next season and not be as inconsistent. As for what I think the team will be this season, man, they're going to make the playoffs. I don't think that's in jeopardy.

I know the Metropolitan Division can be tough, but I think a lot of this division has some middling teams. You obviously have Carolina being back. They're going to be really good. Washington is still going to be good after that offseason. I mean, their forwards and their defense are really good. It's just their biggest question mark is also goal tempting. But I really think their forwards can, I think, carry them to a playoff spot.

And sure, they lost Dougie Hamilton, but they still got slave in there. They got Peschi. I'm probably forgetting a couple other ones that they have. But their defense is still not bad, to say the least. You know, Washington, the islanders are still there, Pittsburgh. And then, you know, Philadelphia, what are you going to expect from them? The Rangers had a really bad offseason, but they still got some high-end talent. obviously New Jersey got better.

Columbus is there, but I still have Pittsburgh finishing in the top three in that division. I think they will make the playoffs. They may not be a full Stanley Cup contender, but I still have them making the playoffs and potentially, if all goes well, doing some major damage. Yeah, I feel like the Metro Division more than any other division. And then maybe this is just because the Blue Jackets were in a different division last season. Like the Penguins, I think basically had everyone that they normally play against.

minus us and Carolina last season. But the Metro Division always feels like it's such a high risk, high reward division. You know, I feel like it's either the Thunderdome or everyone is bad and there is not really an in-between. I feel like the Metro Division is never average, which makes for fun hockey. Not necessarily good hockey all the time, but it makes for fun hockey. I really like the Metro Division. Yeah, I think you basically described it right. I mean, you have your really good teams that you know are going to be good.

Then you have some middling ones where you don't really know, like Philadelphia and the Rangers. And then you have your kind of your basement dwellers like New Jersey, even though they got better, but are they really going to finish in the top five in this division? Probably not. And then, you know, Columbus, I guess is maybe middling, maybe bottom theater. I don't even know what to think of them. No, come back in November and we'll figure it out. Exactly, yeah. There's a lot of chaos that comes with this division because it's usually so tight.

Yeah, exactly. It's, I don't know, it's a tough division to play in. Even when the teams are bad, I feel like it's a tough division to play in. But I think we'll kind of wrap it up. I could talk for probably another hour about Columbus versus Pittsburgh. but if, you know, there are any Blue Jacket fans out there that want to learn more about the penguins, learn more about my nemesis, Jake Gensel,

or, you know, if they miss Jeff Carter, I'm sure there are Blue Jacket fans out there that do this. Where can people find you and your show? Yeah, Blue Jackets fans are listening to this. I'm sure you will see the Jeff Carter experience in full fashion this season if he continues that production that he had from this past. season a little bit unlikely, but

he'll still probably, I think, be a good player. You can follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, follow the shows Twitter at L-O-U-U-U-S-W-Penguins, and no, we'll definitely have to do this again once these two teams play for the first time first time, excuse me, in a couple years. But, Jay, where can everyone

find you on Twitter and everything? Yeah, so you can find me at underscore Jacob Foster, that's J-A-K-O-B-F-O-R-S-T-E-E-R. You can find this podcast at L-O-U-U-U- score blue jackets uh there's a lot of nonsense tweeting there is a lot of very sad gifts because all of my favorites left and there's even occasionally some dog content which i've been led to understand is what people on twitter really love so and star wars jay you can't forget

and star wars yes this is um it's it's the off season star wars has become 80% of my personality and i'm okay with that yeah yeah The dog days of the off season are always the worst. But, you know, September's next week. We get training camp, I think, in a few weeks. Then we get some preseason games in about a month. Then before we know, the regular season can be back here. So we're still going to be turning out content, the whole network that is.

Right until training camp starts, then, I think we're going to be going back to five days a week. So, yeah, keep it right here on lockdown penguins and, of course, on locked on blue jackets as well.