Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Penguins can't score in Seattle, now need points in Alberta...

Episode Date: March 1, 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins were unable to make it four in a row against the Seattle Kraken on Friday, and Hunter and Pat are here to recap that game. They discuss how the Penguins came out with a purpose but weren't able to get the result since their game tailed off going into the third period. Hunter analyzes why how that happened and how the Kraken gave Mike Sullivan a taste of his own medicine with how the Penguins used to defend leads. They look at how the Penguins played their top hits from this game and how these next two games have to yield at least three points. After that, they preview Saturday's matchup against the Calgary Flames and how the Penguins can get two crucial points in such a massive night for the Flames. Finally, they preview the first matchup between the Penguins and Oilers and how the Penguins can somehow slow down Connor McDavid. All that, plus much more, is on this episode of the Locked On Penguins podcast.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.Camino ConsultingAfter providing more than 20 years of service to small and midsize businesses, Camino is offering a digital seminar for families and couples. Mention Locked On when reaching out for a business seminar and receive the first 5 profiles free OR use discount code LOCKEDON for 25% off the rest of the month when you visit www.caminoconsulting.ca . SleeperDownload the Sleeper App and use promo code LOCKEDONNHL to get up to a $100 match on your first deposit. Terms and conditions apply. See Sleeper’s Terms of Use for details.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelGet buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your bet wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started. 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.

The Penguins were unable to make it four in a row on Thursday night, and Pat and I are going to discuss that loss to the Cracken, plus preview the weekend in Alberta right after this. Your Locked-on Penguins, your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Well, welcome back to another episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast.

I'm one of your hosts, Hunter Hodes. You can follow me on Twitter at. Hunter Hodes joined by my co-host Patrick Dant. We can follow him on Twitter at Cinderum for Wet. And you can follow these shows, Twitter at L.O.

Arnold S4 Penguins. Of course, thank you all so much for making this your first list and slash watch today. We are free and available on all platforms. And finally, today's episode is brought to you by Fandul. Make every moment more.

Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $150. If your bet wins, visit fandul.com slash locked on to get started. So, Pat the Penguins were not able to keep the good times rolling into Thursday night.

They get shut out by the Seattle Cracken by a score of 2-0. And I want to start with how the Penguins played in this one. I thought they came out with a purpose in the first period, much like that game against the Canucks on Tuesday night. I thought the first four to six minutes were great. They were firing pucks on net. Gru Bauer was there to make the saves. But then it continued.

Unlike what happened on Tuesday where the Canucks really pushed back, those final 13, 14 minutes. The Penguins just kept pushing the rest of that period, and they deserved a better fate after that first period. Philip Grubeauer flat out stole it for the cracking in that period. Sometimes you got tip your cat to a goalie who was sub-900. That's what happens in the NHL sometimes, people. Before he was in Seattle, Grubeauer was a pretty good goalie.

He actually had shown promise with Washington and Colorado. So there is that version of him still in there. It just hasn't been in him since he got to Seattle. But he played really well in that first. period. And of course, in typical penguins fashion, they allow a very fluky goal, crazy bounce. Trish and Jari is not able to track it. It's 1-0 going in the second period. I thought in the second period, the crackings started to push back. The penguins still, I thought played fine. They didn't get as many chances, but they were able to get some quality ones in the later

stages of the period. And I still thought they deserved a better fate than being down 1-0 heading into the third. However, once the third period started, I felt like they kind of got what they deserved by the end of this game. I thought they played a terrible third period. I know you might push back a little bit on that when I handed over to you, but I did not like the way the Penguins played in that third period. They really didn't get any quality scoring chances. It felt like they weren't making Philip Grubauer work at all.

I felt like it was a lot of perimeter play from what I was watching. And it wasn't good enough. And I also thought Seattle did a great job just smothering the Penguins. This was a classic 2016 version of the Penguins with what Seattle did. It felt very 2016 penguins where when the penguins had a lead during that season, especially in the playoffs, they smothered you and suffocated you. That's what Seattle did to the penguins I felt like in that third period. It's kind of a taste of Mike Sullivan's own medicine in that third period.

And again, I just felt like the penguins kind of got what they deserved at the end of it. Again, great first 20 minutes, solid second period. But you can't just, I feel like take a period off and expect to come back even when you're down by a goal. You are correct. I am going to push back on you on that, but I do want to start with the first thing you talked about with Grubauer. I know everybody has the compulsion to say, oh, they got goalie, oh, it happened again, all that.

Philip Grubauer has a track record. He's not some no-name HL scrub that they have sitting on the bench and they bring in every handful of games to give their starter arrest. Grubeauer has a track record of being a pretty solid goaltender. Like you said, that's still in him. He's still a talented goaltender. Is he among the elite? No, but he's a very solid NHL starter, and he has shown that in the past.

So you knew that a game like that for him at some point was looming. So you can't get too frustrated over that, I don't think. But I will say this. I thought the Penguins played a very solid 40 minutes. They played very well, like you said, deserved a much better fate than what they got through 40 minutes. I also think we have to give some credit to the Seattle Cracken. because they weren't great in the first two periods, maybe the first 35 or so minutes. And then they started to wake up a little bit and play in the last five or the last five or so

minutes of the second period and that carried over into the third. I don't think this, I think it was a case of both and not either or. The penguins trailed off in the third period. They did not play as well as they did through the first 40 minutes, but the Cracken also played better. And then you mix that with a goaltender who's in a groove in Philip Grubauer. the Crackens start playing a little bit better. And then the big elephant in the room,

more so than usual because of the guys that are missing, the penguins don't have a lot of guys left who can score. So you mix all those factors together and you get this game. Overall, and obviously we are very much in a time now where there are zero moral victories. So at this point, this stinks because you got shut out, got no points at all. And now you've got two more games in a back-to-back, in Alberta. and we're going to preview both of those on this show. But you go from a team that you're going to have tomorrow night in Calgary that's middling.

So now that game is more important than it was before. And then you're going to play a juggernaut in Edmonton on Sunday. So at this point, if this team still has designs on getting back into the Stanley Cup playoffs, these next two games are crucial. And I don't want to say it was a wasted opportunity because they didn't, throw out a poor performance against the Cracken, but they didn't come away with any points. So now there's even more importance on the rest of the weekend.

Heading into this road trip, again, I said the minimum was two one in one, but preferably I would like to win three of the four games coming back to Pittsburgh to play two metropolitan teams. And the Penguins will have that opportunity this weekend when they go to Calgary and then go to Edmonton. I said on Twitter last night, If you can get three out of four points out of this trip,

I think that's okay. On the back-to-back, excuse me. If you can get three out of four points on this back-to-back, that's what you have to do at least. But if you're able to sweep it, go three-in-one overall, then the trip will be seen as a positive, unless you just go and get crushed by the emmilling flames team and then a really good Oilers team on the back-to-back.

But you've got to go out there, get at least three out of four points this upcoming weekend. I understand what you're saying when it comes to the game as a whole. But to me, it also felt like the Penguins played their classic hits last night, right? Inability to finish than a problem all season, worst finishing team in the league. That came back to bite them once again. Inability to perform on the power play pad. 0 for 3, power play at times looked okay, but a lot of other times they couldn't game the zone overpassing the puck.

Just not good enough, especially when you're facing a one-go-year-old. deficit, the penguins had numerous opportunities to tie the game on the power play, and they weren't able to do it. And then lastly, they got great goaltending. Tris and Jari was kind of left out to dry. I'm not really going to blame him for the two goals that he allowed. They were kind of just really fluky bounces. But these have been the main classic hits for this team all season long. And if that loss didn't sum up this season as a whole, I honestly don't know what does at this point. Yeah, you can't blame. Tristan Jari for last night.

929 save percentage, 26 saves on 28 shots. He did his job as he has all season. And like you said, it was the classic hits. Power play gets three opportunities. You get even one of those. Maybe this is a different game. You can't finish. You get shut out.

And it's a two-goal game. And it was a one-goal game going into the third period. So this is one of those games where we saw all the penguin, in the thing that's funny about it, we saw all the Penguins issues they've had through this season in a game where I don't think you can say they played poorly. They played fairly well all things considered, but when you can't finish, you're getting saves and your power play doesn't come up in the moments it's needed.

This is the result you get. Right. I mean, I don't disagree with that. Again, like they played a great 20 minutes. They played an okay next 20 minutes. And then I felt like they played kind of a, nah, to just bad 20 minutes. it's in a third period. And sometimes that's not good enough to win.

I mean, other times maybe if you're playing a team that's worse than the cracking, that's good enough. But against a team that's close to you in the standings, I mean, that's just not good enough, especially when points are at such a premium right now overall, you've got to have just an overall better 60-minute effort from this team. And I also felt like the coaching was a bit lacking at times. I don't think this was Mike Sullivan's best game behind the bench. there were a couple moments that really stood out to me,

one of which was actually at the end of the game, Pat. And I know that you are the president of the Jeff Carter fan club. I totally get it. Congratulations to him, by the way, on his 1,300 NHL game. But the fact that he was getting six on five time at the end, when the Penguins were down to, two minutes left, over some of the kids like Voltarey Puson and Drew O'Connor, that doesn't sit right with me.

He kind of really wasn't doing much on the six on five to begin with, wasn't winning puck battles along the boards, wasn't firing the puck to that. He just wasn't really doing anything out there. It was just kind of a warm body, I think. So I think that's a decision that I don't understand. Even with the two injuries that the penguins have right now, I would rather see one of the kids out there have a better opportunity.

And then some of the line juggling from Sullivan as well. I get putting Riley Smith down a little bit in the line that kind of benched him a little bit in that third period. But moving Drew O'Connor up to the top line when he's been really good with Evgeny Malkin. I don't know. Just some of the decisions that he made in this game over. overall, even, heck, putting Carter and Eller on the top powerplay unit, just not his finest performance behind the bench overall. Overall, yeah, I'm with you.

I think at this point, they're looking at Riley Smith as a lost cause. He's just, he can't make it work. I wouldn't be on this team after next Friday. I will be stuck. And I think they're just, they're just putting him wherever they decide to put him. I can't really fault Sullivan for that. I mean, you're not going to scratch him because he hasn't been horrendous. He's been like, I want to make sure that perspective is there.

He hasn't been like God awful. Like he's not a drag on the team, but he just has not fit. Like he has just been a complete disappointment. And I think at this point, Sullivan is just biting his time until Kyle Dubas trades him. I agree with the Carter stuff. As much as I do like him, as much as I'm a fan, I don't get why he continues to get big minutes. in crucial moments. Last season, totally understood it.

It was a shallow roster and you played him in the position he was in out of complete and utter necessity. And then as for power play, I mean, at this point, Sullivan's thrown his hands up and so is reared and just going, what else do you want me to do? Like I get, yes, there should be system changes and all that. But at the very least, if the personnel isn't going to start playing the way it needs to play with a man advantage. You're just throwing your hands up and going, all right,

we're just going to put whoever out there because nothing has worked to this point. And you kind of beat me to it. I was going to say it before we ended the segment. I figured it was relevant given that in the news cycle here in Pittsburgh Sports, there was the report from the NFLPA, the grades, and the Steelers got some pretty poor grades. On the other hand, what the Penguins did last night for Jeff Carter with his 1300th game, they fly his family into Seattle for the game.

They bring his kids. in to read the starting lineup right before the game. Sullivan puts him in the starting lineup again. I know people have their takes on that, but 1,300 games, guy who's been a total professional and consummate pro with all the younger players on the team, you give them that moment.

So kudos to the Penguins for that. That was really cool to see. I know I'm the Jeff Carter fan club president, but overall, I love when teams do that just because it reminds us that, while this is a high-stakes big money business, it is still people that play it. And knowing that you matter to the team that you play for

motivate you more to do more for that team. I think the Penguins are one of the best organizations in all sports when it comes to this type of thing. I mean, you saw it with the Yaga Retirement Ceremony. You've seen it with plenty of other things over the years as well. Not surprised that they did this for Jeff Carter. they're always first class when it comes to this stuff. I think that's interesting.

I will say this. I know that we've ragged on him. I know that he's been public enemy number one and everything. But you do have to tip your cap to Jeff Carter for playing 1,300 NHL games because there are only a handful of people who have ever played that many games in the National Hockey League. And that puts his name right up there. and it shows that he may not be the player he once was,

but this guy has found a way to carve out a role in the best hockey league on the planet, and that is not easy to do. I agree, and the production he's had over the years has been mostly very good. He was great when he was first acquired by the Penguins. It's not his fault that Ron Hexol decided to give him that very ludicrous extension when he, I don't think deserved it at the time, because considering after he signed it, that's when his game really started to go down. But agreed with what you said, but I think that I'll do it

for this first segment of the Locked on Penguins podcast. Overall, that game last night was such a slog to watch overall, just pretty boring stuff. And it's funny, in the preview for the Seattle game, I said I wanted the Penguins to do what they did to them a little over a month ago. And defensively, the Penguins did. You go to Natural Statrick, and it confirms my eye test from last night. Only five high danger chances allowed for the Penguins in that game.

They were doing their job defensively in their own zone throughout. They just weren't able to get the production because, again, this team can't finish at all. But again, that will do it for this first segment. Coming up in the second segment, it's time to preview the Penguins' second and final meeting of the season against the Calgary Flames, a very middling team in a team that has already started to sell off quite a few assets. But before we get to that, we got to tell you all about Fandul. Get buckets with your first bet on Fandual, America's number one sportsbook. Because right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 dollar bet.

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the Calgary Flames, a very middling team, or as the kids like to say, a very mid-team. But the flames, you look at lately, even though they've been selling off some assets, they have won four in a row, seven of their last, and they actually just blew out the Oilers last weekend in Edmonton, 29 and 25 and 5. They did just trade Chris Tannive the other day to the Dallas Stars. And honestly, when I look at that trade, not really sure what Craig Conroy is doing. He did not get any sort of value back for one of their best defense. And that's not a good trade, if you ask me. and I think that the days of Noah Hannathen being in Calgary are also numbered at this point.

But you look at this Calgary team, even though they're kind of middling, just like the Penguins in a way, they do still have some talent. Nazam Conrad, 21 goals, 51 points in 59 games. Blake Coleman has been a very underrated player throughout his career. He has 24 goals. Igor Sharon Govich has also been really solid this year.

But the player that has turned into a shell of his former self, Jonathan Hubertoe, man, I mean, this was once a 100-point player in the NHL, and he is a ghost now, nine goals in 58 games this season. I understand that he's not playing with Shasha Barkov anymore, but he is still better than nine goals in 58 games. Just what a fall from grace for him. Yeah. And one of the things that's absolutely baffling to me about this, And Flames fans, if you're tuning into this one, feel free to correct me in the comments because, you know, I don't have an extensive knowledge of the Calgary Flames.

I apologize for that. But you look at Daily Faceoff and they have them on the third line with Sharon Govich in Hunt. And it feels like a usage problem. Yes, he's not with Barkov anymore who is an elite center, but you still have Cadrean Backland. So why would you not staple him to one of the two of them and see where his game? goes. And if he continues to be disappointing, then it becomes a Jonathan Hubertoe problem to where you're looking at him and going, this is not the guy we thought we were acquiring. But when you're putting him on your third line, he's going to fall down because he does need a good center to play with

him and no disrespect to Sharon Govich, who you said is having a solid year. He's not Backlinder Codry. Backlinder Codry are much better players. And I said it to you before we hit record. Is is Andrew Mangi Apani better than him? Is Connor Zari better than him? I wouldn't think so. So why do you have him kicked down as your third line left winger? I know he's been disappointing. They must be trying to send in the message or something like that.

Again, I don't know to the full extent why he's down there. I'm sure, again, Flame fans, if you do know, please let us know down in the comments or honestly, I might ask Jess Belmaster who hosts the Locked on Flames podcast or I can text Nick as well. They both host the show. But it seems very odd to me that a player of his caliber. is playing on the third line. Again, I know his production has definitely taken a big hit,

but he should still be getting top six minutes every night because I remember that trade like it was yesterday. That was, I think, the biggest trade of the office season just a couple of years ago. And I thought the Flames did what they could to replace Matthew Kachuk. It looked like at the time it was a win-win for both sides. Well, hasn't turned out that way a couple years later, to say the least. It really did. Like, that was the rare trade where you looked at it and when I don't think anybody comes out

a loser here. It looks like everybody is also a really good player. People forget that. Yeah, it really filled the needs that both teams had. And as we see now, both teams won in opposite directions. The flames are very, I would say arguably the best team in the Eastern Conference right now in a clear favorite in the East to win the Stanley Cup. Did you say the flames are the best team in the Eastern Conference? Yes, you did. Nah, screw it. We'll keep it in. I mean, I screwed up. The Panthers, that is. But I think Florida is the clear favorite to win in the east and then you look at Calgary and this is a team that can't decide what it wants to be. And I'm just talking, I don't even, I'm not even talking roster here.

They can't decide if they want to be a team that goes for it and makes the playoffs or if they want to be a team that sells off and starts rebuilding. And that leads to their team on the ice being hot and cold because they're on a nice little streak right now. They've had a couple of streaks here and there. But overall, they're a middling Western Conference team. I know, throw your stones. I'm in a glass house.

I'm doing a Penguins podcast, and they're the same deal right now. But you look at what they acquired and you figured, okay, flames are back and go for it mode. And they just haven't been. And if I'm Craig Conroy at this point, especially with the Tanev trade, this needs to be your direction. You have to be tearing it down at this point. just because it's not the Hubert O trade hasn't worked out. Cadry's been good, but not what you hoped. And you're falling down the standings and you look at who they have.

And there's really nobody there that you can point to right now and go, okay, if we keep this guy and this guy, we can build a nice foundation around them and go on a run. So I don't know. Like I feel bad for Flames fans because this is a team that has a lot of history, should be good, and they just aren't. I loved watching the flames growing up, man. And, you know, Jerome McGinla, Mika Kiphrosov.

I mean, those are honestly two of my favorite players that I loved watching as a little kid. And to see the organization where it is today, it's just upsetting to me because, again, you said it. I feel like they don't know what direction they want to go. And in my opinion, they should just start tearing this thing down because I don't think they're really going to win anything with this score. I think they had their shot to win when Goodrow was there, when Kachuk was there, and everyone else. but it hasn't worked out since both of them left. And I think hopefully they're finally starting to realize that in making the necessary changes. We have to see if Jacob Markstrom gets dealt by the deadline.

The New Jersey Devils are very much out for him. And if the Devils are able to swing that trade, by the way, that's not going to be good for the Metro because Markstrom is a very good goalie when he is on. And he's played the Penguins really well over the last several years. And this year, Markstrom, in 37 games, 20 and 15 and 2, 914, save percentage. I assume the penguins will see him in this game. He's going to be really tough to beat. I know we kind of, I wouldn't say went at Philip Grubauer for the cracking game,

but we said the penguins had the advantage. And of course, we're looking like clowns right now because of Grubauer had one of the best starts of his career. But with Jacob Markstrom, he is a better goalie than Gruberauer, and he can definitely turn it on whenever just because of his track record in the NHL. Yeah. And speaking of Kipov, the Penguins have a chance. chance to play spoiler tomorrow night because in Calgary, it is the Jersey retirement of one Mika Kiprasoff before the game. So for the Penguins tomorrow night, you've got to be ready to

play spoiler for a big night in the Calgary Flames organization. And you have to take advantage of that because if nothing else, survive the first five to ten minutes of the game because you know it's going to be a fired up crowd, a motivated team, survive that, dig in and be the spoilers on a big night for the Calgary Flames. That was going to be my follow. question to you. Just what are your keys for the penguins outside of, you know, playing spoiler to getting two crucial points in the standings before heading to Edmonton to take on Connor McDavid? I mean, the other thing is it's not even so much X's and O's. It's right there with the Kipersoft thing is this is a bit of a fragile flames team right now because even though they're on a nice little, nice little streak right now,

they've got, they've piled up some bigger wins. This is a team that for all intents, and purposes with the Tanev trade and all the news around them, they know they're probably cooked. They know their GM is probably waving the white flag and moving out anything he can move out at this point. So if you're the penguins, you have to take advantage of that. Because at the very least right now, because the penguins haven't made any moves as we record this on Friday afternoon, penguins still think they can make the playoffs. So you've got to play like it. You got to be the more desperate team. You got to be the team that's still fighting for their playoff lives, going up against the team that very much feels like they're waving the white flag on the season.

Right. Yeah. Losing to a team that has already started to sell off assets and I think there's at least one or two more trades coming from that organization, that would not be a good look heading in Edmonton. It's also not a good look coming home to play two home games before the trade deadline a week from today. You just, you can't lose to the Slames team with everyone that has left so far and everyone

who is going to leave before the deadline, I think, at this point. And just because I love talking about special teams when it comes to previews, Flames, fifth best penalty kill, so really tough test for the Penguins powerplay. But in terms of the Flames power play, third worst power play in the NHL pad, one spot below the Penguins. So Penguins penalty kill has that to look forward to for this matchup. Yeah. And I mean, again, you got to take advantage of that.

This team is you have one of the better penalty kills in the league in Pittsburgh. Can't give anything up on that. And try to get something out of your power play. Anything. Be as simple as you can. Bodies in front of the net, pucks to the net, clean up the garbage. And again, spoil this night. And you know what I need, I think, from the Penguins in this one, I need a vintage of Gennie Malkin game. I think it's been a long time since we've gotten a true vintage Gino game this season. I thought he started to turn it on a little bit at the end of the second period against the Cracken, had a couple of really good quality chances outside of that, just wasn't doing too much in the first and third periods.

It's time for Gino to have a big game because he hasn't been producing as much as way. I mean, he's had a couple of decent shifts here and there, but I think it's time to have that true takeover game from Gino that we haven't seen. I feel like in quite a little bit. He started to look a lot like himself the last couple of weeks. So that's a good sign. And we would like to see that continue tomorrow night.

Agreed. Yeah. I'm not going to do the prediction for Cindy Cronosby. He shows up every night. And we'll have to see if we do get a vintage Sid game, but I want to see a vintage Gino one. Well, I know when we're going to see a vintage Cid game, and I bet we're just about to talk about it.

That's a good segue into the final segment, where Pat and I will preview Penguins Oilers for the first time this season. I absolutely love seeing Connor McDavid and Cindy Crosby go up against each other. And it pains me to say that there's going to be a time relatively soon that we don't ever get to watch that ever again. But before we dive into the Penguins Oilers preview, we got to discuss game time. You should not have to worry when you're buying tickets to your next big event. Game time is the fastest and easiest way to buy tickets for all the sports, music, comedy, and theater events near you.

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Download the GameTime app. Creen account and use code locked on for $20 off your first purchase, terms of supply. Again, queen account and redeem code locked on for $20 off. Download game time today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. All right, we're back here on this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host, Honour Hodes, joined by my host, Patrick Jam.

So the second half of the back-to-back will take place on Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers. We'll have to see which goaltenders get which game this upcoming weekend. I don't want to put a guess out there because usually when I do that for back-to-backs, I just end up being wrong past the same way. So we're just going to see who Sullivan decides to start on Saturday in Calgary and on Sunday in Edmonton. But this Oilers team, really rough start to the season. They looked like one of the worst teams in the league. They played like it under Jay Woodcroft.

And that's when Ken Holland decided to say, yep, I've seen enough. He fires Woodcroft, brings in a new head coach. And it's been smooth sailing ever since they went on a 16-game winning streak this season. They've been a bit inconsistent since then. But, you know, they're still playing relatively fine. They're at a playoffs spot. So everything is fine with the Oilers overall. But this is a true playoff team and a dark horse Stanley Cup contender.

the penguins are going to have to bring their best if they want to win this one, especially on the second half of a back to mac, and especially because the past couple of seasons, Pat, the penguins have not played well against the Oilers. This has been a team that has dominated them. And you know where it starts. Connor McDavid, the best player in the world.

Yes. And before I get into Connor McDavid, I will say this. I'm going to make a guess on the goaltending just because Tristan Jari was a big part in juniors of the Edmonton Oil Kings. So I wouldn't be shocked to see him get the start where he kind of kicked off his reputation as a really good goaltending prospect,

where it all began for him in the lead up to the pros. Yeah, but Connor McDavid, man, here's the craziest stat to me, okay? We know how fast he is. We know how talented he is. We know everything he can do. He's playing the game on rookie mode, and he makes it obvious every single night.

He has 94 points this season, but he only has 22 goals. He has 72 assists this season. And he is by far the best player on the planet. You can go argue with a wall on that. Because here's the thing. Connor McDavid doesn't slow down. He does everything.

at top speed. You watch most hockey players, everything they do that's impressive, they have to slow up a little bit. They'll get up to top speed with the puck, and then they got to take a stride or two back so they can make their move, do their stick handling, take their shot, not Connor McDavid. He has the jets on from the time his blades touch the ice until the time he goes to the bench. And at this point when you're playing the Edmonton Oilers, you have to prepare for them the way teams prepared for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010. You know he's going to get a couple points. You have to negate everybody else. Let him get his cookies. Let him get his points. Don't let anybody else kill you. It's funny, you know, when I think of Connor McDavid and when I watch him play,

he is a clone of young Cindy Crosby. They are very very, very, very, very, very. You know, when I think of Connor McDavid, and when I watch him play, he is a clone. He's a clone. He's better. I'll say it right now. He's better. That's not a hot take. I don't think. It's just that they are so alike in how they play, especially when I watched Sid when he was a lot younger. Like, Sid was that fast when he was a kid. And he could do the stuff that McDavid is doing right now when he was a bit younger. Obviously, now Sid's 36. He can't skate as fast as McDavid can anymore. He can't make some of the plays with a puck on his stick like McDavid can anymore. he could still do everything that McDavid could do now when he was a bit younger in 2010 and 2011. And I think McDavid is going to age probably just like Sid when he gets to, you know,

35, 36. I think he honestly might turn into a little bit of a fourth line grinder as well of how he plays in his own zone. They just are having such similar career trajectories. I think obviously Sid got the cup pretty early. McDavid hasn't been able to do that yet. So that's the main thing. that I think is missing from McDavid.

Outside of that, there are career trajectories when you look at points in all that. Like you compare them when Sid was younger to McDavid's age right now. It's really similar, to say the least.

And he is a, such a beautiful player to watch on a nightly basis. And they got to do everything in their power to somehow slow this guy down. But when he comes blazing through the neutral zone

with a puck on his stick, good luck to everyone who's out there to say the least. Yeah. I mean, he's in his ninth season, which, oh my God, I can't believe he's already in his ninth season. But he's already knocking on the door of a thousand points.

325 goals, 619 assists, 944 points in only 624 games played. If Edmonton ever has a shot to win the Stanley Cup, it is this year. They have to take advantage of. of it because at some point, and I know it's a meme, I know it's a joke on social media, but the time is going to come where if it's not in the next couple years,

they don't go on a serious, serious run. He's going to start looking to go elsewhere, just because as good as he is individually, as good as he is offensively, he is at his heart just like Sid, a competitor that hates to lose. and he would give up all the individual accolades to win a Stanley Cup. And if the Edmonton Oilers can't do right by him, they won't have him for very much longer. So if I'm Ken Holland this year,

I am pulling out all of the stops to get everybody I can at this deadline and make this team the juggernaut of the West. And that's why they've been reported to be interested in Jake Gensel. You add Gensel to the Oilers, and I mean, I've made my thoughts about, the Oilers, their team, and who would be coming back in a trade if the Penguins do trade him again. So I don't really like their prospects that much. The roster play that would be coming back is probably not that good. But say they did add Gensel to their team, that makes them even more filthy heading into the playoffs.

That's another top six winger for that team. But even outside of Connor McDavid, they still have quite a bit of talent up front at Ford. Leon Drysidal, 73 points in 57 games. He is tremendous. Zach Hyman hit 40 goals this season. Evan Bouchard is one of the best defensemen in the league. He should be getting more votes for the Norris. Again, I would give it to Quinn Hughes this season,

but Evan Bouchard is having by far the best season of his career. Evander Cain, you always have to watch out for him, Ryan Nugent Hopkins. They have quite a few very good forwards in this lineup. Defensively, a little bit weaker, obviously outside of Bouchard. In goal, I still think they could use a bit of an upgrade over Stuart Skinner. But this is, again, a bona fide playoff team, going to be a really tough test for the Penguins.

but if they can at least neutralize Edmonton's top six, they will have a good shot of winning this game. I was watching that Calgary game that they played in Edmonton last weekend, and they did a really solid job against Carner McDavid, David, Leon Dryside, or Ryan Nugent Hopkins, and company. They also got finishing from their players. You have both of those things from the Penguins in this game. I think they have a good shot of walking out with a win,

plus potentially getting some good goaltaining from either to Delcovich or Jari. But the biggest thing also for this one, do not take stupid penalties. The Oilers have the third best power play in the league. And for good reason, look at the talent that they can put out there on their top powerplay unit. This is not a team that you want to be taking stupid penalties against or even a single penalty against because they will make you pay more often than not. They will. And then the other thing I will say that, and this is kind of going to, you know, connect the invisible strings here between the Oilers and the Penguins. is they have done the one thing that I think a lot of Stanley Cup winning or Stanley Cup contending teams should do in this modern era.

They're not just talented. They're not just able to score. They can drag you into a fight. You've got guys like Zach Hyman. Yeah, he scored 40 goals this year. Still a very tough customer. Evander Kane, tough customer. Darnel Nurse.

tough customer, Matias Atcombe, tough customer, Corey Perry, the ultimate rat. They don't, you know, you don't need a team of goons, but you need, as one of my favorite people, Steve Dangl always says, a couple guys who can see the red mist, a couple guys who, that you know, if you get into a physical game,

those guys are going to be there, and they are going to make it a long night for you. So for the penguins, looking to get one more good run out of this core. Yes, they got to get younger. Yes, they got to get finishers. But they got to get, and excuse my language, they got to get some bastards on this team.

Some bastards that can play and score, I think is a good way to say. Someone honestly like Patrick Hornquist, you could get nasty with people. Yeah, someone like Chris Kunitz. I mean, I think this Penguins team is really missing someone like Chris Kunitz ran out because he could also throw quite a clean check. to say the least. And he could, again, he could get nasty as well when needed.

But unless you have anything else to add regarding the Oilers and this weekend, I think that'll do it for this episode, The Lockdown Penguins podcast. Again, I think at a minimum here, three out of four points this weekend. If it's less than that, then it's going to be even harder to make the playoffs down the stretch. Even if you win those two home games against Columbus and Washington with the trade deadline, I need at least three out of four points from this road trip. I think again that will do it for this episode of the Locked on Penguins podcast. Thank you all so much for listening to slash watching this one.

Pat and I will be back on Monday to recap both games and get you all set for the trade deadline this upcoming week. It's going to be a lot of fun. Can't wait to recap these games. Plus get you all set for whatever could happen next Friday. But again, that would do it for this one. Thank you all so much for listening. We'll be back on Monday.