Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Penguins prospect Brayden Yager set to play for the WHL Championship

Episode Date: May 9, 2024

When the Penguins traded Jake Guentzel this season, it certainly caused a lot of heartbreak, but what they got back might have been the heart they had been missing all along. In this episode, Patrick and Hunter discuss Michael Bunting's impact on the team and his future. Then, they check in on top prospect Brayden Yager who is lighting up the WHL Playoffs with a chance to head to the Memorial Cup. Finally, the Wheeling Nailers are staring down a 3-0 series deficit and being eliminated from the Kelly Cup Playoffs.  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Monopoly GO!Get in the game and join your friends. Click HERE to Download MONOPOLY GO! now free on The App Store or Google Pay. The mobile hit twist on classic MONOPOLY.PolicygeniusCheck life insurance off your to do list in no time with Policygenius. Head to policygenius.com/lockedonnhl to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.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.IndeedThere is no “I” in “team.” But there is one in “Indeed” and that’s the hiring platform you need to build yours. When you’re hiring, you need Indeed.Claim your SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR CREDIT now at Indeed.com/LOCKEDON. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARANTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! 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.

When the Pittsburgh Penguins traded Jake Gensel, it certainly hurt all of our souls, but it gave the penguins some heart they so desperately needed. You're Locked-on Penguins, your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host Patrick Damp. You can follow me on Twitter at Synonym 4Wet, joined as always by the one and only Hunter Hodes. You can follow him on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. You can give our show's account a follow at L.O underscore Penguins. And we thank you for making this your first listener watch of the day,

because we're your team every day and we are free and available wherever you get your podcasts, as well as YouTube. And 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 with any $1.50 with any winning $5 bet. Visit fanduil.com slash locked on to get started. And before we get started, just so everybody knows, a quick programming note. Hunter and I had a few things come up each yesterday, so we were unable to do the show. But we are back today, and we will have our regularly scheduled Friday episode for you tomorrow. But putting that in the back seat, we're back here today.

We are going to continue our season and review series. And we're going to go with a guy who, yes, when the penguins acquired them, We were all very sad because it meant the penguins had traded away. One of a fan favorite, a Stanley Cup champion, a great hockey player, and someone who was a pillar of the community as a Pittsburgh penguin, and that was Jake Gensel. But in return, they got Michael Bunting. Now, I want to say this right off the hop.

I'm making this a very loose comparison because, obviously, we know how great Jake Gensel was as a Pittsburgh penguin, a bona fide playoff performer. He's having a great run right now with the Carolina Hurricanes, absolutely shedding that stereotype that he's a product of Sidney Crosby. But I look at this trade, and again, loose, loose comparison here to a Neal for Hornquist kind of trade because you gave away a strength in a guy in Jake Gensel, who is a bona fide goal score, clutch performer.

he was a major reason they won the 2017 Stanley Cup. But we could tell throughout this season that something the penguins were missing was bite. They were missing snarl. They were missing that guy who has seemingly reckless disregard for his own well-being. In Michael Bunting is that and more. He brings that tenacity that the penguins were missing in their top six. and he brings a solid scoring touch overall this season, both between Carolina in Pittsburgh, 81 games, 19 goals, 36 assists, 55 points.

With the Penguins in 21 games, 6 goals, 13 assists, 19 points. And with the benefit of time, with the benefit of hindsight, this feels like a mutually beneficial trade where there is really no winner or loser. Carolina Hurricanes got something they have so sorely missed over the past few years as they continue their quest to get another Stanley Cup. They got a bona fide goal score, somebody who is a great playoff performer. And the Penguins got something that they have missed, and that's somebody in their top six who can play a very hard-nosed game.

And a theme for something that you and I have said all season long, somebody that drags them into the fight. Overall, with the passage of time, now that emotions have cold down and are out it, I'm a big fan of this trade. And I think the penguins got a piece they so sorely needed going forward. In a way, I feel like we kind of overreacted to the deal when we went live on here right after the deal happened right around the trade deadline. I gave it a C minus to a D. And I couldn't look more like a complete fool right now. I've really warmed up to the deal over the last month, month and a half,

just because of the way Bunting is playing. And speaking of Patrick Hornquist, Pat, he was the big reason why they won both of those Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Obviously 2017 a lot, but 2016 as well. But you can see how great of a player he was going to be for this team the year before the 2014-15 season. Even though the Penguins lost in the playoffs that year, it wasn't because of someone like Hornquist.

He was playing his tail off every night. And I was like, just watch out for that player next year. sure enough he has a great year and then in 2016-17 he also has a great year as well but with bunting i remember saying it at the time i wasn't crazy about him being the main centerpiece of the deal just because of the contract he has how he really wasn't fitting in that well with carolina i was like okay how much is this truly going to change with pittsburgh well it changed a whole lot and i was made to look like again a complete and utter dummy and with bunting they started him on crosbie's line and the results weren't that great.

I thought I test-wise, they had a couple of decent games together, but with him on the Crosseville, at least away from Evgeny Malkin, one goal for, eight goals against. Scoring chances were below water, shot attempts, right, break-even, basically, high-danger chances break-even, but zero high-danger goals for or two high-danger goals against. But the biggest thing, minus seven away from Fgeny Malkin. I'm not the biggest plus minus guy when I evaluate players, but minus seven away from Gino, that's at least a big deal to me.

And once they put him with Evgeny Malkin in his line, it was lights out. And he went on to have a great end of the season. And it's why I'm so bullish on him heading into next season. You look at the numbers with Evgeny Malkin, 21 games, almost 210 minutes of five-on-five ice time, 17 goals for, 11 goals against, about a 56% expected goals. four rate, 47 high danger chances for, 38 high danger chances against, eight high danger goals for, seven high danger goals against. When those two were together, the Penguins were driving offense, and they were arguably

the Penguins best line throughout the final month of the season. And I think next year, with the way he ended the season at a point per game, I think he's going to score, you know, 22, 25, maybe upwards of 30 goals with the way he has been able to seamlessly fit with this team. I'm a big fan of his, and he definitely brings a couple of elements that this team has desperately lacked over the last few years. I could not be more thrilled about bunting the end of next season. Yeah, he's someone like you.

I am very big on going into next season. Putting aside some of the statistics, I look at all, and maybe this isn't so much putting statistics to the side, but he has something that the penguins have needed, and he has something that has worked out for the penguins in this era in that you look at this guy and on his own, he's not exactly an elite talent. He's not a natural finisher. He's not a natural goal score. But you put him with elite talent and he plays very well. I say it all the time. Being able to play with elite talent is a skill within itself because we have seen throughout the Crosby and Malkin era in Pittsburgh.

There's a lot of guys. There is a graveyard of players who they have tried to play with Crosby and or Malkin, and they just do not fit. And you look at some of the guys away from, say, a Jake Gensel who we're seeing is a bona fide goal scorer. You look at some of the guys who have done the best under this team. It's Chris Koonitz. It's Pascal DePui.

And now it's a guy like Michael Bunting, who away from those elite talents, yes, they work hard. They play a very arm. honest, straightforward game. But you put them with that elite talent, and they're able to knock in a bunch of goals. They're able to open up space for Crosby or Malkin. And it's worth its weight in gold. And again, being able to play with elite talent is a skill within itself.

You look at how he played in Carolina. What have we always said about Carolina? Really good team. But they don't really have that one true blue bona fide superstar. And that's not a knock on them. They are a great team. They play very well. They're giving the New York Rangers, arguably one of the best teams in the playoffs.

Despite being down 02, both of those games have been on a razor's edge. But then you look at the way he played in Toronto. He's playing with guys like Austin Matthews, William Neelander, Mitch Marner, and he's fitting in quite well with them and producing. So you bring him to Pittsburgh. He's got two very good at, one-time elite. I'll say Sidney Crosby still is elite. Evgeny Malkin kind of down to very good because of the passage of time.

But this is what he brings to the table. And if you ask me, like I've been saying all episode, this is what the Penguins have been missing for quite a while. I hope nobody takes this the wrong way. But Michael Bunting is a better fit on the Penguins power play than Jake Gensel was. Again, I know how good Jake has been with the Penguins. He was great on the power play. But Bunting is just a a better fit for what he can do in front of the net, from what he can do in the bumper spot, what he can do with deflections than Jake was. Again, I'm not trying to disrespect Jake, but that element is also something that Penguins have really lacked over the last few

years with their power play. And I think he is going to make that unit just by default better because he's going to be on it for a full 82 game season. And actually, Pat, just speaking as we're recording right now, we're going to discuss more about this for our tomorrow episode. Sheldon Keith just got fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs. So we would do it for today, but we're going to have a deep dive into Keith tomorrow. I'll give everyone a tease. No, I would not hire him to replace Todd Reardon if I were Kyle Dubus and Mike Sullivan. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

But just to keep the tease going, there is an opening in the American Hockey League that might fit his skill set. But that's a discussion for tomorrow. That is going to do it for the first segment. when we come back, the Penguins top prospect is about to play in a huge series, and he is the one delivering for them in that playoff run. But before we do that, we have to tell you about our first sponsor, and that is Indeed. There's no I in Team, but there is one in Indeed. And that's the hiring platform you need to build yours when you're hiring,

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Indeed.com slash locked on terms and conditions apply. You need to hire. You need indeed. All right. We're back here on the Thursday edition of the Locked on Penguins podcast. I'm Patrick Dam. That's Hunter Hodes. And it is about to be a huge week for Penguin's top prospect, Braden Yeager.

He is taking his team, the Moosh Jaw Warriors, into the, Western Hockey League finals. They are going to play the Portland Winter Hawks, whose head coach is former Penguins head coach, Mike Johnston. But we're here to focus on Braden Yeager and his team, not the former Penguins head coach. And it has been a great playoff run for Braden Yeager with 21 points in just 16 playoff games, 10 goals to go along with that and two game winning goals.

This kid is looking a lot like the real deal. for Moose Jaw. His development this year has been awesome to see. His goal scoring is up. His point total is up. His two-way game is better. He's just developing into a really sound two-way player. I still think at this point he might serve the Penguins better as a winger compared to a center.

That doesn't mean he's not going to be a center once he gets to the NHL. That's just what I'm seeing overall from him throughout this year. And he had the assist for the goal in the third. third period that gave Moose Jaw the lead before the other team tied it and then Moosechaw obviously won in overtime. But he has been awesome throughout the playoffs from Moosechaw. It was always kind of considered a long shot that he was going to get to Wilkesbury, even if Wilkesbury had beaten Lehigh Valley Pat and then got into the next round, I believe, against Hershey for the HL playoffs. It was always going to be somewhat of a long shot that he gets there just because Moose Jaw has

Memorial Cup aspirations. If Moose Jaw wins this series against Portland, they go. to the Memorial Cup. They're one of the few teams that gets to play for that cup. And this is going to be a fun series. And Portland also has a lot of very good young players. But I just can't be more thrilled for Yeager with how he's playing with the year he's had ever since he was drafted. I know we've gotten some comments on the YouTube channel.

We've also gotten some DMs about, oh, what about Yeager for next year? What does this mean for him for his development? I honestly don't think it changes that much. I think best, best case in her, I'm going to say that three times, is that he is up somehow next season. Now, do I expect that? No, I think he's going to have another year down there and then he's going to get to Wilkesbury. I still think, in my humble opinion, he's at least another year away, if not to. I think two is more likely at this point.

But it's just fun that we get to say that the penguins have a really good prospect like this in their system that is getting closer to being NHL ready because he's been awesome throughout this season. Yeah, absolutely. And for those who may not know with the CHL, the Canadian Junior League, the way the Memorial Cup is set up, there are three leagues, the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. And for the Memorial Cup, four teams make that round-robin tournament,

the winners of the WHL, the OHL, the QMJHL, and then the host team gets an automatic bid this year. That is the Saginaw Spirit because the tournament is being hosted in Saginaw, Michigan this year. As for Yeager, back to him, I will say this. It wouldn't shock me if he starts the year with Wilkesbury because you look at the way he played this year. And I'm not talking playoffs. I'm talking regular season in the WHL, 57 games, 35 goals, 60 assists, 95 points. The way I look at that is it feels like he's done everything that he can do in juniors,

and there's nothing really left there for him. Because, and I could be wrong on this, you know, I'm not going to pretend to be a prospect guru, but you look at numbers like that, and it kind of feels like, okay, there's nothing left for him to do at this level. He's been dominant. He's been very good. you don't want to plateau his development and have him get into bad habits because he becomes one of the best players at that level.

And while it's very rare for NHL draft picks and elite hockey players to coast through where they play, but when you're that good, when you have 95 points in a season in juniors, it's pretty well established. You're one of the best players around. And it becomes very easy to just go through. through the motions, continue to produce, and realize that you're the big fish in the small pond. So maybe for his development, and again, this is also best case scenario, like Hunter said, maybe best case scenario is you put him in Wilkes-Barre and let him develop more as a professional

rather than a junior player. Yeah, I mean, if he has another great training camp and he was great at camp last year, he obviously wasn't going to make the team at that time, but he still had a great training camp. If he has another great camp this year, maybe even better than last year, I could see him starting Wilkesbury. I just maybe push back a little bit because I don't know if they really want to rush his development overall. I could see them giving him back to the junior team, seeing how he does, and then maybe towards the end of that season he gets to Wilkesbury, then maybe Pat, if he does go back to junior next year, he starts full-time in Wilkesbury the season after, and then if he lights it up there,

I think he gets a call up to the big squad. But I also could see them doing what you're suggesting, starting him in Wilkesbury, seeing how he plays against some better competition overall. If you're asking me, I think he starts next season with his junior team and then gets caught up to Wilkesbury a little bit later. And then his full time with Wilkesbury the season after, but I can be dead wrong on that. I just don't want them to rush his development at all just because it's going really well right now.

Yeah, it's a very delicate balance, all things considered. You don't, like you said, you don't want to rush them, but you also don't want him to plateau and develop bad habits because he becomes the best player at his level and just kind goes through the motions because he knows he is. But the WHL championship kicks off tomorrow. Game 1 May 10th, game two, Saturday May 11th, game 3, May 14th, game 4 Wednesday, May 15th, and game 5 May 17th. That obviously is a best of five series. So we will keep you updated on that as well as how Yeager performs in the WHL finals. But that is going to do it for our second segment. When we come back, whole boy, the Wheeling Nailers, they have been pushed to the brink,

and they are staring at elimination in their second round series against the Toledo Walleye. And we will talk about that right after this. And we have to tell you about our next sponsor, and that is Fandul. It's winner take all time in the NBA and NHL, and Fandul's giving you a shot to bring home a big win of your own. Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $150 to bet on spreads, money lines, player props, and more. Visit fandul.com slash locked on and make every playoff shot count. Fandul, America's number one sportsbook.

All right, we're back here for the final segment of the Thursday edition of the Locked on Penguins podcast. I'm Patrick Damp. That's Hunter Hodes. And going to be a tough, tough weekend in Wheeling because they are now staring at a 3-0 series. deficit after they lost game three to the Toledo walleye on Wednesday night, 7 to 3. But Hunter, you and I were talking about this before we hit record. 7 to 3 makes it look like it was a whoopin. Makes it look like the nailers got run out of their own building,

but wasn't really the case. If you look at the game as a whole, nailers are trailing 3 to 1 after the first period, and then they are trailing 5 to 3 after the second. the majority of the third period, it was a 5-3 game. The Nailers were pressing but could not break through. Then two late period,

third-period goals by the Toledo while I wrapped this one up. So Saturday night at West Banko Arena, they are staring at a 4-0 sweep and being eliminated from the Kelly Cup playoffs. I feel like Wheeling has played really well in these three games. I think they kind of deserve a better fate in a way. But last night, their special teams really doomed them. Toledo was three for five on the power play last night.

You're not going to win virtually any game, let alone a playoff game, when you're giving up three power play goals in that game. And then Riley saw Chuck for Toledo five points in a seven three win. That's what really doomed willing in that game. You can't give up a five point nine to a player. And you can't have the other team's power play go three for five. If you lose a special team's battle that badly, you're going to lose. But now, it all comes down to this next game. I mean, they have to find a way to claw their way back into this series

or it's going to be a pretty disappointing summer ahead for Wheeling. So, you know, this is going to be interesting, man. We figured Wheeling was going to be really loud for these games just because of the rivalry and all that. But it's got to get extra loud for this game for just because of how their backs are now up against the wall. Yeah, it's a really tough one.

because like you said, what came to mind for me, funny enough, to give it sort of an NHL flavor here, was last year when the Carolina Hurricanes got swept and Rod Brindamore said after the series, it was a lot closer than a sweep. And I know everybody clowned on him for that, but he was right. They lost a 4-0 series, but it was a very tight 4-0 series. Sweep is a sweep no matter which way you cut it. But when you lose games on a razor's edge, it's a coin flip. You know, we talk about the classic Penguins Capitals battles from this era where they would go to six or seven games and one team would win.

And everybody up until 2018 loved to talk about how caps can never get over the Penguins. But all of those series existed on an absolute Razors Edge. One puck bounces one other way. and we're having a whole different discussion, I look at this Toledo Wheeling series in the same light. Yeah, it's 3-0 and that's a bad thing. You don't want to go down 3-0 in a series. But when you've played it tight the whole time,

it's not difficult to look at the series and think, man, we're pushing right on this door. We just got to kick it down and we've got to do a little bit better. It all starts with one. That's the thing. If you want to pull off a reverse sleep, got to win this next one, and then you look to the next one,

then the one after that, but their focus should only be on this game in front of them, at least gets their foot in the door for the series. And then if you win the second one, it's like, okay, now you're really thinking about potentially pulling this off because you're halfway there. Maybe the other team has some doubt, but it all starts with this game for in-wheeling coming up. And just to end the show, Pat, we should highlight some of the Penguins in the World Championships that's about to get underway on Friday. Congratulations to Michael Bunting.

he is on Team Canada. Alex Nadelcovic was this name to Team USA this week. Congratulations to him. Very well deserved after the season he had. And then Valetre Pustin and Yassi Puyarvi, they are on Team Finland for the World Championships. And finally, Marcus Pedersen, Eric Carlson, they are on Team Sweden. And by the way, when I look at all of these teams, I think Team Sweden is the favorite to win. You look up and down that roster pat, filled with really good NHL talent. I kind of would be surprised

if Sweden did not win it this year. And also we should shout out Ty Hennis, Penguins, assistant coach. He is an assistant coach for Team USA. So those are the penguins

at the World Championships for this summer. Cindy Crosby opted not to go to the World Championships. But those are the penguins that did. And again, I think Sweden

should be the favorite in this event. Yeah, that is an absolutely stacked team. That also, just like the WHL finals, kicks off tomorrow, May 10th. That's when that all begins. I'm sure everybody can use their internet sleuthing abilities to find some streams of that tournament.

One last thing before we go, I wanted to do this for you, Hunter. Your favorite team still left in the Stanley Cup playoffs. What a win for the Vancouver Canucks last night against the end. Edmonton Oilers, a 5-4 comeback win. And I'm just going to let you take the floor here, because I know that's your squad, and you are all in with the Vancouver Canucks. Yeah, for those that don't know, maybe this is your first or second episode, the Vancouver Canucks have been my mistress team throughout the playoffs.

I love watching them. I've loved watching them, honestly, throughout the regular season. And that was one heck of a comeback. I will say the goaltending in this game was atrocious. Both sides, Claws wasn't that good. And then Stuart Skinner gave up a couple of howlers. especially that goal that made at 5-4 from Connor Garland. That's a goal that really can't go in if you're Skinner.

But Vancouver really pushed for those final 40 minutes. I don't think the Oilers deserved to win that game at all. I think if the Oilers won that game, they would have, quote, unquote, stole it just because they didn't play that well throughout those 60 minutes. But you saw J.T. Miller's awesome deflection. I thought Quinn Hughes also had a really good game as Adorov, that blast from the point. And just hearing how loud Vancouver got in their arena, I mean, that was awesome to see.

I mean, this is a city that hasn't had playoff hockey in almost 10 years. And they're just going through it right now, so excited that their team has a legit shot to win the series to potentially make an even deeper run in the conference finals and to potentially the Stanley Cup final. I still think if Vancouver wants to, A, win the series and B, go deeper, they got to get Fatcher Demko back. He is one of the best goaltenders in the league. Hopefully that injury is not that bad, but I just don't know how deep they're going to go

if they continue to ride this third string goalie. I don't trust Casey to Smith that much in the playoffs either, but that was one heck of a win for the Canucks. I said going into this series, I don't think this is going to be a blowout for the Oilers, as some people thought. And you saw Vancouver outplay Edmonton in game one. Let's see how Edmonton adjusts for game two.

But that was one heck of a game. And honestly, Pat, that Boston, Florida game, 2012 Penguins Flyers vibes, right? just the way they were fighting each other. You saw Posternak and Kachuk throw haymakers at one another. And that was a mean, nasty, vicious game straight out of 2012. And that's going to be a very long series as well. Hockey fans ate good on Wednesday night.

Two amazing games in very different ways. And it's why right now the second round is a lot better than the first round. But Wednesday night, just great if you're a hockey fan. I mean, you're dead on, man. I mean, it's fun to see the dichotomy between the Western Conference second round and the Eastern Conference second round, because the Western Conference second round are just four teams that have a ton of skill playing that kind of game.

And then you go to the East, and it is too nasty series. I mean, there's one word to describe the Rangers Carolina series. And that's violent. That series is violent. Those two teams do not like each other. They're not just hitting. And I know that I got a lot of flack on Twitter for the P.K. Suban tweet where he talked about how Jacob Truba, you know, that's playoff hockey.

But putting that to the side, that is a physical series. Those teams aren't just hitting to hit. They're hitting to hurt. And then you see Florida Boston last night. That devolves into straight up chaos. and we have a 1-1 series there. So second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, man, this is a ton of fun. And one last thought on the Vancouver Edmonton game from last night.

You were spot on about how you said Edmonton kind of stole that one because it felt like after they were up in Vancouver finally woke up, they were just holding on for dear life. They were just trying to get out of that game with a win rather than continue to press. And to their detriment, it opened the door for Vancouver, and they took a very well-deserved one-0 series lead. I agree. Yeah, this was a great effort from the Canucks, and they're going to have to put together

another one here in this next thing. If they can go up to nothing on the Oilers, they'll really just need a split going to Edmonton to potentially win the series coming back to Vancouver. I don't think McDavid is going to be that quiet again in the series. The Canucks did a great job neutralizing him in game one, don't think that's going to be the case anymore. But if it is, Oilers, I think, are going to be really up a creek.

And I do think Drysidal should be better. He was doing, I think, with some cramping and equipment issues, according to the Oilers head coach during game one. So you'd have to think he'll potentially be better in game two. And then we should say Colorado, Dallas, that's also cinema as well. Dallas goes up 3-0. Colorado comes right back. Miles Wood gets the overtime winner.

That's also going to be a great series. All four of these series so far have been living up to the hype. and it's really exciting. Yeah. So we can take a little bit of solace, even though our penguins are not in it, that this has been a very entertaining, very fun Stanley Cup playoff to watch.

So if you're a hockey fan, you got plenty meat left on that bone. But that is going to do it for us on the Thursday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. As Hunter said, we will be back tomorrow. We're probably going to talk a little bit more about the Leafs firing of Sheldon Keith. And if there is a fit here in Pittsburgh,

and anything else that, may come up between now and then. But for Hunter Hodes, I am Patrick Damp. Thank you as always for tuning in and we will talk to you on Friday.