Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Should the NHL change the playoffs this year to the "top team picks who they play?"

Episode Date: November 25, 2020

We're starting to get updates on the NHL's plan for the playoffs next season and there's a lot of different scenarios. Will there be an all-division playoffs until the final 4? What about conference based? Hunter breaks those down, plus add his own idea in of letting the top teams pick their opponents in a live show. The drama would be absolutely awesome, plus could another option be to see the teams 1-16 and so on? Hunter talks about how great of an idea that would be, plus reviews Jake Guentzel's shortened season. Can he be a 40 goal scorer for years to come? Hunter also explains why he needs to be a Penguin long after Crosby and Malkin retire. Finally, Hunter unveils his starting six from 2000-2010 for the Penguins and there may be a few surprises on there for some people.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.BuiltGoVisit BuiltGO.com and use promo code “LOCKED,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order. 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.

Your Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Your team every day. Hello, welcome to this Tuesday episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Honor Hodes. Follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the show's Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins.

Today's show is brought to you by Bilbar. You can go to Bilbar.com and use promo code Lockdown and get 20% off your next order. So for today's show, everyone, we're going to talk about some of the news around the NHL. It's been pretty quiet these last couple days, but Peirler-Brun did have an interesting article yesterday. That kind of talked about, you know, what could the NHL playoffs look like this coming season. So we're going to talk about that. You know, talk about some of the, I think basically some of the formats that they basically discussed for it. And then I think I saw a tweet earlier today.

I think it was from Nick Alberger. Yeah, I think Nick Alberger is his name. He basically does Toronto Maple Leafs Radio host, ASEANI-N-Chel host for Sportsnet 590. He said it's all quiet on the NHL-NHL-NHLPA negotiating front. The clock is ticking if the two sides have any hopes of a January restart. You would think they have to hammer something out by the end of this week. Yeah, I mean, I've basically been saying that if you guys been listening to this podcast for the last week, I mean, they got to do this ASAP if they want to do a January 1st restart.

I think I saw something the other day where Gary Benman's like, yeah, we're going to try to do 82 games season, you know, with a January 1st restart. I'm like, Gary, that's just not going to happen. And we're going to have all the fans in the stands. It's like, that's not going to happen either, especially as the pandemic keeps spiking. So I really don't know what Gary Bettman is talking about if he's not been seeing the spikes or something like that. I mean, we did see the Vegas goal nights had a big outbreak, I think, with their two. I think four players just tested positive over the last day or something. And I think some staff members too.

So, you know, hope all those players get well. So we'll talk about this, you know, what could happen with the playoffs in this segment. then to continue our player season reviews, we will do Jake Gensel, and that will basically take up this show. So I hope you guys enjoy this. So for this news that came out, Superabrun, wrote an interesting piece on the athletic. He said the playoff format remains undetermined, although obviously it has been discussed. There are bigger issues to iron out.

Option one that he puts in is the divisional playoffs. The idea, some have floated around, is that the top four teams in each division would make the playoffs, and then it's a one versus four and two versus three in each division and a divisional final in the second round and the four divisional playoff winners would then meet in the league semi-finals. I mean, my idea on that, I think it's stupid. I mean, especially if you're doing a Canadian division, which obviously makes sense that the Canadian teams are not allowed down below the United States border, what are

we going to have, like, Toronto make a final for now? I mean, Toronto might actually make a conference finals for like the first time. And I honestly don't even remember the last time the Toronto Maple has made a conference final. I think it's been over a decade. It might have been, it's been 20 years. I'll have to look that up, but it has been quite a while since the Toronto Maple Leafs have made, Toronto Maple Leafs have made a conference final.

But like just, it doesn't make any sense to do it like that. Well, I mean, I shouldn't say that, guys. I mean, it does reduce travel costs, as Pierre LeRun says. It would make sense to continue, you know, playing just exclusively within a division for regular season games in the playoffs. You know, pushes the Canadian U.S. border issue further down the road. But, you know, after playing all your division, division teams during the 60 game season or however long it's going to be.

I mean, do we really need to play them again in the playoffs? I mean, I honestly think this is worse than the other playoff format, which just, I mean, that one is terrible too, because, you know, we've seen two of the league's top five teams meet in the first or second round of that format almost every year since it was put in in the 2013-14 season when it first started. So, I mean, I'm just not a fan of it. I mean, for the Penguins, I mean, it would be cool to, I guess, playing new teams in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

I mean, you know, if those real-line and divisions were to go through, you know, the Penguins would be in a division with Chicago, they would be a division with Detroit, Nashville. I mean, playing Nashville in the first round will be awesome. I love that. Chicago, you know, a couple other teams. You know, we've seen Pittsburgh Columbus a couple times. I mean, I'm sure that would be great ratings, great viewership for that. But it's just like, I mean, and I know they did this from the 80s through the 90s, but it's just like, I don't need to keep having the Penguins play their divisional teams in the,

the first in second round of the playoffs and then you get to the semifinals for the league the eastern conference final or western conference final and then you just play whoever i mean i guess i would just rather do it you know seed them one through eight i guess per conference i mean i guess like hopefully the pandemic gets under control you know by the time may comes around in june you know where it's just it's not spiking nearly as bad as it is now where you can basically just see the teams one through eight by conference and i mean that would just be awesome I mean, and I guess for the Canadian division, you can put the Western Canada teams that make it into the Western Conference, and then the Eastern Canada teams, you know, if the U.S. and Canada travel ban is lifted, you know, you can just put them in the Eastern Conference.

And like I said, just see them 1 through 8. That will be awesome. You know, his second option in his article conference playoffs basically comes down to which, figuring which of the three U.S. divisions to pair with the Canadian division. As one team executive said to me Monday, it probably makes the most sense to take the Pacific U.S. division and match it with the Canadian division in that sense for conference playoff purposes. for the seven routes at the eastern time zone. So he basically says, for example, the U.S. Division ends up being L.A.

Anaheim, San Jose, Arizona, Arizona, Arizona, Minnesota. That would match out conference-wise for the purpose of postseason with Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and all that. So 1-1-8-2 versus 7. I mean, I get what he's trying to say. I guess he would be trying to pair all of the Canada teams

with the Western teams. I mean, I wouldn't have done it that way. As I just said, you know, just put the Eastern Canada teams that make it like Toronto, if Montreal gets in in the east and then, you know, if Vancouver or Edmonton or Calgary makes it, you know, just put them in the West. And like I said, you just seed them one through eight. You know, some of the U.S. teams, you know, that finish high in their division or don't have as many points as some of the Canadian teams, you know, tough shit, you know. Or one of my big things that I've been wanting the NHL to do for so long, please, just have an opponent just pick their playoff team.

That would be so awesome. and you can do a live event for it. Like the number one scene gets to pick who they play in the opening round. I mean, that could lead to a lot of bad blood. A lot of people would watch it just to see who their team is going to play. It would be fun. It would reignite, I think, some new rivalries in the league. It would just be something new.

And the NHL needs something new. I don't want the NHL to botch this. I don't have any confidence in the league going into the season just because of all the ideas that are floating around. But, you know, a show where a teams just pick who they play in the playoffs, highest to the lowest, you know, the next highest to whoever, the highest after that, to whoever with that, you know, that would just be absolutely spectacular. I would be very much down to have something like that. And then lastly, Pierre's last option, he goes, basically, I was chatting with an Eastern

Conference team executive, and he insisted that this is the fairest playoff option from this year, and that is the number one team versus number 16, 2 versus 15, 3 versus 14. Again, I wouldn't mind that. I mean, it would be basically the same as, you know, a team picking their opponent, because I'm sure they would pick a 16 team. But, you know, in this case where a team doesn't get to pick their team as it's just seated 1-316, you know, it's in a la March Madness. You know, a perfect March Madness, Sherman. You can start the games in the afternoon, too.

I mean, if people are still, you know, working from home. I mean, I would assume people are going to be working at home, you know, well into next year because of this pandemic. You know, as Pierre mentions, they had it during a bit of the 80s. It would just be really fun to watch. And, you know, honestly, guys, I think we can see. some pretty big upsets. I mean, we obviously saw the five versus 12 matchups and the return to play, you know, Chicago beats

Edmonton and then Montreal, of course, beats the Penguins. I mean, could you have a 14 seat upset of 3 seed? Could you have a 15 upset or 2? God forbid, we have a 16 upset of 1. You know, that's only happened one time in the NCAA's March Madness tournament. I mean, it would be, like I said, it's something new, it's

something fun, and boy, does the league need something new and fun for their playoff format? Because a lot of people, I think, are just sick and tired of this playoff format that they've been using ever since 2013-14, you know, it's just not fun to see the same teams going at it every year in a row. I mean, I'm kind of glad we haven't had Penguins Capitals for the last couple of years, you know, seeing that happen three years in a row. I was pretty tired of it, guys. I was just flat out done with it. So, you know, we also, we haven't seen the Penguins Blue Jackets in a while. You know, we really don't

have to see Penguins Flyers or all that stuff. So it would be interesting to see if they would do one versus 16. I think it's better than, you know, that first option that Pierce said with a divisional playoffs, it's more fun. Or, you know, like I said, just have the top teams just pick who they play. So those are my thoughts on what the league should do with the playoffs going into this season. Of course, guys, any updates about the new season?

I'll be passing them along to you on the Locked on Penguins podcast. It's just, it's all quiet right now, but hopefully they figure out something I'm pretty soon. But before we do get to our next segment, when we get Jake Ensel's season review, it's time to talk about Bill Bar. There's 18 amazing flavors, six new flavors, cookies, cream, caramel brownie, carrot cake, apple almond, crisp. There's the 12 original flavors, orange, toffee almond, coconut, peanut, peanut butter, brownie,

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And that's also good for Black Friday this coming Friday. All right, guys, welcome back to this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hunter Hody. So, you know, it was obviously a very short in season for Jake Gensel, but he made the most of it, 20 goals, 43 points in 39 games. He was just outstanding for the Penguins this season. I remember, you know, when I was there for the game, you know, right around New Year's. And I think, you remember, he scored the goal, and he crashed into the boards. And of course you know everyone's cheering, but then I look and it's like, oh, my God, he's not getting up.

Well, and then he finally get up and he's like holding his shoulder. I'm like, oh, that doesn't look good, you know. I kind of knew right away something was up, you know, especially when he didn't come back into the game. When a player is laboring their shoulder like that, just coming off the ice, and it looked like it's really hurting. You know, you just knew that it was just bad news right there. And with the Penguins injury luck this season, or that season, I should say, you just, you knew it was going to be bad. But, you know, had 626 minutes of ice time, his chances for, chance for, chances. is again 678 to 541.

His possession was 55.6%. That's the highest it's been. I know guys 40 games, but I mean, it was on pace to basically be like that for a whole season. His goals for, goals against, 37 to 26. Again, being on a line with Sidney Crosby is just awesome. I mean, when he played his full season in 2018-19, his goals four versus goals against was 78 to 49. His goals for percentage, 58.7%. That's the second highest of his career.

Only 61% came in 2018-19. that's the highest that it was. Expected goals for, expected goals against 31.3 to 22.6. His expected goals percentage, though, 58%. Again, that's a career high for him. Scoring chances for, scoring chances against 332 to 263. His scoring chances for a percentage, 55.8%. His high danger chances for, high danger change is against 151 to 103.

I mean, that's on pace, and that's a half the season pace, guys, that's on pace to be 300 to basically 200. Basically what that was the season before. It was 301 to 223. He was on pace here for 302 to 206. I mean, that's just outstanding. I don't know what other word to use for this. It's otherworldly.

He was just that dominant for the penguins. His high danger's goals for percentage was 51.3%. This was just truly a great season for Gensel. And I really do believe that if he were fully healthy for it, he would have challenged, I think, Posternak and Ovi for the Rocket. You know, that might be a bit of a hot take, but just with the scoring pace that he was on, I mean, like I said, already had 20 goals in 39 games. I mean, he was on pace to be well over a 40-goal score,

and it wouldn't have surprised me if he actually got up to being a 45 goal score that season. He was just that dominant. I do think next season, if there is, even if it's a 65 game season, I do think we can see Gensel as a 40-goal score. it might be a little too high of expectations. I mean, he's definitely going to pot 30, I think, if he stays healthy. He's a perfect fit on Cindy Crosby's line. He does the dirty work.

I should say he can go to the dirty areas. He has a great shot, a great release, but he's also a great playmaker, too. You can put him on the power play. He can kill penalties to. We've seen him and Crosby kill penalties together. For the Penguins, Mike Sullivan has decided to do that a lot more in recent games for the Penguins. And I mean, why not? There are two of your best players, and teams have to be aware of that.

when they're on the power play, I'd not give the puck away, because with those two players, they can create two-on-ones, and that's potentially a goal going the other way for Pittsburgh. So, you know, teams always have to watch out for that. But, you know,

obviously it wasn't a lot for him in the playoffs. I mean, he did have a goal and two assists, so three points in the four games, but there were still more, I think, to be had there from Gensel. But I will say this, though, guys. I mean, he was coming off major soldier surgery. He definitely wasn't 100%.

I don't think. I was obviously really excited that he was coming back because he's one of their best players, but, you know, I wouldn't expect him to be at the Jake Gunsel that we saw from earlier on in the season when he potted 20 goals. It was basically a point per game player. But, you know, going forward for this next season, I think you're definitely going to see 30 goals. I did say 40. I do think that's a bit of a high number maybe, but I still think it's realistic. But over a 82 game season, which we'll hopefully get after this season, I do really think we could see this guy being consistent.

35 to 40 goal score in this league. It's just, he just has like that it factor for me that just screams to me that he's going to be a 40 goal score. He puts a lot of pucks on net. I mean, his shot, and just, his release with that shot is just gorgeous. So, you know, I'm really expecting

big things for Gensel this season and beyond. You know, his contract is an absolute steal. He's going to be here for the long haul. He'll be here well after, I think, Crosby and Malk and retire. Honestly, guys, I would be surprised if Jake Gensel didn't retire, Pittsburgh Penguin. I mean, this is the kind of player that you keep for the long term, even after Crosby and Malkins contracts run out,

you got to give the fans something to just watch or just cheer about, you know, when they eventually retire. And Jake Ansel is one of those players. Hopefully, Sam Poulin, we'd one of those players too. So, yeah, expect him to start on the top line next season. I mean, they're not going to split them up. They're probably going to put Kisperi Kappan on there. We'll talk more about Kisperi Kappan in the next couple of weeks as we hopefully get

close to the season and what my expectations are for him going in next season. We'll do a season review for him in terms. Toronto. I'm honestly thinking about doing that next week. I think I have a couple other players that I'm going to be doing for this week's episode. But for next week, we are going to dive into Capitan and what I expect for him on the line with Gensel and Crosby. But also, you know, expect Gensel to be on the top power play. You're going to have Sid, Gino, Latang, Gensel. And, you know, if they want to put Brian Rust on there, they can put Brian Rust on there. Or if they want to put Capone on there, they can do that as well. So that's my thoughts on Jake Gensel's season review. Coming up after this short break, we're going to do, you know, my starting six from me. 2000 all the way to 2010 for the Penguin. So stick around for that, everyone. All right, welcome back to this episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hunter Hode. So for the starting six here, it honestly is really tough to decide between Sid and Mario

for this just because Mario was still dominant during the 2000s. I mean, during the 2000-200-1 season, he played only 43 games, but up 76 points. I mean, that was, you know, he got second in the heart that season. and then 2002, 2003, had 91 points in 67 games. I mean, that's just outstanding. I know he retired a couple years later, but I am going to go Sidney Crosby here, guys. I mean, he won them the Stanley Cup in 2008, 2009.

I mean, I know he didn't win the Calder Trophy for the Penguins, but, you know, his rookie campaign when he came in was just still ridiculous, had two consecutive 100-point seasons. I mean, his 2006-2007 season had 120 points in 79 games, won the Art Ross, won the heart, I mean, won the Pearson. I mean, then of course, you know, 2008, he still had 103 points, had 109 points to the next season in 2009, we're going into 2010.

So basically had four 100-100-point seasons during 2000 and 2010. He was absolutely sensational. I will take Sidney Crosby as the best center during 2000-2010. Left wing, this gets interesting. There's obviously, you know, I already did Chris Cunitz for 2010. In 2020, you can make a claim to put Cunits on. there. But honestly, guys, I think for left wing here, this is just a tough call, though. I mean, I'm going to go with Alexei Kovalev. I mean, I really think he is the best left winger from

that era. I mean, you could put, you could easily argue Chris Koonitz. He was awesome, you know, when he was first traded there. I mean, but Kovalev in the early 2000s was just incredible. I mean, had 66 points and 82 games in 1999 to 2000, so of course it carried over. 2000 to 2001, 95 points in 79 games for the penguins, 2001 to 2002, 76 points and 67 games. And then he played 54 games of the penguins before he was traded to the Rangers. 27 goals, 64 points and 54 games. He was just an incredible player to watch at over 1,000 points for his career, 430 goals, and a little over 1,300 games.

I think for me speaking, I think Alexei Kovlov is the best left winger of from 2000 to 2010. And for right wing, I mean, there was some good options here as well. I mean, some people could probably argue Pascal DuPuy. I mean, but I'm not going to put him on here. I mean, DuPu is a good player, but, I mean, best right winger from 2000 to 2010. I mean, no, thanks for that. But I am going to go with Marty Schock. I mean, he was always so undervalued, you know, for his time of the Penguins.

I mean, he played a few years in the 2000s. I mean, 2000 to 2001, 27 goals, 95 points, and 82 games. I mean, 2000, 2003. He missed some time, but still 46.60 games. I mean, his 1999 to 2000 seasons in 59 points in 71 games. I mean, this guy just did it all for the penguins. I mean, 717 points in 954 games. I mean, before he was traded, I think it was during the 2003, 2004.

I think he was traded to Los Angeles, if I'm not mistaken. But, you know, this was, he was awesome. It was always so much fun to watch Marty Strach. I obviously was only a baby, you know, when he was playing here. But, you know, just going back and watching his highlights. he was just something else. So, yeah, I'm going to go with Crosby at Center and my two-winger's, you know, Kovalev and Strzaka.

You know, obviously there could be a case for Marion Hosa. He was just incredible, just even though he only played here for a short amount of time. But, you know, just being based off not just half of a season for the penguins, I'm going to go with Kovalov and Straka just because they were just lethal. And then for defensively, Sergey Ganshaw, Chris Lattang. Again, Gansharr, one of the best to ever do it for the penguins. And then Chris Leng, the best defense. been in franchise history that is not named Paul Coffey.

I will die on that hill. And then in goal, Mark Andre Flurry. I mean, what else can you say? Florey during the 2000s, I mean, when he was drafted me, everyone wanted to come watch him. And that was before, you know, Sid and Gino were playing games here with the Penguins. You know, he was one of the best reasons to actually watch the Penguins. Of course, one of my dogs decides to come in and just want love for me as I'm finishing

recording this podcast, you know, just absolutely love that. But getting back to what I was saying, Flory was awesome during that time. I mean, we all know he had that bit of a rough stretch in 2009 to 2010 where he kind of was one of the big reasons why the Penguins lost in the playoffs that season. But, you know, he's 2007, 2008 run in the playoffs. That's probably probably his best run, I would say, as a goalie in any of his play throughout his career. 2008, 2009, he was great too. But, you know, he was always just so much fun to watch during that time in the prime of his career. and he was easily the best cold tender during that decade.

So, you know, Crosby with Covillette and Straca, and then Goncharlatang, and then Mark Andre Fleury, will be my all-decade team from 2000 to 2010. Let me know what you guys think. I know I made some, maybe some questionable decisions on the wings, but that is how I see it for that decade. So that will do it for this episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I hope you guys loved it.

We'll have another episode coming tomorrow. Thursday I might take off. We'll see if I maybe do an episode or not, but it's a great week. Thanksgiving is this week. It's one of my favorite holidays. We get to watch the Steelers on Thanksgiving as they try to get to 11 and no. I still can't believe that's possible at this point.

Go check out Chris Carr on Locked on Steelers. And on tomorrow's podcast for our season player review, we will be doing Evgeny Malkin and just how lethal he was for the Penguins. So look for that. And I hope you all have a great rest of your day.