Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - The IDEAL contract for Jason Zucker, plus, will Alex Nylander be a regular next season?

Starting point is 00:00:00 What's up Penguins fans? Happy Tuesday, May the 2nd, almost two. Star Wars Day, May the 4th, which will be on Thursday. We have another special episode for you all today. We're finishing up our top six for the player season reviews today. We'll finish up with Jason Zucker. And we'll get to a little more on the Alex Neander news that Danny Showery and I discussed on Monday. We'll also get to a couple of players in the system that are going overseas. And we'll get into the game seven that happened on Monday. And what could be next for one of the Penguins bigger, right? Now the penguins, you know, they could be poised to potentially take a step next season if the right people are hired and they make the right moves because the Rangers, and I'll be really curious to see what happens. And so I'll come up right after this drop. You're Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network.

Starting point is 00:00:56 Your team every day. Hello, welcome back to our episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm, of course, your host, Hunter Hodes. Nerd will follow me on Twitter, Hunter Hodes for all the shows, Twitter, Eleanor, Sir Penguins, and of course, thank you all so much for making this your first list in the day. We're free and available on all platforms. Today's episode is brought to you by GameTime.

Starting point is 00:01:26 You can download the GameTime app right now, create an account, and use code in the NHL for $20 off your first purchase. So let's jump right into it. You know, recording this during Game 1 of the Panthers League series, which has already been a lot fun. The Panthers team seems like they have this team of destiny vibes. kind of reminding me of the LA Kings of 2012 a little bit how they're getting good goaltending playing the opposition.

Starting point is 00:01:48 No one really thought anything of them when they got in. I didn't, especially. I look like an idiot right now. And they're playing pretty well against Toronto, but we'll get to that a little bit later. But starting off today's show, we are finishing up the top six later this week. We'll get into the bottom six forwards.

Starting point is 00:02:06 But Jason Zucker finishes up our top six player season reviews and what a season he had his best. season in quite sometime. This was the most points he had since 2017, 18 when he had 33 goals and 64 points with Minnesota. This is the second most points. He's actually had 27 goals, 48 points in 78 games. This is also the second most goals that he has ever scored and scored behind that 2018 season when he had 33 goals. He's had 20 multiple times, but it was never this good. It was a far cry, I will say, from where it was last year, the only play. in 41 games, had eight goals, 17 points in 41 games.

Starting point is 00:02:48 He just took it up another notch this year. And yeah, what do you know? It's great when he's healthy, right? True, truly. You know, we finally got to see how good this player can be when healthy. And yeah, going forward, if they do resign him, this is probably your best case scenario. I don't think it's going to get any better than this.

Starting point is 00:03:06 But I also take 27 goals in 50 points, basically, for a top six-winger, any. day of the week. It's not even a question. If you're giving me 25, 25 or 50, 27, 30 for almost 60, anywhere in that range and you're making $4.5 to $5 million, even a little bit more, I am perfectly okay with that. It's when the production goes below that, where I start to question it a little bit. Or I'm like, okay, you know, is this going to be the case going for you? We'll get to my thoughts a little later on if they should sign Jason Zucker or not, what my ideal contract would be. But just counting stats-wise, you look at it, tremendous season.

Starting point is 00:03:46 I don't even want to know where the Penguins would be if it wasn't for Jason this year. Of his 27 goals, 25 of them at 5E-5. Yes, 25 of them at 5-5. Two on the power play. He sometimes got on the top power play when there was a couple injuries, but not much. Maybe play on the second unit, but 25 of there's 27. strength, 14 of his 21 assists were at even strength. So he was tremendous at 5E5 this season. You know, there's not much better to save it. You know, you look at the underlings for Jason this

Starting point is 00:04:26 year and also very, very, very, very strong. He played 78 games, had almost 11,100 minutes at five and five ice time when he was on the ice. The payment was at 55% of the shot attempts. That is his best mark of his career. Looking at natural shot trick right now, what comes close, 2014-15 with Minnesota, 54%, 54% in 20-20 to 20 with Pittsburgh when he first came over in those 15 games, short sample size. That is the best mark of his career and career high. It was in terms of goals for, goals against, about 50-50 there. It's kind of been his calling card throughout his career. He's getting those tough minutes. I'm not really super worried about that. Scoring chance-wise, though, this is another big one.

Starting point is 00:05:09 on ice the penguin's at 54% of the scoring chances. His best mark since 2018-19 when he was with Minnesota. Expected goals for, 64.2% of the expected goals share, oh, the expected goals for, excuse me, very good. In terms of the expected goal share, 57% of those, all very, very strong numbers. High danger-wise, 57% when he was on ice, the penguin said, almost 58% of the high-danger chance for 289-4-211 against.

Starting point is 00:05:38 that is also one of his step-bass numbers of his career, his highest since 2017, 2018. And then he was break-even and high-danger goals for 32-2-2 on a shooting percentage of 5-on-5, right around 8% for the season, which kind of goes in line with where it was the past few seasons. It was just that, you know, he was healthy for the season. So in terms of, again, production from a top six-winger, you know, it doesn't get any better than that. I touched on numerous times during the season. And whenever it felt like the penguins needed a big goal, he was there. That was my big thing.

Starting point is 00:06:14 You know, he, at any time they needed a spark, he was there. He was one of the top leaders on this team. Always very funny with the room with the best of the year and all that stuff. That's just off ice. But, you know, he is a tremendous player. He's been a tremendous leader for this team for as long as he's been here. Obviously, I would love to bring him back. It's such a tough call because, you know, as he's a tremendous player.

Starting point is 00:06:36 Danny said, yes, and I agree with him with this. You know, you kind of have to treat this year as like a best case scenario. He's basically, you know, at this point on the wrong side of 30. You know, we've already seen him. He's 31 now. He'll be 32 during the parts of next season. You know, you've already seen, I think, the best hockey you're going to see from him. It's just that do you think he's going to produce like he did this season, not just next season.

Starting point is 00:07:02 Season after that, season after that, potentially the season after that. you know what does the term look like i want three to four years five five point two five million highest i would go is five point five that's pushing it though sweet spots five he's probably going to have to take a discount to come back that's my big thing and i think he would i mean we saw bryan rusted it i'm not sure he was the first assigned during the all season so you never know But, you know, he also could want to go out there and have a payday for himself. And really, could you blame him? I wouldn't.

Starting point is 00:07:43 I would support it. You know, he would sink to see him go. And the Penguins, you know, if you should see how they replace him because, you know, Tyler Bertuzi would be awesome. He's going to price himself out of Pittsburgh. Free agent markets outside of that,'s kind of, and I think you would have to trade for someone, to be honest. I will say it's easier to replace someone like that than like a top two center maybe.

Starting point is 00:08:03 but, you know, I would stay at my first scenario, my first option is to bring him back at three to four years, five to five point two, five million per. If that doesn't work, I think you might have to walk away. But obviously, I would love to have him back. He was great with Evgeny Malkin and Ryan Russ. He also has great underlying Sydney Crosby. He can play with either of the top two centers. He said very much during Locker Clean Out Day that he wants to be back.

Starting point is 00:08:31 obviously those contract negotiations are not going to start up anytime soon. You know, it's one thing to negotiate with Alex Neelander people. It is a whole different scenario for a bunch of interim guys alongside Mike Sullivan, who's handling the player cleanouts and the exit interviews and all that stuff. It's a whole other thing for them to do it. They have really no experience doing that. You know, again, one year of 7775K a one-way deal. Ooh, yeah, it's not hard to negotiate.

Starting point is 00:08:58 This one? No, you need a, you need someone who. who has more experience working with that kind of contract. At least that's just how I say it. But very good season, A plus, in my opinion, and really hope to see him back here next season and beyond. So that wraps up this segment of the Lockdown Hanglons podcast. Coming up in the second segment, we're going to get into some of the Alex Nealander stuff.

Starting point is 00:09:21 Look at some, dive into more of the numbers. I know Danny talked to on a little bit on my Monday episode, but I want to dive in a little bit more onto how he played. Since I know it's a short sample size, don't get into some other news and notes with some players signing overseas before we end with some playoff talk but before we get to that we do have to discuss one of our newest sponsors for the show and that is game time so you know buying tickets to your favorite events should not be stressful and something's going to be very stressful for me coming up aerosmith just announced

Starting point is 00:09:53 their farewell tour on monday alongside the black grows and i'm starting to get a little stressed about because tickets the pre-sale at least are already pretty crazy but you know with game time you can definitely buy tickets too there they are the fastest and easiest way to buy tickets for all the sports music comedy and theater near you with killer deals on last minute tickets and their best price guarantee you can start trusting over the tickets and start getting hyped for the fun that you will have they are the place for last minute ticket deals you can forget planning months in advance game time has deals on tickets right up to the day of the event you also can get exclusive flash details on tickets for football basketball baseball concerts comedy theater and

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Starting point is 00:11:06 Twitter at Eleanorstap Penguins, and, of course. Thank you all so much for making this, your first list on the day. We're free and available on all platforms. So, over the weekend, we did see that Penguins have their first resigning of the all season, Alex Nealander, one-year deal, one way, 700, 75K, basically leading in them. You know, not much. It's, okay, it is very, it is a very cheap deal. you know it's what a bottom six player gets you know that's that's the end of it

Starting point is 00:11:37 and i wanted to just confirm my notes that i had it right sometimes i get some of these a little wrong i don't want that to be the case i try to give my 110 percent accuracy for this show but you know alex neander played a little bit um this season for the penguins nine games actually um played a hundred almost 109 minutes at five on five for the penguins this was his first initial action since 2019, 20 when he played 65 games to Blackhawks. And, you know, his underlying is solid, small sample size. When he was on the ice, the Penguins had 62 and a half percent of the shot attempts for per 60, also had five goals four goals against.

Starting point is 00:12:15 He's got a goal share, 65.5 percent of that very, very good. He's scoring chances, 63.3 percent of the chances the Penguins Avenue was on the ice. High danger chances, 62 percent. High danger goals for four to three and then rocked a seven point one shooting. percentage. You know, very, very small sample, but I will obviously take that to the bank. One goal, two points in those nine games, the one goal member coming up, coming against the Red Wings, you know, right before that Henguins blew it against the Blattock's.

Starting point is 00:12:44 They played a pretty bad Red Wings team after they beat Minnesota. But still, I thought it looked like he belonged. I know nine games as not much, but, you know, in terms of, you know, looking better over some of the other guys that played here this year, like a Rock McGinn, like a Kasperi Kappan, even Jeff Carter for a lot of the season. You know, I thought he looked like that he could play over half, at least half the season here.

Starting point is 00:13:12 And I think the Penguins, I know a one-way deal really doesn't mean much. You know, people weren't going to make a big deal out of it. Remember what Danny said yesterday. It does not. It just means, you know, you make the same amount of money as you would in the NHL and in the NHL.

Starting point is 00:13:25 That's all it is. Waivers, you know, same thing. So it's not really a big deal, people. That said, I do think it's similar in a way to the PO-Joseph deal last year where the Penguins are going to give every opportunity for a Nealander to make this team out of camp like they did with POJ. I think, you know, and also I could say the same about Drew O'Connor as well. You know, they gave him an opportunity to make the team out of camp this past season.

Starting point is 00:13:53 I know he didn't start on the team because the team was relatively healthy to start the year, but eventually he did come up. He showed that he belonged. And I think you're going to see that in camp next season in the preseason where both of those players, or at least O'Connor should definitely be on the team, but Neelander is going to get a chance to show that he should be with the Penguins. He definitely does have some talent.

Starting point is 00:14:16 But, you know, just how good can he be? That's the big question. As Danny said on my Monday episode, he's already 25 now. That's kind of like your capacity. or peak years, but you're still kind of in your prime. But, you know, I wouldn't expect, like, a massive breakout from him. But could he be a solid third fourth liner for this team? Yes.

Starting point is 00:14:38 And, you know, the penguins, you know, it's a, it's a no-brainer. Again, for 775K, it's cheap depth. Even if he doesn't make the team when he starts at the year in Wilkesbury, you can probably have him be your first call-up alongside Altairey Puson, Sam Poulienne. Now that he's back with a team, a couple others. But, you know, he showed, I think, in the nine games last year, that he can play at the initial level,

Starting point is 00:14:59 and that his development has been pretty good since coming over from Chicago and playing in Wilkesbury. So I'm really curious to see what he does over the summer with his training program, just doing well in camp, preseason. Really, really curious to see what happens there. So those are my overall thoughts on Neely and Dirk,

Starting point is 00:15:17 good underlines, you know, solid play away from the puck, you know, got some opportunities with Malcolon. He could have had another goal that game against the Rangers when he came up. I could have won the game at the end of regulation, and Yarsal Halak made a really nice save on him. He was threatening on those shifts that he was on the ice,

Starting point is 00:15:34 and I really liked what I saw. Again, I'm not some big Alex Neelander fanboy here, but I do think he played better than I expected him to down the stretch. We also did see Philip Hollander. He signed a five-year contract overseas. So the only thing the Penguins have to show for in the Jeremy Cairn trade now is a 7th pound pick. that's magic beans.

Starting point is 00:15:59 You could go, you literally, you can go get magic beans from Jack's beanstalk beans. Oh, that trade looks, this still looks so bad and looks even worse right now. I felt like it couldn't have gotten any worse. It did. I'm not going to spend too much time on it. Everyone knows how bad the trade was.

Starting point is 00:16:14 But now that Philip Hollander is not even here anymore, all they have for him is a seventh round pick. You know, good luck to Hollander overseas, because he does there. And we also did see Philip Lindbergh. the Penguins' goaltending prospect on Guy in Wilkbury. It looks like he has signed overseas as well. Seth Rolbaugh, who does great coverage for the Pittsburgh Tribune review.

Starting point is 00:16:36 He is tremendous. I love Seth. He does the A to Z series during the all season. He did one today on Drake Cajula. He found an article today where, if I can define this year real quick, he found a Finnish website or an outlet, and he said, well, that's not the one. That's the Maca.

Starting point is 00:16:57 He's been going on way too many of these. Anyway, a different finish outlet said that Philip Lindbergh has signed with TPS of the Liga. The team has not announced anything as of yet, though. But it looks like Philip Lindbergh is not going to be in Wilkesbury for next season. Remember, he was a free agent signing in 2021. But he's been really banged up these past couple of seasons. I remember when he came here, he had great numbers.

Starting point is 00:17:21 He was what in the NCAA? He was looking like a standout goalie. but he just, you know, he couldn't say healthy. That was the thing. I had high hopes for him. I thought maybe he could come up here and somehow be the backup. That's maybe best case scenario. But, you know, it just wasn't meant to be because, you know,

Starting point is 00:17:40 his season was a drawback injury. So Philip Hollander and Philip Lindbergh, both heading overseas. That means Wilkesbury will have some new goaltenders for next season. You know, and I'm not really, my overall thoughts, guys, I'm not really too concerned about it. I'm just laughing about the McCann stuff, and then Lindberg, you know, it was obvious that at least the season that he was not going to make an impact on the actual level. You know, maybe he'll up his level back overseas, but I love to see that. I wish all the best to him with regards to that.

Starting point is 00:18:18 So a little bit of Penguins news in terms of some Wilkesbury stuff. That does it for the second. And coming up to end the show, touch a little bit on the playoffs. especially that game seven between the Rangers and Devils, where the Rangers could be going, how that affects the Penguins for next season. All that's coming up after our commercial rate. But before we get to that,

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Starting point is 00:20:18 So let's go talk about the playoffs. Again, that game 7 on Monday night was kind of a stinker. The Rangers just no-show. And honestly, you know, with the way they're top players playing that series, I would love to be a fly on the wall on some of these fans' homes for what they would say if Sidney Crosby, or Guine Malkin went goalless in a series the way Artemperin just did. Oh, by the way, Artemi Panarin makes what? 10, 11 million per year.

Starting point is 00:20:48 What would you say if Sid or Gino went to goeless in a series or series like that? What would, you know, the double M fan club say? of sports talk radio jock hosts not not not not even him anyone out there 9937 the fan all that or other other crap what would people be saying on social media oh you would hear it and it would i mean it would be warranted because you don't like they would be bad but paneran stunk in that series the benachad stunk their kids stunk their top players got embarrassed in that series embarrassed as they say from new york That was pretty bad, wasn't it? Yeah, it was pretty embarrassing. Anyways, my New York accent's really just terrible. But there are star players outside of Chris Crowder and Igor Shasturkin did not show up, especially Igor.

Starting point is 00:21:38 I actually kind of felt bad for him. He saved almost nine goals above expecting that series, and they still didn't win it. This has been going on now for almost the better part of two decades, where the Rangers are just saying, hey, our goal is better than yours, and that's all we're going to do. we're just going to build an okay team around a God-tier goalie, and we're just going to try to see what happens. It didn't work again.

Starting point is 00:22:04 And, you know, that effort that I saw on Monday, that might lead to a coaching change, and I would not be surprised if Gerard Gallant gets fired. You're seeing the rumors already that, this was before 8 a.m. This morning, Darren is putting out there that you can see Joel Quendville take that job if he gets approved to be reinstated by the league. Like Stan Bowman,

Starting point is 00:22:23 I don't think he deserves to work in hockey ever again. That's how I say. I know a couple of Rangers fans who would be pretty, I don't know if they would even support the team anymore, to be honest, but you know, with where that that team is heading from a pure Penguins perspective, I think that's a team that you could luck at next season if the Penguins make the right moves and they get the right general manager here, where you could be like, okay, penguins could be able to make a move on that kind of team,

Starting point is 00:22:50 same as the Islanders. I don't really think they're going to be, that good next season, especially if they bring the same kind of team back. I think the penguins are also not going to lose four straight times them next season. So those, especially the founders, I look at that team. But I look at a team like the Rangers, especially if they want to make some changes over the summer, what do they do with the kids? Do they move a big contract out?

Starting point is 00:23:09 Because I don't think they're a contender. I think they're a good team with some high-end talent. But I don't see them as a Stanley Cup contender. I see them as a team that coast through the regular season. As my buddy, Nick Soror says, and follow him on Twitter and read his work because he's great. He literally said they have a fuel trip chaperone as their head coach. And he said, though, on this show last night, I started dying. Like, I had never thought of something like that before.

Starting point is 00:23:32 He just, he shows up. He watches everyone and he doesn't really coach. So, but again, if the Rangers make some changes, I could really see them regressing next season. And that's the team that I would look for to seeing the Penguins really, potentially leapfrog. That was just a terrible effort by the Rangers. I did not like the way they play.

Starting point is 00:23:53 no one else showed up except the goalie Barkley Goodrow if you want to argue that's crazy to even say that third star players got destroyed congratulations to the devil's first series wins since 2012 that should be a fun series with Carolina Florida Toronto right now is having fun

Starting point is 00:24:09 looks like I actually I checked I believe it was one to one I'm checking the score right now just to see it looks like Matthew Nye has got a goal so the Panthers it's 2-1 now Sam Bennett scored so 2-1 the other late game is Seattle, Dallas.

Starting point is 00:24:24 It's going to be a fun second round, though. A lot of teams here you usually don't expect. There's going to be, the team that wins the cup is not going to have won a Stanley Cup in over 15 years. Yes. Go through the teams. The earliest cop trout right now, if I'm not mistaken, is the hurricane in 2006. Yep. Weird times right now.

Starting point is 00:24:50 Are the ratings going to be weird? sure. Honestly, though, I don't give a damn. I don't. I'm sorry. Even if the Penguins were playing in the second round right now, and say they were placed, I don't know, Carolina or New Jersey or Florida, whatever.

Starting point is 00:25:10 The ratings were probably still not bad. They'd be a little bit better because the Penguins are in. Pittsburgh's a massive market for hockey. But even if they were in, the ratings would still not be good. But again, I wouldn't care. It's cool to have fresh new teams in there. I will never apologize for being, you know, for liking upsets. It's cool.

Starting point is 00:25:29 Sure. Does the better regular season team not win at times? Yeah. I don't care. I don't. These series are going to be really fun. I'm excited to watch them. And again, you know, in terms of the Rangers for the Metropolitan Division next season,

Starting point is 00:25:45 I could see them taking a pretty big step back if they do make some big changes and they get a new coach, especially one that's not as good. it doesn't have to be. It doesn't have to be Quendell if he gets to be insane. It could be someone like Gerald Sutter. Really funny if they got a lay in big no. There's just not a lot of good coaches out there. So that would also be kind of interesting.

Starting point is 00:26:04 One more note, I'll leave you all on. I know some people saw Andy Shirkland's tweet today saying like, oh, wouldn't be surprised with the Penguins and Stan Blumen, Stan Blumen, excuse me, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I am sorry, people. I mean, I'll never claim to have many inside sources. When I hear stuff, though, I will pass it along.

Starting point is 00:26:20 But do y'all all, really think that Andy Shricklin, who is a blues radio host or analyst, whatever, he works for the team. Do Yins think he has inside sources for Fenway Sports Group in the Pittsburgh Penguins? No. He's putting it out there because he's doing an agent of favor. That's all this is. Let's wait for actual reporting to come out there. Not this search. Got who they've interviewed. Remember, Penguins can ask and interview anyone during this process. It's just up to the other team to allow them, you know, that. So that will do it for this episode,

Starting point is 00:26:56 blog on Penguins podcast. I really appreciate all of you listening slash watching. Let me know you all think down in the comments. You can also send me DMs and all that. Another episode, if you all on Wednesday, we'll start the bottom six-player reviews, then we'll get to the defenseman and the goalies, and we'll also get into some other Penguins topics as well.

Starting point is 00:27:13 So thank you all so much for listening slash watching. Really appreciate it. Let's do another one of these on Wednesday.

Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - The IDEAL contract for Jason Zucker, plus, will Alex Nylander be a regular next season?

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