Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - The Penguins are just not a good hockey team...

Episode Date: March 11, 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins' spiral continued over the weekend with back-to-back losses to the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers and it's probably going to get worse before it gets better. They dive into the Bruins loss to start the show and how the Penguins' defensive work was abysmal throughout the first 60 minutes. They discuss how their line changes were awful and how Alex Nedeljkovic could only do so much (even though he still had a meh game overall). After that, they recap the loss to the Oilers and how they lost that game in the opening two minutes with that awful giveaway by Kris Letang. They also discuss how the Penguins had too much perimeter play against the Oilers, but do give a couple of positives with the play of Michael Bunting and Bryan Rust. Finally, they look at the week ahead and ponder whether a historic tank is about to take place. 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.IbottaIbotta is a free app that gives you the most cash back every time you shop on hundreds of items from groceries to beauty supplies to toys. Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code LOCKEDONNHL when you download the free app in the App Store or Google Play store.  RobinhoodRobinhood has the only IRA that gives you a 3% boost on every dollar you contribute when you subscribe to Robinhood Gold. Now through April 30th, Robinhood is even boosting every single dollar you transfer in from other retirement accounts with a 3% match. Available to U.S. customers in good standing. Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer.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 Pittsburgh Penguins are a flat out bad hockey team, and Pat and I are going to discuss that right after this. You're 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 am one of your hosts, Hunter Hodes.

You can follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. join by my co-host Patrick Dam. You can follow him on Twitter at Center for Wet, and you can follow the shows, Twitter, at L.O. Ernst for Penguins, of course. Thank you all so much for making this your first lesson slash watch of the day. We are free and available on all platforms.

And finally, today's episode is brought to you by GameTime, found the GameTime app, crane account, and use code locked on for $20 off your first purchase. So, Pat, over the weekend, the penguins get zero points out of four. They get absolutely destroyed by both the Boston Bruins, and the Edmonton Oilers outscored 9 to 1 total. And over their last three games on this three game losing streak,

the Penguins have been outscored 15 to 1, their lone goal, a very lucky goal from Chris Luttey because Al-Mark did not see it. Is that bad? Sources say that indeed is bad. We'll start with the Boston Bruins game for this episode. I actually really liked the way the Penguins came out in that first period. I thought they were taking it to Boston for most of that period.

Michael Bunting gets a breakaway a little before the 10. minute mark of the first period. Got a really good look on Linus O'Mark, but he just made a better save. So he kind of fit in right away, Bunting, that is, where he's failing to capitalize on his first chance because the Penguins had not been able to capitalize on hardly any of their chances this season. Though, I will say, I liked Michael Bunting's game a lot in that one. I actually liked the way he played in the Oilers game as well, even though he didn't

score in either of them. What I really didn't like about the Penguins game in this one against the ruins was their defensive work. I thought their changes were abysmal. They were so nonchalant about it, to be honest, just so slow getting off the ice. And that led to multiple goals against in that game against the Bruins. And you can't do that against one of the best teams in the league. The Pedersen giveaway was brutal, led to a goal right after.

Alex Sedalcovich can only do so much, I feel like, in that game. But just defensively, the Penguins, not good enough in that one. And overall, not good enough either. Yeah, this is going to be a theme today for these two games. I mean, I can't really say that they played poorly in either game. They just played better teams, and this is not a good hockey team in Pittsburgh. Like, the Bruins are one of the best teams in the league, so are the Edminton Oilers, and the Penguins just aren't.

Now, there was sloppiness in both games, especially in the Boston game. A bad line change leads directly to a goal. A turnover leads to a goal. They weren't accountable in the defensive zone against Boston. And again, like you said, Alex Nadelcovic can only do so much. Now, at the same time, 18 for 23, 783 save percentage. And then you dig into the analytics of the Boston game. And Penguins had the better of the possession.

Expected goals were about 50-50. So while I do agree that, Adelkevich can only do so much and a goalie can only do so much, which is something we'll talk about in the second segment for the Edmondson game. But I will say against Boston, it's not unfair to ask Alex Nadalcovich for a save. It's really not because when you look at how the game was played both with the analytics where the penguins have about the same amount of expected goals, they were better with the possession. They actually, they didn't have as many high danger chances. but again, that was similar to 8 to 10 in favor of the Bruins. And then you look at the regular top line statistics,

and the penguins get 39 shots on goal. Bruins only get 30 or 20, 23. And all signs point to in that one. Obviously, there's more than just goaltending. There were other things that contributed to the penguins losing, but you do get a sense of when you damn near double up in shots on your opponent and the possession seems about even, it's easy to think,

okay, the goaltending was the difference here. Now, what I will say, it wasn't as if Alex Nadelcovic was so phenomenally bad that he gave the game away. O'Marc was just that good. Like, he was just, he was great in that game,

and he's been great all season. So at this point, you just lost the goaltending matchup, but you also just, you played a team that you cannot afford to make those little mistakes against because that's a team that will make you pay for them. It all goes back to what I originally said

before I handed it over to you. The Penguins lack of accountability in their own zone cost them in this game. Yeah, we can sit here and say we wanted a save or two from Alex Dielkevich. And I definitely think he's lost a little bit of a step since the beginning of the season. He's not playing nearly as well right now

as he was, say, a month or two ago. But also, the team right now is not playing as well as they were a month or two ago. They are a lot worse right now than where they were a month or two ago. And I get it. They were also inconsistent at that time, but they weren't this bad overall. And so, again, Nadelcovich, you probably could have used to save or two, but the team defense in their own zone was atrocious.

One of the goals that really stood out to me as well, the Marshan goal. Two defenders came up to defend Charlie Coil. You're letting Brad Marshan walk around both of them wide open. He's just going to deke Alex Adelkevich out of his side. What are you doing there? You're just going to let one of the best players in the league come in, unimpeded and just do that to you. Again, the lack of team defense in their own zone was awful in this game. And it was bad yet again on Sunday against the Oilers.

It was. And this is, you know, we've kind of beaten this horse to death. But I do think it points to the fact that Mike Sullivan's time here is done. Again, it's not an indictment on. him as a coach. I think he is one of the best coaches to do it. I think he's going to find success wherever he ends up if it's not here. And I do think once the NHL players are back at the Olympics in a couple of years, he's going to be either the head coach or one of the coaches for team USA without a doubt. But I just think it's run its course. And I don't want to say that

he needs to go right now. I think at that point, you're just rearranging. ranging deck chairs on the Titanic. That's a waste of time if you fire it right now. You might as well just do it once the season ends in about five weeks. Yeah, there's no tangible benefit to doing it now. This team has such a tough schedule coming up, the rest of the way out. Pretty much everybody they play, except for a handful of games, our playoff teams and Stanley Cup contenders.

So I don't think this is a good enough team to go on some zombie run anymore. and getting rid of Sullivan doesn't solve any of that. It doesn't make this roster better. It may give you a bit of a dead cat bounce just where these guys say, okay, we got the coach fired. Now what does that mean for us? And they play well for a few games and then regress right back to who they are. And the last thing I want to say about this team,

and it applies to both games, this is just a team that's resigned to their fate. They know what is going to happen. They know they're not making the playoffs. They know that big changes are probably. coming this off season, both on the roster and probably behind the bench. And you don't want to make excuses for that because this is a team that in the past two decades has been expecting to be great.

And anything short of that is, in fact, a failure. But at this point, they know what their season looks like. They know that they're not going anywhere this year. You would like to see more fight. And I think depending on what happens with Wilkes Bear, the rest of the way out in their season in the American Hockey League, you eventually want to see some of the kids come up and just see what they got, even though they're not exactly blue chips or going to be great contributors in the next few years.

But at this point, I think you've got to turn the heat up a little bit on the veterans on this team to let them know, like, yeah, at this point, this has not been a good season. So you are in fact replaceable. Mike Sullivan can say all he wants. Our goal is to make the playoffs by the end of the season. Do you really think any of the core players believe that at this point with where they are in the standings? No, they're not stupid. None of these guys are stupid. They, they've, they've been at this since September. And they know that this just isn't a good hockey team.

And we've come a long way from this looking like a roster that could contend to a team that we're worried about whether or not they're going to take their pick back from the Carlson trade because they may pick in the top 10. They probably will finish with a bottom 10 record. And with the lottery after the season, they probably will have or will be in the top 10 with the, with the way it's been going lately and with the rest of the schedule for the last three to four weeks of the season at this point. And I'll say about Mike Selden

before we had to break. I do think looking back, the time to fire him was several weeks ago just because you look at what the New York Islanders are doing right now, Pat. They had a really slow start under Patrick Waugh. They've now won six in row. They are in the final playoff spot

in the Eastern Conference right now. So looking back at it, I think the actual time to do it was several weeks ago, but now that they didn't do it, just do it after the season and start fresh. There are plenty of really good coaches that are available. A couple that come to mind right away, in my opinion, Jay Woodcroft and Dean Eveson. I think Everson did a really good job in Minnesota.

And then Woodcroft, you know, he was good in Edmonton after he came into replace Dave Tippett a couple of seasons ago. But then when he had that start of the season, they had no choice but to fire him. But I think those two would be really good replace for Mike Sullivan if the penguins do decide to move on. and I think they should at this point. But I think that will do it for this first segment. Coming up in the second segment, we got to discuss that blowout loss to the event to others and how the payments have now lost six in a row to the Oilers.

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Terms apply. Again, queen account and redeem code locked on for $20 off. Download game time today, last minute tickets, lowest price guarantee. All right, we're back here in this episode of the Locktown Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host, Hunter Hodeys. on my coast, Patrick Dam. So as of the Penguins' problems couldn't get any worse. They get blown out by the Edmonton Oilers at home on Sunday and get shut out by Cal Pickard for nothing in this game. And the Penguins, they just didn't have anything to start this game. You saw Chris LaTang's

awful giveaway less than two minutes in the night game. He gives it right to Connor McDavid on a silver plighter. And he makes no mistake. He's the best player in the world. He is going to fire that puck past any goaltender in the National Hockey League. And from then on, it was just a total slot fest by the payments. They weren't good defensively, especially on that next goal, John Ludvich. For some reason, trying to block that shot from Matias Ekholm, my man, just get out of the way. Let Tristan Jari make that save. There was no need to get down on one need to try to block that because that deflection

ended up going in the back of the net. I'm not really going to blame, I guess, too much on Jari for that one. I think if that puck is not deflected, he easily makes that save. Maybe you could argue that Jari needs to make the save on McDavid. But as I just said, I think he's scoring that goal on any goaltender in the NHL. I think Jari did enough quite a bit in this game to keep the penguins in it, but the penguins weren't able to do much of anything in the offensive zone. I thought there was way too much perimeter play by the penguins.

Looking at natural statuary for this game, it is honestly crazy that they had 16 high danger chances at 5-on-5. It did not seem like it when I was watching this game live. It looked like, again, everything was from the perimeter. they were not getting any high quality scoring chances. It looked like they could play that game for the next four to five hours and they would not put a single puck in the back of the net. Just not good enough once again for this hockey team. And overall, this is a very bad team right now.

Yeah, I said it's going to be a theme for me on this episode. I can't get overly upset about this game because Edmonton's just a better team. And that's the long and the short of it. As for the Tristan Jari part, I mean, if your goalie makes 38 saves, that should be enough for you to get a win, not get shut out. That should be a performance that you can lift yourself to a win with. And I kind of disagree on the the, the, the, the I test versus the analytics part that you're saying. I was there. And I mean, the penguins, they got some pressure.

They got some chances. It's just they're not a good hockey team. You know what they don't have that they just got rid of? Elite finishing. They don't have Jake Gensel anymore. Jake Gensel's gone. He's not walking through that door. So there's no, they don't really have anybody on their roster right now.

And it's a wild thing to say about the Pittsburgh penguins, but they don't have finishers. And essentially, teams now know, Keon Crosby and Malkin, nobody else is going to do it. Nobody else is going to score goals because those two can do it, the rest of them can't. So then, I mean, you could feel what was going to happen on Sunday. 68 seconds in Connor McDavid scores.

And there was barely any energy in the building to begin with. Whatever was left was sapped out right away. There were some little moments where there were scrums and fights and hits, but you knew. Everybody in the building knew what was coming. I don't think anybody looked at Sunday's game and thought, maybe they can surprise Edmonton and get two points here. Everybody knew that they were walking into what was going to be either a hard fought loss or an ass kicking.

And it turned into an ass kicking. And I can't, again, the point I'm trying to make here about the Penguins just not being a good hockey team and Edmonton just being a better team, Penguins get 41 shots on goal. I mean, that's a solid performance. I understand not a ton of them were from high leverage, high danger areas. but when you put a goalie under an assault for a full 60 minutes and get 40 plus shots, you think eventually a few of them are going to go in like we saw with the Oilers. They got 42 and scored four goals. It's just not a good hockey team.

And the last two games, they have just played better teams. And that's fair to say. Again, I felt like I wasn't being too harsh. It just felt like when I was watching it, they weren't getting many quality chances at all. And I would say outside of Brian Rust and Michael Bunting, I don't think anyone had a good game in this one. And you can argue Tristan Jari as well. I also thought he maybe needed to make a save. One more save, I feel even though he was keeping the Penguins in it for a lot of this game. But forwards wise, outside of Michael Bunting and Brian Rust, I feel like no one else in that forward group had a good game.

Michael Bunting drew a couple of nice penalties. Brian Russ was a menace all game. He had a really cool individual effort towards the late stages of the third period where he tried to go backhand, forehand, past Picard, shot it a little wide. I'm never going to question Brian Russ ever. He was great in this game. He's been, I feel like, really good for the Penguins for most of the season. Those are the two positives that I will take away from this game, especially when it comes to bunting. I know I was a bit down on him when the trade happened, but I will say through two games, even though he hasn't scored yet, he has been one of the Penguins better forwards. He has. He's noticeable every, game. He does something, a couple of positive things each game. I maintain what I said. I know he's

not Patrick Hornquist, but he's that type of player. You saw it especially on Sunday. He was involved in everything down low on the power play and even strength. He lived in front of the blue paint. Every time you saw the puck go up top or on the wall or in a scoring chance and he didn't have it, he was somewhere around the net. And I will take that from a Penguins forward, especially in the top six all day long. And the other thing I'll say, despite not scoring,

I didn't hate the power play's effort yesterday. They were doing the things you're supposed to do. They were getting people in front. They were moving the puck efficiently. Yeah, they could have to show a little bit more, but I have to also give Edmonton credit. They closed off shooting lanes very efficiently. You wouldn't think that from an Edmonton Oilers team.

You would think that would be an all gas, no breaks, no defense type team, but they did a very good job on the penalty kill, locking down shooting lanes to where despite the penguins moving the puck efficiently and putting guys in front, they just didn't have lanes to shoot. You go back and watch the penguins power play opportunities. They do a solid job possessing the puck, moving it around, and getting it to scoring opportunities or scoring chances or scoring areas, excuse me, and there's nowhere to shoot.

And you can scream shoot from the 200s like a lot of people around me did, but at that point you're hitting it off shin pads and they're going the other way on a two-on-one or a breakaway and then you're just going to get even more angry at the power play. One of the players that I do think is going to really help the Oilers penalty kill down the stretch here is Adam Henrique. And you can see the impact that he had on that unit in this game. Before that, I felt like the Oilers PK just was kind of a below average unit overall. But now that they have Adam Henrique, I feel like that's going to take that unit up to another level, in my opinion.

I think he's one of the best penalty-killing forwards in the league. And to play like this in front of Yarmir Yager, yet again, he was in town for this game. He's in town for Mario's fantasy camp this week. To play like that in front of him, shame on you, Pittsburgh Penguins. Shame on you. Shame, shame, shame. Unless you have anything else to add, I think that's going to do it for this second segment of today's show. I guess one more thing I wanted to add.

They need to up their compete level and their overall level for a full 60 minutes if they want to start winning some games here down the stretch. Otherwise, I think we could see a historic tank these next several weeks. I agree. I mean, I think, again, I'm going to get a laugh out of you for this. But I mean, if there are three players I noticed yesterday that were willing to go into the fight, Michael Bunting, obviously, John Ludwig, which dumb, dumb penalty, I can't believe they called it.

Like, by letter of the law, yes, that was an instigator penalty, but they never call that. And for some reason, they call it yesterday, but I digress. And Jeff Carter, I mean, the three of them were willing to throw hits. They were willing to play aggressive. And I can't say that for 85% of the roster. Like, I know this season's cooked. I know it's over.

But like, you're playing for next year at this point. You're playing to say to Kyle Dubis and Mike Sullivan or whomever may be the coach next year. I belong on this team when we get back on track. And the fact that nearly 40 years, year old Jeff Carter, John Ludwig, an NHL in-betweener guy is doing that. And then Michael Bunting, who you hope will be a solution or the only one's doing it, that's a problem. I will say, I like that John Ludwig showed a little bit of fight yesterday.

But I feel like that's all he's good for at this point. Offensively, he doesn't really bring you anything defensively. His metrics are also pretty pissful among all the defensemen on this team. But I do like that he brings that element. Now, is that element enough to guarantee him a spot? on the opening night roster for next season. I don't think so, in my opinion. I think he needs to work on his defensive game

and maybe bring a little bit more offense. But I do like that he's able to bring that physical part of his game to at least try to wake this team up a little bit overall. But I think that will do it again for the second segment. Coming up to end the show, how bad will this get for the penguins? We're going to look at the week ahead for this team. And if they do have some winnable games for this week

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You can even pick who's going to win at all for this year's March Madness. Just visit fandul.com slash locked on and bet on college hoops until they can. cut down the nets. All right, we're back here on this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host, Hunter Hodes, join on my host, Patrick Dam. So one of the thoughts that I had in my head after these last two games, right now the Penguins have 19 games left in the season. Are they even going to win five games down the stretch when you look at the schedule?

And, you know, for this week at least, they do have a couple of really weak teams. they play the Ottawa Senators, one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. I know that's on the road, but that's a very winnable game, I feel like, for the Penguins. And then on Thursday, they take on the San Jose Sharks, one of the worst teams in the league overall. In theory, the Penguins should win both those games. But with the way they've played the last three games, I feel like no game is out of the question in terms of a loss for the Penguins. So those two definitely on the right path for the penguins to win,

but they still have to show up and play full 60 minutes to win those games. Outside of that, this upcoming weekend, they have the Rangers at home on Saturday, the Red Wings come to town on Sunday. They then take on the Devils, the Stars, Avalanche, Hurricanes. They have blue jackets at the end of March. But in terms of this week, I feel like they can win those two games, but the weekend, I'm not sure if they're going to beat either one of the Rangers or the Red Wings.

But my overall question to you, Are we going to see a historic tank down the stretch here for this hockey team? Would it surprise you? Because it wouldn't surprise me. It really wouldn't. And part of it is, like I've been saying all afternoon or all show, they're just not a good hockey team anymore. They just aren't. And the schedule gives them no breaks and no favors.

I mean, yeah, this week, Tuesday they've got Ottawa. Thursday they've got San Jose. Those are two extremely horrible teams. and as bad as the penguins are, I still don't think they're as bad as those two teams. But then they go into a five-game stretch that is unforgiving, Rangers, Red Wings, Devils who, yes, they're not very good, but they still have plenty of young talent

and have given this Penguins team trouble for the last couple of years. Penguins have lost six in a row to the New Jersey Devils. Just want to add that for you. So that is still going to be a very tough game despite the Devils not being a good team this year. And then after that, Dallas, Colorado, Carolina, March 26, Jake Gensel comes back with the Carolina hurricanes more than likely.

And then they get a little bit of a break, two games home at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but after the way they played against them last week, do you think they can win those games? Both of those games? I'm skeptical. And then the end of the season, they get no break whatsoever. Rangers, Devils, Caps, Tampa Bay, Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Bruins, Predators, Islanders. I don't know if they win a game in April.

I really don't. Maybe they get something against Toronto because they might start resting guys because they're looking like they're going to be a playoff team. Same with Boston. Nashville's going to be fighting for it right down to the end of the season. And the same with the Islanders and the same with the rest of the team. and the same with the red wings. So this is not, this could be a very ugly end of the year for the penguins.

And maybe we're talking about Dubus calling San Jose and saying, hey, I'll take that pick for this year and you get next year's. That's what I was going to ask you right after you finish talking. Because, I mean, right now it's more unlikely than likely that they get the number one overall pick though. I will say it would be hilarious if they did because I would be drinking the tears of everyone on the internet of the Penguins were to somehow win the lottery. But if this pick is, say, number eight or number nine overall, would you call San Jose and keep the pick for this year?

Because I think I might actually do that. I would. And here's why. Do I think that a top 10 pick is going to help this team in the immediate? No. Whoever they get, if they were to pick in the top 10 this summer is not going to be here next year. That I would put that at like 5% that they would even make the NHL roster. but if you start to really look at what I believe Kyle Dubus and FSG wants to do with this franchise,

they want to keep Crosby, Malkin, in Latang, and maybe Carlson depending on here for the remainder of their careers. And what they want to do is they want to get younger. So those last year or two of those four guys, they have contributors that are young in learning how. how to play in the NHL, and they will be mentored by those guys. And they will be contributors. They may not be a playoff team. They might not even be a good team. But clearly what they want to do is they want to get a younger team with younger

pieces to where the old legends can bring them into the NHL and teach them how to be pros. And if that's the case, and you finish in the top 10 in the lottery, you take that pick, You get a guy who could be here in two to three years and actually make contributions at the NHL level. So should they finish in the top 10 for a pick in this summer's draft, I say you take it and roll those dice. I agree. And another thought just came to mind while you were talking again.

Say they do get that topic and they decide to keep the top 10. They can not give it to San Jose next year. Also say Carolina gets to the Stanley Cup final. You get that extra first round pick. I would dangle that extra first round pick to get immediate help so that this team can try to make another run at it next season with Cindy Crosby and company and try to get younger around them as well. That's what I would do if you were able to keep that pick.

It's in the top 10. And if Carolina gets to the final, you get that extra first, I would dangle it to get immediate help so that this team can try to make another run next season. Yeah, and I think there's going to be a handful of teams that are on the outside looking in this summer that would probably want an extra first round pick, and they'd be willing to part with something that could help you now. So I do think should they finish in the top 10 of the draft lottery, that should absolutely be in play, especially, like you said,

if Carolina reaches the cup final and you get that pick. 100%. But I think overall, yeah, this might be a very interesting finish, very crazy finish for this team. I know we both want them to carry some momentum into the Aussies, and we don't want them to go quietly into the night. But with the way they've played since the Jake Gensel trade, I think they've kind of resigned themselves to the fact that they are going to go

quietly into the night, and they're not going to be competitive in a lot of these games. I want them to prove me wrong, but after that Gensel trade, they have just not looked interested in any of these three games. And I feel like it's only going to continue for the final 19. games of the season. But I think that I'll do it for this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. Thank you all so much for taking the time to listen to slash watch this episode. I knew this season has been very hard on everyone, but we're still going to be here

recapping every single game for you all. And then once this season comes to an end, we're going to give you all of our thoughts for the offseason what this team needs to do to be better heading into next season. So try to enjoy the final 19 games however much you can. I know they're not playing all right now, but still, 19 games left. We're almost to the end of the season. Thank you all so much for listening to slash watching this episode. We'll be back with another show for you all on Tuesday to get you all set for Penn Sends in Ottawa.

Until then, I'm Hunter Hodes. That is Patrick Camp. We'll talk with you all on Tuesday.