Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - The Penguins could trade Tristan Jarry, but is it worth it?

Episode Date: June 24, 2024

After re-signing backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, speculation on the status of Tristan Jarry has begun. Is a trade worth it, what would the return be, and what could the Penguins expect? In this ep...isode, Patrick and Hunter discuss how goaltending trades are often underwhelming, not the greatest bet, and what we could see if Jarry is dealt this offseason. In the second segment, with game seven of the Stanley Cup Final looming, they look back on some painful and joyful game sevens in the history of the Penguins. Finally, does Edmonton finish the comeback or do the Panthers close out the Oilers in their final chance to do so? 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.Ultimate Hockey GMEver dreamed of becoming an NHL GM and managing your hockey franchise? Ultimate Hockey GM is completely free and playable offline, play on the go, as you want and when you want to. Locked On listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDONNHL in the game store. To download the game just visit hockeygm.app or look it up on the app stores. Ultimate Hockey GM - Start your dynasty today!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.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 TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET. That’s TWO HUNDRED BUCKS you can use to bet everything from the Finals MVP to who's going to hit one out of the park! Visit FANDUEL.COM/LOCKEDON and add a big win to your summer bucket list! 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.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Yes, the Penguins have re-signed Alex Nadelcovic, but that still has many asking, what will happen with goaltender Tristan Jari? On this edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast, Hunter and I are going to break down goalie trades, expectations, and more. Your Locked-on Penguin, your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. And welcome back to another edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. podcast. I'm one of your host, Patrick Damp. You can follow me on Twitter at Synonym 4Wet. Joined as always while he's on vacation, 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 L0 underscore Penguins. And we thank
Starting point is 00:00:51 you for making this your first listener watch of the day because we're your team every day. And don't forget that we are free and available wherever you get your podcast as well as YouTube. And before we get going today, today's episode, is brought to you by Fandul. Make every moment more, and as playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to, but this summer,
Starting point is 00:01:12 Fandul is hooking up all customers with a boost or bonus daily. That's right. There's something for everyone, every day all summer long. Visit fandul.com slash locked on to get started. So as I said,
Starting point is 00:01:25 Hunter Hodes joins us today from the beach. He's taken some time away from his vacation. We should all be grateful for that. But don't work. I am going to let him enjoy his vacation. I've got a great lineup of guests coming the rest of this week to fill in while Hunter enjoys the beach, gets some sunburn, has some drinks. But if there is any news, we will likely have some sort of a snap short episode just to get
Starting point is 00:01:52 you guys updated and then we'll dive deeper into it with either guests or myself on a full episode. But that's in the future. We've got things to talk about in the present. So we touched on this a little bit on the Friday episode as we broke down the Alex Nadelcovic resigning. We talked briefly about what it could mean for Tristan Jari, whether he stays on the roster and this becomes a bit of a platoon in net for the penguins or if this signals a Tristan Jari trade. Now, rather than come up with or storyboard some kind of a Tristan Jari trade, we wanted to take this in a little bit of a different direction because we've hinted at it before.
Starting point is 00:02:37 When it comes to goaltender trades in the National Hockey League, the return is often underwhelming and even what goes out in said goalie usually ends up being not what the team acquiring the goalie wants it to be. We've got plenty of history of this. I often think of Ryan Miller when he got traded. So I think of a lot of trades in the National Hockey League where a starting caliber goalie goes out, and it doesn't work out the way the team acquiring them once at two. And then vice versa, the team that sends out the goalie, the return that you expected to be great usually is underwhelming. So I know Hunter, before we got started today, because you are a sicko, just like I am a sicko. We were texting about goalie trades. And I know there's a couple that
Starting point is 00:03:24 came to mind for you that I'd like you to cook about before you go get cooked on the beach. First off, love the way you put that, Pat. Thank you. I probably will be getting cooked on the beach a little bit later today. But a couple of trades that I did want to highlight that did work out compared to others that did not. First one being Aiden Hill being traded from San Jose to Vegas for a 2024 fourth round pick. Aden Hill obviously helped the Knights win the Stanley Cup last season was very good throughout a Stanley Cup playoffs. I know, again, he only fetched a fourth round pick, and I don't think anyone saw him as a starter at that point. but that trade still very much worked out because the Knights needed goaltending depth.
Starting point is 00:04:02 Again, he wasn't being brought in to be the full-fledged starter. At that point, they kind of saw him as more depth overall for the position, but he transformed into the starter once the Stanley Cup playoffs came around, and then he was very much rewarded with another contract after the season after the Knights won the Stanley Cup. Before that, one that really still stands out to me that worked out the avalanche trading for Darcy Kemper from the Arizona Coyotes. The avalanche traded a 22 first-round pick and defenseman Connor Timmons for Kemper.
Starting point is 00:04:31 They also gave up a conditional 2024 third-round draft choice, excuse me, as well in that trade. Obviously, that trade worked out because Colorado went on to win the Stanley Cup. That season of Kemper, I thought, was a little bit above average for that avalanche throughout that run. I thought he played. That's probably the best hockey I've seen Kemper play throughout his career. So these type of trades, they can work out. they're just, it's harder to predict, I think, just because this position, man, it's so volatile. It's so random on a year-to-year basis.
Starting point is 00:05:03 So that's why you don't really see so many of these big blockbuster deals regarding goalies. I think teams just really don't want to give up so much to get a goalie. I mean, we've seen John Gibson in trade rumors these last couple of years. There was once a time, I thought Gibson was a top 10 goaltender league, let alone a top five goalie in the league. he's fallen flat these last couple of years. But the ducks also want no retention on that contract. Teams want them to retain just because it's a pretty high ticket. But there's just so many problems and issues that come into goalie trades,
Starting point is 00:05:38 which is why, A, you don't see that many of them. And B, when you do, the value is just not there a lot of times. Right. And you kind of touched on this when it comes to a guy like Aidan Hill. He was not supposed to be Vegas's starter. He was supposed to be depth because they also had Jonathan Quick, Laurent Brasois, and Logan Thompson. Those three were ticketed to be at least spot starters or backups. Aidan Hill was purely a depth move and he just went on a heater for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Starting point is 00:06:11 Now, it doesn't hurt that Vegas is an obscenely deep team with a ton of talent. so you don't need a true blue elite goaltender to win with that team. You need him to just be good enough. And Aiden Hill cleared that bar and more. And then you look at a guy like Kemper, it's kind of a similar deal. He's not a guy that comes up when you talk about the best goalies in the league. He's on the fringes of being one of the better goalies in the league. He's an okay starter.
Starting point is 00:06:42 He has his moments. But again, you look at both of the trades. that have been made for those goalies. And while I know we're down on Tristan Jari, as well we should be, you figure a guy who's been an All-Star a couple of times has a pretty good body of work. And yes, I know he has fallen apart in the most important moments in his career. You would expect there to be a better trade out there. But then when you look at the history of goaltending trades,
Starting point is 00:07:12 I mean, even when you go back to say when a guy like Roberto Luongo, gets traded, the return is not good because it's such a volatile position. You, like we always say, you look at the top tier guys in the league, your Igor Shisterkins, your Connor Hellebucks, guys like that, their money in the bank. They, you know what you're going to get out of them. But outside of them, it's a coin flip because we all thought Matt Murray going to be the next great NHL goaltender. He's going to ride rough shot over the league. He essentially carries them to a second Stanley Cup in 2017 with back-to-back shutouts in games five and six. And they weren't
Starting point is 00:07:59 easy shutouts. He had to work for them. And then it falls apart just a couple years later. Tristan Jari, same kind of trajectory as Matt Murray. He plays incredibly well in Wilkes-Bair, comes up, steals a starting job looks pretty good doing it. And all of a sudden the playoffs show up and he melts down. And then you get to this year and he looks good at the start of the season to about the halfway point. It starts to fall apart. So essentially what I'm getting at is something that we have already discussed. And that's if they are to trade Tristan Jari this off season, it's going to be underwhelming essentially because it's just going to be a cap move. They just want to get that money off of their books. Yeah, I think you're bang on there.
Starting point is 00:08:43 The biggest reason why they would trade Tristan Jari is because of cap-related reasons. I mean, he's making $5.375 million for the next four years. The Penguins right now have an estimated $10.7 million in cap space. After the Alex Ndilkevich signing, you want to open up as much as you can heading into free agency, which is a week from today now. It's crazy how fast the month of June has already flown by. But if you're able to somehow clear that entire cap hit, which I still think would be more unlikely than it is likely just because I think a team would want the penguins to retain at least a little bit.
Starting point is 00:09:15 But if you're able to clear that entire cap hit, you would have over $15.7 million in cap space upwards of $16 million. And coupled if you were able to trade someone like Riley Smith and get that entire cap hit off the books, that's $21 million in cap space. You're right back, excuse me, to where you were last year, which, you know, had a lot of cap space last year, but I don't think they spent it as wisely as they should have. But just get back to the overall point. I do think the biggest reason would be for a pure salary cap dump.
Starting point is 00:09:45 But teams know that. So I don't think they're going to pay out the wazoo to get a goalie when the penguins are kind of thinking of this as kind of a quote-unquote salary. I think the biggest return you're going to see for a goalie this offseason, Lena sawmark. I know he only has a year left on his contract. He makes $5 million for this year before he's a UFA. He's 30 years old.
Starting point is 00:10:05 But he's been great the last three years in Boston. He was 917 this year. It was 938 last year in Boston. Him and Jeremy Swayman have been one heck of a tandem these last three years. But I think a team is going to pay quite a bit to get O-Markin, especially to try and get him extended as well. Yeah, that'll be he's the biggest fish, I think overall on the market, just in general, not even just free agency. I know there's a lot of good free agents at the top. But when you have a starting caliber goaltender on an expiring deal at just $5 million, you're going to open up the vault for that.
Starting point is 00:10:39 So even with that in mind, the penguins very much could be the last person left at the dance for teams that won gold tenders because they can say, hey, we're looking to move this guy. Maybe you didn't get Allmark. But hey, we got someone that might be able to help. But the ducks will be there too, just because they're again, trying to move John Gibson. But I'm sure teams are kind of balking at that right now because I don't think they want to take on his full salary with the way he's played the last couple of years. Yeah, that's a very good point is Gibson has definitely slid in the last couple of years. so that might even be harder for them than it is for the penguins. But that'll do it for this first segment.
Starting point is 00:11:15 When we come back, it is a Game 7 Stanley Cup final day. And we will talk about that. But later on in the show, in the next segment, there's going to be some pain, but there's going to be some pleasure. We're going to remember some game sevens in the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins. But before we do that, we have to tell you about our first sponsor.
Starting point is 00:11:34 And that is Fandul. You know me. I love sports. And I love them so much that I never, want them to stop, but as the playoffs wind down, we get fewer games. And as the sports aren't sporting the way I would want them to, Fandul lets me keep the sports going whenever I want. All I have to do is open the app and dream up bets anytime I'm in the mood. And this summer, Fandul is hooking up all customers with a boost or bonus daily. That's right, there's something
Starting point is 00:12:00 for everyone every day all summer long. So head over to fendual.com slash locked on and start making the most out of your summer, Fandul, the official sports betting partner of the major of major league baseball. All right. We're back here on the Monday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm Patrick Damp. That's Hunter Hodey's coming to you live from the beach. And we get a huge game tonight in the Stanley Cup final.
Starting point is 00:12:27 It's game seven. The Edmonton Oilers can complete the Cinderella story or the Florida Panthers can finally close out the Edminton Oilers. But we will talk about that in a lot. our final segment. So we got to go back in celebration and look at some of the game sevens in Penguins history. And you know what? We're going to treat this like when you got to take medication. We're going to get the disgusting stuff out of the way first. And then we can have our dessert and remember the good times. So we got to start with the one that is going to get everybody
Starting point is 00:13:01 ready to throw their phones out the window or break their TV. or unsubscribe from Spotify because they're going to hate this, and that's 1993 against the New York Islanders. If you are of a certain vintage, you have certainly uttered this phrase, David Fenn-Volic. You remember that team as well as anybody, if you're a Penguins fan.
Starting point is 00:13:29 It was stacked. The Penguins were the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. They ran roughshod over the league in 1990s. 93. That was all to the- franchise history, stamp it. I won't hear any other argument. Yes, I know I am very high on the 2016 Penguins.
Starting point is 00:13:47 I know some people gave me a little bit of crap for taking them over the 91-92 team. The 1993 Pittsburgh Penguins, by far the best team in franchise history, argue with a wall, people. They won the president's trophy, and it was not close. Mary Alemew comes back from cancer and wins the scoring, over Pat LaFontaine. And honestly, I never know what to make of this series because this was like the ultimate anything can happen in sports series because Islanders stun the penguins in game one and beat them.
Starting point is 00:14:22 And it kind of led that little seed of doubt in the penguins heads that maybe they weren't invincible. And it motivated the Islanders who went into that series at the start thinking, we are just lambs to the slaughter. We're not winning this at all. They win game one and they go, actually, you know what? We can do this.
Starting point is 00:14:42 And they put up a great performance. And I think the biggest X factor in that series, and unfortunately it also was the precursor to his ultimate downfall, sadly, was Kevin Stevens breaking his entire face. Yeah, I mean, that was obviously a big one. But I still think, you know, when I look back at that series, you know, I see the way the penguins were playing overall.
Starting point is 00:15:11 They still should have beaten that team, man. I mean, I know I wasn't aligned for that series. I went back and have watched every game in that series at least once. They were still by far the better team against the Islander's team. They had no business losing that game seven. Fricking David Volack will forever live. And, you know, my nightmares, your nightmares, every Penguins fan's nightmares. But I'll say this as well, that 96 series against the.
Starting point is 00:15:33 Panthers will also be a nightmare for quite a few people, myself included as well. Again, I know I wasn't alive for that one. That was the year before I was born, but the Penguins still should have went to the Stanley Cup final day year. They should have went to the final, I think, in both of those seasons. Yeah, they absolutely should. 1996, man. Like, I know everybody points to 93 is the biggest heartbreak just because of how great
Starting point is 00:15:57 that team was and I understand it. But 1996, man, that one hurts because that robbed us of a penguin's. avalanche Stanley Cup final in that even though the 96 team was not nearly as deep as the 93 team like you look at the 96 team and it's it's a very top heavy roster with a lot of meh in the middle but it was kind of the same deal for the 96 avalanche they had a ton of talent up top they had good role players but it wasn't you know the stacked uh Colorado team but the problem was between Ron Francis getting hurt and them not having Ron Francis at their service in that series in the conference final. And John Van Biesbrook, man, he played next level.
Starting point is 00:16:45 Yeah, you can blame the fact that Florida played a boring style. They played a trap, all the stuff that we all complain about, about 90s hockey, but a 938 save percentage in seven games for Van Biesbrook. I mean, and then you look at his overall work in that in the 96 playoffs, 932, and that includes them getting absolutely dog walked by Colorado in the final. Oh, yeah. I mean, I wish we could have gotten prime Lemieux, prime Yager versus prime Sackick and prime Peter Forsberg. My favorite player growing up, I loved watching him. He was a tree and, and Pat, prime Patrick Waugh.
Starting point is 00:17:30 I mean, we were robbed of that. And if Ron Francis is healthy in that series, the Penguins win that. I mean, they should have won it regardless. Mario Lemieux was unbelievable throughout that season for the Penguins. For God's sake, Pat, he had 161 points that season. Do you know who led the Panthers in points that season? I can tell you right now, Scott Melendby had 70 points for the entire season. Mary Loule-Lamue had 161 by himself.
Starting point is 00:18:04 Yarmner-Yager had 149. Ron Francis had 119. Again, I know Francis was not healthy in that series. And if he were, the Penguins definitely win that series, but I still think even without him, they probably should have won it. Yeah, no doubt. And so we've hurt you Penguins fans enough.
Starting point is 00:18:22 It's time to have some fun now. Let's go a couple years into the future and go to what are, arguably was the most important playoff series in the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and that's 1999 against the New Jersey Devils in round one. And while it did go to a game seven that the Penguins ultimately win, they go on to lose to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round. But this was dead in the middle of the penguins going through bankruptcy fights. They had no money.
Starting point is 00:18:55 and they were one foot out the door. And if they don't win that series, they're probably gone. And game six, Yarmir Yager, groin injury, likely not to play, stuns everybody shows up,
Starting point is 00:19:12 plays on one leg, and damn near wins game six by himself, forces a game seven, the penguin stun New Jersey at home in game seven and move on and win. But if they don't have such a great show, in game six at Mellon Arena, the bankruptcy courts probably don't let Mario Lemieux buy the Penguins, and that team is gone.
Starting point is 00:19:35 We've talked about that quite a bit on the show, and you're 100% right. Yarmir Yager in that series saved this franchise. And it's one of the many reasons why he will forever be Penguins' royalty. The fact that he even played that night is still a miracle to me with how injured he was for the Penguins. And then the performance he put up in game six, especially to end that game, are you kidding me? And then in game seven in New Jersey, the level that he played at, he basically put the team on his back those final two games and willed them to a series win against that very good devil's team. Just an amazing performance from Yager. And yes, that is arguably the most important series in this franchise history.
Starting point is 00:20:22 And again, I just can't say enough great thing. about Yager and the way he played for the Penguins overall in that series, especially those final two games. It was a transcendent performance. And you guys know I'm a giant nerd and I love the Penguins 50th anniversary documentary. They do a great job of putting that in perspective of how basically Yager learned how to do all that stuff just by being teammates with Mario Lemieux and how he had to step up in that moment.
Starting point is 00:20:51 But in the interest of time, I'm going to mention this one real quick. and then we'll talk about arguably the best game seven in Penguins history, not counting the 2009 Stanley Cup final. 2009 versus the Capitals, that was the precursor to the Secret Service save, because if you remember, tight series, and it was Razor's Edge for six games. Mark Andre Fleury makes the breakaway save on Alex Ovechkin,
Starting point is 00:21:15 and the Penguins go on to blow the doors off the Capitals, and that was a huge comeback. But this is the one I want to talk about, and it is 2017 Eastern Conference Finals against the Ottawa Senators in double overtime. A guy who,
Starting point is 00:21:35 and I specifically remember this because I was doing podcasts and blogging at the time, a guy who I had been complaining about all playoff long because he was a ghost. Chris Kunitz buries the Ottawa Senators franchise. Basically ended their existence for,
Starting point is 00:21:53 well, at least since then they have. haven't really been relevant, right? But yeah, he was having a really rough go at it in the playoffs for the Penguins. I mean, there was a lot of talk about, you know, should he be scratched? You know, he's just not playing well. You know, maybe put one of the younger guys in over him. But Mike Sullivan was like, you know what? Screw that. No, I'm going to play Chris Kunitz in this game here. And thank God he did because he was amazing for the Penguins. I know that game winner, it's a total knuckle puck goal past Craig Anderson. But the celebration,
Starting point is 00:22:24 that ensued after just a chef's kiss overall. Just the way that game played out, total back and forth affair, you think after the Penguins go up two to one in the third period, thanks to Justin Shultz, you think, oh, they're going to close this down. They always close down third periods under Mike Sullivan with the way they were playing in 2016, the way they were playing even that season as well. They would just whenever they would get a lead in the third period, they would clamp down.
Starting point is 00:22:50 But then Eric Carlson, basically on one ankle, basically throughout that series, he leads the comeback, the Senators score with a little less than six minutes to go in regulation, goes to overtime, and then the two teams are kind of just trading chances. I mean, you remember that big one from Kessel in the first overtime? I thought when he was coming down the left side, I thought that was game over, man. I thought he was putting that puck in the back of the net.
Starting point is 00:23:14 There was another one, I believe, also from Kyle Taurus. If I remember correctly, where Matt Murray had to make that big save, that one scared the bejesus out of me overall. But then when Kunit scored, I just let out the biggest, obviously the biggest screen, but also the biggest sigh of relief because I did not want to watch that trapping senators team go to the Stanley Cup final take on the Predators. But just a legendary moment for Chris Kunitz. And that game overall was just spectacular.
Starting point is 00:23:45 It definitely took years off my life. And it really showed the great chemistry that Chris Kunitz developed with Sidney Crosby. over nearly a decade because you go back and watch that goal. Chris Koonitz doesn't do anything spectacular. He just knows right where to be when Sidney Crosby has the puck in the offensive zone. And Crosby makes no doubt he finds them. He shoots that knuckler and it it eludes Anderson. And boom, for the second straight year, the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the Stanley Cup final. And we know how that ends. They go on to become the first team in the salary cap era to win back to back Stanley Cups. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Starting point is 00:24:26 But with that in mind, we're going to wrap up this segment. And when we come back, we're going to talk about what could be historical tonight in Sunrise, Florida, game seven of the Stanley Cup final. But before we do that, we have to tell you about our next sponsor. And that is eBay Motors. Passion driving patience, the formula for winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive. eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle. and level it up to peak performance. Superchargers, roof racks, exhaust kits,
Starting point is 00:24:58 LED headlights, and more, whether you're into speed, power, or style, eBay Motors has you covered. With over 122 million parts for your number one ride or die, you'll always find exactly what you're looking for. And with eBay guaranteed fit, your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time, or your money back.
Starting point is 00:25:15 Because with eBay Motors, you're burning rubber, not cash. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it's easy to make your car the MVP and bring home huge wins, Keep your rider die alive at eBay motors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay guaranteed fit available only to U.S. customers. All right.
Starting point is 00:25:34 We're back here on the vacation cast for Hunter Hodes of this edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. And boy, we've got a doozy tonight. It's game seven of the Stanley Cup final. And I will put it this way to you, Hunter. will the Edmonton Oilers channel their inner Cody Rhodes and finish the story, or will the Florida Panthers pick themselves up off the mat and finally close out this Edmonton Oilers team?
Starting point is 00:26:03 Man, this is really tough because you look at the way this series has gone. You know, the Oilers dominate game one. They don't get the result. Bobrovsky plays his tail off. Panthers dominate the next two games. They go up three games to nothing. Well, I should say they mostly dominate the next two games. I think the Oilers outplay them in the third period of game three,
Starting point is 00:26:23 but they just didn't start that game on time. They had a really rotten 40 minutes. But the Oilers badly beat the Panthers in game four. Game five, they're better in the first half. The Panthers really pushed back in the second half, but the Oilers deserve to win that game, I think, overall. And then game six, the Oilers blow them out of the water in Alberta to send this back to Sunrise for a decisive game seven.
Starting point is 00:26:43 I think all of the momentum is on the Oilers side right now. I think if you're a betting person, it's hard not to go with the Oilers with the way they're playing. But it's game seven man. Anything can happen. You know Sunrise is going to be rocking down there. They don't want to be a part of, I think would be the biggest choke in NHL history. They lose this. I don't think there is a worst choke in league history than that.
Starting point is 00:27:11 I mean, I know people can point to, you know, the 1942 series. but I think this one would trump that by far. I think tonight is one of the biggest games in NHL history. The chance that the Oilers have to be just the fifth team in NHL history to come back from 03 down in a series. And to also bring the cup back to Canada, the chance the Panthers have to kind of rewrite some history of their own. You go up 3-0, you're about to win the Stanley Cup, you lose three straight. now you have a chance to win an on-home ice in the biggest game of your franchise's history. How do you respond after getting your teeth kicked in the way you did in game six?
Starting point is 00:27:56 I can't wait for it. I know I pick the Panthers in seven, but I'm just not confident in that right now, man. I really just want to see what happens. But with the way the Panthers are playing, I'm not confident in it. But Ravski has really, his play has gone downhill a lot these last few games. He needs to be a lot better tonight. I want to see a bit more from Matthew Cachuk as well. He was great in game five, wasn't that good in game six.
Starting point is 00:28:20 And another scary thing for the Panthers, McDavid had no points in game six. Oilers still won five to one. You had a great game from Leon Drysaddle. I thought that was his best game of the final. You saw Warren Fogle, aka McLevin from Superbad, yet another big moment from him. So their depth continues to shine. Stuart Skinner continues to play well. Drysadle had his big game.
Starting point is 00:28:42 But I don't think you're going to keep McDavid quiet like that again. in game seven. So there's so many great storylines, and I just can't wait to see what happens. Yeah, you want to hear an absolutely wild stat about this Stanley Cup final to this point. Despite going up three games to none, the Florida Panthers have not held a lead in this series since they won game three. There was no comeback in any of the three victories by Edmonton. They have been in control since game four. And I mean, to something you said, yeah, if Edmonton finishes this out and wins the Stanley Cup and reverse sweeps the Florida Panthers, this isn't the biggest choke job in NHL history. It's probably the biggest choke job in professional sports because you look at something like 28 to 3.
Starting point is 00:29:37 Everybody remembers that one. This would be worse than 28 to 3. I think a good comparable is that Red Sox Yankee series, you know, the one I'm talking about. But even that, that wasn't a World Series. Right. It was still a big series, though, just because of the rivalry at the time was massive. But like, you know, you look at a lot of those, the reverse sweeps or blown leads, like they all happen either in a less consequential round or in the case of 28 to 3.
Starting point is 00:30:06 That's one quarter. They melted down over one quarter. Like that wasn't like they blew it in the final minute or something crazy. Like the Patriots just decided to show up. I will say this. Everybody is really focused on Florida blowing this. And it's fair. It's totally fair.
Starting point is 00:30:26 But at the same time, Edmonton has dragged themselves back into this series. They have played genuinely great. Stuart Skinner looks like a star. Stuart Skinner has been a huge piece to, to this comeback for Edmonton. It's not like the Florida Panthers have just wilted and died. They've played, I don't want to say well,
Starting point is 00:30:48 but it's not like they've been no-shows. With the exception of one game, Florida's been right there. I mean, I even said it going into game six that the second half of game five, Florida got to their game and played very well. And we thought, hey, if they carry that into game six, this is curtains. but Edmonton has just been a little bit better every single night. And now you've got one game to decide the Stanley Cup. And it's like you said, really hard for me not to pick Edmonton with just how well they're playing.
Starting point is 00:31:25 And I wouldn't be shocked if I'm back here tomorrow talking about the Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers. I wouldn't be either. And I mean, again, I know I picked the Panthers in seven. And so my prediction would come true if the Panthers win tonight, but I just don't know if I'm confident that that's going to happen at this point, just with the way the Oilers have found themselves in these last three games. But overall, man, I'm just excited for, I think, this series to finally be over with just because this week's going to get busy, man.
Starting point is 00:31:53 The buyout period starts on Wednesday. The draft is this upcoming weekend, pre-agencies a week from today. I think once this game is over, you're going to see a lot of moves around. potentially even starting tomorrow. I think Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, anything is up on the table. I haven't obviously heard that. I'm no Elliott Freeman over here, people. But I mean, I just think with the movement that you already saw during the final,
Starting point is 00:32:19 I think it's just going to go up, you know, 50 to 60 degrees with just this week, just because I think everyone is waiting for this to be over so that they can get their business started. Yeah, absolutely. We are on the cusp of silly season. And with that in mind, I'm not going to name names, but we do have a handful of guests ready to come on this week that will get us ready for both free agency and the draft. They will join me on various episodes this week as Hunter actually gets to enjoy vacation and doesn't have to take time away from it to yak with me about the Pittsburgh Penguins. But that'll do it for this edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast.
Starting point is 00:32:58 Stanley Cup final game seven tonight, 8 p.m. on ESPN ABC. If you are here in the States, It'll be a great one. I will be back tomorrow, hopefully with a pretty great guest to discuss that as well as the rest of the off season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. But for Hunter Hodes and his aviators, I am Patrick Damp. Thank you, as always, for tuning in. And we will be back with a fresh episode for you on Tuesday.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.