Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - The Penguins countdown to the deadline is on!

Episode Date: March 5, 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to be back in action tonight even though their playoff chances are almost out of reach. That said, Hunter and Pat are back to preview Tuesday night's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and if the Penguins can get back on the right track. They give their keys on how they can get this win and who they're looking for to stand out. After that, they look at the week ahead and go into detail about what they want to see from the team this week before ending the show with what the team should prioritize in trades: prospects or picks. All that, plus much more, is on this episode of Locked On Penguins.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.FactorGet started on your resolutions with Factor, so you’re ready for the new year. Head to factormeals.com/lockedonnhl50 and use code lockedonnhl50 to get 50% off. IndeedIndeed knows when you’re growing your own business, you have to make every dollar count. Visit Indeed.com/LOCKEDON to start hiring now.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.

Believe it or not, there will be hockey played tonight, despite everything going on at PPG paints arena. Hunter and I are going to break down tonight's game against the Blue Jackets and more on this edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast 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. Welcome in Penguins fans to another edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host.

Patrick Damp, joined as always by the one and only Hunter Hodes. You can follow me on Twitter at Synonym 4WET. You can follow Hunter at Hunter Hodes. And you can follow the show's account at L.O. underscore Penguins. We are free and available every day on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. And we thank you for making this your first listen or watch the day because we're your team every day. And before we get started, today's episode is brought to you by Sleeper.

Download the Sleeper app and use promo code locked on NHL to get up to a 100. $100 match on your first deposit. Terms and conditions apply. See sleepers' terms of use for details. So yes, despite all the talk about the trade deadline, who's staying, who's going, and all the excitement around the week of the trade deadline, there is hockey still to be played, and the Pittsburgh Penguins will, in fact, play a hockey game tonight, and that will be at PPG Paints Arena, where they will take on the rival Columbus

Blue Jackets, otherwise known as our little brother. And it's going to be an interesting game. because, one, we know where the penguins sit right now. They are very much a deadline seller at this point that has been pretty much confirmed by everybody, especially after the disastrous swing across Western Canada in the Pacific Northwest, that this team, as it sits this morning, as we record this on Tuesday morning, they're 10 points out of a wild card. They are 10 points out of third place in the Metropolitan Division.

things are not looking good. They've been unable to string wins together. And then they're going to welcome in a team that is still in the middle of a full tear down and rebuild in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Their 10 points back of the Penguins with 52 points, they have had an absolutely disastrous season. It started off with all the Mike Babcock stuff. Then Yarmou Kekalinen gets fired about a month ago. And they just are a team right now that doesn't have much of a direction. That said, a lot of young talent involved in that team.

And they're coming into PPG Paints Arena tonight off a pretty huge win on Monday night where they got a 6-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. And I'll ask you this, Hunter, is it time to fire Kyle Dubus because that 6-3 victory was aided by an Alex Nealander hatcher. Yeah, I think it's time to fire the entire front office for a former Wilkesbury Penguin going to Columbus and getting a hat-trick in one of his first games with Blue Jackets. I mean, didn't we see this with Casperi Capon in last year when he got dealt to the St. Louis Blues Blues?

He had that really hot start and then trailed off a little bit. We've seen that with a few other players over the years as well. But we've also seen other players who they've traded who have gone on to struggle a little bit. So my timeline was really weird last night on Twitter. I saw so many people freaking out about this. And I'm like, I understand the sample size. was not that big, but he still had chance after chance after chance to make this team and to make an

impact on this team. And he wasn't able to do it. He got time with Hvgeny Malkin at the end of last season, Pat, when the Penguins were trying to really push to get into the playoffs. So I don't really know where this disdain is coming from. We can go at Mike Sullivan for a litany of issues regarding this team. I don't think Alex Neelander is one of them. Now that said, are you going to put him down for any time goal scored tonight against the penguins? Because I probably will, to be honest.

Oh, of course. But I mean, yeah, like all seriousness, you're right. He had plenty of opportunity to establish himself here, especially over the last two seasons. He was given chances. He was given extended looks. It wasn't like it was a guy that had two bad games. they buried them and then traded him away.

He was given plenty of opportunity to succeed as a penguin and just never did. And like you said, we see this not just with the Pittsburgh Penguins. It happens all over the league. A guy gets to a new situation. He starts off hot and then trails off. Or he even gets to a new situation that just suits him better and he plays better. And maybe just Pittsburgh wasn't the place for him to flourish. And if that happens, too bad, so sad it's part of the sport.

It's part of the league. Happens all the time. As for our Pittsburgh Penguins, here's what we're looking at going into tonight as the team has wrapped up morning skate earlier this morning. Jansen Harkins, game time decision. How will we ever get by without Jansharkins? Noachari is out tonight with an upper body injury,

and Tristan Jari will be between the pipes. And I know you've been waiting to say this name on the podcast. Who is starting in net tonight for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Hunter? A guy by the name of Jet Green. who I don't know if you can convince me that he's not in EA sports, NHL make a name goal tender, only has played in a couple of games this season so far for the Blue Jackets. But 2.52 goals against average 934, say, percentage.

Again, only two games, 934, but still, this is a making name goalie, if I've ever heard one, but the penguins are going to have to treat him as a goalie who does not have much experience in the NHL. I don't need to see him go out there and have a 45 save shut out against this. Even though the Penguins have been really struggling this season, I don't need to add that to their struggles this year to say the least. So yeah, they're going up against a goaltender again, who's only made two starts.

This is their basically fourth string goalie at this point this year, Pat. Yeah, young guy, 22 years old, undrafted. He's played all of three games in his. his career, 936 save percentage across those three games. And as for the Penguins, I mean, regardless of how this season is gone, and we're going to get in a little bit to the rest of the week as a whole in the next segment. But, you know, it's still a division game. It's still a team that, as you were telling me before we hit record,

really struggles when they come to Pittsburgh. And we know that regardless of how this season has gone, A guy like Sidney Crosby is a very prideful guy, and he's not going to throw it in the tank. He's not going to just say, well, it appears my team is going to start selling off assets over the next week. So it's time for me to just pack it in and call it a day. So you know they're going to come out and play hard. And even if both Columbus and Pittsburgh are going to be on the outside looking in when we get to the Stanley Cup playoffs, still a team you like to beat. Rogging rights are on the line.

It's a rivalry, even though it's big brother, a little brother. especially for the penguins. I don't think the blue jackets are one of their biggest rivals to the jackets. Obviously, the penguins are their biggest rival. This is still a team that it's fun beating them. And the penguins have dominated the blue jackets over the past several years. 9-0-1 in the last four and a half years against the blue jackets. And over on the last 24 games dating back to February of 2017.

So seven years, Penguins 19 and 3 and 2 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. And we also have the all-time series between these two teams. The jackets have only beaten the Penguins 15 times since they came into the league. This will be their 50-second all-time meeting. Again, this has been a series that has been dominated by the Penguins. And you saw something similar from Mike Sullivan today to Pat. He even said these are two big points on the line we're trying to stay in the race. I mean, what else do you want him to say?

I know there are 10 points out right now. But to him, to Sydney Crosby and to the core, they're still fighting to try and get back into the race to try and get back to the playoffs. you and I, we know where the season is going. I think the entire fan base knows where the season is going, but the team is not going to say that because they're not going to throw in a towel. Now, Kyle Dubus may feel differently throughout this week just because he's probably going to sell off some assets, but the coaches and the players, they're obviously going to say a bunch of different things.

You know, you look at this Jackets team, and you're right, they do have quite a bit of young talent on this team. I mean, I've loved watching Adam Fantilly this season, 27 points in 49 games, but, you know, he looks like he's going to be out for this game tonight. He's going to be a thorn in the penguin side. And I think the entire Metro for quite a while, Adam Van Tilly is going to be a very, and I mean a very good player. And it's going to be annoying to have to go up against that guy four to five times.

You have Johnny Goodro, who is still their leading point player, 44 points in 61 games, but only nine goals in 61 games. Much like the Huberto discussion last week, Pat, what the heck happened to this guy ever since he left calgary it's he's really tailed off it was a really baffling decision all all accounts both for johnny goddrault and for the columbus blue jackets for the blue jackets he just didn't fit the window they were in he that's a guy you go get when you're expecting to be a contender in two to three years and they just weren't that they had some nice moments they had some up and down moments where they look

like they might be starting to edge their way into the conversation, but they were never truly a contending team. And then for Goddreau, he had offers from teams that were absolutely in the race, like New Jersey, like Philly, who were a lot closer at the time that he became a free agent. And that would have changed the fortunes of both of those teams. And yet he chose Columbus, which I really didn't understand at the time. you know, this was before Twitter became a complete mess with the way it is now. But when Elliott Friedman said that he was signing with Columbus, I thought it was a joke.

I thought it was a troll account. And then, no, it was official. He signed with Columbus. And it was the same thing when they acquired Patrick Linae. It was like, okay, like he's a great player. Like, we're not going to deny that. He's tailed off. But I think that's a, he's been a victim of circumstance of where he's had to play.

but it was the same deal. They just didn't really have a direction. They were just kind of compiling players and putting them together and making this mismash of, are they good? Are they rebuilding? Are they going for a cup?

What are they doing? And it never really made any sense. I get he wanted to go home. That was his reasoning at the time. He wanted to be closer to his family. But to your point, there were other teams that were, I think,

were even closer to home that had a little bit of better offers. Why did you not want to go there instead of going to Columbus, a team that has just been mostly pretty bad for most of the years that they've been in the league. And I know they've had some pretty good years recently, to say the least, you know, 2017, obviously being one of them, they were one of the best teams in the league that year.

You know, they got their big playoff series win against the Tampa Bay Lightning a little later on. So they've had some success as organization. For the most part, this has been an organization. that has done a lot of losing since getting into the league and has done even more losing since Goodro went there. And I don't think that's mainly his while. I think they've had really bad management with the decisions that Yarmot made. I mean, even this summer, they went all in to try to get a couple of defensemen. They thought they were close to the playoffs. It has gone

really poorly so far. I don't know why they decided to go all in like that. I don't think they were even close to a playoff team at the time. But, you know, Yarmow paid for it because he doesn't have a job anymore. But, you know, again, you look up and down in this roster. I'm so glad that Zach Werenski is finally staying healthy this season four goals, 37 points in 49 games. I think Zach Wrenski is one of the most underrated defensemen in the league. I think you can maybe argue that he's a little overpaid. I would disagree a little bit. I think when he's healthy, he changes the dynamic of that team at least a little bit. I get it people. They're very, very bad overall. But when he's in the lineup, he still changes that team quite a bit. I really like Werensky

a player. Yacht Karimarchenko there. Boone Jenner, they could probably get a haul for him at the deadline if they wanted to, but they're not going to do that. I talk about Fantilli. Col Selinger is a really strong young player. They're going to, I think, be a decent team in a couple of years. They just have to get more talent overall on this team. But, you know, again, you look at this game. It's a Metro Division opponent. You want to win those games no matter if you are a playout team or if you're not. So I expect this to be a really fun one to watch tonight. Yeah, and if you're an aspiring general manager and you're the Columbus Blue Jackets, this is a very, very good opportunity for you as a general manager because a lot of young talent there,

a lot of pieces that they could move out for younger players or draft capital. They have plenty of talent in their system. And if you're a GM that's looking to make their mark in the NHL, Columbus is a good destination because as much as we have talked about how they made mistakes over the past few years with the likes of Goddrow and Line A and a couple others, they also have done a fairly solid job of getting younger guys who could be the foundation of a good playoff team in two to three years. And if they get the right general manager,

this is a team that's going to be right back in the conversation for the Metro and the playoffs. And if they play their cards right, it could be a team that contends maybe for a Stanley Cup in four or five years. So we'll see about that. But in the immediate Penguins and Blue Jackets tonight, that goes off usual 7 o'clock. And it'll be on Sports at Pittsburgh and all that. But when we come back, we are going to talk about the week ahead here for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who's on the schedule, what we're looking for, and so much more.

But first, we have to tell you about our first sponsor. is Sleeper. We're well past the halfway point of the season, Penguins fans, and we know how it has gone. We are a selling team, and we're looking towards next season. But regardless of the current standings, I want to remind you that you could win big by playing Daily Fantasy Hockey on Sleeper, the official Daily Fantasy app of the Locked-on NHL network. Sleeper is our number one choice for daily fantasy sports, especially Daily Fantasy hockey, because with Sleeper, you can win up to 100 times your cash in Daily Fantasy Hockey contest. Now, I love this app because, as I have said to you guys plenty of times,

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So start paying attention and nail your picks so you can start winning big. Use promo code locked on NHL and you'll get up to a $100 match on your first deposit. Terms and conditions apply. That's code locked on NHL. See Sleeper's terms of use for details and locational availability. Okay, we're back here on the Tuesday edition. of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm Patrick Damp.

That's Hunter Hodes. And it's a big week here for the penguins, not just with the trade deadline. Like we have tonight, we've got a Metro Division matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Then on Thursday, we welcome in Alex Ovechkin

and the Washington Capitals, another big-time rivalry that needs no introduction, no hype. You know what that rivalry is, was and always will be. Then on Saturday, the big bad Bruins and the penguins are heading up to Boston to play them.

And then on Sunday, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers come to town. We saw how that went on Sunday. So a week apart from getting smacked around by the Oilers, they're going to go for round two. So this week, I think regardless of whether or not a bunch of guys get moved, we pretty much know that Jake Gensel is going to get moved. all signs point toward he is on the trading block and will be getting paid by a different franchise for the rest of the season. I do think, however, of the guys who are remaining, you're playing for next year, you're playing to prove that you still belong on this team.

And obviously that does not apply for the Crosby's, the Malkins, the Latang's, the Carlson's. They're coming back. Regardless of anything, they're coming back. But it's those guys on the margins that maybe could be moved this point. off season or could be involved in any other types of moves. So what do you want to see out of this team this week? Honestly, I just want to see that heart and that spirit that I really didn't see over the weekend against the flames and the Oilers.

The Penguins wilted under pressure in the final 10 minutes against the flames. It resulted in a regulation loss. And then they didn't even show up for the game against the Oilers, especially when the Oilers were kind of just messing around with them in that game. It looked like Connor McDavid was kind of gliding around, not even really trying against the penguins in that game. And that's kind of scary because the Oilers still won that game by a score of 6 to 1. And McDavid had two points in that game.

I want to see a big response from this team this week. Even though there are 10 points out of a playoff spot, I don't want to see this team, you know, just throw in the towel and just will and all that stuff. Show up and show some fight. It starts tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team of the Penguins have owned. You have the Washington Capitals on Thursday, a team that is also in a pretty similar trajectory like the penguins are right now. they're also, it looks like, going to be selling at the trade deadline, Penn's Caps is always a ton of fine. And then this upcoming weekend, you have the Bruins who have been a bit

struggling a little bit as of late and the Oilers on Sunday. These are all, even though the jackets are below them in the same things, that's still going to be a tough game. Then you have Washington, Boston, Emmington. These are all still tough games for this team. And I really want to also see how the younger players respond to. What are we going to get out of Valtray Pusan. What are we going to get out of Drew O'Connor? When some of these players get dealt this week, who is going to get an opportunity to come up from Wilkesbury? Sam Poulan is now healthy. Is he going to get an opportunity to come up now? If some players get out, I would think so. Absolutely. So I want to see what some of these younger players can do once the trades get made. And that's

something that I'm maybe looking forward to more after the deadline for the Boston game, the Edmonton game, not as much for the Columbus Washington game, just because who knows how many trades are going to be made by tonight or by Thursday. Yeah, and the one thing you brought up a little bit there is I do want to see fight. I don't want to see, I'm not talking like gooning it up. I'm not talking, getting into the muck in the mud, but, you know, your season has not gone the way you expected it to go. You had aspirations of not just making it into the playoffs, but making a run in the playoffs.

And that hasn't happened. And again, I don't really put this on the core, because I think, think again, they have very much done their jobs. It's everybody else around them that hasn't done well. But at the same time, you got to take a little bit of pride in your game. You, like I said, you are now 10 points out of the playoffs. You had playoff run aspirations, if not Stanley Cup aspirations. And yeah, emotion after the fact kind of stinks because you sit there and think, okay, where was this three months ago? But if nothing else, you want to send that message to your teammates, to management,

to the coaching staff, to the rest of the league that, hey, this year didn't go our way. We didn't achieve the way we expected to. We didn't play up to our standard. So at this point, we're going to be back next year. We're going to come back next year. This isn't, you know, I think a lot of the talks of the demise of the Pittsburgh Penguins Empire have been exaggerated. Now, said it before, they're walking a thin line.

If they screw this up, then yes, the discussions of the demise of the Penguins Empire are correct. But this isn't a team that is in year two or three of a rebuild and it just didn't go as far as people hoped it would go. This isn't a team that won Stanley Cup recently and took a step back. Now, this is a team that was built to go to the playoffs, to believe to be able to go to the playoffs, just go to the playoffs, but went around or two. And that didn't happen. So like I've said about the power play, pride has to kick in here. You have to say, okay, you know what, this year's not going our way. Yeah, I'm still going to get my paycheck. I'm still going to finish off the season. But you need to show everybody that don't think we're dead yet. Don't think we're done. Show them

that we're going to be back next year. Show them that, yeah, maybe we're not going to be in the playoffs this year, but you better not forget about us when the puck drops on the 24-25 season. Momentum. It's a really real thing in sports. I know some people out there like to say that momentum is not real and stuff like that, but it is. And if you can carry some of that into next season, at least maybe go on, I don't know, a mini run towards the end of the season. Again, I don't think they're going to make the playoffs. You don't think they're going to make the playoffs. But if you can still go on a little bit of a mini run, play some better hockey, carry some momentum into the off season and into next season, I think that will, I guess, get some fans maybe a little more

excited heading in to the offseason and next season because of just the way maybe some of the younger players have played down the stretch, a whole bunch of other things as well. I just don't want to see this team wilt in the final 20, 22 games of the season. I just don't want to see them fully quit overall. I still want to see this team respond, play full 16 minutes more often than not, and just not, I don't know, throw in the towel tank the rest of these games. I don't want to watch that type of hockey the rest of the way. And I don't think the core players will allow them to do that.

They're not going to be playing like the San Jose Sharks that played like this season, the Chicago Black Cops. You can throw the Ottawa Senators there, a couple other teams as well. I think for as long as the court continues to play like this, they're going to finish probably around, have that 11 to 13, 14 range for the draft this season if I had to guess. I don't think they're going to be bad enough to get into the top 10 with obviously with the protected pick. But I think they're probably going to be around where they are right now.

I just don't think they're going to fully throw in the tank. Yeah. And then you look at the rest of the schedule out the rest of the month in March. You've got the caps on Thursday. And then you've got the Rangers next weekend or two weekends from now. You've got the devils. You've got the hurricanes. Then you got two more against Columbus.

These are teams that you're going to be battling with next year. And you need, like I said, you need to send. that message that listen, we are going to be back. We are not going quietly into the night and becoming one of the teams at the bottom of the Metro, at least not in the immediate future. So that's what I'm looking for out of this team over the next week or so and throughout the rest of the season. But that's going to do it for the second segment of the Tuesday edition of the Locked-on

Penguins podcast. When we come back, we're going to have a little bit of a discussion about what we have heard about the penguin's deadline strategy of looking more towards prospects than draft capital. But before we get into that, we have to tell you about our next sponsor, and that is eBay Motors. Passion drive and patience. What brings home the winning trophy 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. From superchargers, roof racks, exhaust kits, LED headlights, and more, whether you're into

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Keep your ride or die alive at eBaymotors.com. Eligible items only, exclusions apply. eBay guaranteed fit only available to U.S. customers. All right, welcome back to the Tuesday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm Patrick Damp, joined by the illustrious Hunter Hodes. So it's been pretty widely reported, especially when it comes to the likes of Jake Gensel, that Kyle Dubas' strategy is that he wants to get prospects. He doesn't want picks.

He doesn't want anything else than that. he kind of wants teams to send him good prospects that can make a difference on this roster in the next year or two. And that's from a myriad of people from Elliot Friedman to our pal Josh Yohe. And I got to be honest, I like this strategy a lot more. Now, I have been one who is saying that you need to get everything you can for the pieces that you have available to move at this deadline in order to reshape this roster in the offseason. because as we know, all general manager creativity goes right out the window as soon as the first game of the 82 game season begins. General managers will go on record as saying,

oh, I couldn't make this deal now. It's too complicated. That's an off-season deal. I got to do it around the draft and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So we know that in the summer is when the big deals get swung. That's when you see your Eric Carlson trades. To go even further back, that's when you see your Phil Kessel trades. So do you think, Hunter, that dubous targeting prospects more than just any kind of capital is the right way to go?

Yes, 100%. I would much rather see this team get one or two prospects who are really close to playing potentially next year compared to draft picks for this year next year, just because those draft picks are not going to be ready until the core is retired. And with how I think next year is the last true big year for this team to contend for Simly Cup, why would you want to get draft picks backed over prospects? And yeah, I know some prospects are also magic beans. draft picks are very much magic beans, but I know prospects are also in that category a little bit. But if you can get prospects who, again, are very close to NHL ready,

that helps you for next season more than draft picks won. And that's why a team like Carolina is really interesting to me. They are all into win it this year. They try to go get Ilius Pedersen. It didn't work out. They have their prospects and a package to make this work. Someone like a Scott Morrow or a Jackson Blake makes a lot of sense for this team. I think Jackson Blake is a really good prospect for Carolina.

He has a really nice shot, fluid skater, really strong playmaking ability. For someone who is not that big of a player, he still goes to the net pretty nicely. And I like him as a player. I think he could potentially make the penguins as soon as next. season if they were to get him back in a trade. Scott Morrow really moves the puck in his own zone. Well, he is a zone exit machine with the puck on his stick. When I was diving into him a little bit over these last couple days, just because I'm looking at potentially what prospects could come back for a Gensel trade. There were multiple instances of him on the ice where two guys were

fully draped around him and he was still able to get the puck out of his own zone to start the breakout. Those two prospects are really intriguing to me out of Carolina. And they are miles better than anyone you could get from Edmonton or Vegas. That's why I've been really keen on maybe seeing what Carolina could offer back in a Jake Ansel trade and why I would target one of those two players because I think he definitely in Blake's case, he could potentially be on this team as soon as next season. And then if you wanted to somehow get them to throw, I don't know, Marty Nacious and there is the roster player and 19 goals, 43 points, and 56 games this season, then you're cooking up a decent return for a 40 goals score there.

That's a return that makes sense for the future and for the present because you're getting back a roster player who has been a really good player at the NH level and a prospect or two that could make the team as soon as next season. That's, again, what I'm looking for in a return for a Gensel trade and why you can't miss on the return. Yeah, and by all accounts from just about every insider out there, Carolina's big game hunting this year. They're not following their usual method where they work with what they have and they eat around the margins and get a couple guys here and there.

They're looking to make a big move. They're looking to go for it this year. And if Jake Gensel doesn't fit that mold, I don't know who does. And I like this strategy from Dubus just because here's the thing. We know this rebuild once the core is gone is going to take a while. It's not going to be three, four years. It's going to be five or six. It's going to be quite a bit before this team gets back to any sort of contender status.

So it's better now if you're going to ship out a Jake Gensel to get guys that can help you in the immediate that are younger, that are talented, that have speed. And I said this the other day, even though we have kind of both come out and said maybe it's time to move on from. Mike Sullivan. At the same time, if you get players who can fit his system and the way he wants the team to play, that could turn things around because it really is a chicken and egg debate with Sullivan and management for the last few years. Because yes, he's made some very baffling roster decisions and some very baffling deployment decisions. But hockey ops hasn't exactly given him much to work with. So yes, he should have adjusted, but also, Also, you know the coach that you have, play to that strength.

So, you know, if you are going to hold on to them, players like you named would fit his system very well. So if you can get younger, faster guys who can make an impact at the NHL level in the next year or two, things might look better. And we know that there are guys who are young and fast and can play with Sidney Crosby. We have seen this happen multiple times, including the guy we're talking about shipping out, who fit in with them because they play a smart game, they have talent, and they're quick. So I like this decision.

I think Carolina's your A1 call. You're calling them as much as you can to get them. And then Vancouver are my A1 and A2, I would say. Vancouver. But go ahead. Yeah, them Vancouver and Detroit. Those are the three that I would be on the phone with all week long to try to make a Gensel trade work.

Agreed. I have nothing really else to add. I think those three teams have the prospects to make it work. I think they also have the roster players that you can make it work outside of the proposal that we talked about on cat friendly last week. That was a bad proposal, to say at least. But they have other roster players that I think you can pry off their team to make a trade work. So 100%. Those are the three teams that I would be calling if they are dead set and moving cancel,

which they obviously are based on every report that's out there. And that's the other thing. When you look at Vegas and Edmonton, who have also been linked to Jake Gensel, you're not going to get prospects from them. You're probably going to get picks in a roster player or two. The problem there is the roster player you get would likely be used in a trade this summer, would not help you into next season. And also, they're not going to be really impactful players because those aren't guys that they're going to part with because they're still trying to go on a Stanley Cup run. So whoever they give up, and I mean this is no shot at Riley Smith, he was just a cap casualty from the Vegas Golden Knights. That's what happened this summer with that trade. Yes, he's a good player. Yes, he was a big contributor on their cup run, but they looked at their roster and said, okay, who can we afford to lose to do better on the cap this season? And they chose Riley Smith.

And for the most part, that was the correct decision by them. So you don't want to have a repeat of that. Agreed. Yeah. I mean, they obviously made the right call by dealing Riley Smith and keeping Barbishev on that team for the foreseeable future when it came to last offseason. If there's one other team I'll throw in there with the three that we talked about for Genssel, the Panthers, I think they also have the prospects that can make it work as well better than Vegas and Eminton,

but still not as good as the other three teams that we talked about, kind of like a fourth place team, if you want to call it that. Yeah, for sure. But that is going to do it for us on this edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. We will be back tomorrow to recap this game. We also are on call in case Kyle Dubus decides to make any moves between now and the deadline. We'll be sure to pop on here and get you a quick update and then give you our full thoughts on the preceding episode. But this has been it for the Tuesday edition for Hunter Hodes.

I am Patrick Damp. Thank you so much for tuning in. And we will be back tomorrow.