Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Those Tyler Bozak rumors are heating up

Episode Date: September 10, 2021

It's a late-night one, but sometimes those are the best! Hunter starts the show with some more Tyler Bozak news as Elliotte Friedman has now linked him to the Penguins. When is the decision coming? What could the contract look like? Will he play when the team is fully healthy? He then gets into his Team USA roster and yes, it includes Jake Guentzel. But where does he slot in? Is this the best team the country has had in years? What players are left off? Finally, Hunter ends the show with some 3rd jersey talk and when that announcement will be coming.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.StatHeroStatHero, the FIRST Ever Daily Fantasy Sportsbook that gives the PLAYER the ADVANTAGE. Go to StatHero.com/LockedOn for 300% back on your first play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Your team every day. Hey, everyone, welcome to this late night, Thursday episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hunter Hodes. Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the show's Twitter at L.O. Hounersworth Penguins.

I apologize for my voice right now. I have no idea what has going to be. on with my voice the last couple of days, but this is, I guess I just have a frog in my throat or something like that, but today's episode is brought to you by Rock Auto, amazing selection, ride with their prices, all the parts of car ever need. You can visit rockado.com and tell them locked on since you. I've been watching some of the game tonight, but I'm actually kind of glad for ones that I'm recording late at night because Elliot Freeman just dropped this quickie blog,

just going around the league a little bit, talking about some stuff. One of them was about Jack Geichel, none of them was about Brady Kachuk in those negotiations, Quinn Hughes and Elias Peterson, something on Toronto, there's Tomas Hurtle trade stuff. Sounds like Phil Kessel might be on the move towards the start of the season. But at the very end, this ties into what I discussed on the podcast yesterday, and, you know, it looks like I may potentially be right, but let's see what happens. So Elliott says in his final point, a couple clubs that indicated that they were expecting Tyler Bozak's decision on where to play in the next few days, the 764 game veteran has a couple

of options where he wants to go. I'm wondering if one of them is the Penguins with both Sydney Crosby and Afghani Malkin out to start the season. Again, I can't say I told some of you about this. This is exactly what I touched on in yesterday's episode of this podcast. It makes too much sense. You can sign him for cheap, and I'm sure that he will play a hell of a lot better this year. than he did the last year with the blues. I mean, he only had, what, five, six goals, played in 31 games a year before that. Was the 12, 13 goals scores, underlying numbers were a lot better. That's probably the Tyler Bozac that you will get for this season with the Penguins compared

to last season where he was banged up. He didn't look like the same player. But he's also 50% or better on face-offs basically every year for his career. And I touched on this in my episode yesterday as well. I think face-offs are still one of the more underrated aspects when it comes to the sport of hockey. I know some people think they're not a big deal. They think they're overrated. I disagree with those completely.

I think that can change the outcome of the game in an instant. I mean, we've seen this team scored on so many times just by losing a draw, the puck going back to the point. It's fired from there, and it's either tipped in or, you know, the goalie doesn't see it, and it's not tipped in at all, and it's still in the back of their neck. So I will always, excuse me, die on that. hail that face-offs are so important. Having a guy like Bozac there to take some key draws, that's really big. Yes, I think he has fine. P-K.

Ability, he's good, even strength. It makes a lot of sense. So I'm not surprised in the slightest that he is linked to the Penguins and that he may be signing with them in the next few days. I'm not really sure what other teams are in on him. It doesn't sound like he has too many suitors, but if the fit is there money-wise, I could 100% see Ron Hexel. giving him a small contract.

It would probably be, I think, a one-year deal because next season they're going to have a lot of, I guess, I shouldn't say, interesting. This isn't a lot of hard decisions when it comes to the cap. I mean, obviously you'll have Chris Lott's hanging and getting him all locked up before the start of free agency, but I guess very captain's going to hit the market. Brian Ross is going to hit the market.

Zach Asson-Reece, I believe, is going to hit the market as well. So they have a lot of very tough decisions to make. Next summer, I think Jeff Carter is. up after this season. So that's another player into that really tricky wrinkle. It's going to take place next season. Speaking of Ron Hextall, I've seen a lot of people kind of going at him for the Sidney Crosby situation and just saying, well, you know, I would fire him right now. He hasn't done a thing. It's like, yeah, let's just fire him seven months into the job when Jim Rutherford did way worse for two straight years and wasn't fired at all. So they are not going to fire on

Hextall and he really should not be fired. I think he's done a better job than Jim Rutherford had the previous year to year and a half. I saw some takes that people were saying that, you know, the Tann of to McGinn move was not that good. I disagree on that. I mean, I'm going to miss Brandon Tann of a lot, but I think McGinn has a much more higher offensive upside. I understand having some doubts on Denton Hinen, but again, I think he's going to really surprise some people, too. Yeah, I get it. The Jared McCann situation was not handled properly. I would have protected him. They're able to get Philip Hollanderbeck, which who I think, he has the potential, I think, to make this team out of camp. I was having this discussion with King Clarkie and my DMs on Wednesday.

And we were talking about how there's honestly right now with Sid and Gino out to start the season, you're probably looking at least two to three roster spots that are up for gaps, right? I mean, that fourth line center spot, who's going to get that? I mean, that 12th forward. I mean, who's going to be that last winger into the lineup? I mean, that's going to be big as well defensively, obviously. You know, who's going to get that number six defensive job? But, you know, Hollander is definitely going to be in the mix, I think, to steal a roster spot, excuse me, from one of these players,

Sam Poulan as well. You know, it's something that we really haven't had to deal with with this team for at least a few years now. You know, usually the penguins, you know, when they go into training camp, you know who's going to get their spots. You know, the prospects are never really there for that long. And the only one that I can remember that stole a spot out of camp was I think it's two players. John Marino, when he burst on in the scene and just played his tail off from training camp in the preseason, easy decision for Jim Rutherford. They traded Eric Good Branson.

And then the other one was Daniel Sprong. You know, I know they kind of bungled that situation with the nine games thing. But, I mean, he definitely deserved to make that team out of camp with how good he was during that and the preseason. But those are the only two that I can really remember off the top of my head. you know, maybe Philip Hollander does that same thing that's wrong. You know, we'll have to see how some of these young guys do in camp. But, you know, just seeing all these weird takes about, you know, they should fire Hextel.

He's not even doing anything to make the team better. You know, at least Jim Rutherford tried to make the team better. It's just like, that's ridiculous. I mean, if anything, Jim Rutherford, you know, in his attempt, in quotation marks, to make the team better, he made them worse. I mean, I would much rather have this guy at the helm right now than Jim Rutherford. I mean, it's not even close. The people that are saying to fire on Hextall, just stop.

These hot takes that I'm seeing with the team are ridiculous. Again, I understand that people are upset. I am too that the Sydney Crosby situation was probably not handled in the best way. His comments on it or a bit troubling, you know, he probably should have had this in August, mid-August, but it also sounds like, you know, this was agreed upon in like not even the last week, if I'm not mistaken, but you probably still should have known that probably a month. or something like that. But just seeing all these takes, you know, people just got to jump back from the legend

a little bit. Yes, I understand that this would be a really good situation to have Jared McCann. Trust me, I would love to have him on this team right now. I was never in favor of not having him be on the team. He should have been protected. But you know what? That's not the reality that we're in right now. We have to focus on what this team is going to look like and what's going to happen with

training camp. And, you know, all indications are hopefully that they may be signing Tyler Bozac in the next few days. And just to wrap up this whole segment, that would be a good move from Hextall. I trust Tiger Bozac, even though he's 35 years old, a heck of a lot more than someone like Brian Boyle, who did not even play last season. And, you know, I know he's had his fair share of stuff that has happened with his career. You know, remember, you know, he had that Hattrick, excuse me, on hockey fights cancer night. Actually, it was against the Penguins, which is, that's just, it was an incredible story that he had a hat trick during that game.

But still, at this point, I would much rather have someone who played in some games last season and struggled a bit over someone who did not even play last season and has been struggling for the last couple of years overall. I mean, this was only Tyler Bozak's first not so good season in the league. So those are my thoughts on that. We'll have to see if Hextall inks into a deal. What I'm guessing a deal would look like, you're probably going to see a one-year deal for a couple million. They don't have a lot of salary cap space. I mean, you know, obviously they can put Malkin on IR to start the season, but what happens after you bring him back, right?

You have to be cap compliant. This contract is going to have to be a bargain. Probably, again, one year, one point something million, two million at the most if they have that space, and I don't even think they do have two million in salary cap space. But that's why I think you're looking at, I don't think it's going to be a two to three-year deal. I just, I can't see Hextall committing to that. I mean, Teddy Bougars on your team next year. I mean, maybe you see him as the replacement for Jeff Carter, but I mean, could Jeff Carter maybe come back after next season?

That's a possibility as well. You have said in Gino that are obviously going to be back after this season as well. So we'll have to see. But my prediction, if he signed one year, one to two million at the most. But now, before we do get to my team USA roster, and yes, that includes Jake Gensol, so we're going to ties in some Penguins talk with that. We have to touch on a couple of things, one of them being Rock. Rockado.com. Why should you choose to spend 30%, 50% or even 100% more for the same parts from a chain's dealer car dealership? It is a family business or in dual-yourselfers for over 20 years.

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I'm your host, Honour Hodes. I'm your host, Honour to follow me on Twitter at Honourn Hodes. Follow this show's Twitter at L.O. and I'm sorry Penguins. My fantasy team is just, I don't know why I took Zeke Elliott in my draft. That was just probably a really stupid decision, but it looks like, I mean, this game has actually been a lot of fun. It's nice seeing Dak Prescott back playing healthy after that really ugly injury that we saw last season for him. Anyways, going into my team USA roster for what I would do. In case anyone somehow missed it, all the NHL players are officially going to the Olympics unless the league ups out.

I think there's a few dates where they can unless COVID is just way too dangerous over in China. But, you know, for the first time since 2014, it looks like we will be getting NHL players in the Olympics, which is just, you know, I know that there's some weird takes out there for some people that say, well, you know, the Olympics is all about, like, you know, the underdogs and stuff like that. like, okay, yeah, I understand you watch Miracle on Ice from 1980, but this is not bad anymore. I'm pretty sure 90% of the people want to see all of the NHL players there. You know, I don't want to watch a bunch of 18, 19-year-old kids that have like five goals career in the NHL battle Russian Canada. It's not the same. You want to see the best on best do, and it also means a hell of a lot to the players.

I mean, that was the matter of the situation. they wanted to go, they made everyone negotiate, and that's the end of that. So getting to my team USA roster, on the top line, I would have Kyle Connor, Austin Matthews, no, he is not on Team Canada, as I said a long time ago, and Patrick Kane. I mean, that's a pretty filthy line. Austin Matthews, obviously is your top line center. Patrick Kane is one of your best wingers, and then Kyle Connor is one of the best pure goal scores in the league.

So I think that's your top line. I think on the second line, Jack Eichol is your number two center. Brock Besser is your number two right winger, and I would have Jake Gens on the top six. He's one of the five best pure goal scores in the league. If he's not getting top six minutes on this team, I think Mike Sullivan is doing it a bit wrong. But it's also not really Sullivan that I'm worried about. It's probably Stan Bowman that I think is going to screw this up royally just because he's such a moron at this point. I do not trust that guy at all.

I mean, I think Stan Bowman is a complete and utter idiot. And he's proved that time and time again these last few years. I mean that Seth Jones contract is a joke that Panarin trade just horrifically bad. Didn't this guy get out of no trade clause to Brian Bickle or something like that? And the Brent C-Book contract was so bad. I just don't trust him at all. Going back to my lineup, though, Johnny Goodrow as my third line left-winger, J.T. Miller as my third line center and Matthew Kachuk as your third line left winger.

I mean, that's a Philadelphia third line right there. I mean, Matthew Kachuk is going to drive everyone crazy in that competition. I mean, we all know what he can do on a nightly basis. It's going to be so much fun to watch. I think for your fourth line, Dylan Larkin as your number four center, Max Patcheretti on there as well with Brady Kachuk. I can see people wanting Jack Hughes on that team and definitely. Alex DeRenkit, I mean, you could probably take out maybe Brady Kachuk can put DeRin Kitt on there,

considering how good it will score he is as well, or you can maybe take Patrick Reddy out and put Jack Hughes on there. I mean, I do think Hughes is going to be really good. He has a better supporting cast this year with New Jersey. But over those players that I mentioned, I'm not sure that I would put him on there. That's just my opinion. Now, could you definitely argue for Hughes to be on there? Oh, 100%.

I mean, he was really good for New Jersey last year. This could be the big breakout this season for him, but as of right now, he would not be in my top 12. And, oh, yeah, T.J.O. She's not my top 12 either. I mean, I know a lot of Capitals fans, some other people are going to be like, well, you know, what about the shootout? It's like, okay, whatever. I would trust a lot of these other players. Hint, hint, like Patrick Kane in the shootout, heck, just shoot him six times. I don't think a goalie in the world is stopping him three of those times.

I think he scores on at least half of those attempts. he's always been one of the best shootout players Matthews can do some damage too Jake Gensel's very slick with his moves Jack Eichael as well T.J. Oshy should probably be an extra on this team but I am not playing him on an every night basis

for Team USA. That's just not happening for me. Defensively Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy as your top pairing that's disgusting. I mean those are two of the top well easily two of the top five you can make the argument that they are two of the top three defensemen

in this game, especially Adam Fox. I mean, obviously he won the Norris this past year. I think he's easily a top three defenseman at this point, you know, with Victor Headman, Camel Moncar out there as well, but obviously he's going to be on Team Canada. But that is a disgusting top hearing. There's not a lot of other countries that can stack up to that. You know, obviously Sweden can, you know, they can put out Victor Headman on there and Eric Carlson.

If he's back to Eric Carlson that we all know and love, that's probably a bit doubtful. At this point, you know, Canada, they can do whatever they want as well. Jacob Slavin and Quinn Hughes, I think that's going to be a great pairing, especially if Quinn Hughes gets back to the level that we saw in 2019-20. He was not good this past year, but, you know, I think that's probably a bit of an anomaly, excuse me, with where he's going to be for most of his career. I just, I don't think you're going to see that level of play from him moving forward. And then the last pairing, Zach Wrenzky and John Carlson, you know, as much as I harp on John Carlson, not being good defensively, he is still one of the best pure offensively.

defensive defenseman in the league, and you need that on your balloon, especially with, you know, how Mike Sullivan wants this team to play. It's very up-tempo. Carlson fits that to a T. He will be in the top four for this defensive course. And then Connor Hella Buck and goal, John Gibbs, and probably backing him up. Hello Buck, man, that's going to be fun. I think Team USA will honestly have the best goalie in this competition.

No cap. I am not capping at all with that statement. I think he is probably the best goaltender. the world. Under v. Levese, it's kind of like a 1A, 1B situation with him. You know, both of them. They're the two bests.

You know, you can pick and choose one. But, you know, Hellebuck is going to do a lot of damage for this USA team. They definitely will have the better goalie when they play Canada because I'm sure Canada is going to start Kerry Price. I would take Connor Hellebuck over him in a big game. Sorry, that's just how I will be. But, you know, this is shaping up for the USA to have their best Olympic roster. in probably at least a decade, I would think.

I mean, if not more. I mean, there is so much great young talent to choose from. Again, you know, Kyle Connor, Austin Matthews, Patrick King, Jake Gensel, Jack Eichol, Dylan Larkin, Max Petruetti, Bichuk Brothers, Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy. I mean, most of these players were not even available to the U.S. in the last Olympics. That is how good their developmental programs have been. since then. They've brought up some damn good players,

and I think this team should easily meddle in the Olympics. I don't think that they're going to get gold. I think that's Canada's to lose. But right now, in my opinion, I think the U.S. has the second or third best roster in the Olympics. Because I know Sweden and Finland also looks really good. I was actually talking about this with King Clarki. You know, they can put out, you know, Sweden especially,

they can put out, you know, Pedersen, Zabandajat and Neely. Landor, Gabriel Landis Scott, Nicholas Bausch and Philip Foresburg, Ricard Raquel, William Carlson, Victor Arvidson, Nyquist, Lindholm-Solverberg, Headman and Klingberg on your top pair, or you can put Carlson up there, Dahlin is there, Hampas Linholm, Matthias Eckholm, Jacob Marksman, and Robin Leonard there. I mean, that's just, I'm sorry. Like, that is a nasty team.

And, you know, Canada obviously is going to be great as well. Finland, too, Miko Ransson and Barkaw. in Lane, Terravine, Aho, Capinen, Kako, Don Skoy, Rupo Hins, Granland, Kaki Niemie, maybe even on that team. There's going to be a lot of damn good teams in this competition, and I cannot wait to see how this all unfolds. I'm definitely excited for Jake Hensel to make this team,

and I will say this as well, everyone. I think Brian Russ has an outside shot to make Team USA. Do I think he makes it? Probably leaning a bit, no. But with how he's played the last couple of seasons and how consistent he's been with almost being a 30 goal score two seasons in a row, I think Mike Sullivan will campaign hard for him to be on that team

to Stan Bowman, and we'll see if he potentially gets on that team. I think I would be a bit surprised if he did, but it makes sense with how he has played last couple of years. I'll say that. Okay, that wraps up the second segment for the show. Coming up in the last segment, we're going to touch on some third Jersey talk and when I think that announcement is going to be coming

and what I think the jersey is going to be. Before we do that, it is time to talk. about Betonline at that time of year again, in all eyes and now turning to football as teams are back on the gridiron to start the football season. As always, Ben Online, it's your number one spot for all the pro and college football action this season. Get all the updated odds, props and contests, including online's biggest half-million dollar NFL mega-tunct contests and the world's largest $200,000 NFL Survivor Contest, open now at Benaline.

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no idea what happened these last couple of days. My voice has just really gone to the crapper. But anyways, getting back to the third jersey talk, this is probably going to be announced. I'm guessing any day now, I mean, they had that huge clearance sale on those pure yellow jerseys which they were in the playoffs. And I know a lot of people hated it. I mean, I didn't really care for it because I knew they were trying something new. But, you know, a training camp only a couple weeks away, you got to think that they're going to be announcing these very shortly.

I have not heard on what it is. I don't know. If I had to guess, you could see a form of the Robo Penguin coming back or maybe the full black version of the diagonal Pittsburgh. You know, maybe they'll bring that jersey back. I'm not sure. But I have not heard anything on what jersey it's going to be. All I've heard whispers about is that the announcement is coming really soon.

But I would love if they did bring back that Robo Penguin, the black one at least, that Cindy Crosby is wearing that bar down picture. I believe I tweeted it out on a locked on Penguins Twitter account and on my account. It's just that we've been needing to bring that jersey back for a long time. And yes, I understand someone in a locked on Penguins Twitter. mentions. I'm trying to find you right now. Don't worry. I have not forgot about you. I'm just going to that Twitter page right now. I really hope that Jersey comes back because, yeah, Penn 67, if they bring back the black robo penguin, you will be the first one to be added on Locktime Penguins to her account,

and I will get your account fully ratio. Okay, I'm probably just joking on the last part, but I am just so in favor of this. I mean, it looks so beautiful on SIDS. I know it's Photoshop, but it looks so beautiful on him. Just the logo is so gorgeous. I mean, just everything about it is amazing. I'm sorry. I can't not like it.

And I will have basically achieved everything from being a fan of this organization if they were to bring that jersey back, or even the diagonal Pittsburgh one. You know, I know the reverse retro one was not. liked by some. I personally warmed up to it a little bit, but I would love if they brought this one back because a lot of people have been pushing for this one for a long time, and this jersey would sell out in an instant. I think there's another throwback one. They might be wearing a couple times the season. I think it's going to be one from, well, from what I've been told from a couple

people, it might be one from their inaugural season, their first ever season, those blue jerseys that they had. Don't take that to the bank. If I'm wrong, please don't come for me. but I think they might be wearing that a couple times this season. They're making kind of like a refurbished jersey from the first season that Pittsburgh was an NHL team and that was a blue jersey. I think that blue is fine to wear, you know, as long as it's not like that stupid winter classic jersey or those other blue jerseys that they wore after that,

I will always hate those jerseys. I mean, I think all the jerseys that the Penguins should wear, moving forward, black and gold, you know, like the home ones that they have right now, pure beautifulness. I mean, that's one of the top five best home jerseys in the league. The Roe jerseys are even sweeter. Keep those for the rest of time.

But as a third jersey, bring back the Robo Penguin, or, you know, bring back the Pittsburgh gag. Those would be my top two choices. Obviously, the robo penguin is number one. But that announcement has to be coming any time now, I would think. I don't know why they really

haven't announced it yet. I guess they haven't either A, made a decision, or B, the jerseys haven't come in yet. So I guess we'll have to see on that. But I think that will do it for this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I appreciate you all listening to this one. I'll do another one of these tomorrow before we do three shows a week next week. And then we will be back to five shows a week when training camp starts up the following week.

So I hope you all have enjoyed watching the football game tonight. Hopefully all of your fantasy teams are doing well because my Zeke picked and not look good for tonight at least. And we'll talk to you all tomorrow.