Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - WE HAVE THE MEATS!!

Episode Date: May 4, 2021

With the division title looming, the Pittsburgh Penguins did the one thing they couldn't do on Monday night and that's lose to a bad team in the Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins didn't have it from the opening puck drop as Hunter recaps what went wrong last night. He starts with the defensive play as they were giving up way too many chances through the first 2 periods, plus how they were way too flat. He also talks about Sidney Crosby and what his theory is behind Sid'd mediocre play even though he scored a goal last night. Jason Zucker also got on the score sheet but is it the right call to have him play with Malkin and Kapanen? Should POJ be in for Mark Friedman moving forward? Finally, Hunter ends the show with a long Tom Wilson rant and begs the NHL to actually do something about his antics moving forward.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.WealthfrontTo get your first $5,000 managed for FREE, for life, go to wealthfront.com/LockedOnNHL. 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 Tuesday afternoon 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. underscore Penguins.

In case you all are not aware, we've got a new podcast that will help you get more hockey smart. It is called the Cross Check Podcast hosted by Andrew Berkshire and Mary Clerk. It goes deeper into NHL Stories than any other podcasts with the help of the smartest minds on the ice. Follow the cross-check podcast on the Audacity app or whatever you get your podcasts. Otherwise, happy May the 4th day to you all. Happy National Star Wars Day. I absolutely love that franchise. And if you don't like Star Wars, you know, maybe I don't like you.

No, I'm just messing around. But Star Wars is absolutely amazing. We do have a lot to get to for today's episode and recapping, whatever the hell that game was last night by the Pittsburgh Penguins. And yes, I will have my full, complete, uncensored thoughts on what transpired in the Rangers Capitals game with regards to Tom Wilson later on the episode. But to start things off, just a pretty brutal performance last night,

I thought, by the Penguins. I've talked about this, I think, a few episodes ago, in case you all did not hear. Jesse Marshall had this great tweet out from The Athletic, and he said, you know, you can kind of know how a Penguins game is going to go with how they look in the first five, ten minutes. I think he posted that about about a week ago. So I'm like, okay, I'm going to start looking for that

because honestly, I hadn't been really doing that before. So Sunday, I was looking at it, I'm like, okay, you know, they're definitely going to win this game with how they're forechecking and how they're defending. Then you get to last night's game, excuse me, not Sunday, that would be Saturday's game against Washington, so my apologies, but then you get to Monday night's game against Philadelphia.

First five minutes, they are just scrambling around, not really getting any good, sustained offensive zone pressure, playing bad in the defensive zone, turning the puck over, like just basically handling the puck like it's a grenade. So I'm like, okay, I have a bad feeling about this one, and sure enough, the Penguins get blown out 7 to 2 by the Flyers. And, you know, it just this game, it kind of annoys me, and it should annoy probably a lot of the fans,

just because the Penguins had complete control of their destiny heading into last night. Two games against the Flyers who are just ready for their season to be over. They just lost three of four to the Devils. Hell, the Devils took seven of eight points against them after they lost nine in row. Five of those, I believe, had come against the Penguins. And it's a team that has one of the worst defensive corps in the league

and also the worst, I think, overall team's day percentage in the league. And they were just flat against them for whatever reason. It looked like Casey DeSmith made that outstanding save with about 13 minutes left in the first period. But, you know, basically the parallax angle, the puck was in the glove, but though the puck was across the line. I had a feeling they were going to review that. I honestly thought at first glance,

that the puck it hit his glove and went over the net because the puck was just in play a millisecond after he caught it. So I guess DeSmith must have just played it off quick as he tried to not get the whistle for them to review it. But as soon as the first TV timeout happened, the refs went and looked at it and it did cross the line so the Flyers were able to score there. Then the more bad puck luck went against the penguins. Captain fires a shot, goes over Alex Lyon's shoulder, his stick goes flying,

bouts across the net, Jason Zucker. I know he scores later in the game, but when you're so snake-bitten, he's just missing chances that he scores on probably nine other times. Puck's basically almost laying right at the lion about to go in, and he misses it twice, and then the flyers were able to clear, well, I shouldn't say clear the puck. A lion was able to just sprawl back and get the puck out of harm's way and cover it. There was another one, I think, just a couple minutes later,

where Shane Gospier reached back, clear the puck as it was about to go in. So those were two potential goals right there that were taken away from the Pankham. If those pucks go in, this is a potential much different game than what we saw in the first period. And then, you know, of course, Philadelphia was able to make it 2-0. The Penguins P.K., again, way too passive. I know they came into this game, having killed off 10 of their last 11 penalties in the last six games. But they always just have these moments where, again, they're way too passive. They're not putting any pressure, you know, on someone like Shane Gospher.

Or even when the puck went to Jeru or Kuturio or Voracek, I really don't understand it. You know, they can be so aggressive at times like they were in these last six games where they were killing up penalties off in a pretty good fashion. But then the last night happens against the Flyers who don't even really have a good power play. I think that her power play is 21st overall in the league heading into last night. And, you know, they're looking like the Harlem Globetrotters out there. So I really don't understand that. If Pittsburgh does not get that fixed here going into the playoffs, that is 100% something that can cost in the playoff series. You know, you can still win games with a good power play.

You saw last night the two power play goals. in a not-so-good PK, but can you win a Stanley Cup with 16 games of that? I am not so sure. And the Penguins need to get that figured out quickly because the playoffs are just about, what, a week and a half away now? So it's been a problem all the season. I'm not expecting it to be fixed by the playoffs, but, you know, crazier things have happened before.

And then, you know, the Flyers were able to make a 3-0 and then 4-0, especially with the 4-0 goal as, I think that was the one where Drew, they were just a really weird bounce off the boards, and Drew just had a nice shot past to Smith. and, you know, that was all she wrote. You know, four quick goals and the game is basically over. I know the Penguins made it a bit close in the third period. They were able to cut the lead in half,

and then Joel Fairbury was able to make it five to two with a nifty move around Brian Russ. But overall, these games are really frustrating just because, you know, like I said, the Penguins have control of their destiny. They win these four games. They win the division. They get home ice for the first two rounds. Now, even if you win these last three games,

say you beat the Flyers tonight, which, you know, I think is a very real possibility. I would actually bank on it to happen because the penguins have been really good coming off bad losses. Remember everyone, this was the same team a few weeks ago where they gave up eight goals to the Rangers that Madison Square Garden. They come back the next night and win what, three to one, four to one, something like that. So I would expect a response tonight. But still, it is annoying, especially coming off two very emotional wins against the capitals, the division titles on the line. You're getting back your second best player.

And I will say this. I did see a lot of these weird takes last night. I even had someone called me Hunter the Bull. blog guy, which I think I'm going to coin now. I'm going to make that my Twitter name Hunter the blog guy, even though my Twitter ad is at Hunter Hodes. So it would have been better if it was just Hunter the blog and podcast guy. I would just, when he said that and Hunter the blog guy, honestly just like started laughing and spit my water out. But you know, getting back to what I was saying, these people were just, well, you know, of course, when Evgeny Malkin comes back, the team plays

like shit, you know, the team is better off without Evgeny Malcon in the lineup. And it's like, you people just have brain worms. It's just. these smooth-brain people that literally have no idea what they're talking about. And, you know, it's one game. It's really not the end of the world here. Though, like I said, it is annoying that they kind of squandered a chance to really be in the driver's seat for the division. I know they're tied right now with Washington, but even if Pittsburgh wins tonight,

there are only two points up on the caps, and the capals still have two games in hand on them. So we're going to need the Rangers to potentially help them out on Wednesday as that will be the last time the Caps play the Rangers this season before Washington comes home, and then we'll need some help from the Flyers in one of those two games to see if Philadelphia wants to win one. And then Washington plays Boston to end the season just one time in D.C. But yeah, the people that think the Penguins don't need of Gennie Malkin, I mean, I thought you know actually played a fine game last night.

I had an assist on Cindy Crosby's power play goal to make it four to one early in the third period. I know he was a minus three, but you know, plus finest is not really that good of a stat to go off of. I mean, he missed 23 games. He's still getting his feedback. He's still getting his motions back and everything. So he is going to be fine.

I actually expect him to play even better tonight. So, yes, while I understand that it's annoying that there's a letdown game, the people that are saying that, oh, my God, they're not going to live with a Gino in the playoffs. They don't need him to win, blah, blah, blah. Those people are just smooth-brained idiots that really don't know what they're talking about. Don't give them the time of day. I always hate those kind of people in this fan base.

It goes with the same with Crystal Tang. Like, oh, because they won a Stanley Cup without Crystal Tang in 2017. you don't need him to win. It's like, look how Latang has been for basically the entire season. If it weren't for Charlie McAvoy and Kelmachar, Adam Fox, he'd probably be a Norris finalist this season with how good he has been. But those are just, I think, most of my thoughts on last night's game. You know, you shake your head at it, you go eat Arby's.

Casey Smith had an off game. But honestly, I kind of blame the defense more for that one. I mean, they gave up, what, 37 shots in the first two periods? The Penguins gave up less than 25 shots in 60 minutes on Saturday against the capital. So yeah, it was just an off game from everyone involved. I think I saw Crystal Tank smash his stick after the Flyers' third goal because he was so disgusted with how the team was playing. You saw Sullivan after the game talked about. We weren't engaged.

We weren't playing the right way. There wasn't that intention of detail, as he always likes to say during his media sessions. I'm sure he's going to have them ready to play tonight. You know, I would love to be a fly on the wall during that post game. Talk to Mike Sullivan gave his team after that game. But like I said, I expect a response. tonight from Pittsburgh if they do not respond tonight and they lose again which is a very real possibility

for whatever reason the penguins have not played Philadelphia as tough as they have in years past I'm sure there's going to be a lot of harsh words at the players after this one going into the final two games against Buffalo but coming up to the next time I'll have a little more on this game mostly talking about Sydney Crosby and how he was able to finally break excuse me his little dry spell there

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I'm your host, Hunter Hodes. Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow this show is Twitter at Bellownersport Penguins. So it has been a weird few games for Sidney Crosby. I think maybe he's starting to conserve his energy a bit. That's, I think, the main thing that I've been noticing. If you have noticed the same thing, you know, tweet me at Hunter Hodes, tweet me at L.O. underscore Penguins.

But I think that's been the one thing I've really noticed with his game. He seems off. I mean, he definitely has been off. But I also think he's conserving his energy for the Stanley Cup playoffs just because I don't think these last few games mean a lot to him. But him in the top line are also getting hemmed in their own zone a lot more recently. I saw this stat, I think, from, you know, Danny, Charlie Irving again, I probably shout him out.

every day on this hot podcast, but he does some outstanding work. I do want to get him back on here again here at some point. But since March 18, this was the tweet that he had. The Gensselkrosby Rustlein, 18 goals for, 17 goals against, and basically they have a 47% expected goal share. So that's definitely not as good as it has been prior to that. I mean, I think their goal share was, I think, well above 53 to 55%. And they were on the ice for a lot more chances for than against, at least before that. And it just has not been the same these last couple weeks. And I don't really know what it is.

Maybe they're getting some really tough competition, but it has not been the same for at least a few weeks. I mean, Danny is basically just saying it's not been the same for at least almost a month and a half now. But like I said, with regards to Sidney Crosby, it was nice to see him, though, get back on the score sheet. He had a three-game goal-less streak. I think that's the long, three-game point-less streak.

excuse me, I think that's the longest he's gone without a point this season. He's now also tied Alex Ovechkin, overall in points with 1,320, and I think what, 200 less games played. So, congratulations for sit on that. And that goal last night that you saw on the Power Play, that is a vintage Latang to Crosby goal. Latang does a slap pass, Sid's at the side of the net, redirects it, top cheese.

He's done that so many times throughout his career in Pittsburgh, and he just makes it look so easy. I mean, we've seen them do that with overtime goals for. I think he actually did one against the Flyers. I think he's done one against the Capitals. Probably done one against every rival team for the Penguins. But it's just, it never gets old to see because he's done it so many times, and he just makes it look so easy.

I really don't understand how he makes it look so easy. But, you know, at the end of the day, he is Sidney Crosby. But I'm really hoping we see a little more jump from him tonight against Philadelphia. He usually wakes up for those games. I mean, it basically you don't see. see a game go by against the Flyers where he does not score. I mean, he's scored in what? Three of the seven games at least against the Flyers this season. He's basically good for a goal per game against him without. He's owned them throughout his career. But I want to see more

from Sid tonight and for these last couple of games against Buffalo. So, you know, I don't get a little concerned going in the playoffs. I mean, I'm never really concerned that much with Sid, but I just really have not liked his compete level. Well, I shouldn't say his compete level. I don't, I don't really, I haven't really liked his game for the last week, week and a half overall. I'm sure he's going to be fine, but it's just something to monitor going for with regards to this team. Otherwise, you know, getting into the Jason Zucker stuff, really nice to see him finally get a goal last night. I mean, you saw what happened when it was 1-0 Philadelphia, when Caponin's shot basically dislodge, lion stick, and then the puck was about to go in. Zucker missed the puck two to three times.

It was basically an inch away from going in. And that's what happens, I think, when you have a player who is in a huge. rut. You know, they miss the easy ones, but then, you know, he can redirect a shot that looks like is going way wide past line and make it four to two. And hopefully that is the start of the damn breaking for Zucker just because he's been so unlucky. And I think I had someone in my mention say this to me last night. This comes courtesy of Jason Bassani. So shout out to you for this. He says, I hope so. This continues. Dude has been in a real scoring job, but his defense checking his gap awareness before tonight has been noticeable during his strong efforts. And I 1,000% agree

with that. I mean, you can see that he's really trying to get to the dirty areas and score some goals and, you know, do well with his playmaking ability and his gap awareness, as Jason said, has been phenomenal as playing the defensive zone has also been good. You know, I know some people were not too happy that he was elevated to the second line with the Fgeny Malkin, but if you want Zucker to break out of this funk and see him play better, you should have him play with an all-world center in Hibgeny Malkin. With him with Malkin and captain was actually a really good line for the Penguins before Gino went out and missed 23 games. So I really think you will see better play from Zucker moving forward here.

And I think as Matt Geica said after that goal last night, now watch Jason Zucker score like 10 to 11 goals for the Penguins in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I would not be surprised with that just because hockey is so random. And that that's the shit that can happen in such small sample sizes. So yeah, I would 100% not be surprised with that. But again, good to see him get back on the score sheet. I've really not liked to see him be called like Derek Broussar Jr. And I get it, people.

The Penguins gave up a lot to get him. You know, Caitlin Addison, our first-round pick, and was that basically it? I mean, sure, they gave up a contract of Alex Galchinoch, but, I mean, he's doing okay right now in Toronto. I mean, he's not a world beater right now or anything like that. So basically the first-round pick and Kalin-Adison, I know Kailen-Anne-Anneson may turn out to be a really good player for the wild. And some may say that it was a high price to give up for Zucker. But during last season, when he was here, he was putting up some. really good numbers.

It was almost a point for game player was in the playoffs. I think it was one of their best players in the return to play. I know it's been a season from hell from him, and I think they may look to move him over the summer, but you want to get this guy right. Put him with the Gennie Malkin for the few games. Put him with Malkin, especially in the playoffs, and then let McCann and Carter be the duo on the third line

with Evremar Rodriguez or Freddie Kudrow, whichever one Mike Sullivan wants to put in there, and I think this team will be perfectly fine for it. Some other stuff. I know Mike Matheson, of course, did not play last night. Mark Friedman didn't really like. his game, you know, I am kind of the opinion that P.O. Joseph should get some more time, and especially

with these last three games, and maybe if Matheson is not ready for the start of round one for Pittsburgh, I think I'm going to jump on the bandwagon and also go Joseph Sisi for that third pairing. And, you know, Pedersen and Marino, they play better when they're together. They have some of the best shot suppression numbers of any pair in the league.

They have the best shot suppression numbers of any pair on the team. Duma and the Tang are obviously not going to break up. But I just don't like a righty on the left side. I think it kind of messes it up a bit. And I think P.O. Joseph is an upgrade over freedom. I just didn't really like his game last night. Overall, otherwise, I think that's basically it when talking about this game.

Giving up seven goals to the Flyers is pretty embarrassing. Being two and five against them this season, definitely have been embarrassing with how the Sabres have been able to beat them. The Devils just beat them three out of four times. I mean, yeah, guys, right now, the Devils have been the Flyers more times than the Penguins have this season. I know the Penguins beat them when it matters most at the beginning of March with that two out of three series. in Pittsburgh probably should have been all three. But, you know, with the division on the line, you don't want to have these let-down kind of games

and kind of just play down to shit competition, you know, with these trap games. But like I said, I think this team will bounce back tonight. They've shown the ability to do that under Mike Sullivan this year. And, you know, let's see what they're made of. You know, not getting any points against the flyers would be pretty embarrassing for this team, to say the least. But we still have a little more to get to for this episode,

especially with the Tom Wilson situation. And I'm probably going to roast the Department of Player's Safety. and a whole lot more coming up in the next segment. Before we do that, it's time to talk about a couple things, one of them being rockado.com. It's a family business serving auto park crushers online for 20 years. You can go to rockado.com, shop for auto body parts of hunters and manufacturers.

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In case anyone somehow did not see this, during the game last night against the New York Rangers, Tom Wilson, when Pavel Bluchenevich was just hunched over on the ice with his head down, he punches his head, Artemey Pinaran comes after. him and Wilson basically just does a UFC MMA take down first off grabs his hair and then takes him down and Panering got hurt on the play and now he has to miss the rest of the season. I know the Rangers season is over but if it wasn't and he had to miss the rest of the season it would have been that much worse. But you know my biggest thing on this everyone and I understand the Department of Player

Safety you know they only find him $5,000. The NHL and their Department of Player Safety does not give a single fuck about this. They never have, they never will. They have George Perros, who is a goon in his playing days, and Ray Whitney, also a pretty bad defenseman is playing days, running the show as the Department of Player Safety Leader. You're not going to get anywhere when you have two idiots with no brain cells running the show. So in a way, I kind of expected this to only be a fine.

But also on the other hand, it's Tom Wilson. They suspended him. These same people suspended him seven games earlier in the season for an illegal check to the head on Brandon Carlo. And guess what, everyone? Brandon Carlo has only played in what? Three to four games since then? It is not going to be long now until Tom Wilson actually ends someone's career like Matt

Cook did with Mark Sovard and how I think even to this day, he still has concussion symptoms. I mean, he easily could have given Panarin a concussion last night with how. how he basically just UFC-MMA'd him down to the ice, punching Pavel Buchennevitz in the back of the head. That could also give him a concussion. But, you know, Tom Wilson's changed, right, everyone? He's a changed guy now. He's not going to do this anymore.

He's a great soul. Wow, look how cute his face is. You just, you're out to go get Tom Wilson. And that's just so many of the responses that I've seen on Twitter and just these people defending it. And it's like, like, if you aren't, I also say this blunt way, If you are someone who is defending Tom Wilson for what he did last night, I want you to block me, I want you to unfollow me. I do not ever want to speak about hockey with you ever again because you don't know anything about the sport.

Case in point, done. That is where I am at this point. I do not want to talk hockey with you if you are defending what Tom Wilson did last night because you know nothing about the sport and where it should be in the year 2021. This is not 1984, 1985 anymore when you have goons running around, headshotting people, UFC MMA people did the ice. This is

2021. That is a star player that got hurt last night. Artemi Pinaran is one of the top 10 to top 15 best players in the world and you're telling me that the NHL and their player safety does not give two flying fucks about it. I'm sorry.

That is flout and embarrassing. For so many years now we've been wanting the NHL to take the step step. They want to be considered as a top four major sport in the country. But by doing stuff like this and enabling Wilson to let him do this, it is never going to get to that point because they don't care. They still think it should be that violent sport from 1985. Like I said, where you have goons running around the ice and just cheap shot and keep it with no repercussions. Those are the people that are in charge. Remember, Brendan Shanahan took over the NHL's department of player safety, what, six, seven years ago, was actually doing a

rock-solid job at it, but then the GMs got mad and they whined because their players are getting suspended. So then Gary Bettman stepped in and then they fired Shanahan, who of course is now at the Maple Leafs. And then other people such as George Peros and Ray Whitney and Colin Campbell came in and went back to the old ways. So someone like Shanahan was actually trying to do the job and protect the star players. But then the league was like, no, we don't like that. Our GMs are too mad. So we're just going to give it over to two idiots. who were goons growing up and playing the game. It just, it really doesn't make any sense to me.

And I really have never understood why so many people defend Tom Wilson for anything he does. And I'm not saying that everyone does this. I mean, I actually have the privilege of knowing some really good Capitals fans. You know, Aaron, who's one of my best friends from college. Dean is great. I'm in a group chat with him. Nathan, another guy named Nathan, I mean, two of my best friends named Hannah are really good Capitol fans. they know what they're talking about.

Travis on Cap's Twitter is also really, really good. But even they knew after last night that that crossed the line. But for some others, it's just like, why are you defending him? Like, I really don't understand it. I mean, we all got sick and tired of Matt Cook when he was here. You remember Josh Yoey tweeted this out this afternoon when it came to Matt Cook. And I'll read this tweet here. When Matt Cook was officially out of control,

Mario and Ray Shiro sat down with him, told him he had a problem, and that he had to change. And they absolutely did. There was a statement, I think, during 2011, when Matt Cook laid that hit on Ryan McDonough, I think was suspended for what, 10 to 11 games. You know, Ray Shiro came out and said, we agree with this. He needs to change the way he plays or else he is not going to be on this team anymore. And that said, he did change his ways for a little bit before reverting back to his old ways. But at least he made an attempt to actually change the way he plays. Wilson has not made an attempt to change the way he plays. He can say all this stuff like, oh my God, I can't be doing that. I need to be on the ice. But when you continually do shit like this and play to injure people like Vontes Burfitt does in the NFL and like how even, I'll

even say something with the Steelers. James Harrison did this way back in the day with hitting some Browns players. Wilson is a player that does not get it and will never get it. That is who he is. You saw him flexing in the penalty box last night. That is who he is, people. He doesn't give a single fuck about what he does on the ice. And a lot of Capitals fans and a lot of media will eat that up because, oh my God, he's our tough guy. We got to protect him at all costs. Like, I get it.

I've lived in Capitals country for about 18 years. This is probably one of the biggest scumbag fan bases in all of sports. They will always defend this guy till the day he dies. He could literally go up to an orphanage, kill a kid, and they would find a rubebuck. way to defend him. That is how their fan base treats Tom Wilson. It is a weird cult following. I've never really understood it. It's just flat out weird to me that we are still in the year 2021 and people have to send for Tom Wilson every time he crosses the line. It makes no sense to me. It's like I promise you people, he is not going to come over to your house for dinner on Friday

night for Shabb. It is not going to happen. He is not going to come over and sign your sister's jersey or sign your jersey or whatever else you want him to do it's not going to happen you don't have to sim from him any chance you get and i also just want to take the chance here i know i did a little bit earlier and dump on the leak here i mean even if this were not tom wilson it still would be the same and that is another huge huge problem here i mean you see ryan leaves do this kind of shit oh nope slap on the wrist fine you see other people such as you know sean thornton in years past Leon Luchess, stop on the rest, totally fine. They don't give a damn whether you a repeat offender, whether it's your first time.

Like I said, they like this stuff, and it's the old boys club. The same 200 hockey men making the same decisions every other year. This is why this sport is never going to be taken serious as much as the NBA is or the NFL is or, hell, even the MLB is because they actually care about their player safety. The NFL will actually suspend players for dirty shots to the head. the NBA will suspend players for dirty play on the court. The MLB will suspend players for intentionally throwing at players' heads. But the NHL, note, headshots are fair game. And, you know, another thing that really pisses me off here,

Andrew Shaw just retired last week at age 29. Speak of his playing career of what you will. Yes, he was a dick on the ice, but he was battling concussions for the last couple of years. He finally had to call it a career. And the fact that the Washington Capitol's Twitter account tweeted out that meme at the end with that rent-free thing and just, you know, playing it off as a coy joke. That is disgusting to me.

And like I said, Capitol fans and their media will eat this up. They don't care. A lot of their fans, not the ones that I just said withstanding, and I'm sure there's a lot of others out there that I did not mention, they will eat this up because they don't care. They see it as like everyone's out to get Tom Wilson when everyone just wants them to stop being a freaking idiot on the ice. is a really good hockey player. That's the thing. I mean, he plays on the top line. He has a good goal-scoring touch. He goes to the front of the net. He has good playing-making ability, and he still fuels the need to be a complete dufus on the ice almost every single game against

every single team. I mean, what team at this point has not had a Tom Wilson incident against them? I mean, like, really, I mean, you probably can count them on one hand at this point. But, you know, all in all, everyone, the league does not care. They will never care, and this will continue to happen until a player is either paralyzed, concussed for the rest of his life, or has to just be like what, flown out of the arena or something like that. It's just really annoying to me that the capitals and their fans just have to keep pushing this idea that Tom Wilson is a victim. You know, it's just like, hold your player accountable. I mean, even I got sick of defending Matt Cook when I was 14 to 15 years old. I understood that he actually had to go out and seek help and stop doing the same stupid thing every single game.

But a lot of Capitals fans in this area can't do that because they're so blinded by him. They're a bunch of homers. This is what they do. And finally, you know, I saw Ryan Whitney of the Spitting Chocolate's podcast, which, you know, screw Barstool, of course. Ryan Whitney puts out that tweet, quick reminder that every GM in the angel would take Tom Wilson on their team. It's like, Ryan, I'm pretty sure no one gives a shit about that. And oh, yeah, buddy, thanks for getting traded for Chris Kuhnitz because I'm pretty happy that they didn't win the Stanley Cup with you in 2008. You really didn't even do anything for them that season anyway.

And Chris Kinnitz meant more to this franchise than you ever will. So a really stupid take there from Whitney. I love the response from Box Mullen. You know, very good point here from Whitney about how hockey culture as a whole enables violent behavior and dismisses the threat of lifelong raid damage. And he's exactly right. You know, people don't understand that, you know, Gary Benman, I don't even think he's. he understands that CTE exists, and I'm sure there's going to be another concussion lawsuit coming for the league at this point. I mean, there's probably going to be many more

throughout the years here just because of a lot of players that are going to have their career ended due to concussions. Like I said, Andrew Shaw confirmed to everyone last week that he had to retire because of concussion symptoms. Mark Savar did it. Chris Pronger had to retire due to concussion symptoms. This is going to continue if the league does not get this into control. As I have said also so many times. It is the best sport, but it is the worst league. And I think that is how I will end this episode of the Lockton Penguins podcast. If I got a little heated, I am sorry, but I am sick and tired of the NHL enabling players like Tom Wilson. Hell, you can even say it for Ryan Reeves as well, or other dirty players around the league. But, you know, especially with

Tom Wilson, I'm just sick of it. And I think a lot of other people around the league that cover the team, root for other teams, are sick of it as well. But, you know, hopefully at some point The NHL will get this under control and they'll actually give a shit about player safety. But that'll do it for this episode of the lockdown Penguins podcast. I appreciate all of you listening to this one. I'll be back tomorrow recapping the Penguins game against Philadelphia and also previewing the game against Buffalo on Thursday.

Or maybe I might do that on Thursday, then post the recap to it on Friday. But we'll see with that. I also will be live on the Pittsburgh Post game tonight with Matt Geico. So look out for me on that. And like I said, thank you all so much for listening to this one. And we'll see if the penguins can respond at 7 p.m. tonight. Remember, the game is on NBC Sports Network if you are not in Pittsburgh,

and an 18-D Sports Network, if you are in Pittsburgh. But that'll do it for this one. Hope you have a great rest of your day.