Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - What's going on with NHL officiating?

Episode Date: June 2, 2021

A new month, heck a new weekday, also means another episode of the Locked On Penguins. Hunter is joined by Jeff from Penguins Twitter (radimzahorna is his @) as they chat everything from Penguins offseason goals to NHL officiating. Does Jeff see PO Joseph on the team full time? Who does he see them protecting in the expansion draft? Does he still have faith in Tristan Jarry? After that, they get into the take about NHL officiating and how Jeff thinks it's ruining the sport. What does he want to see moving forward? Has it been benefiting lesser-skilled teams this season? Finally, they touch on the David & Sarah Ayers tweets and why they were wrong to go at Danny from The Pens Blog.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. Welcome to this Tuesday evening episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hunter Hodes. I'm going to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow this show is Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins.

Today we have a very special guest joining this episode of Lockdown Penguins podcast. He's been on here a few times. I don't think he's been on here, though, since sometime last year. I think it was during the return to play in the bubble against Montreal. I think it was the last time I had him on. But he has been on Penguin's Twitter for probably longer than I have. His ad-is redeems the Hornah, but of course his first name is Jeff, one of my very best friends and one of the best Penguin follows.

You could just find on Penguin's Twitter overall with memes and always good takes as well. Jeff, how are we doing today, man? Pretty good, man. Pretty good. Yeah. So, obviously, this season was, well, I guess it was like success that they won the division, but then, you know, they got ousted by the Islanders in six games. Now that it's basically been getting close to, I think, a week now since they lost to the Islanders in six games, Jeff, have you wavered on what you think they should do this offseason? Do you think they should just make a few tweaks, or do you think, you know, this team needs a little bit more than that?

Oh, they should fire the coach, trade everybody, you know. They should just simply find a goaltender who is very solid in backing up Tristan Jari. I still have not lost faith in Tristan Jari. I know that his numbers have gone steeply downhill since that All-Star performance that he put together. But, you know, it's something that he's young enough that I think he can get back. Goaltending is such a fickle thing. And, you know, if he was there once, he can get there again. Yeah.

And I think a lot of people do forget that, you know, he was. good for, I would say, most of this season. You know, definitely that first month and a half was not good. That's basically how he played in the six game sample size. And all you needed from him was average. They obviously didn't get that. I personally am of the opinion that they should go out and get

like a veteran 1A, 1B to play with him or, you know, if they really want to make things interesting, send him down to Wilkesbury to have him work on his game there and then have Casey to Smith as the backup to whoever they go and get. That's probably not what they're going to do. I think they're going to stick with him for another year and see if he can work

out of this funk and then just, you know, like I said, add someone else in free agency. You know, when you look at the expansion stuff, especially, you know, there's going to be some hard decisions here. I read from Josh Yowie on the athletic that it sounds like they may protect Jeff Carter, which my opinion might be a bit of a mistake. He's 37 years old. I know he had a really just rejuvenated season with the penguins,

but I just don't think Seattle would take him. Just as of right now, Jeff, who are you protecting in the expansion, Jeff? because obviously I think the penguins are going to go seven forwards through defensemen of the goal way. The only name that I've really heard floated out there that might be available in the expansion draft that I would protect compared to like, you know, the obvious is Jared McCann.

Because McCann has seemed to have like, he's seeming to get things back together. He was injured quite a bit there for a long stretch of time. And once he got healthy, he started on a roll and he really never slowed down. obviously he you know underwhelmed a little bit in the islander series as did a number of the penguins but um you know there were other factors of work there sarokin was very on his game and mccan did have his share of good looks so uh jared mccan is is young he's definitely uh one of the

better players that i would make sure that i locked up yeah i think outside the big fork is you know obviously they are protecting i've got any malkinsindy crosbie jac cancel and bryan russed McCann would seem like a lock for that fifth spot. And you are right. He definitely did have a bit of a down playoff series, but goal scoring in the playoffs is very hard. He was not one of the debt players that could step up when Crosby was not producing or Jake Gensel or even of Gennie Malkin,

even though I think the last couple games he did wake up a good bit. But he just definitely was not one of the players that could step up. You know, it happens. Like I said, goal scoring in the playoffs is very hard. And then those other two spots, I think, after that are the ones where I think it's going to be most complicated, man. I mean, you could definitely, my opinion,

I think they should do Bluger and Kaepen. You could make the argument for Bluger and Tenev, you know, Kaepin and Tenev and leave Teddy Blueger exposed. You know, it looks like they may want to protect Carter. You know, you could do Carter and Blugger and leave Kaepin exposed. But, you know,

either way, I think Seattle is going to get a very good player. It's looking like right now, at least in my opinion, it's probably going to be Zach Austin Reese, which I will be a bigger loss than some people realize because of how well he is defensively. His offensive game really came into focus this year, I thought, as well. But, you know, there's no shortage of tough decisions here, I think, for the Penguins as the expansion draft blooms.

You know, I kind of disagree. You know, I know everybody's, you know, big on how good Teddy Bluger is defensively. But in the same sense, you have Riley Nash's free agent this year, who is a very similar profile to Teddy Bluger. Maybe he doesn't have the intelligence that Blugher has and just the eyes on the ice, but he's every bit of sound offensively. And I think that's a lot easier to replace than people actually realize. One thing that I might consider doing if I'm Hextall is I might sign Cody Cece to a

couple of year deal. You see Phil sign relatively cheap. And then say to the Seattle GM, hey, look, Cici had a, career renaissance here in Pittsburgh. He's cheap. We'll throw a low-round pick if you take him and see what Seattle does. They might take him, they might not. But I really, the more I think about it, the less competent I feel that Cody Sisi will continue to do better, I think, you know, it'll eventually regress to a level similar to what we saw in Ottawa. Yeah. And that's, you know, all depending on usage too.

Yeah, I hear you on that. Just my big worry is that, you know, they may go for too much term and too much money for him. And also, can they afford to bring back C.C? I think is the big thing with how, you know, cap strap they are. And just with a flat cap, basically, it's going to be there for the next four to five years. No, do the penguins want to commit to that? You know, I would still probably do a two-year deal. Two million per.

I don't know if I'm going to go up to three. I think that would be a bit too much for him because, you know, you don't want him to, like you said, go back to how he was playing in Ottawa. But as you also said, usage matters and he is a really good bottom pairing defenseman. But on the other side, Jeff, you know, I could see them also letting Cece walk

and then having someone like Chad Roodle step into that number six spot, who I think is totally capable of using. Oh, I think there's a better number six. Well, I think I know where you're going with that, but just tell the audience. Pierre Olivier Joseph. I mean, he played stellar in his small sample size. Granted,

toward the end of it, he started to taper off. And, you know, that might be the rigor of the NHL game compared to the AHL game. But I certainly think no matter who the penguins lose, I think they're going to have a good guy, even if they don't sign anybody filling his boots, either on the forward end with Samuel Pullian or the offensive end with Joseph. I think they're in a good situation. And if Seattle takes Tristan Jari, is it the worst thing in the world? Yeah, they somehow take Tristan Jari, man.

I honestly might become the Joker, to be honest. I don't think that would happen. I think they will take a forward just because the Penguins are so deep, but I would laugh my ass off pretty bad if they did take Trish and Jari. Because, you know, that would help a lot of the Penguins' problems, and they would just have to go out in free agency and sign someone. I was protect the dismiss the pitchard. Yeah, exactly.

And you can go out and sign Allmark or Peter Morazic or even Frederick Anderson, even though he's been healthy. He's been healthy mostly for his career, but he was banged up pretty decently, I would say, this year. Then, you know, if they really want to make things interesting, Jeff, you could re-sign C.C. move out Pedersen or Matheson's money, which is a good amount of money. Let's be real, here. And then elevate Joseph to the second pair with John Marino. I think that would be really intriguing going into next year. Yeah, I don't hate that at all.

Yeah, I think it makes sense, you know, especially with how much. cap step they are, you know, every cent matters, I guess, especially when it comes for the penguins. I mean, you also have to deal with Jason Zulker. You know, what are your thoughts on him going in the next season before we get to a commercial break? I was one of the biggest Zoker fans when the penguins got him. I thought, you know, here's a guy who has, you know, very high or very good offensive talent. Granted, is he going to probably repeat his third goal season? Doubtful. But, you know, here's a guy who's really good offensively, really good defensively, strong character. guy and he got injured a couple times.

And whereas it's kind of like the opposite of Jared McCann. Once he came back from injury, he never really got going. And so I think, you know, I don't think Seattle will touch him. They might. It might take them. And if they do, that's what, $6 million off the books? I don't think that's terrible. But, you know, especially with some pretty big names on the horizon and free agency.

but, you know, if they take him, I don't think it's the worst thing in the world. But I wouldn't hate to see him come back either. Yeah, I wouldn't mind it, you know, just as she goes, you said it, you know, five and a half million off your cap. He also is a good player. He works his tail off, I think, every single night. So it would make sense for Seattle to take him, but, you know, will they, you know, actually do it and take five and a half million to their cap?

You know, I'm not really sure what Ron Francis is planning there. Like I said, he might want to go a little bit younger and a bit cheaper, but agree that I think at the same time, it would, both help the Penguins, especially in terms of money, but it'll also hurt them because I think he's a lot better than what he showed this season. But still have a lot more to get to for this episode, Locked on Penguins podcast. But first, we have a couple things to talk about, one of them being Wealthfront, investing can be complicated, but whether you're a beginner or you've been investing for years, Wealthfront makes it easy. They have the right tools for every portfolio. They're trusted

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So, Jeff, you know, the main reason that I definitely wanted to bring you on here, you know, you were touching on this, I think, a bit earlier, just on the other day, was just the officiating in the playoffs and how so many of the games marquee players are out, you know, they're just, they're not buying calls

and the officiating has just been a joke to say the least. It's probably the worst of the floor of major sports. I'll just give the floor to you here with that. Yeah, I mean, what is going on where we have a league where, I mean, granted, may the best team win, right? But we saw in the Islander series, I think what was a Sarasvian that wrote for the athletic,

the article about all the infractions that happened on Connor McDavid but weren't called? Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not making excuses for the penguins losing here. Ilya Serogan was certainly solid in that series, and, you know, he didn't, the penguins were unable to crack him in those games that they lost. But that means that, you know, there were so many penalties on both sides with the penguins and the Islanders that went uncalled. And special teams are really when stars shine. I mean, if at the beginning of the season, you would have told me that out of the teams remaining in the playoffs, Montreal, Winnipeg, the islanders this year,

they would beat the teams like the Oilers, the Penguins, the Capitals. It would have been a little, and especially Montreal beating Toronto, would have been unthinkable. And I don't know if we're regressing to an era of trap-style hockey again or a slow game, kind of like a dead puck, low-scoring affair. but I don't know how this is good for the game. And part of me can't help but to think that it stems from the inaction that the NHL has taken on George Perros, who has been decidedly since the regular season ended, decidedly inconsistent in where he deals out discipline and how.

You know, you saw who was that scrub on the Islanders, the defenseman Mayfield, that cross-checked Crosby in the back of the head, and there was nothing that happened there. But the other day, there was a far less egregious cross-check that got, who wasn't suspended for two games? Ryan Reeves. Ryan Reeves. And it's, you know, Tom Wilson could pull the stuff that he pulls and not get suspended whatsoever. And, you know, it's just, it's so inconsistent. And so what Gary Betman has done is essentially,

pulled the Pontchus pilot role and washed his hands of any, you know, delving with the discipline and let George Paris roll. And what's come into play is this league where the referees are really running like the mafia. They're dealing out penalties almost at random. They're controlling the pace of the game. And as a result, some of these lesser teams are advancing. And it's a terrible product for the league. I mean, granted, Tampa Bay is still in it. And Colorado, you know, Vegas.

They're still solid. Boston's not what it used to be, but, you know, I just can't figure out why Montreal, New York, and Winnipeg are still in this thing. And, you know, Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid, Matthews, they're all sitting home. And is that really the best for the game? I'm not advocating for, you know, star treatment or rigging the game in favor of the good teams by no means. but if you have a roll book, call the roll book. I mean, this is getting more and more egregious to the point where the athletics, Don Blu Slizen is calling out the officiating in the league.

We saw that Saracinian piece. I think it was, it might not have been her. It might have been a different writer on that. But we're starting to see more and more people zero in on the referees, and that's just not good. You know, you want your marquee teams to be advancing in the playoffs. You want your marquee teams to be doing well. to be growing the game.

I mean, I can't even mean a good player outside of Barzell on the Islanders. Okay, maybe Billiier is decent and Wallstrom is okay. But, like, you know, you have, and it's one thing. There's an underdog story. But, you know, when teams, really bad teams are getting away with things and controlling the play just because the referees aren't, you know, enforcing the rulebook, you know, you're creating an atmosphere in the league and a style of play that's just not conducive to growing the game. And the NHL is going to regress. Who's going to want to watch the inevitable Stanley Cup finals between Colorado and New York? Sure, Colorado is a dynamic enough team, and New York's very stringent, but that's not going to make for a good finals.

It really, I mean, New York, come on. And I don't know. It's just, I I don't like the direction the NHL is going. It's just a bad place right now. I mean, I mean, the winner of Colorado, Vegas is going to get the winner of Montreal, Winnipeg, which is probably going to be similar to what happened with Colorado St. Louis, which is probably going to be a sweep for one of the teams. And, yes, that piece from Dom on the Athletic, I think it was Rachel Dari of the New Jersey Devils.

He wrote in there that she rewatched every McDavid shift for the series against Winnipeg, counted over 30 infractions. were missed. And I think the best line from that article, Dom writes, you know, when the stakes are at their highest, when there's the most to lose, the actual rules matter less in this beautiful game suffers as a result. I don't think a lot of people realize that, you know, when you're just letting the boys play in quotation marks, you're not calling the rule book and you're deciding the game that way. I don't think people understand that and you're not helping the teams that, you know, they're not committing the penalties,

but the other team is, and you're not punishing those teams. It just, it doesn't make any sense to me. It's been a problem like that, as you said, for many years now. And the worst thing about this, Jeff, is that, you know, the refs are just, to not go to very words, they're doing their jobs as they are instructed to do them.

You know, the league wants it this way. That's the worst thing. Gary Bettman and, you know, all of his, what's the word? What's the word? I guess, what, stooges, I guess, you know, with everyone up there in the league's office, they want it to be this way and that's I think the most sad part

I don't know that I agree that it's it's Batman's way as much as it is Paris's way yeah because ever since that New York Rangers thing it seems to have been even more lax or at the very least random in terms of where discipline

was administered and that that's it's not good I mean what it's going to do is it's going to bring the enforcers back in the league and granted it's it's it's It's part of hockey's history, but we've reached a point, I believe, in hockey where we understand that hockey is a better product when you have actual players of skill playing, not trying to avoid Leviathens on the ice whose only purpose is to punch faces who wouldn't know what to do with the puck if it ever got on their stick. You know?

Yeah. It doesn't belong in the NHL game. It just doesn't. Yeah, I 100% agree with that. I really hope that we don't see any more enforcers into this game, especially because with how fast pace it's gotten. And, you know, there is so much skill in our game already that I really hope we don't ever go back to that. Like you said, you know, they wouldn't know the puck was on their stick even if they saw it.

So it does need, the officiating does need to be fixed. I'm hoping that with ESPN taking over the rights for the next seven years, as well as TNT, which is also a major broadcasting partner for a lot of other sports, that maybe some of the people on their calling the games will call it out and maybe the league will start taking it serious. But I'm not going to hold my breath on that. I just, I really won't. My fear is that what's eventually going to happen is you're going to get some meathead that hits a guy, because again, the pace of the game is way faster than it was 10 years ago. You're going to get a guy who hits some guy, you know, similar to the probably Perry on Tavares.

that wasn't intentional but when you get when you change somebody's or a momentum of their like head you know that's very scary and one i don't want this ever to happen but what i see happening is somebody dying on the ice and then the league going gee what could we have done about that god for me that ever happens man but i mean that's that's where this is leading that's exactly where this is pointing and it's a terrible place and it's it's a terrible place and it's sucks that it's going to have to bring something like that. And I really hope it doesn't happen. I really hope it changes before that happens.

But with a bloodthirsty league, you know, they're going to get blood. Yeah. And, you know, I agree with you. And like I said, man, I'm hoping that this gets changed or fixed sooner rather than later. And I think another thing is, you know, some of these calls that, you know, that it's kind of similar during the regular season. We don't notice as much because, okay, you know, it's one out of 82 games. not everyone watches

every other season game just because I guess more casual fans start watching for the playoffs. But as the playoffs come around and the stakes get the highest, everyone is tuning into every single shift because it's your team. Of course, you're going to watch

every single shift of every single game. So I think that's also why this problem gets called out more in the playoffs and rightfully so. As the stakes get higher, you want your officiating to be as good as it can be and you don't see a lot of these problems in the NFL.

I know the NFL has their officiating problems, but I don't think it's to the point of the NHL and with MLB with their umpires. You know, everyone's been calling for Robo-UMS for so long, you know, myself included, but I don't even think theirs is nearly as bad as the NHLs. But still have a little more to get to

for this episode of Locked on Penguin's podcast. But before we do that, it's time to talk about Bet Align, the fastest and easiest way to build on your sports action. Baseball season is in full swing and you can track all the action at Bed Online. For the next pitch, head over to BetOnline on your laptop or phone and check out all the great story news.

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as shows Twitter at L.O. or Swar Penguins. Just a few more minutes for you here, Jeff. I did want to ask you about this whole, this weird thing with David Ayers and his wife on Twitter. Going at Danny, you know, Shari Irving, of course, who does great work with the plans blog. I basically shout him out here weekly, I think, on the podcast for all the work that he does.

Because he had that tweet last night, you know, calling out, you know, you only hear about this veteran leadership and all this grit and toughness ever again because that's the reason why Toronto did sign. Players such as Wayne Simmons and they traded for Nick Felino when Taylor Hall was right there and Jason Spetsza, even though I thought Spetsa

had a good year, I guess maybe it's not really geared towards them, but some of the other great and toughness players. Just, you know, what are your thoughts on that entire situation with Danny on all them? Okay, so here's a update. She has deleted the text that she were tweeted of Danny's, and Danny was basically saying,

hey look Toronto went out and got DeVaris they went out and got Tolino and a bunch of other players that were noted for their veteran presence he goes they lost against Montreal spare me the narrative about how veteran presence makes a team better and you know Danny who's very much in the analytics is rightfully so questioning the decision to go out and get the

you know most veteran players they could without consideration to, well, outstanding consideration to their analytical contribution. And so Sarah Ayers, noted wife of emergency backup goalie 15 minutes of fame, David Ayers, took it upon herself to say, I'm not going to get mad, I'm not going to say bad things to him, I'm just going to let him live in his fantasy land or something to that effect where she was like insulting Danny for his perspective. right and so you know me being the one to ruffled feathers on twitter as I usually am I retweeted her and I said here's some facts your husband was lucky only because he was there when he was when he was and that doesn't make you any sort of expert whatsoever and it doesn't

it doesn't and then she clapped back to me with something what was it she said oh my husband worked his ass off for eight years of the least organization to get where he did I think about luck back to the AHA game as well. No, it doesn't make me an expert, but it makes me a lot more in tune than a random sports guy who puts people down. Oh, does it, Becky? Because if you think that he has the wrong perspective, maybe you could take it up with Joe Thornton on the nearest golf course. First of all, you know, I'm not trying to discredit in David Ayers. He had the opportunity of a lifetime. And being a semi-pro goalie who never quite made it, that's awesome. The

Keynes did an awesome job in front of him, played some awesome defense. He got the win against his stay a routine. He lived every non-professional hockey player like rabbit hockey fans dream. He really did. And I'm very happy for the guy. But she has this little inexplicable army of eBug sips out there that sit there and they fluff her. They fluff her and they're just, they're persuading her. They persuaded her that he got there somehow on his ability.

Now, if I'm to look up his statistics on like a hockey reference page, and they do have it out. Their elite prospects had his statistics. He backed up for eight AHL games

in the year of 2015-60 for the Toronto Marley's, right? He never actually played. He played for the Norwood Vipers of the, I have no idea what this league even is, the ACH. The internet is telling me that it is the...

I don't even really know what that league is, to be honest with you. It's not even a league. I just clicked on it and it says ACH. So this is something I've never heard of. I don't know if it's like the equivalent of the WHL or something to that effect. But his safe percentage in that league was 0.777. And then he played his one game as the emergency backup goalie. And so my point was mainly calling her out on

saying, you know, that statistics don't matter or whatever, and that, you know, if she wasn't the wife of the emergency backup goalie who, by chance, got into a game against the Leafs, she would have, you know, no business commenting on anything, right? And, you know, it wasn't, you know, some sort of misogynistic thing or anything like that. It was just somebody who felt they had a place you know trying to chirp Danny and so I you know being a friend of Danes as well

I stuck up for him and so their army of simps was trying to at me and strangely none of them are really good at uh insults on Twitter there was a couple that I had no idea what they were talking about a couple that I'm pretty sure weren't even speaking English but using English words

that said um yeah She says that he earned it. She said, and I quote, let's go back to the tweet. My husband worked his ass off for eight years. He was a Zamboni driver. It's not as though he worked his way through the ranks into the Carolina hurricanes. We're like, oh, let's give this guy a start.

No, he was a Zamboni driver. And James Reimer and whoever the heck, the other Carolina goalie was, was there Marazzic? It might have been Marzic. Whoever it was, gosh. hurt. And so they're like, we need somebody. And he was like, hey, I'm here. I've played goalie before. How's that not luck? Oh, and she also retweeted my tweet and said, lucky. And then that's when all the sims came pouring in. And so I did see that. And I'm also just kind of tired of,

you know, all this, you know, the anti-analytic scrap, especially when a team like Toronto goes out anyway, because you have all the, the weird people who just despise them. And then, you know, the people that go for Danny and then this stuff starts. It's just such, it's just such hogwash, I think. And, you know, if I saw a tweet today, I don't know, remember who tweeted it, but, you know, if you're not really using analytics, even in some capacity, you're behind the curve. And I think you'll always be behind their curve if you never incorporate them into your analysis. And I think that's why, you know, some of those people like, you know, Sarah Ayers and David Ayers are just, you know, so mad just because, you know, I think they're behind the curve a little bit. And, you know, they're just that they get mad for the sake of getting mad. And I think that's honestly what you're seeing.

on Twitter with them is that they just can't even take a little bit of heat. Right. And, you know, it's a great story. And by all means, David Ayers that the whole story was awesome. You know, but the reality of it is that veteran leadership

and ignorance toward analytics, I mean, how old DuBoss was known to be an analytics. He was known for it. And he totally just ignored this year and said, let's go get the most leadership-oriented players that we can. And it blew up in a sense. similar to how, you know, the Leafs playing against their Zamboni driver blew up in their face.

I think the main thing with that is. I think he honestly felt the pressure from the Toronto media because, like, oh, well, you know, they lost to Columbus. They weren't big enough. Like, they were go out and get some grit and some toughness. And then Dubus was like, okay, when I got Wayne Simmons, you know, the trade for Nick Felino, Joe Thorne, Jason Spetsa, you know, now what is he going to do after his team just below 3-1 series lead? You know, is he going to stick with that? Or is he going to blow the team up a little bit?

is he going to stick to his usual philosophy? There's a lot of questions coming for him, I think, in this offseason. I agree. And, you know, I don't get me wrong. Toronto, the thing that I'm happy about with Toronto losing is that the media is so wildly insufferable. It's, you know, just the way that, you know, they run players out of town. I mean, you look at, first of all, look at Phil Kessel and the whole Steve Simmons thing. and, you know, it's just, and then the whole, like, oh, we, you know, we revived the career of Alex Galchenyuk because he played well for like two or three games in a row.

And it's just insufferable. And so anytime Toronto, you know, I have liked Toronto in the past, and, you know, I hope for their success. And they've got a lot of good players. I like Austin Matthews. I like, you know, William Nealander. I like Mitch Warner. But in the end, it's their fans, their media are. insufferable that it's like they lost all right i could i can't stomach that oh and steve dangle

oh my god i can't stand steve dangle i mean some of these some of these videos are definitely not for me i'll say that about him though um it does take a lot of work and dedication to like actually keep doing that which is he's been doing i don't know how long exactly he's been doing it but the fact that he keeps doing it um you know i i i did i finally tuned into one of his videos It was the one today. I think it was like a half an hour. And I'm not really someone who tunes into them a lot. You know, sometimes I can't take it.

But today I actually- The full-castle video was good. But that's from a Pittsburgh Penguins fan perspective. I actually kind of felt bad for him today, just saying whatever he said for 20, 25 minutes. I just, it comes a point where it's just like your franchise is cursed. And there's just nothing you can do about it. I don't even believe that in sports.

But when it comes to that franchise, you'd be hard pressed to tell me about that. team is not gersed hunter it's a matter of time until we see him come up with a movie steve dangles big adventure where somebody steals his bike and he's got to find it and they're ex leach to help him find it that he's lost again that would that would that would that would be a bit funny to watch that i i would just say you know i did feel um a bit bad definitely only watching this video you know like I said, a lot of his stuff is not for me, but I will no respect his dedication to always doing it

just because, you know, he's been at it for, I think, over a decade now. But, Jeff, unless you have anything else to add, I think I might call this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast, but, you know, where can everyone follow you on Twitter for all your Penn's takes? At Radham Zahorna. And that is all you need to know. Basically, you know, he will post anything regarding penguins

and a whole bunch of other stuff as well. But Jeff, thank you so much for coming on, man. I really appreciate it. And we'll have another episode tomorrow with Wesley Euler coming on the show of ESPN Pittsburgh. So I'll talk to you all then.