The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Postgame Show: The Hockey Show with Roy and David

Episode Date: November 23, 2023

This is not a best of. But it is Roy and David Dwork of The Hockey News talking hockey with ESPN's John Buccigross. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe King's Network. Hello, welcome to the Let's Rush this episode in talk hockey so we can stuff our faces with turkey and sweet potato casserole show. My name is Roy Bellamy. David Druck is here from the Hockey News. And first of all, if you're watching our video, we did not play in this, but we are wearing the same hoodie. Is a CCM hoodie right now? I'm perfectly warm. We didn't play in this. But CCM, if you are watching, which I doubt you are, please,

pretty please, we're sure going top. Sponsor, I'll show. Thank you. All right, everybody. We are ready for the 10 minute misconduct. We have a guest here, John Butchagross from ESPN, and we're gonna get started right now. I wanna get started by talking about the biggest surprises and disappointments. And I gotta tell you, the bolt from the Pacific Division in my humble opinion,

I think Vancouver's having a real surprising season that I had actually doing very well, but the Edmonton Oilers are not doing well right now. What is your biggest surprise and disappointment so far in the season, John? Yeah, I think you nailed it Roy right there. I was certainly Edmonton by far the biggest disappointment. Some had them winning the Stanley Cup. I didn't have them going that far.

Certainly a team after winning playoff series the last couple of years and losing to the eventual champion. You knew they were just about right there. You never loved their team. You knew they had bottom six issues scoring goals and the defense is not real dynamic, a little pedestrian. So maybe I guess those warts were just overlooked because how good Mick David and Drysaddle have been. And now that they're kind of back to mere mortals this is what happens and uh... so as a result yeah just unbelievable set of circumstances if they were not to make the playoffs that would be uh... huge shock so john somebody who a name that's been kind of floating around in the news a lot lately is Patrick Kane one of the maybe the best pure american goal scorers that we've seen at least in my generation

he's been linked to a few teams one one of them is the Florida Panthers. Finance is going to come into it, but from what I've been reading and from what I've been told, it sounds like this is a guy that just wants to win. So, what have you heard about Patrick Kane just as he's getting ready to make his season debut here? Yeah, I've heard that too. I'm surprised that you guys won three Stanley cops. You won a lot.

I figured he'd want to go just, you know, a place where he'd want to live and want to play for a couple of years. And the environment and maybe another story like returning to Buffalo, right, his hometown. I thought that'd be more important than just winning, but you know, these guys do like to win. It is a first and foremost on their mind. So, um, and a place that has a lot of support, like whether it be Colorado or really good team, because he's not going to carry a team anymore at this age. So that's what I've, but I've heard the winning part. So I guess you can get both. I guess there are options we can get both. And so it's interesting.

You know, certainly I've heard Florida now, they're, they're another, a team who seems to be in the hunt Dallas. I've always said Colorado all along because, you know, especially right after they won the Stanley Cup, they seem themselves to have some more seen themselves that some war style they get some some ugly losses sometimes sorry about that fellas I'm here by the beverage station at the Lensia driving range so I always thought Colorado was the place because of you know McKinney and Ranton and just the whole the whole support system there and McCarr as well. I wanna talk about the Columbus Blue jacket.

Steve had a disastrous season off. I mean, it even started in the preseason before training camp with the friaring of Mike Babcock all the way through the Patrick Linae benching. Why don't you give us some thoughts on what's going on in Columbus? Again, another shocker. Again, I didn't have them as a playoff

team. So it's not like I'm certainly surprised, but the fact that they could end up at top three lottery team again. After all the money they spent, they redid their D to get some adult veterans. Adam Fantill is the real deal. He's going to be a 15, 20 year veteran, a really good player, Bordeaux-Line, Hall of Fame, or probably, if not in. So, but you know, when you think about, when you do add a lot of pieces and you play a young lineup, which is what they are, I guess, you know, you have to expect a slow start, you know, sometimes it all comes together quickly.

But I guess we really shouldn't be surprised, you know, this is a older guys, all rich, all new, and then younger guys who are still learning how to play in key spots. So and then you have kind of one trick ponies with Goodrow and Lioney. And so I guess maybe again that's what's great about the season. You just don't know until they play 20 games what people look like, what anything it looks like.

So again, not a shocker because again, I didn't have them as a playoff team, but again, to go what they went through with Babcock, have this new coach who's really flexing his muscles the first time around, Benchin, Lionel, Benchin, Gidrow, Benchin people, Severson as well, who's now heard. So, yeah, that's another surprise disappointment for sure. Looking ahead, John, there's some chatter that the NHL may be doing another tournament, like a best on best, like the tournament an international tournament, where we haven't seen anything since the World Cup of Hockey, which I wanna say was 2018,

it's been, it feels like it's been a while. Yeah, but it was 15 or 16, I can't remember either. Yeah, I was thinking 2016, but that felt like too long ago. No, yeah, it was that long ago. But it was a lot of fun, right? Like, even though it wasn't like your traditional countries against one another, I enjoyed it a a lot i know that a lot of the players have been pining for something like that so now that they end they're

talking about the players in the leader talking about maybe doing something with like four nations as somebody who's covered a lot of these international events would you be excited for something like that and what would your thoughts be just on doing it with like just was it canada finland u.s. and sweeten what they're talking about right yeah i'd like to have six. You know, I'd like to add Slovakia and Czech Republic. That would be a little better.

Anyway, we're not gonna David Postor knock play on this thing. One of the most popular players in the league, but yeah, not having best on best has been one of the few failures of the NHL, these last, like you said, coming up on a decade now. I know because it was pre-gray hair for me. That's how I know it was pre-2017.

Yeah. During the hurricane here, I'm not going to shave, and I like this. That's how I know. I'm lying at demarcation for the World Cup of Hockey is my hair going gray. So, yeah, no, we need best on best. We need to see Conor Bedard and Conor McTheAvid on a line. We need to see Connerba Dard and Conner McDavid on a line. We need to have that patriotism that each country feels. And it's important, and it's, you know,

it'll grow the game. It'll gain fans. And it's important, and not so much growing the game is in this day and age because of the rise of women's sports and the rise of F1 and the Premier League soccer at the last 15, 20 years. How's people in America pick a favorite team by a jersey. You know, there's only so much money and eyeballs that go around.

So you better, as long as you don't fall behind, so it's not so much growing. It's like, hey, so let's stay status quo. So, you know, it's a $4 billion, $4 to $6 billion industry. So it's strong. It's healthy. More teams are coming with a billion dollar expansion fees so uh... yeah but that best on best is what really helps grow the game internationally which is what you really you

do what they they investigate uh... they they do it now and uh... it's an important part of the puzzle uh... between the president's trophy season cut chuck trade the also game the stank final, the eyes of hockey have really been on sunrise right now for the Florida Panthers. Tonight they played a Boston Bruins. It'll be the third straight sellout and it'll be the fourth and nine games. And keep in mind, it's going to be two sellouts on Thanksgiving week. Like, this is amazing, this is an amazing time for Florida.

What are your thoughts about this? Yeah, it really is. I always believed in the market, believe in the state. It took off in Tampa because of the championships, obviously, but that's been a very successful NHL franchise for a long time. Always thought it could work in Florida. And that space at the whole center piece

that made this whole happen was the map you could chuck trade. That will go down as the seminal moment, the tectonic plate shifting moment for Florida Panthers that will take them and have them be competitors and relevant and more important interesting for the next 15 years. It's one thing to have a good team, but it's also, it's just a whole other level when it's an interesting team. And that's what, and, you know, that's where part of, I think Boston's sports city, hydrogen bomb that's gone off these last know, that's where part of I think Boston Sports City hydrogen bomb that's gone off these last 25 years is yeah, they've won temperatures, but they've been really interesting. Manu Ramirez, David Ortiz, you know, even Brad Marshan for the Bruins,

well, it's been over 10K now since they won their cup, but interesting cats, not just Winnie, but do it with interesting players. And of course, the Patriots with Brady and Grant, and like, that's just a personality. And that's what Kachukka's brought. And so yeah, I'm going to the game tonight. I'm actually going to hang out with Sean Thornton, who's obviously part of the business side of the Panthers, trying to get those season ticket numbers up, trying to get the corporate sponsors, trying to get the barn full as much as they can to have that great ambiance and have that experience even be better for existing season ticket holders.

So they know, because it's more fun for everybody, the players, the fans, the broadcasters, if the house is full and it's on fire. And so I'm looking forward to the scene tonight against the Bruins. Obviously, the division foe, I picked the Panthers to win the division before the year. They're right on the Bruins.

I still think they're gonna win the division once they get healthy. I think they're a better team at Boston all the way around. Gold tennings, the big Bruins edge. But it's gonna be a good benchmark for the Panthers. They're gonna take this very seriously tonight. I think you'll see extra stir it up stuff from Kachak and Martian tonight.

It's gonna be very fun. Oh, it's Roy's pointing to me. It's my, I turn my volume down. We started naming all those New England things that had been going really well. So let me just get focused on that. Yeah. I'm sorry. Yeah. Actually, focus. Good segue though, because I did want to ask you. We didn't, but she's brought your on career. Yeah. Okay. We'll positive note there. But I did want to ask you about something happening

in Boston right now. The whole situation happening with me along Luchich. He's away from the team right now. It came out that he's entering the NHL and NHLPA players assistance program following a reported arrest that he had for domestic incident. It's obviously an awful situation that you everything is very individualized, but I wanted to ask you just kind of figure

insight to touch on anything that you've heard about the situation. Yeah, not me. Again, we weren't there. We don't know for sure, but you know, hey, this he said, you know, he's obviously had issues in his past with his temper, whether it's at a nightclub in Vancouver or, you know, and out with his wife and his kids and a family and the Bruins are tight organization. They obviously, he was part of their Stanley Cup winning team.

The last time they won one, they brought him back, really, obviously, are much PR reasons. Is anything as the disappointing off to the Panthers, the retirement of Crachy and Bergeron. I think let's get some good news here and get some good mojo with him. And they brought him back. It was a very popular sign. He started off. They start off well.

He starts off well. Has them in playing due to injury. But now since he's been out, they've been fine. So certainly he has, you know, he certainly has some rope with the organization and with Cam Mealy because he's, again, he's an important part. He was kind of their grok and a lot of ways back

when they won the Stanley Cup, a great fighter, breaking glass, given body checks. So, yeah, I'm sure they'll give him, you know, the benefit of any kind of doubt, but if he never plays again, that's also, you know, very possible. So we'll see how it goes with the investigation and what his wife obviously she controls a lot in this, which he wants to do about it.

And so now we just have to wait and see. But I think that Bruins realize these last, this last month, last two weeks, that they don't need them from a team perspective. Their team is strong, their room is still strong. And so, in that way, and he's not the player that he used to be. So we'll have to see what what happens here. I'm sure I'm sure it'll happen here in the next few you know next couple weeks or so one way or the other. Finally you mentioned a panther's potentially

winning the division at your prediction. Now let's go over your predictions. Who's going to win the East Division? Who's going to win the conference and who's going to lift a cup? Yeah I had the panthers certainly win in the individual, you know, one of the best divisions in hockey. I just felt like, you know, that the roster was very strong of the defense. How montours come along. And then just, you know, what they did last year was really impressive. But I'll, you know, Matthew Goodchock is a certified NHL superstar, a certified elite playmaker along the lines of Sydney Crosby or anybody else. He can't skate like those guys. He's different play, but when he has the puck in the offensive zone,

the decisions he makes and the way he passes the puck and sees the play, he's two steps ahead of everybody, which he has to be because, as we know, he's very slow. So, but that's what fast thinkers can become fast, quicker and fast players. So, I just think of Chuck as an MVP candidate and he will be for the next five years. And so, that's why I like them the Winter Division. You know, the Metro's top, I think the Rangers are the best team. The Devils just don't seem, they get bullied by the Rangers.

I would think they would be in that, on Zadorov and any other defense pin or four that can give them some grit and grime. They're just getting bullied and they better fix that or they will not be a successful playoff team. So I still think the Rangers there. Over the central, I think, yo strange losses this year. You and the Pacific Vegas is st

now they know, okay, we're g start tomorrow. You know, th else now. I don't want to go season hockey or five more m big four and overall, I re comes down to Colorado and Vegas. I picked Colorado before the year, but man, if I had a better paycheck, then looking the way that Vegas team is built up and down, you probably would have to say, if I have

to better paycheck, I'd better bet on Vegas. And then the Eastern Conference, it really comes down. I do think it comes down to the Rangers and the Panthers. I think those are the two candidates. Unless there's a ground breaking trade, where Toronto gets two real defensemen and the Panthers. I think those are the two candidates. Unless there's a ground breaking trade, where Toronto gets two real defensemen, and the gold tenning goes nuts. I really do think the Panthers have a great chance

to return, and we have a great chance for a repeat of last year's final. I really do. Wow, okay. I need. From the entertainment sports program in network, John Butchegross, thank you, sir. Thank you.

the entertainment sports program network John Butchegras. Thank you sir. Thank you.