The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - The Hockey Show: Is Nathan MacKinnon Better Than Connor McDavid?

Episode Date: January 17, 2025

It's a packed edition of The Hockey Show this week as the gang kicks off the show with their hot takes, winners and fails of the week. Could the Columbus Blue Jackets actually make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference? How concerning is the Carolina Hurricanes lost to the Buffalo Sabres? Has anybody ever fallen down as cartoonishly as Detroit Red Wings' defenseman Moritz Seider? Then, Adnan Virk joins us for his monthly visit to discuss some of the hot topics around the league including whether or not Nathan MacKinnon is the best player in the world right now over Connor McDavid. Plus, he shares his thoughts on Wicked with us and tells us whether or not he has ever walked out of a movie. Finally, the boys recap the week that was for the Florida Panthers as the defending Stanley Cup Champions continue to march through the doldrums of the NHL regular season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Welcome to this week's hockey show. My name is Roy Bellamy. David Dwork of the Hockey News is over here. And for some strange reasons, Rose is in the studio. I don't know why you're here. Hi Rose. Hi. Welcome to this side of the camera.

No thank you. Thank you. People have been wanting me here so. There's been a, there's been an increase in the demand for more Rose content so we are I don't know why because I don't know anything but look at me. So more Rose content includes you being in the same studio as us? Yes. So it's a slippery slope.

Yeah, it's a slippery slope. Okay, so we have slap shots. I don't know if you have any. Do you have any hot takes? Do you have any wins in a week? Do you have any fails in a week? No, but- Then why are you in the studio?

I'm gonna show you those things that I have. So go first with your hot takes. Dave, hot take please. All right, my hot take is look out for the Columbus Blue Jackets. They are a team on a mission right now. Right now, as we record this on Friday morning, they're holding the first wild card spot in the East.

Excuse me. They're 22, 17, and six. Ethan, what did you say that they were since was it 10 10 to our last 21 games? They're 17 10 and 4 I believe which has them on pace for like an 110 point pace or something ridiculous like that. So Since they picked up Dante Fabro off waivers in Nashville. They're playing like an 110 point team So the switch got flipped with Fabro. Well, they've got the emotional element going with the whole, you know, they're playing for Johnny

Godreau and, you know, the season dedicated to him. They've got Zach Werenstey playing on another planet right now, possibly a Norris Trophy winner. Here's my question to you guys though, before we move on. Can you name three non-Werenstey Blue Jackets? Because this is a team that has so little star power, it's kinda crazy. No, Mizzurkins.

I can do it. Adam Fentili. Yeah, Fentili. Cole Sillinger. Sergei. And Sean Monahan. Very good. Yeah, you just made up a name.

No, but my point is they're doing this with so little big names and everything, and they're still playing well, and they're doing it the right way and it's just a fun great story. I'm really enjoying it and I hope that they can continue the season because who doesn't love a sentimental... The best part is that Johnny Hockey's best friend Sean Monahan is having a great year. Oh yeah. He's second in the team in scoring.

No, he's third. Excuse me. He's behind Marshenko and the ridiculous Zach Rentsy who's actually leading Columbus in scoring as we said today from the blue line. This guy's probably gonna win the Norris Trophy if he keeps it up. Yeah, I guess the same could be said about Colin Caulfield in Montreal,

talking about best friends and everything. Yeah, yeah, that's true. You always say the number change. Yeah, the number change kinda changed everything for him in that situation. My hot take is from the Devils-Panthers game earlier this week. The hit by Matthew Kachuk on Nico Hescher was clean.

I don't care what anybody else says. I don't think this is as much of a hot take, Roy. It apparently is because I've been fighting with everybody. He's got a penalty, but... This was a good shot from Kachuk, I thought. I had to explain the rules here when it comes to check in this situation We're showing this on video and as a loop here first. That's not interference. That was the call the ice interference You go he should touch the puck before

Magic you chuck hit him right my magic could chuck hit him up high but was in the chest It was not in the head. No, and of of course they're all saying that he left his feet. No he left his feet after contact. That's the major contention that everybody seems to be having. That's not charging. That's of course by the way was not the call on the ice. It was not charging. That was the wrong call.

If you watch the replay the long shot after Kachuk hit Heesher, neither ref put his arm up. Correct. The whole scrum started both arms were down so i call bs a little bit kichuck is referee officiated differently than any other player in the league he got that call off of reputation because the scrum breaks out and they're like well we got to throw kichuck in the box for starting this it's crazy my other problem with the league right now is that clean hits are being met like they're you know two hands sticks to the mouth it's ridiculous

like we're kind of watering down hockey a little bit by having these crazy reactions to big hits. It's very frustrating. There's zero reason why the devil should have been on a power play in that situation because considering that, that jumped. That's the other thing. No, he was in a headlock.

Yeah. Oh, you're going to call roughing on him for that? No, that's the referees basically saying it's okay to have that kind of reaction to a legal big hit. It's okay, we're not gonna call a penalty if you wanna go ahead and react like that and be a baby. As long as it goes against Matthew Kachuck is the other thing.

But calling interference though, which is obviously not what happened because he sure touched the puck there, that is terrible officiating. You just made up a penalty. No me gusta, Rose, no me gusta. It's not good. Yeah, so actually I have my hot take. And my hot take is that the next NHL All-Star game should be a karaoke battle.

A karaoke battle? Like in the skills competition? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think there will be more scoring points and people will be more interested in that. They already have karaoke battles. That's every single band at the NHL books for these things. Really? But you don't want to see Sidney Crosby up there singing. No, I don't want to see Sidney Crosby. Rose, who would be the best karaoke singer in the NHL? Ooh.

Alexander Barkov. Yeah, I think with his accent. You could just ask me the question. No, no, no, no. I think with his accent on my accent, we can do a better, beautiful duet. Imagine. He's singing Endless Love. I would. He's singing endless love.

I would enjoy that. Yeah. My love. There's only you. David, who's your winner of the week? Okay, my winner of the week is a young man named Cameron First. The Minnesota Wilde signed this nine year old

to a one day contract. He is a make a wish kid. He's a young goaltender. And the Minnesota Wilds signed him. He took part in a practice with the team. He got one-on-one lessons from Marc-Andre Fleury. He had the time of his life. It was just an awesome, awesome story.

I loved seeing the footage from the Wild Practice. There's footage right now playing of Flower giving him some tips there. And now he's robbing a bunch of Wild players in the trees, making kick saves. And oh, just such an awesome story. It made me smile for hours after I saw it. I just love it.

I wanted to share this with anybody who hadn't seen it already. Just really cool all around. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's great man. Again, go to Tobias, but this one is a good one. Dude, dude, shut up. I'm sorry, I apologize. It's my win of the week. Now, as I said before before please be a goalie

No, it is not a goaltender. It is actually Alessandra, risk it now as I said before humans love dogs more than they love people and With good reason because people are stupid Yeah, I mean no people suck people suck people suck people absolutely suck you don't suck. Oh, thank you Yeah, you're good. You're a person. You are a good person. There we go.

But people as a whole, they're bad. Bad, bad. We have been deceived, so. Deceived, okay. Yeah, but yeah, you were saying about dogs. So, oh, vetchkin and dogs? Yeah, oh, vetchkin and dogs. Apparently, him going to the Capital One Arena

earlier this week, he met up with a couple of dogs by the name of Maxine, otherwise known as Mad Max, who was put on his back, you know, backpack, and another dog by the name of Hammy, who he was on a leash and he walked. Now, this is just wholesome content here that you can see on video. So, Alexander Oveskins, he's walking his dog, he's giving it a treat and the dog on his back, Max, is wearing sunglasses. I don't know if I've seen the dog backpack before actually. I'm trying to remember. It looks like a common thing the way that they're all reacting to it, but I don't know

if I've seen that. Yeah, I mean, this is embroidered. What happens if the dog goes to the bathroom while you're carrying him in the backpack? Uh-uh, they're very intelligent. They don't. I didn't know that. Because they're trained, come on.

That's the sales pitch right there. No, you're good. Dogs are smart, just don't worry about it, you're fine. No, they're trained, so they know that they- Dogs definitely don't shit everywhere. Exactly. No. No, no, no, it's not like a friend of mine took her dog to the office and it shit in the office, and she had to pick up the shit

I mean I'm pretty sure the dog went to find a Specific place and smelled and smelled and there now here's the question What if during that little situation that dog did shit down Alex Ovechkin's back? And then he went out and sort of hat trick then it would be the the fail. Oh, does he have to be shit on before every game? It would be the shit trick. That's what that would be. I'm just saying. I wouldn't put it past some hockey players.

Maybe not Ovi, but I wouldn't put it past some hockey players. Yeah. Roy, what's your fail of the week? Superstitious. Super superstitious. I have a win of the week. We also have our PlayStation ready, so we're going to have a battle between the four of us and see who wins. What are we going to be playing? Oh, we're going have a battle between the four of us and see

who wins. What are we gonna be playing? Oh we're gonna play NHL 25. Great. I asked for Barcov. You realize you do, you play teams right? You know. So you want to be the Panthers? Yeah. Maybe I'll be the Islanders just so I can stomp Rose with Matthew Barzell. Okay you do that. Dave what's your fail of the week? My fail of the week goes out to the Carolina Hurricanes for two reasons. Number one, the Carolina Hurricanes somehow gave up a goal to the Buffalo Sabres without giving up a shot on goal,

which is pretty impressive and unique in and of itself. And it was an empty net situation, obviously, but that goes into the second part of my fail for Carolina. You lost the Buffalo. Your net was empty against Buffalo. That's not fair because Florida lost the Buffalo. And you know what, if Florida had lost the Buffalo and given up a goal without giving up a shot,

I'd be poop emoji-ing on them too. But right now it's the Carolina Hurricanes who are in the dog house, as we get back to the OV thing, because that was a double whammy against a team that has yet to pull itself out of being made fun of in that realm. Buffalo has yet to not become the laughing stock of the league.

They're working on it, they got a nice little run going right now, but so do a lot of teams outside of the playoffs in the East and it's still January. And Buffalo notoriously has had one good stretch of play most seasons, usually it's at the out of the gate gate usually they start off really good and then fall off the cliff maybe this year they're doing it in the middle of the season or maybe they're good I don't know but until they prove that they're not they're my doghouse

team and Carolina you can't do that man like what do you think it the situation on that empty net goal that was awarded because it wasn't a shot a goal it was a breakaway and it was a penalty and there was no goal turn in the in the crease to stop it so they awarded the goal how aside from a penalty shot because there was no goal turn in the crease that's what I like it yeah that's the rule that's that's that's what happens in this situation protecting goalies it makes me think about the Panthers Allenders playoffs series I don't think that it was a breakaway that Vincent Trotrek had. No. But he was penalty

It wasn't a breakaway. It was like a zone They had the puck in the zone. I think he was in the right face-off circle going towards the net at the time And they didn't nobody in front of him No, no It was like they were in the zone like passing it trying to get a shot at the empty net or maybe they just rushed In over the line. I just remember it wasn't like a breakaway situation. He had guys in between and he just got taken down. No call. Puck turns around down the ice and Yeah, and the refs. Yeah Sorry to bring up that bad memory. It's my uh fail of the week. Uh, and this is a story that is delivered by

Quote-unquote the second best goal tender of all time, Martin Boudoir Last winter I'm in Florida, my buddy invites me to his country club for dinner, and I sit there and Patrick's a member there, and he's sitting with a couple of his buddies and his girlfriend, and he gets up, hey Marty, like, long time no see, hey, what's going on? Like, and a week later he got the job in Long Island,

but never said a word to me. And so, just being nice, I get up, hey, it was nice seeing you. Shake his hand and he goes, oh, let me introduce you to my girlfriend. And he goes, hey, this is Marty Bird, the second best goalie in the world. I thought it was the funniest thing. Oh my God. I mean, it is debatable. That was from the Cam and Strict podcast. It is legitimately

debatable. Like it's one and two in this. It might be one A one B. I don't know man. In that era, just then when they were in the lead, you also had Dominic Hoshet playing. Okay. I'm just saying like he might not have the same amount of cups as those two guys, but I feel like they're all in the same conversation. Well, here's the situation that though I mean the counting stats you give it to Montana Brodor, but when it comes to Head-to-head and they've only played each other in the playoffs seven times because that was Stanley Cup playoff. Mm-hmm The Stanley Cup final I should say That goes Patrick Wall and that one I think those is fourth Stanley Cup and that one

Yeah, come over that was also the report Cup, and that one put him over. That was also the Ray Bork year, I believe. Yeah. The 2000 year. Yep. So yeah, that one I think goes to raw on that one, Ethan. We were spoiled that time. I've got to fail the week, guys.

Did you see this Maureet Sider fall? This is, one of my favorite things in sports is when you're reminded how hard sports are and Just how athletic these guys are that even the most athletic guys can meet be made to look like idiots sometimes So we have the video here of mariette cider of the Detroit Red Wings He's skating back and he just eats shit in the most cartoonish way possible Like this is just the most drawn-out fall fall I think I've ever seen on a hockey so is he trying to avoid that? One of the greatest falls I've ever seen it just sounds like it should have some hannah-barbera like sound effect underneath it

It's so good. Yeah, the Fred Flintstone bowling sounded That's rough I credit to credit society though because you could see is he's kind of falling backwards he decided to like completely lean into what was happening and he like kicks his legs up and like lucky nobody was around yeah that would have that woman tragic I just don't understand like this is that embellishment yeah like no I mean he just fell it would be embellish me but he No, I mean he just fell. It would be embellishment if he were trying to sell a penalty.

But he fell. Maybe that's what he was trying to do. Embellishment's basically like a... Maybe he figured, he's like, I'm about to eat it right now. Maybe I can try to make it look like I got taken down. Exaggerated slip on the banana peel situation there. That's just not making any sense.

Not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe. You take these bananas. Coming up next, we have Andy Burke from Prime Monday Night Hockey. We got our monthly check-in with him coming up next. What is... Dax, are you... Tracking all our cars on Carvana Value Tracker on all our devices? Yes, Kristin, yes I am. Well, I've been looking for my phone for- In DAX's domain, we see all. So we always know what our cars are worth. All of them?

All of them. Value Surge, trucks up 3.9%. That's a great offer. I know. Sell? Sell. Track your car's value with Carvana Value Tracker today. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, I see you and David as always. And before we get into that, I want to mention the fact I was so glad I was able to give you some intel on Blake Bolden.

Yes. Because you didn't just want the official scouting report, which I did give you as well. I'm like, hey, she was a scout. Luke Robitaille loves her. But I'm like, hey, I got to give you some good stuff. The fact that she walked out on Gladiator 2 and it's completely her husband's fault crapping

on Denzel. So I'm glad that that was a hit. Good to have Blakey here with you guys. Last week, we were in the great city of Chicago, which I got to be honest with you fellas, aside from the anthem and Connor Bedard, there's not a whole lot to watch here in Chicago, right now at the United Center. It's black locked down and it's not a fun team to watch, but heck of a city. And again, if you've never been to Chicago, just for the anthem, literally go enjoy the first two minutes and do a hell of a job in the anthem.

Not quite old Chicago Stadium, which was unbelievable. We rolled in the video of 1994, second last anthem there. But Flames win 5-2, heck of a win for Calgary. Again, five goals against Chicago is like 10 against anybody else. Or I should say the other way, two against anyone else. And this one, I can't wait fellas, big one. Lightning Leafs in Toronto. The last time the Leafs faced the Lightning, Toronto looked great. Might have been one of their best games of the season. That was a game earlier this year on Prime. Now the Leafs have lost three straight concern in Leafland. Big one against Tampa. It'll be fun.

Well, it seems like the Panthers are keeping pace with Toronto's, uh, poor play, uh, right now. Um, but I, before we get into the Panthers, I want to get into the pink ones who have officially waved Tristan Jari. Uh, he's getting demoted and they're going to bring up the, the goaltender from, uh, the miners.ers. What's going on with the goal tending situation in Pittsburgh? Yeah, it's ugly right now guys. I mean, Tristan Jari. I was talking to Jason Demers about this and he goes, yeah, but he's been bad for a while, right?

I was like, yeah, but he was supposed to be a guy and at one point he was a guy. He was a legit good goal tender and Pittsburgh is a fascinating story because especially earlier this season, you got man. They're terrible. They're in real trouble and Mike Sullivan's been the coach here a long time, a big fan of Sully's, but it's like they're veterans, aside from Crosby, who they once were, Malcolm LeTang, overpriced, and they don't have a youth movement. So how exactly do you rebuild?

And can you actually rebuild? Because you have Sidney Crosby. You're never going to rebuild. You're trying to win a cup right now every year until Sid retires. And will Sid ever leave? I don't think so. I can imagine. I think he's alive for forever. So how do you handle the situation? They didn't start playing much better hockey. You go,

okay, maybe Pittsburgh's a bubble team playoff, who knows, but the goal thing's been a real issue. So Jari's been a real disappointment for them. You go back and think about Matt Murray winning cups for them. Like they've never had like, hasn't been like Tom Barrasso there in a while. It hasn't like their goal thing's been staunched. So it's definitely a concern. And unfortunately for for joy that they had to make this move. We'll see if they can turn it around. I don't know, Dave. I don't think Pittsburgh is a bubble team. And it makes me happy, very, very much happy saying that. So go back to 2017. That's eight years ago, right? Yeah. That's when Pittsburgh said Marc-Andre Fleury was getting too old. Yeah. He's still in the league kicking fairly decent amounts of ass and Pittsburgh

has been meandering around a good goaltender for a while since. Just curious what would things have been like in Pittsburgh had they kept their franchise goaltender. We don't have to get into it. I just want to put it out into the universe. Roy, this should make you happy that they made such a poor decision. It does. It does. Absolutely. I mean, come on, your goaltending bias is just all over the studio right now. I think this is just common sense in this case, but let's get to my goaltending bias now. So, so Adnan, there's two goalies I want to bring up, one in the East and one in the West. Out West, you got Mackenzie Blackwood in Colorado, who I said

when the trade happened, he was going to take them to the final. I feel like I'm looking pretty smart right now in that regard. I remember that Dave, I was here because I was saying, why don't they go get Cam Talbot? I remember you said Mackenzie Blackwood is the guy, so I can corroborate that. Go ahead. And then in the East, Jacob Dobis in Montreal, he's now 4-0. He's kicking the East's butt right now. And I think, it's a little early, but I think this is the next great Montreal goaltender. I think he's going to be the next big one, the next Carey Price, the next Patrick. I don't know if he's going to play up to that level,

but I'm just saying in terms of a great goalie in a great hockey town. So I wanted to get your take on these two goalies who I'm very much focused on right now. Love it, Dovis first. So I was in Montreal a couple of weeks ago. Montembeau played in that game, but it's fascinating. Montembeau was thought to be the guy,

and he's on Team Canada's roster, as you guys know, for Four Nations, number three goalie. Montembeau was thought to be the guy, and he's on team Canada's roster, as you guys know, for four nations. Number three goalie, probably not going to play unless there's an emergency, but like thought to be a good enough goalie. Now Canada's goalies are not what they once were. Cheer points, not Patrick Watt, Kerry Price, Mark Tamborodura for all those years. Now America, of course, is the better goalie.

And by the way, we got to talk Connor Hellebuck for the heart. More shutouts than losses this year. The guy's unbelievable. Anyways, but- I love it. Dupuis has come in and it'd been a great story for them and now all of a sudden for Montreal and Marty St. Louise got options and the three of us know we've long gone past the days of having a primary goalie like now every team you feel like it's a two goalie system

and then it come playoff time. You ride the hot hand and even then if the guy falters in a playoff series, it's one one. He loses games to be in 40. Alright, we're going back to the other guy like let's figure this out. So I think it's important. It's 1-1. He loses games to be in 40. All right, we're going back to the other guy. Let's figure this out. So I think it's important. It's not like Dovis coming in that just negates Montembeau. But what it does is it allows you to say, hey, we have two guys we think are legit goaltenders.

And Montreal is a fascinating story. Early December, they looked dead and buried. And now, like Nosferatu, they're actually in this playoff mix. They have not made the playoffs in three years. But at least in the conversation, do I think they have enough? I don't, personally. But they're at least in the conversation. Do I think they have enough? I don't personally. But you start to look at that East Dave and you go, okay, what's going to be one of these?

I get the Bruins have fallen off. Maybe it's a sense. Maybe it's the Habs. Maybe it's the Flyers. It's not the Islanders. I don't think it's the Rangers. I don't think it's the Penguins. But like eventually seems it's in. So maybe Montreal can make a run. And this guy has been lights out.

And as the three of us know, there's no better place to watch a hockey game than Montreal it's an electric atmosphere the fans are knowledgeable the you get chills just being there and what he's doing right now is special. Blackwood to your point I remember asking I think Steve Cooley's about the NHL Network Radio and he was saying I goes Blackwood good enough to win a cup and he goes we have to get over this myth of thinking that unless you're an A plus goal, you're going to win the cup. Meaning in the past you used to say, well, unless you have Hellebuck or Schusterken, you win the cup.

And then those guys haven't won a cup. So like you don't have to the best goalie. I think Bobrovsky's has been a legit goalie. He's won the Vesna, was great for your Panthers. I get it. But I understood his point, meaning that until you become a guy who wins the cup, nobody will believe it. But there's no reason you can't win a cup.

Now right now at Colorado, we all know the start the season at injuries, they were underperforming, they were like that wild card team, and now it's like, dude, watch out. McKinnon for the heart, Rantzen could be in the heart conversation, McCarr is an elite defenseman and Blackwood's been simply dynamite. And all of a sudden Colorado looks like a sleeping giant lurking. And McBlackwood, again, I remember him as a devil. I remember at one point we were discussing who's the better young goalie, McKenzie Blackwood or Carter Hart?

Look how times have changed in just a couple of years. Carter Hart is no longer in the game. We all know what's happened off the ice. And Blackwood's now had a resurgence with Colorado. So both of those guys, great stories. Quick thought on Colorado before Ethan jumps in. They're also probably possibly going to be getting back every year old and just calling at some point

in the next month or so. So look out for the apps. If there's one team in the West that terrifies me, if the Panthers were to match up with them in a possible Stanley Cup final, it would be the Colorado month or so. So look out for the apps. If there's one team in the West that terrifies me, if the Panthers were to match up with them in a possible Stanley Cup final, it would be the Colorado Avalanche. Like they are a matchup problem for the Panthers and the way they're playing hockey right now is terrifying.

And this leads me into my question at an end, which is I was watching the game last night and obviously Colorado got off to that great start, then Edmonton comes back, but I'm watching that game and I'm looking at Nathan McKinnon and I'm looking at Connor McDavid and I'm asking myself, are we sure that Nathan McKinnon is not the best player

in the world? So I'm gonna ask you, Adnan, because he's got the Stanley Cup and he might have two consecutive heart trophies after this season is all said and done. Are we sure Nathan McKinnon is not the best player in the world? I love where you're going with this, Ethan, because it's become a thing to just be like, oh, McDavid's the best player in the world? I love Regal this evening because it's become a thing to just be like,

oh, McDavid's the best player in the world. Three time heart trophy winner. I get it. This season got to a slow start. His first 11 games that he had seven points. His last 30 games, McDavid's been McDavid again. But I would argue if you sit like car, coffee conversation, I'm with you. I think McKinnon right now is the guy Capri sauce falling off then got hurt. I get I think hella but could be Wurenski if you really want to go crazy.

I think he's a favorite for the Norris. You could give him some heart trophy votes as well. But to your point, McKinnon's an incredible player. He has all the skills, all the assets, can carry a team. That was a Halibut game last night. I mean, that's as good as it gets. You tell me, Avs, Oilers, McKinnon, McDavid, and both guys stepped up.

Again, terrible job gagging by Colorado. Halibut come back by Edmonton, but I'm with you. I think you could make a strong conversation and say, don't get fooled by reputation. McDavid's still great, still top five, still might be a Heart Trophy finalist. You know, he's just a few months ago, he won the Conn's by the way, as we all know.

But right now, pound for pound, Nathan McKinnon might be the best player in hockey. I think we as a collective hockey community are cheering for the Columbus Blue Jackets for obvious reasons, but we did not see them doing this well. I mean, they won six in a row, they got eight out of, they won eight games out of the last 10.

I got them as the dark horse out of the East, ousting Boston. You don't see the Canadians making the playoffs. Do you see the Red Wings possibly making the playoffs. Who's going to get that last spot in the East? It's a great point, Roy. The Red Wings could make a little push here because they get the coaching bump from Todd McClellan.

And Lucas Sriman, I think, is legit. Most times, to me, is a little bit inconsistent. But their power play's been humming. I mean, if there's one number, you look at the joint stats, oh my god, the 30% power play on McClellan can't possibly continue. Eventually that should show some regression. But at some point the Iser plan has to come to fruition.

It's been five years since they made the playoffs. Stevie Wise supposed to be this, you know, obviously legendary player, but also in terms of an architect and building teams, eventually this will come through. Maybe it's Detroit's year. To talk about Columbus, you're right. It's not even the best story in hockey,

it's the best story in sports. Johnny Goudreau tragically passes away. They're a horrible franchise. No one cares about the team. And this year, they're fighting for a playoff spot. They showed the jerseys for the outdoor game. They got the cannons going right in the goal. It's amazing.

Here's what's shocking. Sometimes when there's teams like that that surprise, you go, let me guess, strong sound defensively, great goal taking, they're squeaking by 2-1. No. Actually, their goal-taking is a problem. Their fifth in gold score. They can score. They can pour it in.

And Rurensky, again, I don't think he gets enough pub, and this I think is a Canadian problem, because he's not Canadian, because he's an American defenseman. Canadians and that media will focus on other players more. I think if Rurensky was Canadian, he'd get more love in the game, but he definitely is a guy

who should be in the North Stoke conversation with Queen Hughes, with Kayle McCall. Those are my three right now. And he's been a difference maker. I talked to Jody Shelley, of course, who works in Amazon Prime. He does 75 Blue Jackets games. And he was telling me what a great story it is.

And I said, is it sustainable? And he goes, the one concern is the goal-turning. And Elvis Berzlikan's either as an A or an F. He's not a guy that has a B game, right? Either he's out of his mind. You go, man, Berzlikan's won that game. Or you go, holy smokes, he's awful. And to Neil Tarasov, the other guy, he's like, oh, five and won

the last six games. So I think it's an awesome story. I'm pulling for them. Really, I am. I don't think Goldstein is good enough, but it's a great story. OK, so, Edna, you know that hockey for me, I have no idea about hockey, just to bark off. Yeah, you know that.

Just sitting here with no idea. I want to get into the movies. Yeah, we want to listen. Last time you wanted to ask me about Wicked, I've seen it. Ask me anything you want. get into the movies. Yeah, we want to listen. Last thing we want to ask about wicked. I've seen it. Ask me anything you want. Jeremy just walked out. Oh, my God. Jeremy just walked in, wanted to say wanted me to say hi to you. And also that you were wrong about complete unknown.

So this is the one I don't know. Jeremy, I really chose. Was it going to be about wicked or no? But I don't have a question about wicked. I actually have a question. Have you ever walked out from a movie? That's a great question. It's like is it going back to our Blake Bullman? Yeah, I don't I mean I must have at some point but not since I'm an adult. How about that since I was 16?

Yeah, you know what I can say the same. I remember my parents dragging me out of Bill and Ted part 2 as a kid And that's the only time I can ever remember leaving a movie theater early. The Sandman scared me so much in Spider-Man 3 I left that theater terrified. How old are you? I was probably like seven good god. He's a kid. I left. Aneed made us walk out of Wolf of Wall Street. I can see that. Too much sex and drugs and rockin. Yeah that's yeah. Yeah. How deep did you get in though? The limo scene. I love like Darren Aronosti is one of my favorite filmmakers like I adore the rest of my favorite Yes. Yeah. Yeah. But how deep did you get in? The limo scene. I love, like Darren Aronosti is one of my favorite filmmakers. Like I adore the rest of his movies.

But I hated his film Mother. Like I thought it was atrocious. But I still sat through it. Like the last 30 minutes, Javier Bardem, Jennifer Lawrence, like this is off. I will not leave. I've already invested $12.50 or $15. That's the thing. Why would I leave?

We're not quitters here. Popcorn. Like we already invested time. Like what if the end of the movie is like a resounding comeback and it makes every you got to give it a chance. That's why we watch games when our teams are down five nothing because you never know how it's an end. Then don't watch Mexican movies because they're great and but the endings they suck. So every time you have to work. I want to know. Listen, I love Mexican cinema. We talking like Amaro's Paris here. Like is it in a Rito movies? Guillermo del Toro? Which? No, no, no, no, that's good. no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, That's great, Rose. That's great. That's what I had to say. But yeah. So Wicked, what's your favorite song on the first part? Sorry. Here's the issue, Rose. And listen, I like a good musical. My wife and I were just talking. She's going to go with her girlfriends to go see Moulin Rouge on Broadway on February 9th. And her and I went for Foutland's Day a year ago.

I think Moulin Rouge is sensational. Like that's a great musical, both the movie and on Broadway. I think West Side Story is great. You know what I mean? Like I can enjoy a good musical. I get down with that. Wicked, we saw it together in Chicago and we were both underwhelmed. We both walked out like, like I just, you know, like Hamilton, you walk out and you go, that changed my life. I felt like I just lost 12 pounds.

Like, oh my God, I gotta get the double DVD, CD, excuse me. Like Wicked, I was like, and we heard I both felt the same way. And then watching the movie, I was like, and I'm texting Jeremy, who like dressed up as the witch on the Dan Leventhal Show. I'm like, did you really like this movie that much? And I go, hey, this was like, and I'm texting Jeremy, who like dressed up as the witch on the Dan Leventhal show. I'm like, did you really like this movie that much? And I go, hey, this is all it comes down to.

Cause I could tell you that I'm not crazy about the story, but who goes to a musical for the story? Let's be honest, right? It's like going to an action movie and going, ah, I'm not sure if the third act made sense. I'm there for the guns and the gore. So with a movie like Wicked, I'm there for the music. I just didn't think the music was that great.

The exception of Defying Gravity, which is a banger. The final 10 minutes of the movie is great. I think popular is pretty good. Although maybe I'm just being swayed by the fact I hear on the radio, TikTok radio, etc. That was my issue, Rose. I didn't think the music was that good. It's not a very popular opinion. It's not a very popular opinion through the glass here.

Yes. It's an unpopular opinion. The movie's made $600 million worldwide. It's about to get 10 Oscar nominations. I'm the one guy. Me and my wife are kind of like, I didn't think it was great. I'm going to take it, but it hurt.

Oh my God. I'm sorry. All right. We are going to console Rose right now. You can find Adnan on Prime Monday night hockey if you are in Canada, if you're in the United States, I don't know. And it's Joe Network. I'll be on the Joe Network. There you go. And Joe Network. And Adnan, thank you for joining us. See you in know. There you go. Thank you for

joining us. Thank you so much guys. This is fun. I love the monthly appearance. I look forward to chatting February Four Nations Cup. It'll be great. Yeah, we'll talk to you then. We'll talk to you for Four Nations Day. I'll think

about movies, good movies. We'll do an Oscar preview as well next time as well. There we go. Oscar preview coming up next month. Thanks guys. Billy. Yes? You know what we've been talking about all season long? Smear it off?

Yeah, how'd you guess? I knew it. I'm a good guesser. You are. They are the official sponsor of the Dan LeBontard Show with Stu Gottsob. You already know that it's an official vodka partner of the NFL and Super Bowl 59. We're going to be there. Oh, yes. I can't believe we're by 59

already. Yeah. Time flies. It does. Yes. We're old. I'm old. Hey you know what? I was thinking. Yes. Since football season's winding down, Super Bowl is coming up, Super Bowl 59. We've been celebrating football all year. I have an idea. What? Let's do a toast. Okay. Oh wow. To football. Really? Yeah me and you. Let's toast football. So just a toast. OK, oh, wow. To football. Really? Yeah, me and you, let's toast football. So just a toast. So we're raising our glasses. Yeah. Smirnoff vodka here.

Glasses up, yeah. All right, and we are toasting to football. To football. To football, everyone. What we love about Smirnoff is that you can get the world's number one vodka without breaking the bank. This feeling is what the good folks over at Smirnoff call. Billy, you want to take a stab at this?

Let me guess. Smirnoff's extraordinary? Nailed it! I told you, I'm a good guesser. And right now Smirnoff has partnered with Complex letting fans get their hands on some amazing items handpicked by celebrities including NFL legend and Super Bowl champion Vernon Davis for the unbelievable price of $12.99 just like a bottle of Smirnoff. So head on over to smirnoffdrops.com to check out upcoming drops and check out, Bill, you

want to take a guess again? These Smirnoff's extraordinary items. Oh, look at us. What's the website? It is smirnoffdrop.com. Smirnoff, we do game days. Please drink responsibly. Smirnoff, Number 21 vodka distilled from

grain. 40% alcohol by volume. The Smirnoff Company, New York, New York. Pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer and may vary by state. Please do not share with anyone under legal drinking age. Billy. Yes? You know what we've been talking about all season long? Smirnoff? Yeah, how'd you guess? I knew it.

I'm a good guesser. You are. They are the official sponsor of the Dan Leventar Show with Stugato. You already know that it's an official vodka partner of the NFL and Super Bowl 59. We're gonna be there. Oh, yes. I can't believe we're by 59 already. Yeah.

Time flies. It does, yes. We're old. I'm old. Hey, you know what, Stugato, I It does. Yes, we're old I'm old. Hey, you know what? I was thinking yes since football season is winding down Super Bowl is coming up Super Bowl 59 We've been celebrating football all year. Mm-hmm. I have an idea. What let's do a toast. Okay. Oh wow to football really Yeah, me and you let's toast football. So just a toast. So we're we're raising our glasses Yeah, no fuckes up, yeah.

Alright, and we are toasting to football. To football! To football, everyone. What we love about Smirnoff is that you can get the world's number one vodka without breaking the bank. This feeling is what the good folks over at Smirnoff call. Billy, you want to take a stab at this? Let me guess. Smirnoff's extraordinary? Nailed it!

I told you, I'm a good guesser. Oh my god. And right now, Smirnoff has partnered with Complex, letting fans get their hands on some amazing items handpicked by celebrities, including NFL legend and Super Bowl champion, Vernon Davis, for the unbelievable price of $12.99, just like a bottle of Smirnoff. So head on over to smirnoffdrops.com to check out upcoming drops and check out, oh Billy,

you want to take a guess again? These Smirnoff's extraordinary items. Oh, look at us. What's the website? It is smirnoffdrop.com. Smirnoff, we do game days. Please drink responsibly. Smirnoff, number 21 vodka distilled from grain, 40% alcohol by volume.

The Smirnoff company, New York, New York pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer and may vary by state. Please do not share with anyone under legal drinking age. So welcome back. We're talking Panthers with the boys. I'm just going to give them three minutes to do it. So let's go. Go.

Go. That Detroit game was rough So long to get to this point and then you just you're like, all right, let's not panthers go go. So what's your first? All right, Sam Bennett needs to start scoring, huh? This is going up so I got you better start You bet it needs to start scoring, huh? This is going up, so you better start. All right, so last weekend. Let's start with Saturday. Let's start with Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins. That was on national television,

and it was a fun one to watch until the very end. So they ended regulation with that Sam Reinhardt goal with one second left, and then they ended overtime with that goal that went off of Sam Reinhardt that was credited to David Pashinok with what, three seconds left. That was one of those games where it's just so frustrating because you feel like you played better.

The Panthers were definitely the better team on the whole that afternoon. The overtime was just the penalty that cost them at the end because they were dominating the overtime session too. I thought that was gonna be a good way to go into their week, considering they had those back to back road games. I just don't like the idea of giving Boston

that little bit of joy. They've been such a downtrodden team, you wanna keep them down. You don't wanna give them that little burst of energy, like oh, we just beat the Stanley Cup champs in their own house. It's been a week of poor officiating as well, because in that game you saw A.J. Greer

basically have to fight off four Bruins, and somehow the Bruins ended up with a power play in that sequence, which was just ridiculous It's been a bad week of officiating against the Panthers It's not the only time that happened No, it's also been a week of like David said outplaying teams and losing Yeah, right. They probably outplayed Detroit last night and lost they outplayed the Bruins and lost the Philly game They got outshot that was a great performance

They played Philly really well two and a half periods and even they much outplayed the Devils and had to go to the over and Shoot out to beat the devil. So I mean they're the Panthers just the puck just won't go in it's so frustrating like watching all these games like we're gonna talk about all these games here real quick like Every single one of them it feels like the Panthers have all the chances and the puck just refuses to go in the net Yeah, I had Carmen go to the game yesterday. You had common go to the game. Yeah, you sent a correspondent I'm not just center. You're gonna have so much fun. They disappoint me. That's So Saturday they lost the bros for three and overtime they lose to the Flyers for three in regulation. They had a two-goal lead. Yeah

lose to the Flyers for three in regulation they had a two goal lead yeah both by San Reinhardt. Two third period leads yeah very unpanthers like loss you don't see the Panthers I think it had been like since 20 like November 23 or 22 or some ridiculous amount since they had last lost the game where they were leading after two periods these are this is the time of the year that you want to go through this though like Like in January, January, yeah. Like this is where you want to be learning these lessons and getting this. Because remember, a lot of people look at this Panthers team like, oh, they've been to the finals two years in a row. They've, you know, they went, no, this Panthers team hasn't done any of that.

Last year's Panthers team won the Stanley Cup. A third of that team is gone. This is a brand new Panthers team. They got plenty of good players. They've got talent to get there, but they're still learning how to win together. It's a process. Every year it's a process. That's why the teams just aren't good year after year

after year after year. So this is when I want to see them going through that. Now, if we're talking about these same issues in March and April, bigger issue, but right now, earn your lumps. Three minutes are up. What are you doing? We're not done.

Officer Rose on the case. Back to back games for Sam Ryan Harvard, two goals. Yeah, he's been the one scoring so far, but he did not score In the game versus New Jersey where Panthers won in the shootout that was a that was a stellar game By Spencer Knight and in that one yeah But this goal by Reinhardt here that we're playing the video of against the Flyers just shows everything that's amazing about Sam Reinhardt. Makes a play in his defensive end, works around a defender and no slouch in Travis Konekne. And then finishes, Roussette, past the goalie.

Like, he's been the star for the Panthers the last week or so and they need him to get going. He had been quiet. Now they need their other guys, Barky, Chucky, Bennett hasn't scored in 19 games. They gotta get him rolling again. Verhagy's gotta get one to go like. Yeah, we gotta save these dogs, man.

We gotta get Benny's buddies over here back to the fold. And he was off to such a scorching hot start with the goals this year too. Yeah. Spent tonight in the game versus New Jersey. What are you doing? Come on, what are you doing? I'm over here.

Rose is preparing for whatever she's got going on for What the Puck today, so stay tuned for that on social media Spent tonight stopped 26 to 27 shots in all seven of the doubles high danger chances So the Panthers defense was a was very good in that game as well the Panthers on the other hand Offensively only had two high danger chances going into into the third. So the Devils defense was pretty good going into the third. So the Devils defense was pretty good going into the third period. Up until the very first high danger chance of the third period, which was Carter Verheggie's fantastic pass to Jesper Brokrest. I have a question for you, Roy, as we go through this. Why can't the Panthers get both of their

goaltenders playing good at the same time? It just doesn't happen. Bob was on a really good run. Now Knight is playing lights out and Bob is falling off the side of a mountain. Back to my previous point, you'd rather have it happening now than when you get to the playoffs. And it's great to see Spencer Knight starting to build some momentum. Like that's one of my favorite things right now.

But yeah, I mean, I'd like to see some consistency from their starting goalie. Yeah. Thursday versus Detroit, that was one to forget. Bob got pulled. Yeah, Bob got pulled. I mean, that wasn't even his fault. You don't give up three power play goals to the number two power play in the league and

expect to win. Two offensive zone penalties in that game, which is a big no-no. Yeah. But yeah, I get it that it wasn't, you know, there was the Fletchard goals and Paul Maurice came out and he said, well, that was a game where I just, you know, he wanted to protect his goalie from a rough Knight, but still, no matter how you draw it up, it's not a good look.

And- I thought, sorry to interrupt, David, I thought Knight earned that start after the way he played New Jersey. I had the thought too. I think Maurice kind of realized I should have gone back to the hot hand in this game because they had a day off, like,

I thought Knight, you know, that pull was kind of him acknowledging, like, Knight should have started back to the hot hand in this game because they had a day off. I thought Knight, that poll was kind of him acknowledging Knight should have started this game. And he was good after he came in. I had that thought, but as I went down that little rabbit hole, I was thinking, do you want to send that message to Bob? They've got pretty defined roles right now and you want Bob to get back into his Bob groove.

And I think doing that might maybe stray off that path. Not that necessarily would be a bad thing because what if Knight gets hot and takes off and he becomes the goalie, which is fine. But that's just kind of where my thought process went when I had that same idea that you had. Bob also might need a wake up call. Think about 2023. Alex Lyon, that whole thing was kind of a wake up call. And then Bob carried them to the Stanley Cup final. And the rent rings are 8-2-0 since the time McClellan took over. That 1-3-1 power play they're running is so scary.

Somebody's gonna have to figure that thing out. Yeah. And I don't believe any of these games had Aaron Echblad in it at all. I don't think so. No, none of the past week. Yeah. He didn't make that road trip. I think he may have played the Boston game.

Yeah, he may have played the Boston game and stayed home. Because he was out like a game or two before that, played, and then they kept him home for the Boston game. Yeah, he may have played the Boston game. Because he was out like a game or two before that. Yeah. Played and then they kept him home for the road trip. So either way, hopefully he'll be back. What's today? Friday? He'll be back tomorrow when they host the Anaheim Ducks before heading out on yet another long road trip. Yeah, that's really affecting the power play as well. This is the first meeting of the season for the Ducks and the Panthers and the Ducks afford four and two in the last 10 10 so everybody seems to be playing well right now except the Panthers so for the panther well they're meandering around 500 which is keeping pace with the Maple Leaf yeah yeah so that's the

situation with the Panthers thank you for basically distracting all of us in the studio you went for five minutes up Thank you for that information as well. Sorry to keep you all here five minutes longer than Rose thinks we should have. My name is Roy Bellamy, that's David Dwork. I'm Rose. Ethan Rose... Bye. Yeah, sure thing.

Hey, you sold that car yet? Yeah, sold it to Carvana. Oh, I thought you were selling to that guy. The guy who wanted to pay me in foreign currency, no interest over 36 months? Yeah, no. Carvana gave me an offer in minutes, picked it up and paid me on the spot.

It was so convenient. Just like that? Yeah. No hassle. None. That is super convenient. Sell your car to Carvana and swap hassle for convenience. Pick up these may apply.

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