The Hockey PDOcast - Bear vs. Bull Cases for Western Conference Stanley Cup Contenders

Episode Date: February 2, 2026

Dimitri Filipovic is joined by Thomas Drance to go through the bear vs. bull cases for each Stanley Cup contender in the Western Conference. If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

dressing to the mean since 2015. It's the Hockey PEDEOCast with your host, Dmitri Filipovich. Welcome to the HockeyPedioCast. My name is Dmitra Filipovich. And joining me, as always on Sundays, my co-host on the Sunday special, Thomas Drenz, Tom, what's going on, man? Glad to be back with you, Dimitri, after a week off as a result of me coming down with the flu, unfortunately, last weekend.

So I was sick, not sick like this lightning versus. Bruins game and the goalie fight that we all witnessed on Sunday night, some incredible scenes from Tampa Bay generally. I think one of the better outdoor games, maybe the best outdoor game we've seen in a while, just in terms of the little details, the map, the pirate theme, the Patriot walk in from the Boston Bruins, a goalie fight, the Hegel goal right off the bat.

I mean, this has been an incredible spectacle. like one of the most fun watches and perfectly time too like right before the super bowl right no football on like it feels like this had center stage in a meaningful way and uh was full value in terms of the entertainment product so kudos kudos to the lightning in the league like this was legitimate legitimately captured my imagination in a way i probably would have been skeptical about 10 days ago tremendous pageantry and to your point about the goalie fights now this is the second one we've got this month. We got Ned versus Bob recently, although while I appreciate the effort and ambition, and that one, you could tell neither guys had a lot of experience.

And the thing that I loved about this one was, first off, Vasilev, he's just an absolute unit and a freak of a human beings. And he was wearing on Swayman, and yet Swayman, because he's a goalie, and we know that all golees are certified maniacs and probably sociopaths was just loving

every second of it and had the biggest year-to-year grin afterwards. So, tremendous content. I'm in complete agreement with you. And I'm glad we're back, you know, had a fun week of shows, but it just didn't feel right starting the week without the Sunday special. I know our listeners agree I had Thomas Hikian, and he was quick to ask me why there was no Sunday special on the feed last week. I imagine a lot of our listeners just took the entire week off because they didn't feel like it could start appropriately without listening to us on Monday morning. And so we're back in business here. You're in Utah.

I'm in Salt Lake City, yeah. Ahead of the Canucks game against the mammoth on Monday evening, right? And you're there to represent the PDO cast with boots on the ground. Yeah. To see our mammoth up close and personal. We're heading into the final week of games here. We've got games leading up to Thursday night, and then it's going to be a three-week break in the NHL schedule.

And so I thought a fun exercise for us today would be to, kind of take a snapshot of the top of the league in particular and focus on the power structure and the hierarchy amongst the true Stanley Cup contenders. We're about 55 games into the season. When we come back from the Olympics, it's going to be a complete sprint just at a finish line. And so I feel like we've got a pretty good sample here to work with. And we did this last year around this time, kind of the bare versus bowl case for all these contenders, breaking down reasons we're excited about them and what their path is towards the Stanley Cup this year,

potential concerns or limiting factors and kind of getting into that. I think most importantly establishing what our tier of teams in there is. And I had seven that I felt pretty good about. And then I'm curious for a dick as we get into it, if we can add a couple others to it or if we want to cut it off at that. But do you want to start with the Western Conference here? Because I feel like there's more representation in this mix of teams. And so I want to just give it.

us as much runaway as possible to cover them. Let's start up top with the Colorado Avalanche, who, you know, a lot's been made of their January, where they go a very pedestrian, 6, 6 and 2, the final 13 of those games, they didn't have Devon Taves,

or Gabe Landiscag available to them, yet still despite that, they would get that 5-0 win in Detroit on Saturday afternoon. They have a near double-digit point lead between them and anyone else in the league for the President's trophy, and importantly, home ice throughout,

and all the markets, HockeyStats.com, any model you're going to look at, clearly still has them in pole position as the Stanley Cup favorite, and I think deservedly so, and they should be considered a prohibitive favorite, just based on the totality of work. And I think the fully realized version of this team, though we've seen through stretches this year, where there's absolutely terrifying and unstoppable.

Yeah, and it's too bad. The January slump that the Colorado Avalanche have hit, which, by the way, appears to mostly be their goaltending comeback, coming back to Earth as opposed to just about anything else. And if you're watching these games, those moments where the abs are down in games, they still look terrifying, right? Like they're still throwing 102 on the speed gun

when they're trailing in these game states despite the key absences among some of their skaters. You know, they were rolling along with Wedgwood and Coe sort of performing at a preposterous level. I mean, and it does feel like that sort of hit a rut this month. I also do wonder, and I think I wonder this especially for teams like the abs that patted their lead to the point where, you know, regular season games in January become rote as opposed to desperate if, you know, looking ahead to the Olympic break and preserving

yourself for the Olympic break and sort of putting it in cruise control. becomes human nature. And I suspect that's what we saw. And then I sort of take that absolute licking that they gave the Detroit Red Wings as a sign that every now and then, if this team doesn't turn around quickly, which I assume they will on the other side of the Olympic break, you're going to see some teams pay the price of Tampa Bay's frustration. I think that's exactly what happened to Detroit and, or sorry, of Colorado's frustration. And I think that's what happened to Detroit. And I think we'll see that again. to, you know, along the way, a variety of more times.

I just think this abs team has the highest gear in the league. And I think they're complete, too. It's not just that they have this ceiling case that makes sense. I think they have a B game case that makes sense. And I think they'll be able to beat teams ugly in the playoffs. I think they've got extraordinary depth, and we know how creative they tend to be too in tinkering and bolstering their lineup when they smell an opportunity.

and this is as good an opportunity as they've had since, you know, they ran embarrassingly deep in that Stanley Cup year a few years back. Yeah, I think that game they played earlier this week in Ottawa was one of the only times I've seen all year where even if they did lose, they just weren't able to muster anything of note. And I think that's a credit to the defensive environment that the senators have that hasn't really played in terms of results because of the goaltending and the PK generally, but what a disciplined effort it was where there were a couple times where they'd get that vintage sort of three on two quick transition

and get a shot coming down the wing but for the most part they were just so good the senator's words staying on the right side of the puck and really limiting them there otherwise they've still been creating I think what Brock Nelson is doing and you and I spoke about this

when we reviewed the Olympic rosters and talked about Team USA a couple weeks ago but he's been so so good and I'm not sure it's gaining enough appreciation because of all the bigger names on this team he's got 25 goals in his past 36 games just some monster their performances, sprinkled in with increasing consistency, looks great out there, covering so much

ice and just gives them another option, right? So they're not just purely a one-line team. We've talked about this team's depth before. I guess the one issue you'd point to, and it's been a lingering one all year, and we haven't really seen any resolution or answer at this point, is the power play, which is 31st in the league. They're at 5.4 goals per hour. And especially come to playoffs, where certainly early on, I think there's this misnomer that

the referees put there with. missiles away when in reality we see penalty rates actually go up, especially early in series and early in the postseason. And then we kind of see more of that idea we have of playoff hockey where you can kind of get away with further. Absolutely. Yes. And I think for them, if you watch these games, there's times where like the 5-1-5 play is just such an absolute buzzsaw for them. And then they get a power play opportunity. And it completely, it feels very deflating in the moment. and I imagine in the playoffs as well, whoever they wind up playing, is going to probably feel like they can justify being a bit more reckless

in terms of hooking and holding because there isn't necessarily that fear of punishment in terms of the quick goal against from this unit. And so there's still enough firepower there where I keep waiting for it to turn on, but as I said, we're 55 plus games into the season, and we haven't really seen a stretch where they've looked even above average so far. And so it's nitpicking, but when you're talking about, teams that could win the Stanley Cup and especially a favorite like this. I feel like that's the one thing you would point to, certainly.

Yeah, and you're right, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. This team is not historically sluggish on the power play. Decor is the same. Usually familiarity breeds that sort of hive mind that allows teams to sort of find new answers, five on four, for whatever reason that's not happening for the Colorado Avalanche. Is there something that stands out to you watching it in terms of, of like, you know, like our old obsession pre-radish with Tampa Bay replacing the Stamcoast, righty in five on four situations at that left flank.

Is there something that stands out to you approach-wise that the aves need to consider here? Yeah, there's a level of correctability, as you'd expect with the personnel they have. They were sluggish last year in the first half and then they made the change from Ranton into NACIS and I think totally reinvigorated that unit with all the movement and interchangeability. between Natchez and McKinnon on the same side, and they haven't really been able to find that for the most part this year. I still think it's not going to be ultimately a big issue, especially with how good they are, 515.

I was looking at this, and Victor Oliveson, is their only regular skater this year under 55% goal share at 515, and he's at 54.8, and to put that into perspective, Tampa Bay and Washington are the only teams in the league that are 55-plus percent in terms of 5-1-5 goalshare, like it's a rarefied error.

everyone on this team checks that box. And so it's pretty incredible. What would your needs be? I want to sprinkle this into the conversation for all these teams. We're going to do our trade deadline preview in a couple weeks after we come back from the break. So I don't want to, you know, spend too much time on it. But just as a quick overview, kind of what you'd identify as potential needs or like areas you could see improvement in terms of acquisitions leading up to the deadline and starting here with the abs. Honestly, I'm trying to think through it.

it's pretty difficult. You know, I like that back-end mix. You know, I mean, Manson and Brent Burns have just flat-out worked. You know, like on paper, I look at it and think, oh, do you need, I don't think so. Like, I really don't. I think maybe you go and pay a fifth rounder to upgrade on Jack a Con at seventh, but on the back-end anyway, I think you're largely set. I don't think you want to add a goalie in season, especially because the avalanche play such a precise style.

I don't think you're going to get a goaltender up to speed in terms of how to read play, basically, but behind the way that the avalanche play in time for the playoffs anyway. So I think what they've got with Blackwood and Wedgwood's fine. And in fact, obviously, they've been incredible until the past month. But I also just think they're fine. that's not something that the avalanche should go about sort of meaningfully upgrading. And then, I mean, I guess, like, another middle six winger with some scoring juice, I guess. Everyone could use that.

But a player with that sort of skill set, ideally a guy who's fast, right, like another speedster. And just to maybe give them some depth, if they could find another player in the Oliveson, Lekinen-type mold. I mean, not that Olofson is the two-way force that Lekinen is, but just another middle six-puck carrying option. I like their centerman. I'm a big Ross-Colten guy. I like Nelson.

I like Drury. I mean, I like Bartakov. I like their mix there. Brindley could be used more. I think Bartokov can play up lineup if injuries sort of call for it. I mean, I think they've got just a ton of different options here. it's pretty difficult for me to figure out sort of what else what else to add so i just sort of say you know this feels to me like a relatively straightforward you know yet you look for a dog with

some speed to plowster your middle six and just bolster your overall depth options and and maybe look to add another higher end seventh d in case of it but but the way the abs tend to think it it feels far more likely that they'll they'll aim higher than that right we see that sort of year after year. And so is it Ross Colton and Gerard being bundled, you know, for sort of one difference making forward? Is it something like that? Is that sort of what we're, what we should be preparing ourselves for?

Because, you know, this avalanche team has put themselves in rarefied air. And even if they've allowed themselves to sink, you know, a little bit downhill over the course of the past month, we're probably not going to be talking about a historically great. regular season in the way that was absolutely in play three weeks ago. You know, in months to come, we are still talking about the best team in hockey. So, I mean, we've seen how aggressive they get. Like, we've seen how creative they are, too, in managing these types of circumstances. I won't be stunned at all if they go big on like the third line center upgrade, right?

Like that, because that to me, if they go big, that would be the thing that I'd be watching for, whether it's, you know, the Trocheck, the Nazim Cadri repaid. something in that sort of mold would sort of fit their MO of swinging with abandon when they think they've got a shot to hit a yard. Yeah, the bar for them to clear in terms of improvement with the roster they have is certainly higher than for a lot of teams. And that makes it a bit more complicated. But I'm with you, especially down the middle where I do prefer Ross Colton on the wing.

And I think Jack Drury is perfectly equipped to play the role he is. But I think if you can get into a spot where he's playing in a role, he's overqualified. for a bit further down the lineup and getting more efficiency out of his minutes and then just absolutely going nuclear higher in the lineup. That would be intriguing to me. I do think adding one more, especially left shot defensemen given the age of Manson and Burns now Burns, regardless of being 40, just never misses time. But still, I think just having optionality there is important because while Devonte is out right now, I can't believe we're seeing Keaton Middleton playing in the NHL in the year 2026. And one of the perks has been scaling up

Sam Malinski's usage in the meantime, especially after the commitment they made to him. But with injuries that happened throughout the playoffs and the importance of having, especially guys in the blue line that can play useful minutes for this team, that's probably what I do. Especially, you know, we'll see what happens with Logan O'Connor, right? Because I had kind of always just penciled them in. You knew he'd going to miss the first, the start of the year following his off-season hip surgery, but I expected him back by now. And every time we've heard Jared Benard talk about it, it seems like they're pretty dubious or at least alarmed by how that rehab's going. And so that gives you another spot to potentially improve. And also, if he's going to be on

LTIR and not come back, then even more money to potentially add and swing big and be ambitious. Any other notes on the a ads or do want to move on through the rest of our West teams? Let's move on. They're sick. And I can't wait to watch all their best players at the Olympics. Well, let's stick in the Central. And let's do the Stars in the Wild back. to back. And as I've talked about on the show here recently, both are in a very interesting spot where on the one hand, they're essentially locked into their current playoff position because they're not going to catch Colorado. And as well as Utah's played, the gap is sizable enough where they don't have to worry about falling into the wild card. And so they know who their round one

opponent's going to be. It's going to be Dallas versus Minnesota. What they have to play for is home ice in round one. And they're essentially a coin flip against each other right now in terms of where they're at in the standings. And so there certainly is motivation, maybe not as much as you'd expect with this much season left. Let's do the stars first who I've played a couple of games that I've watched recently that I've been optimistic coming out of. The first they went into Vegas and I thought played a really strong game,

blew it late, but wound up winning in a shootout and then went into Utah and really held their own in winning in regulation against the mammoth. the concerns here, the pros and cons and Bear versus Bull is pretty obvious. The bull case is they're so efficient. That power play, I think you can't overstate just how diabolically and ruthlessly efficient it really is.

We've seen 130 minutes of that five-man unit and they're about 14 goals per hour, which is rarefied air. They can pick you apart pretty much any way you want. They had their way with the mammoth. P.K. last night, swinging the puck around. tips down low with Wyatt Johnson, East West passes, Ranton and enables so much for them. So they're going to, they have that.

And then they also have been building under Glenn Gulletson here compared to down the stretch last year, we were so alarmed about their defensive environment. They've been quite strong. Like they don't give up much. I believe they're seventh and expected goals against. Only Vegas gives up fewer inner slot shots. And whenever they do give up a look, they have good goaltending to bail them out. And so you put those two together.

and that gives you a pretty high floor, I think, and an intriguing upside as a combination, yet everyone's going to point to the possession numbers and the 5-on-5 offense and some of the depth on this team as limiting factors, especially either against Minnesota and round one, or if they get through that facing a much deeper Colorado team with a much better underlying profile than them.

Yeah, and I think I'm among those who share those concerns. I just see a really top-heavy lineup. I think they're too dependent on Mero, Hayeskinen five on five. I think that shows when you're watching it. You've got a fourth line mix at the moment that can be bludgeoned. I worry about what that looks like. If, you know, even if they last through the central gauntlet, which, you know,

you have a fourth line that's, and, you know, granted they're rotating through guys, right? I mean, sometimes it's back. Sometimes it's Ernie. and Faxa and Blackwell, but I think they can get got and I worry if they end up, for example, if they end up starting on the road, you know, that that feels like there is a soft underbelly that Minnesota is going to be able to pick at, and certainly Colorado is going to be able to pick at. And if you make it to the conference final and it's Edmonton, we know what Edmonton does when they boost McDavid's minutes to 29 minutes a game, right?

Like we know what that means for fourth lines on, on the road in the playoffs. We've seen it year after year in the playoffs. So, I mean, I think there are some depth pieces away. And they've got, you know, they're getting like good play out of Bork on the wing. They're getting great play from Hierwickian. Ritzkobian, I knew you would have a tough time. I knew. I was like, oh, my God, I know I'm going to screw this up.

Ritzkovian. But he's playing well. despite the phonetic impossibility of his last name. And so, yeah, I mean, I just look at this team that, I look at a team that feels like they're a top four defender and kind of two, like honestly, maybe two top nine forward short, just from a horse's perspective, five on five when I watched them play. And that's a lot of needs.

Like, that's a lot to need relative to the level that some of these other teams that we'll be discussing are at. The power play is going to be able to hide a lot of it. They're high-end talents going to be able to hide a lot of it. By no means, am I counting them out? But I do think they're dependent on a very select number of players, which is true for every elite team, but feels more true for Dallas. Their outs feel lesser than some of the other teams that we're going to be talking about.

I see a lot more bare case for Dallas than I do for some of the other. teams will be talking about in this eight, even if I think they're probably a top five team. Well, I'm with you in complete agreement about the needs, and yet it's very interesting that you didn't even hit on the biggest one, which is clearly finding someone to play with Thomas Harley. Right? We've seen... Well, I said a top four defenseman. Yeah. Well, I think you can kind of approach it both ways. And ideally, you know, we saw them try to do this last year with the Cody CC Michael Granlin package deal. I feel like they almost need to swing that again, except preferably with better players in doing so. with fewer resources now at their disposal in terms of futures. But, you know, recently we've seen like Niels Lunk was playing with them, and I think they can get by with it in the short term. It's just we've been through the same song and dance,

regardless of the coaching change. You even watch that game against Utah. Like, when you get to the playoffs, the first time he blows the Simon in front of the net or gets out muscled by someone, we're going to see a quick switch, and it'll either be Lubushkin or Petrovich playing there, and that's clearly not good enough.

And so I think they desperately need to, to do that to also just give Thomas Harley a fair shot to be an elite difference maker and take a bit off the plate of Merri Haskinen 515. In terms of the forwards, I'm with you. I love what I've seen from Ritzkovian. I think Bork can give you valuable reps, Sam Steele as well. Both guys have just been over, all three of them have been over extended in terms of their usage because of this team's needs on the wing. And they've been one of the least efficient forechecking teams as well. And I think that's a big reason why their 5-1-5 underlying numbers look the way they do because it's a lot of one and duns and they don't have a lot of dogs

who can go in there and retrieve pucks and extend ozone time. Now, this is a fascinating science experiment, right? Because in round one, they're going to play a Minnesota team that's third in the league in offensive zone possession time, and that's even better since Quinn Hughes came. And then if they win that series, they're going to play Colorado in round two, and they're the second best team in terms of offensive zone possession time and cycling the puck and just keeping you buried.

So I think the reality is that maybe this is my glass half full interpretation, but regardless of what they did, they're not going to beat those teams at their game. Like they're not going to out possess them and out shoot them and control play territorially. And so this idea of kind of not playing possum necessarily, but like being opportunistic with counters, the way they did, especially against Colorado last year in round one. And then just being efficient with your opportunities, I think probably is the blueprint for advancing in the playoffs. and they do have the horses to be as efficient as they need to be. And you look at like, their top players just take all their shots. Like their top four forwards and their top two defensemen in Hayskin and Harley account for nearly 50% of their 515 shot attempts.

So all the other guys just don't really do anything, aren't asked to do anything, and I think that's for the best. It is. It's just a hard way to live. Even if, like, even if you were to lean in on the counterpunching strategy and get a couple guys with the skill set to play sound defensively off puck and withstand, you know, long shifts and have the intelligence and skill to punish mistakes. Like, even if you're going to try to win that way, and even if it works against those central division opponents, like, that's a really

hard way to live if you're trying to win 16 games against an absolute gauntlet. And their path, no matter what, will be an absolute gauntlet. Um, you know, maybe we, one of the most difficult potential roads to the Stanley Cup we've ever seen, frankly. That's just the nature of this Central Division knife fight right now. I think it's a hard way to live if that's your goal.

And for Dallas, a team that felt like they're knocking on the door that swung big with Miko Raton and was dead right to do so, you know, that feels unfortunate. You know, that, first of all, it's not what I expected of them this season, right? I think their elite talent

should, you know, not that they're underperforming because they're not, but I expected this team to be more robust five-on-five. I'm kind of surprised that it's not. And I don't know that they're going to be able to poss them and power play their way, no matter how good Jake Ottinger is, just given the nature of how this game is played and what works in the playoffs. You know, it's been the last two years, right? We know it's like the teams that can solve problems.

It's the teams that can generate shots that can control games when the chips are down, right? That is most likely to get the next shot. Right now, we've seen the Dallas Stars have the efficiency to mimic that because of just how lethal guys like Mika Randen are and, you know, Randen's individual forays through the neutral zone and just finishing from the perimeter is such a ridiculous game-breaking weapon to bring to the table that they still have that gear despite not being able to generate shots. But I do think that ultimately the way they control play just gives them a far narrower path than I think a team like Colorado and frankly,

even a team like Edmonton has out of the West. Let's take our break here. And then when we come back, we will talk about the other end of that round one series that's looming the Minnesota Wild. You're listening to the Hockeypedo guest streaming on the Sports Day Radio Network. All right, we're back here on the Hockeypedio cast, joined by Thomas Transfer a Sunday special. we're doing bear versus bull cases for the true Stanley Cup contenders. Now, Tom, right off the top of today's show, we kind of advertised it as such. And I want to focus today's conversation, especially after the first half on just the West, because in typical UNI fashion, we've gone way too long.

And so we'll save the Eastern Conference teams for maybe next week, especially with, like, we're not going to have a lot to talk about because we're going to be waiting for the Olympics. We won't have any UNHL games for a couple days. And so we'll bank that for then. We're going to keep going with the West. the Minnesota Wild, who much like the stars are functionally locked in their playoff spot. Now, I'm still so intrigued to keep watching them on a nightly basis because even though we have about 25 games now of Quinn Hughes on this team, I keep wanting to see more and more and banking more reps of just watching how that plays and what it looks like.

And you watch that game on Saturday night on hockey night and Canada against the Oilers. And it's tough not to come away feeling very impressed about what the upside of this looks like. ability to just like fundamentally impact the way this team plays and just dominate for pretty much half the game that he plays for. And that's exactly what we saw against the Oilers. And so I'm curious for your take on where your mileage stands on with them, especially compared to what we just talked about with Dallas. Yeah.

And, you know, I think they, I've been left a little bit cool by some elements of their game. at 5 on 5 in particular, but I also think we've got to give them a little bit more time as Quinn Hughes just gets comfortable and builds chemistry. When you see it, like when what they're trying works with Boldy Hughes and Caprizov all on the ice together and all sort of taking turns, because they're also puck dominant too, right?

I mean, they're all guys that can buzz around and drive individually. And I do think with Hughes in particular, he's, I think, been used to being the guy who really has to do it all. And I think the off puck work is, and I want to be so careful about how I present this. I think the off puck stuff playing off of Caprizov and Boldie, I think he's superb at finding quiet ice and working to compliment them. But I still feel like there's a when factor that he's still working through, like a when to defer and use his elusiveness off puck versus a,

I'm going to do the crazy Quinn Hughes escapeability stuff along the blue line and at this left circle. So I still think they're ironing out those kinks. At the end of the day, their five-on-five profile, much like Dallas's has been lagging a little bit, but they're not as challenged

in terms of regularly manufacturing looks, right? I mean, they're closer to above average where the Dallas stars are, dining out on efficiency but truly are generating like 23 shots an hour, five on five. No matter how you split it or what split or segment you look at, it's like they can't average more than 24. The wild are generating more than that. I just think there's another level that they're going to take this to as they sort of get more time working together.

But I mean, look, you add Quinn Hughes to the top of this lineup. We've seen what it looks like. They have points in what, 20 of the 25 games since he can't. over and I know there a lot of those games are going overtime and and on and on but there's a lot of nights where the team on the other side even if they do grind out a point from the game just like at no point looked like a threat to the wild right and again that's this is a results independent take I'm saying I'm watching the game I'm watching these wild games and I just feel like the wild are clearly on another level than most of their opponents and

sometimes those opponents are the elite teams in this league I mean they're performing at a 113 point pace as a team since he arrived, and he individually is producing at a roughly 100 point pace with 29 points in 24 games. So I think those are important things to note. You know, that game on Saturday that I was fascinated by against Doylers, and we're going to talk more about Doylers in the second here. He winds up being on the ice for all seven Minnesota Wild Goals for. He was McDavid's most frequent 5-15 opponent.

I remember early on in his wild tenure, they hosted Doylers. I believe it was like this third, fourth game maybe. that he had played for them. And we talked at the time right after about how he was taken on that assignment and the wild were starting to use him differently than he had been used in Vancouver generally, especially recently. And they won those minutes for nothing. I would shot them.

I would expect to goal them, everything along the way. And I think where you see his impact most now, I'm with you on the 5-15 stuff. And I think that'll come and they have the benefit of 25 plus more games here before they get to the playoffs is on the power play. A unit that already, I think, certainly had upside. and firepower with Boldie and Caprizov and Joel Ericksonek out front. But they're 11 for their last 27, I believe, which is north of 40% efficiency.

And they're running this set play that I've seen them execute now, at least a handful of times early on in his wild tenure. And it's off the rush where he draws so much attention every time he starts winding up in the neutral zone because I think all four penalty killers have their eyes fixated on him and see what they do. and the Wilder very shrewdly burying a guy on the blue line essentially, the offensive zone blue line along the wall,

and then timing this play where that guy sneaks into the middle of the ice behind the penalty killers, and Hughes just whips a bullet pass through the middle to him, and we saw them pull that off with Joel Erickson X scoring a breakaway goal on the power play against the Oilers, and they've done that a handful of other times, and I love that play that I'm seeing from them. I think he gives them so many more options with the man advantage especially,

and they can be lethal and they can match, I think, what we said about Dallas in that regard. So I think I'm more optimistic than you. I guess my question for you here then. Sorry, you think you're more optimistic about the wild than me? I think so. Yeah, I haven't been as... Oh, I think they're... Like, I think they will be dogs if they bump into the Dallas stars in the first round,

and I think that will be a mistake. Well, here's my question for you. I think a lot of attention's been paid to their center position, right? And the idea that that's their area of need, they need to go out and spend the remainder of their assets, essentially to maximize this at least two-year window with Quinn Hughes and their current build addressing that. And I'm not sure I necessarily agree with that.

Obviously, I think adding another top six center who can maximize your five-on-five minutes offensively would help. But I do wonder, like they're going to use Erickson Eck and Boldie for primary defensive assignments. They're going to try to free up the Caprizov line to eat offensively. I come away from each of these wild viewings more impressed by Danila You're off and what I'm seeing from him. I'm not sure what the upside is offensively and how efficient he can be. But he works his tail off.

He's always in the right position. That Teresanko rush goal they scored against the Oilers starts with him making a really nice read in front of his own net to break a play up and then move it the other way. And they've got these 25 games, I think, to build them up and keep giving them more reps. This is his first year in North America playing this position especially. And so I kind of want to see that, especially for that position, like you're going to pay such a premium to add any center at this point. Yeah. I'd almost like to see them prioritize adding a wingerer with juice that could play in the top six reliably because right now they're going to be relying if they don't do so on a 30-year-old Nazukary-old Natsukarello, who's phenomenal. Yeah.

And him and Capriza are so fun, but he's had a bunch of injuries and he's 38. 35-year-old Marcus Johansson and a 34-year-old Vlad Tar Sankel, all three of which are off the books and free agents this summer. And so especially as a two-year window type of thing, I'd almost like to see them go that direction, which would certainly come at a lower price, I think, than a comparable center. And I do wonder if that's their neatest, I guess, path towards improving this team with the personnel they currently have.

Yeah. And, I mean, you know, strongly considering not buying, a rental piece, right? Because as you note, there's a lot of flexibility coming on the other side of this season in terms of what they commit to and filling out their top nine. I still think I'd like

to see them at a center. I guess the issue there is it's probably going to cost you're of to get the sort of fit that they need to get the type of needle moving piece and I'm with you. I mean, I don't get that guy's a dog. There's a lot to like about his game, whether the offense

potential plays or not. You know, him and him and Yael Erickson Eckball down the middle, like down the middle six, you're still probably going to be looking for that game breaking center. But that's nice. Like that's a very nice way to play with a couple guys that are mobile, mean, big, control the middle of the ice well. And given how many players the wild have that impact the game like their centermen, especially on Puck,

I think there's an argument to be made that they can win with that, that they forget living with that, but can actually thrive with that. So I like your theory that a winger, and especially like meaningful top six insurance or even better a top six upgrade, push Marcus Johansson into the Hinnostroza spot, right?

Like I think there's a really good argument to be made that that is their optimal alignment here if they can find the right fit. Yeah, I think everyone's going to look at their depth chart to be like, man, Ryan Hartman's the number one center on this team. And it's like, well, I don't think, like on paper, I guess. I don't think functionally that's the way it plays.

And I think you can get away with it because he actually does have chemistry with Zucrella and Kaprizov and it's impossible not to considering how those two guys are overflowing with it. I'd like to see them at, and this is true for, I think, every playoff team. But I think another option on the right side in the blue line, beyond Faber and Spurgeon, they're giving a look to Eurecheck here. I'm worried, especially come to playoffs in terms of exploiting that, especially if he's playing on a pair with, like, let's say,

a Middleton, for example, if everyone's healthy for them. Sure. And listen, it's against Connor McDavid, but he's going to make everyone look bad. But, like, he played two and a half minutes against him on Saturday night, and they were absolutely harrowing. And you could tell McDavid, every time he saw that matchup was like, I'm going to go faster than I have before and just get around the corner and take it to the net.

And then even against the bottom six four check, they were kind of having their way going in, getting first to pucks and then his footwork is just so clunky at this point. So I'm not giving up on him long term, but I think for the purposes of this playoff run, I feel like that's something that they need to address as a weak link now. I was looking at this on HockeyStats.com J. Fresh's phenomenal website. They've got them with 3% Stanley Cup odds at this point, which is below Buffalo and Pittsburgh in the east.

And that's entirely reflective of the path, right? Where, as you said, they're probably going to be a dog in round one. against Dallas and then even if they come through that, which will probably be a bloodbath seven game series, it's starting on the road in Colorado in round two. And so I think that's the crux of it essentially. And so when we're talking about Bear Burr's Bull as a real Stanley Cup contender,

I feel like that's an important piece of context here as well. Yeah, look, if among the teams we're talking about, I do think the complexity of their deadline decisions might be the highest, right? because you do have, from an asset perspective, a variety of players that I think you should be very reluctant to part with if you're even reluctant at all in Walsstead and you're of. Just a couple guys that I think are really good and are really good

in ways that I think win like championships as those pieces reach the apex of their powers. And yet you do have this accelerated timeline. you're going to be able to make Quinn Hughes the sort of offer that he'll never be able to sign again this summer, but we've seen a lot of star players prefer the short-term deals. You know, maybe there's a way to get a shorter-term deal done, but with the old bonus structure before September 15th, but that pressure on this organization to back up the Hughes purchase, you know, I'd imagine it's immense, even if, based on the returns we've seen through 25 games,

like you can't tell me that the wild didn't underpay to add a player of this caliber to their lineup, right? I mean, any team that makes this sort of trade always underpays, even though the package looks massive the day the trade happens. So, you know, we're seeing proof positive of that. But yeah, I don't envy Bill Guerin here. I feel like he's on multiple sort of competing timelines in a way that I think is going to make it very difficult.

I probably prefer a conservative deadline for them, to be totally honest with you. And yet I don't know how feasible that is, given the need to protect the investment you've already made in acquiring Quinn Hughes. Get to the Oilers and move on to the Pacific Division. They played an outrageous week of hockey since we've last spoke. Yes.

You know, I was in preparing for last week Sunday special, which we never got to do. They were coming off this 6-5 game on Saturday, and Hockey, Canada against the Caps, which was just an absolute free-for-all offensively at both ends of the ice. Then they have a seven-four-win against the ducks, a four-three comeback win late against the sharks. We're down three-nothing in the third.

And then a following up with a seven-three loss on Saturday night to the wild, the offensive firepower for this team is still as outrageous as you'd expect. Their third and goals scored, their first and expected goals, first in those own time, third and inner slot shots, first on the power play. I do feel like though in watching these games, and I'm not sure if it's going to ultimately match. matter when we get into the playoffs because it's going to be a different calculus at that point,

the seams are starting to show for me more than they have in the past. And especially defensively, um, where I feel like the season long numbers don't really do it justice. They're 21st and expected goals against 24th and their slot shots allowed. But you watch that wild game and they give up 29 shots in it. I feel like the wild probably at 25 at least opportunities from like dead center in the slot that they either converted on got a good shot off or, or, or, or, just missed it barely. And it was a layup line. It was all-star game caliber defending essentially. And they have the horses to outscore that essentially. But the more I watch it, the more I become worried about it and what the fix is going to be. And then some of the qualms I have about the job,

Chris Knoblox done and sort of maximizing this roster at this point. So I don't know, where do you want to start with them in terms of either the bearable in terms of the offensive firepower or some of those seams that I outlined. Oh, man. I mean, we can, so let's start, let's start with the,

with the obvious bull case, because they're just so cool. The, the dry-sidal goal that opened the scoring, and first of all, I want to give them a shout-out, too, for that jersey matchup on Saturday night. I thought those oilers' alts were,

were gorgeous, especially looked good against the green that the wild were wearing, but that read that he makes to sort of pick up the pass and keeps the wild center on his back and just that finish is just so sick. I mean, I think I'm at a point, I was watching that game last night,

and I think I'm at a point where I'm not saying he's the best player in the world. He's definitely not the best player on his own team, but I'm pretty surely on Dreisaitle's just my favorite player to watch in the NHL. He's the coolest player in the league. How about that quote about what McDavid should be thinking when he matches up against you at center ice in the Olympics and he's like he should be terrified and obviously tongue and cheek

but also I think probably an element of where he believes it absolutely well I mean everyone should be terrified when this guy's on the ice is yeah he's my favorite player to watch so the oilers are back to generating shots and looks at will I think that baseline I mean that baseline that baseline that they've got makes them an absolute beast

and I do think there's an element to which, yeah, I mean, as we, in the 896 save percentage world we live in, right? The Edmonton Oilers are going to get into the playoffs and they're going to do much like they did to the San Jose Sharks the other night, crank up dry sidle and McDavid's minutes, 25 to 28 to 29. and they become a completely different beast to deal with. And the issue, I do worry that it becomes a little bit unsustainable over the course of two and a half months, especially because they've done it each of the last two years. But I think there's a playoff gear that the Oilers have that's like simply the result of like, you know,

effectively mashing the dry-sidal McDavid button that honestly is far more like an NBA team, boosting the minutes of their star swing man in the playoffs, than anything we're used to seeing in hockey. So I do think this team, and this is a critical part of the bear case, or sorry, the bull case, I think this is this team is just going to be different in the playoffs, period. Because they are every year,

and I think there's actually a very straightforward reason for it. Let's end with the Vegas Golden Knights. Yeah. We're still the favorite to win the Pacific and play wild card one in round one. As a result of it, despite the fact they have 18 regulation wins, which is tied with Calgary, who's in 29th place, fewer than the Jets and the Blues by comparison.

And you mentioned that home ice and winning the Pacific does give you home ice in a theoretical rematch in round two of Vegas for Zedmonton. I'm not sure in terms of quality of competition in round one that that's a prize because playing this Utah Mammoth team in round one as opposed to whoever finishes third in the Pacific seems like it is not a preferable path for me for either of these two teams. I agree. I agree.

And I think Utah is in especially, first of all, would be an especially cool matchup from the perspective of like building a regional rivalry in the sort of central west of the United States. You know, the Utah was like the state of Utah was in the Vegas Golden Knights original sort of broadcast rights region. their RSN territory. And I think they indexed pretty high here pre-mammoths. So I think it would be a really cool matchup, but I don't know that it's one that I'd love for the Golden Knights, especially when you consider, you know, how many minutes they're playing Hannafin and Lozahn and Corshack at the moment.

You know, obviously the Anderson acquisition and Shea Theodore returning a health fingers crossed gives them a little bit more back end juice, but I do think that the composition of this Vegas team could be not, I don't want to use a word as strong as exposed, but I do think that that's a matchup that could give Vegas trouble if that's, if that's what they end up what, waltzing into in the first round. I have to admit, I struggle with this particular bear versus bull because any stat you look at their underlying profile is as sparkling as it gets other than I guess Colorado and Tampa in the league, like offensively, fourth and expected goals

first and inner slot shots created defensively. Third and expected goals against give up the fewest inner slot shots. Their power plays third. And really when they're using that five forward unit with minor quarterbacking, anyone's don't healthy, they're arguably the best, most efficient power play in the league. They're PKs in the top half of the league, 5-1-5 shares, their third and shot share, fourth and expected goal share. Like, it's a top five team pretty much any way you slice it.

And yet the results haven't been there, obviously. As I mentioned, the regulation, WIN stat, now they're 32nd and 5-15, save percentage, and their goaltending has been really bad. They've had a lot of key absences. William Carlson's been out pretty much all year. Mark Stone missed a good chunk of that time. Brain McNabb missed 16 games. Theodore missed 11,

Haniffin, missed 10, even Eichael missed 7. So we haven't necessarily, especially post-Anderson Trade, seen the full, fully realized version of this team. The bull is all the stats I just provided. The bear for me is, especially a matchup against the Oilers, which we saw last year. I worry about the defensive speed against McDavid

and even guys like put Colson and and Cappanin just coming screaming down the wing last year in that series we saw them really limited to one true on puck creator in Jack Eichle

now they added Mitch Marner and he's playing on a different line playing down the middle for them I'm curious if William Carlson comes back whether they still use that or what it looks like but I think they need a different avenue They feel pretty dependent on Marner

right and I know they're dependent on Eichle too but I think Marner's been so vital in producing some of these elite results. Yeah, I think you're right. Getting wild buildback, deepening this forward group, seeing what it looks like when and if that happens. I think that will tell us a lot and speak volumes about sort of where this team is

because they're absolutely a couple top nine forward short right now. Well, so you look at it and the two biggest concerns are you're very reliant on Mitch Martin in a playoff setting, and they're an entirely different team when Mark Stone's at 100, percent versus when he's not. Yes. And those are two pretty big wildcards for me heading into a round two series against the Oilers.

Potentially, I mean, let's start with round one against Utah, if that's the case. I think that'll be a tricky one. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see once they get to relatively full of health what it looks like. It's been fun. What do you want to promote a way out? Yeah, I mean, I've got some really interesting Olympic projects that are going to be announced this week.

So I can't say more than that. but yeah really excited to get started on some of that work and then you know i'll be i'll be covering the final two games that the canucks are playing before they go off for the Olympic break so that'll be and you're equally excited about that um well i'm i'm excited to be in uton vegas i'm excited to walk into the sports book and buy a bunch of paper tickies for the super bowl i'll tell you that much i'm really excited for that and i'm obviously excited to get my eyes on Utah and Vegas before the break. And honestly, I'm curious to watch this week, too, as we get right to the death of the first half of the season, like, is anyone going to block a shot?

How many business decisions are we going to see? How weird is the hockey going to be? Like, I think this week we really could go through the looking glass in terms of effort level and business decisions and what some of these games look like. How many no-hitters we get to watch around the league? I'd say bet some overs if you're so inclined. and enjoy what I expect to be a pretty offensive week of hockey around the NHL. And then obviously, Kanax Talk SportsNet 650, we'll be doing that and we'll be doing that through the Olympics too, probably serving as like hockey Canada or like a Canadian men's hockey postgame show on 650. So that'll be fun and we'll get you in the mix over there in addition to doing what you and I will do on this channel once the Olympic tournament begins.

All right, buddy. Well, enjoy this road trip, mini road trip you're on. It's great to be back with you. After a week off, as I said, next week when you and I reunite, we're going to cover the Eastern Conference the way we did the West. Today, we've got some really fun plans for the PDOCs to go along with everything you're doing for the athletic. Once we get into the Olympics, we're going to do some postgame shows here, a couple interviews that we've got lined up.

So I'm looking forward to that. Subscribe to the PDOCS Patreon. We've got a Penguins Deep dive on there with Jesse Marshall. We're going to have extra Olympic coverage when we get there as well. I'm going to try to use the newsletter to do some writing postgame about this stuff and maybe put together some stats packages for these games to add further coverage to it. Give us a five-star review wherever you listen. That is all for another edition of the Sunday special.

We'll be back here on Wednesday with Shana Goldman for our next episode. So see you back here then. Thank you for listening to the Hockey, PDOCast streaming on the Sportsnet Radio Network.