The Hockey PDOcast - Watchability Rankings for 2024-25 NHL Season Part 2

Episode Date: October 8, 2024

Dimitri Filipovic is joined by Thomas Drance to do their annual Watchability Rankings for the upcoming NHL season. 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.

progressing to the mean since 2015. It's the Hockey P.D.O.cast with your host, Dmitri Filipovich. Welcome to the Hockey PEDEOCast. My name is Dimitri Filippovich. And joining me for part two of our annual watchability rankings podcast is my good buddy, Thomas Drans. Tom, in part one, we made it through teams 32 through 19, which is a whole new development for us here. Because generally we right now, at this point of the podcast, in past years,

would be on like team 25 at this point. So we're rifling through it. We're on the right track. Let's keep it going. So we kind of references before we went to break. I've got this tier now of teams that are good, that are established, that just might not necessarily play the most viewer-friendly brand of hockey. I'm willing to hear your arguments otherwise if you want to tinker with it.

But I've got the Vancouver Canucks, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Winnipeg Jets here kind of bunched together as teams that certainly has. individual talent that I'm excited about and want to watch and we can go through all of those. I just think like at their core, their preference would be not to play necessarily a very fun open-ended track meet game. They might be forced two more in the case of a team like the Canucks than they were last year because they might not be leading one nothing, two minutes in a game, every other game in the way they were last year. And so that might force them to adapt and open things up. But in terms of like just knowing how they would prefer to play and how they want these games to turn out,

I don't think they're necessarily going to be games where you're like, oh, man, I can't believe how just electric this game is from a roller coaster ride perspective because that's just not the way, I guess, they're positioned to play. So I think all of this group has the potential, like, I'd almost say this is like the established. And you're including the Bruins here as well from 100%. Well, and I think across the board, this group is like they feel like known quantities going into the season. but like Lane Hudson, I think the watchability volatility across the board on these four teams is high. Like I think there's absolutely a world

where we revisit this list and a team like Vancouver's top five. And I also think there's a world where we revisit this list and think a team like Vancouver's bottom five. How do you think Rick Tockeet would feel about the Vancouver Canucks being fifth on the watchability rankings?

Well, I think he's made legitimate strides to do it, right? Like Rick Tocket knows that where this team fell short was that they weren't generating a high enough volume of rush chances last season. Now, they limited rush chances against, but even when he talks about, you know, the amount of rush goals they got in the first half, he talks about, well, we were good at converting. Like, he knows that once they got up in that series against the Edmonton Oilers for the next 50 minutes as they got outscored 8-1 in aggregate, it looked like they couldn't buy a goal to save their life. And when they finally did get those goals, it was off, you know, brutal, unforced oilers,

you know, like F around and find out turnovers. Talket knows. Like, Tocke knows that this team needs to attack with a higher degree of aggression. It's why they went out and got DeBrusk. It's why they went out and signed sprung, right? It's why they kicked the tires on other bigger name offensive forwards, too. And it's why throughout training camp, even with Demco, you know, Demko's status uncertain in the club's goaltending in apparent disarray, at least before they signed Lankinen, sort of later on in training camp, last day of training camp, they signed Lankanen. Team was just doing endless rush drills, right? Like literally working on these landmark breakouts and on and on intricate sort of formations

through the neutral zone. And then the goalies were just getting ventilated, sort of upping my concern. As a neutral observer, I'm like, oh boy, this Uri-Patera thing might not be a band-aid over the Demco situation. So, I mean, given, like, given that the Canucks have explicitly spent their offseason diagnosing an issue, rush scoring chance generation and scoring chance generation generally, then sort of have lent their player recruitment efforts to kind of trying to address that problem. And then tactically, we see it sort of playing out at training camp. Like, I absolutely think there's a world where the Canucks are going to turn the

dial on how they're playing in terms of maybe taking a few more chances from a puck management perspective because a lot of their defensive solidity was based off of that last season and trying to attack with speed like with team level speed more aggressively throughout the season if it works I think they could be a ton of fun to watch especially given you know the obvious skill up and down the lineup I mean Connor Garland Niels hoaglander those guys are in the bottom six and then you get to Elias Pedersen and Quinn Hughes and what Quinn Hughes and Philip Peron it can do with those you know up high interchanges and on and on on on the other hand they could try it for like you could get off to a two and five start and be right back to doing Canucks stuff which you know last season's

connect stuff once those bounces stopped all going in um this was a you know very much below average offensive team that played a lot of like you know a lot of cardio minutes um over the course of last season There's still going to be fun stuff about them. Yep. But especially with that skill level and that power play one and on and on. But I think they could be a real riser here. And I also think we could have them too high if they play or fall back to playing similarly to how they played last year. Yeah, I was going to say the appetite for that if it goes south with question marks about the health of your starting goalie.

Yeah. And with the personnel you brought in on the blue line, I do wonder whether they would stick with it. if they didn't get immediate results. Totally. Well, it's also fragile. I mean, you lose either of those top defenders, that either defender from your top pair for a stretch. I don't even think structurally you can play that way.

So, you know, again, there's fragility and volatility in terms of how watchable or fun the Canucks will be from an objective standpoint. Obviously, Canucks fans and our listeners will be into it either way. But, but yeah, that's sort of how. And I think, I think Vegas is similar, man. Well, just one more note on the Canucks. They have such a bankable, like, trademark skill set for their top players, right? Whether it's Quinn Hughes, skating circles in his own zone, to allude four checkers, whether it's J.T. Miller's downhill wrist from the power play, whether it's Lius Pedersen,

putting the puck under a defender's stick and making them look silly and twist him into a pretzel. Like, they do stuff that I know that I'm going to enjoy as well. And so there's a predictability to it, but it's such a, has such an aesthetic flare, I guess. Yeah. I actually view that as a positive as opposed to other teams we reference where it's like, ah, I don't like that I know what I'm going to get from them. The Golden Knights.

I think the biggest selling point for me is seeing this insane science experiment actually be given a chance to play out with a longer runway than seven games in round one against Dallas, right? Assuming they're healthy enough to start the season, actually seeing Noah Aniffin and Tomaheufin and Tomahe Hurtle and Mark Stone, own Jack Eichol, you go on down the line of these players actually playing together because pretty much from the trade line on, we didn't really actually get to see them all together until the round one series and then it was just a speed run against Dallas for seven games and

that's it. Now they had an extended offseason to get healthy and to get rested. And so I am intrigued at least to start the year to see what that looks like at full form. Yeah. Yeah, I agree with you. The the upside there is big too. Right? Like, I think. think all of these teams profile in a way where I can see it evolving in either way. Do you view the Jets, by the way, as especially predictable among this group because of the, you know, obviously they've got a new head coach, but in some ways, there's like such a, there's such a looming continuity that always hangs over the Mark Chipman's Jets, right? See, I'm biased here because I think if you or I was coaching the Winnipeg Jets,

I had confidence in what they would do. I think they should be even higher on this list because there was a stretch of time mid-season last year when Kyle Connor got hurt and that forced them to play Nikolaeilers with Gabriel O'Rty and Mark Sheifley on the top line where they were legitimately explosive and fun to watch and were the best team in hockey.

And then as soon as Kyle Conner came back, he did this remarkable thing where I just said how I love bad defense in a way for this exercise because it means there's going to be more goals back and forth and he's a great goal scorer and he's horrific defensively and so he should be one of my favorite players to watch and yet similar to what you said about this pet peeve you have with past your next line changes to an even greater degree from me i just cannot stand watching his effort and so for me i'm like i just don't understand how anyone can watch this team and think

that he's a superior option on this top line with other than as opposed to nick healers and so just watching them that's always in the back of my head and it's driving me crazy and so the reason why i have them this high is because I like the players atop the lineup and I think there's a scenario where they stumble into that again. The issue is that I don't have a ton of confidence and that's why they're not higher on this list. Yeah. They to me too also have the upside case of like at some point if I get to watch a lot of Brad Lambert and a lot of Nikita Chibrokov. Yeah. Especially because Chibrokov gets so mad about stuff. Like he's just like so volatile personality study-wise, but then also skilled and, you know, runs around a bit.

I'll be in on that. So, yeah, look, I think this, I think you're right. This team can go either way. In Kyle Conner's defense, watching Kyle Conner work to get open is a unique treat for me. I see what you're saying. Well, that's great that you said the words Kyle Connor and defense back to back, because that's the first time they've ever been uttered together. Vegas.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. When he's scoring goals and when he's shooting the puck, I really do enjoy that. I just think he should be used differently. It's how he works to get open. Like, I swear, if you, you know what, try to watch Kyle Connor and as if he was like an elite wide receiver. He is always open somehow. Yeah. It's unbelievable.

His target rate through the roof. I do want to talk Vegas, though, because I do think there's a world where Vegas is fun. Yeah. I just think that world requires some hits on the wings. Also, do they want to be fun? Not in terms of playing style. In terms of caring in November enough to be fun for an extended period of time. Well, at some point, don't you, like, at some point, don't you want to play Game 7 at home?

Like, at some point, don't you want, like, Vegas is, Vegas is almost like, almost like, Mark Bergevin-era Habs act, where it's like, they're built for the playoffs. And so they sometimes don't get there. It's like, doesn't that wear thin? It does, but they've already wanted to send the cup. I know. So I think it's a lot easier to justify. Of course, but I still think you've got to be, I still think you got to be in the mix.

Like, you do not in that division want to play multiple game sevens in Edmonton and Vancouver. Yep. You know what I mean? Like, you don't want to play game sevens in wild. Canadian marketplaces. You want to host those games. In your own wild marketplace, yeah. In your own wild marketplace, which you say, yeah.

Yeah, I'm with this. This matters. Yeah. So, I mean, look, I don't know. Maybe you're right. Maybe they're just one of those boys of summer teams that is likely to sleep through the regular season. I definitely can see it.

But I also am curious to see if they can get some standout performances from some wingers hoping to establish themselves, prove some stuff about themselves. And maybe that point. pushes them. I like, I like to the Cole Schwint pick up for them. Another just like big bodied option as a top nine wing. I still think at some point they're going to have to play, um, Nick Wah on the wing most likely. But, you know, I'm curious to see how this plays out. I'm curious to watch them. I think this is going to be a pretty fun team. Um, honestly, with a chance to be really fun if we get a breakout performance or two on the way. It's a big year for Shea Theodore. I really

hope he can stay healthy and put it together because obviously when he is he's remarkably fun to watch um contract year shape theodore should be a fun thing yeah um i feel like we're doing two different shows here i'm doing the n hl watchability rankings then you're just dropping the a hl watchability rankings on me for every team you're like i can't wait to watch this guy that's never going to play for this time i just like the waiver claim it's in the news yeah um okay it's in the news well it's it's one of the top headlines um okay okay Are you ready for our next team? No, I want to spotlight a bet.

Most rookie points plus 10,000. Brendan Broussand. Right now, daily face-off has him playing on a line with Nick Waugh, which is very interesting, because Nick Waugh is an awesome passer. Right. And as much difficulty as he'll have

holding off Cole Schwint. No. Very seriously, though, they also have Alexander Holtz, right? Yep. On the second line slotted with Tomash Ardle.

Like, if you're telling me that Brendan Brisson is beating out Alexander Holtz away from a top six role on a really good team, and if you tell me

that Brandon Brousan is one mark stone injury and beating out Alexander Holtz away from a role on Jack Eichel's wing, potentially. Yep. Without shooting talent,

yeah. Then I'm telling you at plus 10,000 for him to lead the, lead all rookies and points. You can get them to lead all rookies and goals at plus 5,000. That's a long shot bet you should be seriously considering. Okay. Next two teams. Let's do two more before we take another break. And then we're getting

inch and closer to our top 10, 14th and 13th, inextricably linked until the end of time, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals. I heard a great take yesterday that I want to share with you. I think you should just pass it off as your own. No, it's too good. It's like one of those. People would be like, There's no way Tom thought of this on his own. It's one of those solar plexus takes where the moment I heard it, I was like, oh, that's exactly it. Anyway, I was chatting with someone in hockey, and they suggested to me that late career Alex Ovechkin is the exact same experience as late career Kobe Bryant with the Lakers. And I just thought that's exactly it.

That's nail hits. Yeah, except the team is more competitive than the Lakers were in those final years, right? I mean, they made the playoffs last year. Obviously, we're not very competitive in that series. minus a million goal differential. But they did get, like, they get, unquestionably got significantly better. I kind of made this point on yesterday's show where it might not be reflected in the results because there's so much regression that, like, they can be much better as a team and still

not improve, if that makes sense from last year. But, I mean, they added, Chikrin, Matt Roy, Manjupani, PLD, Duhame, backup goalie in Logan Thompson. And like they got better. Right. Right. I'm not sure that means they're going to make the playoffs again. But I think from an interest perspective, it's such an eclectic group of players. Like you look at their depth chart.

And it's such a random collection of guys that have never played together before. And so at least at the start of the year, I want to want to watch it. They were pretty tough to watch for the first half of last year. Like very plotting, slow pace, low event, nothing really happening. And if we did a mid-season watchability rankings last year, they probably would have been 32nd for me. But heading into this year, I actually do want to see what this looks like. And as some of these guys they invested in can bounce back, right?

Because they made a few interesting bets. Not that they necessarily, I guess they did kind of buy a low because like when you trade your backup goalie with a bad contract to take on a 26 year old center in his prime, that is kind of buying low, I guess, right? To see what PLD is going to do. Chickren played a reasonable price, signed Matt Roy, right? They got Manji Pony for a second. Like all these guys had down years other than Matt Roy.

and now all of a sudden, I'm curious to see whether they can bounce back because we've seen them be good in this league before. Yeah, and I'm curious to see some of the guys who've, you know, killed it for them at the HL level, right, and killed it for them in the Calder Cup. Yeah, we're going to see a lot of final. ProDos, LaPierre, right? Yeah, I would hope so. Yeah, and your boy, Merschenko.

Like, there's an interesting combination of veterans, guys in their prime, and young players as opposed to other teams in this range potentially where it's like, all right, it's just a bunch of guys who are 32 years old. Like, this actually has some upside, I think. Yeah, I think you're right. And you've got some, you know, guys like Sonny Milano, you know, like who can actually... Who's going to do four things every season that are the coolest thing you've seen. Yes, right.

So, so I'm in. I like your ranking for the Washington Capitals, but I just want to note when a Washington Capitals player who's not Alex Ovechkin like accidentally scores into an empty net. Yeah. And then they go past the bench and like, you can look, see like the shame on their face. Like the entire organization's goal is built around getting Ovechkin 895. And there's something about that that makes it feel more like entertainment

and a little bit less like what we're used to from like high level competitive hockey. But that's the point of this exercise. I know. I appreciate it. Yeah. I appreciate it. But like, you know, the, the tension around. the capital's making like four extra passes to set up Lavechkin with a net empty and like

the game's still on the line. Yep. Like there's something there. Yeah. It's just not something that I specifically enjoy. Like it's something that feels a little bastardized to me. Okay. And that's just personal reaction.

Oh, that's fair. What do you think about Ovechkin to score 42 goals and break Gretzky's record plus 1,000? He scored 31 last year, but final 46 games, second half of last year. Yeah, he's got a miserable start. It was a 45 goal pace, what you just said about, like, and they're going to be better this year. Some more empty netters. Some more empty net opportunities. Everything is just funneled through him on the power play.

They got better players along the way, whether it's a Mangupani or a PLD, who have, like, complementary skill sets to get him more opportunities to shoot the puck because his shot rate came down a little bit last year. Yeah. I think it's, I mean, it's interesting. They're certainly set up to and are going to strive towards that. So it's like, it's a good bet because the team, the organization is very incentivized for. for you to cash that one. Yeah, you know what?

I don't hate it. At the end of the day, too, like that seems like a very fun thing to track all season and root for. And they are going to build everything around getting them there. So, by the way, I actually think this blue line, like, from the criteria of your blue line

needs to be able to, like, move the puck transition, play good hockey. Like, this defense is going to be smart, mobile. Of course. And like,

this is, you're right. You know what? I've been sleeping on the capitals a little bit from a watchability perspective, they should be this high. Yeah. Now, the Pittsburgh Penguins. So why are your Pittsburgh Penguins, a team that's poised to enter the season with

Anthony Bovillier playing a top line role? Yeah. Arguably the Justin Watson of hockey, like, just like. Cardio merchant? Absolutely. Just out there running routes. Playing top line, by the way, with Crosby and Drew O'Connor to open the season. And you were so down on this team a year ago.

Is it just the Jesse Poliarvie effect? No. Is it that important? It's what you said. Crosby, Malkin, Carlson. Yeah. Still playing at such a high level. You've got to appreciate it while you can.

Yep. I want to watch as much of them as I can, especially since they actually all three of them last year were operating at not just like, oh, for nostalgia purposes, it's fun to watch these guys, like legitimately doing awesome stuff and trying to get them back into their playoffs at the end of the year that spirited run. Now, the issue is, as you said, 30th on the power play last year, somehow generating five and a half goals per hour, which seems impossible to do with the names I just mentioned.

They just did stuff along the way, whether it was coaching or personnel that just drove me up the wall. Like I just thought they were so inefficient and doing stuff that I just could not reconcile and justify. I don't necessarily think they made moves this offseason to address that. But I think the driving force and the inspiration of those three guys is enough for me to have them kind of here in this middle of the pack of the league, basically. I could bump them down a few spots if you want, but I wanted to throw you a little curveball because I think you came into this exercise expecting me to have them where I had the hurricanes, for example.

I was like, no, you know what? I want to watch those three guys. Yeah, fair. And I will add too, like I got a lot of time for a big lanky winger like Drew O'Connor, you know, unleashing rush one-timers. Like that's fun. I'm here for that.

I'm curious to see what Rutger-Morgon. Yeah, he made the team. A name, which, by the way, if you like, do you ever think he gave that name to, like, a police officer and they didn't believe him? Yes. It's honestly, like, most made up real name I've ever encountered. I'm excited to see what they look like. I actually think they've done a pretty interesting job. Just, like, at least putting some relatively affordably acquired upside bets together around the three guys,

we most want to watch. And so I am curious to see how it works. And if this team can get back to the playoffs. I think we all want to see Crosby play meaningful hockey again. And we're luckily going to get the chance to with the Four Nations. Right. And I think that's going to matter a lot to people. I think, you know, Crosby on the ice with McKinnon and McDavid is one of the things I'm most excited about this season, frankly. But getting back into the playoffs, I, look, I want it. I want it for Crosby. I want to watch it as a hockey fan. I do too. And the pairing of Chris LaTang and Matt Grislich is going to drive people so crazy. I know. It's going to be fun. I think they're going to see that dialogue.

Yeah. No, they will, but they're going to make the types of mistakes that people just can't seem to let go of. And I can see it happening already. All right, Tom, we're into our top, what, 12 here? This is very exciting. Let's take a break here. And then we come back. We're going to finish strong with the rest of the teams on our watcherably rankings. You're listening to the Hockey PeeDocat streaming. on the SportsNet Radio Network. Hey, it's Big Nazar. Have your say and join me on the People's Show with big takes and even bigger bets, weekdays three to four on SportsNet 650,

or wherever you get your podcast. All right, we're back here in the HockeyPedio cast with Thomas Durantz. We are into the end of our watchability rankings here, Tom. This is very exciting. We've actually got enough time to do these teams justice as well, not just name them and move on.

Can I bring up a observation before we move on? Yes. We haven't done Utah yet. And we won't for a while. Next team on my list, the Los Angeles Kings. Now here's the thing. Quinton Byfield transcended last year into must-watch theater for me. I think just purely like you have to see what he's doing out there.

Adrian Kempay, as we talked about, is a certified rock star. I'm on the record multiple times saying I passionately disliked the direction they chose to go in this summer. Now that's counteracted for me by the fact that in speaking of some people, I know that they've invested behind the scenes this offseason in offensive tactics and seem to have legitimate interest in addressing the stuff that ailed them last year from a tactical and schematic perspective in terms of how they're going to play. Now, I don't think that was reflected by the moves they made in terms of enabling that. So that's kind of why I'm conflicted.

But at least I'm leaving the door open that like, Befield, Kempe, Fiala, there's enough rush talent here and enough playmakers that if you just let them play that way, you can't have fine results. And certainly the start of the year, they were kind of doing that before they sort of, you know, they went through that massive PDO dip,

and then they had some bad luck, which was at least driven partly by the fact that they started playing so poorly as well and change their tactics. But we'll see what they do there. There's opportunity, as we highlighted, for Spence and Clark on the right side

to play meaningful top four minutes with Dowdy out of the lineup, and that's exciting to me. And so, I don't know. I was really torn on this one because I didn't know how to weigh all these, kind of moving parts for them, but I think there's enough potential here that this is probably the right range for them.

I think I'd have them lower. I think I need to see it. You know, I'm even thinking about the stuff that I'm excited about with them, and there is some stuff that I'm excited about with them, right? Like, for sure, Quentin Byfield, Kevin Fial on a line together is phenomenal, as good as it gets. Yep. And like, I'm really excited to watch Spence and Mikey Anderson as a top pair.

I think that's going to work, even though they're going to miss Drew Doughty. But then I'm thinking about like Brandt Clark, right? And how excited I am to watch Brant Clark get an opportunity. And at some point, you're going to have these like dizzying, you know, offensive zone cycle shifts. And Brant Clark's, you know, expertly taking fourth man's ice and 50-yard shot from Joel Edmondson. There's just too much. Yep. There's, you know, byfield, cutting through and deeking out a guy.

and then passing off to Fiala who goes behind the net and gets into a seam and the setups to Warren Fogel and it's into the goalie's crest. Like there's just so much potential for me to be tantalized by what I'm seeing and then ultimately deeply frustrated. So I just, I need to see it. I would have them lower. That's fair.

I knew you'd feel that way. And I can't really disagree with it. Next team on my list, maybe my most out there pick. The Philadelphia Flyers. Here's the thing. No, I'm out. I'm so out on this.

This is actually incorrect. Here's the thing. Yeah. Let me put my argument. Don't knock it before you try it. I've already, yeah, okay. There's almost nothing you can say. 7.2 rush chances last year per game as a team, which was sixth most in the league.

Travis Kineckney was fifth, which includes him being banged up and clearly not being himself down the stretch. It was a big reason why they fell short of the playoffs. and Arboy O'an Tippett, 14th in the league. Yeah, Tipper rocks. Madh Bay Mitchkov. Can't wait. The betting favorite for the Calder, and I think deservedly so, because right now you look, he's going to get a top-line opportunity with Kuturi and Keneckney.

I just said how they telegraphed last year. They want to play fast and off the rush. They just didn't have the talent to do so. That was reflected by 31st in shooting percentage, 32nd in save percentage, 30-second on the power play as well. areas where individual talent carries you, and they fell short of that. I think that with Mitchkov there, with Kinehe Healthy, with Tippett, I love guys like Frost and Forster and White Sovere than last year.

I think if John Torrella is serious about playing that way and allowing them to do so, I'm in. I want to watch them play. I actually really enjoyed watching them play last year. I just think people were like, ah, Tortoella hockey, there's not a lot of talent. Danny Breyer kept being like, I love that impasse between the two where Danny Baerreier was like, I want a tank. And then the team was like, nope, we're going to win games.

And eventually they wound up missing the playoffs. Eventually they compromised. I just, I like the blueprint there. And if you're telling me that Mitch God is going to come in and be this transformational talent already, obviously, he might not be right away. And that doesn't mean he's not going to be eventually. Like, it's very tough to do so jumping into the NHL. Yeah, he's got a shot. But he's poised to do so.

Yeah. And if he is, all of a sudden, man, this could look entirely different. I don't think they're going to compete for Stanley Cup. saying from like how fun they could be to watch if they're playing that downhill again with better players all of a sudden I think you're working with something there yeah Jet Lechenko making the opening night roster too is yeah like they're gonna be here in Vancouver and I'm excited to go watch them yeah I'm gonna make a point of watch them in person I'm seeing them twice in person in the first three weeks of the season and I'm thrilled so

especially because as I always say right you never want to bump into the torterella team in the first month of the year and that's sort of where like if predict if we're knocking teams for predictability right Even though Mitchkov, certainly to open the season, is going to qualify as like one of those guys who I'm buzzing about, right? But if we're talking about predictability, it's like, guess what? The Flyers are going to be sick for the first half of the year. Their underlying profile, we're all going to believe in it.

They're going to attack off the rush. They're going to have all this skill. And then they're going to fade in the second half of the season because John Tortorella overuses his players and wears people out emotionally. I know, but that I want to watch them. I want to watch that first half. No, man, I'm sick of that. I'm sick of that same script every year.

Like, come on. We know how this goes. We know how this ends. We know it's going to be interesting for a bit. And then we know it's going to be, you know, lifeless for a bit. And at the end of the day, they're going to be on the outside looking at. Yeah. And I think that's probably correct.

And I'm going to look stupid for saying that at Christmas time. That's how this goes. No, I don't disagree with that. I just think that, like, I'm valuing the way they're going to choose to play. You're valuing the journey? No, I'm not. I'm valuing the immediate gratification of how. I know they're going to look at it.

Yeah, I just want. You know what? At some point, I just think, um, I, I hope that the story is different than I expect, but I think the story is going to be exactly what I expect. And I'm not actually here to watch that again.

To be totally, well, I'm here to watch Mitch Cove. Yeah, me too. I want to see what he's going to do. Sure. I'm, I'm just, I'm not, I'm not really all that interested, um,

in this team while, while they're set up the way they're set up. Okay. Next team on my list. Maybe actually my most out there pick after the flyer. the Detroit Red Wings, who I did not include with all those Atlantic Division teams

previously in that kind of younger team tier, because I don't really even think of them as such, although they have players who are ascendant. We already got to in our R-Gai section into great detail about Lucas Raymond's glow-up in the second half of last year. Guy is sick. They had this propensity last year

of getting into wild games where you'd look up and it'd be like, they'd be making a frantic comeback, or it would be like 6-5. I love, in particular, I find their home games, their crowd really responds and I think reflects like how starved they've been for this type of product for too long now. The broadcast is awesome in terms of capturing that moment. I thought they had a bunch of ultimately meaningless results last year because they didn't make the playoffs at the end.

But games were like Lucas Raymond would have heroics and score with an empty net and then score in overtime as we talked about. And the broadcast team would be like just painting the picture for you beautifully. You wouldn't even need to be watching. You just listen to it and get goose. bumps. And so I really enjoyed that. I think the volatility and fragility of their results excites me. I think the quality of the Red Wings broadcast team being factored in here is exactly right. And listen, you're dead on. That's that's exactly right. You feel like you're hanging out with your grandparents and they're just telling you cool stories. Yeah, it's so much fun. And here's the

thing. You look at the lineup construction here. So if they're going to play the top line with Raymond De Brinkat and Larkin, they're going to have a second line with Patrick Kane and Vlad Tarasenko. they're going to have Ben Chirot and Jeff Petrie at this point of their careers in the top four. Now, I know that kind of goes against what I just said about needing to have a functional blue line, but I think that illustrates the point of what I'm saying where I think they're going to be able to score, especially that power play. Like, did that episode early in the season with Daryl Belfrey talking about that man in the middle, one of his clients, Dylan Lark, and how much work they put in together into him sort of perfecting that role.

and then how beautiful that was with like that triangle passing of cane on the wall, Raymond on the goal line, and then larking in the middle, just thing of beauty. And the blue line is going to be such a problem. Goleys, Cam Talbot and Billy Huso, I think they're going to be giving up a ton. I think they're going to be scoring a ton, and I think it's going to make for really fun games. So that's my argument for why I have them at the time. You know what? I like it.

They were a top 10 bang for your buck team last year. They were, for sure. And they're going to play fun games. There's even guys like Andrew Kopp, who I think are, like, underrated from a watchability standpoint. I'm not saying he's underrated as a player. But, like, I think Andrew Kopp, yeah, he's got more skill and obviously he's got the tenacity to his game, but there's more skill there than people realize, I think.

I enjoy watching him play. Guys like Tyler Mott, Jonathan Bergren, right? Like, even down lineup, they've got guys who I'm going to, like, be excited to watch attack against the grain. or enjoy watching because they're clear, like, athletic freaks. And, you know, the lack of puck moving, though. Yeah. Like the more at-sider of it all, too, right?

The just suboptimal puck handling decisions, even from the guy that on paper Red Wings fans don't want to accept makes some pretty dubious decisions from an offensive instinct standpoint. I would like to see it if he didn't have the most extreme defensive deployment. Like, I think that's sapped a lot of. of his creativity and development there, unfortunately. I think there's actual limitations as a processor. Maybe.

He certainly didn't really reflect that in his rookie year. I thought he was much more refined there and it's taken a step back. And I think that's because of usage. Well, maybe. But also I think the teams added, you know, cane and debunket level offensive talents. I don't, I think the way that they, I think his processing limitations show through a little more,

given some of the, you know, east-west proclivities of some of his teammates. So anyway, that's the one part where I get a little bit worried about like the connectedness of it. You know, the team level moves side because the individual side of it, and you're right, that power play, absolutely nasty. My next two teams lump together, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers. Well-oiled machines for the regular season. Yeah. I think it's pretty obvious why they're this high in terms of top 10, right?

Like with the Leafs, I want to see Austin Matthews score goals. 69 last year we were talking about this well hunting for the 70th in the final game and I do not blame him at all because 70 is such a cool number and he definitely should have

but 69 is still pretty nice nonetheless his goal scoring odds are just ridiculous so he's minus 115 for the rocket and second place is David Pasternak at plus 550 and that's right and that's right he's minus 280 to score 50 plus goals

Yeah, by high. Plus 150 to score 60 plus, I think that's reasonable. Now, the only issue is, like, he does miss games here or there. And I think whenever you're taking over is like this factor, and it's under the presumption of full help, and it's a long hockey season, and guys typically don't play all 82 games at this point. So there's that.

William Lander's explosion last year, Marner in the final year of his deal, Chris Tanev, consistently engaging in tables, ladders, and chairs matches against anyone he's playing because he's just taking so much punishment and bouncing back. And so, yeah, I think there's a lot of interesting pieces there, and you know what's on the Leafs. You know, I'm mostly just excited to see what the Broubae change means. And we'll get into this when we talk devils at some point. I imagine there where they should be right near the top.

But, I mean, I think Sheldon Keefe's maybe the most interesting, and polished offensive coach in hockey. But I do expect that this Leafs team can be better defensively, like a lot better defensively under Brubay and Brubay is not uninteresting himself in terms of the way that his team's attack. And in particular, though, the way his team's attack has typically prioritized, like, efficiency, rush scoring chances, passing up on volume. That there is an element to which that conflicts with how Austin Matthews.

gets it done, right? Like Austin Matthews is the Gatling gun, the volume shooter of volume shooters, right? He's, you know, especially in-zone right now. Especially like off of like cycle plays and in-zone, right? Yeah, so they're, I'm curious to see how that blends. Yeah, well, I think William Nielander's gonna love it. Yeah, William Nieland's for sure. And honestly, it should suit Mitch Martin or two.

Yep. You know, they're asking a lot of some guys, Pontus Holmberg is the third-line center, but I think he's a pretty good player. I love Matthew Nise. And then Chris Tannaf. Like there's no way, there's no way if you enjoy just really intelligent hockey players

repeatedly making the right play and also being willing to block shots with their face. If you enjoy that, you will enjoy the Chris Tannock's experience. Who amongst us doesn't? The New York Rangers, we talked about the connection between Panera and Lafrania last year. I'm excited to see that continue and develop

one of four power plays last year to score north of 10. Goals per 60 in the league. That continuity and chemistry there is amazing. We know what you're going to get from them, and it's going to be a fun product. I like their broadcasts. I like their home vibe with the crowd and the goal song. And so the Rangers are this high on my list.

Let's get into a couple teams here that I think you're like, hmm, they haven't mentioned these teams yet. I wonder why are they going to at all? Tom, number eight, your Utah hockey club. Let's go. Number seven, our national. Predators. Yeah.

Let's go one or a time. Yeah, sure. Want to you to Utah? I mean, I'm. Am I high enough on them? I think you're sufficiently, well, look, I actually think you might not be high enough on Nashville either, to be totally honest with you. So, but let's start with Logan Cooley and Dylan Gunther playing on a line with Jack

McBain to open the season. Like, let's go, man. You're the only person in the world that's going to frame it that way as opposed to McBain playing with the other two guys. Well, it's fun. They have the luxury of playing with Jack McBain. No, like, how about, how about it? Well, you know, you throw these two young players with superstar level talent, Gunther with some of the best, one of the wickedest releases we've seen coming to the league in years.

And Logan Cooley, you know, with something of a super processor in his head, You know, Alias Pedersen style almost. She reminds me of sort of that side of Pedersen's game. You know, it doesn't have the one-timer, but just so ahead of where the play is going on a ship-by-ship basis. And you throw them with just this like absolute wrecker on the wall. There's no way I'm not going to be excited about that. Well, the combinations in particular, right?

Keller Schmaltz, Kuli Gunther, with all due respect to Jack McBain, Machelli Krause, even a fourth line of Kevin Stanlin and Michael Carcone. Like, let's go. And then, circuit ship, jersey, top pair. Just the novelty. Circuship, jersey, top pair. The novelty of a first year in a new place, right? New rank jerseys, the broadcast.

They got Dominic Moore on the broadcast. Yeah. Just taking the baggage and wait off of how last year transpired at the end and then getting this fresh start and everyone being excited about it. Like, they're playing opening night here tonight against the Blackhawks. I'm thrilled about that game. Yeah, I can't wait to watch. I'm going to be watching as much as I can.

I think they're going to be watching as much as I can. going to be good. And by the way, we're going to get to settle our longstanding debate about how good Mikhail Sergachev is one way or the other. Like this is the season we'll find out. I think Mikhail Sergishev in a true 1A role is going to eat. And it'll be a ton of fun. Okay, so the predators. Everything I said about the flyers last year, take that and then blow it up to the end degree. Burnett's first year installing this entirely new offensive process, right, where they were 10th in the league, or sorry, they were top 10 in expected goals for and expected goals against offensively. Third in slot shots, third in inner slot shots, six and O's own time, third in rebound chances, fourth and cycle chances.

They're held back by a middle of the pack power play and a lack of true shooting talent. They had Stamco's one-timer. They add Marcia So's goal scoring ability. They add Shays skating. They've got the development of Angelista and Tomasino, if you have yet. actually gets a chance. No vacu. You've got a broadcast

with Chris Mason and Willie Donick, which I love. These games are going to be fun to watch. I'm excited to see how all the pieces fit. And under Andrew Burnett, I think sky's the limit offensively for them, right? And then they've got UCSarros to bail them out

if that opens up to any chances against, although they were good defensively last year as well. So, man, I'm really excited about this team. I'm really excited about this team. And by the way, they're plus 850. plus 850 to have to lead the Western Conference and points.

I think that's a pretty interesting upside bet given the caliber of their goaltending, the caliber of their, you know, regular season coaching, right? Like even if you're down on Andrew Burnett, I think like the most critical thing you could say about him is to suggest that he's something like his generation's answer to Bruce Boudreau. Okay, well, I want their regular season points over. Yeah, I want to watch. them and done on them in the regular season. Yeah, I'm with you. And I don't even buy that.

Like, I thought he did an excellent job in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I think the idea that he's limited there because, you know, the Panthers couldn't break a one three one in his one season there. And because obviously the Paul Maurice hire was the right one for that organization doesn't necessarily say anything about where Brunette is as a coach. I think this team's very well positioned to be a real threat out West. And I mean, that team playing the way they played because they played intricate, interesting offense throughout last season.

It's just that when those chances came, they weren't falling to Stamco's or Marciusso caliber shooters for the most part. Yep, and now they are. Now they are. Number six on my list, the Tampa Bay Lightning. 11 goals per 16 in the power play last year

led the league was historically great. I'm curious to see how they replaced Stamco's as one-timer. With all due respect to Stamcoast, I get the feeling that it won't matter. Kutrov is such an artist. I think he's transcended half-wall play so far and beyond everyone else.

And in both zones too. Like you watch him in the defensive zone. He gets knocked for his lack of effort or attention to detail there, just one and a hunt for points. Watch their breakouts when he's along the wall just inside of his blue line. Scans, figures out where someone's going to be,

where points going to be streaking up the ice, pins a defender on his back, whips around and gets it tape to tape like an elite quarterback downfield. It's so good. On the power play, he's such a puppet master. They're the one of the few, one of the few dominant power plays

that I can think of that don't really have like any movement. And that's because Kuturov just makes everyone else move. Like he can stand where he wants to be. Point can stand in the slot. Stamco's used to be able to stand in the opposite circle. And they don't never have to move around or switch guys because he's going to get the defenders on a rope,

just figuring out where he wants to take them. And so I want to watch him. And I think this is just a pure testament to him because otherwise his team does not deserve to be this high. And there's certainly from like an actual results perspective, I think there's a, I'm curious to see how this year plays out for them. But then you add in Gensel at 515 with him in point as well. And that's going to be remarkable.

And so, yeah, I just, while Kuturov's operating at this level, he can be no further. In fact, I'd argue he should be top five every year. So the fact that he's six right now tells you everything you need to know about the lightning. Yeah. Don't sleep on Connor geeky. I think he's going to be a ton of fun this year,

just like an absolute beast. You know how I feel about guys like Nick Paul. Jake Gensel's fun, obviously, without question. Is it going to be Cam Atkinson in the Stamco spot? Why wasn't that Daniel Sprong? Yeah, I don't know. For 75K more. Doesn't make sense.

Could have just had a ruthless right shot. Then I wouldn't be worried about replacing Stamples. And look, Atkinson's had a ton of success. He's this generation Steven Stamco's, Daniel Sprung. Geez. I mean, you can get Daniel Sprong, by the way, plus 200 to get 50 points. And there's something about that number where I'm just like,

oh man, if I, if I gambled hockey, that would be tempting to me because you're just betting that he finds his way on the power play one in Vancouver. Like, that's it. That's all you're betting. And I feel like Daniel Sprung like stumbles on the power play ones like the way I stumble into a bakery. If it's if it's Cam Atkinson on there that and who else would it be like who else is a right handed shooter? Yeah. It's going to be Atkinson, right? I think they could put your eye there and it's going to be a top high player. I don't think so.

I think that's Stamcoast like at the end of the day, Kutrov. stirs the drink, but the fact that they were, they had a shooter whose, you know, weaponry, it wasn't a matter of whether, um, whether he's going to, like, score. It's, does he, does he miss? Right? Like, the goal is going to be determined by whether or not Stamco's misses or not. The chance is going to be automatic. Um, they're going to miss that. And, and as, as much success as Atkinson has had on the left flank or whomever they put there. Yeah, that's not a skill set either. That's not a skill set even in his prime.

No, no, he was a volume guy. Yeah. And he can do, he can have success there, but it's going to look a lot different without stamp goes, no question in my mind. I think Kutrov's just smart and talented enough to figure it out eventually. And he definitely, he definitely hits the, I got to watch this guy. You got to wait to have a chance to watch this guy. You got it.

Number five, the New Jersey Devils, as I said, benefit of a couple of viewings already. They looked very back to me. Barry back, yeah. That huge Brad Meyer line cooking. They didn't even score that much in the two goals. Only the one kind of greasy goal in front of the net for Meyer, but I think there's a lot more to come based on the chances they generated. They have so many guys they can throw you to hound the puck, right?

Mercer, Carter, Holla, Nason. Covesevice. Covesevich, certainly. Seamus Casey looked unbelievable. Looked sick. In a third pair playing with Simone Nettz. Even Jacob Markstrom, right? Awesome performance.

30 to 31 makes the highlight real save. even had a few adventures with the puck in terms of like I enjoy watching his goalie play. There's going to be a lot of Markstrom. It's going to be awesome. And so yeah, this Devils team after kind of a year Mulligan or hiatus, I think they might

yeah, you're right. Honestly, they might be... I mean, they have the upside to be number one here. I mean, number, while McDavid is still kicking, he will always be number one. They might be my number two. It would be them or the abs for me. Yeah. Okay. Number four of the Florida Panthers. My only concern is regular

season motivation after going on two long playoff runs playing into late June the play style as well right like i think they want to be careful with both barcov and ecblad's minutes and games they've already shown that in past regular seasons but i feel like even more so this year defending the title so we'll see but man i'm just i'm not even sure if they have an off switch though like that that competitiveness and forecheck and feistyness and just attack mentality like they might just have no other recourse so i'm curious to see how they incorporate some of these young cheap guys they brought in as well, right? Like, I think the opportunity's there for a guy like Mackie Samoskevich. Like, why not?

On PowerPlay 1? Well, let's go. Yeah. I think there's, they're going to experiment. Yeah. And I think that's what this regulation should be for them because the infrastructure is just so unassailable. It looked great with Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Bachfist has a legit bomb from the point.

I mean, you know, you put it, put a guy with some upside in a position to succeed. Could be fun. Yeah. Yeah. That's all I'm saying. Colorado avalanche, third. Not ideal to Lekkonen's out as well to go along with Landis Skog and Shushkin. But I think for our purposes here, that just means we're going to see games where Miko Ranton

and Nathan McKinnon play 25 to 30 minutes, which they did a lot of last year. And with McCar and Taves and Gerard, how Manson chose to play in the playoffs, we're also getting an extended look here at Koblenko and Cal Richie. And so we'll see how they kind of piece it together with all those absences. But man, if you're telling me you have McKinnon, Rantin, and Macar, on the ice for half the game. Yeah, man. You can't not watch.

I also have pretty high hopes for the watchability of Calam Ritchie. Yeah. I genuinely think that's going to get a ton of fun. And we can't do a watchability spot on the as without at least just noting Logan O'Connor's antics. Yes, of course. Top two teams. Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, the two best teams in the West. I'd have the stars lower.

Man, the amount of forward depth is just obscene. Yeah. hopeful for better help from Robertson and enhanced this year, full season of Stankov, then another year of Johnston and Harley. It's just tough to pass off. The broadcast is awesome. The home crowd is phenomenal.

Like, they play a fun style. I'm in. They don't have the individual talent of like the singular player to some of these other teams. I think the collective is enough. And then the Oilers, I mean, self-explanatory, as I said. Yeah, David's in the league and he's playing as well as he is. They're going to be up here and now the additions of Skinner and Arbison as well.

It's the Oilers. The, yeah, the oilers are number one with a bullet. I think I'd have the stars below New Jersey and Colorado. But like, yeah, I don't think they're, I don't think you're out of line to have them. You're not going to reprimend me? To have them second, but I'd have them lower. Should be a tough. All right, Tom, this is a blast.

We've got to get out of here. Go and listen to our Our Guys show from last week. Hope you enjoy this one. We'll be back with Tom again, as we said last time. We're doing a weekly feature this year where we're getting together every Sunday, Sunday, Monday, start of the week, whatever, we'll figure it out and having fun. Thank you for listening to the HockeyPedio cast streaming on the Sports Night Radio Network.