The Sheet with Jeff Marek - About Time ft. Max Bultman & Colby Cohen

Episode Date: August 20, 2025

On this episode of The Sheet with Jeff Marek on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel, Jeff is joined by The Athletic’s Max Bultman for an in-depth discussion on the Detroit Red Wings finally making things right by retiring Sergei Fedorov’s number. Colby Cohen then joins to discuss players decommitting from the CHL and moving to the NCAA. The conversation then shifts to Team USA’s orientation camp, the decisions behind the roster selection, and why Lane Hutson’s exclusion raised eyebrows. Plus, Jeff explores the impact veteran Sam Gagner has had off the ice, highlighting his efforts to grow and support the Muskoka Hockey community.#TheSheet #DailyFaceoff #JeffMarek #MaxBultman #DetroitRedWings #SergeiFedorov #RedWings #USAHockey #LaneHutson #HockeyTalk #SamGagner #MuskokaHockey #NHLShout out to our sponsors!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼 Simply Spiked: https://www.simplyspiked.ca/en-CAReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Flames_Nation🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Art has power to inspire us, to unite us, to give us solace and courage when we need it most, to create important stories, lasting memories, a sense of belonging. Your National Art Center serves as a catalyst and communities across Canada, empowering artists, inspiring audiences, and bringing us closer together. Learn more at nac.c.c.c.a slash create in Canada. A-Cast powers the world's best podcasts. Here's the show that we recommend. I'm Jesse Kierkshank, and on my podcast, Phone a Friend.

I break down the biggest stories in pop culture, but when I have questions, I get to phone a friend. I phone my old friend, Dan Levy. You will not die hosting the Hills after show. I get thirsty for the hot wiggle. I didn't even know a thirsty man until there was all these headlines. And I get schooled by a tween. Facebook is like a no, that's what my grandma's on.

Thank God, phone a friend with Jesse Kierkshank, is not available on Facebook. It's out now wherever you get your podcast. ACAST helps creators launch, grow, and monetize their podcast everywhere. acast.com. This episode of The Sheet is sponsored by the OCS Summer Pre-roll Sale. Sometimes when you roll your own joint, things can turn out a little differently than what you expected. Maybe it's a little too loose.

Maybe it's a little too flimsy. There's a million ways to roll a joint wrong. But there's one role that's always perfect. The pre-roll. Shop the summer pre-roll and infused pre-roll sale today at OCS.ca and participating retailers. Okay, welcome to it. Welcome once again to The Sheet. Glad to have you aboard today. As you can tell, I am not in the comfortable confines of the Sheet Broadcast Center. It's my basement, by the way. We're in lovely Muscoca. So we're doing something right now.

And if I would turn my camera, I would show you, Zach. He's to my immediate right sitting on the floor here of my bedroom here in Muscoca. We're shooting some stuff here for a very special, very special series we're putting together, all very hush, hush, hush. But we'll spring it on you soon. So anyway, I wanted to get something done this week and want to talk about a few things today. I wanted to talk about the Detroit Red Wings retiring number 91, comma, finally. So we're going to talk to Max Boltman from The Athletic about that one. And we'll talk as well about the ongoing and evolving situation between the NCAA and the CHL

the most recent news, Adam Valentini, who is eligible for this year's NHL draft, leaving Kitchener right before training camp to join the University of Michigan. Brandon Nerato gets his man. So we'll get into that with Colby Cohen coming up here in a couple of moments. One thing I do want to let you know is, and we'll get into this a little bit more in the program, up here in Muscoca, they do have something really special going on here. And it's no longer just a pro skate, but it's a full hockey camp. When you get here and start talking to people about hockey here in Muscoca, the name Sam Gagne

comes up real fast. Now, Sam has just signed on to work in player development for the Ottawa Senators, and he also runs a very successful hockey camp here called Muscoca Hockey. This was an idea that Gagne launched a number of years ago. It was him and Eric Goodbranson, and there were a couple of kids that would be up here skating. I think Will Cooley was one of them. and Jamie Driesdale as well.

And it just sort of snowballed from there. And this has kind of become, you know, Sam Gagne's summer baby here, where they've, you know, helped to build a new rank. And with so many NHLers already up in this area in the off season, what Gagne has put together with Muscoa hockey is a combination of places the pros can go and skate.

So not to drive, you know, two miles away or two kilometers away or 20 kilometers away or two hours away to get their, skates in, but also, you know, there's, you know, gyms and places to do your dry land, places to do all of your workouts, all in one area. So the players can still have their relaxing cottage vacations and their cottage summers, but still have a place locally where they can do all their work to get ready for the upcoming NHL season.

Sam Gagne is a high, it was a highly intelligent hockey player, as we all know, but he's really sharp businessman and when you talk about hockey lifers and people they're going to be involved in hockey their entire life much like his father dave legendary NHL are great hands great goal score who's a long time agent with with waserman sam's going to be in hockey for his entire life and it's probably going to end up doing a lot of different things ottawa senators is one moscow hockey is another and this thing just keeps on rolling along and more players continue to get added. He has, you know,

CHL players, skating, Division I guys, younger groups as well. It's turned into something much bigger than just him and Eric Goodbranson skating with Jamie Drysdale and Will Cooley before they made it to the NHL. Anyhow, coming up on today's program,

glad to have you bored, whether you're listening live, watching live in the chat, listening to us on podcast, Apple Pod, Spotify, etc. Or watching in archive on YouTube, we thank you for. your attention. Daily outline of today's program is always powered by our friends at

Fanduel. Make every moment more with North America's number one sports book, our friends, our partners, Fanduel. Coming up on today's show, mentioned it earlier. Max Bolton of the Athletic, the Detroit Red Wings are his main beat. And we'll talk about the Detroit Red Rings finally relenting, acquiescing of his jersey retired. As many people have pointed out, It is more than just a coincidence that on January 12th, when the Jersey is getting retired, the Detroit Red Rings are facing off against the Carolina hurricanes. Now, I know it's still not the Carmanos versus Illich wars that ravaged through the NHL for a number of years. Oh, Compiware versus Little Caesars, but still, that little fact is not lost on people.

We'll talk a lot about Sergei Federoff on the program today, one of the most complete players. The way I like to say it is he's one of the most complete elite players that the game has ever seen because he was an elite offensive threat, he was an elite defensive threat, an elite forward, played on the blue line as well, on the power play for the Detroit Red Wings. He was a guy that did it all.

One of the greats to ever play the game and rightfully 91 goes to the rafters. Also, Kobe Cohen will stop by from Morning Cup of hockey. Still very plugged in, obviously, to U.S.C. and to NCAA Division I, specifically, through Boston University. Some more ruffled feathers yesterday as Adam Valentini, who had left the U.S.HL to join the OHL's Kitchen Arangers, has now left the Kitchen Rangers to join the University of Michigan.

So as University of Michigan doesn't get Gavin McKenna, they pick up Adam Valentini, who will be a first-round draft pick, we all suspect, in this year's upcoming. coming NHL draft. Colby Cohen weighs in on this one and specifically the timing of it. We'll get into a bigger conversation about what this whole development model is going to look like. Everything is going to seem huge and everything is going to seem new right now because it's the first year that we're all going through it. We haven't seen a situation like Valentini right before training camp, peace out, I'm gone. And we also haven't seen players leaving college to go back to the CHL figuring either one, school isn't for me.

me or this wasn't what I expected it to be and I'm going back to my junior team but everything right now is is more both magnified and blown up at the exact same time because it's virgin territory for everybody so we'll get into that with Colby Cohen coming up in a little bit we probably should talk about and maybe just specifically talk about Lane Hudson um Olympic orientation camp and who's going and perhaps most notably because it's always more fun. How is Lane Hudson not going for USA? That's one of the questions we'll have for. Colby Cohen coming up here in a couple of moments towards the bottom of the hour.

In the meantime, I want to start the conversation today by bringing aboard Max Boltman. Max is very busy. He's got other podcasts to do today, but he carved out some time about an hour ago to sit down with me and talk about not just the Trite Red Wings issue, which we get into issues, which we get into towards the end of this interview, but most specifically, the Detroit Red Wings decision to finally retire Sergey Federoff's number.

Max Boltman of the Athletic, covering the Detroit Red Wings beat. Here's our conversation from just over an hour ago. Here's Max. So I guess maybe the word around Detroit, Max, yesterday, the team that you covered, the Detroit Red Wings, was finally, or was there a whole lot of conversation about

why did it take too long? This was really obvious when the Wings made the decision to finally retired number 91. What did you think? You know this team. Yeah, I mean, a lot of the same, right? I was my first year on the beat was 2018, 19. That was the year they retired Red Kelly's number. And I remember, I mean, first of all, Red Kelly learning about his career, which was obviously well predated me, but I got to sit in his living room and learn from him and thought that was a really special experience. In Detroit, though, the reaction was like, what about Sergei? I actually felt really bad because Red Kelly's jersey retirement was so overshadowed by how much the fans wanted to see 91 go up. And so my entire time on the beat, this has been a huge storyline that the fans have

wanted. To me, I can't say it felt inevitable, right? Because, you know, there were some questions around whether it would ever happen with some of the strain on the relationship and the way he left and the offer sheet that I'm sure we're all going to get to all of that. But it did just feel like something was going to be missing if Fedorov's number wasn't up in the rafters. And I think with this being their centennial season, I do think there's something that feels right about. You probably couldn't have done the 100 year celebration with such a big piece missing from the rafters. Or, yeah, or was such a big piece just sort of hanging over. Like I'm always curious sort of what the motivation was or what caused, you know, the thaw with the relationship.

What caused the Tread Red Wings, the Illich family to finally relents? Was it a combination of the fans wanted? This will hang over the celebration season. Like, what was it that finally got this thing over the finish line? I'd be theorizing, right? I mean, to me, on one hand, right? Like, I do think this took way too long. My personal opinion is the best time to do this would have been the last season at the Joe

so that his number got to hang where he played, right? When that didn't happen, though, like you start looking. I was shocked to learn this. I wonder if you already know this instinctively. You're such a historian. This is the fourth fastest jersey they've retired in franchise history. I never would have guessed that. The only ones that were quicker were Eisenman Federov and how.

So they do take a while. Maybe like I think it's kind of a franchise thing. Like they can be really, hey, let's, you know, slow play this. Don't want to do too many of it. He does to me feel, though, like one of these players that, you know, yeah, he wasn't a captain. and he wasn't a lifelong Red Wing. I don't think you can tell the story of the Detroit Redwings without Sergei Fedorov, without the Russian Five.

He was so central to that golden era that it was just going to be like, you have to do this eventually. Like the ultimate, it's almost common sense, has to win out. And I think that's kind of what happened here is that in the end, it's only the ninth one they've done. But, you know, he's certainly higher than ninth on the list of all-time franchise grades. So I don't, I can't tell you exactly what it was that caused it to. be now. I don't know if it's the history, the reflection that comes with a centennial season,

something like that. If it's just simple time healing wounds, but it is the right thing to do, no doubt. In a nice bit of trolling, as everybody has pointed out, January 12, the Red Wings just happened to face off against the Carolina hurricanes. And, you know, you mentioned the infamous offer sheet. We know that there's been a healthy competition and no love lost between CompuWare and Little Caesars, you know, the Illich family and the Carmanos family. This was more than just a coincidence that the Carolina hurricanes happen to be in town, Max. Gotta be, right?

I mean, it is kind of funny. Peter Caramanos does not own hurricanes anymore. So Tom Dundon finds himself a little bit in the center of this. But it's just one of those nice winks to history, right? Nobody on the ice, nobody on those teams is a part of it. But I think the fans love it. And that's a great thing. Yeah.

It would be, I guess it would have to be the Vancouver Canucks because it was Jim Rutherford's handiwork, I suppose, even though we know the whole idea that came from the owner, Peter Carmanos. His story is a fascinating one with the Detroit Red Wings. Like, I was lucky enough and I'm old enough to have watched his entire career. And if there was a more complete elite player in his era, I don't know who it was. He was as gifted as he was offensively. He was equally gifted defensively, as you saw with the Selke trophies. I tend to think that automatically you win a heart trophy right away. You go to the front of the line for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

He could take over games. He could play in all situations. He would play on the point. You talked about the Russian Five as well. That 93 season was really special for Federov. I mean, I started gushing about Federov. catch myself and say, well, the next thing I'm going to say is, and he invented oxygen. But really, like, Federov is one of those players that when the puck hit the ice,

he would do, max, whatever he wanted to do from your viewings of them when you're, you know, we're young and watching the Red Wings, to watching video, to talking to people about Sergey Federoff, from a, from a player's point of view, what's a consistency, what keeps coming back? was because to me he was complete and elite at everything that he did. That's what it is. I mean, you talked about the 93-94 season. You score 120 points. You win the Selke trophy.

Yeah, I think you're the MVP of the league, Jeff. I think I think Selky winners should probably be heart finalists a little more often than they are, frankly. I mean, we see it in the playoffs. What happens when Connor McDavid runs into Alexander Barkoff? A, makes for a really great hockey game and a really great seven game series. But oftentimes, the guy who can shut you down wins. And so I do think that that is a massive part of his legacy as perhaps the most complete forward of his era, certainly one of the most complete forwards of all time. But yeah, I don't think you can tell his story as a player without telling the origin story too, right?

And it's a spy thriller, right? It's this like, oh, 100%. Absolutely. I said this on a local podcast last night here, the Winged Wheel Pod. Like, if you just read it, if you knew nothing about hockey and you read this story or you watch us as a movie, you'd go, yeah, the author laid it on. a little thick with this one. Okay. It's like the Cold War and they draft him and he's got a defect. And oh, by the way, he's going to show up and be amazing right away and they're going to make history with the first five-man unit. It's all of it at once. Yeah. But I mean,

it's true. I mean, it was a really, it was a really special time too because yes, Federoff has that, you know, spy thriller story. Alex McGilney has something similar. I remember having long conversations with Jerry Meehan, the Buffalo Sabres getting Alexander McGilney. You know, Brian Burke has told me countless stories about, about Pavel Burray and getting him to the Vancouver Canucks. And we're having conversation with Jim Lights about getting Peter Klama for crying. Like, everybody, people coming from that part of the world at that time had these stories that go back to, you know, another legendary hockey player that, you know, Red Wings fans will certainly know. And that's Vaslav Netamanski, who risked it all to come over to North America to play.

And these are times where, as you know, like you went right up into the 90s, if you went, sometimes your family would pay the price. There was nothing frivolous about, you know, leaving Russia and coming to play hockey in the NHL. It was always a dangerous decision. And as you well know, Max, it was a dangerous trek as well. No doubt. And I mean, there's a writer at the center of this, right? I mean, I'm sure you and I probably get a little more of a kick out of this than maybe all the listeners. but the fact that the Detroit Free Press beatwriter Keith gave at the time,

like he goes to Russia and slips a pamphlet, right? Like, it's just all this stuff that you're like, man, did I get born a little too late? I would have loved to have lived something like this. Yeah, it really was a wild time. You know, the Detroit Red Rings have had so many, you know, high-end elite superstar players in their history, you know, still more whose numbers will one day be retired. Where do, like, I'm always curious,

where did Detroit Red Wings fans put Sergei Fedoroff, you know, in the conversation with Steve Iserman and Gordy Howe and Nicholas Liddstrom, like where do they place them? Like if you're creating a hierarchy of beloved Detroit Red Wings, where does Sergei Federoff fit? Well, I think the distinction that you would get to with Iserman Howe Littstrom is they were career Red Wings, although Howe did obviously have a after he left the Red Wings kind of a second arc. But you knew them as just lifers, right? Captain's lifers. And I think that's a little bit of a different category. But when you just talk about on the ice, like Sergey was as spectacular. Like the guy who honestly comes as the closest comparable to me for Federov would be Datsuk

because it was a similar deal, right? You're one of the great two-way defensive forwards in the league. And oh, by the way, you're just pull you out of your seat electric, right? And Datsuk's a little more like when I was growing up, I got to see the full span at Datsuk's career as opposed to Federer. But that's how I've always understood these two guys is maybe not the exact same skill set, right? I don't think Datsuk skated like Federov and nobody has hands like Datsuk. But they're kind of, they're of a type.

And I think that's how I view them is they're just the guy that probably made you fall in love with hockey. And I think that's probably more the sentiment, right? Whereas Iserman is this consummate captain, this leader. You're not going to see quite the level of personality from Steve Eiserman that you would see from a Sergei Federer. but Federov was the guy who went, oh, maybe I should try to put on a pair of skates. And oh, by the way, maybe there'll be these cool white skates, right? And these things that no one else does.

And so that to me is a big part of Sergey Federov's legacy is the flair and the style. Let me let me pause on that for a second. I'm really glad you got us there, Max, because one of the things, and you'll talk to, mainly players will refer to this. But the look was so unique, you know, the white skates, the Nike swoosh, the Nike helm. all of it, you know, off the ice too with like, you know, the long feathers, the sports car, like all of it, like whole thing that went into Sergei Federoff outside of the skills. But the look that went along with it, I think fans certainly appreciated it, but players loved it.

How many players have you talked about, talked to who have said, yeah, man, you know, I love that Federoff look. That was so cool and unique at the time. Well, he's just so cool, right? Like, I mean, that's, it's the cool factor that I wish the game had a little bit more freedom to express, I think, today. And I think about guys like in Austin Matthews as like a modern comp. And we were talking about this last day too, right? Like, who could even do this in today's game, right?

Like it's and get away with it in a way that didn't get, you know, carved or, oh, they're making it about themselves. And Federov kind of transcended that. So I can't tell you I actually asked players about this. It hasn't come into my mind, though. Now that you're asking me, I kind of would like to. but that's how I read the situation, is the cool factor, in addition to how great a player he was, and the two go hand in hand. I don't think you can do the sports car and have that, you know, level of swagger and all

this and then, you know, be a 15-goal guy on the fourth line. But he was Sergey Fedron. He could do it. This episode of The Sheet is sponsored by the OCS summer pre-roll sale. Sometimes when you roll your own joint, things can turn out a lot. little differently than what you expected. Maybe it's a little too loose. Maybe it's a little too flimsy. There's a million ways to roll a joint wrong, but there's one role that's always perfect. The pre-roll. Shop the summer pre-roll and infused pre-roll sale today at OCS.ca and participating

retailers. Art has power to inspire us, to unite us, to give a solace and courage when we need need it most, to create important stories, lasting memories, a sense of belonging. Your National Arts Center serves as a catalyst and communities across Canada, empowering artists, inspiring audiences, and bringing us closer together. Learn more at nacc.ca.ca.c.c.c.c.c.c.c. Create in Canada. Well, that's the thing, too. Like, if you didn't like the look, like you couldn't criticize him for like showboating or trying to draw attention to himself because he would draw attention to himself

and then be the best player on the ice. Score five goals in a game. Exactly. Yeah. Poor Washington Capitals for that one. You know, the, uh, the Federoff thing is, is, is so fascinating. And you're right. Like there's a lot of angles of the story and there's the Carolina offer sheet.

And there and there is the also. this one I know stung the Red Wings for a long time, you know, even as as most recently as last season, if you would check in, they'll, there was still bitterness over him choosing Anaheim over Detroit. Did they have a deal? How solid was it? Was it more than a hang? Where was that deal? Listen, it was, it put it this way, at the time, it was a controversial way for Federoff to depart Detroit's. How is that? story been told over the years and are we are we now in a situation where the story's going to get told again and we might get more information on it it's a good point that I hadn't really thought

about that as like this is an avenue for you know you get to the reconciliation stage maybe people get a little bit more history to talk about what went on I'm always like like like history is just like an ongoing wave it goes away and then it comes back and it goes away and it comes back and I can't help of thinking, the Anahein, you know, leaving for Anaheim wave is now coming back in the Fedorov conversation. It's a great point. And I think to me when I think about that time, two things come to mind. One is like how recent the success was.

And it's the same deal with the offer sheet, right? Like they're coming off a Stanley Cup in 1997 and he sits out half the season. He signs an offer sheet and they end up win it in 98. So I guess all as well that ends well there. Then you win at in 02 and by 03, it's leaving again, right? And when you talk about the history that we went through, right, everything that the Red Wings went through to get him here to drafting him, I'd be lying if I said, I couldn't understand why they would be like, what the heck, man, look like, why don't you just want to stay with us forever? I can understand that, right? It's just when you let that emotion, that very human, honest emotion get in the way of what's so obviously should be such, like, Sergey Federoff should be on Red Wings billboards because of how central he was to the golden era and how many Red Wings fans he helped create, right? And so it's when those two things come into conflict, the very understandable human emotion.

And then they're like, ah, yeah, but you can't let that, you know, we all have human emotions that we have to moderate and not let get in the way of our bigger, broader goals. And so that to me is kind of how I see the story of it is like, I get it, but don't let it stop you from honoring this guy from making this guy part of your, a central part of your story, because he is. And listen, like a part of the, a central part of the, uh, a central part of the, The Illich, Detroit Red Wings. And, you know, to go back into history, you know, Mike Illich buys the Detroit Red Wings and they had to give away cars to get people into the building. You know, I think it was, was it Brad Park who in lieu of certain compensation, you know, Mike Gillish gave him two little Cesar's franchises. Like they did, like at the beginning, like the Detroit Red Wings did everything to help reestablish the greatness that once was the Detroit. Red Wings. And there are a lot of steps along the way and, you know, good steps, bad

steps, missteps, and, you know, Eisman rolls along and even he didn't have, you know, the ultimate success early. It took a while. But as far as establishing the Detroit Red Wings as, you know, a great, legitimate superstar hockey brand in the NHL, they said, all those people in the past we mentioned earlier all played a big part. And so did Sergey Federer. And, you you can't whether you like it or not like you can't you can't ignore it sometimes you just sort of say like look it still hurts it still burns but this is the right thing to do and part of me when i saw you know your story yesterday at the athletic and the subsequent release from the detroit red wings i thought okay they may not like this because i still like there's still a big part of me

that believes they don't want to do this right like this is being done sort of grudgingly everyone will say the right things but that wound is still deep and every now and then that wound can can still open because I think that the Detroit Red Wings and the Illich family, correct me if I'm wrong here, Max, you're closer to it than me, kind of took it personally. And when you have a family that owns a team, sometimes decisions are taken personally. They're not, it's not quote unquote, just business. Well, and how can it be when you run a team as, you know, core to yourself? Like, that's how Mike Illich ran the team. And that's why he was so beloved in Detroit is that like he ran it like it was his favorite team too and you see sometimes in sports particularly in baseball

i i love baseball jeff but there's too many baseball teams that are run like a hedge fund or like it's just supposed to be a profit machine well mike illich if he wanted a player he would tell can holland i want the player go get him he will help us win a stanley cup right and so yeah like of course it gets more personal when that's how you're operating it it you feel it with the fervor and the zeal of a fan in addition to the owner um now i i will say like mike and mary and were the owners at that time and this Chris Litch's parents now Chris is running the team right so I wonder about that I wonder you know does that kind of change of the guard does that smooth things you look at who the general manager is who knows sergey Fedorov better than Steve Eisenman

Jeff like and so when when Iserman comes in immediately you start to wonder okay maybe this is a bridge it kind of reminds me I don't know if you follow US college basketball much right but the fab five were estranged from Michigan oh I remember fab five oh yeah yeah and and so joan Howard becomes the head coach and pretty soon you start to see the fab five showing up at games again right it's when you when you start to kind of ease those uh tensions you bridge those gaps you find the right person to extend the olive branch all those things it helps but you know to your point we'll never know because they're never going to say you know what what feelings are still there they probably know it's the right thing to do could i tell you if it's unanimous or not i could not you know

but it should be because he's he's that special he's that good and they're doing it and so that's kind of where i i fall on it is it there's just some things i'm not going to ever be able to know but i would i would guess along your lines that uh there's probably still some people that have some conflicted emotions about it but you know it they're arriving at the right conclusion you know the uh a lot is made about the carolina offer sheet and it was expensive certainly with that you know that that first year bonus um but nonetheless i i'm always from minded of a story told to me by Bill Waters, who used to be an agent and was an assistant general manager with Maple Leafs and et cetera, et cetera. And he told me a story. He was representing a player

by the name of Warren Young. And Warren Young played with the Pittsburgh Penguins. And in his one walkaway year, his free agent year, had a tremendous season with Pittsburgh, mainly fueled by Mario, but nonetheless. And the Detroit Red Wing signed him. I think it was like $1.5 million, which at the time, this is like mid-80s, was an astronomical number. And Bill told me the story, they're out at dinner, and he was sitting beside Mike Illich. And Mike said, ah, you know what, Billy, you got me on the Warren Young deal.

And Bill goes into Agent Mo and said, no, no, no, it's a good deal for the player. And it's a good deal for the Detroit Red Wings. And he said, Mike Gillich cut him off and said, no, no, no, Bill, Bill, Bill, it's okay. It's fine. Because if it doesn't work out and I end up paying too much for Warren Young, you know what I'm going to do? And Bill said what? He said, I'm going to raise the price of pizza, Bill.

I'm always going to get my money back. And that's why when I looked at the Hopper Sheet situation, part of me, Max, is like, you know, the, the Illich family wealth is so spread out. It's like, hey, you know what? It's a lot of money. Just raise the price of pizza. Except they never raise the price of the pizza. It's still six bucks. That's good for them.

Like, honestly, good for the illage family. Before I close, let me ask you one sort of generic. thought on what we should look for from the Detroit Red Wings this season. Like I think that Marco Casper is on the verge of a breakout either this season or next season. What should we what should we look for here from Steve Eisenman's crew? Well, let's start here. The Casper breakout began.

Like it is 42 games in, right? And then the question here is can he sustain it over a full season? Because from January, I think it's January 10 on, he was on a 30 plus goal pace. I think it's 58 or so point pace. like if he's that for a full season if he's a 60 point 30 goal good defensive two way center that's a huge deal for this team that that answers some questions that have followed them around for close to a decade now right he's also tough he's got edge he's a good kid like that's a big deal if that second half surge was real now we do see sometimes sophomore slump or hey you know that how much of this was this new coach bump right because that happens every time there's a coaching change and now they're going to start from scratch but i do believe in marco casper is it going to be 30 goals, we'll see. But I think, you know, 25 goals, 55 or so points is a totally reasonable bar to set for Marco Casper going into this year. And maybe he's going to be better than that. I think the question people have had on him going back to the draft year is how much

kind of pure skill is it versus, you know, he'll score some goals going to the net. He'll play fast. He's fearless. Personally, I don't care how they go in, but I do think there is some translatability factor to that like you do probably want to be able to have some of the you know now hard to say in the playoffs you would say you'd rather have the the goals that are greasy but in the regular season i think you know totally easy offense so to speak that's how you pile up points that's one question a couple other young guys i think will define how this season goes as well as their big off season addition john gibson one is simon edvinson yeah i thought simon edvinson was really good last season but he's still dialing in right when do i jump into the play he's a six six guy who skates

Great and has good hands. His whole life, he's been able to jump into any play he wants and recover flawlessly. In the NHL, it's not quite that simple, right? So there is a risk-reward calculus that he is, I think, kind of constantly trying to find the balance of. He did not get hardly any power play time for the first 70 games or so last year. Down the very end of the stretch, he got some. And I wonder if we see more power play time for Simon Edmondson, does he elevate into like a 40, 50-point defenseman who all of a sudden has taken Tufts? He's competitive. He skates.

Well, he can defend anybody in transition because of how long he is and how good a skater he is. If that comes to fruition, all of a sudden you're talking about another, like, most cider level player, that changes your outlook. But to me, my two big questions are, who does he play with? Because I think they went into this offseason wanting to get a top four, ideally right-shot defenseman, and they did not find one, right? They signed Travis Hammondick last week. I don't think that's really a second pair of solution with what you saw in Ottawa last year. Are they going to ask Albert Johansson to do it? I mean, he's a slight guy.

He's a smart player. He's a good skater, but he's 6-0. And last I saw him, he was very skinny. I think it would be a hard ask for him. He did it at times last year, but I think it'd be a hard ask for him to play 82 games on the second pair. And then it's in goal, right? I mean, they have not had stability in goal since Jimmy Howard. They've had short-term bursts.

Alex Nadelcovich gave him short-term burst. Jonathan Bernier gave him a pretty dang good season. You saw a burst from Nadelcovich. You saw a burst from Huso. So you saw a burst from Alex Lyon, but you also saw valleys in those same things. And I think what you're hoping by bringing in John Gibson is he can take 50 games, he can be consistent, and he can give you the best version of Cam Talbot, who's not going to be as overtaxed as I think Cam Talbot was last year.

And if they get good goaltending, if they get stable goaltening that doesn't give you a month or six weeks, and particularly in the month of March, where they have been miserable the last couple years, if you can avoid that lull in goal for those stretches, then I think they have a chance to be a playoff team. But it's a few ifs, right? We're talking about if Casper does it again, if Edvinson, if Johansson, if Gibson, right? It's a lot of ifs.

There were some, let me close on this. There were some who believed, I mean, just pick up the goaltending conversation, that the woes can be laid at one position and that is net mining. If Detroit, to your point, haven't had it consistently for a while, had net minding last year,

they're a playoff team. Do you believe it's as simple as that? We'll close on that. I think there's a chance that would have been the case. I think the Redmings have more problems than that. I think mentally they can be more resilient. I think physically they can be tougher. I don't think they get enough hard offense.

I don't think the blue line has been good enough that you can say, oh, the goalies are the sole reason for this. But I do think what they haven't gotten much of in the month of March in particular, but really for like five years. I don't think they've gotten enough bailouts. I don't think they've had enough nights where you'll watch a game. And Dallas is a way better team than Detroit. But there will be a night where Dallas just okay.

Jake Ottinger steals them in the game. There's a lot of nights where the Winnipeg Jets are just okay. And they win the game because of Connor Hallibuck. I don't think there's too many nights like that for the Detroit Red Wings in the last several years. And I think if they were getting, you look at how close they've been, give them three of those nights last year, I think they're in the playoffs. If you give them one of those nights, one more of those nights, two years ago, they're in the playoff so it's a very real chance that that is the difference i just don't think

it's that simple it's way too convenient to say that is basically what i'm saying they they need to get harder they need to get more mentally tough and they need to get better defensively as well uh you're the best thanks for your time i know you're incredibly busy uh thanks for sharing your expertise on federoff and is there any chance on january 12th sergey federov jersey retirement day we see someone in a Carolina Hurricanes Federoff, Jersey. Well, there is now, because I think if you're going to this game and you're listening to this pod, and you're a Keynes fan, you've got to make that happen for yourself. So I like that.

I like that. That'd be a pretty good little dig there by a Keynes fan who wants to come to Detroit. Well, we'll see how it goes. You're the best, Max. Thanks, pal. Hey, thanks so much for having me, Jeff. Have a great finish to your summer. Carolina Hurricanes fans, you know the assignments.

I want to mention as well, that, interview with Max, brought to you by Simply Spiked. There's nothing like that summer hangout vibe and Simply Spiked helps keep that going. With 5% alcohol and real fruit juice, Simply Spiked comes in three refreshing flavors. Lemonade, peach, and the new Limeade, sweet, tart, and perfect for any summer moment. A lot of us have been into the peach lately. It's the ideal sip for a cottage weekend, it's kind of where we are right now, or a back-haired barbecue. Pick up Simply Spiked at your local liquor store and that's for your next summer hangout must be legal drinking age please celebrate responsibly as we're standing by for one half of the impact players that is colby

cohen of the of the morning cup of hockey crew just a couple of things to mention really quickly some some pTO is getting announced i think the big eyebrow raises milan luchitch signing a pto with the st louis blues there's the jim montgomery association going back to boston there so you understand And Brendan Smith, Columbus Blue Jackets, Jack Johnson, Minnesota, Connor Shiri, with his background with Mike Sullivan, Stanley Cup, and all, signs of PTO with the New York Rangers. Sometimes these things work. Sometimes these things are just to have veterans in the lineup for exhibition games. Sometimes a player will skate with one team and then get signed by another. You think of Sonny Milano skating with Calgary and getting signed by the Washington Capitals.

Don't read too much. don't always read too much into into PTOs because sometimes it's not exactly what you think it is. And speaking of what it is, right now the relationship that fans are having and the CHL is having with the NCAA and NCAA is having with the CHL is often times leaving people confused, leaving some people angry. I've maintained the whole time this is the first season for it. This is the first year for it. so all the nerves are going to be close to the skin. It's going to seem confusing. It's going to seem angering.

It's all because it's all new and hasn't even come close to settling into what the relationship is going to be. The big story was, of course, Gavin McKenna, leaving the medicine hat tigers and joining Penn States. Most recently yesterday, Adam Valentini, leaves the kitchen arrangers of the OHL to join the University of Michigan. There's a lot of balls in the air and a lot of these stories. And here to help us sort it all out is one half of. the impact players alongside johnny lazarus our guest colby cohen from morning cup of hockey first all colby how's your summer been pal you know what it's been good um too quick uh you know as as my junior team starts training camp next week jeff so like summer officially is over for me on

sunday um but uh look i never get to i never will complain about spending time with my family and being at the beach. And that's what we've tried to do just about as much as we could this summer. That's awesome. And the entire time, it's been a, like you're close to the development model and how it all works. And that model has completely changed now. I still think there are some people in the CHL who are spending a lot of time complaining about something that's not going to change and not really dealing with the reality that is right in front of us right now. But How are, because this is the first summer of it and it's going to happen every summer now. How do you see the first summer of this new situation where CHL players can sign on with Division I teams?

Look, I'm fascinated to see and I know a lot of people are expecting it to, you know, there to be guys that up and leave and they get there and they don't like it and they go back to juniors. I mean, forever, Jeff, we've dealt with a player unhappy in college. up and leaving and going to the CHL. I remember Charlie Coyle did it, which would have been my senior year in college, but I had signed and left early. It just isn't the right fit sometimes,

one or the other, depending on who you are. And there is no perfect way or there is no perfect development trail that's the same from player A to player B. And I just think more options is a good thing. I've always been in favor. of opening the doors to the CHL players

if they want it. And look, you cover and are around the OHL and I know you've been boots on the ground at some of the U-18s and even probably U-17s and obviously the world juniors, these kids all know each other now, Jeff. There's no secrets left in like, who is this guy? They all play summer hockey together.

They're all commenting on each other's Instagram and Facebook, or I mean, not Facebook. Facebook, TikTok pages, because, you know, if you say Facebook to a young guy, they think immediately you're an old, 85-year-old. But so I actually don't think it's going to be as difficult for these CHL kids to acclimate because I think that they're surrounded by guys that they're already good friends with. And that is part of the college experience, doing it with your best buddies that become your family members. It is, it is intriguing watching all of this happen. I do wonder what the future is, not just in, you know, right now on top of the pyramid in a lot of ways for a lot of these players. But what happens to CHL operators, what happens to the three leagues under the umbrella of the CHL, does it ultimately get younger?

Does it mean that there will be, you know, a younger draft in the OHL and the Q, much like they have in the Western Hockey League right now? Does it start to skew younger? You're seeing, you know, one of the offsets. is, you know, one more, each team is allowed one more import, so every team instead of two can now have three, how much does that offset the players that are choosing to leave their junior hockey team and go play Division I? Let me ask you about one situation specifically, because the big story in the offseason was Gavin McKenna. We'll go first overall in the draft. Keaton Verhoff as well, leaves Victoria Royals and he goes to University of North Dakota.

but Adam Valentini. Now, there's never a perfect time for anything, but this one is really tough for the Kitchen Arrangers right before training camp. He had left the USHL, played with the Chicago Steel to join the Kitchen Arangers. They're one of the teams that's applying for the Memorial Cup next year, and this is right before camp,

and General Manager Mike McKenzie sent the note out yesterday to Kitchen Arangers fans expressing his disappointment obviously. Right now there's no rule against it, right? There's nothing that says kid can't do that. But how did you greet that news yesterday? Listen, let me start with this. I'm not an expert in CHL matters,

but here's one thing I know. I know the Kitchener Rangers have been a model citizen and a, you know, a shining star in hockey, in junior hockey in North America. going back to when Pete DeBore and Steve Spot were there 20 plus years ago, I guess it would be now. And they have continued to uphold a standard in Kitchener that I've always held great, great respect for. So when they put this statement out, I agreed with it. I really did.

I don't like the idea of a week before training camp saying, you know what, I'm not going to honor my commitment. I signed a commitment to come play there. That means that the agent, that means that, you know, the college program, which is Michigan, were obviously having conversations with a player that was already committed to go there. And I don't like that at all, Jeff. And I obviously, I come from the NCAA path. I've spoken on your show and others about how I was very, very close to going to play in the Ontario hockey league and had the rules been the way that they are now,

I probably would have done that. It was something that we were highly, highly interested in in doing. So I'm not a fan of these last second bailouts, but let's be reasonable and fair and understand this happens all the time. And it has been happening all the time going back years and years and years just the other way. I mean, Michigan lost a player, I believe, midseason last year, maybe even to Kitchener. I can't remember exactly the situation. Remember John Gibson back in the day.

He's committed to start his freshman year at Michigan in two weeks before, you know, September, before fall semester, excuse me, yeah, fall semester, he decides to go to Kitchener. So I don't like what the player did. I have no problem with the statement. I don't mind holding guys accountable. Like you need to be held accountable if you're going to make a decision like this. There is a passionate fan base in Kitchener that wants answers.

from the team why this player is not coming and so they got it and and ultimately um we're probably going to see a lot of jumping back and forth but i i don't like it because i think that we need to work together here to not make it so we can't coach kids yeah you've talked a lot and let me pick up on that because you've talked a lot about the idea of everybody working together and everybody coming to an understanding of how this new development model is going to work. I don't know how it happens, when it happens, but this very much does feel to me ultimately like the NHL needs to be involved. These players, these elite level players are graduating into the National Hockey League,

and this needs to be a situation where in concert with the USHL, the CHL and their three member teams division one college hockey everybody needs to it no one's going to get perfectly what they want but in order for this to be able to work and in order for the pipeline to be healthy it does seem and again you've talked about this plenty there does need to be an agreement amongst everybody so the ush-h-l can be happy the western league the quebec league the oh-h-l can be happy and CAA can be happy, all knowing that you're not going to get 100% of what you want, but for the health of the industry as a development model, everybody is on the same page about how we're going to do this.

Any more thoughts on that one, Colby? Yeah, listen, put David Carl in the room for the NCAA, put the commissioner of the CHL in the room, bring Glenn Heffron from the USHL and let Bill Daly and Gary Betman sit in there and act as an arbiter as a mediator and that you're you're so spot on Jeff because nobody's going to get all five of their top priorities but I do believe if everybody comes to the table with five or ten things everyone should be able to walk away saying you know what I got three really important things done and we could because I just think it makes a cleaner experience for everybody if there's some sort of if it's a transfer

agreement if there's a compensation you know compensation agreement something to hold accountability so programs whether it's coaches in the CHL coaches in the NCAA GMs in the USHL aren't working behind the scenes to make promises to players to drag them out of their situations and leave other programs in a shitty spot in the 11th hour and and that's what i mean when i say they need to work together i don't expect them all but like you've got too many people who have probably played like for example you've got scottie walker who owns the guelph storm right he's a former n hl player who played with j pandolfo who's the head coach at boston university right like you can't tell me those guys can't sit down and be gentlemen and figure something out

where they can both say, okay, like that could work where we're not hurting the other programs. Maybe there's cooperation. Whenever there's money involved, Jeff, things do tend to get done and people do think twice a little bit more. You know, one of the interesting things to I did this like about a month ago, just, you know, sitting at home board, curious about how general managers feel about all of this, like this entire development situation. how many put you on the spot here colby so how many general managers in the NHL do you think played college hockey um I don't know maybe a dozen do you think that's 13 good for you 13 of them so I've done I've kind of done the exercise before so I like

had somewhat of an idea. Like I've looked at that before, Jeff, just to be transparent. I didn't just pull that out of my ass. Well, like, nonetheless, bravo, but take credit for it. Like, it's, it's sizable. Like, that is a really large number here.

Once upon a time, it was every manager in the NHL, you go to their hockey DB, and you can see where they play junior hockey, and that's all changed now. So this isn't, this isn't new, obviously, to anybody in the National Hockey League.

And I would imagine, when we talk about, you know, stakeholders being involved in the conversation, it's not as if all these managers don't have with that developmental model. Like if you're Chris Jury, for example, New York Rangers, and Malcolm Spence leaves the Irioters and he goes to Michigan, you're Chris Jury, you're probably saying, I get it, and you're staying there for two years. Like, this one should be understood better, more so.

than ever colby yeah and and let me circle back to one other thing too because i want your opinion on something if you don't mind me me throwing a question your way because you have a kid who plays hockey and we and we talk about this right like we'll text you're at the rink it's where you get exposed to all the gt hl and all the incredible hockey that happens in toronto at the youth level and and on its way up what we're doing by not working together with these kids these very very ripe 16, 17, 18, 19 year old kids that are the future of what you and I get paid to talk about. Okay, they are the future of the National Hockey League. What we're doing is we're creating a group of players that can't be coached.

And we're creating a group of guys that if you don't like your power play minutes for two weekends in a row, you have a way to up and leave and just say, you know what, I'm not accountable to you. It doesn't matter. I'll be in the portal. I'll go to the CHL and then I'll go back to the NCAA the following season. Oh, I got to Kitchener. My power play minutes are still bad. Hey, Green Bay, you interested in me to be on your first power play?

We are creating a system where you can't coach kids. And then they're going to get to the National Hockey League and they're going to run into a coach like Mike Sullivan. And it's going to be like, wait a sec. Well, I can't coach you. Like, it's going to create uncoachable kids because they've, never been pushed. And I witness it at every university, okay, that I'm around right now with these superstar players. You can't coach them hard whatsoever. You can't push them because they just will say see you later with no consequences. And I think that's a big problem that no one's

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empowering artists, inspiring audiences, and bringing us closer together. Learn more at any other. See.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c. Create in Canada. Do you not, I don't disagree. I would like to add something along to that, Colby. And that is a lot of times kids do find themselves in situations that are untenable. And the healthiest thing for that player, and you've seen this plenty of times, is to get out. But it's a grudge. It's whatever that organization. that coach is going to sit on that player ultimately i always do think it's better with options i do

hear your point though about i don't like my power of playing minutes i'm splitting i just don't know that there's a i just don't know that there's a sort of one size fits all solution to all of it i do agree with your point that if you're if you're going to bail the first time you know you're scratched or the first time your minutes are reduced or you get taken off pp1 you get booboo face and and you try to find another place to play. I really understand that. But at the same time, I always, at the same, again, it's the balancing act.

Sometimes it is the right thing to go for these kids. So I don't, I would just say to that one, it all depends on the individual and their situation. Maybe it's you get one out of the NCAA, you get one opportunity to go back to the CHL and you can do the transfer portal one time as an NCAA player. And then after that, if you want to transfer a second time, then maybe you got to sit out a semester. Maybe you got to sit

out for a season. Like, look, I am somebody that always advocates for the players. I really do. I take the player's side 99% of the time. I, you know, I'm a strong player's first advocate because I was a player, right? That's how I look at things. But I believe that we have to rein it in with these younger kids. I love that they have options. I love that the CHL kids. kids. Like, it never made sense to me that for a small stipend a month for these kids, it made them ineligible to go to the NCAA. That never made sense to me. It's ridiculous that we were asking kids at 15, 16 years old to choose what they wanted to do when they were 19. That was insane to me always. I think now they've got it right the way that these kids are

able to make choices. And I love that they have it. But we've just got to find framework that you're right. It might not be perfect for everyone. But if, we could find something that's good for 70% of the guys. Maybe I think that that might be a home run. And maybe that's limiting the amount of transfers back and forth over the border, back between the border, limiting the times you can go from the USHL to the CHL or from the CHL to college, transfer to another college. I mean, we have guys that are in the transfer portal every year of their college career.

There are three, four teams now in college. And honestly, there's no accountability. for at least in the CHL, you got to trade and the team gets something back if they stay within the league or the USHL, right? It's treated as a real, let's just call it like a professional in a professional way. And so put smart people in the room, okay, let the NHL sit at the head of the table with the gavel and figure something out that's going to work for at least a majority. And that's where we need to start in sort of raining this whole thing in.

working together for the kids. Two things. One more on this topic, sort of, and then I do want to get your thoughts on Sergey Federov, whose name is sort of dominated this program today. Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoff, most likely, and again, we have a lot of hockey to play from now until next year's draft.

Right now it looks like they're going one and two. What are they in store for as 17-year-olds playing college hockey? College hockey, as you know, it's really hard. What are these 17-year-olds in for? Yeah, well, look, I think that you're just, like, yes, college hockey is really hard, but the CHL is incredibly, incredibly skilled, right? And we always talk about how we're worried that these guys may come out and, you know, maybe it's not as high scoring.

There's not as many games played, but there is 100 percent. a grind that goes with playing in the NCAA. And I think for Verhof, he's just going to be probably under more pressure when it comes to four checks. There's going to be more guys finishing their hits. I think when you have cages on, guys are a little bit more willing to go down, block shots. So it's a little bit more difficult to, you know, get pucks through from the point. But when you're talking about these generational types of players, these guys figure it out. I mean, they figure it out when they go from juniors to the national hockey. League. Macklin Celebrini figured it out going from the Chicago Steel right into Boston

University as a 17-year-old. Lane Hudson figured it out going from the national development team right into the NCAA. So I think it's just going to be a little bit of a strength thing. I think you're just going to have to get used to for those two guys in particular. You're going to be leaned on a little bit more physically. But you're probably not facing maybe not the high-end skill of the first line or two on some of these teams like you look at pen state's schedule and they leave you know they in my opinion like i look at their out of conference schedule with they start with and it's not a high-end high-end schedule where you're playing against the most high-end players in the NCAA you're playing against 24 25 year old guys that are older

stronger uh they're men when you're 25 like you you've gone through puberty when you're 18 you're still working your way through becoming a man so the strength component Jeff is where I think it's gonna and I think people are going to freak out a little bit because I don't think they understand like what is a high scoring season in the NCAA versus what a high scoring season in the CHL looks like but I think both these guys are going to be really good freshmen like I expect them both to have really good freshman seasons these kids are studs uh they really are okay let me ask you oh by the way you mentioned late Hudson. Do you have a thought about him being left off, not wanted on the voyage?

I do. Johnny and I spent a lot of time when we recorded last night. I just think with a guy like Lane who is probably going to push to replace some of these guys in the next Olympics, like why not bring him to the camp? You can't tell me after the season that he had. He's not worthy of being there um like just bring one extra defenseman if those other players like there's some guys that they invited to that camp that like you know are not going to make that team right and yes they're guys who have been good soldiers they played in world championships you're being loyal to them i get it but like lane hudson is part of the future of the u.s blue line maybe maybe he doesn't make the Olympics this year and don't rule it out completely he could have an incredible start to the

season. And look, Quinn Hughes is going to run one power play. Zach Wrenski is going to run the other. And I understand those guys have been doing it longer at a higher level than he has. But I think it's a little bit of a miss not to bring him to camp. Like you can't look at that list and tell me that he doesn't belong amongst that group to be at the U.S. evaluation camp. I mean, I definitely shook my head at that a little bit as much as I do have a ton of faith in Bill Garen, in Pat Kelleher. Like that USA hockey staff, I mean, I feel really good about the work that they're doing and what USA hockey has done to continue to build and build and

the results have been great. I mean, you look at the Halenka, nobody expected that to happen, but give those guys credit and they find a chance to win. But Jeff, I'll just, not that I have to remind your audience, but the biggest game between our two nations, a couple of months back, Canada wins that game. They win the four nations. They still keep the crown at the men's level.

Like until USA can knock them off at that level, like in that type of event, you know, Canada still gets to wear the crown. There's no doubt. One quick follow up on the Halenka tournament. That is one that is normally that is, that's a big one for a team Canada. And we saw it was the traveling all-star team

of draft prospects once again for Canada. that United States team though Colby they were so fast not just against Canada but again Sweden as well I remember watching that that first period against Canada and they came out just flying and I remember saying to myself I'm sitting there

just with my dog and I'm like this US team's going to be problems today because they came out and they were flying and they took that all the way of the gold medal like i applaud them good for them yeah that was a fantastic performance that really was yeah they were so fast quick and i've heard honestly that that team that helenka group which is our sort of next grouping of guys because they don't take the national team players i've heard that helenka team could give our our ntp team a pretty good run for their money

and maybe even uh be able to beat them if if push came to shove that that's what the word on the street is i i haven't seen that the you you know the the the the the the the the guys who will be the U-18 team now yet but credit to all those guys and and it'll be fun to watch those teams the U.S., the Canada, at this age group, which I've always heard that the Canadians at this age group are a better group. That has been what we've heard and what we've been told, but it looks like the American kids at this age are ready to push back on that a little bit and hopefully it'll make for a great world juniors this year and a great U-18s in April. Absolutely.

In Minnesota this year. Okay, final thought. Yesterday, I think a lot of us were surprised the Detroit Red Wings finally doing the right thing. They will retire, Sergey Federoff's number 91. Just like an open blank canvas for you. When I say Sergey Federoff, what comes to mind for you? Blitz and glamour.

You know, you almost forget how hard and strong and heavy of a player that he was because he was such a dynamic skater. I mean, I just think of the white Nike skates. I think of the commercial that he did. You know, I think of the rivalry between the Colorado Avalanche. And, you know, growing up, Joe Sackick and that sort of grouping of players in Colorado was one of my favorite, well, was my favorite player, you know, him. and Eric Lindross and really was one of my favorite team. So like I was always on the ab side of that

rivalry and I just can remember Gary Thorne, Colin Games on ESPN between Colorado and Detroit and just you know, Sergei Federoff was just such a dynamic player the way he could get up and down the ice. And I even remember at one point they put him on defense in Columbus. I mean this guy was

unbelievable in in just how good and how complete of a player he was so good for him um just you know the white skates and the white gloves definitely are one of the first things that come to mind because he was like the first to really do it cool look sulky trophies hard trophies stanley cups offer sheets all all of it man that guy that guy had i'm glad that the red winds are doing the thing on an airplane what's that and you know i know right on the airplane on the airplane i'm I mean, the whole story surrounding Federov, like, is pretty incredible.

I've never had an opportunity to meet him. I don't know if you have, Jeff, but he was definitely, like, a guy I grew up with watching going, wow. Yeah. And the thing about him, too, Colby, as you well know, there was no awkward period of transition. Like, he hit the ground and he was, like, excellent in the NHL right away. Yeah. He was great. No doubt.

Just great. Listen, enjoy the rest of your summer. Yeah. Can I ask you? Because I watched him play like, you know, probably at the height of my fanhood when I was a kid. I'm talking five to 15 years old. Like, really, he was.

If you had to compare him to a guy now, like, who would you compare him to? Because I just, like, is it, yeah, like, I'm curious because you would remember him. And you're a little bit older than I am. So you would remember him. a little bit better as far as what he did. That's a great question. So the thing, because I've wondered about that too. There is not a direct comparison to Sergey Federoff.

And here's why. He, his skill set, he was elite at everything. He was a fast skater. He was a hard shooter. He would put up 100 points like breaking sticks. He would win Selk, trophies. To your point, he could play defense in a pinch. I mean, we used to see Scottie would use them all the time back there on the power play. Oh yeah, there's, there's, there's, there's,

there's, there's, there's, there's, there's, there's, there are elements of like, the one guy that he keep coming back to, even though federoff was a much better skater. There's the one, if, if Alexander Barkoff were a better skater, because Federoff was smart and really versatile. that might be the guy but honestly like there's elements of that's looked there there's elements of barkoff there there's elements of bergeron like there's so many different elements of other players that go into sergey federoff but i don't think that there's anyone that you can look at and say yeah that guy reminds me of sergey federoff he could take over games whenever he wants that game against the washington capitals five for a win for the Detroit Red Wings he scores all five goals

and dynamic really creative to your point glitz and glamour flashy off the ice you know the sports cards that's why the Red Wings put that video out the way that they did I love the way that he opened the trunk and there were the skates and there was a swoosh like style and charisma and all of it that was Sergei Federoff and his skill set like and everything I think he like won the fastest skater and the hard hardest shot at various All-Stars.

Like, there was no one like him. There was no one like Federoff. And I loved McGilley. I love how, I love Burrough. You know, they were that line in juniors, but he was, he was the best. You're like taking a little bit from some of like the greatest players we've seen in the last 15 years.

I know. You're like, you're, but that's the point. That's how good he was. Like, you just forget, you think, oh, yeah, he was just this great offensive player. But then when you really go back, you look at the tape. you watch the documentaries and then you remember he played defense five on five even in

Columbus and you talked to guys who because I played with a lot of was around a lot of guys and training camps and played with guys that also played with him that were kind of older when I was younger but would have touched his generation too of playing and that's what they talk about they're like he could be your best defensive center on Thursday and the best offensive player in the league on Friday like it was just it was so good so good for him And you're a coach, Kobe, so you know this. When that happens and you have a player like that, like, listen, Detroit had Zetterberg and Dasick,

you can't lose a line matchup. No. You can't. Just put a fed up. You cannot lose a line matchup when your top offensive guys, your best defensive guy as well. You don't lose a line matchup. It's ideal.

Dude, enjoy the rest of your summer. Looking forward to you and Laz, getting the impact players going on a full-time basis again, and Morning Cup of Hockey and we'll chat soon, my friend. Coming in hot. All right. Have a good rest of your summer too. Enjoy.

See you. Be good. There he is the great Colby Cohen from Morning Cup of hockey, former NHLer, stand out at BU as well and sort of, you know, breaking down what's what is the latest in the ongoing saga between the CHL and the NCAA. The big news yesterday involving the Kitchener Rangers.

Adam Valentini goes from Kitchener to University of Michigan. He will be a Wolverine. Okay, so wrapping things up here from Muscoca. Do we have one more thing to do there, Zach? That's right. Are we doing it? Yeah. Yeah, too Pendle.

I'm just going to tell you what it is. You're going to tell me. So this is going to be very creative here. So hang on. Let me see this. So Zach is here with me. He's driven up and he's producing. I'll turn the camera over.

Just so you can have a look at the dedication that Zach has. This is how he's producing the program today. Smile pretty and say hello. to everybody. Make sure I've got the shot here accurately sitting in the bedroom that I have here at this lovely cottage in Muscoca, producing the program

as I sort of fumble through another hockey conversation with other Max Boltman or Colby Cohen. Look at that. That is a producer right there, ladies and gentlemen. That is a producer. Okay, so let's get right to our final segment. I'm really curious to see what you've come up with.

The sheet is, as you know by now, powered by Fanduel, home with the same game parlay, make every moment more on Fandual. Fan dual, proud to connect fans to the major sports moments that matter to them. What have you today? Young Zach, to my immediate right. Do the Detroit Red Wings make the playoffs? Oh.

Plus 2.30. Yes, to make the playoffs. They're favored to miss. Yeah. Boy, if you're of the belief, and I mentioned this with Max Bolbin. And there are some of the organization that do believe this. If you're of the belief that all the woes of the Detroit Red Wings can be laid down in the crease, then you say to yourself, John Gibson should help.

They've run through a number of goaltenders there. They believe that they have, and probably do, have a couple of great goaltenders, young goaltenders coming. It's Sebastian Kosa and Trey Augustine. Kosa, of course, closer to Augustine, he's gone back to. to play at Michigan State. I would imagine we'll see some Sebastian COSA this year, unless he gets traded too, and don't worry, those rumors are out there as well,

more next year and then full-timer probably within a couple of seasons. If you think it's all about the goaltending, they improved the goaltending. I still want to see what's coming up from Grand Rapids to help. I still don't think that Steve Iserman is done tinkering with his team for the upcoming season, but we shall see the question becomes if the detrit red wings are going to make the playoffs who's falling out like do we think that what we're seeing with the ottawa senators or

montreal canadians because those are the two you'll circle right away is what we saw last year legit or fools gold and if you believe in the idea that uh rebuilds or bunny hops and yeah they may have taken a step forward and made the playoffs but that doesn't mean they can't take a step backwards. My question is always, if the Detroit Red Wings make it in, whose expense is it at? I'm not sure that Detroit has done enough to get there because I don't think that it's just about the goaltending, but if you do, then John Gibson should help. I am curious to see what kind of help Dylan Larkin gets. Not to revisit that back and forth between Dylan Larkin and Steve Eiserman at the end of last season, but it'll be curious to see what.

what help Larkin gets because, look, let's face it, he's not getting any younger and would like to be in the playoffs. And you still have that relatively new shiny rink that has not yet seen the postseason and this coming up season, this coming up season, is a really important one historically for the Detroit Red Wings. I still don't think they've done enough. So I will take a no on that one.

I would love to see the Red Wings in the playoffs. I think the NHL is better when a team like Detroit and a market like Detroit are in the playoffs. I just don't see it at this point. Do you, Zach, camera left, my right? See it? No, you're shaking your head on that one? No.

All right. Well, on that happy note, we'll wrap up. At some point next week, we'll return to the airwaves. We're sort of whittled down to doing one show a week here on the sheet. As always, thank you for your attention, whether it's on YouTube, various podcatchers. Thanks for being in the chat and checking us out. Keep up to date on the socials. Like, it's getting going again now, right?

Like we're doing this on Wednesday, August the 20th. Next thing you know, it'll be training camp time. But we do have a big special coming out soon. That's why we're here in Muscoca. More information on that coming up soon. In the meantime, thanks for joining us. Zach, great job. Thank you.

You ever done a show like that before? I'm guessing you have. No, not quite like this. Something close. Yeah. My ass hurts. I didn't think about it until like the last 10 minutes. Well, okay.

What hurts more? Your ass from sitting or Tyler Yeramchuk? How many swings did he take? Trying to get a hole in one? Over 2,000. Insane. His shoulders are going to fall off. Tyler Yerumchuk.

Come on d'I en Francais. Le Prémyratoil, as we say in French, the first star of the week from all of us around here at Daily Faceoff. Enjoy the rest of your day. Enjoy the rest of your week. The sheet returns at some point next week. Stay attuned to the socials. And don't forget to tip your Zambron driver on the way else.

Sixteen hours last night every day this week, every day this month. I can't get out my head, lost all ambitions day-to-day, because you can call it all right. I went to the dark man and tried to give me a little medicine. I'm like, no, and that's fine. I'm not against those methods, but new. It's me and myself and how this is going to be fixing my mind. This is you on the bracket, I turned on the day, have been on the day, I've been on the This episode of the sheet is sponsored by the OCS summer of the sheet is sponsored by the

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