The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Ducks, Oilers, Predators, HHOF, and NHL Global Series ft. Greg Wyshynski & Uffe Bodin

Episode Date: November 11, 2025

Jeff Marek and Greg Wyshynski are back on The Sheet with a jam-packed show breaking down every major NHL storyline of the week. The guys open with reaction to Joe Thornton’s Hall of Fame speech and debate where he ranks among all-time playmakers before turning the conversation to this year’s and 2026’s Hockey Hall of Fame classes — from Patrice Bergeron and Carey Price to Keith Tkachuk and Pat Verbeek. Then they shift gears to analyze the Nashville Predators and what’s next for Filip Forsberg and Juuse Saros, dive into the Edmonton Oilers’ identity crisis and the physical side of their recent games, and spotlight the Anaheim Ducks’ hot start led by Leo Carlsson, Lukas Dostal, and Chris Kreider’s resurgence. Finally, Uffe Bodin joins from Sweden to preview the NHL Global Series between the Predators and Penguins, talk about Swedish hockey’s new wave of stars, and share insight on Elias Pettersson, Mika Zibanejad, and the future of international hockey.SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼Bauer: https://www.bauer.com/👍🏼Uber Eats: https://www.ubereats.com/ca👍🏼Prime Video: https://primevideo-row.pxf.io/c/5560083/3303015/20020Reach 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/@FNBarnBurner🚨 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.

Oh, hi, Greg. How are you? Oh, hello there, Duncan and Sedano and Dumbo. I didn't watch a whole lot of it last night. I'll admit, I did not watch a whole lot. I wanted to see Thornton's speech, and I saw Thornton's speech. But I didn't watch a whole lot of it last night. How about you?

I, too, only watched parts of speeches. I watched part of Thornton's speech. I watched Batman call him Dumbo, which honestly, jumbo-dumbo. I think if we're going to play this thing to its logical end as far as where nicknames go, Dumbo still fits. I think also, though, there was a clip floating around on socials that said Joe Thornton, of course, it's something like, of course Joe Thornton did this in his speech. And I forget what it was referring to, but I know that when I read that teaser, my first thought was he totally went tarps off with his tux which didn't happen but it would have been I thought he was going to I really did I thought he was I thought he was I thought he was going

to go tarps off and then the other thing I thought was maybe someone scored four goals in the ho it would have been it would have been poetic if someone would have scored four goals last night if if anyone was going to yeah if anyone was going to unsheath the same delky trophy, if you will, at the Hall of Fame. It would definitely be Joe. It would be Dumbo-Jumbo. So now that he's in the Hall of Fame, like, that's it. Like, that is the official end of the career.

That bet is off. Now it's officially done. Like, that is like the official end of your career. Yep. Joe Thornton has escaped. Yeah, if you score four in Beer League, it doesn't matter anymore. It's got to be in the NHL. It's got to be in the NHL.

Someone would have scored four goals last night. It would have been. It would have been great. Like halfway through the speech, someone, someone yelled like, Panera just got his fourth, Joe. Zip. What are you going to do, Joe? Like it owes your money, Joe. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Gary, duty calls. Beard looked good, though. Didn't the beard look good? Beard looks awesome. He's great. Are you a little surprised? Are you a little surprised he's kept it after his playing days were done? No.

No, no, no, no. Not at all. I mean, I think it started, the whole beard thing. started as a bet between him and Burns to see who would shave first and Burns lost it. There was a time where Nazim Kadri in a fight

pulled some of it out, which must not have been very comfortable for Joe. I forgot about that. But no, but it's like been, it's completely now part of his personality. Like I can't like, does it not look jarring to you when you look at old pictures

of Joe Thornton? Like even like even not that old. And he's clean-faced? Yeah. Like, you look, it looks like a different person. Yeah, he looks like a completely different person. I remember the first time I saw that beard up close. And it was, it was truly like nothing I had ever seen.

There were so many different textures and colors all happening at the same time. It was like looking at a grateful dead t-shirt on someone's face. It was like there was just so much going on. And it was just long and it was well kept too. It's not like it was like natty or anything. He did a good job taking care of it. That's a Hall of Fame beard, as I'm trying to say. That is a Hall of Fame beard.

If you have one draft pick, peak of their powers, Adam Oaths or Joe Thornton, you're taking Thornton? Ooh, I don't know, man. I don't know. I don't know if that's a really, really good one. Popping open a can of words here. I'm Thornton all the way on that one. I think Oates is great, but I think I may go oats on that one. I think I may go Oates on that one.

Yeah. Dorton's got the size. I think that the passing is probably a wash, right? But the thing about Oates was a better skater. True. And this is the one. And maybe this is just a bias against, like we have this assumption. And like I'm at fault for this one.

I just always assume, and this is just based on, and I got to get out of my head just my upbringing. Whenever you see big guys, you think they must be physical. And if they're not physical, it's like, it's, it's, it's. to let down and there's some like default in their game. There's just some big guys that just that just aren't that just aren't going to be that guy. So I still have that. I wanted more physically out of Joe Thornton. Like he wasn't shy and he would he would fight every now and then.

And I think about the, you know, the guest laugh fight off the draw in the San Jose Anaheim series. I was trying to. Here's a here's a here's a here's a here's a here's a here's another one. Both oats, both both both both both both both both both both both both and Thornton. there it is, got some selky attention during their careers, but neither one of them was ever a finalist, I don't think. I think Joe was like fifth and Oates was fourth. So they both got some respect for the defensive side of the game.

Maybe I like Oates more because he wasn't, and this might have been a hindrance more than a help for Joe Thornton early on. The expectation is always higher for first overall picks. And, you know, Colby Cohen's point, Colby Cohen's point is a really, really good one about this. And he always goes out of his way. And most recently with someone like Alexei Lafranier, to point out that at a certain point in your career,

you are no longer your draft position. And it's different for everybody. But at a certain point, you can no longer be called first overall draft pick, Joe Thornton, or first overall draft pick, Alexei Lafranier. You're just, here's Alexei Lafranier, and here's what's happening, or here's what's not happening with that player.

But I think the expectations are always higher. Always higher. And don't forget, too. Not that they were going to ruin him. Joe Thornton was too good of a player to get ruined. But that first year where they didn't send him back to Sue St. Marie in the O'HL. And he like roller skated down a gravel road in his first year in the NHL. And everyone went, uh-oh.

What just happened here? Did we really? and that to me is always, even though your first overall pick, that doesn't mean you should go right into the NHL. Did I ever tell the Neil Brady story here? Neil Brady? Whoa, there's a name I haven't heard in forever. Let me set the scene here because no one knows who I'm talking about.

Neil Brady was drafted third overall by the New Jersey Devils, my beloved New Jersey Devils out of Montreal, third overall in 1986. And I worked with Ken Danico, my devil, Mr. Devil, they call it. Hey, puck. He used to call me, hey puck. But I first started working with it. It was at Yahoo. We worked at the Vancouver Olympics, and he couldn't pronounce Wyshinsky.

So he knew me as puck, Daddy. And then he would shorten it as, hey, puck. Good to see a puck. He once told me a story about Neil Brady about how the devils at the time were very excited, obviously, third overall pick. here's a guy he's a center he's going to come in he's going to be a huge

difference maker for him and Daniel Daniel told me that the first practice of the training camp that they had they watched

Neil Brady skate and he was so slow and so terrible Tanico remembers just going what the fuck is this hang on and Brady ended up

We played 89 games over five years, by the way. Let's remember one thing. That is slow by 86 standards. Yeah, exactly, exactly. That's like a 1986 standard of slow. So that's, that's really slow. I always think about that. Because Colby's right.

Like, we don't, we don't still refer to Sid or Ovi as first overall picks. We don't refer to Connor as a first overall pick. McDavid, I mean. Bernard we probably still do. it only at some point the label leaves you but i think it sticks with you only if you were for example the third overall pick in the 1986 drafts and only played 89 games in your career nell yakopov is a first overall pick like yes it only gets uh Alexander dague is the first overall pick it only gets attached to you if you don't at least meet those expectations

once you do then then it's almost like the shackles come off and we don't even talk about it anymore But Eric Johnson is now a co-worker at ESPN. He's doing great. He's like a natural all this broadcasting stuff. I still think of him in terms of his draft position. What say you? I do because it was a world junior tournament that put him there. Remember it was after that WJC where everyone went like, oh man, he had a tremendous tournament.

Where everybody went, Eric Johnson's got to be first overall. You get a defenseman like that. That's 15 years. first pair of defenseman on your blue line, you can't pass that up. But again, part of that is, too, just like you mentioned,

Alexander Digg, it's not so much about Digg, but it's the guys that went after him who are just like, Hall of Famers. And that's the same thing with Eric Johnson. So I don't know that I strongly just keep like, oh yeah, first overall,

that would have been the Vancouver, that was the Vancouver draft with Taves and Stahl and all those guys, Nick Baxter. Yeah, was. So I think more so about the guys that went two, three, four, two, two, three, four. Look at this. Who was Adam Oates's chichu was the question that we just got from the chat. I'll tell you what. Okay, hold on. Was there a guy in the Bruins that was his chichu, Merrick?

Hang on. Let me, let me, let me, let me address chichu for one second. Let me, let me, let me, let me address chichu because it's a really, really good question. I'm going to sound like I'm really, insulting Jonathan Chichu here and I'm not at all but I take the year the season 2005

2006 and I do this because of the rules changes yes you don't mean goofy things happen that year sorry Jonathan Chichu I'm not calling you goofy but you won the rocket

Richard Trial The Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup Out of nowhere So many goofy things happened that year That I'm not willing to say Oh, that was all a Joe Thornton Listen, was a lot of a Joe Thornton Like sublime playmaker, sublime past

Or one of the best the game has ever seen Absolutely But that to me was more about the rule of changes, the crackdown on obstruction, the freeing up of players for longer, cleaner looks than anything else. What say you about 05-06? Listen, everybody's, and this, hang on, this is the point about McDavid and his group,

and this is what's coming afterwards. That was the beginning of players having to stop what they were doing and relearn the game. It was really hard for a lot of guys. The first group that grew, grew up with the rule of changes in the NHL, but from a youth hockey perspective, the first group that grew up from the first time

they played organized hockey to getting drafted into the NHL, that first group was Connor McDavid. Yeah. That was that draft class, who didn't have to stop playing one way and learn how to play another way. That's why I keep,

whenever I ask me, is they'll give me another Connor McDavid, I say, of course there is. He was just the first under these rules to pop, in a massive way. Are you trying to say that there might be something anomalous

about a season in which the Carolina Hurricanes that Evanton Oilers played for the Stanley Cup? You're seeing that's kind of an kind of an off-beat ear

America. Just a little bit of it. But Chi-Chi was the poster child of that one for that season for me. Whenever there's a massive change in the league, the next few seasons are impacted by it.

Now, I'm not saying that Bobby Orr had six straight 100-point seasons because it was post-expansion. I am kind of saying it I am saying it I'm definitely saying it I am I listen

I've made this point before and Canadian hockey fan we are 14 minutes into the show here I'm already ripping legends Bobby Orr Phil Esposito they were the best in the NHL when the NHL was at its weakest

the league doubled in 67 there was expansion in 70 72 74 put that in a hallmark board the WHA came The WHA came along to steal even more players. That was the time when the NHL was at its weakest and most watered down, which is why I still maintained the best defenseman of all time was Nick Lidsroom. It wasn't Bob Yard.

Would you take Nicklidstrum over Ray Bork? All day long. I'll take Nicholas from over every defenseman. The only one that I would get that, you know, there is actually one that I would pause for, and that is Larry Robinson. Mm-hmm. I just want to say one last thing about our Oates Thornton debate, such as it was. Are you astonish that Oates only played, what was it?

Let me forget the actual games here. He only played 195 games with the Blues. Like maybe it's just that old, the SNL cast that was there when you grew up is your SNL cast that I am remembering Holland Oates having a much longer run than 195 games. but he only played a hundred ninety-five games in St. Louis. Yeah, isn't that crazy? Well, that's like when people talk about, because you listen to Don,

Sherry talked about, and he'd go back to Bobby Orr. He coached them for, I think, like under 100 games. Yeah. But it would sound like Grape's had him for like 500, 500 games of his career. 500 games of his career.

I coached that man. He called you, it was Bobby Or. And Merrick, Jeff Merrick, Good to see you wearing the poppy, son. You're wearing the poppy. We love to see you wear the puppy on the hockey show. Yeah. Well, you know what?

And the thing about the poppies, too, and I sort of go back. Like, I don't know when the appropriate time to put it back on the wreath is. Some will tell you it's after the marking of 11 o'clock when everybody pauses. Or it's at the end of your day. I don't know. I go back and forth on it. That's my little. If anyone knows, like, the official time when you're supposed to take your poppy off, can you share it with your boy here?

Because I don't know. I'll say this. It's Veterans Day here in the States as well. I think we celebrated it on Sunday. The amount of veteran remembrances and military stuff during the NFL games on Sunday was... Ron Grunkowski was wearing a full camouflage outfit on Fox before their game. It was a hell of a thing. So listen, Hockey Hall of Fame, last summer after this class was announced, I did a top 10 ranking of potential candidates for 2026's class.

next year is Bergeron, that's first ballot. That's easy, right? Yeah, simple. Okay. Carrey Price's second year. I don't, this is an American-Canadian divide that will not probably bridge. I don't think he's a Hall of Famer, but I don't think there's a way he's not getting into the Hall of Fame. He's getting in the Hall of Fame.

Okay. He's getting in the Hall of Fame. Hang on, one thing that I've been reminded by from people there over the past however many years, in the title Hockey Hall of Fame don't forget the final word Fame Fame oh

that was my argument for years about well first of all about McGilney but also like Bore Lindros like Roanick like Roanick is the prototypical hockey hall of famer

in the sense that I don't think his career maybe adds up to being in the hockey hall but he certainly is in the hockey hall of fame and an amazing writer who wrote the forward to my book as well. Boy, people always love to bring that up to me.

Remember when Ronik wrote the forward to your book, and I'm just like every single day in my life when I look at the last-selling book that I wrote, and a man who literally, I think, composed it into a notes app and then sent it to the publisher, wrote the forward to my book. You know who we're going to have a really hard time with one day? Hang on. You know what? I got to welcome aboard our friends here. So hold on one second.

There's your hook. We're going to have a hard time with one player specifically in the NFL right now when his career. But first, these messages. The Blueprint is powered by our friends and presenters at Fanduel. Bless you, Fanduel. Download the app today and play your game on Fanduel. Coming up on the program, you've already heard him blather for 18 minutes. He's Greg Wysinski from ESPN and ESPN.com.

We're going to talk about the Preds. What's next? Well, what's next is the flight to Sweden. We'll talk about the Oilers, salvaging victory. out of the jaws of defeat yesterday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. We will talk about the surging Anaheim Ducks. We'll talk about the Hall of Fame. Ufa Boudin is going to stop by a longtime colleague,

just like one of the most wonderful people, one of the most highly intelligent hockey people you will ever meet. We'll check in with his thoughts on the Global Series. I also want to get his thoughts on Leo Carlson. And we'll talk a little bit more about the Global Series. That would be, of course, the Pittsburgh Penguins facing off against the National Predators. One day, we are going to have a hard time with one player in the NBA. when he is eligible for the Hall of Fame.

And that player is Jacob Slavin. There is no denying that he is one of the best defensive defensemen in that era. The one place in the Hall of Fame right now, because they've tried to clean up the goalies. They're trying, like, you can tell,

like, they're dedicated to, like, this is a place we've fallen down. We need to get more goalies in the hall. I'm not going to bore you with my case for Lauren Shabbat. But it's still out there, folks. All the other contemporaries are all in, all with similar numbers, et cetera, et cetera. But I digress, but I digress. Loat in the air like COVID.

Don't catch what you guess. I know. The one place where it's fallen down is defensive defenseman. You're Rod Languys, you're Kevin Lowe's, et cetera. That's why I've always stumped for someone like Adam Foote. And what are we going to do with Jacob's Slaven one day? Because you're not going to be able to point to the slew of Norris trophies. You're not going to be able to, you might be able to point to he was the best player in the entire

four nations tournament hands down well let's let's pause on that because if he repeats that performance in italy Olympics yeah and they win then we're not even having this conversation he's probably a hall of famer he needs that kind of moment same thing with carolina winning the cup like if carolina could finally break through and win the cup yeah then this becomes an entirely different conversation because i know it's not the hockey hall of team achievement but in the end It is, it weighs pretty heavily if you win, right? I will say this, though. Like, you mentioned not winning a Norris.

I think there's a better acknowledgement now of the market in which you play than there was decades ago. And what really hit me to that idea is the fact that Sergei Zuboff, although, yes, he was a New York Ranger, but he didn't play the majority of his career there, is in the Hall of Fame. And to me, Slavin fills that sort of hipster pick lane that Zuboff filled. And I think he'll probably get in one day. But I do think that his case might need a championship at some point. Real quick, Patrick Marlow, third year. I think that's a fascinating debate. I really thought they might put him in this year to stand up.

with jumbo but it didn't happen so the fact that it didn't happen this year gives me a little pause you know i'll tell you what i'll create the uh the perfect poetry if you're going to script this pro wrestling style jumbo goes in with marlowe charra goes in with bergeron back to that would have been perfect right that's the show that's that's the show business move right there that's that's bricky shuffling up the draft to get both sidines that's what that is the most the most fascinating case for me next year do matthew and brady get keith into the the hall. We have, we are, Keith Kachuk will never be a bigger name or a hotter commodity in retirement than he is right now. The sion of two of the stars in the NHL, a reality star of his own

right on that Amazon show with his kids. Do Brady and Matthews star power elevate their father into the Hall of Fame in what would be his 14th year of eligibility? I, I've said for years, it's only a matter of time before he gets in. So I'm going to go. ahead and say yes, because I've believed that he should have been in by now. The other one that is interesting here with 500 goals and 1,000 points and is Stanley Cup with Dallas in 99. Now that he's a manager that everybody's talking about, should be the general manager of the year. Look what he's done with the Anaheim ducks.

Look at this hot team when they're built to last. Patty for beak. For years and years, it's always like, ah, 250,000 penalty minutes. Yeah, sure, sure. But yeah, look at the 500 goals, 1,000 points. But now that he's more on the radar in popular. popular consciousness around the

NHL shit man for beak get in the hall of fame the little ball of hate the way the

the way the ducks are going he might get in as a builder the way the ducks are going right now might even have

to get in as a player real quick Ryan Getsloff second year of eligibility Zetterberg's fifth year

Patrick Eliash now that speaking of hipster picks that's a hitter pick I don't think

he's a Hall of Famer but and I say that as someone who watched his entire career, but I also acknowledge that he's one of those guys, and Niedermeyer was like this, too, with the Devils, where if he is playing in a different situation on a different

team and a different system with different talent around him, maybe it would be different. And is that enough of an argument to say that he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame? I, listen, I would not be upset if he got in. I just don't think, I think he's Hall of very, very good for me, but there's a lot of people that are very passionate about Eliash's candidacy. The final name I'll say to you, Merrick, is Rod Brindamore. Thirteenth year of eligibility. You talk about guys whose reputations have been boosted by their post-playing career in the NHL. That is Rod Brindamore.

It would be extremely interesting to see what happens here. I still think that there are enough guys that are in the Hall of Fame that are around Brindamor's numbers and around his reputation as a defensive center, which, by the way, is a bit overstated because he wasn't like that for his entire career, that it wouldn't surprise me if he gets in. Okay, let's get to our guest, and I'm going to open up with a question about a Swedish hockey player, much I like. We talk about Rod Brindamore,

and we talk about Keith Kichuk. I want to bring up a historical Swedish hockey player with our next guest, but first, this segment is a presentation of Prime Monday Night Hockey. Prime Monday Night Hockey streams all national regular season Monday night NHL games on Prime Video in Canada, and is available free to Prime Members in Canada.

Stream Prime Monday Night Hockey exclusively on Prime Video and experience thrilling goals and dramatic plays from the NHL. Monday nights are hockey nights. Don't miss a moment of the action Monday, November 17th, Columbus hosting Montreal to take on Demidoff, Hudson, and the Canadians. Check out the link in our description for the Prime Monday Night Hockey schedule on Prime Video or go to Prime Video.com slash NHL also on Prime Video.

Face off inside the NHL Season 2. Subscribe with a 30-day free trial, the Prime Video, to watch Monday Night Hockey. the new season of Faceoff, download the app. I'll go to primevideo.com. Our next guest is a longtime colleague and a long-time friend, and I see the smile on your face because you know I'm going to say his name.

Ufei Bodine, who works with us for a better collective, the parent company of Hockey's Farage. Ufei, how are... What time is it in Sweden right now? Oh, not too late. 7.30. Oh, okay. You're fine, then.

Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I have two kids screaming in the background, but, you know, I know you guys understand, so that's amazing for me. Okay, I want to get to a global series with you in a couple of seconds. I do want to ask you about Leo Carlson as well and a lot more questions about Swedish hockey. But we are just defending and debating, rather, throwing around your kichucks and your brindamores, etc. One of my favorite players is Kent Nilsson. My favorite players of all time.

And this is the Hockey Hall of Fame, not the NHL Hall of Fame, despite. the fact that Kent Nelson was outstanding in the NHL as well. If it were up to you, would Kent Nelson be in the Hockey Hall of Fame, not just for NHL exploits, but internationally as well?

And let me throw in one more thing. Although we all call it the Forsberg, that move was done by Kent Nelson against John Van Biesbrook against Team USA at the World Championships in 1989. Ufei, the floor is yours. Yeah, I mean, for that goal alone, I think it's

serves a place to be honest like i mean i was born in the early 80s and like one of my first memories of hockey on tv was actually seeing that goal against young bambisbrook actually was the arena in downtown stockle was called a globe it's now called uh avich arena and that's where they're playing the the global series this weekend and uh so that was the tournament the world championships in 1989 was uh when they actually uh opened up that arena and I mean I think of course the Forsberg you know winning the the first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey in 94 in Lillehammer Norway that's you know that's I think every swede that was born before that day you know keeps as a cherished

memory and and I would say nothing that Peter Forsberg did in the NHL was actually, you know. Hang on. Here's the Kent Nielsen goal if you're watching on YouTube. So that was, that was, and I remember. Check out the mullet. It's a glory. It's a beautiful crown of glory on Kent there.

The thing, the thing about, I remember asking Forsberg about the move and he said, oh, yeah, I saw Kent Nelson do this in 1989. So like, that's a complete aping of Kent Nelson, if you want to get all hipster here. No post. Yeah. So you have, really, I mean, without the post, it's. It really doesn't matter, does it? No, exactly.

Greg. I mean, that's the two biggest goals, I would say, probably the Mika-Sibanyat overtime goal at the world juniors for sure. But I mean, these two are the most iconic Swedish goals through all time, I would say. All right. Let's come out of this bullpen throwing 110. Let's start off with a heater. Is there a world in which Elias Petters?

doesn't make team sweden in the olympics uh who that was actually we're discussing this today about mika zibaniad is he uh oh yeah for the olympic team i mean that i think that's uh that's a that's a discussion to have as well but um i joke today when we talked about the latest peters and like he looks like a grinding uh two-way uh defensive centerman so i mean he's He's perfect, slotted for, yeah. Jumping in front of shots. He's perfectly slotted for the furteline, or the third line center. So, no, I mean, the coach, the Swedish coach, Sam Hallam, he had Elias when he had his

breakthrough season in the Swedish elite league. And I think, you know, they go way back. So I have a hard time imagine he would not be on the team. But I think Sabaniad is an interesting discussion at this point. I mean, like, they've put him in a position to succeed in New York, what playing on the wing with J.T. Miller. They put Perot on that line last night. The numbers just aren't there.

And everybody else on the Rangers is starting to score a little bit, like Lafranier and Kooley and some of the guys, Merrick that we talked about recently. But Savannahjad, this is now like two straight seasons where it's just not come together for him offensively. So you might be right. I mean, he might be more on the bubble than any of us expected he would have been maybe like two years ago.

Yeah, yeah. And like he went home to the, World Championships that was played here in Stockholm this spring. And he put up some numbers, but he was not very visible, to be honest. So it's an interesting question to have at this point. So then, let me follow it up with this, is Leo Carlson Sweden's first line center? Yeah, I mean, if you look at what he's done in the past few weeks, it's hard to say no to that question because he is right now uh you know it's he's like turning it's hockey fever in sweden thanks to leo carlson like we finally see him pulled through like this and yeah because in all

honesty like uh if you look at the past few years i mean we have a lot of good players but you know we haven't had like that superstar player for a while now i thought that rasm and saline would be that guy by now but obviously he has other things in his life that he needs to deal with right now sadly Yep. So getting Leo on a heater this early in the season, I mean, that's just what Swedish hockey needs. Because like we discussed this, I think last year, Jeff, you know, when it was about to be the four nations. And, you know, the center depth, as we talked about with Mika and Elias, it's not really there anymore. Like, Yole Erickson Ek could very well be your second best center after league. at this point so it's i mean leo's uh his uh i mean his play of laid that means everything to

to team sweden i think so we talked about peter forsburg before and it got me thinking there's always been one guy that you look at and say that's the most famous swedish hockey player playing right now that's the most beloved guy back home it was forsburg then it was Lungquist, right? Maybe Zetterberg gets in there for a little bit, too. Who is the man when it comes to Swedish hockey? Whose posters on every corner of the streets of Stockholm? Who is the player that is the god of hockey right now

when it comes to Sweden and the NHL? I think we'd have to answer Mr. YouTube himself, Bill and Englander at this point, because, you know, just by way of his, you know, his personality and how laid back is. And I think people here tend to have this love-hate relationship with him. And I think it might be the same in Toronto, to be honest. You should visit Toronto. You might want to visit Toronto there too, Fitz.

Yeah, exactly. What are we describing here? Stockholm or Toronto? Same, same, right? No, but I think just his personality and, you know, obviously flamboyant, both when it comes to fashion and the way he plays the game. So I think he's the poster boy if we have anyone right now. But I would assume if Leo keeps this up, he's going to give William a run for his money. Give us a little.

Let me pause on that. And first of all, it seemed very much like when, you know, the Maple Leafs and the wings and the wild and the sense. senators were involved in the global series like that. And I think a lot of it was the way that everybody in Sweden embraced Nielander around that week that took his fame, his, his stardom to a completely different level. Like that was a jumping off point, I think, for a lot of people. Give us some background for those that may not be aware of Leo Carlson. Now, I know specifically people in the East, like Anaheim's a 10 o'clock Eastern start. Like, that's tough.

I get it. But for those that may not know Leo Carlson, he's drafted second overall for a reason. I remember the Anaheim docks and no one likes the term, you know, load management, but they brought him in gradually. Like they just didn't jump him right in,

throw him in the deep end and say sink or swim like he would be brought in. He'd be, you know, sat down for a couple of games, he'd have another game. And like it was a very deliberate process that Anaheim went through. What does Anaheim have now? Give us some background on Leo Carlson. I mean, I think they have a guy who can,

probably in a few years be like the full package like your Anche Kopjar of Orange County basically because I really feel like he has he's not there yet let's just be honest about that but I think he can be like a really big

two-way player in the future but I think what you have there is a guy who like I wouldn't say he came out of nowhere but but he just kind of exploded on the scene within the SHL made his debut quite early and there were other players that were much more talked about in his in his year group

but he I think he surpassed everyone in the end and you know he he had his battles growing up I mean he's he had his stuttering problem and I know he was bullied for that growing up and I just seemed to make him so much stronger because he's so laid back he's so happy go lucky in a positive sense and you know just the easiest most easy going guy to to deal with like this summer i went to to this sponsor event in gothenberg where he and alias peterson uh did his thing together and on leas peterson he can be he can be you know in his shell and he can be hard to talk to but just him spending time with leo in the same room it just it just made him bloom you know and he started talking too so i mean leo he has this aura about him you know he enters

a room and he gets everyone comfortable and laughing and uh yeah I really see, like, the sky is the limit for that kid. Global Series, what does it mean to have Sidney Crosby come over and play these games this late in his career? I mean, we only have a short amount of time left with this guy. To have Sid there for this global series, I imagine, is a pretty big deal for the country. Yeah, I mean, we were lucky enough he came here to play the World Championships in Stockholm this spring as well. but so there was a lot of you know attention on him done but yeah i remember actually 2008 was the first it was like the inaugural uh at least in sweden i think they did one in in london the year 2007 when the ducks

had won the cup i think they started the season in london but the pittsper penguins and the audible senators in 2008 were like the first teams that came to stockholm to play you know real uh regular season games and uh you know Sid, at the time, they were just coming off the loss to the Red Wings and, you know, you were thinking basically, okay, can he do this? And they lost the games and he was really sour and, you know, I tried to interview him and he was like throwing water bottles and were like really pissed off with how the trip had gone because they lost both games. But yeah, and then turning the page to today, you see this just, oh, God. I don't even know what to call him.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so mature and like the calmness himself. Like he was such a treat to deal with in that sense. So, I mean, it's, it's amazing like when you look at the like the way he's been scoring here to start the season. And of course, I would imagine that him alone would sell a bunch of tickets, just like Eric Carlson and Philip Forsberg would. But yeah, just having him here and, you know, probably the last. time he'll ever play a game in Stockholm, I would assume. So I think it's magnificent. And actually

having, you know, Malk in here as well is pretty special too. Absolutely. You know, the NHL officially opened their European office. Yeah. And I'm curious sort of how that is being received in

Europe, specifically in Sweden, which already has a very, you know, robust professional loop. Thank you. Thank you very much. You know, once upon a time, it was, you know, the NHL would dip into Europe every now and then, you know, sell a couple of jerseys, promote a game, and then you wouldn't hear from them for a while. Now it seems as if, now that there's a new CBA done with the players, they can dedicate more time to extending their brand deeper into Europe. You know, just as an aside, too, I spoke to one person last year

about like really doing something significant. And this person said to me, why doesn't the NHL just have like all 32 teams play opening night in different cities in Europe if you really want to do a we're serious about the European market and curious both your thoughts on something like that but how is this being received because it does very much feel like the NHL is taking much more of a significant position on in their presence in Europe yeah talk to some of an HL people today and they were of the thought that, you know, they're doing this, you know, to sort of increase the footprint rather than, I mean, the conspiracy theory is that, you know, they, they want to, you know, get, you know, European team here, or maybe a few.

I don't really see that as a possibility at this point because the fan culture and everything, it's so different from North America. So I'm of the opinion that I don't think it would work. but at the same time, they could, you know, increase, I mean, just look at where the players come from these days. I mean, they're like, the game is growing. And I think particularly Germany is a market that I think that they're really interested in, you know, getting even bigger footprint.

I mean, you see the players that coming from there, you know, you have your dry-sidel, obviously, Moritz-Sider, Tim Stutz, Le, J.J. Pacharca. There's a lot of really good players coming out from Germany right now. So, I mean, I think that's a huge market, obviously, with a lot of money. And, you know, the NHL tends to follow the money around. So I would assume that that is something that they're looking at. Because I think, like, obviously Sweden and Finland probably Czechia as well, that those are pretty stable markets for the NHL at this point.

But I think they can probably do more in both Germany and Switzerland where there's a lot of money laying around. Yeah, if I had the guess, it's more like they want a, they want a, a foothold in order to do kind of more like what the NFL does, which is to put as many games as possible in London and Berlin and places like that, which I agree. I think that you could do. When you mentioned the 32 teams thing, Merica,

I was going through my head. Well, I was trying to think about like 16 European cities and Asian cities where they could put games. And I kept on coming back to the same thing, which is like, could you do this without Russia? like would it be worth doing it without Russia like you talk about where players come from they come from Russia a lot of them and so the fact that they are still persona on grata in all of this

makes that whole european cash cow thing pretty interesting although who knows how much cash they have after the Ukrainians have kicked their ass all over europe says greg wushinsky proud Ukrainian boy. Oofay, do you have a thought on that topic? Yeah. You want to go into politics? No, no, we don't. No, no.

Although, I will say one thing. The most politically charged hockey games that have ever been played took place in Sweden, the 1969 World Championships. This is after the Soviet tanks marched down the cobblestone street surprise. It was Czechoslovakia versus the Soviet Union, the World Championships. And there was, you can see these games on YouTube. And it is like normally when you say, oh, yeah, we want to kill them, like, we would rather die than lose. There's only one time, one time in history where a team has actually meant that, and that was Czechoslovakia versus Soviet Union.

There was no way that though. And I even just, there's been books written about this. And I go back and I watch the videos all the time because that to me was the time where it's much like, well, 70. with Russia and Canada was politically charged. Nothing like that. And it was in Stockholm at the World Championships. That was the most politically charged that the sport has ever been, ever been. I think you're forgetting a little tournament called Four Nations where there were like tariffs that everybody was there were tariffs.

And they booed the anthems. Yeah, I guess that's the same, Greg. Sure. Not even close. Anyhow. Let me ask you about a couple of players. Well, one player specifically. As we're trying to figure out here,

what's going to be next for the Nashville Predators? There's a lot of talk about, okay, they're going to look to move Stephen Stamco's or UC Soros. Isn't perhaps the most obvious play here, Philip Forsberg, who, if Nashville decides to go through a rebuild, I don't know that Philip Forsberg at this place in his career,

because I think you can ask a player to go through a rebuild once, but careers are show so short you can't ask a player to do it twice. Is not maybe the obvious one here who still has a lot of cachet and a lot of skill? Isn't the obvious one here, Philip Foresberg, if they're going to go that route? I mean, in theory, yes,

because I think you're pretty much laying out all the good arguments there. I still feel like he's, he really likes it in Nashville, and it's like it's become his whole. and everything. So I think it would be a huge decision for him. But, you know, if Natchel continues to sputter like this, I mean, that's going to be a question he has to ask himself, like, do I really want to live through this? Because, I mean, he's 31 now. So I still feel

like he has a few good years left in him. So I think it probably at this point, it's, I mean, it's more it's easier to to trade like an o'reilly or stamcos or even marshal so but uh if this continues uh for sure i think philip forsberg has some some really hard questions to ask himself about the future and where it lies last one for me up this is from uh zach uh zach zachry 82 in the chat for the show. Two questions. Where does Simon Edwinson, does Simon Evanson have an outside chance with the Olympics and thoughts on, who's our little Swedish way? Gromberg? Yeah, yeah. Janborg. Yeah, Yanborg. Eddie Yanborg,

who's for those who don't know, an 18-year-old prospect over in Sweden. Well, I think Edwinson has an outside chance. He played the World Champion. championships didn't like, I don't think he had that kind of tournament where he really positioned himself, but, you know, there's a lot of old veterans, grizzly veterans, that he's going to have to sort of work his way through. But, I mean, there are eight spots, so I wouldn't rule it out, but at this point, I think he's on the outside looking in. And as for Eddie Jenborg, like, he was a second round pick for the Red Wings last summer. and he has looked amazing like he's this really intense player that is putting up a lot of points right now and he can also be a bit of a prick so I think he's got a future in the NHL sure I mean who doesn't like a prick to scores cold exactly and it's been it's been a good 15 seconds since Detroit had a good Swedish player so it's good to know that they've got yeah let me let me let me think I mentioned Ricard Gromberg there a second ago I thought

that's where the question was headed. There's a Finnish coach with the Kitchener Rangers by the name of UCA Hokas, and a lot of his big philosophies about coaching revolve around how the game is evolving towards being positionless. And I was at the game against Sagina on Friday watching the Rangers in action, and it's a really interesting style that they play

based on how Ahokas coaches. I think he's destined for the NHL eventually. I think Kitchener's got him for one more year and then he's going to make the job. Are there any Swedish coaches that you think we should be paying attention to? Because it does seem as if now more so than ever, the door is, if not open, at least opening to different coaches from different areas of the world. Is there anyone in Sweden we should be paying attention to, Uffé? I mean, obviously there has been mentioned Rickard Grunberg.

And I know he's been interviewed for like several jobs. But also he has his background in North America. That's sort of where he started out. He did his, played college over there. And I mean, just like Andrew Sorensen, who stepped into the Blackhawks last year and actually became the first suite to coach in the NHL. But I don't know. Like, it's a long road.

And what I feel about coaches, like in general, is that if you want to coach in NHL, you have to go like the North American way i don't think you can reach you know some kind of success in on the international level or like helping a club team in europe to to you know win a bunch of championships i think you really need to go the north american way you probably need to do what ucaas does like uh work his way up i mean what's next for him maybe coaching the hl or maybe get an assistant uh coaching job in the nchl and i think that's the way you need to go to be able to reach that point.

I don't think it's possible or it would be the out-of-the-box move of the year if anyone actually brought over a Swedish or Finnish coach who had success in Europe because I'm of the firm belief that you need to

deliver in North America to get that kind of opportunity. Interesting stuff as always. You're very generous with your time and I don't really have kids to tend to. Ophrey, thanks. It's always good to see your smiling face and listen to your observations. We really appreciate it here.

Yes! Finally! Oh, my God. It found its way to Sweden, Greg. The first copy I've ever sold to Sweden, I think, maybe. I'm sure there are a few. I'm sure there are a few. But I just want to thank you guys because...

Yeah. Just one last thing. I just want to thank you guys because I obviously was one of the lucky. ones who, I don't know, 10, 15 years ago, there was this Merrick versus Wichinsky podcast that I didn't even know what the hell a podcast was before I actually started listening to you guys. And really nice to see you guys together again. I never missed a second.

And yeah, it's just amazing that we were able to bring you together under this umbrella. So thank you guys. That's awesome. Ufei, you read that, you read that just as I wrote it. thank you so much I'll send an invoice yeah that's right there's no I-N-team but there's two eyes

an invoice I get it that's how we work here in media you're the man Ufei thanks pal always good to catch up thank you take care guys maybe the nicest person in the world Ufei Bodee

see what Ufei doesn't know is we also did not know what a podcast was that's we just started talking I know one of our mini producer like what are we doing with this audio now it's like

internet radio we're making us Well, thanks for joining us on the MP3. Remember real media? Remember how real media was going to, I used to do that when I used to do wrestling. All of our stuff used to be placed up on real media is going to be a revolutionary force and all that. And I have no idea what's become of real media. So let me talk to you about the ducks for a second.

So I talked to Pat Rebeak yesterday for a story that me and Kristen Schiltner doing. And I said, I said, hey, man, like it's great to talk to you. it, you know, I'm, you know, thank, congrats on all the success you've been having. It's been really fun to watch the chaos, uh, that your team brings,

uh, in these games. And he's like, yeah, fun for you. Not so much for me. I'm like, Patty,

like, enjoy it. And like, look, man, the, they are an exceptional offensive team right now. Like,

they are following, firing on all cylinders. Um, they're scoring. at Will off the rush their young players are all clicking their old players are all finding the fountain of youth at the same time

I mean Patty looks like a genius for that Crider thing he just does like it's you know they he fit a number of things they felt they needed on the wing and then also on the power play which by the way clicked it 12%

last season if you round up and is now kick you're filling it that that was just just as an aside like yeah like Criter does and I still maintain if there's a comeback player of the year in the NHL. Right now, the clubhouse leader is Chris Kreider. But the idea that our power plays thinks what should we do,

even though he's having it, he had a down year with the Rangers, go get like the best power play net front guy in the NHL. The guy in the last like five or ten years. So, but like to for Beek's point, he told me that he's hoping that the systems that Joel Quinville has in place there enables them to get better defensively, these young players get better defensively. defensively during the course of the season. Right now, if these young guys screw up, they're not getting Jordan Kairud, okay?

Like, they're staying in the lineup and they play and they learn from their mistakes. And so that's part of the learning curve right now for the ducks because if you go inside the numbers, Merrick, they are atrocious defensively. They're a bit better from a puck possession standpoint, which I think is helping. But they're getting completely bailed out by Lucas Dostell right now. he's having a Vesna-worthy season. They're giving up as many scoring chances at five-on-five as they did last season. So if the question is, can the duck sustain this? I think there's an argument to be said that they can because of the incremental improvements

that Quenville's already made at five-on-five, and in theory, they'll get better as the season goes on. But offensively, this team has just got it. They remind me of the devils a few years back when they made the playoffs for the first time with Hughes, like just pressing the speed button over and over and over again and just crushing teams with it. I'm glad you mentioned Dostel because as much as we're talking about Carlson and what he's doing and he's been tremendous, as much as we talk about Young Cutter Gochier and what he's doing and the rejuvenation of Chris Kreider and all of it, Jackson Lecombe, like everything.

If they're losing games, we're not talking about it the same way and the reason they're winning games is because of Lucas Dostal. He should be, whenever anyone talks about the Anaheim Ducks, you should always make the point, they're kept in these games because, to your point, they're having a goalie who's having a Vesna trophy season. Yeah, which again, that's why. It's ironic he replaced John Gibson, because that's what John Gibson was for many, many years in Anaheim, the guy who had incredible analytics, an incredible case for LeVesna

and keeping a team that otherwise couldn't defend in games. You mentioned Jackson Lacombeam. Not great so far offensively. Six points this season for the young man who was invited to U.S. Olympic development camp leading to half the hockey world being who's Jackson Lecombe. But I talked to for Beek about him. You got to remember that he is playing 25 minutes a night on average. He's doing a lot of things.

Yeah, a lot of things for them. Very good. But even Verbeek told me, like, you know, we're hoping that the offense can pick up a little bit because it's not the, the production isn't where it should be right now for him, but everything else is going pretty well for him. Yeah. And again, like, I know the manager may pull out his hair, but it's just flat out fun to watch. I don't care. I'm just a fan of anything. I'm just a fan of great games.

And I don't have delivered great games this year. I want to take, I want to take some questions from the chat, but you wanted to preach on the Oilers for a second. No, not really. I just thought that I don't know If you want to prove that you're tough Don't fight Matthew Olivier You know

Like it happened last year in Toronto With Ryan Reeves Where like everyone was getting on him Because he hadn't had a fight And then like Columbus was next in town And Olivier is like Do you want to do this? Like do you want to like end it all

It's like And he like make no mistake about it Matthew Olivier is the toughest player In the NHL Remember he did to Rempe like he's he he does this consistently to guys and trent frederick is not in that league give him full marks for trying but first of all that fight should have been stopped way before it was here we go like so look at the fight now watching on youtube like they're like

count the rights like the fight like okay so frederick is down and always trying to get back up like you need to be stopping this like five punches ago and they just keep letting it go. It's actually Olivier who stops. Olivier hit him so hard. He now has no goals on this season. He knocked a goal out of him. Whoa. Whoa. That is

that's tough. His grandkids will have migraines. No, but like that thing should have been and again like that's Olivier saying I get that while someone's throwing I know that you've got to pick your spots and both guys got to get in the same time. But did you not watch that

and say this this fight needs to stop right now. This isn't a fight anymore. And again, I will give credit on that stoppage, not to the officials. I give credit to Matthew Olivier, who realized this is too much. I don't know who the officials were last night. I didn't check the box score. The only thing I knew from that game, quite honestly, outside of the end result was the McDavid goal, which is as sick as you could find. I mean, it was just insane. Caleb, hang on, Caleb Apperson and Devinburg. With the line is on. Okay. So, I don't know who those people are. And I do wonder whether or not, you know, we've talked about it before on the show.

Like, if you talk to the older officials and the guys who were recently in the league, they all say the same thing, which is that there is a learning curve right now insofar as the number of officials that are in the league that are newbies that are still kind of like cutting their teeth. I'm not saying that was the case here, but you watch that and you say to yourself, if that's a veteran linesman or a veteran official, they're probably not allowing that to happen. If Jay shares is still in the NHL, that fights over. because he may grab both guys and he's tougher than both and he squeezes them like a python and you just watch

when Jay would break when he would break up fights it would be like he would grab the arms and he'd do that squeeze and the guys would just go like oh they would just like buckle it's like oh yeah yeah

he's got he's got no one wrapped up guys arms like him he was how many linesmen do you know like how many linesmen can you name was Pat DePuzzo a linesman so how many linesmen can you know first of all that is the one area

not so much referees but but linesmen that is the one area that I will admit a lot of ignorance as far as like new new officials coming in

that I know what I knew one guy but in fairness it's like asking a baseball fan who's your third base coach like who knows we don't care it is it's not an issue

until we have to talk about how they blew an offside call you know that's when we start talking about them but lines are just there but that one that one should have been broken up eight punches before it was anyway that was my only point so what did you want to I'm Pat Tapuza

I wanted to get some questions to the Chatteroo if people oh right right Zach you got any that you want to you want to put our way to answer from the good people yeah um let's start here with 1970s cop Zach Phillips very original No, good one.

So funny. This one comes from a lot. Did you know how fast you were driving, ma'am? Just say it. Just say it once. Come on. Just do it. Just do the line.

Just do the line. License and registration, please. No, because you're laughing. No, you've got to like really sell it. I can't do. I can't do it. Come on. Come on.

We're a serious hockey show year. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You met me and Greg? Seriously. Trying to let the people have their voice here. All right. This one comes from Jeffrey Maron. With no All-Star game this year, after the Four Nations last year,

will the quote-unquote traditional All-Star game format slowly just fade away, is the question. So the answer to that is no for a couple reasons. First of all, the NHL does fancy the history of the All-Star game, the players enjoy the history and also as much as they might complain about it they like participating in parts of the All-Star game. The drinking parts. The drinking parts.

You can't replicate the All-Star game with an international mid-season tournament because as we saw with Four Nations, you leave Leon Dryside out and a number of other people out. Now, there's probably ways you can fudge it and create some sort of mini world cup of hockey or whatever. But like the point is, Ralph Kruger, right this way.

The All-Star game exists as part of the fabric of hockey, the tradition of hockey, but also as a way to get all your star players in one place in front of all your sponsors in one place and their families and their kids. And it is a valuable marketing tool for the NHL that they can also bring places where maybe you're not going to hold of Four Nations as well.

So I think they'll keep doing them. But I do think, though, to answer your question, it's not going to be an annual event and they're going to space them out around Olympics and Four Nations or World Cup or whatever they end up doing. I've said this to you before. My life got a whole lot better

when I realized that not everything is intended for me. I used to be the guy that crumbled about the officer game until I realized, or maybe someone told me, not everything revolves around you to which i said well hold on a second because every every experience i've had i've been at the center of so that doesn't make any sense but my life got better when i realized that the all-star game is not intended for me and that's why i laugh that's why i laugh when i when i hear media people grouse about it's like but it's not for you know i i don't ask in merrick to watch k-pop demon hunters it's not for him

It's the same thing as the NHL All-Star game. Yeah, it's not for me. Like, honestly, it's four kids. Like, the looks in those kids' faces when they see all the stars all in one place, regardless of what the game or games look like is fantastic. And it's never a bad idea to create an event to say, thank you to the people who have the nerve to keep the lights on. I got zero problem with it.

Zero problem. And it's just like when we talk about overtime, right? Like, there's always moments in overtime that are pure chaos. that make it worth doing it. Who among us hasn't gotten excited seeing a close fastest skater or seeing a breakaway challenge that was dope?

Or seeing like Charg step up and shoot a puck 300 miles an hour. Like there are still things about the All-Star game to speak to us as hockey fans even if the general compartment of it isn't necessarily anything that we're interested anymore

as we've grown more jaded and older. Oh, and by the way, it's the novelty of seeing guys interact has also gone by the wayside because of the Olympics and other international events uh which was the set used to be the selling point of the all-star game look it's him of gretsky a burial or whatever then there's a yeah that used to the thing that's that was the exciting part but now it's not exciting anymore like that i got more if you guys want yeah shoot why not all right this one is uh about anaheim if the ducks this one comes from neat drew by the way um

Ducks are still firmly planted in the playoff spot by Olympic break. Do you think that they try to add at the deadline? It would be hard to add anyone to this group without subtracting. I think they add. I don't think they go crazy. I think defensemen.

I think this is a team that's still looking for another defenseman. And I don't, this isn't like, first of all, Anaheim has done a great job drafting and developing, an outstanding job with it. And it's time to turn the picks and the prospects into assets, real grown-up hockey players. So I could absolutely see.

If they're right there around Olympics, I could absolutely see. I don't think they go berserk. I don't think you go crazy. Like, this is our last piece before the cup. But I could see the Anaheim Ducks adding, yes. Let me ask you this. When you say adding, do you mean a rental or do you mean someone who's going to be there for a few years?

Do you mean more like Florida acquiring Seth Jones type deal or do you mean a rental? That would be that would be preferable. think that that's most teams. I think that's most teams around the NHL. Well, I guess the question is like the ducks have a galaxy of young stars on their blue line. So do you want, do they get more out of playing those kids in a playoff race and letting them become the players that they're going to be?

Or do they get more out of sending one to someone else to get a veteran defenseman? I don't know the answer. I could see them sending one. like not Jackson Lecombe. But Pavel Minchikov for Olin Zellwiger, perhaps. If it means bringing in someone who's more of a veteran, not like close to retirement, whistling by the graveyard, career graveyard.

But I could see them letting go of one of their younger defensemen to bring in someone more established. Absolutely, I could. Who has term? Yeah. You want to do like, what? Do you agree? Do you agree with that?

No, I don't. I think, listen, do I agree that they'll make a move? I probably do because you want to strike while the iron's hot if you have a contender. I think they're better off just rolling with what they have. The thing is like this is young players. This is the year with, but this again, like I talk about managers managing upwards. This is the year where there's expectations on the Anaheim ducks. Like the Samuelis have been very patient through all of this, but this is the year where, okay,

there's all these new pieces that have been added to. Don't forget about spending a lot of money on Michael Granlan, else was giving them that kind of dough. Correct. So this is the year where there is going, there is expectation. And the expectation is playoffs that we need to start to see return on investment here. And I should say, though, like to your point and the reason why I think it probably will happen is that it's not as if Pat Verbeak has shied away from moving a top young, named,

a top young player with a big name to better his team. I just hope that the Philadelphia Flyers have room on their roster for the next one. He decides to know. Philadelphia, Philadelphia used to make all their trades with Los Angeles. Remember that? Like everything was like Yeah, Richard and Carter.

Lamarty Clarkie here. Like that used to be that's where that's where players went back and forth. Now it's Anaheim. It's just moved address. Still in California, but now it's Anaheim. It used to be Philadelphia. It was Philadelphia West was in L.A., now Philadelphia, Fia West is Anaheim. Kateriae would look pretty good on the ducks.

I can't see that. You think? I can't see that way. Okay. Just speaking out loud. Go, get all excited. Get the internet all excited and say Meechikov. Go on.

Go on, go on do it. Stop. Go on, go on. Jackie, what's one more question before we, we, we've, come on, come on, say it. You want to say it. You want to shuffle off this mortal coil. You want, you want to say Michikov. Go on, go on, go on.

Okay. Okay. I was debating between two. I'm going to go with the one that will probably fire up the internet a little bit because why not? So I'll preface this. As the producer, whatever result comes out of this, I set Jeff and Greg up for whatever kickback comes out of the answers of this question. Okay. That is on record on the air. Okay. It's going to be about. We talked about Pete DeBoer the other day. This comes from SV 225. Where do we see Pete DeBore headed? and I say it's going to fire people up because they specifically included Toronto, Edmonton, question mark. I think there, just let me jump in here quickly on DeBoer.

I think that I think that DeBoer, first of all, he's in a position right now where he doesn't have to take whatever is available. Like there are some coaches where any spot that's available, you've got to jump on it because we always hear. There's only 32 of these things. I've got to jump on it right away. I can't turn things down. But Pete Dabour has the luxury, both from his success and his financial well-being,

that he doesn't have to jump at the first opportunity. I can see D'Bor waiting for the right opportunity with a team that is close. Edmonton is close. So if you give me those two options, I'll say Edmonton over Toronto, but Toronto could still be considered close. when you look at the players that are still on that roster, but not as close as Edmonton. If you're giving me one of one or the other,

I could see him closer to Edmonton than Toronto. I think that's right. Let me throw a wild card out there. What about Utah? Now, you and I both, I think, buy into the theory that the next coach of the Utah mammoth after the big bear is employed is employed right now in Tampa we both we are both I mean coop coop is a not a fan of this theory I don't think but the theory is there and I think we

we are both buying into it you're both buying into it yeah but like if you talk there are teams that are in the playoff bubble race that either aren't a good fit for Pete they're not looking to necessarily fire their coach and but Utah is such an interesting one because if you talk about teams that are ready to level up and that and you know and by all means should be a playoff team this year I think that they fit that bill um but obviously like you think of the other teams that are in that mix obviously Anaheim's not going to hire him Chicago just hired Blaschell um you know like L.A about the thing about the thing about Utah is like it's still a team on the rise, normally when you're

normally when you're looking to bring in someone like Peter DeBoer, it's because you stalled. And Utah's still rising and they haven't stalled and they haven't plateaued. That's why I think Bear is safe there. I just mentioned the Kings. Jim Hiller. They're about to lose Anse Kopitar. Drew Dowdy's not getting

any younger. When you look at it's not ideal. Hang on. Hang on. Hang on. Hang on. Yeah. When you look at where this team are like Pete DeBore is smart and he knows the league right is it a team that's on the rise is it a team that's close to winning the Stanley Cup well no here's here's the thing okay how many spots are are open for him where he hasn't already been like Toronto would be one Toronto would be one Edmonton would certainly be one and and again like much like he went from San Jose to Vegas the enemy of my enemy is my friend

And, like, all of a sudden now he's coaching Edmonton. You know what I mean? Like, I mean, that's the most logical point. But you look around, like, you know, it's not going to Jersey. He's been there. He's not going to have these places where he's already been. You can always go somewhere you've been before. Glenn Gulleson's in Dallas, but.

That's true. And they got a shot at winning the Stanley Cop. But that's so they can get McDavid in two years. Oh, geez. Zach, bail us out of this one. that's what's going to get him killed on the internet by the way yeah no but like to answer you i ultimately agree with you uh i agree with you merrick i think i think edmonton probably makes the most sense if he ends up going any place this year which

i'm not convinced he will be no uh we got one more thing you want to hang around for this one with Zach or do you have stuff to do yeah sure all right here we go i do but i'm more than happy to hear Zach talk more here he comes here he comes yeah officer Phillips, by the way, until the month is over. The sheet is powered by Fanduel. Play your game with Fanduel. It's the NHL season and Fandul is your home for all the action on the ice. From Blue Line to Bet Slip, we've got you covered all season long with unique promos,

live offerings, and more features to let you play your game. Miss Puck Drop, no sweat. With a live same game parlay, you can build up your bets until the final buzzer. Download Fandual Sportsbook today and play your game. Please play responsibly, 19 plus and physically located in Ontario. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or the gambling of someone close to you, please contact Connects Ontario at 1-866-531-2,600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. Officer Phillips rejoins.

Greg did not seem very enthusiastic. What seems to be the problem, Officer Phillips? I am always enthusiastic to hear the thing that you're going to talk about. Okay. I do think you might like this one here, at least the... and name potentially, hopefully, I don't know. This one is in the theme of today with Huffe joining us in the NHL Global series,

and we talked about Anaheim and Leo Carlson, and we did not talk about one of the guys involved here today, but we are going with the how sweet it is parley, William and Adrian Campa, the score tonight, Neelander plus 150, Carlson plus 260, Adrian Kempay plus 195, $1.95, $5,000, $127.75 on this one. Dude, that's pretty good. That's pretty good. I like it. Sometimes, guys, sometimes the dots connect. It comes together. Yeah, there's the theme for the day.

The Swedes. Get yourself some beer money out there, Swedish. Do it for Ufe. I love it. That's an awesome one. Do that more times or not. I've always had, and maybe this goes back to just being in southwestern Ontario, specifically Toronto in the 70s, and watching the rise of Borya Somming,

but I've always adored Swedish hockey players. Always that are like usually, like who's been my favorite player the last 10 years? Gabriel Landa Scott. Who has it before? Peter Forsberg. Boria Salming. Like for whatever reason,

Kent Nilsen, Like, I've always had, like, one guy, Nicklidstrom. Like, I've always had, like, that one guy, then I don't know what it is about me, that one player in the NHL that I've always adored, usually is a Swedish player. Usually it is a sweet, and I think it comes from, you know, I can remember the moment where I was first like,

wow, that's a really cool thing. I can't believe that they would do this. I was watching Borya Somme get a standing ovation at Maple Leaf Gardens while playing for Sweden against Team Canada when they introduced them. Standing ovation. That was like the moment where I was like, I must have been, like, seven years old or something like that.

I'm like, wow, that's like one of the coolest guys. You're so confused. Like, well, he plays with the Maple Leafs, but he's playing on this team and you're supposed to not like him. I'm like, I remember talking to my dad about it. I was like, yeah, that's how good he is. That even the opposition, like playing against Canada. This guy's getting a standing ovation in Toronto.

That's what's so far. I can also remember the first time as a kid when I realized all these guys aren't just from the U.S. and Canada. And there was a guy in the devil's called his name was Yani O'Yanan. Yeah. Yeah, yani oh, yanna. And I was like, first of all, all of these letters, I know all these letters, but they don't sound like that in my language. And also, it was such a novelty that he was just like, he's the guy from Finland they bought in.

I'm like, wow, that's so dope. Hockey, man. An international sport, if there ever was one. Hockey, it's everywhere. You just got to look hard enough. Wish you'll be well. Enjoy the rest of your day. We'll regroup on Thursday with new thoughts, new jokes.

See, pal. Greg Wysinski from ESPN.com. I want to thank Greg for stopping by. I want to thank Ufe Bodein for stopping by to talk about, amongst other things, Leo Carlson, the Global Series and All Things Swedish Hockey, and thanks for the trip down memory lane with Kent Nielsen. I got you, Ufe, you're the man. Thanks for watching, thanks for listening, thanks for joining us,

thanks for chatting, thanks for all of it, thanks for all the button pushing by you that help us, most notably subscribing to our daily face-off YouTube channel. Always appreciate that. Don't forget, the Tri-State Hockey Show comes up today. We're talking the Rangers and the devil. and the New York Islanders. Johnny Lazarus is your host, along with Arthur Staple and Mike Rup.

They're recording their first show. Correct me if I'm wrong, Zach. They're recruiting their first show today. And this is going to be a Wednesday, Thursday drop for this program, I believe. So very much looking forward to hearing the Maiden Voyage of the Tri-State Hockey Podcast. It drops, sorry, it drops Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I apologize. So it drops today and more.

I think they're recording right now. for i don't know if the first one coming out today it might be coming out tomorrow i should have got that information but i did find out that they're recording right now so okay excellent news that hopefully helps people it's going to i love the idea of doing a cluster show uh i really love the idea of like doing these all three all these three teams together as its own program i've always thought that there's a there's a show out there somewhere that clusters all the canadian teams maybe that's best done around the olympics and then and then afterwards but nonetheless. Cluster show, first of its kind, talking devils, talking

Islanders, talking Rangers, and Johnny Lazarus conducting all of it. Also, a brand new show here on the Nation Network. You will want to check out. Grab a coffee and tune in to the sauce with hosts Ryder and Lisa. It's a mix of laughs, sports talk, and conversations that you didn't know you needed in your life. This is already underway. It airs 8 a.m. Mountain Time on the Oilers Nation YouTube channel. Longtime Edmonton Radio hosts are going all digital or bringing their candid humor to video, be sure to subscribe to the Other Nation YouTube channel and stream their show on your go-to podcast platform. We used up a lot of words and a lot of oxygen and a lot of your time today and for that

we say thank you, but we're done, no more words. Me and Officer Phillips are finished for the day. We will return, though, to issue more traffic tickets and talk about hockey, most notably with Brian Burke tomorrow, who returns for Let's Get Ready to Grumble. on the program tomorrow at 1 o'clock Eastern. Don't forget Morning Cup of Hockey, 9 a.m. Eastern on our daily face-off YouTube channel, DFO Live, Tyler Eremtruck,

and Carter Hutton handling duties there at noon Eastern. Thanks for joining. We're back tomorrow. I said 16 hours last night, every day this week, every day this month. I can't get out my head, lifestyle ambitions day to day,

because you can call it. right. I went to the dark man. He tried to give me a little medicine. I'm like, no, and that's fine. I'm not against those methods, but I knew. It's me and myself and how this is going to be fixing my mind. I didn't want a bad guy. I turned on the music. I do want to back. I turned on the music. I do want to back. I don't think you're sometimes losing I've been on the days that we're wrong