The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Marner Fallout ft. Greg Wyshynski & Nick Alberga

Episode Date: September 2, 2025

On today’s episode of The Sheet, host Jeff Marek dives into a packed show on the Daily Faceoff YouTube Channel. Jeff is first joined by ESPN's Greg Wyshynski to break down the latest on Connor McDavid’s contract situation and his revealing comments at the Canadian Olympic press conference. They also tackle Luke Hughes’ RFA status as the young blueliner remains unsigned by the New Jersey Devils, plus Mikael Backlund’s eye-opening comments that all but confirm Rasmus Andersson’s days in Calgary may be numbered. Later, Nick Alberga from Leafs Morning Take joins the show to react to Mitch Marner’s sit-down with TSN’s Mark Masters, the fan reaction to his comments, and what it all means moving forward.#TheSheet #DailyFaceoff #JeffMarek #ConnorMcDavid #NHL #GregWyshynski #NickAlberga #LeafsMorningTake #MitchMarner #LukeHughes #RasmusAndersson #CalgaryFlames #TorontoMapleLeafs #HockeyNewsShout 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.

And for those of you paying close attention and watching on our YouTube stream or an archive, you'll notice there's something missing over my right shoulder. An explanation for that coming up in mere moment. In the meantime, welcome to the sheet for this Tuesday, September 2nd. Glad to have you bored. We're still burning sort of once per week. That is going to change. Details on the new sked coming up in a couple.

couple of moments. In the meantime, I want to remind you to start the show off today that the program is brought to you by Simply Spiked. As we all know, summer is here and we are deep in it. Hanging out in the great weather with great friends. You want the feeling to last forever and you can still squeeze every tiny drop out of summer even though the kids are at school now with Simply Spiked. Simply Spiked has three delicious flavors, the OG Summer Classic, simply spiked lemonade. That's always a party favorite. Or try a sweet and juicy summer sip with Simply Spiked Beach, or check out the newest flavor in the Simply Spiked lineup. Simply Spiked Lime Aid, sweet and tart.

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Glad to have you aboard today. Whether you're watching on YouTube, listening on your favorite podcast platform, we appreciate your undivided attention. And you do listen and watch very closely. And that's something we've always admired around these parts. Zach, let's get right to it. The Daily Rundown, as always, is presented by our friends at Fanduel. FanDuel, make every moment more with North America's number one sports book, Fanduel.

Now, getting to what we're talking about today and who we're talking about it with, Greg Wyshinsky from ESPN will stop by. He has a really interesting piece out right now. That really, and it's a great idea, the best NHL draft pick ever at every slot from number one, to 224. And there's one pick specifically that I want to get into with Greg, which really warm the heart of this old man. Nick Alberger from Leif's Morning Take will drop by, and Greg and I will talk to him about Mitch Marner, why he's no longer with the Maple Leafs. That story continues. I don't think the interview with Mark Masters has put this one to bed.

Speaking of contracts, we'll talk about McDavid's contract. We'll talk about, oh, Oh, I don't know, Luke Hughes' contract impending or otherwise with the New Jersey Devils. Rasmus Anderson. I love the NHL European media tour because European players, when they're at home, will say a lot of things that they won't say when they're back in North America. Credit Michael Backland. Oh, yeah, he's gone. We all know it.

Springaboard, Greg Wischinsky from ESPN, author of a number of intriguing pieces over the summer. I'm always impressed, Greg, at how you're able to take the dog. The dog days of, in this case, August, but it hasn't been a real lot going around and turned it into one of the most compelling pieces, albeit, I don't want to see it ripped off, because, as I've always maintained, greatness borrows, but genius steals.

Your piece on the best NHL draft pick at every lottery, at every slot from number one to 224 is a fantastic read. I'm embarrassed at myself for not coming up with it in one of the Dog Day shows that I've done however many years I've been behind a microphone. And you've known me for a long time. You and I go back to, I think our friendship goes back to 2007 that we've been hanging. At least.

So is there one number, one slot that you think I would be most interested in? Like I went from one where you have Mary Alamue right to this number fast. And you kind of didn't disappoint. Well, knowing you, it's either 69 or 420, but we didn't go to 420 on this one. First of all, I should say a lot of people think I rip this off of my good friend Down Goes Brown. I ripped it off of Ben Solac, who is an NFL writer for ESPN. He did it for the NFL. I'm like, hey, we have a draft and decided to do it there.

I appreciate your words on the dog days the summer. One, I've learned that's a great time to put out content because hockey fans are starved for anything. and it's also a chance to do more of your goofier projects. I know at Puck Daddy, when I ran it at Yahoo Sports, that's where you would find Mount Puckmore and the 10 most important things to know about my franchise and all the basically farming out work for others was my summer plan, but now I have to do it myself.

Thirdly, before we get to your number, you're right. It has been a very, very slow and inconsequential, for the most part off season, which is odd because I swore I read in the athletic that this was going to be the summer of the offer sheet. Wait, that might have been two years ago or three years ago or four years ago. Well, hold on a second. It just never happens, does it? It just never happens, doesn't it?

Everybody got spoiled by Doug Armstrong last year. Doug Armstrong ruined it for everybody with the double offer sheets with the Edmondson Oilers. So he wrecked it for everybody. But what's that? Hold on. What's our lesson? Our lesson is unless someone is trying to take the piss out of another GM, see Doug Armstrong and Stan Bowman, we're not getting any offer sheets. But I will say this about the off season. There was a lot of people, GM's agents who said after free agent frenzy that we were going to see a slew of trades. And I'm starting to wonder whether or not what we saw during the frenzy, which was a lot of people staying where they were because all of the sudden teams were flush with space and not forced into jettisoning people like they used to, whether that also played into the trade market where now they don't have to be as aggressive because, you know, they have the guys that they want and why deal them away?

But that's a conversation for earlier. Hang on. One more, one more point. I got to add on everything here. You know me. Please. What this is is, this is the way summers have generally been. Like, this kind of felt for the first time really, although it's kind of been this way for a while,

But really felt like, you know how, God, I'm going to sound so old. 15, 20 years ago, Greg, GMs would punt on July 2nd and you wouldn't hear from them again until September 2nd. Nothing. Feathers. You would get not a peep out of anybody. Gone fishing, closed, last call, all of it. That's what this summer was. This was the hearkening back to the old days.

But really, the managers really, like, as they usually do, only really took a couple of, a couple of, couple of weeks off. Okay. What number was your boy Jeffie most interested in? Even though you didn't have his player at this slot and I can't disagree with it. I don't know. I know that you being an old soul, uh, you might have gravitated to number 15 where I had Mike Bosse over Al McGuinness, Joe Sackick and I agree with Arleson. I love that. I agreed with it. I agreed with that. You might, I mean, you made you like number one where all of a sudden and you could read the piece at ESPN.com. All of a sudden, like, it's still Mario.

Right. Mario, sorry, the jersey comes out sometimes. But there's at least a conversation to be had about Ovechkin and Crosby. Like, I'm not saying that they're better than Lemieux. I'm just saying that when you think about Ovi's accomplishment, when you think about what Cid has done in this era versus what Mario did in his era, there's at least a comma and then the rest of the. sentence conversation.

Maybe there are a few sentences down in the paragraph after we get through all of Lemieux stats, but at least there's a conversation. But I don't know what number peak your interest, Jeffrey. Yeah. Number 27 for your California seals, Jill Malashe. Not at number 70 because,

hang on, because that would be even too hipster. I love it. it because it's a hipster reference. So number 70 for wish is Rob Blake. And let's rightfully so. Hall of Fame career like just marvelous defenseman. Check all the boxes. That's Rob Blake. But I, because I'm going through all these and I'm reading it. And I get to seven and I'm like, I wonder if he's going to do it. I wonder if he's going to do it. How many hipsters are they taking the change light bulb? Oh, you probably never heard of it. It's a rare

number. Is he going to do it? Is he going to say Joe Belash? And he does. So let me say it. but we would be remiss not to acknowledge the awesomeness that was Jill Malash Blackhawks 1970 oh my heart oh my heart and is Cleveland Barron's goalie mask or is North Star's goalie mask or as we see here one of many California Golden Seals

goalie mask you did it you actually put Jill Malash who I've always maintained if you plan on one of those heavyweight teams in 1970s he'd be in the hockey hall of fame we were talking about him and not Kendra riding, but nonetheless. Here's another thing for you. Do you know he owns a burger restaurant in Montreal where they do?

I believe they still do. It's now called Malash 27. It used to be called like DeLelio Burger. Montreal fans got to crush me for this for not knowing it. But what they would do is the upside down burger. So they would have the top bun on the bottom and the traditional bottom bun on the top. I don't know if that's unique in burger lore. If there's any other burger franchises that do that.

But I still believe they still do it at Malash 27. So that's intriguing. It's pretty fucking dumb. The bottom of a bun is flat. So it all just lays down on the flat surface of the bottom. I don't know the philosophy behind it. The top part of a bun is a fucking dome. So it's like it's like flipping the Louisiana Superdome upside down and expecting it's

not to weble wobble. Yeah, it's wobbling on your plate. I don't know. I don't know what the flash behind. I know. It's the upside down burger. I don't know. I don't do these things. I look at it. I go like, hey, Malash has got the upside down burger. That's awesome. Good at his restaurant. I got to go to Malash 27. You bring up an interesting thing about the list, though, insofar as like, it's kind of like judging someone born into the wrong family. You know, if only this person had the advantages someone else had in life, would they become president? Would they become, you know, a surgeon? Marcel Dion, number two, is the greatest example of that. I picked him there.

not only because of the incredible goal totals but I mean you had some really really good players there you had getting Malkin you had headman pronger dowdy you know Barkhoff is there Eichel is there but you know again like when you think about the Kings teams that Dion played with if he had been on the Oilers or the Islanders during that era my God like we'd be talking about him as a as a hockey deity and so I still

put him at number two but with the acknowledgement that there is a little bit of if only it had been different for him team wise if only he had ended up in a different place during that era we'd be having a complete he'd be lock but instead of there being a conversation about someone like malcon the uh the the the other two that i would have considered there because i'm with you i would have gone marcel dion as well and that wonder if that's just like an old thing for me because i grew up loving marcel dion but man sure mine was so hot um yeah the other two for me would be malkin or pronger those would be the other two that i would look at and go like yeah you know what he doesn't have dion

on there, but he's got Malkin, or he's got Pronger. I'm good with you. Malkin perpetually underrated Pronger. I mean, again, like, it's tough when you're in the Lidstrom era, you know. Not the Netermeier era. How dare you, New Jersey. And the Niedemeyer era, yeah, that too. But, I mean, like, you talk about, like, combination of blunt force trauma,

stepping a guy on a guy with your skate, and also he could get you, like, 70 points. I mean, Pronger was a real special player. He really was. He earned his ice. Okay, listen, check this piece out. It's fascinating. It is a, honestly, there's been some great summer reads, as there always are. This might be my favorite.

This might be my favorite. Even though I went from 1 to 70 really fast, I did go back and read all of them. I just loved this read. Who knew that remembering 224 hockey guys would somehow appeal to Jeff Merrick? That is something none of us could have possibly. We are surprised to know that I was single for a good portion of my life, Greg Bushiski. Stuff like this tickled. Now listen, as we're talking, the people watching on YouTube may notice that I'm not in my little hovel with all the doodads behind me that I do all the ESPN hits with.

In your summer shirt. I'm in Virginia because tomorrow, as we do the show, is the National Hockey League Players Association Upper Deck Rookie Showcase. It's when all the big-name rookies, not all of them, but a good portion of them, converge on the Capitol's practice facility in Arlington, Virginia, and they go and they get their pictures taken for their hockey cards and stuff and then do a bunch of promotional stuff. But it's also a chance for them to meet the media, and we'll talk to Matthew Schaefer, which just means that we'll talk,

we'll ask a question of Schaefer, and then he'll just go for another hour on that question because the kid's amazing. Ginnla's going to be there. Ryan Leonard's going to be there. Nikishkin from the, Nikishen from the hurricanes will be there. There'll be a lot of interesting people to talk to. And I always like the event because it is from a selfish standpoint,

like your first entry back into the world of hockey as we all gear up for the preseason. But also these kids have a lot to say. And it's always really interesting. I'm glad that Tijigan was there. fascinating young man listen like I'm curious about a player like

Zane Porek who I think people are really going to love a Calgary Flames draft pick and the other one that I think a lot of us are really curious about because he still hasn't signed a contract yet and that's Michael Misa of the San Jose Sharks

is Misa there Greg Gwesinski with microphone in hand asking I will let you know that in one second happening with his He do have the list right now And I will tell you that Michael Mesa is not on the roster of players

That are expected to be there Okay He means he's he's an he's an intriguing one I believe it's too I believe it's too late to to uh to enroll in college now right to enroll in classes I mean college has started To college you can't join I don't know these things about the state But it is too late like it's not like oh well if he doesn't get the

contract from the San Jose Sharks to make San Jose he's going to show up at pick us called Denver I mean I think you could know that you could come and join a college at any point it's just that like you'll have missed a bunch of quizzes is this the thing but again as a student I don't know you academically eligible to play is essentially what I'm getting at anyhow he's a he's a curious case right now I think for a lot of people like what's happening with Michael Misa it does very much feel like it's San Jose or back to Saginaw to maybe be traded who knows but I don't know

we'll see what happens Fascinating Misa Okay so using your spidey sense As a junior hockey guru Why do you think that he's dragging his skates On joining the sharks? I don't think that he's dragging his skates On joining the sharks

I think that Michael Misa thinks he can make the sharks I think there a lot of people in San Jose That think that he can as well I think one of the things that you need to be cautious about is having too many kids In the lineup right away We went through that

With the Edmonton Oilers and a lot of them came out fine at the other end. But you remember how awkward those years were with all the first overall picks. And it was horrible. It was awful. Making the jump from junior hockey right into the NHL is extremely hard.

You have to be extremely gifted. We expect a player like Matthew Schaefer to be able to do it, but these are the exceptions, not the rules. I think Michael Mesa has it to do it as well. I think that if you're San Jose, you're sensitive to a couple of things. One, Macklin Celebrini, who looks like he's just like going to turn into, like, there are some guys that you think, okay, early in their career, they're going to have a big pop year. I think we're all expecting another pop year for Macklin Celebrini. Will Smith looks good.

You have Sam Dickinson on the horizon. Is he a San Jose shark and is Michael Misa struck that all of a sudden, you've got a lot of young hockey players at a lot of key positions and you have to wonder about overexposing kids too early in their career. Well, it's also a chicken or the egg thing because I think. I think the real issue with the Oilers back when it was Taylor Hall and Yakupov and Nugent Hopkins and the pre-Connor McDavid Oilers, it's called them. The real issue wasn't necessarily that those guys weren't ready for prime time. The real issue was that the team sucked. And I think at some point it became quite obvious that the culture of losing, the changing of coaches, like all of that stuff were toxins entering the system of these young players. And that's the, to me, that's the real danger with San Jose.

Like, I don't think San Jose is close to turning the corner quite yet. And there are clearly other teams in that division that are probably a hell of a lot closer like Anaheim. So the real question is, like, how long do you want a young player like Mesa to marinate in what could be another two to three years of losing? And the answer is probably you don't want them to, if we're being honest. Yeah. We'll see where that one heads. I'd be curious where his head is at right now. Anyhow, apropos of nothing.

A couple of things I want to get your thoughts on. And Nick Alberg is going to stop by here at the bottom of the hour, and the host of Lees Morning Take, and we'll get his thoughts on the Mitch Marner interview with Mark Masters from the TSN. We're getting there, Greg. Don't worry. We're getting there. But before we do, where are you out on Luke Hughes right now?

New Jersey Devils, and there's a lot of players that haven't signed yet, restricted free agents, and Mason McTavish's name is still very much out there as an unsigned RFA. Boy, would he look good in just about every jersey in the NHL. But where do you stand on Luke Hughes right now? It seems like New Jersey wants either a three or an eight, and he wants a five because he wants to hit UFA with his bro.

Yeah, and that's the part I don't like all that much, Merrick, is we were supposed to unite the Hughes Tri-Force in New Jersey. That was always the plan. No one said it's going to be easy, though. No one said that remains the plan. The CIA was going to roll over. I just think of the lack of activity for the Devils this summer, and I'm like,

why, Brian Winhorse? Now, why would they be so quiet? Why are they waiting for? But yeah, you're right. The contract part of this is so obvious. It's like he wants five because him and that way him and Jack and maybe Quinn if he takes like a two-year bridge in Vancouver can all of a sudden all become Detroit Red Wings. The Devils want three to make sure that they still have RFA rights by the end of that contract or they want eight to keep him there two years after. Jack is eligible for free agency.

So I think this is going to be a lot of tea leave reading if you're a devil's fan or if you're if you're curious about the future. of the Hughes Brothers Uniting somewhere, which is what is the length of this contract? And ultimately, what are the tradeoffs to get it to the years that the devils ultimately probably get it to? I'd be shocked if they acquiesce and give them five, wouldn't you? Like, there's going to be maybe some financial compensation. But this to me feels like, and we always talk about this with RFA, is like, what are the pressure points they possibly have in a negotiation?

Usually it's like not showing up to training camp. But that hurts, but you're a younger. player when that happens and that ends up hurting you as well and that adds up hurting you and ends up potentially hurting your team but i'm just saying that like there's so many limited pressure points this is clearly one of them for luke one of them is i know that i can put you over a barrel in so far as your best player and his brother both being free agents in the same season or the same summer rather and i do wonder if ultimately this is a negotiating tactic just to get the money where he wants it to be on a shorter deal

A couple of things in there. The idea of all them hitting free agency at the same time and jumping to another team. First of all, I don't know how many teams, Detroit specifically. I don't know how many teams are comfortable because tampering doesn't exist. I don't know how many teams would be comfortable leaving that amount of cap space available or planning for something that if it goes south, all of a sudden, you've completely mangled your squad because throwing salt over your shoulder and saying, we're going to sign the Hughes triplets

come July 1st just turns into a pipe dream. Listen, you know what I honestly, and I keep coming back to this too, like, if you're the Vancouver Canucks, like we all know where this thing is heading with, with Quinn Hughes.

I think that's safe to say. Like, Rutherford, Rutherford opened a jar that you can't, you can't close. right that toothpaste not you can't unring the bell can't unring the bell the toothpaste is not going back into the bottle like all of it like in the tube like insert your own cliche here and which leads to me to blame is for a bigger conversation but i i just if if queen hugh if that's where the team is at and it's where queen hues is at how are they not listening on everybody yeah Vancouver how are you not listening on every single player because all of a sudden a timeline is changed that's my thought on that one. That's my thought

I'm going to be... Well, I guess the real question is, like, what's their modus operandi for this season and the next season? Is it to just be good enough to kind of sniff around a wild card and make a bunch of ticket revenue? Yeah.

What's their plan? Like, what's the plan for that? Right now, the plan is to stay healthy and get into the playoffs. Because they really didn't do much this off season. They re-signed Bester. They re-signed thatcher Demco.

They look for a second line. They didn't fight. And they're just hoping. that Philippeel can stay healthy and, and they can make it into the playoffs. And that's the job. Hired Quinn's guy as the head. I forgot hired Quinn's guy. Adam Foote.

Yes, Adam Foote. Adam, Adam Foote is there, understood. I know you're trying to keep your superstar happy. But that's why I always go like, if I'm Tom Fitzgerald, on the one hand, you know, you have this in your hip pocket. On the other hand, you're like, okay, well, this is like years away from him hitting unrestricted free agency.

So it's an interesting showdown. You know, Fitzgerald can play the, well, we'll get, we can get him anyway in a couple of years. And Rutherford's saying, well, we don't have to let him go right now. And you're up against it to make the playoffs and go deep. It's an interesting conversation between the two. I wouldn't even know what the nature of the conversation would be right now. I think the nature of the conversation, if you're the, if you're the devils, is we have some young assets that you may fancy, like Nemich.

Simon Nemich. Seamus. Seamus. Seamus. And those guys aren't getting any. any younger those guys aren't getting any younger so if if you're if your swing for quinn is to get a bunch of like blue chip prospects and and picks and such like if that's if that's if that's if that's if that's if that's if that's if that's if that's what this ends up being then you're listening

on everybody is what I is what I yeah if you're there now um what do you latest that because listen all summer long it was pretty quiet I mentioned this to Jeff Jackson at our little Muskoka miscoka interview from a couple of weeks so it seemed like all summer long, it was pretty quiet about Connor McDavid. I would have thought that on July 2nd, once there wasn't a contract, it would have, it would have been like torches at the castle gate. It wasn't. But now it's flared up since the interview and subsequent comments by Connor McDavid himself

at Team Canada camp. Your thoughts on where the Oilers and Connor McDavid are at right now? My thoughts are you have two pretty well-connected people both saying the same thing in John Shannon and your former podcast husband, Elliot Friedman. both saying that they don't expect that that McDavid will sign before camp, or they won't sign before the season, rather, which is kind of a startling development if you're an Edmonton fan. I think most of us assumed that he would sign a three to four year extension

around the same time Leon did his big contract last year. And from the sound of it, like either he's still waiting to hear what he wants to hear or the cell hasn't gone the way he wants to go or he's waiting and seeing it or I don't know man but like it sounds like he's not angling to sign anything like before the season and I got to be honestly like I thought that would be all said and done

you know that he wouldn't want to have to go into the into training camp of all these questions or even to play a player media tour with all these questions or even have that be a distraction at all in a season of which his eyes are on a gold medal, and then the cup. So if that happens, I got to, I got to, I'll be honest, like, I'm, I'm really, really surprised that he'd want that kind of, that sort of Damocles hanging over his head longer than many

of us expected it would be. Which, which always leads me to believe that it does get done before, before training camp. It's, it's not a, again, like, like, like Jackson told us, like, it's not a negotiation. That's a phone call from Judd Moldaver to Jeff Jackson slash Stan Bowman. And this is what Connor wants. There's no negotiation here. Everybody understands what the other side wants slash needs. There's no negotiation.

Just one side call. I think the concern for Edmonton fans right now is the one thing that he's given us is that I want to win in Edmonton. And everybody's wondering what the parenthetical is that is this season. for like a couple more years after that like what is what is the parent theoretical on I want to win in Edmondson listen the elephant in the room is is he talking about yeah I want to win here I'm not ready to sign yet is that like is it the get us a goaltender question I'm not happy with the goaltending situation and maybe let's see what you can let's see what you come up with

before before the end of training camp look the uncomfortable conversation to have about Edmonton is Carter Hart. Let's all be honest. Like, cards in the table. He is the best goaltender that they could potentially bring in at no cost to their roster. And, you know, you wait around for the NHL to make their decision after that case was settled.

You wonder exactly what their part in this is in so far as an investigation or how long those guys are going to have to sit on the sidelines. You know, from a legal aspect that I guess everything is said and done, right? as far as their case goes. No appeal, yeah, no appeal. I've been kind of like, huh? No, the crown is not filing an appeal. Right, they're not a filing appeal.

So, I mean, now you just wait for a potential reinstatement from the NHL. And, you know, I'm not the first person to mention Carter Hart in so far as the Ebb and Toilers go. He's clearly going to be better than most of the goaltenders that you could be, that are going to be available via trade and certainly is available is available at no cost to your roster. So, you know, have they mentioned that to Carter? I don't know. Can they mention that to anybody? I don't know. But that's the part of this equation that I think hasn't quite been solved yet for Connor, which is the goaltending. And you wonder if ultimately Carter Hertz is going to be the solution there. All right. On that, we'll bring on our guest. He is the host of Leif's Morning Take freshly back from vacation. Remember what day one is like when you're young and coming back from vacation? You don't really feel like working, but damn it, Nick Alberg is here. The host of Leap's Morning Take alongside. IJ Rose, the one and only Nick Albreg.

How was vacation Nick? It was fantastic. I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to talk about Mitch Marner either, guys. I was just saying. He's back for one reason. Yeah, no, exactly. I would not pass up that opportunity.

Yeah, Mara, America's talking about this being some gigantic sacrifice. Like, you'd talk on the plane back from vacation about Mitch Marner if the technology existed. Wish I was on the beach in Barcelona talking about Mitch Marner. I'm like,

can you believe this guy? I just can't move on and go to Vegas. Here we are in early September, and he's thinking about his ex-girlfriend. You heard the comments. You've seen the interview with Mark Masters, citing security as an issue, citing personal and family safety as an issue.

Listen, this story is nowhere close to being done. I don't think that Martin's Camp even thinks that this thing is done. And, you know, not everyone in hockey media is back from their own vacations yet, and we haven't seen him on the skates and with the Vegas Golden Knights yet. So this story is far from over. But initial thoughts on this chapter of the Mitch Marner story. Look, I hate to be insensitive, but he's being a whiny bitch. And this has been the case for 10 years now.

I will say, like, from my understanding a lot, like, I get it. I understand why this is coming out. I think family is a big part of this. And when there's some serious stuff against you and people threatening serious stuff, like there's going to be a response. And that's why this guy's had a security team for the last 10 years. But for some reason, like, I don't know who's coached him and media-wise. Like, it just has not been good.

It has not been positive. And this continues now as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights. Like I just think it's really, really interesting that he hasn't really said a word in Toronto until like a week's span where his agent goes on another podcast and now he talks to Mark Masters of TSN and all of a sudden we finally get sort of the direction from Marner. I think all parties involved just want to move on. Like I think Toronto wants to move on. I think Vegas wants to move on.

But I'm not really shocked. We've been hearing about this for the last six to eight months. Pretty interesting stuff though. Wish? I, I'm not always the biggest Steve Simmons fan, but I'm happy he exists. Feel the same way about Larry Brooks. And he had a column about this interview with TSN where, you know, he begins with whining about the story being placed with TSN, as every Toronto newspaper man has to do. But then he gets to the heart of it, which is that Marner and his agent have seized on something that has a slight kernel of truth.

As you mentioned, he did have to have a security detail. and then have made that the narrative as far as him departing. Do you kind of see that that this is like like like a conspiratorial thing between Martin and his agent to try to sell this line, get ahead of the tension of his return to Toronto and just try to like create their own story? 1,000% wish. I think a couple things come to mind in this whole scenario. The comments last summer from Mitch and Marner, we're gods here.

Are you a God or you hate it? Like we got to pick a side here. Number two, if you want to play the victim card, you can't have your security guard every other day, go at Zach Phillips on Instagram. Like, it just doesn't work that way. And his security team in detail are having a meltdown on a daily basis.

Like, you've got to pick aside. And I think it's exactly what you're saying. They're trying to get that narrative out there before the Maples can get their narrative out there. And I agree with you. Like I think it was a really good piece by Simmons. I think you got to hear the other side of the story. I think when everything came,

out. It was very, very calculated. If you guys recall, in the month and a half prior to July 1, it was being spread. The whole Carolina thing, the Vegas thing. Like, I think it was very, very calculated. And I always say there's two sides to a story. It's probably somewhere in between, Jeff. The one thing that I wondered about,

like, I don't doubt for one second that Mitch Marner and quite possibly, as he mentioned, his family were threatened. Like, that's the reality of living a public life. Like, I get it. Which gets it? Nick, you get? Like, everybody gets it. only in varying degrees.

Now, he was a victim of a very serious carjacking incident as well. And having never had that experience, I can only imagine how shaken you would be when that happens to you. The thing that I wonder about, and I'm not going to play like, oh, this is what masters should have asked. But one of the follow-ups now becomes, if it's been like this for so long, why didn't you ask for a trade?

If it was this harmful to you and your family? Because I'm trying to, I always try to, Nick Gregg, I always try to put myself in anyone's position that I'm going to sort of have a thought about. And I always say, okay, if that were me and I was really concerned about my family's safety and security, my first conversation is with A, my family, B, my agent, and then C, my general manager and say,

like look it is uns I feel unsafe my family feels unsafe no amount of security around us kept me from being carjacked it doesn't feel like a safe environment for me and my family I will work with you on this I know I have a no trade clause but I would like to go elsewhere that's how I a nice quiet place like Raleigh or uh you know I didn't want to go there Columbus once in a part of time had a lot of interest in Mitch Martin again but that might just be me like that would have been one of the follow-ups, and again, not casting aspersions on Masters here, that would have been one of the follow-ups that I'd be interested in hearings. Like, okay, so this happened, when did you ask for a trade?

No, that's fair. And I think to that point, like, it was funny, we had a family dinner on Sunday. And, like, people who don't watch hockey on a daily basis or watch the Maples in a daily basis to start, are trying to figure out, figure out why there's so much venom for Mitch Marner in this market. And I think it's so easy to display and put it out there as to why, that is the case, why it's not the same for William Nealander, John Tavares, Austin Matthews, but different for Mitch Marner. And I think everything you just mentioned, it even stems back to the contract negotiations, took every penny. Him and his agent threatened to go play in a different

country in a different league, threatened to go sign an offer sheet with the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was thing after thing. And I just think the PR battle has been very, very interesting, I would say from the Marner perspective over the years and I think you're so right like the last couple of years he pretty much controlled

everything with the no movement clause if you hated it so much Mitch why did you stay in Toronto I mean there was various opportunities if I can jump in it yeah it doesn't always work like the local boy goes home story

doesn't always like go ask Sheldon Surrey what it was like going to Edmonton oh Surrey's going back to Edmont this is going to be great oh my God was it not It wasn't even close to being great.

Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn't. I think one of the issues, honestly, with Marner, unlike Nealander, unlike Matthews, even though, you know, John Tavares, you know, War of the C, and you've never heard him complain a second about any of the criticism that he's received. And it is substantial. I think one of the issues is, Mitch is, A, public, and B, lives in Toronto. like he's all there's no there's no escape hatch for players when you go home and the family is there and the family at his father at times has been uh he's very well known around around the city

certainly was in a lot of GTHL aren't I just think that unless you have if things aren't going well if you don't have an escape hatch to go somewhere else in the off season it can be awful and that's why I've always maintained and this is where and I've always raised the example of Dionne Funf. And Dionne Funf has the detractors. But you know what? Dionne Funnuf went out there and took every question and heard every bit of criticism and never changed. Never complained. None of it. If you don't think the Dionne Funf heard it, guess again. He heard it tons and tons. Greg. But there's a huge difference in comportment between the two. Like Dionne Funnuff is a stoic shit kicker. Mitch Martner's to this day looks like a child.

and and I and you know you right I mean like if if Mitch Barner had a it looked like Radco Gudis I guarantee you that most of the criticism that he catches wouldn't have happened am I wrong on that like I feel like it's always been part of the equation with Mitch is that he he looks like he's 17 and then on top of that I think the other part of this too and and you can't really separate this from from Marner's reception in Toronto when you become the lightning rod of playoff failure. When you become the symbolic representation

of playoff failure, you're screwed in the market. I mean, there's been a bit of revision about Nazam Khadri in the sense of like, can we bring him back? Can we fix the ills of the past? Because it was clearly a mistake letting him go. But he became the symbol

of playoff failure because of the suspensions in those series against the Bruins, and then he had to go. And I think Mitch became the symbol of playoff failure. One, because people would throw those highlights on social media of pretty terrible plays that he made in the postseason. But also, like, his numbers didn't bear out that he was playing as well in the playoffs as he was in the regular season.

And so when you become that level of pariah for the franchise's playoff failure, it's going to be almost impossible for you to not catch heat. One quick thought out, quick thought on that. Nick, I'm going to throw it back to you here. The interesting thing about that is Maple Leafs fans, and you're right about Cadre, obviously. Traditionally, Maple Leafs fans have always chosen a defenseman.

It's always been McCabe and Murphy and Cross and Berg and Gardner, et cetera. It's always been, for whatever reason, some markets just have a positional bias and they'll pick someone from that position and heap all their venom at it. For Maple Leaf fans, it's usually always been, I'll tell you, he was one of them. It's always been a demon. Anyway, Nick, do you have a thought on that one? I would just say it's easy to flip the script. Like, if you guys recall earlier on in his career, Willie Neelander was that guy.

And man, if I had to pick one one player to play in the playoffs for the Maple Leafs right now, it's Willie Neelander. So I think, you know, there's a lot of things and conversations you can have. But I think Neelander is a prime example of a guy who was the whipping boy and found a way to make a difference and do something and make a play in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I think ultimately it comes down to that. But for me, it's more off the ice and like just the lack of judgment every time he has a conversation. Like even in that piece with Masters, how many times? that he stutter and say ah and um and like he just not very confident in speaking there are some guys like john tavar as you guys have covered him for x amount of years perfect example he doesn't

give you anything but he also doesn't tell you it bothers him like he's a prime illustration of a guy who took so much heat leaving to go to the market in toronto and has taken the heat here too and has been fine so i think there's other ways where yeah yeah you know what the weird thing but you know what the weird thing about all of that is? Marner won. Right? Like, Marner got to play for the team

he grew up cheering for. Marner got tens of millions of dollars to do so. Like, whenever I would, you know, I'd catch myself and think about Martin, I always think he won. He had everything that he wanted. He got tens of millions of dollars

to play for the trium of, Toronto Maple Leafs, a team he grew up cheering for, GTHL kid. You won. I've never seen, I don't know that I've seen someone that upset about losing. Because there's like the game of hockey and then there's the game of hockey. The game of hockey is make as much money as you can. And maybe you play on the team you grew up cheering for it. So you can say like, hey, grandkids, I played on the Toronto Maple.

He won. He won the game, the big game. Not that I tell you. the big game of hockey i was going to say nick you mentioned you mentioned one of marner's original sins though was that contract negotiation and i think you know part of the willy story is that he didn't say give me a dollar more than matthews on the cap like he he he earned what he got there obviously was a little bit of people being like oh it's too much but i mean where the cap was going and when he signed in in january 24 i think there wasn't a whole hell of a lot of you know

burning him an effigy from the leaves fandom and and his negotiation was in stark contrast with that of marner wouldn't you say definitely definitely and i would just add too like i found a pathway where marner could be beloved in this market what happens july 1 2026 there's a guy in admit he's still a free and marner leaves and his money's free i'm not letting this go guys i am not letting this go because this is the same pathway john tovaris took okay john taveras is resigning with the New York honors. He loved Long Island and it's like, oh shit, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team I love growing up

is available. They got money for the first time in a decade. Let's think about it. And now suddenly it went from he's signing August 12th. And now he's signing September 3rd. And we sit here on September 2nd and nothing to be found. And now he potentially could go into the season as a

pending UFA. This is a storyline for me. Nobody wants to talk about it. I will guys. You're hanging on. According to America, like once he goes He becomes a 70-point third-line center. So, I mean, you know, that's that's not what you want. And he's going to be pouty about everything. You see him at local, local Tim Hortons in Newmarket,

just complaining about everything and what his life has become. Okay, anything else on Martin. I want to get a couple other things here quickly with Nick. Anything else wish with you? and marner um you to transition to another topic because i think this is probably we're going to go like this kind of feels one of two ways for the leafs this season which is that have you extracted the toxin to allow this team to now thrive or are they keeping their powder drive for a season, knowing what could be on the way to summers from now, like, preliminary take

on the Leafs a few weeks before training camp, Nick? I get what you're saying, like, addition by subtraction. I've talked to a lot of people that suggest the Leafs are going to be substantially worse. I've talked to some people that suggest the Leafs are better off without Mitch Marner. It's probably, again, somewhere in between. I actually like what they've done this summer. I think it's important to emphasize what they did last summer. which not enough people are talking about.

They solidified the crease. Like Stolar is outstanding with Joseph Wall. The blue line is like a billion times better than it was even two years ago. Like I think you look at that Maple East blue line and you could say like that team, that blue line can win in the Stanley Cup playoffs. And we've seen proof of that already. I think what they want to do now is solidify what they have up front. And there's some holes.

I mean, don't get me wrong when you look at the right wing position on that top line, who's going to play with Nise and Matthews? Is it going to be Nylander? Is it going to be Machelli? Is it going to be somebody? Like I think they took a bit of a risk on a couple guys here in the off season, whether it's Nicola Waugh. Like I like the player.

I don't know where he fits in this lineup, probably as a 3C. The Machelli pickup I like quite a bit. But I think it's going to be sort of something we watch and it develops throughout the year. Like I think the Maple East will gun for a top six player on the market, whether it's a center, whether it's out in Calgary. I think they're going to look to solidify that top six. But I think they're in a really good. good position.

I wouldn't be shocked if maybe they take one step back, but they still make the Stanley Cup playoffs. I will say, I think you look at this team in the last, you know, since I guess Craig Ruby took over, I think they're a better position now to be successful in the Stanley Cup playoffs than they ever have been. Like, I like what they've put together here. So the way that, and I've kind of made this point, too, about the Buffalo Sabres with the J.J. Peturca deal.

No, I'm not comparing Mitch Marta to J.J. Paturka, other than this one very specific way. I don't know that the Buffalo Sabres are a better team without J.J. Paterka, but they're a more complete team. I don't know what the Maple Leafs are a better team without Mitch Marner, but they're a more complete team than they have been. And I think that Nick Waugh playing with Dakota Joshua and maybe Bobby McMahon is a miserable third line that Craig Barubi loves. Are you going to miss the production? Obviously. But I think the Maple Leafs are one of those teams where you just want to get. get past the 82 games because all the answers are in the playoffs again not as good a team but a more complete team would you agree with that yeah and i think the t's what's the what's the calgary

thing cadry oh nazam cadry come on i i think calgary's such an interesting team because i don't know what they're going to be like they exceeded expectations last year but what if they have a bad start i mean is anderson on the table is yes adri on the table ask asked the captain there ask the captain exactly so like there's going to be a lot of of teams that come to lens that we don't expect. And I think the Leafs will be all around that conversation. It's natural with Cadry. But I think there's going to be some other names,

like even the Anaheim ducks, guys like Terry. I think every team's going for the same guy. But I think from the Maple East perspective, what we're hammering at is like, yeah, they're going to really miss Marner in the regular season, but I truly believe they're going to be harder to play against in the playoffs. I don't know if they're going to win a Stanley Cup, but I think they're better suited to play teams like the Florida Panthers now.

Okay. Last question. If they flame out again in the playoffs, who do they blame? You know, I threw this at Rosie before I left on vacation and I love I love Burubi and I love tree living, but heads are going to roll. Like how long into the Matthews era and you don't do anything of substance in the Stanley Cup playoffs? I think at the bare minimum it has to be the third round.

for this team and I don't want to use the excuse of Marner left like it's not a good excuse you have a really good team with or without Mitch Marner so I don't want to say Burubis on the hot seat but I think both guys at the top are on the hot seat and they need to there needs to be

results here guys like if if they don't if it's the same team this time next year I think we're talking about serious consideration for like big substantial trades if you catch my drift let me let me but hold on let's caveat got that you're saying like third round or bust the florida panthers still exist yeah and and it's it's

a distinct possibility that we are in the midst of a dynasty so if they go out on their sword again against the florida panthers in the second round because of the playoff structure like that's not a reason to clean house is it yeah but i i get it but like you you were close like you went to seven games at them like how many times you're going to use like why can't the least be that team where it's like gosh shit, we're not beating them this year. Like, they have the players to be that team, right? I think Florida is a great example. Like, they put things together at the perfect time.

Everybody bit. Everybody in Toronto bit in one specific moment when John Tavares in Sunrise, first period, game three, scored that wraparound. Everybody went, they're really going to do it. Yeah. They're really going to beat the Florida Panthers. And then they really didn't beat the Florida Panthers. but there is that moment when DeVarra scored that goal

wherever I went I think they might actually do this I think this might actually happen I agree to what they're capable of is what I'm getting at right and you've got to push through at some point in time like you can't just every year be like okay we'll get him next year we'll get him next year

and that's that's been the major major issue with this team is that they can't push through when it matters most like it's one thing to say I want this money they gave these guys the money they paid them everything they ever desire and now it's it's time to go out there and prove it and if you can't then I think there needs to be seismic change here all right well the good news is that with marner in the western conference playing for Vegas um and the Stanley Cup final on ESPN I of course have received the

memos the NHL is fixing it so it'll be the Leafs and the Golden Knights in the final I'm joking I got to ask you like I'm so disappointed like I'm not a big football guy I watch basketball a bit. I think it was a squandered opportunity for the NHL. Us in Toronto can't be the only ones who want to see this matchup, Marner against the Maple. It's crazy that we got to wait until January 15th and the 23rd is the return date. Whereas, like, we had Bruce Cassidy on Least Morning Take,

and he was talking about one of the revised schedules and it happening in October. So I want to know what the hell happened. It's my question. I mean, it's usually like building availability, you know, all that job. Where teams are traveling when. I don't know. I'm taking up with Steve Hattropestros, man. That's the guy who makes the schedule. You know, you think someone's knocking on Steve's door and being like, don't give Toronto dissatisfaction.

Marner's camp, a security detail. They called him firsthand. Like, we don't want this game until it clears over. That's right. The NHL had to wait until a NATO peacekeeping force was available to guard Martyr at all times. Ridiculous, man. Ridiculous. I'm going to get a security team, too.

If you're, if you're, if you're, if you're, if you're, if you're, if you're, if you're, you want it early in the season. You just want to get it over with. Yeah. Just get that first game over with. You don't want to drag this out and have that date circled going into the new year. You just want this done, don't you? Yeah. And, uh, he doesn't have to face the media either. Just the way he loves it, right? The both games and the second half of a back to back means an optional morning skate. So we'll see you at game time. We'll see you for the post game festivities on the bird. Again, the NHL protecting Vegas. Oh, unbelievable. NHG. Oh, God, exactly. If only they, they did schedule it with the media that much in mind. I can assure you they don't. Good stuff. Welcome, welcome home, Nick.

Oh, by the way, how many times you put on the lampshade? What do you mean? How many times were you over-served, sir, on your vacation? Oh, shit. I was there for 15 days, probably nine times, man. They all blend into each other over there. I know. You're back.

Give that liver a rinse. Mix in a salad. You can do this. Have a water. Okay. Good to see you again. Thanks, guys. Bye.

Yeah. Nick Alberga, host of Leif's Morning Take, joining us here. Before we bid you, good afternoon to get all set. What? It's come on. Listen, I've been on the road with Alberger before. He is the best. He's like, I wish, I wish that I was like when I would like 15 or 20 years ago.

I, I've been watching a lot of Mad Men this. summer it's on there's a station that just keeps playing it 24-7 on my youtube tv and uh and put on a lampshade you and i both know it because we're old as shit uh but like put on a lambshade tie one on yeah i mean like there are certain there are certain um cliquelialisms for for getting hammered um that i wonder if we need to either run them back or educate the youngs about how great they were uh there were some great ones ones that we used the overserved, overpoured, banged up. I don't know.

What was like, what were some of the, the, we used to just call it. Oh, you got hammered. Like that was it. I don't even know the kid. Honestly, isn't like this younger demographic of alleged drinkers kind of ruining all of it because they're not drinking? They're not drinking. You get older.

You're just not drinking anymore. But like, isn't this a truth that like the industry. as a concern because, like, the young drinkers aren't drinking alcohol. It's the truth. I mean, the beer industry is concerned. I know I read a lot of... Who turns down? Hang on.

Which is the first hockey player to turn down? Like, even Bobby Holik had a drink of champagne out of the Stanley Cup. It was his first drink ever, but he's probably the first player ever to have his first sip of alcohol come out of the Stanley Cup. But, like, how close are we having a player to say, like, I'm not having... I'm not drinking champagne out of the cup. I don't drink. We're not, no, you still, you still do it on special occasions.

Like the youngs are drinking at weddings and shit like that. It's just that, you know, I think so. They're just not like buying bottles of wine the same rates that they are, that they used to. And that's, that's an interesting, an interesting problem for an industry that's beloved to me. Near a dear to my heart. The liquid coping industry is being, Gen Z is ruining it. I don't want to see it happened in the NBA this year. What happened in the NBA?

The kids on the Oklahoma City Thunder, they didn't know how to drink or pop champagne or anything. So Alex Caruso, who is the veteran player, I think he's late 20s. He had to teach all the kids not only how to open the bottles, but like how to be drinking because they've never drank before. I've never seen Greg this angry. He's quietly fuming right now. He's worried that the industry that's most near and dear to his heart is going to go the way of the typewriter. it's possible i will say this though to zach's point all that tells me is that the keepers of the cup have to fashion that bad boy into a bong all the youngs completely understand that aspect of

of of social coping uh and so you'll have some guys drinking champagne and miller light out of the thing or miller high life out of the thing and then the rest of them can just you know smoke a bowl after they win the cup two one cup one wow that's well there are there are a number of cup that three Stanley Cups that the Hall of Fame has can they not sacrifice one for the non-sueger's so one's for the champagne one's a bong

and then ones the kids can play with at the photo ops just for the kid put the food loops of the milk in there go for it's right that's right once for cereal ones for cereal and Chris Draper's kid to shit in that's right that's that's the one

and then there's the beer and champagne one and then there's the bong one we figured it out Which is the one that ends up at the bottom of the pool? Now, Glenn Anderson. That's the, that's the drinking one. That's the one that'll be like watertight. That's the drinking one. Can't have the bong one.

I mean, that would get flooded. No, no, no, no. All right. Bong water in the Stanley Cup. Great way to end the conversation with Greg Wershanski on this Tuesday, September the 2nd. Enjoy the rookie showcase tomorrow. Who are you most interested to talk to? again la because i i've not spoken to any of the now utah mammoths about the branding of their team so i'm intrigued to get his take on logo on name but i'm also intrigued to talk to some of these guys about the change in NCAA and canadian junior rules and find out would your path have been different if these rules were in effect earlier

and what's your take on it? So we'll see where those conversations go. That'll be, no, his dad, just so you know, his dad was really good, had, like, it was really good, had really good one-timers. His dad's name was Jerome. You might want to write this down. His dad's name was Jerome. He was drafted by Dallas, but he was traded in the Newendike deal to the Calgary Flames.

He wore number 12, really, really good. Was captain of Calgary as well, you know, strung it out with a number of different. teams towards the end you know just trying to chase that that elusive cup but his dad was really good hockey you can look him up he's his dad's stats are on the uh the internet you can you can you can before you talk to him and is the calgary calgary is a a city in a in a province called alberta yes they have two teams i was just trying to i was just trying to i was just trying to look up i had to get where was it going to drafted again because i think i chose him over somebody really good. No, I mean, what number?

Was it like 10th? What was Jerome McGillard drafted? I think it was 10th. Hang on here. I think I picked him over somebody really good. So he was drafted 11th. He was drafted 11th. Okay. So on the on the ESPN article to bring this thing full circle, who do you take at 11? Yeah. So who do you take at 11 though? Gindler or Kopitar? Because I thought that was a really interesting debate. Oh, yeah. That's a, that's a, that's a a really, really good one. So,

Ginnla's 23 points from passing a Ginnla's career. I know, I know. Coppeter's 23 points away from passing a Ginnla's crew total. Two Selkies, two Stanley Cups. Coppa Thore. One of the premier centers at this time. I picked Ginnla because the goal total and because he was a prototypical power forward in the NHL.

This is all true. This is all true. But you know me. I have a bias towards players that win the Selkee trophy that are in the Selke conversation because you're playing the two main elements of hockey, offense and defense,

and you're excelling in both. I have a real bias towards that trophy. So I go Kopitar. So would you take Kopitar over a Ginla at 11? Yes, yes. I went to Ginla, but I understand a counter argument. I would go Kopitar. Absolutely.

Okay. Well, there you go. So that's one out of 224 that I clearly got wrong. I really wanted you to put Malash at 70. I understand why he did. Still hipster of you to throw his gel in there. And the upside down burger. I want a full research on the upside down burger of Malash 27.

Complete utter nonsense. Just don't judge. Don't judge. Just do your research on it. This is like, this is made for you. Hipster goaltender with upside down burger at his burger joint. With upside down burger. This is like,

the chat, thanks to all the girls and boys hanging with us on a summer, still a summer schedule show. Yeah. And we'll talk to you soon. Yeah, we'll talk soon. Great stuff. Greg Woshenki from ESPN, everybody, and one of his latest. And I just love it.

It's a great summary. You just scroll through the whole thing. And next you realize, like, oh, the time ago, I just went through like over 200 hockey players. The best NHL draft pick ever at every slot from number one to 224. Zach, you knew I was going to bring up Joe Malash, right? Well, I see you every day, so I knew right away that the picture was missing. So I was pretty ready for that one, yes.

And then leading it. Tough to go against Rob Blake, though. Like, I get it. All right. I think Blash, if he was on one of those powerhouses, would have been the Hall of Fame. But Rob Blake's Hall of Fame, one of the best defensemen. So, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I totally, yeah, I totally get that.

We still have some business to take care of here before the show concludes for another day And at the end of this I want to sort of go over What the schedule is going to be like There's some stuff that maybe even Zach doesn't even know How about that? So you're probably going to get like legitimate surprise from Zach Like, I got to do what?

In the meantime, the sheet is powered by our good friends And partners at Fanduel. Home of the same game parlay Make every moment more on Fandual Fanduel proud to connect fans to the major sports moments that matter to them. What have you cooked up today from our friends at Fanduil, Zach?

Well, Jeff, what is the theme of the show here today, Bean? Jome Lash. Well, aside from that, our main guest, yes, Mitch Marner. And Fandual has been putting up a lot of different stuff. It's been really cool if you check it out on Fandual. Lots of different unique ways to bet or approach the season or make predictions, however you want to go about it. And one of the main things that,

you and I did, I think it was like a month and a half ago was who would get more points, Matthews or Marner this season. And you definitively said Mitch Marner. Now, I agree with you on that, but you can kind of predict here now how many points a player will get. And I picked out Mitch Marner for today's example over on Fanduel, and they have his line for this year. Over, over, over, over, over, over, over, over all day. play with Jack Eichol, play power, like over, over, over, 94 point. Yes, over, over, over, over.

Yes, over. Just stay healthy and he's over. It's a two-foot pot. This is the layup. This is the easiest. This is simple. This one's a snap. This one's like breaking sticks.

This is the quickest segment we've ever done here for our friends at Fandle. Over, over, over. Do you disagree? Like put aside all the, maybe personal, you know, personal. feelings you might have about Mitch's history with your team. But he's an outstanding, outstanding player. You don't think that he's going to outpace that number? My only question is, well, I think that this is probably a pretty accurate number for

him to come into. How much better is his situation for him there than what it was in Toronto that's going to give him that drastic of a boost? I'm not saying he doesn't do this number, but I don't think it's blowing the number out of the water. He just got his first 100 point season. Okay. And who is he going to play with? We assume. Okay. Who's he going to play with? Who's the center?

Who do we all assume he's going to play with? Eichol. Ike. Okay. What's his contract status and is he motivated to have a really big year? Okay. That's fair to throw in there. He just played with a guy who scored 60 goals,

69 goals, a year ago. Like, Matthews has two 100 points seasons under his He's not going from some scrub To playing with Jack Eichel Okay, hang on You know what I do wonder about? The power play he's coming from in Toronto

Had John Tavares, William Nealander, Austin Matthews, Mitch Marner And then name your defenseman slash fifth player On that group But like here's my point is just He's been surrounded by talent He's not going from none to a ton Here's what I wonder about now

Here's what I wonder about this to me This to me would be intriguing about Mitch Marner The most amount of goals he's ever scored in a season is 35 Okay. And for someone who primarily is a dish where you say to itself, that's a good number. Does he get more than 35 goals?

Now that he just doesn't have to like set up Matthews, set up Matthews, set up Matthews, find it for Matthews, get Matthews in the shooting spot. But now it's more, and let's not forget too, Jack Eichol's a past first guy. Yeah. Now all of a sudden, do we see, not that he's got a blazing,

he's not like firing it like Ovechke, or Matthews, but do we see Mitch Martin of the goal score next year? Or this year? By the way, what's a demarcation point

for this year versus next year? Like when you're in July, you're still saying next year. You're in August. Are you still saying next year? Maybe. But I feel really uncomfortable in September saying next year

about someone's going to happen in a month. It's this year, right? This is non-hockey related, but I have had this same conversation or same debate of when you say this weekend versus next weekend

and when that rolls over it's the same thing but yeah I do to me it's September although I'm uncomfortable yeah yeah

does he get more than 35 goals there you go there you go this is my this is my fan dual line here then for you 35 goals I'll say yes

I'll say yes okay so you're with you think we'll see more of a shooter in Mitch Marner okay yeah but like I don't disagree the alter like the other side of that would then become how much could his offense like how much could

his total point production actually genuinely increase if he is going to be scoring more goals because as you've noted the guy he's playing with is a past first guy there as well he's obviously an incredible goal scorer in jack ikel but yeah like it's not like i'm saying oh wow he's going to score five to ten more goals to get him over 40 and he's going to score or he's going to put up excuse me you know let's say 15 more assists where it's like yeah now that number's blown out of the water that's where i have the questions too also have you seen the movie semi pro i have not oh okay there's a scene where will feral it's a stupid stupid will feral basketball movie but he's under the basket and he's yelling for the pass the guy passes him the ball

and then he throws it back to the guy outside the three-point line and he yells like, only if you want it on the inside he's yelling for the pass. When you started saying Jack Eichol is a pass for a guy as well, that's all I can imagine. They pass the ball back and forth like 40 times and then the coach is yelling, somebody shoot the ball. That's what I can imagine.

Two on O, Eichol and Marner, who takes the shot? The trailer. The defense, but he's trailing. All right, that's all good stuff. Okay, really quickly, I'll tweet this out as well. So the schedule is going to go suchly. So the show is moving times from 3 o'clock to 1 o'clock. That's how you've been doing all these 1 o'clock shows.

I think you knew that already, right? Yes, I knew that. And when the show, the show will, hang on, hang on a second here. Let me get my calendar up. We are going to start, we're going to start full-time shows on the we're going to start doing

full-time shows on the 15th where we're going to go daily even though I think that week we're going to miss the Thursday but it seems like what everybody else is really starting to get rolling so we're going to get rolling

on the 15th with daily shows at 1 o'clock Eastern okay that's 11 Mountain that is 10 Pacific time cool that's going to be your life

for the for next season or this season what are we calling it young zach this season all right we're calling it this season that's what it's going to be and that's our that's our good this season we are now in yes we're now in this season right so for this season that's when we're starting uh september 15th um got a whole bunch of new stuff plan for you as well some of it Zach doesn't even know about um no but there's a lot I don't know about yeah I know trust me it's best way to live you're doing yourself a favor There's times I get a text.

I'm like, we're doing what now? Okay. It's just great. You could do that when you're young and you don't have kids and big responsibility. I was like, all right, cool. I'm just cool with the vibe, man. See what this path takes me. So that's what it's going to be.

So we're moving to 1 o'clock Eastern 11 Mountain 10 Pacific. Look forward to that and watch for other announcements coming up about this program shortly in the next few days, if not, if not weeks. Okay, good. We're all good. Zach, great stuff, as always. Thanks to Greg Wischinski for stopping by from ESPN.com. Thanks to Nickal Briga for bringing the high heat in the Mitch Marner conversation.

Listen, Nick's never a passenger in these conversations, as we all know. And he's never shy about sharing his opinion. Either is Jay Rose Hill. And that's what makes that show so great Leafs Morning Take. And thanks to you for tuning in either on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform. Thanks so much for being part of it. Tip your Zamboni driver on the way out, as we like to say. And we'll talk to you again next week.

Maybe Tuesday, maybe Wednesday. It's one of those things. But again, the show kicking off season two, or really season one and a half for yours truly on the 15th episode of 15th of September. Have a great rest of your day. Have a great rest of your week. We'll talk in seven-ish days. For me. 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 He tried to give me a little medicine I'm like now 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 I do on the bracket, I turned on the music. I do on the blanket, I turn on the music. It's enough, yeah, I don't get you sometimes losing. Have been on the days that went wrong.