The Sheet with Jeff Marek - NHL Rumors & HHOF Day ft. Nate Thompson & Paul Pidutti

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

On this episode of The Sheet, Jeff Marek is joined by former NHLer Nate Thompson to dig into all the latest buzz around the league and what the Edmonton Oilers need to do next. Then, analytics mind Paul Pidutti stops by to react to the newly announced Hockey Hall of Fame class, sharing insights on who got the call and who might still be waiting. A full breakdown of the biggest headlines shaping the hockey world right now.#NHL #JeffMarek #NateThompson #TheSheet #NHLTradeRumors #NHLFreeAgency #HockeyTalk #PaulPidutti #HockeyHallOfFame #NHLNews #HockeyAnalysis #HockeyPodcastShout out to our sponsors!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼Ninja Kitchen Canada: https://www.ninjakitchen.ca/products/ninja-crispi-4-in-1-portable-glass-air-fryer-cooking-system-zidFN101CGY?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=olv&utm_campaign=25Q2-Crispi&utm_content=en👍🏼Budweiser: https://www.budweiser.ca/ca_enReach 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.

Hockey fans, get ready for an in-depth look at the future of the game. The Sheet Draft Special is live on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel Friday, June 27th at 7 o'clock Eastern, hosted by me, Jeff Merrick, alongside my co-host Pierre Maguire and a slew of live guests. We're bringing you real-time coverage of the 2025 draft, diving into every pick as it happens, from top prospects to surprise steals, team strategies to player potential. We're breaking down the entire night with expert analysis and insider insights. Don't miss the Sheet Draft Special, live June 27th at 7pm Eastern on the Daily Face

Off YouTube Channel. Subscribe now so you don't miss a moment. Brought to you by The Nation Network. I would like to begin today's program by proposing something. Zach, I want you here as witness to my proposal. I don't know if I've done it here before yet. I've mentioned it a few different times in a couple of different places. I just want to sort of officially stamp this one as a quasi sheet original.

From here on in, I'm gonna pretend that I've only said this on this show. How about that? Okay. Think that's gonna fly? We can pull it off. If you see it anywhere else, ignore it. Delete.

Cease and desist. Yes, exactly. So today is the big Hockey Hall of Fame reveal. So between now and 3.3030 we will know the new inductees into the hockey hall of fame. In the meantime, and Paul Padute is gonna stop by from Adjusted Hockey, which is a glorious project that Paul's been working on.

Paul's a great hockey fan, great hockey observer, hockey historian, hockey player. Well, not a hockey player, he's a goalie. What, what, should I say it? What do you call the people athletes hang out with, goalies? Paul's a great guy and he's been on this project for a long, long time and so he's gonna stop by

and evaluate the class that goes in next year. In the meantime, speaking of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Nate Thompson's gonna stop by too in a couple of moments, here's what I would like to propose. I'd like to propose a new wing for the Hockey Hall of Fame. We have builders, we have players, etc. Here's what I want to propose. That the Hockey Hall of Fame puts in a new wing just dedicated to games. Games. Like the most important games like Hall of Fame games. Now the criteria for this would obviously

have to be worked out. One would be historical importance. Games that lurched hockey forward. Games that were either transformative or featured the debut of a superstar or maybe a moment where a player achieved a certain record like Daryl Sittler's 10 point game against the Boston Bruins, which will never ever be beaten because teams are so soft now that they sit players down. In the third period when they try to approach a record like that, see Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres vs Columbus, but I digress. It would be games like that, that you'd put into the Hockey Hall of Fame in its own separate wing.

We always hear so much about the game is the most important thing. The game is the most important thing. You know in the Hockey Hall of Fame, there's not a wing for the games. Trust me, I've thought a lot about this. Wasted a lot of brain cells on this one. If it were up to me, the first game that would go in would be Summit Series, 1972. But not game eight. That's the one that us Canadians are fascinated with. Henderson takes a wild stab at it, he scores!

Love Foster Shooter, but that was an awful call. The Bob Cole call on radio is much better, by the way. You can see that on, or hear that on YouTube. Anyhow, history's been kind to that call because it's so iconic. It's a bad call. But yeah, it wouldn't be game eight, it would be game one. It would be game one at the Montreal Forum

where Canada gets shocked. And I agree with the people, and there have been a number of people, Simon Schemberg has brought up this point before, and I think he's right. That was the beginning of international hockey. Because up until then, the thought was always, oh man, if Canada sent the pros, they would just dust everybody. Well, they did send the pros against the top international team in the world. In game one, they lost.

To me, that was the most important game of the series. You had every single hockey writer in the world saying that the Soviets wouldn't even win a period, let alone a game, and they got whipped at the Montreal Forum in game one. That would be the first game I would put in to the newly created Hockey Hall of Fame games wing. It becomes another thing for people to nominate and to get voted on. Do you have a thought on that one before we get to our outline for the day? A lot of times you start the show with these ideas and it's like you've just eaten space cake before the show started. This is not one. I really really like. I like this one. Okay. Yeah. Okay. I also think the presentation of it

like that's also and the experience of it and being in that wing would be very cool like you imagine a little video board up there that place highlights or montage up the game. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, the whole game. Like you watch, it's like an auditorium and all the games that are in the Hockey Hall of Fame games wing are on a loop and are being played. You could, you could watch like entire, you could watch entire, bring your date, bring your husband or wife. What are you doing? I'm gonna, we're gonna go watch Hall of Fame games tonight, the Hockey Hall of Fame. Could be a new source of revenue for our friends down in front and young.

Who knows a whole little theater where you just watch Hall of Fame games. Okay. The only thing that I wonder about is... Nothing because it's perfect. Criteria. This is me kissing my mirror. Everything I have. I'm not even poking holes in this. I have a thousand ideas and they're all great. Okay, alright, go for it. I'm wondering how you go forward. So the two parts that I have are questions would be who decides who votes and the second part would be...

Same as who votes on players. Same people who vote on players. Same committee. And like players, builders, the process, you'd have to make it the same. Like someone has to nominate that game. Yeah. Much like there has to be a nomination, someone has to put forward a player. Like it's not, there is, I think there's a, there's a, there's a misbelief out

there that the selection committee of the hockey hall of fame just sits around and then just arbitrarily decides like, no, somebody has to put forward a name and make the case for them and do a presentation on behalf of that player. That's the way it happens. Now it can happen publicly, it can happen privately as well. But it's not as if they just sit around and say, what do you think, McGillinney?

Keep him out another year? Yeah, sure, ha ha. Psh, let's go, we're done here. It's not the way it works. the only other part would just be criteria So the voting process, okay, let's say it's the same group It gets nominated my other question to you would be and I'm gonna put this in a simplistic way But is the criteria effectively? vibes

Like it can be It like they put it this way the Easter epic for example Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders like for me that's one of my favorite games of all time but I think that's mainly based on vibes I remember exactly where I was watching that great Patrick division rivalry remember staying up till stupid o'clock in the morning watching it remember exactly where I was When Pat LaFontaine scored on Mason, but that might be like just like a yeah, that's vibes. Yeah, that's fine. Yeah Because I also think about like the OV Ovechkin

Crosby dueling hat tricks Is that a Hall of Fame game? Sure. Why not? Make the case. Yeah, but that's but that a Hall of Fame game? Sure, why not? Make the case. But that's part of it. Like that. Listen, awards, Hall of Fame, like all of it, is all part of the marketing machine for hockey. That's what we're doing here, right?

That's what awards are. That's what the three stars are. Right, originally that was a promotion for three star gasoline, and it just kind of became a thing in hockey. This is just part of the marketing division. Hall of Fame games. Just think about it, I'm gonna do more on this

as the week goes on. I'll torture you with this while leading up to the draft. And there are trades we have to get to as well, and speculation about trades that we'll get to on today's show too. But I'm fascinated with the idea of putting games in the Hall of Fame. And I just did it off the top of my head

with the whole idea about the theater and going to watch, but Zach, tell me you wouldn't go in there. You wouldn't go in to watch Hall of Fame games, full games. No, I would. I do agree with that 100%. I like this idea. I think it's fun. And it also just adds, as you kind of said,

you know what we'll be doing next year? Let's say this is implemented in the summer. You and I will have, was that a Hall of Fame game last night? Did we just watch a Hall of Fame game? Oh, it wasn't just a game of the year. It was just a save of the year. That was a game, a Hall of Fame game. We just watched a Hall of Fame game.

You like? Makes my life easier. We'll see what the chat thinks about this one. We'll see what people on social media think about this one. As the week continues, again, I could, listen, Miracle on Ice game, that's a layup, that's gonna go in. Yeah. Right? Czechoslovakia versus the Soviet Union, that's gonna go in. That's gonna go in for sure those World Championship games but anyway before we get there we have a lot to get to on today's program. Daily

Outline is presented as always by our good friends at FanDuel make every moment more with North America's number one sportsbook and we have a lot to get to today and it's another day that ends in why leading into the draft so there's a lot of speculation and there's a lot of rumors and there's a lot of talk and that's all great. And so is Nate Thompson. Nate Thompson is going to stop by hockey player turned coach turned podcaster is going to stop by.

Paul Padute from Adjusted Hockey encourage you to go check out that project at his website, adjustedhockey.com I believe. Um, anyway, do a quick search and you can you can find Paul's work. A lot of NHL news, a lot of NHL speculation and what we're gonna do with Paul at the bottom of the hour. By 3 30 we will know all the all the inductees for the the Hockey Hall of Fame this year for next year's class and we will go through it with Paul. I think like some of the obvious ones like Stan O'Char is going in, right?

Yeah. Yes, you can say with Stanocar, Joe Thorne. Yeah, Scottie. You know, like there's a couple of obvious ones here, Duncan Keith, and we'll see. Well, we'll see where it goes. I was banging the drum yesterday for Lauren Shabbat. I know that got a little chuckle out of you

just when you thought that I wasn't old enough. And here I am talking about Lauren Shabbat. Today I'd like to remind everybody that Red Berenson belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame as well for what he's done for hockey as a player, as a coach, as the one who administrated and coached a number of great players and put together a great program with the University of Michigan Wolverines for so many years And I do believe that there is a group looking to try to get him in To the hockey Hall of Fame whether it happens this year or next year

I think eventually probably red gets in in the meantime One of the big oh by the way, I was gonna go on with the Thomas Hurdle story here in a couple of seconds. Did a little digging on that one. In the meantime, one of the big stories of the day, this happened early, Larry Brooks breaking this one at the New York Post. The New York Rangers have surrendered this year's 12th overall draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This in a roundabout way is involved in both the JT Miller and then Marcus Pedersen drafts, trades rather. So the reasoning behind this one, one, the Rangers now have a trade ship that they can use for next season where they expect to be a lot more competitive than they were this season. And they have a strong bench, clearly, with Mike Sullivan.

The other thing, and I haven't seen this talked about a whole lot, but in the back of my mind, I mean, it is the New York Rangers, so you always got to think big. I wonder if it's just we're holding on to a first round draft pick next year for offer sheets. You know, one of the things we wondered about after the Chris Crider deal is how frisky the Nerik Rangers get with offer sheets this summer. Anyway, just throwing it out there as part of the conversation.

I think the Rangers want to hold onto that pick in case they need to use it at trade deadline next year, or if everything completely falls apart, you don't want to miss out on a shot at Gavin McKenna but three I also think that this also enhances their chances of submitting an offer sheet and having to surrender draft pick compensation. Anywho, that's what I will submit to you here today. Tomas Hurtle before we get to Nate Thompson here. Just let me know when Nate's ready. Paul Padute at the bottom of the hour and we'll go through some of the inductees of the Hockey Hall of Fame. So Cam Robinson put

out the tweet that there is smoke with the Vegas Golden Knights and Tomas Hurtle and could possibly involve the Carolina Hurricanes. So I checked on it and again, I don't wanna refute anyone else's reporting. It's really hard to do. And I don't wanna be that guy that just goes like, I'm just gonna go kill this guy's report, kill this guy's report, because Cam's not making the,

I know Cam Robinson, he's not just making this up at all. I was just told not to spend too much time chasing this one. When I checked, I was just told, eh, don't spend too much time chasing this one right now. Okay, here we go. Here's your 2025 Hall of Fame induction class. Ah, bots got in, that's great. All right, so here we go. 2025 Hall of Fame induction class. Ah, bots got in, that's great. All right, so here we go. 2025 Hall of Fame

induction class. Jennifer Botterill, Zidane Ochara, Brianna Decker, she'd been waiting. Duncan Keith, Alexander McGillinney, oh, Almo got in. Jack Parker gets in, maybe paving the way for Red Berenson, more on that on another episode of The Sheet. Danielle Sauvegeot goes in and Joe Thornton goes in as well. That's a good draft class. Boss was overdue, Decker was overdue, Chara, Keith, Thornton are all tap-ins, and Alexander McGillinney was way overdue as well.

So they've used one of them to sort of clean up something from the past and Alexander McGillin. Alexander McGillin who famously refused to fly back to North America to accept the Lady Bing award that he won. Wait, really? I'm not going back for that! One of my favorite, by the way, one of my favorite Scrum moments came from Alexander McGillin. Oh, what was it? I don't remember what series it was. It might have been, was it Carolina? It was when McGilney was playing with the Maple Leafs and someone in the Scrum asked him before a game won, it might have been Bob Harwood. God, I miss Bob Harwood. What a great guy. Good reporter too. Bob Harwood asked Alexander

McGillinley before game one, he said, so it's game one of the series against the Carolina Hurricanes. Do you feel any pressure? And McGillinley looked at him sideways and said, pressure? He said, the only pressure I feel is in the morning after a cup of coffee which I thought was probably one of the best answers I've ever heard in a scrub. Ladies and gentlemen Alexander McGill in the Hall of Famer we can now attach to that resume. With that we'll bring on our first guest he is the former NHL. Oh is he? Because he just sent me a text saying he's on. Can you check? He said that he's on. Yeah. Do we have Nate? I'll sort it out.

Okay. He's gonna sort out. So that was my producer's way of saying, just talk. Just talk. Which is fine because listen, this is a really good draft class and we'll talk about it with Paul Padute coming up at the bottom of the hour.

I would still like there to be, outside of my idea about there being this wing specifically for games, which I think honestly it can add a whole new dimension to the Hockey Hall of Fame and one, just bluntly, can add a revenue driver to the hall because now you can just go and watch games that are considered Hall of Fame games. Maybe you have them in private booths, you pay a couple of bucks to watch, or maybe you watch collectively their presentations all game long. I don't know and there's someone from the Hockey Hall of Fame that's um that can give some sort of

historical context to all these or make a presentation on the video as to why these games qualify as Hall of Fame games but you know the the other thing that I would like the the the Hockey Hall of Fame to do here is is some more historical oversight and I'm glad they have Alexander McGillin there. There are some along the way players along the way that are probably that probably need to be looked at in a different light. Now maybe man maybe even someone like Larry Ory, who was a legendary Detroit Red Wing player, who was Gordie Howe's hero,

who essentially was Gordie Howe before there was Gordie Howe. I'm just doing this off the top of my head. But players like that. And the reason I mention it is, is history is not something that's fixed. History is not something that's static, that's there and just stays there.

And we always look at it the exact same way. History is kind of like a cascading wave, forward and back. And we look at a lot of different ways. And that's why I think that every now and then it's good for places like the Hockey Hall of Fame to go back and sort of, I don't wanna say clean up mistakes, maybe just sort of clean up oversight.

Maybe the Hockey Hall of Fame had like an oversight committee so that some of these other names, some of these other names would get their rightful recognition. And let's face it, like many of these players, they've already passed on, which is why, like Lauren Shabbat, doesn't matter for him, like he's on the other side of the lawn,

but it would mean something for his family. Anyhow, once again, Jennifer Bauderel, who's long overdue, thrilled for Baud's former colleague, wonderful person, glad that she made it in. Zidane O'Chara, I mean you want to talk about a tap-in. And the thing about Chara too is he became a prototype, right? It was like after Chara, now all of a sudden everybody wanted the next Chara. Kind of like everybody wanted the next Lindros after Erik Lindros made his debut in the

NHL and all of a sudden players like you know Chris Gratton were making a bajillion dollars a year. But Bachara became a prototype and then everybody wanted their giant defenseman. Brianna Decker, Duncan Keith as I mentioned, Alexander McGill, Jack Parker, Daniel Sauvageau and Joe Thornton. That is your Hall of Fame induction class for 2025. With that we will bring Nate Thompson on, a former NHL player, coach turned podcaster, which is always the same decision. The great Nate Thompson joins me now. Nate, how you doing, bud? Thanks so much for hopping on today.

Merrick, good to see you twice in one week. This is a pleasure. I know, right? I don't know what you and Julie Stewart Banks, like the Energy Line is such a great podcast. I don't know why you had me slumming it with you guys. I guess someone must have canceled, but nonetheless, it's always a treat. It's always a treat, Nate. Um, before I get you to comment on sort of, you know, what's happening around the NHL and one of the things I'm curious about with you is, uh, the goaltending situation with the Edmonton Oilers before we get there. I mean, listen, you play it against some of these guys. Um, Hall of Fame class, Chara, Keith, McGilney, Thornton,

Boderil, Decker, Parker, Sauvageau, like some heavyweight names here. Who pops for you and why is it Zidane O'Chara? All right. Actually, it's Alexander McGilney. And I- Oh yeah? Yeah, I mean, it's been way too long. I think it was, uh,

we've been talking about it every year. Yes. Um, Alexander McGillie needs to be on the class and needs to be in the next hall of fame class. And finally he gets in. But I, I think everyone else is to me, it's not a surprise. I mean, I'm looking at right now Chara obviously a shoe in, you know, Thornton Duncan Keith too. I mean what he did in Chicago and his whole career and just the Norris is everything. I mean, just incredible. And then, and just a fantastic Hall of Fame class and feel a little bit older now that I know, you know, I'm playing against all these guys. Yeah, wait, wait, no, it means a bit older. Dude, listen, and it happens to me every year because they do like, you know, I cover a

lot of junior hockey and it's always like, okay, so I remember covering, I remember going to Don Mills Flyers games to watch Max Domi as I've covered Ty Domi's entire career and now I'm watching Max. Like when you start to get like your former teammates kids getting into junior hockey or college hockey and OHL this and Western Hockey League that and into the NHL that's that's when it's like okay yeah pass me my walker. That's when your hips starts to hurt. That's when you really start like, oh no, like Eric Bolton's son is playing with the London Knights. I'm like, oh my God, he covered his whole career. What's going on? That's like, that's like, uh,

Tage Thompson, you know, like I played with his dad, Brent. Brent, yeah. When I came out of junior and went to Providence, I played with Brent. So when I was playing against Tage, I was like, this is, I remember seeing you in the locker room. This is wild right now. And he's one of the best players in the league. Really, really quick, like Brent Thompson, one of the nicest guys in the league ever, period. As a player, as a coach, like adored, right?

Like that's always been my experience with him. Yeah, he was a great teammate, funny guy. Funny guy in the room. Was one of the first times in my, well actually only time in my whole career where I actually had N.Thompson on my jersey because I played with Brent Thompson. So just a great, great teammate, funny guy. Couldn't pronounce anyone's names, but just an awesome guy. That's all right.

Fine, no problem. There used to be a guy on the first intermission who made a career out of that one. So don't worry about it. We all love them for it. Let me ask you about it. I had this, the more that I think about it, not just because it's my idea and I'm gonna kiss my mirror here,

but let me lay something on you here that I've been thinking about a lot for the Hockey Hall of Fame to try to change things up a little bit. I like the idea of the Hall of Fame introducing a separate wing change things up a little bit. I like the idea of the Hall of Fame introducing a separate wing that's just dedicated to, wait for it, Hall of Fame games.

The games that are like really important to the history of hockey, that moved it forward, jumped off the hockey pages and into the sports pages, into the cultural pages pages of North of North America or internationally for that matter so like game one of the summit series the miracle on ice or like the first game Miriam Lemieux against the Boston Bruins and here's Lemieux and whatever he does to turn to Ray Bork like things that really move the game forward or became like so like so iconic

you right that they just like okay you know what that was a Hall of Fame game what do you think of the idea of introducing games themselves into the Hall of Fame? I have a question so how okay is it any game it could be regular season it can be sure playoffs or does it have to be playoffs? No no doesn't have doesn't have to be. First of all, it doesn't have to be NHL. Right? Like we could be talking about- So it could be like four nations or something too. Well, that's what I'm thinking. That's Saturday night in Montreal, right? USA versus Canada. What moved the NHL more forward this year than that first period? Nothing. Like that was the

most important first period in the NHL this season and it didn't happen in the NHL. But look at the cascading effect. That was a Hall of Fame game. Hall of Fame game, right? That was a Hall of Fame game. In the first 10 minutes of that game is Hall of Fame hockey. That was Hall of Fame hockey. Soap and Faux-Petite Pop Tribe. You like the idea or no?

I like the idea, Merrick. I do. I do like the idea because we grab on to certain games and we think about them, we talk about them, and why not put those games in the Hall of Fame? I was mentioning Darrell Sittler's 10-point night against the Boston Bruins, like just moments where, and maybe it's Ovechkin's Sunday afternoon against the Allenders. I mean, caps were terrible in that game. Sam Gagne eight points. Sam Gagne against the Hawks, ringing up eight points. Let's go. There's another one. Take that. Yeah, take that one. Was it Habibul and Annette? Take that one.

Like all of a sudden, like you start to really think about it. Like, you know what? There were some games here that belong in the in the hockey Hall of Fame. OK, you mentioned Sam Gagne, former Edmonton Euler. If you're the Edmonton Oilers right now, like I think eventually the McDavid deal gets done. It's probably a short term contract. He's not ready to do it and we understand it. I don't think it's going to be an eight. It's probably going to be a four. So it'll be enough to piss off both sides. The side that wants

them to sign a long-term extension, the ones that don't. So it's going to please nobody except for him, Wasserman and his accountant. But what's the most pressing issue in Edmonton for you? Oh, goal-tending. I think without question that was the biggest difference I think for the Edmonton Oilers in that series. I think if I think honestly and I think about it they have a legit elite number one goalie they might win that series. I truly believe that and because

they never had a game where I think Stuart Skinner or any of them could steal them a game like suri Bobrovsky he's capable of that so I was thinking the last few days American I was thinking about possibilities and scenarios and is there a world and I'm gonna ask you is there a world where a guy like Ilya Sorokin would the Islanders be willing in a new obviously turnover everything trying to change everything where they could make a deal obviously it would be a blockbuster deal. Yeah. But you're going to get Ilya Sorokin or some, and I'm not saying just him, I'm saying,

you know, there's a lot of such scenarios of other good goaltenders in the league where maybe the Oilers can make a deal for a guy that has term and they're set up and Connor McDavid, I think, would be pretty pleased with something like that. Did you know socks are one of the most requested clothing items by organizations addressing homelessness?

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The only thing that I, and I always wonder about this one is, first of all, the Islanders have to figure out whose timeline they're gonna do this on. Because this isn't exactly a young team and they just re-up with Kyle Palmeri, which is good because now that Lou isn't there, I can actually feel comfortable looking at Palmeri

because he looks so different without a beard. He's just like the one guy that I always look at and go like, man, no, that's not you. Like, no, that's not Kyle Palmeri. But I think the Islanders need to decide who they are and whose timeline are they doing it on and who can compliment that timeline. And if Matthew Darsh decides, you know what,

it's time to take a little bit of a step back here. We've squeezed as much as we can out of this towel. The one thing I would still want is a goalie because I want my team to be able to stay in games as long as they can. Like even if you're rebuilding, so you're out of the playoffs by Christmas, man, those games, and I feel so bad for guys

who play on teams where the calendar flips and they're like, oh man, I gotta play all these games that don't mean anything and it's so hard and I gotta get on that plane again and I'm away from my family and why is it so cold here and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and. And I feel the same way about games and goalies can keep you in games.

And that's why if I'm rebuilding, I still want a goalie that's gonna, you know what? We're not gonna lose this game in the first period. We're not gonna lose this game in the second period. We're probably gonna lose this game in the third period, but we want our kids to know what a full three periods feels like. I don't know if I'm explaining myself well,

but that's kinda how I feel. But even if the Allinators are going in that direction, I would still wanna hang onto the goalie. still want to hang on to the goalie. I would still want the goalie. Yeah, you're thinking, you know, if you're Matthew Darsh, you're changing the whole complexity of the team, but you're keeping Ilya Sorokin, no matter what. The one thing, I'll tell you, Nate,

the thing that I wonder about here, and listen, Abbotsford just won the Calder Cup and Arthur Shilofs was phenomenal here. And I know that Thatcher Demko's had some health issues health issues. Um, listen, man, the hospital bracelet gets a lot of guys and he's had a tough time the last couple of seasons. I really do wonder if the Oilers would go for someone like Thatcher Demko, like that level of goaltender we're looking at here. Um, because I believe Shielofs will need waivers as well. So that could be a complicating factor.

And the other one, here's a name. Let me, let me throw another day. This, we're throwing around names here on a Tuesday afternoon. Why not? Hockey talk radio. Um, didn't know it's, it's not an, this guy hasn't even played a hundred games in the NHL and hasn't really even distinguished himself. And he may be, you might even make the point

that, man, why would you do that? Stu Skinner is a better goaltender than him. Jet Grieves is going to get a spot on that Columbus, in that Columbus tandem. Like, Merslickens isn't going to go anywhere. I wonder about Danil Tarasov. Like if you're Columbus, is that a guy that you're saying Grieves needs games.

Merzlikin's contract is a tough one for us to move. We've tried to move it. We know what's out there. Maybe it's Tarasov that ends up. And if you're Oilers, again, it's, but the thing is like, it's a chance. Again, you're taking a chance. Cause I don't know too many teams that are

giving up like legitimate. And are you keeping skinner to do that? I think you are I think you're I think you're tandem is Skinner and whomever else you're bringing in with you know With with with all due respect. I think he's yeah. No, yeah, he's the guy you keep here Yeah, I agree No, I agree. I think if they keep I think I think they should keep Skinner. It's not like he's on a hefty contract right now anyways. I mean, I think they keep him and they bring in another. Like you said, you can you could go that

route or you could try and make a deal where you bring in a proven guy. You know, I look at it now and I see man, john Gibson, you know, they tried to get him and fell through the wickets. And you look at that and you say, well, who knows, right? Could have would have should have what would have happened. We don't know. But it's, it's tough, because I think that like, for me, if I'm one of the I the, I'm probably trading someone in that core. I think.

Who do you, so in the core. So McDavid, Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Leon Dreisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, Mathias Ekholm, Zach Hyman, there's your core. So one of those guys. I think Darnell Nurse or Matthias Ekholm, Zach Hyman. There's your core. So one of those guys. I think Darnell Nurse or Nugent Hopkins. And some, I know that, I know it sounds crazy. No, but if you're gonna get, you gotta give.

But I mean, if you can do it, yeah. You're gonna get, you gotta give. You're gonna have to retain some salary, for sure. Yeah. If you're trading Darnell nurse Nugent Nugent Hopkins, maybe not But I think you could get a good return for both those guys right now Especially here's the other thing that I wonder too

I'm of the belief that it's harder to be a goaltender in the AHL than it is in the NHL Because the NHL is like, you know, where the shots are coming from shots are clean. Like the game is more predictable in the NHL. The guys are all better. Like everything, everything about it is better, but the, in, in goal, when you're a goalie, you're not going to be surprised by things as much as you are in the American league, because

not everything is as perfect as it is in the NHL. I think the one spot that it's harder to be a goalie is the American League as opposed to the NHL. I wonder if you sort of look around the American League like listen you know the LA Kings organization well I don't know that the Kings have any desire to let go of like Eric Portillo or someone like that but you know and I look at Mikey DiPietro on Providence and go like he had a really nice year after sort of you know but, you know, and I look at Mikey DePietro on Providence and go like, he had a really nice year after sort of, you know, almost getting, you know, taxi squatted to death

during COVID by the Vancouver Canucks. Like, do you start to look at those kind of guys if you're Edmondson? Like, the American league's hard for goalies, man. And if you can do it and distinguish yourself, that's why I like, man, Vancouver's got some gold here, and Artur Shilov's. I wonder, like, is that the direction that you might start to look if you're Edmondson? You know these guys. That's it. No, that's interesting, Jeff. And I like that because

you're right. I mean, I remember playing in the American League, and it's funny, and I'm sure you've heard that before, is guys are better NHL players than they are American League players. And it's just that sometimes it translates like that. I was a better NHL players than they are American League players. And it's just that sometimes it translates like that. I was a better NHL player than I was in the American league, just because guys are out of position. Guys are all over the place in the American league and guys are in position. It's almost easier in the NHL in some aspects. So I really do like that point.

And I think, you know, I even think, you know, Eric Portillo is one of them. Cause Carter George is coming in, um, for the Kings and Kings and Phoenix Copley. That's another guy. That's another guy that could be a guy that played some really, really, really good hockey for the Kings for a long time and got hurt and had a good year last year with the rain. So those are two good options. And Eric Portillo is not far away. I mean, I was there, coached him, played with him. And he's really developed in the last few years. So I like him. I would say, I like him too.

And he battles and yeah. And he wants to be the guy who wants to be in the HL. So those are some names that the Oilers I'm sure or should kick around. I just wonder like how much of a sell. Cause you know, like one of the skills you have to have now is is selling upwards. It's gonna be really tough like to go to your owner and say like we have Connor McDavid and Leon Dreisaitl and we're going with this goalie who's unproven in the NHL.

No offense to Eric Portillo.am, but yeah. Love him. He's awesome. But you know, I think we all know what we're discussing here. Okay, one more thing, one more thing before I let you get on with your day here. You know Marco Sturm quite well. This is for all of our Boston Bruins viewers and listeners. The one thing that I've always been told about Sturm

and I've talked to him a few different times in his previous capacity as coach of the Ontario Reign. What I was told is and by the way he did a great like that the interview on your podcast with Sturm a couple weeks ago I thought was outstanding. The one thing that I was always told about Sturm is one person said the one word you have to remember with him is consistency. He doesn't expect players to be great. He doesn't expect players to be superstars as much as he can't get his head around

players not playing consistently. Well you played this hard yesterday. Why can't you play this hard today? Like that's how Sturm, like that was Sturm's career. Like you got a consistent great effort out of Marco Sturm. He didn't always put up like five points every night first like all the no but you got an honest consistent effort out of Sturm every single night and I would hear the stories of the net, and this is how we play this hard rim, and all these types of things that normal coaches are just like, this is for the assistants, he would get on the ice. What's been your experience, or what was your experience with Marco Sturm?

Well, I mean, as you know, you heard last week on the podcast, I played with him when I got called up. I played for him in Ontario, and then I coached with him. So I got to kind of experience every every aspect of it. And you know, this the thing that really impressed me about Marco was his ability to take a team and my both years I was in Ontario, you know, I on paper, we had some good players, but our record and what we did during the regular season playoffs was overachieving. And

I'd say that Marco his ability to have his team overachieve. That would be the biggest thing that jumps out to me he could get so much out of guys in his way to communicate with guys. And like you said, his how important it was for him for players to be consistent. Like you said, he would do it in a way where he would check in with guys and even if they were playing well, he would still check in with guys to make sure that they knew and remind them and you know,

I guys at that age in the America League, you know, guys can be complacent very easily. So he was so good at checking with guys and making sure guys were, you know, staying consistent and knowing what their roles is and know what their job is. And, you know, Sturm, he played a long, long time. And like honest player, hard, hard, honest player, hard working guy, good defensively, you know, played both sides of the puck. So, you know, I think this is a perfect

marriage in Boston, I think, and them hiring Marco Sturm is gonna be great for a lot of those guys. Not only that, he's a fun loving guy. He's passionate about hockey. He has a good time. He laughs and he's funny, funny guy. I mean, he was great to play with, great to work with. So those guys, I just think of like guys like Pasta

and those guys, McAvoy, they're gonna excel with him. Okay, last question. I swear this is the last question. I remember asking, I know, I remember asking Brad May this. I was like, was that with Mayday one night and we were, I've known Mayday forever and we were out one night. I'm like, was there a team, this is, this is like with that intensity of like, you know, the fifth or sixth beer. Was there a team that you always wanted to play for, but you never got a chance to? Like you grew up dreaming about the jersey, you know? And he's like, yeah, Boston Bruins for me.

Never had a chance, but man, I always like, oh, if I could ever get a chance to play with the Bruins. And I could see Mayday in that Bruins jersey all day long. Nate Thompson, was there a team? I gotta tell you, like you look great in a Flyers uniform, but there's two teams, two teams you always wanted to play for. Shoot. Well, the first one without question, because it was my favorite team growing up, was the Detroit Red Wings. I was a huge Steve Iserman fan, so my first first game at Joe Lewis, I was more in, I was in shock and just star-struck my first game there when I was

The islanders at Joe Lewis arena, so I remember I'm sitting I'll tell us quick so I'm standing at the red line Stretching and I'm staring. I don't I'm not even looking at our end I'm just staring and Billy Garen had to come up and tap me and go. Hey Nate and go, hey, Nate, we got a game for tonight. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Cause I was scared of Lichdrum and Datsuk and Zetterberg and all these guys. So Detroit's won. The second one would be the New York Rangers.

I think playing for New York, you know, I scored my first goal at MSG. So I think playing for the Rangers would be another one. Those two jump out. Here's why I love and still do Rangers. And I cornered and finally got Doug McClain to admit something about them. I always loved the red pants. I always loved the Rangers red pants. I remember like when Doug McClain was a new general manager, first general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, so Unifrin comes out and sure enough, red pants.

And I got to work with Doug years later at SportsCenter and I used to always ask him like, dude, you totally stole that from the Rangers. Oh, no, no, no, no. And finally after a few years, like, yeah, we just shut up. Yeah, I stole it from the Rangers. Just love those red pants too. I just totally love the red pants, I'm sorry.

But red wings are the same. Maybe you got a thing for red pants. Hey, we just discovered, maybe Nate, you just got a thing for the red pants. I'm sorry, but red wings are the same. Maybe you got a thing for red pants. Hey, we just discovered maybe, maybe Nate, you just got a thing for, for red hockey pants or breezers as they call them in Minnesota. Breezers. Breezers. Um, listen, thanks bud.

Thanks for spending some time today. Uh, always appreciate it. Continued success with, uh, with our mutual friend, JSB, Julie Stewart-Binx. Um, that is an excellent podcast you guys have together, Energy Line is Outstanding. Continued success. Um, and welcome officially to the dark side of. Binx. That is an excellent podcast you guys have together. Energy Line is outstanding, continued success and welcome officially to the dark side of the media side of things. Thanks pal, you'll do

great. Thanks, Merrick. Thanks for having me and always a pleasure seeing you, buddy. We'll talk soon. There he is, the great Nate Thompson, who is just a wonderful guy and a really good broadcaster and I do encourage you to check out Energy Line. It's an iHeart podcast in association with the NHL. It is fantastic and Nate is going to make this transition like hand to glove. Hand to glove. Meanwhile, as we've been talking about here on the show today and let me call up the official. Here we go Jennifer Botterill, Zidane Ochara, Brianna Decker, Duncan Keith, Alex McGillinney, Jack Parker, Daniel Sovajo, Joe Thornton. That is your Hall of Fame induction class and when we talk about the Hall of Fame there's one person that I want to talk to. His name is Paul Padute. He is from Sudbury, Ontario. He joins me on the

sheet and I love the Adjusted Hockey Project. I've always waited for someone, and this is when you first started this, Paul, I was so happy. Someone who actually sort of used data to come up with the criteria for who belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame. I know a lot of it had always been sort of traditionally done by boxcar stats and vibes,

but you go a little bit deeper than that. First of all, welcome to the program. Thanks so much for being aboard. I love the shot of Ken Dryden below you, and I'm assuming that's you with that old Vic Goley stick there over your right shoulder. Yeah, Jeff, happy to be here. And that is me, my first season of hockey. And I use that as my logo out of the gate and it's sort of stood the test of time.

So I try to get it in there whenever I can. It's, it's, it's, it's such a good look and driving with that old Canadian stick, I believe, which was pretty popular in the seventies nonetheless. Um, okay. So I know Curtis Joseph's not in there and we're going to get there too. Paul, don't worry. Um, but one oversight has been corrected and that is Alexander McGilney, uh, along with Jennifer Botterill, Sedano Chara, Brianna Decker, Duncan Keith, Jack Parker goes

in as a builder as does Danielle Sauvageau and Joe Thornton to which Paul Paduti says what for this draft class or this induction class rather. I absolutely love this draft class, Jeff. Um, I just tweeted out that I thought it was perfect. And the reason I say that is I had a little bit of 2025 bucket list that I had jotted down before the announcement was made and they kind of checked every box and I'm sure we'll get into it, but I think one of the biggest things for me was I've called Jennifer Botterill the most glaring female player omission. And I've called Alexander McGillney the most glaring

male player omission. And to get them both in here, I think was brilliant and long overdue. So that that right out of the gate for me was, was fantastic on top of, you know, what is in general, a very good and well-deserving class. Um, let's go through a couple of the names here. And the one that I thought that we all sort of, I think, recognize is as he went through his career, uh, and a very distinguished career punctuated by a Stanley cup victory in, in 2011 with the Boston Bruins. Um, and then he became a prototypical player. And then everybody wanted their Chara after the Boston Bruins

enjoyed a lot of success with their six foot nine defenseman. Zidaneo Chara is like the obvious one. That's like the, the, the two foot pot, the layup. Like that's the, that's the easy one here. I agree. I had both Chara and Joe Thornton as the Mempty Netters to use a hockey term, but I thought those were the ones that both needed to be in there. No questions asked. When it comes to Chara, I think people may have thought of him as he won the one Norris,

but he was a seven time year and all star. So some different seasons, you know The the writers thought he was one of the best war defensemen in the world And I think that's the type of thing where he's no compiler. He's no games played machine It's not because he was the captain. He was a legitimately outstanding defenseman, so happy to see char You know the thing about the interesting thing about char is too. I don't think he hit 60 I don't think he hit 60, I don't think he hit 60 points once. I got, I don't think, I have to go back and check. I don't think he got sick, ever got 60 points in a season.

Not that that matters. But one of the things that I've always felt about Chara, my producer's accent, rolling his eyes, thinking about this, because I've said it so many times, is he's someone that should have won the Lady Bing every year, just because of what he didn't do on the ice every night, and that was Mame Guys. Like, here's a guy that could have like laid waste to the entire NHL and chose not to. That to me is a gentleman, Paul Paduti. Your thoughts, Chara. Gentleman. I totally agree.

I think he's someone whose career could have went an entirely different way. When I think of people using the term a project, it's draft time and we hear that all the time. You know, this player's project, the bull or a project. Was there ever a bigger project than Zidane or Chara? He's six foot nine. He's gangly, he's full of limbs. Somebody somewhere said, this could be the perfect type of defenseman. And he sort of became it. And I kind of love the backstory with Chara because the truth is he is your project. And most people are happy if a project, you know,

gets a few years in the league, let alone a first ballot hall of famer. So that's actually one of the first things I thought about, Chara. I remember talking to Stan Butler when he coached Prince George and he's like, I don't know what this thing is. I don't know who this guy is

or what we're gonna do with them. But he's like this lump, this six foot nine massive lump of potential here. But let me get to Joe Thornton. You know, there are just some guys that everybody cheers for and everybody wants to win the Stanley Cup and have their Dave Andritchuk, Ray Bork,

fill in the blank moment of finally getting there. And I think everybody wanted it for Joe Thornton. In his era, I think the only other player who you could look at and say, he approaches the greatness when it comes to making plays and passing like Joe Thornton was Mark Savard. Like to me, it was always like, it was a better passer, Mark Savard or Joe Thornton.

Various, various years, it was one at various times. It was the other, but just like consistently, like the best playmaker year in, year out of his era, your thoughts on Joe Thornton. Love Joe Thornton. I think everybody does. I think he's got, he's in an interesting contest that you don't want to be in. And that would be the best Hall of Famer without the cup.

And Jerome and Gimlet to me is probably as tough as competition. Um, some of the things I thought of Thor, and I mean, when you, when you adjust for era, his stats look even better because playing, uh, especially when he came up, goals were not flying. Like he, he was, he was putting up points in an era where there was not a lot of offense. So I think if anything Thorne's numbers are suppressed from when we just look at the raw numbers

That's one of the things and the other thing I thought of is wow someone traded him And I know there was a lot of reasons at the time, but the owner wasn't a fan That's our spurred spurred on that conversation wasn't a fan that sort of spurred on that conversation. Yeah, it just blows my mind because how many Hall of Famers are traded at the peak of their powers or about to enter them and winning scoring leader. That was one of the other things that jumped out with Thornton because both with him and Char I thought this was a bit of a formality and I was just trying to get in on their backstories and I was like they both have really interesting ones in their own way.

Yeah. Duncan Keith, who by the way should have, I've always felt, should have one more nod or one more a bit, one more check mark here. I thought in 2010, the best player in the playoffs was Duncan Keith. He didn't win the Conn Smythe, but if I had a vote that year, man, it would have gone to Duncan Keith all day long. One of the best skaters we've ever seen, one of the best leaders and a fixture on the blue line for Chicago Blackhawks team that won three Stanley Cups.

Your thoughts on smooth skating Duncan Keith. He was gonna get in. I wasn't 100% certain it was going to be on the first try. Um, even though I think he's deserving, but I have a trivia question for you, Jeff, because I know you enjoy that type of thing. Um, he pretty much, uh, who are the six defensemen with two Norris's and a cons myth trophy and that's what leaps out about Keith to me. Oh yeah, yeah.

You know, was Al McKenna's one of them? No, just one one Norris. Just one one Norris, who are they? I don't want to bore people with a guessing game here on the show. Who do you got? Bobby Orr, Larry Robinson. Gotta check gonna check my list, Nick Lutztrom, Brian Leach. Oh, I think only two Norris's, sorry, sorry, okay.

Oh, I see. Only two, okay, yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, like all the heavyweights in that for sure. Yeah, Leach and Kale McCarr, which bodes really well for his case, not that I think he's gonna have any trouble one day. Yeah. Let me fire a couple more here at you. And then I want to get your thoughts on an idea I had off the top of the show that I'm not going to let die. I'm going to hang on to this one, Paul, and continue to bang the drum here. You mentioned that Jennifer Botterill was

one of the most overlooked players, male, female, animal, mineral, vegetable, like everything. It doesn't matter. She's one of the most overlooked hockey players not represented in the Hall of Fame. That gets corrected. Make the case for Jennifer Boterel. Sure. I called her in a recent article, a Winner, and that in itself doesn't necessarily

make you stand out in the women's game because Canada and the States, if you're a fixture on those teams for a long time, you're probably going to have a lot of hardware. But in her particular case, she won at every level, including as a professional in the previous iteration of the women's professional league and in college. But she still holds the NCAA points record for her work at Harvard. It's not officially recognized because it wasn't considered at a certain level

at that particular time. But to me, Boderil presided over one of the most dominant stretches for Canada over the United States in the history of their rivalry. And she won at every level. She scored at every level. And she's a fantastic ambassador for the game. So I was really, really pushing for the last couple of years and I love to see her get rewarded because it's well-earned. Amen. Okay. To my idea here, let me know what you think about this one. As a way to sort of maybe give the Hall of Fame a new wing, a new look, maybe even Paul Padoody, a new revenue driver.

Just imagine what this would be like in the hockey Hall of Fame. Why do you feel about the idea of as part of every class, maybe not every class that goes in, but every now and then, maybe every two years, five years, I don't know, that it's not a player that goes, players will go in. You're not voting for a player, you're not voting for builder, you vote for a game. So we start to include actual games, whether it's one of the Summit

Series games, whether it's the Miracle on Ice, whether it's some of those world championship games between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, after the tanks rolled in down the cobblestone streets of Prague, maybe the significant games that moved the sport forward, not just in North America, but internationally as well. Historically significant games, or maybe just games that were awesome. You know, the Crosby Ovechkin dueling hat trick game for anyone who's alive to watch it,

that's one of those games you're gonna remember for all time, the Easter Epic, you know, Rudy versus Mason back to back, and Lafontaine spins and scores, like things like Darrell Sittler's 10 point night in 76. Hall of Fame game. What do you think of the idea of it's not just players, it's not just builders, it's games that go on the Hall of Fame and you have that wing and maybe it's private booths

to go and watch the Hall of Fame games. Maybe it's a big movie theater where all the games are playing on a loop. These are all the games that are in the hockey Hall of Fame. They've been given the nod as official Hall of Fame games. Pretty think of that one. I think that's fascinating. And anything that teaches people about hockey history and gets excited. I like to me, I think sometimes the hall misses the boat in that sense where the people aren't part of the process

In the sense that everything's private. You don't know who they are considering there's not really an avenue to have any input and I To me, that's a really interesting idea I know the basketball Hall of Fame inducts teams and that was one of the things I thought of And that's like sort of a creative way to recognize or have the debate or highlight things that isn't, you know, just the typical is he or she in or out. Maybe that's a future article for one of us,

which 10 games get into, which 10 games make the hall of fame or five to start would have to see. Initial draft class, yeah. Well, I was saying off the top, like the, the first one that I would put in is Summit Series, but not game eight, game one, game one where Canada lost because that was the beginning of international hockey. That's when the whole world went, whoa, this isn't Canada and everybody else. This is like a legitimate competition.. This is like the birthplace of

international hockey. Then there was all those tournaments in the 70s that spilled over and the Canada Cup was created in 76 etc etc. The fumes of which we're still riding on today and we just saw at the Four Nations. And that probably that Four Nations game Canada versus USA the Saturday night in Montreal, that would probably be a game that would get nominated for the Hockey Hall of Fame. Anyhow, I just lob it out there as a way to make conversation on a Tuesday afternoon.

Paul, you're the best. Love Adjusted Hockey. If you want to read some of Paul's project, you can find it online at Adjusted Hockey. Thanks, pal. Continued success. And I love that little guy above, Ken Dryden. Great talking to Jeff. Take care.

There he is, the great Paul Padute from Adjusted Hockey. He writes a lot of stuff on DailyFaceOff.com as well and it all revolves around who belongs in the Hall of Fame or not and he liked my idea so I like him because I'm just that shallow Zach like I'm just like that simple if you like my idea then obviously you're my club. I think Zach may have vanished but nonetheless we get Zach back on the program here. Okay, so congratulations to everybody who made it into the Hockey Hall of Fame. There are still some areas, you know what?

I'll tell you what, what's interesting about this class here, what's interesting about this class is, over the past few years, the one thing the NHL, the NHL, keep, one thing the Hall of Fame has tried to do specifically is they've tried to address areas where they have traditionally fallen down and there hasn't been enough representation in the hockey hall of fame.

And the one, there's two positions I'm thinking of. There's the one area that they've tried to clean up and get more in and that's the goalie position. And the other is defensive defenseman, which is still woefully underrepresented, but nonetheless. No goalies in this one. No goalies in this draft class, if we're gonna nitpick. Cause it's a really, I know there's like,

my buddy John Clarty said, get Petutti to soapbox for Elias. Sorry, John. Johnny's an awesome drummer, by the way, and a great dude. And actually the Dallas draft, he took me to the place where JFK got shot in Dealey Plaza. When I was there. John's an awesome guy. John Clarty, great dude. But yeah, so no goalies this time around. But listen, Paul liked my idea of games, and that's all I need. And I think Nate liked my idea of games, and that's all I need. I got two. I'm gonna run with this ball.

What do you think? Well, you had me off the top as well. Can the Sheik get a wing in the Hall of Fame? Can we get games in the Hockey Hall of Fame? These are Hall of Fame games. Maybe you have like it just Hall of Fame tournaments I Think the I think the games are pretty good pretty good idea Let's start there the chat agrees with you as well. There's over two chats diggin it. What's what's what's the poll? Yes, should the 60 for wing as well. There's over 200 votes. Chat's digging it. What's the poll? 64% say yes.

Should the hockey olympian win for games? That's a majority. No, this has gotta be, no, I thought like 80%. What are these people eating today? There's 36% say nah. Contrarians. Contrarians. Yeah, also Laz pointed out, by the way, he sent us a text and told us, Julian Edelman

played for the Patriots. He has a podcast called Games with Names, and they have guests on to discuss legendary games and sports. So the guest comes on from that game to talk about the game that took place. About that game? What happened in it. Yeah. I'm working on something right now here with Daily Face Off that's not like that, but winks at that. I'm not gonna say what it is,

because I don't want anyone to take the idea, but I think it can be a real hit for us. But still, games in the Hall of Fame, we're gonna keep banging the drum. Much to some people's chagrin. In the meantime, we've got some good responses to something this afternoon, we wanna share it with you right now.

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You can prep, cook and store anything from crispy favorites to one dish meals. What meal are you serving up today for us, Mr. Zakaru, if that is indeed your real name? Well, I've been really, really fascinated with chicken skewers and kebabs, but I don't think that that's what you're asking. Really? You think you're asking about the veggies? Green peppers and onions on there too? Oh yeah, some jalapenos in there. That's right.

I feel like that would go well in the crispy. But this is the question that I picked for today. There was a lot of good responses. I'm gonna try to grab a few more throughout the rest of the week. But a question I've wanted to know forever. Okay. Logistics of draft choices.

This is really good. Before they go on stage and pick, do they have to call a registry? Yes. What is the process from the starter clock to the pick selection? Yeah, so this is, so yes they do have to, they do have to inter, they do have to inter-win their pick

before they get to the stage. That way, we almost saw this a couple of drafts ago, that way you're protected if somebody mispronounces a name or goes off the board and Just goes rogue. I changed my mind the picket the pick is already and it's already a formality like Kerry Price Was it David Rheinbacher? Who's whose name that he had a had a tough time with? Yeah, I know a lot of Montreal Canaan fans were saying I hope he says Matthew Mitchcoff

I hope he says Matthew Mitchcoff. No, he said David Ryanbacker. But it sort of protects against that. Like if you go up there and you fumble a name, or if you're like Bobby Clark and you forget Claude Giroux's name because you really wanted Trevor Lewis and Ron Hextall, who may or may not have worked for you, and then just left with the draft list to the Los Angeles Kings.

And the Los Angeles Kings took Trevor Lewis and you were really mad and then the New York Rangers had the next pick on your list and Bobby Sanguinetti and that made you even more infuriated and so by the time you get up on stage you were pissed at Hextall, pissed at the Kings, pissed at the Rangers and had to say Homer, who are we taking? to say Homer, who are we taking? And you ended up with the best player. You ended up with the better player out of all of them. With all due respect to Trevor Lewis and Bobby Sanguinetti, you could freaking quote your rue.

Take it, be happy. Sometimes it's the mistakes. But yes, it has to be filed before they get up on stage. Which just makes sense. Which just makes sense. It insulates and protects you as well. You also have to remember, Jeff, we are dealing with hockey players, a lot of them. And those we've talked about. Yeah? You want to say it? There's smart guys sometimes

there's some hockey dumb. There's hockey dumb that's okay we love it's a beautiful sport it's a wonderful thing. Anything else we need to go over here today before we before we get to our last little bit of the program? Anything else out there that we need to comment on today? Yes mandatory before we get to our last little bit of the program. Anything else out there that we need to comment on today? Yes, mandatory before we leave. We teased it yesterday. It would be a joke of a show, production, all of that, if we didn't touch on it today.

Whoa. The St. Louis Blues. Oh yeah. I love it. New logos. Yeah, just wanted to bring, make sure we touch. New logos, I love the blue. I love the nod to the past. It looks fantastic.

I like it. I like that blue softened from the really hard blue that it was before. Colton Pareco, you look beautiful. Love the note. Yeah, like I honestly like, normally I'm sort of indifferent on a lot of these changes, but I really, really love this. I think this looks fantastic for the St. Louis Blues. Give me this. Now, here's the thing. Now that you have it, don't change it. Now you know what this, you know,

this color pattern sort of reminds us all of, which I still think is one of, if not the best uniform in the NHL, the original Buffalo Sabres. I still think they have the best look, man. Buffalo Sabres, it might just be because of my youth and the swords and the Buffalo, like all of it, but man, Sabres have a great look and the Blues have a similar great look and yeah you got to admit like the Blues did a first Sabres came in 1970 Blues were a secondary six as opposed to the solvent six that came first yeah they do look like the Buffalo Sabres but that's okay those are two great looks. Yep.

Great uniforms. Do you like it? I think they knocked us in out of the park, yeah. Yeah, it looks fantastic. It looked, honestly, at every level, that blues look looks great. And you're right, we did mention yesterday, so we had to touch on it today. There also would be, what did you call it,

an embarrassment of a show? Yeah, disgrace, embarrassment. Speaking of the Buffalo Sabres, a second ago, one thing we do have to mention too, Kevin Adams and he gave a press release today, a press conference today rather, addressing assembled media with the Buffalo Sabres organization calling the Matias Amuelsson bio talk ridiculous. Misinformation. There was a lot of talk about misinformation as well okay I don't want to nitpick I don't want to nitpick and I want to pile on Kevin Adams there's only one thing like don't say you feel sorry for fans for there being

misinformation out there if you're gonna feel sorry for fans for one thing it's the 14 years of not making the playoffs that's why I feel sorry for fans for one thing, it's the 14 years of not making the playoffs. That's why I feel sorry for the fans. Not because of the conversation around there. Whether it involves JJ Peturka, which he wanted no part of that conversation. Kevin Adams wanted zero to do with that conversation, although you know that hot potato is getting rolled in your direction. And then he didn't want anything really to do with the talk about Matias Samuelsson. I

understand that, but let's just see if Matias Samuelsson's a Buffalo Saber next season. We'll see. Like there's a big long stretch here for the Sabers and we'll see if JJ Peturka is a Buffalo Saber. Someone mentioned to me today that they're of the belief that Terry Pagula had signed off on the idea of moving Paterka after I talked about how he's Terry Pagula's favorite player on the team, which is true. Yeah, much like Zemgis Ghergenson's before that, but I was told by someone to like, yeah, he's he's he's signed off on the idea if they go that direction, which I think we all expect that he will do. Right, but you know what the thing is too, Zach, like one thing that I do want to point out here before you, I know we're getting heavy keeping everyone late today, the one thing that I've

always wondered about GMs is at these opening press conferences, I've always wanted one person to stand up and say, first of all, congratulations on getting the job. Second, would you lie to protect your team? Would you lie to us to protect your team? How would you answer that if you were a GM? Because the answer is yes! Of course! Oh, conveniently, Zach's video feed just froze. I think he just froze it on purpose. Anyway, let's get to the close here at the show.

Oh, we got you back. You just sort of froze at the perfect moment there. Yeah, I don't know why that happened. General manager, Zach Phillips, would you lie to protect your team? I think you just say I plead the fifth or just no comment. Let's move on.

Next question, get that guy out of here. Take away his media pass. I'm not gonna be asked that kind of stuff. I think you said, look, I'm gonna try to be as honest as I can to everybody here out of respect because I understand that media is the middle ground between me and the fans. and because I can't call 50,000 people individually we have to have this relationship

Having said that having said that there are some things that Need to remain private Yeah, and you will not find out from me That's how it handle that and then Mike Harrington would say, you didn't answer the question. And he'd be right. But that's okay. But that's how I think I might stick handle that one.

That is a perfect answer. Yeah, okay. As opposed to you taking away media credentials for asking tough questions. No more, none of that. I don't wanna hear any of that. This is over. Ignore the man behind the curtain as Wizard of Oz referenced there.

Okay, the sheet, we're wrapping up here folks. We kept you late today. The sheet is powered by FanDuel, home of the same game Parlay. Make every moment more on FanDuel. FanDuel, proud to connect fans to the major sports moments that matter to them. I always enjoy this segment of the program because it forces Zach and our friends at FanDuel to get very creative with things with with no games. Oh by the way one thing I do want to mention Abbotsford winning the

Calder Cup yesterday. One thing I got a note from someone today who is at the AHL business meetings in Indianapolis. President of the, or commissioner rather, Scott Howson giving his State of the League address. Ticket, and it seems like it's all good news for the American, like the American Hockey League had another really strong season. Howson and everyone there has done a really good job. Ticket revenue is up, sponsorship revenue is up, both at all time records, good to hear. Regular season attendance up slightly, the new streaming partnership with Flow Hockey has been a real success. QMJHL also just recently signing a deal with Flow Hockey as well, we should point out. out expanded video replay capabilities for the 2025-26 season are coming and the CBA is expiring on the 31st with the with the the professional hockey

players Association there Larry Landon's old. But the conversations are ongoing and nothing said about expansion or relocation. Which is interesting because there are a lot of people that are wondering about one very specific place. And that's First Ontario Centre in Hamilton. When that redesign and renovation is done, who will be the tenant there and will it be an American Hockey League team? Don't know. Right. But as of right now, nothing at the business meeting in Indianapolis, nothing on the books for expansion or relocation. So it sounds like it was a thumbs up year for

the American Hockey League and congratulations to Manny Melhotra and and Abbotsford. Great job. Okay sorry you were saying as I interrupted you. That's all good. No that's good. Hey Joe. This is where I find things that just fascinate me and then I think I wonder if Jeff agrees or not. So in the theme of voting and awards and all that stuff, yeah, I found that Fandl has put up the market for the 2025 2026 Vezna trophy winner. Oh, jeez. Hellebuck is at the top of the list, which I very much disagree with. And not because he won't

be the best goaltender next year But because I don't think he would win it three times in a row. There's a difference I don't know if you agree with that statement. Okay, so who vote who votes on the Vesna? Well, I probably should have thought through that one more the GM's Is it the GM's GM's vote on the Vezna. Brian Burke's point is always the right one. Why do they make us vote on the position we always get wrong? He said he's right.

Why are we voting on this? This is the one position we always screw up. I can see them going for Conor Hallibbuck again if he puts up the most important stat to general managers and you know what's that that is? Wins. Wins. That's generally the way it goes. You put up the most wins and that's the GMs are going to vote, other GMs are going to

vote for you. So if the Winnipeg Jets have another monster season, guess what? Hellebuck's getting the award again. Okay so then uh push back on that if that's what's going to be most important. Do you not think that the Jets might take this especially coming off of how loud and not because they're listening to outside noise on this decision but because of how loud everything was and how you know much it bubbled to the surface that Connor Hallebuck struggles when it matters the most in the playoffs there, he played a lot more games.

He played at the Four Nations. He's gonna play at the Olympics. Are they gonna dial back his usage this year? Is he gonna have less opportunity to get those wins? Are they gonna pick Jets going to? Yeah, I can't see it. I mean it does make sense I just I just can't see I can't see the Winnipeg Jets saying like Hey, are we overworking him? Like if Hellebuck wants to play Hellebuck's gonna play. I really really firmly believe that and

I don't think there's any reason why he can't win a third Vezna trophy in a row. Right. I think, listen, the Vezna always goes to a goaltender with a top team. Winnipeg just to be a top team. I wonder about Jake Ottinger next year as well too. Like Dallas may do something massive here if they can't get Jason Robertson under contract, we'll see. There are already teams that are clearing decks. Oh hi Anaheim! That are clearing decks for positions in cap space, although they got plenty of cap space. I could see

Ottinger. I think we'll go to Ottinger and say like somewhere in it. I thought that having Dustin Wolf there was a nice touch by the way for FanDuel as well. Second year. Second year rocking the Vezna. Right there with Ottinger. I know. Exactly. I know. That's good.

Okay listen, thanks everybody in the chat. Thanks to everybody watching on YouTube. Thanks to everybody listening to the podcast, whether it's on ApplePods, whether it's on Spotify, wherever you get your pods. Thanks for being part of it today Thank you to Paul Padoody from Adjusted Hockey check out his work there the Hall of Fame project and thanks to the great Nate Thompson For stopping by and thanks to both of them and many of you in the chat as well who actually liked the idea of nominating games

for the Hockey Hall of Fame Tomorrow is a Greg Wyshinski day because today was not. Today, Greg was on Hall of Fame duty and not sheet duty, so he'll be on the program here tomorrow. In the meantime, do not forget tomorrow morning, it is Morning Cup of Hockey with the Impact players, Johnny Lazarus and Colby Cohen, daily face-off live at noon, and then our little program here, Me, Zach and the Chimp.

The Chimp, here he is, tomorrow at three o'clock Eastern. Hope you can join us. Thanks so much for being part of it today. We'll talk to you in 23 hours. I can't get out my head Lost all ambitions day to day Guess you can call it a ride I went to the dark man He tried to give me a little medicine I'm like, no, man, that's fine I'm right against those methods, but I knew It's me, myself, and how this gon' be fixing my mind Thanks for watching! Hockey fans, mark your calendars. The daily Face Off Live free agency special is coming on July 1st at 11am Eastern. Join me, Tyler Uremchuk, alongside former NHLers Carter Hutton and Matthew Barnaby,

plus analysts Jeff Merrick, Colby Cohn, Johnny Lazarus, and Hart Levine of Puckpedia, plus a full lineup of insiders from across the network. We're bringing you three hours of comprehensive, real-time coverage of the NHL free agency window. We'll be breaking down every major signing, analyzing team-by-team impacts, predicting what comes next for the league's biggest names, and delivering you the latest news as it happens. If you want expert insight, live reactions and a front row seat to one of the most exciting days on the hockey calendar, this is the show you don't want to miss. Tune in live on July 1st at 11am Eastern on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel for the

Daily Faceoff Live Free Agency Special the Daily Face-Off Live free agency special brought to you by The Nation Network.