The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: Blake Price on the Quinn Hughes Drama

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Quinn Hugh story will not go away, and it's not just because the media doesn't want it to go away because it's a juicy story. And it's got, you know, it features one of the best players in the NHL, it features a family to other brothers, a father who works at CAA, who is a legendary hockey man himself. This one's not going anywhere. Here for comments, one half of Secarus and Price, he is Blake Price, who joins me here on the show. sheet to comment on the situation involving the captain. What is it about captains in Canada, whether it's Conan McDavid and his contract drama or whether it's Quinn Hughes and what's next for Vancouver's captain? I don't know what it is about captains in Canada, but here we go.

Starting point is 00:00:46 How did you greet the latest, the Friedman interview with Quinn Hughes? How did that information get between your ears and what did you think? you know it's just more of the same and you know i think we're parsing tense which is dangerous um you know um i i have loved my time in vancouver that's like a qualified past participle i think if i i don't know you know it's we're doing we all have we all have like our quin hues decobey we're doing the same thing with mac david it's like okay i got to put on my connor macdavid decoder ring to try to figure out what he's... Now I've got to put on my Quinn Hughes.

Starting point is 00:01:28 What is he trying to tell us here? Listen, like Freud says... Which is nothing right now. Like Freud said, hey, listen, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. It doesn't have to be a metaphor for something else. It can just be a cigar. Are you a decoder ring person,

Starting point is 00:01:43 or are you a sometimes a cigar is just a cigar person? I think with this guy, he's so laid back. He is so... I don't know, he's just a really relaxed guy. I don't know that there's a whole lot of messaging. See, I would suggest, and I don't cover McDavid as closely as I cover Hughes. So, you know, take that into consideration here. I feel like McDavid is far more deliberate in what he says.

Starting point is 00:02:12 I think he probably works with, you know, his side of the story, maybe whether that's his agent or a publicist or some sort. I think he might choose his words more carefully. I don't know that Quinn Hughes is in that position right now. I think Quinn Hughes, especially because he has the extra year on his contract over our McDavid right now. I don't think he's quite drilling down tenses the way that the recipients of these words are right now. So I don't think there's a Dakota ring there.

Starting point is 00:02:45 I think he just sort of speaking from the cuff and what comes out comes out. I'm of a couple of minds here about the origin story of this story. I really enjoy Jim Rutherford press conferences. I really enjoy, you know, listening to Jim Mutherford. We always, you know, want people to speak as honestly and as openly as possible. But, man, this one just sort of kicked over a hornet's nest and we're still, you know, dining out on this conversation. As awkward as it may be for Quinn Hughes, as fun as it may be for Jack Hughes to weigh in. when asked about it as well.

Starting point is 00:03:20 I get the feeling, Blake, that, and maybe it's just an oversimplification. Just lately, this team really looks for drama, and last year it was J.T. Miller and Elias Pedersen. And this year, it's still more drama, but it's not Pedersen and Miller. It's Quinn Hughes, Jack Hughes, and Luke Hughes. I don't want to say it's like a team that can't get out of its own way,

Starting point is 00:03:44 but sometimes it feels that way, because this is really a self-inflicted way. I keep going back. If Jim Rutherford didn't make that comment, how different is everything right now? Yeah, I mean, we're talking about it, but it doesn't feel front burner as much, probably. It would still be on a ramping up curve,

Starting point is 00:04:03 but I don't think that we're at the same point in the curve as we currently are. I mean, Jim Rutherford, to me, is a quote machine. I agree. And I mean, I, I, there is a school of thought. And I've been talking with a bunch of people about this. And there is a school of thought. He played this down in the most recent press conference last Wednesday.

Starting point is 00:04:26 That that was strategic, that what he said had purpose. So we were talking about Hughes and McDavid and whether or not they're actually choosing words carefully and meaning what they say. Apparently that was not him just barfing that up. Again, that's Dakota Ring stuff versus speaking from the cuff. But there is a school of thought. Jim meant to do that, that there is method to that madness that we cannot see just yet.

Starting point is 00:04:53 And he'll say he's not going to give up the ghost just yet. If he's got a plan, he's going to stick to it. So if you're a Canucks fan looking for some semblance of hope here, it's that Jim has a plan. Now, whether or not that plan works, we will soon see. It's a very complicated picture to paint here. I've said that the best case scenario for a Canucks fan right now is maybe that they are, and people have made this comment that Luke Hughes wants to link up his contract length to Jacks.

Starting point is 00:05:23 Well, if Quinn wants to do that too, and he's willing to sign a three-year extension with the Canucks next summer, which means from this date, you get five more years of Quinn Hughes, that might be the best case scenario. I don't know if that's the case, but that might be the best that Connucks fans can wish for. You know, one of the things,

Starting point is 00:05:41 and somehow McDavid hasn't had this issue at the forefront of his situation yet. Everything changes when the game starts, as you well know. But I wonder about this from Quinn's point of view. Complicating all of this is, and I'm curious how much concert this gets in Vancouver, he's the captain who's not saying 100% plant the flag, I am here, I can't wait to do another deal with this team.

Starting point is 00:06:12 How much of a factor is that in all of it that he wears the sea? I think it's a good factor for Canucks fans in that he, as we know, comes from a hockey family and, you know, it was drilled down early on, this is what you do, this is what you don't do, this is how hard you work, you know, I think the sea is heavier on a guy like that than it is, and I mean that in a good way, like it means it has gravitas for a guy like that versus somebody that maybe didn't come from that kind of the family, whether or not that's enough of a difference to sway. a guy's opinion, that I don't know. But I think the sea means something to him. And obviously, too, if he switches teams, probably not wearing the sea in his new arrival. You know, he's, if he does go to New Jersey in two years' time, he's not going to be coordinated captain when he first arrives at.

Starting point is 00:07:05 Or maybe it's down the road. But, you know, you're willingly walking away from a captaincy. I think that's, you know, that's something. It might just be a sliver, but you're trying to put more weight on that. side of the scales and it's it's something for it to like so okay so let's go let's go alicart here you you choose what you think the uh the the the juicier a more interesting story is is it philippeitel second line center is it uh alias peterson and can he return to the the greatness that we saw previous is it the uh the health of thatcher demco uh your choice which is the most

Starting point is 00:07:46 intriguing story to Blake Price right now. Yeah, they're all good ones. I think we have to assume that Thatcher Dempco is competitive and is average at worst. I think that's just a safe assumption. I mean, even at the end of last year, was he his normal self? No, but he was very capable at H.L. Goldendant. So, you know, him, that to where he was, that's still significant. And I think Kennecht fans want to see him do that.

Starting point is 00:08:10 But I don't think it's a leap. And the worst case scenario, I guess I'm saying the floor on that story is still pretty high. The Elias Pedersen story, who knows? Because there's a lot of room to cover from where he was playing last year to where he can be. So that is the biggest story. And the lack of a true second line center, and that goes back to your Heedl story, I think Heel can be a good patch in the second line center position. But he's not a true certified with a bullet second line center.

Starting point is 00:08:42 And so without that, the performance of your top line center, is all the more important. And so really, I think the season hangs on Elias Pedersen's attempted redemption arc here. And if he is stronger, healthier, you know, pain and injury-free, then that's huge for Kinnock's fans. But we need to see the hunger.

Starting point is 00:09:04 We need to see the muscle between the years working in perfect harmony with the rest. So there's so many factors to why Elias Pedersen hasn't been great in the last year and a half. And most of those have to be okay for this team to be okay. So that's a big ask. Okay, so let's get ahead of ourselves then. How's he looked?

Starting point is 00:09:27 Is he back? Well, our men on the street have seen him with at least his underarmor on, if not bare-chested. Shoulder be able to round. Let's go. He's got a body. He's got a body. So, you know, apparently he, to the naked, an eye, pardon the pun. He does look more sculpted than he has in the past.

Starting point is 00:09:52 He hasn't played in the one exhibition game just yet, but the pace in training camp has looked pretty good. And a little bit more shot happy. We've seen a reticence, some of late, not lingering injury or pain necessarily in his wrist from his wrist injury, but there might have been a flexibility issue or mobility issue that you know breaking through the scar tissue that needed to happen which seemed to have prevented him from using that fabulous wrist shot on a more regular basis next year or last year so if that has limbered up and he's going to be a little bit more shot happy which people want to see that's good news and that seemed he was whipping pucks off the the iron all training camp you know good signs but until you've seen it in live action it's it's just speculation at this point but you'd rather see that than not see that i guess how did uh how did connects fans greet the j t miller news in new york with the uh the see on the sweater

Starting point is 00:10:50 like i you me and mattie were talking about like that's a to me that's a power move by chris that's like this is my guy from the outside you know i know many of you thought this might be viny trochak here getting this one but this is this is going to be my way and this is my guy and this is new ranger how was that greeted in vancouver i'm sure there were more than one or two stunned people considering how we did a lot of polls on this yes we did we did a lot of polling and you know i forget where it landed but there was you know a pretty significant group that were like you know i have emotions it's stirring up emotions in me and then there was another equally significant group that were like it's in the past don't

Starting point is 00:11:31 care and those people are liars jeff those people are liars i yeah they everybody i think has an opinion on that now whether you're it's going to keep you up it night whether you're going to think about it you know three weeks from now okay there there is a spectrum but everybody had an opinion on that don't tell me that it didn't you know catch your attention and make you say something out loud as you were scrolling twitter or whatever it is you know you said something you had feelings otherwise you're lying to me um will these two names rightly or wrongly be forever linked now in the n hl these two like miller and the can i see me no miller and peterson specifically miller and peterson

Starting point is 00:12:18 i think if peterson returns to his former self while that will obviously harken back to cause an effect i guess uh to why he wasn't himself i think we will eventually move past the story if there's a redemption there because then he'll just move on he'll have 10 more years of playing in the league and all and all will be fine um if we never see the same alias peterson again um I don't know. Maybe people will feel like J.T. Miller ruined Elias Pedersen. You know, I don't know. We'll have to see, I think, if Pedersen can be that former self.

Starting point is 00:12:56 I think J.T. Bill, I mean, already his stats, since he became a ranger, pretty good. Like, they're akin to what he was doing with the Vancouver Canucks. So J.T. Miller's carrying on. But earlier Patterson hasn't. You know, and he's one of those guys. I've always said this. You've heard B. Bark on about this. I don't cheer for teams.

Starting point is 00:13:10 I cheer for players. And that's I'm cheering for Elias Patterson. Like, I just don't want that. last season to be like the defining season. Like I want, to your point, that redemption arc and I want to see that Elias Pedersen. Again, I want good things for good people. I'm really, he's one of the guys at the beginning of the year.

Starting point is 00:13:26 He sort of make predictions and you have hope and you cross your fingers and your head knows one thing and your heart feels another. I really want Elias Pedersen to have a great season. Is that, is like, is that the vibe in Vancouver right now that the city is behind this guy or is it still, uh, sideways glance. we've seen this movie last year and we don't know whether the same Elias Pedersen is coming back

Starting point is 00:13:51 I mean J.T. Miller had his fans. So there are still it's a non-zero faction that we made the wrong choice because they had to deal with with somebody. But he was the older guy and so that just that was the obvious choice for Jim Rutherford and company to make to make sure that Pedersen is the guy that they ended up keeping. But I think everybody agrees that they

Starting point is 00:14:13 they can't have the future where Elias Pedersen doesn't make his comeback. The future of the Vancouver Canucks becomes so muddled if Elias Pedersen, with his massive contract, does not perform at least to 80% of that contract. You know, at least to 80% of the player

Starting point is 00:14:33 that you thought it was. If he's not a 100-point player going forward, but he's an 80-point player, okay, that's fine. I think people can live with that. Right. But if he's a 55-point player at best, oh boy, it changes the trajectory. It actually has a reflection

Starting point is 00:14:48 on the Quinn Hughes story because if they're not going to be a competitive team, my goodness. What are the chances they get to hold on the Quinn Hughes? Is it just that we'll finish where we started? Is it just that simple, Blake, that if this team is competitive

Starting point is 00:15:00 like they were two seasons ago, there's a much better chance that Quinn Hughes resigns and stays a member of the Vancouver Canucks. But if the wheels come off the wagon, you might as well start, you know, taking calls on everybody. I think the second part is true.

Starting point is 00:15:17 I mean, if the wheels fall off, yes, I think that is a death now. But here's the problem. Jim Rutherford addressed this on Wednesday. We can pull out all the stops here. We can be a playoff team. I can make a stupid trade overpay for player X over here and give us a second line center. I can do everything in my power to keep him here, and he still gets to walk. So does it help to be a winning team?

Starting point is 00:15:42 Yep, but I can't quantify how much it helps in Queen Hughes's mind. Because if he is dead set, I'm playing with bros, ASAP, it's going to be what it's going to be. He's got the power. Great point. Thanks for stopping by. Really appreciate it. I have your own show to get to. So thanks for parking some time with us to Dave, Blake Price, and we will check back soon.

Starting point is 00:16:04 Thanks for sharing the expertise. Good job. Thanks. day this month I can't get up my head, lost all ambitions day to day because I can call it all right

Starting point is 00:16:22 I went to the dark man and 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 going to be fixed in my mind to go on the back

Starting point is 00:16:39 and I turn to I'm using I do want to back in the music It's enough hell I don't get you sometimes

Starting point is 00:16:53 losing I've been on the day that's the way wrong In the dead dark night

The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: Blake Price on the Quinn Hughes Drama

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