The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: Nate Thompson

Episode Date: June 25, 2025

Jeff Marek is joined by former NHLer Nate Thompson to dig into all the latest buzz around the league, what the Edmonton Oilers need to do next, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and much more...Shout 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. 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 trains 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. You, I don't know what you and you and, uh, Julie Stewart Banks, like it's like the energy line, 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, to, 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 the goaltending situation with the Edmundson Oilers. Before we get there, I mean, listen, you play it against some of these guys. Hall of Fame class, Chara, Keith, McGillinney,

Thornton, Boderil, Decker, Parker, Sauvageau, like some heavyweight names here. Who pops for you and why is it Zidane Ochara? Actually it's Alexander McGilney. Oh yeah? Yeah I mean it's it's it's been way too long. I think it was we've been talking about it every year. Yes. Alexander McGilney needs to be on the class, needs to be in the next Hall of Fame class and finally he gets in But I think everyone else is it to me. It's not a surprise. I'm looking at right now Chara Obviously a shoe in you know Thornton Duncan Keith to I mean what he did in Chicago and his whole career and just the Norris

Is everything I mean just incredible and then you know, the females like Jen Botterill lover Awesome. Awesome. Just so just you know, Jack Parker. I mean, just so many. I mean, this is this is a great, great class brand. I mean, you named all of them, but just a fantastic Hall of Fame class and feel feel a little bit older now that I know, you know, I'm playing, I'm playing against all these guys. Yeah, wait, wait, no, it means a good older Dude, listen, and it happens to me every year, because I do a lot, 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 you're at your hip starts to hurt

and that's when you really start like oh no like Eric Bolton's son is playing with the London Knights I'm like oh, Oh my God, they 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. 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 my experience with him Yeah, he was a great teammate funny guy funny guy in the room What was what was one of the first times in my watch the only time my whole career where I actually had n Dot Thompson on my jersey because I played with Brent Thompson, so

Just a great great, funny guy. Couldn't, couldn't pronounce anyone's names, but just an awesome guy. That's all right. And it's fine. No problem with that. So there used to be a guy on the first intermission who made a career out of that one. So don't worry about it. And we all love them for it.

Um, let me ask you about it. I had this, um, 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 that's just dedicated to, wait for it, Hall of Fame games. The games that are like really important 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 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, Mario Lemieux against the Boston Bruins, and here's Lemieux and whatever he does to Ray Bork. Like things that really moved the game forward, or became like so iconic, 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 is it any game? It could be regular season. It can be playoffs or does it have to be playoffs? No, no, no, doesn't have to. Doesn't even, first of all, doesn't have to be NHL. Right? Like we could be talking about 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, 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. Yeah. Hall of Fame game, right?

That was a Hall of Fame game. And the first 10 minutes of that game is Hall of Fame hockey. That was Hall of Fame game. Yeah. 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. So open, full pretty pop tribe. So I, I, I... You like the idea or no? I like the idea, Merrick, I do. I do like the idea because we, we, we, we grab onto 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, you know, Darrell, Darrell Sittler's 10 point night against the Boston Bruins, like just moments where, and maybe it's Ovechkin Sunday afternoon against the Allenders. I mean, caps were terrible. Sam Gagne eight points. Sam Gagne against the Hawks ringing up eight points. Let's go.

There's another one. Take that. And yeah, take, 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.

Okay. You mentioned Sam Gagne, a former Edmonton Euler. Um, if you're the Edmonton Oilers right now, like I think of 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 not ready to do it and we understand it. I don't think it's gonna be an eight, it's probably gonna 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 gonna please nobody except for him, Wasserman, and his accountant. But what's the most pressing issue in Edmonton for you? Oh, our goaltending. I think without question that was the biggest difference, I think, for the Edmonton Oilers in that series. I think honestly, and I think without question, that was the biggest difference. I think for the Evans and 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 Surya 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 Elia, 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 the you're gonna get Ilya Sorokin or some and I'm 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? Bombas also makes incredibly comfy underwear and t-shirts,

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

Paul Mary because he looks so different without a beard. Are you just like that? The one guy that I always look at and go like, man, no, that's not you. Like, no, that's not Kyle Paul Mary. But I think the Islanders need to decide who they are and whose timeline are they doing it on and who can complement 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 give, 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, We're not going to lose this game in the second period. We're probably going to 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 kind of how I feel. But even if the Alliners are going in that direction, I would still want to hang on to the goalie. I would still want to go to 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 Shilof was phenomenal here. And I know that Thatcher Demko has had some health issues. 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 that's your Demko, like that level of goaltender we're looking at here. Um, because I believe she loves 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, did now 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 you may be, you might even make the point

that, man, why would you do that? It's through Skinner's a better goaltender than him. Jet Greaves is going to get a spot on that Columbus in that Columbus tandem. Like, Merzlikin's isn't going to go anywhere. I wonder about Daniel Tarasov. Like if you're Columbus, is that a guy that

you're saying Greaves 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 do Oilers, again, it's, but the thing is like, it's a chance. Again, you're taking a chance because I don't

know too many teams that are giving up like legitimate. And are you keeping Skinner if you do that? I think you are. I think you're, I think your tandem is Skinner and whomever else you're bringing in with, you know, with, with, with, with all due respect. I think he are. I think your tandem is Skinner and whomever else you're bringing in with, you know, with all due respect. I think he's the guy you keep here.

Yeah, I agree. No, I agree. I think if they keep... 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, well who knows right? Could or would have, should have, what would have happened we don't know but it's it's it's tough because I think that like for me if I'm one of the I'm I'm probably trading someone in that core I think. Who do you so so... To change things up. In the core, so McDavid, Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Leon Dreisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse,

Matthias Ekholm, Zach Hyman, there's your core. I think Darnell Nurse or Nugent Hopkins. In some, I know that, I know it sounds crazy. No, but if you can, no, 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.

Um, 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, 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, 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, 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 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? 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, 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 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

because Carter George is coming in for the 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. He's really developed in the last few years. So I like him. I like him too. And he battles and yeah, and he wants to be the guy, wants to be in the last few years. So I like him. 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 selling upwards. It's going to 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. Go offense to Eric Portillo. Love him. He's awesome. But I think we all know what we're discussing here. Okay. 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 Rain. What I was told is, and by the way, you 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, no but you got an honest consistent effort out of Sturm every single night. And I would hear the stories about, um, the rain

in, in practice and he would like take the assistant's role and get on the ice after practice. And this is how we get pucks to the front of the net. And this is how we play this hard rim and this, like all these, 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, he, you know, I played with him when I got called up. Uh, 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 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 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 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, guys of that age in the America League, you know, guys can place it very easily. So he was so good at checking in 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 played a long, long time.

And like you said, he was a hard, honest player, hardworking 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 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, McEvoy, you know, they're gonna, 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 was like, was I with Mayday one night and I've known Mayday forever. And we were out one night, I'm like, was there a team? 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 he always wanted to play for, shoot. Well, the first one, 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 and I was in shock and just star struck my first game there when I was a guy who's at Joe Lewis arena so I remember I'm still I'll tell us quick so I'm I'm standing at the red line stretching and I'm staring I don't I'm not even looking at I remember I'm sitting, I'll tell us quick story. I'm standing at the red line stretching and I'm staring. I don't, I'm not even looking at RN. I'm just staring and Billy Garin had to come up and tap me and go, Hey Nate, we got a game. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

Lich Drum and Datsuke and Zetterberg and all these guys. So Detroit's one. The second one would be the New York Rangers. I just 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, I finally got Doug McClain to admit something about them. I always loved the red pants. I always loved the Rangers red pants. And I remember like when Doug McClain was a new general, first general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets,

their uniform 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. Hold on, hold on, hold on. And finally after a few years, like, yeah, we just shut up. Yeah, I stole it from the Rangers. I just love those red pads 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. Maybe we just discovered maybe Nate, you just got a thing for red hockey pants or Breezers as they call them in Minnesota. Breezers. Breezers. Listen, thanks bud. Thanks as they call them in Minnesota. Breezers. Breezers.

Listen, thanks, bud. Thanks for spending some time today. Always appreciate it. Continued success with our mutual friend, JASB, Julie Stewart-Binx. That is an excellent podcast you guys have together. Energy Line is outstanding. Continued success, and welcome officially

to the dark side of hockey. The media side of things. Thanks, pal, you'll do great. Thanks, Eric. Thanks for having me. And always a pleasure seeing you buddy. We'll talk soon. Lost all ambitions day to day Guess I can call it a ride I went to the dark man He tried to give me a little medicine I'm like, nah man, that's fine I'm not against those methods but I knew

It's me and myself and how this gonna be fixing my mind I turned on the record I turned on the music I still wanna break it I turned on the music Wasting up, help out, and get you sometimes losing Helping on the days that went wrong Hockey fans, mark your calendars. The daily Face Off Live free agency special is coming on July 1st at 11am Eastern.

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