The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Ovechkin is BACK and Free Agency Recap ft. Greg Wyshynski, Alan May, and Tarik El-Bashir

Episode Date: July 2, 2026

Alex Ovechkin isn't done yet. On another edition of Marek vs. Wyshynski (MVSW), Jeff Marek and Greg Wyshynski react to the biggest news of the day as the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer officially signs on for another season with the Washington Capitals. The guys discuss what Ovechkin's return means for the Capitals, how much he has left in the tank, his place in hockey history, and what expectations should be for Washington heading into the 2026-27 season after the one-year extension was announced.From there, Jeff and Greg recap everything we've seen since NHL Free Agency opened, handing out their biggest winners and losers while breaking down the smartest signings, biggest overpayments, surprise moves, and the teams that made the strongest pushes this offseason. They also dive into the latest trades from around the NHL, discuss which contenders have improved the most, which clubs still have work to do, and what major moves could still be on the horizon as the offseason continues. If you're looking for expert NHL Free Agency analysis, trade breakdowns, and reaction to the biggest stories around the league, this is the episode for you.#TheSheet #MVSW #NHL #NHLFreeAgency #Hockey #PhiladelphiaFlyers #DanVladar #JeffMarek #GregWyshynskiSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Canadian Blood Services: https://www.blood.ca/Reach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!#NHL #TheSheet #JeffMarek #DavidPagnotta #TorontoMapleLeafs #LeafsForever #JosephWoll #SamuelErsson #EmilAndrae #PhiladelphiaFlyers #VegasGoldenKnights #JohnTortorella #CHL #DanMacKenzie #MemorialCup #HockeyReach 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.

Well, welcome to Ovechkin Day on the sheet. Jeff Merrick alongside the Taco Hat wearing Greg Wischinski, who I just read a number of pieces that you wrote about the Washington Capitals and an interview with general manager Chris Patrick and Washington had a wonderful free agency day. They've made some moves in advance of July 1st. And we're all wondering what happens with Alex Ovechkin. And the news of the day is he is Capital Be Back.

And before we get to comment, We let's just throw up his card here, courtesy of our partners I like to add here at Puckpedia. This is what Ovechkin is. I know we're partners with Puckpedia now. This is what Alexander Ovechkin is looking at right now by way of his contract. If Zach can pop that up, it is a cap hits of $4.25 million. It breaks down in an interesting way as well. The base salary is $1 million.

The cap, as you mentioned, $4.25 million. signing bonus 3.2, total salary, 4.2, and it could hit an AV of $9 million. Your thoughts. First of all, apologies to everybody who's watching the stream on the hat. There we go. I know that you guys love to spend some time making fun of my Lego hair. Unfortunately, it's over 100 degrees in New York, and my hair melted. It melted into a plastic puddle this morning, and there is no Lego hair to be seen.

So I wrote about this last night. I talked to Chris Patrick, the Caps G. I had a one-on-one yesterday and published a story last night. It's been interesting to see people reading the tea leaves on all of the things that the capitals have been doing, you know, listen, as far as volume and impact, I don't think anyone's had a better offseason than the capitals, you know, the volume of deals and signings and trades and obviously bringing in guys like tuck and Kyru. And so a lot of people have been looking at that and saying, okay, what does that mean for

Rovetchen, you know? First of all, you look at the roster. They've got 14 forwards under contract right now. Where does he fit? You look at their cap situation. They had just over, I think, just under $5 million in the cap after their spree over the last two weeks. You're like, right, well, how do they fit him in money-wise? So I talked to Patrick last night, and he said exactly what I thought would be the answer,

which is he's over 35. You know, look at you've got any Malkins contract. Look at the contract that Freddie Anderson just signed. Like, there are ways to make this work under the cap that people probably weren't considering when they looked at the cap situation. Now, the only, the bigger issue for me, Merrick, instead of the money, is where he fits. Like, this is a pretty stacked lineup.

And, um, and him coming back means that someone's not going to play in a spot that they probably earned in the lineup. And that's fine. Listen, again, when it comes to earning, Ovechkins probably earned that franchise over a billion dollars in the lifetime of his time in Washington, D.C. And, um, in a spot to call his shot. And so him coming back for maybe a last hurrah is great.

It's great for the game. It's great for the Capitol's bottom line. It's great for Capitol's fans. Great for hockey fans. It's maybe not the greatest thing for the current incarnation of the Capitals if we're being honest. But they're obviously never going to say that. And they're obviously going to be happy that he's back. They are.

My question is about the power play. And I think we all have the question. Well, hang on. Before we get there, there were a lot of people that wondered, okay, are they bringing in Cairo and Boone Jenner? And Alex talk because they know that Alex Ovechkin is not coming back. Oh, by the way, Caps analyst Alan May. We'll stop by here in a couple of moments. Also, we'll be joined by Terakal Bashir, Washington Capitals reporter.

We're going to go sort of 360 on this one. And we will talk about free agent day. And we will talk about offers sheets. And we will talk about Zach Wrenski and the Dallas Stars and Jason Robertson. It's going to be a packed show. But there are a lot that thought, look what the Washington Capitals are doing right now. Read the tea leaves. That means Alex Ovechkin's not coming back.

I always took the opposite slant, which is this is a cap team that didn't make the playoffs last season. What they're doing is showing Alex Ovechkin that they're stacking the lineup to make sure that they are going to make the playoffs next year. Or give the Washington Capitals the best possible chance to make the playoffs. I'll be really curious to find out if we do find out what the conversations with Ovechkin were like when it came to the discussion of deployment. and how Spencer Carberry plans to use Alex Ovechkin with this, as you mentioned, stacked lineup next season. Like you said, that's a Carberry problem. It's not a Chris Patrick problem. Chris Patrick's problem was trying to figure out a way to get Ovechkin back,

was trying to create a lineup that was going to be enough for him to want to come back. And Chris Patrick's job is done. Now Spencer Carberry, who, by the way, has a really good relationship with Ovechkin. He's actually the only guy from that Capitals Management team that spoke to Ovechkin in the last couple of weeks. I mean, everybody else is kind of giving him his space. Carprey called him after the Kairu trade to kind of just say, hey, say, well, what do you think? OVee was excited. I'll agree with you to a point. I think the major misreading of the last couple of weeks for the capitals is that this was an enticement for Ovechkin. That is the ancillary.

You think it was coming back the whole time? No, no, no. I think they went ahead and did Tuck and Cairo and Jenner and all of these acquisitions. to augment the core that's already there and that they really believe in. And so you have Wilson and you have Dubois and you have Chikrin and you have the prodise and you have Ryan Leonard. Now you're going to have Cole Hudson.

Like there's a lot there beyond Ovechkin. Do they have an OV-level star to bring it all together? Not at the moment. It could come from one of the young players I've just mentioned. But they have a lot there. that can really make some noise in the east. And so the plan was to augment that, not only next season, but for seasons beyond that,

as the young players mature. And then if that was catnip for Ovechkin, great. But it was not the primary reason they did it. The primary reason they did it was for the years after next year. It was for next year and the years after next year. And if Ovechkin is a part of that, great. If not, he goes quietly into retirement, like certain pundits believed he would.

then so be it. So one thing, which is tiny but big and will be towards the end of the schedule. I hope the schedule maker this year, the schedule itself, has the Washington Capitals at home on Game 84. Unlike last season, Game 82 at Nationwide Arena, and we all kind of went, well, I guess he started his career in Columbus. Maybe it makes sense that he wraps it up there too. Let's just make sure that Game 84 is in Washington. Let's just do that. And so what this does essentially is the decision.

coming down now. And by the way, Merrick, I will take full credit for my news story hitting last night. Everybody reading it, Ovechkin, reading it over in Russia. He's like, incentive-laid in contract. Obviously, I must call Chris Patrick. And then it gets done today. You chum the waters and made, you clearly made this one happen. I chummed the waters.

Many people say, I used to be one of the hundred most powerful and influential people in hockey before I pissed off the hockey news. I understand. From John Scott to Alex Ovechkin returning. That's right. He's earning his way into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Well done. But now they have a chance to do the right sendoff.

We talked about this before in the show. I don't think he wants it. I don't think he wants it. Listen, I can see the capitals wanting to do it. I just don't know if Ovechkin himself wants it. I don't know that he wants the Dennis Potfan parade and flowers and gifts before every game on the road. I don't know. I think that depends on whether or not he thinks this is.

is it. Like if he thinks this is it, I think he'll do it. Like, I think there's going to be, you know, Ovechkin trinkets for sale about the last ride and all this other stuff, you know, like, it's going to be that for him if he decides that this is it. If he wants to leave the door open, then it's going to be hard to do it and he's going to wind up doing the same bullshit he did last year, like waving away the penguins at the end of the year to say, no, don't shake my hand. But the reason he didn't want it last year is because he didn't want to do two straight years of having his teammates riding the coattails of his glory. You know, the Gretzky chase was all about him and not the team.

He didn't want it to be another year of all abating about him and not the team. He's talked about that. And so I do think that if, you know, that year of separation between those two ceremonious campaigns for him, I think will be enough. But, you know, the other thing about it, too, though, Merrick, is it may not necessarily be his call. The capitals want to make the last bank they're going to make off this guy next year. Yeah.

he's back for the great fate or whatever they'll call it. I don't know what the hell they'll call it. But like, you know, they want to make their money. They want to sell the t-shirts. Well, can you blame them? No. Like, squeeze every dime. Like, there's the two players that have played, like, there's a maximum you can sign for in the

NHL. Like, this is a triple cap salary league. The most you can sign for is 20%. And the two players going back to the lockout of 0405 that you can look at and said, you know what, given what they meant to their franchises financially, should have taken the 20%. And even that wouldn't have been. been enough. And you make the argument that by way of the CBA, it made both Alex Ovechkin and

Sidney Crosby the lowest paid players in the history of the game based on how much they earned for their organizations. You remember, like we talk so much about what Crosby meant for the Pittsburgh Penguins. And look, this thing was getting sold. It was dead. The whole deal. You remember what it was like in D.C. before Ovechkin? I do. I covered Ovechkin's rookie year. He took what was a hole in the ground in a bad part of D.C. And he helped transform it into a giant entertainment district, a great arena, and a fan base that went from being sporadic and disinterested to being one of the most passionate fan bases in the NHL. And one that honestly, at a certain point in its history,

was probably larger and more than Gage than there was for Washington football, which is saying something. Let's get to Alan May. Washington Capitals analyst, former NHEL and one of our favorites. Alan May stopping by the program to talk about the return, Alan of the Great Aid. First of all, great to see you again. And second of all, was this one a surprise for you? Like we are all, as Greg says, reading tea leaves all the way.

Okay, what does this mean? Okay, he made this gesture towards the Pittsburgh Penguins. Oh, they're doing the last game at Nationwide. The schedule maker knows something. Maybe he's got like, how did you feel about this one the last little while? He was coming back the entire time. And, you know, the funny thing with all the people and the people around the team, you know, I was out with some of the guys the other day. And they're, oh, he's got to come back for 20 million.

They've got to leave. I said, have you not seen how much the guy loves winning and loves being around? And he wants to go out. And last year, he was started out slow, but he was going to do whatever it took. So what was that, was it a 975,000 or a million? You know, I was driving while I was trying to read the contract. But, you know, he came back. Yeah. Sorry, go ahead.

Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. If, yeah, the contract breaks down in any unique way, the base salary is $1 million. One million. Yeah. So I was wrong because I kept telling my buddies it's going to be $88,88,88. Well, he's not crossby. No, but you know what? But you think of it. You know, all you guys have these plans, I'm throwing you in their wish with all of this stuff with, well, he's got to have the fanfare. He's got to do this. You know what? And you were right.

He didn't like, you know, the teammates always had to talk about the great chase, but the guy loves the game. He's still four and a half, maybe five years old when he's in the hockey environment. He's so happy. He loves playing in front of his children. Wasn't a great season last year for the Washington Capitals. And he wants to go out swinging. So whether it's just one more or another one after that, you know, they were able to load up the team.

And I was maintained with my buddies the entire time and some of my broadcast buddies, guys, he's coming back and he's going to let the team sign people. And they're going to try to build this team because there were a lot of holes in it. When you looked out on a nightly basis last year, they needed to improve in certain areas. And we knew that we couldn't afford to bring John Carlson back. And, you know, it was just a matter of making sure all the dust settled and all the contracts. And then there you are. So I'm happy.

Now I don't have to answer that question every single day on every, you know, on the hour. and continue. And if you look through my phone and I just put Ovi in there, you'd go, I'm stuck with it the whole time. He's coming back. I thought he was coming back too just based on what he said at the end of the season.

I mean, he literally said, I don't think that the game in Columbus is going to be the finale of my career. And he talked about it. I was kids wanted to come back. I mean, when I've talked to the team, there was a bit more of like a little bit of wiggle room as far as,

okay, we want to see what he wants to do. So I am curious, Alan, like, when Chris Patrick and McClellan knew definitively how much money they had to work with with regards to Ovechkin. Like, do they do July 1st knowing, okay, we've got to keep $4 million plus open for OV? Do they do all these deals and go back to OV and be like, here's what's available to you? Like, I am curious about the chicken to the egg of that. Hey, did they ruin our lives for a little while and buy cat friendly? Like, they know what?

Hey, this organization, believe me, they've been nailing all of these trades and all of the free agency the last couple of years. And it coincides with that and looking at players out there. You know, I don't know why I listen to certain radio stations, but I get so mad at some of the hot takes. And I think it's just ignorance on some people on how they talk about what guys are getting paid. Yesterday, the going rate for a journeyman defenseman was $4 million. dollars and is all across the border and then if you take a guy that can play center and left wing i just heard someone complaining about boon jenner's contract well i was at you know on the side of the road saying i want boon jenner and you know they they paid what they paid for them the salary

cap always goes up and i've got a friend that he just goes crazy on signings i've said once again it's not your money there is no salary cap with a wealthy owner that wants to win and you look at a lot of teams how they operate out there but they don't own cap friendly and the brains behind it. And you find a way to make everything work and the salary cap will continue to go up. Didn't we just have the best ratings ever in the Stanley Cup playoffs? Thank you. With two non-giant market teams.

You look at it. So I love hearing that because I don't like when the reporters say, well, they got to have New York and they got to have L.A., they got to have Chicago. I'm so happy none of those teams were in it. And it went the way they did. And it was an exciting final two. It was great hockey and it was exciting all the way. Absolutely.

But, you know, so the caps, they knew what they wanted to do. They had a plan. And this is a Stanley Cup roster now. You know, a week ago, I'm telling people, hey, if we don't make some nice changes and ad, well, I'll say two weeks ago, because before Tuck and Cairo and those editions, I said, guys, we're not going to make the playoffs next year. It just faced facts. If we could make it with this team, John Carlson's gone, who was our best defender. It's not, it ain't happening.

and they're not growing John Carlson on trees. So you look at it, all of a sudden, they're a Stanley Cup quality team. And that roster, you stay healthy. You know, we've got an excellent coaching staff. This is the team that's going to be primed to play. Do you, I want to ask you what this means, not just for the Washington Capitals playoff aspirations,

the Cups already in the Metropolitan Division, but, like, what does this mean to you from the NHL's point of view? I mean, it might be like an obvious, like, you know, here's a, here's a, a bell. tie fastball for you, Alan. Take it out of the park. But like, there's an NHL sidebar issue to this as well. I'm sure everybody

in the offices in New York are going, thank God he's at least coming back for one more year. Yeah, well, they love it. You know, he and Crosby have been so great for the game. And I absolutely love both of these players. I'm still on the corner that says, Sidney

Crosby is still the best all-round center in the National Hockey League. You know, the compete just doesn't go away. but I look at everything and I think that you definitely have a great moment for the team to seize upon all season long. I think one of the interesting things about the last couple of weeks for Washington is that, you know, beyond the abetch of it all,

is the endorsement of the organization by two guys, by Alex Tuck and by Jordan Kairu. So Kairu has full trade protection. There are things that didn't happen for him in the last couple of years, either because he could have vetoed it or, you know, the price tag wasn't there or whatever. But, you know, he was with the blues until the capitals got him. And then in Tuck's case, he's the bell of the ball. He's the top free agent forward on the market.

He could have written his ticket for a half dozen teams. And, you know, it ends up being the capitals. And so I think that's a combination of two things. I think it's a combination of the organization has a really good reputation around the league about how they treat people and Ted being great and all this other stuff. But I think there's a Spencer Carb. every effect here that maybe there aren't enough people talking about. Like, think about what he did for Dubois and think about what he did for Chikrin.

And think about what he did for a lot of the guys that have come to this team, that all of a sudden are back to where they should be or maybe playing even better. And I think, you know, as you know, guys talk. And I think Spencer's got a real reputation around the league as much like John Cooper before him, the guy that you want to play for. Yeah, I'm with you on that. And I look back a couple of years ago, they nailed free agency in the trades, and I couldn't believe what was happening. And, you know, we got Chickren for essentially Nick Jensen. And Nick had struggled. And Chickren had been a guy that the caps had been after for quite a while.

But he came in here and did good things. He's prone to make the big mistake here and there. But, you know, the thing I love about Spencer is he's focusing on the positives with players and builds them up. And, you know, it's finding the way to mix players together. And, you know, those post-game videos, there's a method to the madness. And when he's out there presenting milestones to the players and, you know, a lot of coaches don't, you know, they'll say, I didn't even know it was his, you know, 1,500th game. Let's throw a little jab there.

But the, you know, I can't help it. I can't help it. And so you look, but, you know, he knows all these things. You know, he's a, he is a game, he is a game notes guy. And you know what? He honors the players in the room and the players see that. You look at everyone now.

They've got the tunnel camera. The capitals have been doing that stuff for years and the coach hasn't rained down on it. So there's a great healthy vibe around the team of happiness. And I think a lot of that had to do with Alexander Ovechkin, John Carlson, Nick Baxter, and then the goat of it all, T.J. Oshy, how fun these guys are. And so you bring that.

Everyone wants to be in a great environment. And, you know, they don't get beat up by the media in D.C. They don't get beat up with their, you know, the blog is spear. And, you know, wish you'll throw the odd swight, but I know that deep down he secretly loves the capitals more than he loves the devils. And so it's a great vibe. And, you know, two years ago, every one of those free agents and the guys they traded for, every guy had a career year and either points, assists, or goals.

So those are things that I continue to expector. There's going to be a lot of guys want to eat now, though. there's what, 11 guys have scored 20 plus. But when you get on a team and if you can come up rolling and stay healthy, all of a sudden, you know, that mind power that goes into effect and you just keep building on it and building on it. Granted, they've got to play the games and prove that they can do it on the ice. But, you know, there's great synergy between the players and the coaching staff.

I just want to mention. So I have an affinity for the franchise. Obviously, there's a lot of people that I like there right now. But, you know, Ted was the first guy to open up his press box to bloggers. And there's something I'll never forget about that. Like my first time covering an NHL game. Ted's take as well. Yeah, it was because Ted Leonis wasn't getting coverage from the local media and he let me sit next to a guy named Homer McFanboy, literally Homer McFanboy.

And watch the game from the press box. And then the second thing I'll say is that, you know, like I remember talking to older journalists when I first got broke in. And they talk about having the chance to cover Michael Jordan's career. Like, what an amazing thing. Like, from the cradle to the grave, Michael Jordan. Like, I'm cradle to the grave with Ovechkin. Like, I covered him when he was a rookie. And now, like, 21, 22 years later, you know, he's leading the NHL in goals all time.

He's, you know, coming back for another ride, probably maybe his last one. Like, it's crazy to think that I had the honor of watching this guy's career for a lot of it in person. and it's kind of like I never thought I'd get a chance to do that with an athlete. So it's been pretty cool. Hey, I'm with you. I tell people all the time, they go, while you get the greatest job, he said, I haven't worked in years and years. I said, basically my entire adult life, I haven't had a job.

And I go, I'm hockey obsessed. I've been obsessed. And, you know, the greatest thing about getting on the Internet back in the 90s for me was I could read about hockey teams at every level from, you know, the Central League, the Western professional hockey league, every junior league. I'd spend every morning at 5 a.m. I was reading about hockey. And I look at it.

I love the game so much. I got blogs and podcasts that, you know, I go over every day. I'm addicted to it. And I look at this. And, you know, Ovi, this is a great one. After he got his hat trick in Chicago, I'm on the flight. And, you know, he came off the ice through the dress room. They had this celebration.

He came in and he walked right. up to me we did an interview and I had to close it out because he was starting to get choked up. I started getting choked up. I'm a pretty emotional guy. And we get on the plane, you know, an hour and a half later. We're flying back. He comes and sits with me and cracks me a beer. And I'm thinking, oh my God, I watched this insane event inside, you know, this Blackhawks game. And I called it on the radio with John Walton because it was a national game. And I go, this is amazing. This is absolutely incredible that I grew up watching Wayne Gretz. He's a season ticket holder.

You know, it was on the same team as him for like a cup of coffee. And I go, here I am with Alexander Rovetskin. And I said, this is absolutely amazing. And he's thanking me for being part of his journey. So I feel you wish. It's so great to be around all of this. And to get to know Ovi more and more as the year goes by, you know, from this crazy young teenage kid to now, you know,

the dad that's always skating with his boys and fist bumps. on the glass. It gets me every time. It gets me every time. I absolutely love everything about this. And I used to say, I started to say this about eight years ago, you know, he might be out a game or so I go, this is what it's going to look like when he's not around, guys. That's not going to be fun. And thankfully, here we are all these years later, and we're still continuing to do it. And next summer, I'm going to fly to Russia. I'm going to bring two bikes with me, stationary bikes. I'm going to ride the bike with O every day for an hour in the morning, an hour at night. and we're coming back and he's playing another season.

All right. We've already started the campaign now. What a great way to end it. Listen, I know you hustled back to do this one for us at the last minute is the newsbook. We really appreciate it, Alan. We appreciate you. And listen, it's an exciting day, not just around Washington, but around the NHL as well. Thanks for popping on to share it with us today.

We appreciate it. Yeah, thanks for having me, guys. It's been a great weekend. Yesterday was probably the best free agency and trade day ever. I couldn't believe all the things going. down. So thanks for having me. And I think we're going to almost officially start summer now. Close.

There's still a few more sort of dangling. I think Washington's probably done. There's a guy in Dallas that's got to figure himself out. And then we can probably go on. Yeah. There's that guy and there's a goalie in Winnipeg. And there might be a defenseman in Columbus. We'll see what happens.

We'll see. But anyway, thanks for sharing your day with us today. We appreciate it. Alan May. All right. See you guys. Analyst for the Washington Capitals. You know, one thing on broadcaster is quick, too.

I think it does matter. I think athletes, maybe they think about this towards the end of their career, whose voice they have attached to their moments. I think it matters to guys. Like, you know, one of the things, this is sacrilege in my country. The 1972 goal, the Foster Hewitt call, Henderson takes a while and stop it. It's terrible.

It's an awful call. And, you know, I had heard previous, you know, Paul Henderson was like, it's Foster Hewitt, but like, the call is awful. Like, it's a, it's a terrible call that, like, I think guys really want big name. Like, Ben and Addy's elite. Like, he's called so much of Alex Ovetchen's crew. I think that matters to guys. Because all those highlights that are going to get shown, it's going to be this voice that's attached to it.

And maybe you don't think about it when you're starting, but you sure do by the, you sure do by the end. we haven't hit our wrestling reference quota in quite a while Merrick so I'll go ahead What do you got? Okay, Jim Ross and Helm the Cell? Jim Ross. Yeah, Jim Ross is the greatest example of that.

Like, wrestlers would request, like Jim Ross wouldn't be working the event and the wrestlers would request I want Jim Ross to call my match because they know inherently that when they look back at the highlight or when people look back on it,

watch it on YouTube, they want Jim Ross to be the by God guy during big moments of that match. And it's just, you know, I've never thought about that in the context of athletes. I'm sure there's probably some. I mean, obviously, the most famous example probably is Muhammad Ali and Howard Kosell, right?

Like there's a kinship there. Yes. But yeah, I do wonder if like, you know, we had like Doc Emmerich on the stick or Gary Thor on the stick. If there was an idea of like, I want this guy clawing my goal. It's an interesting thought. Okay, so we're going to pick up this conversation about Alex Ovecichkin in the Washington Capitals in about 20 minutes.

Tarek Albaeshire joins us. So now for the next 20 minutes, it will be an, Vetchkin free zone because we've got a lot to do. There's a lot from yesterday. So many different entry points here. You mentioned a couple of seconds ago, Jason Robertson, if you want to start with that situation, that's cool. I'm still of the belief that both sides are locked in to their number. And despite the fact that many looked at the Maverick Bork deal to Nashville and the attachment of Ilya Lubbushkin's contract to it, that that was Dallas throwing, waving the white towel and throwing it in and saying that's it.

We're just going to give him what he wants and call it a day. I'm not so sure about that. This one to me still feels like a stalemate between the two sides. This one's tricky to figure out because Jim Nill has a grandfatherly comportment that you want to believe what he says. And what he says is we're trying to sign Jason Robertson. What he did at our number was try to trade Jason Robertson. So, I mean, like, those things don't, you know, one of these things is not like the other. And I, yeah, I understand it's at their number.

And I understand he's trying to work him down. But, I mean, the longer, doesn't it feel like he's going to stay, the longer this goes? No. You don't think so? It doesn't. It doesn't. And I'm prepared to be wrong as soon as the show goes off the air. But it doesn't feel that way to me.

And, like, I know that there are players that have called Jason, like, Dallas Stars players that have called Jason Robertson to say, what are you? you doing? 12 million is an incredible number. You're in Texas. You're not going to like 12 million anywhere else outside of no tax states is going to be a ton of dough. Like, you know, 12 in Texas is what in Ontario? Like this is a good number and we win and we're a good team and we still have some holes to fill here. What are you doing? Like the people that I talk to have kind of said like there is this feeling that they thought this would all be done by now, that this would all be wrapped up.

And I don't think that the, I actually feel the longer it goes, the more they may just say, get what you can get, or let them go to ARB. Let them go to ARB. I mean, the possibility is there. Like there's,

there's an, put it this way, there's an anger there. Like, there's an anger and a frustration there around Jason Robertson. And listen, I'm sure there is from his camp, because I'm sure he's looking at this and saying like,

I deserve 14. Look at all the goals. Measure up my goals against anybody else's. Look at the salary cap going up. So I think that both sides are probably frustrated. I think it's probably also just like, we talked on the show before about the way he used to play and then the way he played this year.

And he looked like a better different player this year. Like he committed himself to off-season training. He went to the dirty parts of the ice and made plays. He was awesome in the playoffs. He was already to be the best player in the playoffs. And so you do all this. that and then you still get nickeled and dined by the team that you're trying to stay with. You're just like, that's kind of insulting, I think, in some ways.

I'm team. They find a way to make it work. I don't know what the contract term will be. I don't know. Maybe it's arbitration. But I'm right now, I am leaning Jason Robertson as a Dallas star when the season begins. That's where I'm leaning. What did you make of the Maverick Bork deal?

Now, the teams, just we have it all out on the show here, the teams that have either, you know, checked in or. or made serious offers. I believe earlier on this year, Montreal stepped up. I want to say that was like in December at some point. The Pittsburgh Penguins, there were conversations. There were conversations, I believe, with Ottawa as well. And I had heard some stuff going back to last Friday at the draft that there was, that could have been something with the Boston Bruins.

They obviously went the way of J.J. Paturca, but there could have been something there with the bees. What do you make of this? Oh, Philadelphia, too. We should point out. Philadelphia was definitely on Maverick Bork. And we had heard like a first and a third or a first and a second. And again, they attached the Lubbushkin contract to make things a little more fluid in Dallas.

You understand why coming back the other way was less than what we thought Maverick Bork would end up going for. Anyway, your thoughts on the Maverick Bork side of all this. Yeah. I mean, I think you're talking around the offer sheet of it all. which is something I don't think that Dallas wanted to dabble in. Can I jump in on two things there? One, yes, that's a complete legitimate threat. I think the other thing is I think they look at what Logan Stankovin signed for

with the Carolina Hurricanes and said, if our guys near that, we can't afford it. We can't do both. You know what's amazing though, dude? Like think back two, three years. And they have Stankovin, Bork, and Wyatt Johnston. And like all three of those guys are just like, those are the new triplets. You know, that's your new Pilat, Tyler Johnson, Kuturoff, right? Like, those guys are going to be the ones that are going to be there forever.

And now two of them are gone. Like, Johnson's obviously ingrained in that organization, but like two of them are gone. And I never thought that'd be the case. I thought those guys were going to be the, you know, when, you know, when, you know, Jamie Ben finally comes to collect his cup, it was going to be on the strength of how those kinds of guys play for the organization. And now two of them are elsewhere. And one of them won a cup somewhere else, which is kind of crazy.

I think getting the money off the cap with Lubbushkin was the real key, and obviously the fear of an offer sheet was probably the other part of this too. But let's be honest. I mean, like, you know, figuring out this Robertson thing whether or not he stays or whether or not you trade him is paramount because they've had a pretty bad offseason so far, Dallas, haven't they? I think they feel frozen. I really think that they feel frozen.

I want to get to Anaheim who are frozen right now for different reasons, but I really do think that they feel frozen right now. And that Jim Nill kind of in a way, and we'll get into Werenski here in a second, kind of feels handcuffed with what he can do. Not that it's like the Robertson situation is completely sabotaged or submarine the off season, but I'm sure there's a part of Jim Nell that's like,

this has killed our off season. You have to, you've got to get your business done in order to do other business. Remember when Tulski traded Rantan into Dallas? And he was like, there was like four or five things we wanted to do with the deadline, but we couldn't because we were putting all energy into figuring out this extension for him.

Yeah. Like one thing has to happen for other. things to happen. And unfortunately for Dallas, that thing lingers. There were two that year because there was the, the, the rant and it was also Wyatt Johnson that happened on the day that the trade happened, that that extension came out too. Okay, I mentioned Anaheim and when it comes to offer sheets. I think it's interesting because we look at the Anaheim ducks right now and say, and I want to get to the Maple Leafs and everything at the day, because Washington had a great day yesterday and had a great week. I want to get to the

Maple Leafs. But Anaheim right now has like three defensemen under contract right now. And I think that one of the things, Elliot mentioned this in a tweet earlier today. And I mentioned it on our special yesterday covering free agency that there is a belief out there from a number of agents and a lot of people in Sweden specifically who believe that there are teams prepared to offer sheet Leo Carlson. And the strategy is, I've always wondered this about offer sheets wish.

And we just saw one, New Jersey and Utah. I've always wondered why if you want to offer sheet a player, you don't wait till late in the season when teams have already done business and then you can really get them up against a cap and really force them into a corner. Now, you understand from the player's point of view, they want to know where they're going,

and they want to know whether they're staying or whether they're going, they've got to set everything up and the kids and the school and all these types of things. So I get that. But from a strategic point of view, and I don't know, like I always assume that Carolina has an offer sheet in waiting.

I always assume Carolina. Until I'm proven wrong, we just saw with K. Andre Miller in the threat of offer sheets, et cetera. I just assume that Carolina would be one of those teams. Someone had mentioned to me about a month ago, don't be surprised if St. Louis does this. Now they don't have the space

after making all their moves to do it. But I'm sure there are other teams out there as well. But to make of Anaheim. It's such a dumb league. St. Louis is going to do it. Oh, go, go, because they just hired a Swede. No, I think it's more because Armstrong is the last guy to offer sheet and got to and stole two players from the other ones. They're the offer sheet team and now they're being run by a Swede.

So obviously they're going to go after Leo Carlson. The rumors do come out of Sweden, by the way. Here's my hot take. Like, wouldn't you throw, I'm not saying you throw the Caprice off contract. but you kind of get close to it. Yes, you, what do you, what do you, what do you mean you don't throw the capris? Yes, you do throw the caprizo. But that contract is insane.

Like, it's an in contract. But, like, Leo Carlson is the kind of quality number one center. Yes. That you tank your season to find in the draft. Correct. And now he could be available to you for four first rounders. if the price is right. Listen, the ducks have said they're going to match.

I say put your money where your mouth is. Someone should step up and try to get them because I think the getting is there. I think, again, to your point, if you are going, it has to be a monster. Oh my God, this just reset everything. Like that's one of the things that someone said to me about the Jason Robertson situation and 14 million versus 12, et cetera.

Someone said to me, and it's an interesting point, I could understand that if Jason Robertson was saying 17.1, because I'm going to do this for everybody else. I'm going to push this thing forward a little bit. I'm going to set a new standard or a new bar for everybody, but he's not doing that. But if you're going to get like a Leo Carlson, 100% it's Caprizz off territory. 100% it is. At the worst case scenario is you don't get him. And then you look good.

You look good. Here's a thing GMs have to know. Like fans appreciate the effort. Thank you. Right. Like, if you're Steve Iserman and everyone's on your ass. Yes. About the I'ser plan being a joke.

Embrace the job. Like go out and try to go get that guy. And I guarantee you at the very least, the fans are going to be like, well, you took your shot and at least you did that. Yes. Correct. And then the best case scenario is you get Leo Carlson. It's a win-win. I know.

It's a win-win for these guys. I always hated the, well, it's never going to work, so I'm not going to do it. You know what? one of the things that Tulski always talks about is I'm not going to stop working until we have 23 of the best players in the NHL, the 23 best players in the NHL. Until we have that, I'm going to keep working. There's no like, ah, we're not going to be able to get that guy. No, like, part of the job is trying to get all of those guys.

Now, like, eh, you know what? We're not going to get him. I'm going fishing with Kenny. Like, no, you're not going to fishing with Kenny. You're going to try to get as many great players on your team as possible. I'm glad you said that because fan bases really do appreciate it. We try to get this guy. They like execution better, but they appreciate the effort, right?

Now, listen, I already Pelican briefed the Carolina Hurricanes once this off season to explain to you why I thought they might be able to get Connor Hellabuck. Let's just say that they don't. Let's just say, I know there's a lot of speculation that they still will, and they might be the last. team standing to try to get him. It seems like it's them in Buffalo. So let's say this. Let's say this. Do you think, Merrick?

No. But there's a chance that they could cook up a trade for one Eric Carlson on the right side of their defense. That Carolina could. Flip Pittsburgh, Nucution, half retention, get Carlson down to $5 million for next season. Put him on the right side. side. What do you think about that?

I think it's very possible. Why not? Of course. And these are two like-minded general managers that understand where each team is at in their winning cycle. Yeah.

So they whiffed on John Carlson. I could totally see that. And they go for Eric Carlson. One with the C, one with the K. Yes. I always had the Carlson's mixed up here, folks. Yeah, sorry. Again, trying to get the best possible players

at all times. Best Carlson available. I don't want to, I don't want, I don't want us to run it. I know we got to get to the Leafs and all the stuff they did, but like I don't want to run out of time on Werenski. Oh, don't worry. I'm with you on Wrenski.

This is amazing. I mean, first of all, first of all, first of all, again, putting on my Fox Molder suit for a second. Fox,

are what you're trying to tell me is? That's got to be Waddell and Columbus leaking that, right? Leaking the fact that he vetoed the trade. Because now it's Then you've started Operation, we're going to make this guy look like an asshole to the fans. And what we saw yesterday with those dual statements from Don Waddell and Zach Werenski

was an effort to bring down the heat as much as they could on a situation that had gotten out of hand for the player. Yes, yes. And the organization, too. And the organization, but mostly the player. I mean, listen, do you not think that him, his wife was inundated with messages? from people in the community, in her friend group, from the wives and girlfriends of players. Yeah, you're leaving.

This is a situation where it became nuclear, zero to 60, like real fast and nasty and contentious. And Werenski ended up looking like a bad guy because he's the one indicating he's not going to stay. And then they come up with a real good landing place for him. And he's like, no, I'm good. And so now that information comes out, and now he looks like a giant asshole. And now those two statements come out late yesterday to say, he loves it in Columbus.

What were we even talking about? He is all about it. He paints his face for Ohio State games. He's got a poster of Rick Nash on his wall. Like, he is all about the blue jackets. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's because these players, it's the reason why this summer has been so fun is because usually these guys don't put their business on Maine like this.

And this is the first time a lot of them have. And they're not built for it. Like, Werensky's not built for this. Werencky is not built to have. A lot of hockey players. The entire hockey world. Hockey players are not used to it. Well, you saw in his statement.

Oh, that's just like, yeah. Things got blown out of proportion or exactly, I can't remember the exact words that he used, but he sort of referenced that this thing just sort of exploded when it shouldn't have. No, this is what happens in other sports. It just come into hockey. It's what happens to other sports. But it doesn't happen a lot in hockey.

And in fact, in the moves that we've seen. scene like the Brady Kachuk thing didn't leak it just it just happened we knew it was it we knew the possibility of it happening was there but it certainly wasn't like the the Elliott tweet and then 10 minutes so press release comes out like it like like like it was you know it was one of those things and so I really think again to be conspiratorial the blue jackets put this out to let everybody know this guy vetoed a trade he doesn't want to be here anymore but he also doesn't want us to facilitate a trade to a good landing spot spot in a content And then things get real wild.

The speculation gets out of control. Now he's getting inundated with texts from friends being like, are you really coming to Toronto? And he hates it. He hates it. And then we get statements yesterday and the whole thing's put to bed for a while. For a while. Until everything calms down to later on the summer and then very quietly.

It happens. Because he did say he loves Columbus. I understand that. I understand it. I get it. It's a very smart statement put out by him. The thing that he didn't indicate was would he stay past his contract? No, he did not say that.

So let's just say, for now, nice bit of business for him to calm everybody down and give fans something to point to when they say, look, Berensky wants out. No, he put in his statement. He loves it here. Again, like I talked to a number of. I talked in a number of places yesterday about do you think this thing is that? And overwhelmingly everybody said no.

It just needs to be quiet for a while. It needs to be quiet for a while. But I mean, at least one place has moved on. Like Tampa makes that John Carlson deal. Tampa's moved on. And that's where he wants to go. So again, what's interesting about both. Hang on.

What did surprise you if it was Dallas at the end of it? Again, Dallas. Yes. Wouldn't surprise me. He's like, I don't want to go there. Wouldn't surprise me? He clearly doesn't want to go to Dallas. He'd be there now.

I don't know. I don't think it's done. I don't think that's done. I still think it's possible. I really do. The interesting thing about both of our current conundrums from Team USA, Connor Hullabuck and Zach Warenke, is that both of them, if we're to believe that Hello Buck has indicated that he'd like a change in scenery, which we are going on the premise

that he has versus it being as concretely. Creed is Worensky. Both of them are swinging the hammer while they still have it. They both have full no movement clauses this summer. Next summer, they both have 10-team trade lists. And so there is a waiting game that could be played with both. We talked about it in the last episode. Obviously, oh, we should mention, we should talk about that actually.

Do you think, because you were like, he can't come back? Do you think that what happened yesterday facilitates him being able to come back without toxicity that could have existed? No, no, no. Werensky. Do you think the statement defuse the situation to the point where he's not going to get booed on opening night? I don't think he'll get... Jeez, I shouldn't even say that. Tough call.

I mean, I can't climb into the mind of the Jackets fan. Yeah, I don't, because I don't want to say something just sort of frivolously here without really thinking about that one. I don't think that he'll be booed, but I think that there'll be an undercurrent amongst the fans of we're happy you're here but for how like that's going to be part of it now it's like I remember

Kelly Rudy told me once he said the first time you think of the word retirement part of you retires right and I think when there's a situation like what Zach Wrenski goes through and it got as public as it is I think it would be natural for that

fan base to always have that in the back of their mind So I don't think he'll get booed. I just don't think it'll be a raucous ovation for him. Because I think in the back of Blue Jackets fans, because let's not forget, this is a fan base that's been false started how many times? Like, they've seen this movie before.

This is not new to Columbus fans. And it sucks, man. I feel bad for Columbus fans. I want this team to be good. Just like forever. I always talk about how much I want Buffalo Sabres to be good. Finally, good team.

They'll be consistently good for a long time. I feel the same way about Columbus fans. So I think even having gone through what we just went through in the last little while, the Renski, I think Blue Jackets fans are going to be like, okay, you're going to be the next one. Yeah. There's going to be that element in the back of their minds. But I think he said in the last episode, last time we talked, like,

this is why GM's got to put this stuff out in the world. Like, there's now a chance the Blue Jackets will have the raining Norris trophy winner in their lineup on opening night. And that wasn't the case. last week until it was not 100% And the heat got turned out It's not 100% But it's at least possible now

It is possible And it wasn't possible before we all learned that That the Thomas Harley For Zach Werensky trade Which I think it was one for one, right? Do you think it was one for one? Yes, and the reason I believe so is I think That Columbus wants a defenseman under contract for a long time

Like they want someone like a number one A number one pairing defenseman with term That's why I think this thing is one for one I heard it was one for one, too, but we'll let that. We'll let history decide on that one. So, again, I think what was done yesterday, and good, good job, by the way, shout out Jud Moldaver, his agent, who I'm sure helped facilitate what I assume was a beer summit between Don Waddell and Zach Wrenski, just like Obama had at the White House. Good job. All parties put the PR spin out there, trying to diffuse the situation.

And maybe now we can get back to the business of figuring out how to keep Zach Werensky and Columbus by building. a winner. I just, yeah, there's, listen, you know what, and the worst possible thing was we just talked about offer sheets and Leo Carlson, there's an Adam Fantilli right there too. Oh, sure. But let's park that for a second. Let's get back to a Vetchkin talk here, Tariq al-Bashir, Washington Capitals reporter, longtime Washington Capitals reporter, going back to his dates with the Washington Post

where I first met him, Tarak Al-Bash, I know, I know, I was, he was there when I had my first hit on Hockey Night in Canada, would have been 2000, I want to say seven, and right before I went I'm letting Tark's like, you got this man, you got this. And it was one of the coolest moments of my life. The great Tariq Alba sure joins us now. Yes, Greg, you want to take a shot at me? I'm sure the first time, I'm sure the first time Tark and I met was probably in the press box at a Centerville football. Somewhere in Northern Virginia.

Circa in 1999 or so, yeah. Yeah. We're making football together in Northern Virginia. So it smiles around Washington. Alexander Ovechkin returns. We've gone over the contract. We talked to Alan May before you came on. It's a, I know Vetchkin Day here on the sheet.

But, you know, why did you sort of, you know, color a few things in for us here? And one, I'll just start with an opinion question. Did you think this was where this was going to end up? Or, I mean, I just kind of threw my hands up and said, bluntly, I don't know. But, like, did you have an indication? Did you think? Did you feel your spidey sense was what? Yeah, yeah, I didn't have any inside information.

But I will say that my spitey sense was starting to kind of kick in there. And I was starting to prepare. pair myself like Ovi was going to come back. You know, in everything I had been saying and writing and putting out there on social media, I kind of just was assuming that he was going to be back. And I'll tell you when it happened. I was working the game against the Penguins for T&T. And honestly, when he waved off Sidney Crosby and the Penguins after that game there at

Capital One Arena, I was like, yeah, that wasn't a, hey, we're going to make the playoffs. That was a, you know what, it's not the right time. I haven't made it my mind yet. And so that was like the first inkling that I got. But then just, you know, as you can see from behind me, I mean, I'm in this facility every day. You're around people who are, you know, in Ovi's orbit. I just started getting, you know, I would ask all the time. And no one would tell me, yeah, you know what?

He's probably moving on. It was always, well, you saw what happened in that Penguins game. You heard his press conference on Breakdown Day. this guy feels like he's got hockey left and I believe he does. And so I would say sometime in like the last four or five days, you know, after the cap started making all of these moves and, you know, D.C. was the center of the Angel universe there for a few days after getting Kyru and Tuck and then, you know, Jenner and Day or nay, I was like, wow.

I got to imagine if Ovi was on a fence, he came down off that fence quite quickly, but that's when I really started feeling it was going to happen. This whole thing to me felt like one of those prolonged offside reviews. We're like, we're going through like pixel by pixel and trying to figure like, okay, so he did this and he waved off the penguins and he said this to Tariq and then it like everyone was just like hunting for like little like little flavor pucks and little clues through all. It's one of the more unique situations we've ever been through in hockey here, Tarek. I'll send this over to go. Yeah, no doubt about it. You know, I also wonder if, you know, Ovi's been a part of his order.

organization since 2004 when he was drafted, you know, first overall. And, you know, he's been through the highs and the lows. And I think he was deeply affected by last year and, you know, the fact that they weren't able to make the playoffs. And, you know, he was really disappointed that John Carlson, Nick Dowd got traded away at the deadline. I think he understood why those moves were made. But I think that really, really, um, didn't sit that well with him. And he kind want to just really see like okay let's see let's see uh how committed this organization is to getting back to where we need to be and then you know going back to last week when they went out and got tuck in kairu you know in the span of 24 hours i got to imagine that was a signal to him that hey

you know we're for real we're not going to you know we're not okay with missing the playoffs and just filling the building and being it also ran we want to we want to make the playoffs and make a run and i mean why would ovi not want to be a part of this i i i i i I look at this roster as currently constructed. This is the best team they've had probably since, you know, they were making the Stanley Cup run. You know, I would say 15 to 19 in that range. This is the deepest, most talented team he will be on.

And, you know, he'll be 41 at the start of next year. He doesn't have to carry this team anymore, right? I mean, they went on and got two 30 goal scorers. You know, I'm not saying he's just going to kick his feet up and be along for the ride. I mean, Obi wants to win as bad as anyone, but, you know, I think the pressure is going to be turned down on him a little bit. So the question then becomes, Tarek, like, how much can he check his ego? Because here's the thing. This team is better if he plays less. And I know that's hard to say when a guy like him led the team in scoring last year. But, I mean, there's a version of this capital's team is better if he plays less.

and he was on PP2 because he was on PP1 last year and it sucked and one of the reasons why his goal total was what it was is because only he had like five goals I think on the power play or some such so at his age

coming back do you think they basically say everything's normal you're the top line winger, your PP1 everything's cool or do you think there's a reality where Ovi kind of like accepts that there's a few miles per hour off his fastball and maybe if he plays on the second line this team is better.

Yeah, I think, you know, part of what's happened behind the scenes here over the last week or so as they were moving towards this, you know, contract that was signed today was probably a discussion about role. And look, Ovi's a pretty level-headed guy. I think he also is a pretty realistic guy. And I have to imagine that they hit him with, you know what, 18 to 20 minutes a night, two minutes on the power play. That's just not going to fly. that's not going to work for us going forward. And if that didn't work for him, he wouldn't have resigned.

I have to imagine that they presented their vision of how he fits into next year's plan. And he said, okay, I can do that. Obie can do that. And getting back to what I said before, at this stage of his career, I mean, he's accomplished everything he set out to do. He wants to win one more time. he wants one more kick at the can. And if he looks at what this team has done over the past eight days, getting back to what I said a minute ago,

I mean, this is going to be his next, best, maybe last opportunity to take one more swing at it. And I think he is going to be willing to set aside his ego, check it at the door, and do whatever Coach Carberry needs him to do. I think if there was some friction, I'm not so sure that he would have decided to come back. This is a team, Tarek, that, like, we know all these players. Okay, like, we know what Alex Tucker is capable of.

We know what Jordan Kairu is capable of. We know what Dylan Strom, et cetera. Go right down the list. Jacob Chikwin-L. Martin Fade of R.A. We know what they're all capable of. And we have an expectation of where they're at right now in the Metropolitan Division, right behind Carolina. Like, that's where, look at watch, like, whoa, this team.

Holy smokes. Carolina's got the cup, but look at the Washington Capitals. Is this team going to, I don't want to say like be defined, but can this team take a jump from being a good team to being a great team in the Metropolitan Division based on two players? Cole Hudson and Ryan Leonard. Because we still don't know like what their ceiling is and how good they can be on this team. You know what I'm trying to get at?

Yeah, I do. I do. And I think that, you know, when the team went into this offseason, there were two paths to getting better. And I think, you know, they had one plan which was going out and nailing a free agency in the trade market, which they did. But I think for this team to really take that next step, they're going to also need some improvement from internal candidates, too. And I think you nailed it right there. You know, can Ryan Leonard go from a 20 goal score to a 30 goal score? Can Cole Hudson go from getting his toes wet and playing 14 games and playing on Power Play 1?

Can he get to 60 or 70 points like his brother Lane did so quickly in his NHL career? Can Ilya Protois? You know, can he hit the ground running next year and be a 30, 40 point guy? I think when you add, if those things happen in addition to what we know about Kyru and Tuck and Jenner and Day or Ney, I think you're talking about a team that, you know, not only is going to be favored to challenge Carolina in the Metro,

but, you know, is going to be favored to get in the playoffs and make some noise. I mean, they're squared away in goal. Logan Thompson had an outstanding season. He's entering the prime of his career. That's not an issue. You know, scoring goals more consistently and being better on the power play.

You know, they also have a new power plate coach. So I mean, I'm bullish. I'm usually pretty realistic, and I'd be straight with you guys. But I'm bullish on what this team can accomplish next year. You know, they also addressed organizational depth. There were some guys they signed yesterday that, you know, aren't going to make headlines and aren't going to, maybe won't even be on the opening night roster.

But when they run into injuries like they had with Pierre-LuBoubaugh last year that totally sidetracked their season, you know, they'll be able to push guys up. maybe bring a guy up from Hershey where there's not going to be as big a drop off. I think they identified organizational depth, particularly down the middle, as being a problem. And they address that in addition to getting those top of the lineup guys. It is also interesting to see how a team that has been so meticulous and it's in its player development, like having guys percolate in Hershey for multiple years is now just like, you know,

forget it, man. We got Ryan Martin and Cole Hudson. They're graduating. They're skipping. They're skipping grades. You're graduating. You're in. That's been fun to see.

Don't forget to. He's skipping grades too. He's skipping grades too, yeah. He skipping grade too. What did you, moving off the caps for a second, what stood out for you yesterday in so far as moves either positive or negative around the league from what you saw a pretty wild trade and signing day? Yeah, I mean, I'll be honest. I was really narrowly focused on what the capitals were doing. But, you know, league-wide, the moves that have intrigued me the most.

and I'm sure this is the case for everyone who monitors, covers, as a fan of the NHL is what the Panthers are doing. Oh, my. They are putting together a prison yard team. That's what the Florida, they are playing in the penal league. That's where they are going to play next year. I know.

I mean, you know, they get on Garnet Hathaway, who I know quite well. And I'm like, okay, all right. That's another one. Keep going. And then they go out and get Radco Gudis. And I'm like, oh, my God, what are they doing?

What are they doing? Yep. And, you know, it's funny, you don't want to build your team if you're in the Atlantic, you know, react to what they're doing. But you kind of do, right? Like, if you're another team that's going to be, you know, battling them night in and night out, you're probably going to react to the reality that they're going to rat is not the right, you know, not leading the league in rats. It's not the word I want to use, but I mean, they are going to be abrasive and a pain in the butt.

No, dude, it's the Shawshank Panthers. Like, that's what we're looking at now. That's the team. Like, there's a lot of great players, and, like, they could win the Stanley Cup, but make no mistake about it. You know, I don't know about you guys, but, you know, I mean, I'm obviously dialed in on the capitals. But there's always, like, one or two other teams that are in the league that when, they're on and I'm not in a ring. I'm like, you know what? I'm going to tune in. I'm going to

watch that game. Oh, yeah. I'm going to be all in on the Panthers next year. I'm probably going to, I would say I'm going to see 84 Capitals games, but I'm probably going to see 40 Panthers games. It's going to be a show. We all are, especially when they're playing Tampa. Like, good luck. They just went and signed Jeffrey Vial to a five-year contract.

Like, knuckle up. Love it. I love it. Chaos. Oh, poor Brandon Hagel. Poor Brandon Every game. Tarak, thanks so much for popping by it. I know it's like late breaking, jumping on last minute.

Always appreciate your time. Thanks, pal. You'd be good. Anytime, guys, man. There is, Tarek al-Bashir covering the Washington Capitals, long-time Caps reporter. You want to put a sort of ribbon around a batch? I do want to get to a couple of,

get your thoughts on a couple of things of the Maple Leafs did here. Just happy he's back? Happy, it's not lingering? Yeah. Listen, man. There's a few loose ends that we've got to tie up. but it's been a long year and I was really hoping to not have to like be in front of the laptop on July 28th figuring out if Ovechkin's going to come back on a million dollar contract. So I'm happy we put this to bed.

Yeah. Let me give you a couple of things real quick before you get because now we've got to do the Leafs real quick. Yeah. I think the biggest winner for me yesterday was Montreal. David off deal is awesome. The Demit off contract is insane. It's so good. And you look at their sheet right now.

And, you know, Suzuki's under eight and Cole, Cole Coffield's under eight. Hudson's, I think, a little bit above it, right? But, like, there's, Slavkovsky's under eight. Like, they're so set up. I mean, they're clearly going to be the next Canadian team to win the Cup, having also been the last Canadian team to win the Cup. But that business with Demadoff yesterday was absolutely fantastic. That's a contract we're going to look back on.

Remember how for a while we look back on the Jack Hughes contract and we're like, this is why the Devils were able to do X, Y, Z. McKinnon had a contract like that, too. Like this Devadoff contract is going to age like that. It's going to age like that where he's so good that we look back on it and we're like, how the hell did they get him for that? And look what they were able to do because of that. And that's the kind of contract that they gave out yesterday.

There's a couple. And the other massive one is Lane Hudson and what he came in at, the 8.8. Again, there are tax advantages for American players playing in Canada. Okay. I liked I liked I liked I liked I liked Trocheck and Lee to Utah like I know we're all waiting for the big swing but I kind of like the fact that Bill Armstrong's keeping his powder dry with guys like like Tij Ginla until you really need to move him like the guy that they gave up is a top-to-win Cole Bowdoin's a nice guy yeah but but he's a nice player he'll play next year and the Rangers he'll play next year yeah the Rangers did pretty well for that but that trade for the Rangers is like first of all I think Trochecks a great player for Utah in the sense that he's going to be able to play a number of different roles. And much like Marcian with Florida,

like in three years when Trochex is at the end of his contract, if he's not a guy that can handle second line minutes, you can play him in a number of different situations. But the problem that trade for me with the Rangers is like, that's one of those deals where they've hyped it up so damn much in the last year. Like, you have no idea the asking price for the Rangers. And Elliot's like,

the Rangers have increased their asking price this summer. And then it ends up being like, Dersie and the ninth best prospect on Utah and a pick and you're just like I was higher than that He's in there with Tijig Ginlan Caleb Dain Y.A. He's right there.

He's a first rounder legit. He's a legit first rounder who's probably every year in all the junior league's like okay which player in the league is closest to playing in the NHL and in the Ontario League and the Western League and maybe he can make the argument in the Quebec League to all prospects owned by Utah

Tija Gaila and Caleb Dain Yenla and Cole Baudway. I loved Tampa giving John Carlson Darren Radish's cap hit while not having to commit eight years to Darren Radish is pretty great. Getting Carlson for two is fantastic,

good bit of work. And also I loved the, obviously the Sunday made an offer sheet on Hayden. Utah has to match, right? Utah has to match. I mean, they have to match. They have to match.

And then, you know, obviously they're stuck with them for the next year. Hang on, question. Just, does that mean they move like someone like TANF? I think they probably have to, right? But like, I don't know. The spitefulness of, like, Sunny made us from Jersey. And that was a very spiteful Jersey move right there.

You're not going to trade this guy to me. Well, let me hit you with an office sheet, buddy. It's a very spiteful Jersey move. And I appreciate it. And then, um, good. Good. Good job, Sonny. Did you see, did you see the thing from, from, um, from, uh, where the hell was it? from Steve Weirier this morning?

What did Steve put out? I'm going to vent for a second because this is going to blow your mind. Is this about Barrett Hayton? Yeah, hang on. So this is about the offer sheet. So the Barrett Hayden offer sheet from the Devils was $4.775 million.

So it's a second round pick. And Steve wrote, surely a coincidence the offer sheet from the Devils would cost more than a second round pick if it were just a little higher than 7,7.75. And it turns out that it would cost more than a second round pick if it had been $666.66. Yeah, it would be a first and a third. 666.

Yeah. 666. Devils, yeah. From the devils. Just a coincidence. Sunny. Just a coincidence. I know.

Sunny is a Devils fan. Sonny's a Devils fan who grew up when the Meadowlands. capacity was 19,040. He understands there's a lineage for this franchise of numerical Easter eggs. And he's played along with it. I appreciate that. Every time I have him on, I always ask him about it because I know he's a massive jazz fan. Sunny understands art.

Like one of the reasons why I love Montreal and the Montreal Canadians and their fans is they have a sense of beauty that no other fan base has. And that's why one of the reasons why Montreal is so special, Sunny has a sense of art and in this case, poetry. That is a poetic offer sheet. Okay. The leaves. Trying to make beliefs. Have completely redone themselves.

Starting with the goaltending and Sergey Bobrovsky ends their three years, seven million dollars. But there's a Roslavik, there's a Blugher, there's a Du Hame, there's a McEwen, there's a Paul, there's a Sizzins. And there's, of course, their first overall draft pick of well. And as you mentioned, there's a radish. attached to all of this. The question is, we know they're better, but how much better are they? There are some things I really liked.

I'm a big Nick Paul fan on an office. I think that's a good acquisition. Yep, once a big piece of the Jason Spets a trade. I'm not the biggest Roslavik fan. I think that guy runs too hot and cold. They played together at the, him and Matthews played together at the program. Come on, this is Operation Kept 34.

I get it. I understand. I don't want to be cynical because I like some of the things they did, but there is a certain amount of busy work to this, don't you think? That there's a certain amount of like, we need to make moves to let people know to signal to the world and signal to our captain that we are on the job. We're on the J-O-B.

We're making changes. The bottom six is a whole new bottom six, baby. But there's a lot of busy work to this. You look what the capitals did. like the Capitals dealt in volume, but their volume was Alex, Chuck, Jordan, Cairo, and Vincent DeRne,

and Boone Jenner. Like, their volume was voluminous whilst the Leafs volume felt very, so we're going to get all these guys and we're going to make it seem like we're doing a lot of stuff, but ultimately how much better are they than they were last year? Here's significant.

I'm glad you brought this up. Because this is the way I feel about the Los Angeles Kings. This is the way I felt about how Kent Holland used to run the Edminton Oilers. And there's a distinction. I'm glad you mentioned movement. Because here's the way I've always looked at moves like this. There is a difference. I should really bang this drum louder.

There is a difference between movement and motion. And there are some teams that create motion. And there are some teams that just create movement. And it ultimately goes about as far as me waving my hands into this camera right now. Are you creating movement? or are you making motion? And I think when we see, I always think about this on a free agency day.

Okay, who is making movement, who is creating motion? I think that's the distinction that you're probably looking at here. Like I look at, and again, like in LA yesterday, movement, not motion, movement. There's a big distinction between the two. I'm glad you got us there. The Tampa Bay Lightning made like four moves yesterday, right? And one of them obviously is designed to. to deal with Florida

the Vial signing. Was it a five? Was it five years or four? Five years at two point five. They signed McKayev at three point eight five. Okay. And then they signed Carlson at eight point five over two. They made basically three moves.

I think those three moves are more impactful than anything the Leafs did. I really do. Like I felt, but that's for where the, I'm not trying to read on the lease raid. Like they, they did a lot of, of stuff. And it could just be that the chemistry is right and all the pieces fit and the supporting cast is there for Matthews and we're all feeling better about life next season for

Toronto. Let's hope so because it's a very tough division and they need to get their ass in gear to keep up with the Joneses. But like, and we haven't even talked about Bob yet. I just felt there was a lot of kind of like this guy, this guy, this guy, this guy, and there may not necessarily been a plan in place. You're feeling movement over motion then for the Toronto trauma. may believe. There is still one more shoot to drop there, and that is... I'm feeling motion gets you somewhere. Movement is just, we're just floundering.

Move that feeling movement. We're just, we're just floundering. Motion is moving somewhere, getting to a destination. I do like the other thing. The other thing about... And Stolar's, by the way. I like reenading Bob and Stolars. I think that's good for both of them.

Yeah. I just, he scares the hell out of me in the regular season. You know, I, I, those numbers are terrible. And they were terrible, but, you know, behind pretty good Florida teams. So I worry about that. But he's good. He's fine. I mean, he's Bob.

Mm-hmm. John Chaker said he could end. Didn't he say today he could end his career as the best goalie of all time or something? Like, did he? I thought that was. I think I saw that on Twitter. Hyperbole. Yeah, he lives at the depressory yesterday.

I'm kind of given him a pass. Some of we say things we don't mean. I'm sure, I'm sure John might want a redo on that. Otherwise, we should probably. You think so? You don't think Jacques Plonts rolling in his grave right now saying, what? Dominic Hasrick somewhere is saying like,

excuse me, what? What I did? Ordi Bredore just did a spit take. Patrick Gua, angry somewhere. They still have Morgan Riley. That's another one. And that one, we expect to be something of significance.

Darnall Nurse gets moved. Don't you think, it's funny you should say that. Don't you think Morgan Raleigh to Edmonton still makes a lot of sense? I think Edmonton's don't. other than... Yeah.

They have all that cast face now with Arnello. But that's... But that's... Because I think that what team... I never want to be the team that wins the Stanley Cup on July 1st or thinks they win the Stanley Cup on July 1st. I still think you need to leave money during the season in order to be able to do something when things become available to you.

Right now, Edmonton got better. Okay? Edmonton got better. And I think that if you're the Oilers right now, I'm sure the fans want to spend up to the cap, spend up the cap, do it. Don't fill it up. Don't fill it up until you have to. I think you need to leave your powder dry for the deadline.

Leave some money. Sure. Leave some money. And especially if you're a team that's got to win the Stanley Cup, like it's not just playoffs. It's it's cup for Edmonton. How did you feel about Bob? We had the Bob conversation last time, you and me on the last show. Look, I think Bob's a really good goaltender.

and at times like look the guy's going to the Hall of Fame okay the guy's going to he's a Hall of Fame goaltender like with any goaltender I do worry about the birth certificate I think that goalies now like long long gone or the stand-up goaltenders goalies now and I think it was Roberto Luongo who used to bring up this point all the time like you talk about how much we're like up and down

and physically taxed you know during games that's also in practice too like that wears out your hips. There's a reason why goalies after retirement hobble. It's a really demanding position. So that's why I always worry about

goaltenders late in their careers as opposed to any other position. I think there has to be a sweet spot. I think it has to be a sweet number for him. It can't be the line. It's going to be more work than Stolar's gets unless Bob gets injured.

But I don't know that you can, at this point of his career, overload the guy. You can't. Like, this has got to be as close to a 50-50 as you can, provide a both guys stay healthy. And the other thing about it, too, is I don't think it's a coincidence, too, that the goal of the future for the Toronto Maple Leafs is Russian. Is Akhtiamov. Yeah, exactly. Last thing I'll say is that I will be the man standing up against aggression in the Norman Rockwell painting meme. I will say that I like Truba and I like Nurse to the Sharks.

I know that there's a lot of people that are like way too much money. Truba's cooked. By the way, nurse stinks again. I know for a hot second nurse was good when he was. passed out and all the Edmonton people were like, oh my God, but we underappreciated how good he was. Now he's gone and now he stinks again. That's, um, but I like, I like that for them. Like the sharks had to build out their D.

I think that Truba adds an element that they really didn't have on their blue line at all, which is the physicality and the, you put the fear of God and guys when you get on the trolley tracks as Truba can still do. It's probably the thing he does best. But he can also, he's, he's good with a, with a, with a, with a, with a, with a, a secondary assist. He's good at outlet passes and things like that, which I think will be also a benefit for the sharks.

And so I like it. They had money to spend, you know, Truba's not garbage. Nurse, depending on the situation, is fine. Like, I like what they do.

Nurse a good scheme. They're ready to make the leap. Nurse is a good scheme. They're ready to make the leap. And they've added those two in Marchment, I think put them at a position to really make the leap next year. I'm, I'm sentimental about Marchment because I knew Brian a ton.

and specifically when he was in Toronto I got to know him really well and then we always just kept in touch so that one that one is a sentimental one for me and I love that he's there and he's going to wear his dad's number that's going to be dope it's going to be one of the one of the best things we see next year yep a fun day of trades

I think I heard I was listening to I was listening to the coverage the show yesterday by the way great job out of everybody that did that for daily face off I think you did refer to it as trade deadline a couple times That's fine. Yes. You're allowed to. It is.

It felt me trade deadline. I said our ongoing coverage of 2020, 2020 deadline, 2026, but like deliberately because that's what it felt like. And that's what every show was kind of felt like here over the past couple of weeks. And I will continue to say that that free agent day was more of trade deadline curiosity than anything else. It was a banger of a trade deadline yesterday. Disguises free agency day.

It was a lot of fun. Okay, Taco Hatman. What do you got left for us? Yeah. Oh, by the way. Final thought? It's a great hat. It's on the air side.

Sorry. This is actually from Taco Bell Las Vegas. The first Taco Bell canteena that ever opened up in the United States was in Las Vegas. It's a OG hat from there. Nice. And that's why I'm wearing the hat. I'm wearing the hat again because my hair melted because it was so hot outside. There you go.

No, it was fun and it'll continue to be fun. We still have some other Domino's the fall. Again, it's not simply just like the trades and the signings. It's all of the like soap operatic elements to the trade. the signings. The Werenski saga. Thank you. More, please. More please. Yes. It's one thing to fill out the transaction page on Puckpedia with all these moves. It's another thing to have us be able to chew into the narratives. That's the NBA of it all.

The NBA of it all is the inherent drama that comes with the transactions and not simply just the big names moving from team to team. And we finally got there and it's exciting. And we just hope that it continues. really do. And yes, more to come. And we'll be here. Like, the feed is staying hot. We're not going anywhere. But you are, I believe. So we shall talk to, what are you back on? He'd next week. What are you doing? What is your schedule? I got, I got, we'll talk about it because I have some childcare considerations this week. But, uh, proper father, unlike me. To the Americans in the audience, happy July 4th. Yeah. Americans the audience. Happy two nil victory over Bosnia Hertzcovina yesterday. I think we, I think we. I think we have a bit of a red card problem against Belgium, but that's fine. We're going to be all right. Imagine Merrick. Imagine for a second if we win Olympic gold in men's hockey and then win the World Cup in soccer.

Like, wouldn't that be an amazing year for? I know, I know like two-thirds of the square root of sweet f-all about soccer. But even I know every time I watch and I see France, no one's touching them. I mean, France is incredible right now. They're pretty good. I know, exactly. Although Mexico, man. Mexico's hanging. Mexico, English.

Mexico's awesome. Oh, by the way, so I don't got you guys, Mary Matt, no, but my wife is involved with Apple's soccer podcast with Coach of Beard from Ted Lassow and Rebecca Lowe, who's one of my favorite broadcasters. And she was talking the other day about the new format for the World Cup, the fact that they expanded the field. And she was lamenting the fact that there were so many good matchups in the first round of the knockout rounds that it, It's unfair. They've got to figure out how to change the moment. And it warmed my heart as a hockey fan that someone else is complaining that Minnesota has to play Dallas in the first round. I'm like, finally someone else feels our pain.

You've reached out across the sports. All right, well, you and the Taco Hat, have a great rest of your afternoon and day, and we'll talk next week. Take care. There is, Greg Wischinsky from ESPN and ESPN.com. I want to remind you as well of Canadian Blood Services. This one's important to your boy, Jeffie. who invites you to experience what giving feels like. In a world that can feel isolating and divided,

blood and plasma donation offers something rare and fulfilling, real connection, real purpose, real impact. Every summer, people across Canada get swept up in the excitement of the season and donation routines can slip, but they don't need to. This is a moment to rally together as a nation and for new donors to experience firsthand what you get what you give. At a moment when many Canadians are looking for positive ways

to show up for each other, Canadian Blood Services are issuing an invitation to new donors, fill every donation chair in the country this summer. My next one is booked for the middle of August. I do it every three months. New donors, welcome. Book at blood.ca through the Give Blood app or call 1-3-8 to donate. That is 1-3-8 to donate. Zach?

Paging Zach. There you are. You're wearing a Toronto Maple Leaf's hat. Yeah, I didn't realize. I'm pretty excited. I didn't realize about what you saw. We started this show. Usually you're a junior hockey hat guy,

but today you're just going full on. Leafs after dark, Leafs sun up, Leif's midday, Leafs lunch, Leif's 24-7. How are you feeling about what your general manager did? Was that movement or was that motion?

I think it was a lot of movement. I think they checked some boxes for things, things that they needed to do. So I'm not like furious with the day or yesterday or anything. And I think when you look at the term of the contracts, it's like, it's palatable. And there's still more that needs to be done with this roster. Like I don't look at it and say that this team's back. You know, playing the parade, let's run out and bolt down our chairs and make sure no one

takes our spots. I don't feel like that going into this. But there's no move really from yesterday that I look at and say, what the hell was that? I more so look at the entire body of work and kind of say, okay, there was some good stuff, nothing overly exciting that was done.

I do like the Nick Paul trade because you were probably going to lose Hill to be for nothing, especially given that you went out and signed Bob and you go out and acquire a guy that... I don't think he was going to get claimed on waivers. Everyone thinks their goalie's going to get claimed on waivers. When does it? I know Colton Ellis,

but like when does it happen? Fair enough. Okay. Fair, but you at least, risk the idea of losing him for nothing. But then you go out and acquire Nick Paul, who is a guy that, A, we've seen be a thorn in the side of the Maple Leafs of the last few years when he's been there in Tampa, and see a guy that pretty clearly fills that 3C role that you have if that's where he's

going to fit and can slot into that spot. So I like that acquisition. Going to get your final thought here, and I'll share a couple of things on Alexander Rovetkin in a second, but first, let's hear from our friends at Airbnb. be. Hey, Zach, summer's on the horizon and, you know, we've spent a lot of time on the road this year, but here's my question to you. Zach, what would your ultimate summer road trip be? Go. For me, summer's all about golfing, getting out on the course. So going back to places that we just went to and just visited like Banff and the Okanagan, I think that would be the ultimate

getaway with some of those incredible courses, beautiful weather, the scenery. It's some of the best that you can find. It's some of the best that this country has to offer. Now, for me, it's easy. New Brunswick, specifically St. Stephen. Now, my background, when my family immigrated here to Canada in the 1800s from Ireland, that's where they settled. I went there earlier this year when you and I were in St. John and took a little side trip. It's gorgeous there. I spent the day. I could see myself actually living there one day. Now, after New Brunswick, Montreal. So here's the deal. For me, Montreal is the one place in Canada where you wake up, you decide what kind of day you want to have, and the city allows you to do it. The festivals,

the concerts, the patios, the people, the cobblestone streets of old Montreal, street performers, you name it, it really is the best. And honestly, those kinds of trips are exactly why I love booking homes on Airbnb. You actually feel like you're part of the place. You're part of the place instead of just passing through. And that's when it hit me. While I'm busy blending in with the locals, why not let another traveler do the same? After all, while we're gone, our place back home is just sitting there. So hosting our place on Airbnb could be a way to make use of that space on our own schedule and maybe have a little extra coming in at the same time. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com.com.

slash host. All right, thanks for our friends at Airbnb here once again. And final thought on Ovechkin, like, it's just a fun story. Like, at all of it, like, can break down. How is he going to fit in? What's going to be on this? Is he on PP1? How many minutes a game is he going to play and all that?

These are all legitimate questions, Zach. And conversations that I think we should have. Today's just a good news day. Like for Ovechkin, the caps and the NHL as well. It's just a better league with Ovechkin in it. I would say the same thing. If, you know, Sidney Crosby was on the fence about in or out, it's always a better league when Crosby's a board.

and it's not as if, you know, he's not the same Ovechkin that we saw 20 years ago, but the guy can still play, and he's got a lot of players around him that can insulate the scoring. This one, next year should be a fun year for Ovechkin. We'll see how far the Caps can get? Yeah.

I think also just a nice feeling for Caps fans as well and probably just hockey fans in general, where you look at out last year when and Terica kind of outlined, you know, it was a disappointing year for him. Like, it was the way, that the season went and having to trade pieces, if that's how that broke off for Caps fans

and that's how that was the end of the story, it's kind of one of those ones where you could be happy about everything he did, you got the Stanley Cup, you saw him past Gretzky, but the end was still not as clean as it could have been, or they probably want it to be. This one offers an opportunity for it to be a little bit different.

They made some good moves here. I think the team got better. And then, as you guys have also put here throughout the course of the show, he's going to be relied upon less, which probably puts a lot less pressure on everyone involved. The fans, the team, Carberry, Oveckin, like, everyone can kind of just be like, Ovi's just on the team. Like Ovi doesn't have to get us to the playoffs.

He's on the team. And that is a much better story and way to look at this season than it would have been or was last year. Yeah, sure is. Congratulations to the Washington Capitals. Alexander Rovetchkin back one more season. All right. One to remind you, too, like we're keeping the feet hot, everybody.

Like, we're not going anywhere. We're not like one of the biggies that are just like, oh, man, I'm so tired. I need the whole summer off. Like, no, no, we're going here. And there's still plenty of they get to and plenty of trades that are still going to happen in signings as well. So we're not going anywhere. And we're back tomorrow. One o'clock here on the sheet.

I want to thank Alan May for stopping by the program. Washington Capital's analyst. I want to thank Terak Al Bashir for stopping by the program. Washington. I'm Washington Capitals reporter. Thank you for watching. Thank you for listening. Thanks to everybody in the chat.

The numbers have been great. I know the NHL's being pretty hot with the drama and the signings lately. So no surprise. We appreciate your attention. It is an attention economy that we all live in. Thanks for spending parts of your day with us here at the sheet and a daily faceoff as well. Back tomorrow, 1 o'clock Eastern. The sheet.

We'll see you now. I can't get out my head because I can call it around