The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Quinn Hughes Update + Which NHL Teams Could "Blow It" ft. Michael Russo & Greg Wyshynski

Episode Date: August 11, 2026

On today’s episode of The Sheet, Jeff Marek is joined by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski as co-host for the entire show to look ahead to the upcoming NHL season and identify five teams that could be headed for a major letdown. Which teams are carrying too much hype into the year? Who could regress after last season, fail to live up to expectations, or simply take a significant step backward? Jeff and Greg break down the biggest potential disappointment candidates around the NHL and what could go wrong for each of them. Then, Michael Russo joins the show to dive into the latest surrounding Quinn Hughes, his contract situation and his future with the Minnesota Wild. What could a Quinn Hughes extension look like? Can Minnesota convince him to commit long term, and what might the Wild need to add around him to make that happen? Plus, the conversation turns to the Hughes brothers: could Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes eventually find a way to play together, could Minnesota become a realistic destination for a Hughes family reunion, or might another NHL team eventually emerge as the landing spot? Jeff Marek, Greg Wyshynski and Michael Russo break it all down on today’s edition of The Sheet.#NHL #Hockey #TheSheet #QuinnHughes #MinnesotaWild #Wild #JackHughes #LukeHughes #NJDevilsReach 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.

It feels like it went off forever. It's only a couple of days. Welcome back to the program. This is The sheet for this Tuesday, August the 11th. Hello, Greg Wischinski from ESPN and ESPN.com. Before you say anything, the first thing I want to hear out of you, and we've kind of already heard it in a little bit of a giggle is I want you to laugh. We are going to have a fun show. Mike Russo, one of our favorites, is going to stop by at the bottom of the hour.

We'll talk about Quinn Hughes. But I want to start off. I want everyone to be in a really good mood. And nothing gets people in a good mood better than a good. a great interview with Dustin Bufflin in Canora and a fishing derby. Zach, let's play all of this in its glory. What are we got here, Zach?

I've got to ask you. Are you playing in the alumni game? What one? In Winnipeg in October. I don't know. I didn't know there was one. Oh, yeah, it's been all over. Everybody's thinking you're coming. Oh, I'll have to look at it.

You might have to put some skates on and see what you do. If I'm not shooting ducks. Well, that's the time of year, right? Yeah. Well, you take a day off, a trip to Winnipeg for a weekend. What the heck? Yeah, my family's actually pretty excited to go back and do it and see everybody. And yeah, it should be fun and should be exciting.

Right on. Are you in shape? Never was out in shape. There you go. I miss that guy. Big buff. There are some players who are just like, oh, yeah, I had a great career. here, you know, it's, you know, kind of exhausted, you know, squeezed every drop out of the towel.

I get it now and he's moved on to the second phase of whatever's life is going. I miss that guy like crazy. I miss the player. I missed a personality. And I got a good story for you that I've been sitting on for a long time. And given that interview. Nice. This one, although I can't say who the person was involved in it.

But it's one of these summer skates in Minnesota. And after the skate, this guy he was skating with who everybody knows, having a tin with Big Buff. and said to Dustin, you know, man, if I were you, I would just like take the next 10 years. I would just take like the next 10 years. I would get in wicked shape. You know, I'd watch what I eat. Watch what I drank. Like just like everything clean.

You know, you would make like so much money. You would win like so many cups, so many awards, man. If he just like, like, I'd really focus for the next 10 years and really took it seriously. And he said, Buffalo looked at him and said, you know what? you're right but cracked a beer and said I'm just going to see

how far the skill takes me every now I think of that line I'm just going to see how far the skill takes me I just love that line I miss that dude

one of the only drunk boating arrests I believe amongst active NHL players in league history there was that I mean he was charged with it. I can't say a rusty

was charged with it. And then also you know there was a lot said and written about Evander Cain's time in Winnipeg. Yes. And there was

a lot of it I thought still think was unfair reporting and our friend Gary Lawless and I will never see eye to eye on that. But there were also some things that happened around Avander Cain's time in Winnipeg that I think have maybe, with the benefit of hindsight, gained new appreciation.

And one of those, obviously, Merrick was Dustin Bufflin throwing Evander Cain's clothes into either the shower or the hot tub. An incident that, you know, resonated throughout the league. And frankly, he was ahead of the curve, I think, on that one. And in history, smiles upon that incident now, Dustin Bufflin throwing Evander Cain's clothes into either a hot tub or a shower at the time. I don't know that we fully appreciate the greatness that was Buffaloin while he was in the league. Whether it was as a defenseman, as a forward, Cups with the Hawks, like all of it, like the whole phenomenon. He really, he was, first of all, he was a large guy who wasn't shy about, you know, using his frame. you know, him, you know, rag-dalling, you know, bouncer style, two guys is still one of the great hockey highlights of all time.

Bone-crunching body checks could fire the puck and was a good skater for a big dude. But he always just seemed like, he always seemed like the guy that just happened to be good at hockey. You know, and that's why it was like probably like so easy for him just to like piece out and like put up the gone fishing sign. Literally went fishing because he was just like, you know what, this is fun and I'm just really good at it but after a while I'm going to get tired of it and I'm going to leave.

I kind of really admire that as opposed to anything sort of long and drawn out in some big announcement through the Players Association. The Atlanta Thrashers last season of existence presuming that the new team in Atlanta isn't called the Thrashers Merrick. Can they call it the Flames?

They'll call it something other than those two things and then they'll change the name when it eventually moves to Canada. But my point is that in 2010, 2011, the Atlanta Thrashers played their last season before moving to Winnipeg. And that was the only season that Dustin Bufflin wore the winged Thrasher with the hockey stick logo. That's the only season he spent in Blue Land. But what people might not remember is that Dustin Bufflin had 53 points in 81 games and was seventh for the Norris that season,

despite playing for the Atlanta Thrashers. I thought that was kind of interesting. And the highest finish he ever had for the Norris. The guy's not a Norris trophy level defenseman in any stretch of the imagination. But that's on your definition, sir. Depends on your definition. It's by my Norristers. He was seventh for the Norris.

And six points off the lead for the scoring lead. Who was the leading scorer, Merrick, in the Thrashers final season in Atlanta? Could you tell me the name? I'm going to go way, way out on the limb and say Ilya Kovulchuk. Ilya, sir, by that time was a New Jersey devil, please. Oh, he was gone by then. That's right.

Yeah, that's right. Okay, so who was the leading score? I'll give you some identifying information. 25 years old, identified as a left wing. I'll give you even more information. I'll click on this cat's name. Wow. Spent 16 years in the National Hockey League.

Oh, this is kind of a... The last five years, because I can't give you the last year, because you'll never get it. The last five years were with the New York Islanders and then the Arizona Coyotes for his final season. Was it Ray Ferraro? It was Andrew Ladd. Oh, Andrew Ladd, of course.

Yeah, fourth overall draft pick. You could have given me a thousand guesses. I would have never have guessed that he finished career in Arizona. I don't remember that at all. Do you remember that at all? No, but that was when everybody wanted to go to Arizona, but nobody wanted to play with the coyotes. Everyone just wanted to, like, golf and live in the sun and live in, like, a great place

in America to raise a family, all of that. I still remember having that conversation. I interviewed Shane Gossus Bear. I was in Arizona for the opening, their opening game at Mullet Arena, the RIP Coyotes. And I remember talking to Gossus Bear. I had this great story. for some reason my editors weren't thrilled with the idea of maybe just focusing on one player on the coyotes so it never ran.

But it was an interesting conversation about his being a former, you know, big swing and you know what prospect in the NHL and being the next. He was basically like, you know, Lane Hudson at one point in his career was Gaza's bear. And then it didn't work out that way for him. And then, of course, he goes to Carolina eventually wins a cup, quarterback's power play. But I remember talked to him about like, you know, you're kind of. It's kind of weird spot to be in, right? You were a former top prospect, former, you know, big shit young defenseman. And now you're in sort of hockey purgatory, right?

You're in Arizona. You don't know if the team's going to be here next year. You're playing in a college arena. And I just remember him saying, yeah, but have you walked outside? Like, the weather is incredible. Like, my life is incredible. It feels really good to live and play in this city. I'm like, you know what, good point.

Can't take that away from you if you play for the college. Outside of the hockey, everything's great right now. Outside of dealing with this owner, everything's great right now. And dealing with his son. Let's not forget about Alex Mirolo Jr. And oh, look, he's taking up two spots again. Oh, yeah, I don't want to nick that car. Yeah.

Yeah, it's, and that's why, listen, it is going back there. We're not going to spend the program talking about, like, where the league's going to expand other than Austin or Houston. But, like, it's going back there one day. Full stop. And Atlanta. It's going back to Atlanta. And it's also going back to Arizona.

Alan Walsh, our good friend, seemed to be pretty emphatic that it was going to be Houston, Atlanta. Does that mean this Austin thing is just a dally and a fly-by-night? A stocking horse? Try to create some type of bidding between the two so you can get concessions from the one that you really want to go to. Wouldn't be the first time. Well, you know, it's, and it's a, first of all, two things. One, it's a massive market and two, and I don't know if this is true anymore, but there was a time in the NHL where Austin was that sneaky place that all the NHELers like to go to get out of the spotlight and go and have a good time and not be recognized and I have to worry about like camera phones and these types of things. My first, honestly, Greg, when I first heard of like Austin was an option, my thought is like, there's a bunch of NHLers now.

They're like, well, that's wrecked. Well, that's ruined now. Our sneaky spot to go and be debauchrous is now gone. We've got to find somewhere else in the NHL because Austin's kind of happening for a young guy. Yeah, it's like putting a team in the Roxy. Now, the thing about Austin is very interesting is that like I don't know if you and I talk about this. Houston's obviously the television market that they want. It's massive.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But Austin, like you're the lone dog at the dish. Like this has a sort of, this has like a Vegas element. Like we're first in. They still kick them. I think one of the things that they've never really talked about with this league is that they had a chance to be first in Oklahoma City. And they didn't pull the trigger on it. They didn't find a way to get there.

And then look what the Thunder did. But yeah, I think they learned a lesson from that, saw what Vegas did. They could be first to the trough in Austin. And the thing about, I mean, Houston's got all the TV market stuff going for them. And obviously is a bigger market. But Austin's got the tech money now. That's where all the companies who fled California's draconian tax. And such.

Take that to Austin. Set up shop. But what's interesting about Austin, I've talked to three different people randomly this summer who live in Austin. One of them recognized me because I was wearing a home slice pizza shirt from Austin and said, hey. No way. Austin, Texas. I'm like, absolutely. It's one of my favorite places in Austin.

And all three people had no fucking idea that the NHL was talking about putting a team there, which I thought was kind of interesting. Like you'd figure that would have been, you know, if a professional league is saying we might come to your town, you figure everyone in that town would know it. But that was, they were all first hearing it from me that Austin was under consideration for an expansion team. Again, just anecdotal, not saying that people are excited about hockey, not saying that the media isn't doing their job and hyping up the possibility. But I found it interesting that three different people from three different walks of life, all from Austin, Texas had no idea that this was on the table. The Houston thing is interesting, right? is, as we all know, like a hockey legacy that exists there going back to like the 1940s and then in the 50s Montreal had one of their farm teams there as well. But we've been hearing about

Houston since Minnesota went to Dallas. I don't know if there was ever an official sort of promise of performance or a promise to get a state rival for the stars. But that's all, but that's always been out there. Okay, we're going to go to Dallas. We're going to need it. We're going to need a state rival. Don't worry. It's going to happen. If you could have three teams in California, like, why wouldn't you have two teams in Texas at the very least? I mean, it's it just makes too much sense. But I don't know, I, I, I, I, I found Walsh is one of the most tied in guys you can possibly imagine. And so definitively saying Houston made me, you know, arch the old eyebrow, like the rock or Mr. Spock.

And, uh, but I, I still think all that, all that tech money in Austin being first. the market, you know, they'd have to build a place, but, you know, the demographically and everything else, it just seems to align more with what the NHL looks for. It's kind of like your first to market, but it's also Seattle, you know, kind of vibe in Austin. Yeah, no, I get it, but then there is that element of like where it's, it is, and again, I don't know this because I don't know the Texas market as, as well as other people do. How much of an appetite is there in Houston for hockey. We know that you're competing with a lot of other sports.

Is there enough money left over after football, baseball, basketball, et cetera, et cetera, for hockey. Even though there is a hockey legacy that stretches back, as we mentioned, hey, arrows, the house. The house. Like, again, it's, I would hate to be the person making the call because I can see the bonuses of both. One, you go, like to borrow, you know, we just let off with Dustin Bufflin.

You fish where the fish are. And right now there's a lot of them in Houston. But then if you focus on we're going to make a market here, then Austin is really tempting. I just don't know how many fans you're starting with in Austin. I just said Austin would be like Seattle, but your first to the market. Houston is worse than Seattle for the NHL from a competition standpoint because they already have an NBA team. Seattle is going to get one and then we're going to have to figure out what's going on with the crack. and then, but like Houston's already got MLB, NFL, NBA, colleges, WMB, they got everything down

there. And so you're competing with all that stuff that's already entrenched. But, you know, demographics are interesting because like, to me, Austin would be kind of like your Salt Lake City play. Like, you know demographically what's there. You know the potential for them to be hockey fans or they're already hockey fans. Houston is more of your merit to speak to something you always talk about making new fans. Quebec City is a redundancy. You know, Houston would be a chance to reach new audiences, new fan bases. It's kind of funny how the entry point to this conversation was the Atlanta Thrashers,

because they famously tried to reach new audiences and did a really shitty job of it. And then we're in Winnipeg within two years. But Houston would be a chance to create new fans in a way that I think is intriguing for the league. I just want to throw one thing in about Atlanta, too, and how that ended up. That was specifically, nobody wanted to own the thing. That was like, there was like seven, seven different people in that ownership group and they just threw the keys on the table. But I don't know. I wonder how much we look at that and just say like if there was like one owner who was committed, you know, feet in cement were staying here.

How different things would have been. But that was essentially the ownership group that's saying, we don't give an F about hockey. We're here for the basketball. We're here for the basketball. Well, I mean, the reason why the NHM is, the reason why the NHM is. is, I mean, sniffing around Atlanta as much as they are, is because they think that the overall economics have changed in their favor. They do think that there are people there that are passionate about owning a team.

And most importantly, there will be a building away from downtown Atlanta that would house the team closer to the suburbs, closer to whether they believe the fans are. And that's why they're giving this as much paying as much mind to it as they are, despite it being, you know, over to. The other, you know, and this has come up, every now and then. You know, as long as there are teams that are participating in revenue sharing,

should the league be expanding? Yeah. There's an element, but there is an element of take care of your own backyard at the same time. Yeah. Well, I mean, it's better. It's better, it's better than it was, right? It's, of course it is. It's much better than it was before.

But I understand what you're saying. I mean, I think, I think being a capped league makes it much better than it was in the early aughts where all of a sudden, if you're talking about expansion, and then you're having the same conversation about moving some of these teams that are really struggling. I think what, you know, the thing that none of us really want to address is, you know, given the economics around North America and the world right now and given how the cap keeps climbing and climbing and climbing and, you know, what is the appetite for some of these teams to actually spend this money. I mean, we're getting closer to an inflection point of, you know, our salaries. rising higher than teams want to compensate the players for,

and that leads to some very uncomfortable conversations about collective bargaining. You want to do that now? Because that's a whopper of a topic that I'm dying to do, maybe closer at the beginning of the season, but that is a whopper. I would rather throw myself into a farm thresher than talk about the doom and gloom that could be on the... You just started the show talking about,

it's going to be happy. We're going to do a Dustin Buflin video. And now you're like, should we talk about the painting storm of a lockout because salaries are too high? You're on a treadmill to obscurity. Just wait for it to come out. That's a callback for all you 204, 205 fans. Okay, so we sort of pitch this show as a couple of things. Mike Rusco is going to stop by to talk to us about what is happening with Quinn Hughes.

That's going to happen here at the bottom of the hour. In the meantime, one of the realities, and we never really talk about it in the office. season a whole lot is every year and the poster child for this last year were the Winnipeg Jets. There's always a team or a couple of teams that are like 112 points and then they fall off the face of the earth. And then all of a sudden it's like where are they going to be in the lottery and who are they going to get? Like it always happens. So the question then becomes and it's always interesting to throw around on August 11th in advance

with 49 days away from puck drop. Who could those teams be? like who could those teams be that completely fall off the face of the earth where the expectations are so high in this list there's one troubling one and we'll get there but you want to run down the list that you and i well pour it over during our group text that took about five minutes a huge two minutes of work was put at this which is why i should say that we are i think the i think the definition you've given is absolutely correct in the in the context of some of these teams but in the context of some of these other teams. I think they've done a lot of work in the offseason to improve. There's an expectation for improvement and maybe the improvement doesn't show up. I think there's a couple of teams on here that fit that. Let's start off, though, with the devs.

I mean, like, you know, Sunday Mata's a friend of the show, a longtime friend of the show. Very excited to see what he does, his GM, of the devils. And so far, that has meant Anthony Mantha, Evan Rodriguez, and a downgrade in the goaltending. And so we are all waiting to see what that looks like in utility. Well, keeping the door open for someone that we will probably be talking about here in a cozy 10 minutes. This is true. If the wind-use thing doesn't manifest, though, I mean, what if the devil's done? They got Anthony Manthi.

He runs hot and cold. He ran extremely hot last year for the Penguins. Now he's on a two-year term. What does that end up looking like as far as production goes? Rodriguez, you and I both love. He's 33, but he's a swim. Swiss Army knife. A hundred percent.

Move them around the lineup and makes every line he plays a little better. Sonny knows from Florida. Absolutely. I like that. I like that one going away. The goaltending scares a shit out of you if you're a Devils fan. Like, you know, Jake Allen, David Rich, Nico Dawes, like, you can get away with that, I think if the team in front of them has shown that they can play the kind of structured hockey that can paper over average goaltending, which this team has not shown at all under Shelton Keefe. So I think the intriguing part of this Merrick is how many of the little swings that Sunny has taken will manifest.

Like I look at Amadeus Lombardi, a guy that none of us had heard of until Sunny acquired him. And then we're all like, oh, my God, this guy is going to be a dime into the rough. Full disclosure. I work out of the same gym as Amadeus Lombardi just in a little bit west here. You work out. So I see him. I see him and his younger brother all the time. What do devil fans have to look forward to?

Have you seen him in the shower? He's not. I haven't showered with Amadeus. He's a talent. He's a really polite, professional young man who is one of the strongest guys in the gym. Hands down and works his ass off. Hardworking guy. Oh, hang on a second.

Zach's popped in. Well, that also was the worst comment, which could have said where he said nobody knew this guy's name because he also lives a street over from my parents. So I've known about this kid for like a very long time. Welcome to Canada, Greg. I work out in his gym. He lives next to his parents and Aurora. Welcome to Canada, Greg Wischinski. Everybody knows every hockey player.

There are guys from my high school that have played in the NFL that I never knew who they were. And then literally it's like you guys are at the same coffee shop with Amadeus Lombard. That's fine. That's great. Listen, I'm more of a handleman. So here's the thing. So I look at Sonny and look at these moves and I say to myself, these are the moves that make you successful as a general manager. It just takes time.

it's little bets, right? It's little swings, right? That all of a sudden you accumulate like five, six, seven, eight of these. And all of a sudden, wow, where do New Jersey get all this depth from? And it's like the same thing with like Colorado. How many times do we see Colorado take like little swings, whether it's, you know, Parker Kelly is one of the most obvious ones. You know, little swings, Sam Malinski, and all of a sudden they're moving guys because he's popped.

They could tiny little swings. Little swings like that. One of the things about New Jersey, just then we'll hop on these. other teams here. One thing is about New Jersey is, there's, of course, the Barrett-Haten offer sheet, which is a very smart

and conservative offer sheet move. That is not like Leo Carlson. Bam, 18 million dollars. Check me on a Facebook. Boom. Like, just not that. Okay? I'm actually kind of surprised

at how reserved he's been as general manager. Because, you know, he's been thinking about this position and having it for a long time and so you probably have a million ideas. It's like the band that records her first album. You have your whole life to do the first album.

And so everything goes into it. And the hard part is, okay, shit, we got to do another one. And we've just had like 20 years to make this. And then what? I'm actually kind of surprised at the patience. To be honest with you. Now, Quinn Hughes could, of course, be the blockbuster that everyone maybe is waiting for here. But I understand that the temptation to come in and make massive moves.

Dougie Hamilton, here's your new area code, here's your new zip code, but hasn't, hasn't happened. I mean, this is where you go back to Sunday as the poker pro, right? Yeah. Like, who's going, who's going all in on their first hand? Nope. You're right. This is where he's, and again, that's the beauty of, that's the beauty of guys that are known for emerging from the analytics community taking over these teams is that if it was

an ex-pro, if this was like, I don't know, like, John. McLean running the devils or Ken Danico running the devils. And they don't do anything. What's up puck? You'd be like, what's wrong with these old geysers? Why can't they figure out the new NHL? They should be more active. When it's

sunny or when it's McFarland or when it's Tulski, it's always like the great benefit of their keep in their powder drive or something. They've got something cooking. This inactivity will lead to a flurry of activity that will

blow our minds because they are inherently smarter than all of us. And that could be the case with Sunny. Like, he's clearly, he's clearly not been as active as you and I thought, not been as a lot of Devils fans thought. And hopefully it's in service of not only improving this version of the team, but understanding that there may be a ticking clock towards a hueseless future and setting the devils up for that time too. So we'll see what it is.

But again, I think from my perspective, when I look at it. at this team and I think about the expectations placed on it. The idea that there was a few years of abject panic that they couldn't figure out the goaltending and then it looked like they did with Markstrom and Allen and they only kind of did. And now Markstrom's gone and now you've got Alan Rich and Dawes. It kind of feels like there's been a downshift back to what about the goaltending, which shouldn't really be where this team needs to be in 26, 27.

Okay, bracket the New Jersey conversation. Rousseau coming up here in now three minutes. Which team do you want to do in three minutes? Which team is the three minute conversation? The Oilers. The Oilers are a three-minute conversation. Babcock hasn't done shit since the Lidscher retired. You know, I can't figure out nurses' impact on this team because he sucked and then he was on the block.

And then every Oilers fan was like, this guy's great. And then he went out the door and then all the Oilers fans were like he sucks. what did he actually mean to that blue line? Is there enough support in the lineup for Connor and Leon? Will Connor and Leon actually find another level under the psychological torment of Mike Babcock? Who's to say? And, you know, what is the goaltending now?

Like on paper, Jari, Freddie, Levi? Questions about all of them? No, hang on. But there's questions about all of them. Question about all of them. But if all the questions are answered to the affirmative, affirmative, affirmative, infirmative in the case of Freddie,

in the affirmative, then maybe it could be better than what they had with Ingram and Jari, potentially. To me, the whole thing is going to be the relationship the stars have with Mike Babcock. Like that's it. We can dance around, okay, who's going to be your, who's going to be your 5, 6, you know, on the blue line,

what's your depth look like? They have players for this, right? Like, to me, it's all about how is Connor McDavid, Leon Dricidal, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent Hopkins, all of them, Evan Bouchard. How do they react to Mike Babcock? They've all said the right things.

They've all said, we need to be pushed. We need someone that's not just going to defer to us and keep firing us out there when we make mistakes. Everybody says the right thing. But it's kind of like when you would always hear players talk about, and Conn McDavid has said this. I'll do anything to win the Stanley Cup, which usually means I'll do anything on my,

terms to win the Stanley Cup. What happens when Mike Babcock, I don't know, sits Conner-McDavid down because he won't keep a stick on the ice in the defensive zone. Well, I know Rousse is here, but I need to ask you this, though. I understand what you're saying, and I completely understand, you know, who runs the team in Edmonton. But isn't the most important player on that team vis-a-vis Mike Babcock the bottom six forward or third-paring defenseman or frequent healthy scratch.

I know what you're getting at. Yeah. I know what you mean. Yes, I know. That he decides to torment and whether or not that person has Paul Bissonette's phone number. Like, isn't that really the issue on the Oilers? Why is this oiler on Spitting Chickles this week? This will be interesting. No, I do understand that. I would imagine, given how much conversation there has been around it, that as tempted as Mike Babcock may be at times

to be the old Mike Babcock, which you may say is still the same Mike Babcock. He's got to know that everyone's waiting for that to happen. It doesn't. I know, dude. How many coaches have we seen? Like, I'm done kicking players in the back up and down the bench. I'm never going to do that again.

And then what do we see 20 games in? When the guys dash three in the first period? I know. There is a better chance. of the California Golden Seals winning the Stanley Cup than Mike Babcock ever feeling humility. The white skate seals or

the regular skates? Either. The no skate seals. Any of them. Let's get to Mike Russo. From the athletic here to talk about exciting things like Quinn Hughes, our good friend Mr. Russo joins us. Now, Michael, how are you today? How has your summer been? Summer's been great.

I just got back from where it was Italian and French Riviera, which was awesome. You get the best life. You get the best life, Rousseau. Three concerts and three nights in Colorado. And then now I'm here in Vegas. Which concerts?

Which concerts? Of Monsters and Men at Red Rocks. Then I saw Trampled by Turtles, which is my Minnesota band. Their buddies, a month. They played two shows in a row at Dylan Amphitheater. They're actually going to be with Zach Ryan and Toronto coming up here in the I believe in a couple weeks, maybe in September. So everybody should go see them.

They'll absolutely love trampled. Greg. Greg, I hit the cigar bars last couple nights. I was just going to say there was a certain amount of disappointment that you weren't poolside doing this. It comes to the obligatory cigar conversation. I'll just have a cup of coffee and listen. The only thing I'll say, Rousseau, is that I have a couple packed away. I'm going to Saratoga tomorrow for my summer sojourn to the spa.

and that's where I will be imbibing with a couple of sticks sitting under a tree, betting on ponies. But I always like, the great thing about you is like when you and I will see each other on the road, I will hear about all of these plans being formulated using all of the incredible loyalty statuses that you acquire during the season and then execute those plans. So I'm happy to hear everything came to pass that you had been talking about. That's why I'm here in Vegas. I had a free suite here at this hotel, so I had to take advantage of it. You know, so the last one I was in Saratoga, believe it or not, was 2007. And Alan Cohen, the old panthers owner, had a bunch of horses there.

Topplex was the trainer. So I went back to the stables there, and I started feeding this horse named Sophie Salad. And Sophie Salad was owned by Bobby Flay. And I was like so excited to feed his horse. His daughter's name is Sophie. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's amazing.

So Sophie's salad. And then right into the next thing was this horse named, lawyer Ron. Do you remember that horse? No. It's not like the track record and the Kimberly or the Whitney that night or anything. Well, anyway, so the next day, I'm looking at the car and I see Sophie salad. It's like 12 to 1.

I'm like, I got a bet on her. I fed her left yesterday. She won the race. So the next day, I went back to the stable. And all of a sudden I go up to Sophie Salads thing. I've never seen a horse the day after race. It is like lethargic and dead tired. And all of a sudden, Sophie sees me.

She just gets up and comes right to me. And I thanked her for the like 120 bucks that she made me and everything. It was really cool. Wow. Did you put peanut butter inside her gums so she could talk to you? No, I didn't do that. I just fed grass. The reason why I remember it was 07, this is a horrible story, is the next day I flew back to Minnesota, and that was the day the bridge collapsed.

It was like August 1st. Oh, gosh. Yeah. So I was also thinking about you last night, Greg, because I was playing poker. And there were a couple drunk Jets fans there. And they, I know it's not. That's an oxy. I was thinking about you, Greg.

These guys were hammered and wearing green. Oh, look, it's a jet. Oh, I miss Greg. I saw all these reports I saw these reports from from practice today from from Rich Samini about how there was already a jet that was

in an ambulance with an IV and they're like there's the first preseason game I think is like this Friday and all I could think of is that meme from Grand Theft Auto where the guys looking out down the alley and going oh shit here we go again like I can't believe it's fucking jet season almost again

I love I love playing poker with drunk people because they're are just idiots. And these two guys, which I was convinced when I realized they were buddies, I was little worried and paying attention if they were colluding and stuff. You see a lot of friends doing that at cash games. Anyway, these guys were hammered. And I cracked them each for about 400 bucks in a couple of hands. I was very excited. Buddy. Oh, look at you. Talk it away. You got to play poker in Vegas when you see a table full of drunk idiots. So there you go. And you don't have to throw a stone too far to hit that.

I'll tell you that right now. Yeah. So has the best life. Okay. And scene. Quinn Hughes. Huh? Who?

Yeah. Yeah. Because you haven't thought about him all summer long. Quinn Hughes. What is, as we talk, 135 Eastern, August 11th? What is the latest? Like, give us a time and temp. Because it's...

You know, it's... It is hard to say. I mean, obviously, I've been in touch with both sides. And I think both are really playing this really close to the best. You know, in a large part, I think, think because of the way that Carill went. There was a lot of talk during the Carrel Caprissoff negotiations from both sides. You know, it probably didn't help matters when Craig Leopold came out and said we'd, you know, essentially give them an open check. And I think that, you know, Bill Guerin is being, you know,

really cagey about this. Obviously, Craig Leopold went on the record earlier this summer with NPR in Minnesota about the fact that, you know, what the terms of the contract could look like and that Quinn might want a three-year deal and the wild would love to go five or more. You know, Three makes a lot of sense to align himself with Jack in four years and both becoming free agents at the same time. They could sort of pick their spot, whether it's New Jersey, Minnesota, somewhere else. I still think this is going to get done, guys. I just think this is as simple as the world has changed this summer. It actually changed last summer.

I think the Wilde started all this when they gave Kurok, $17 million. Then obviously the offer sheet for Leo Carlson. And then Celebrini, who's also represented by Peprisson, gets 18.8. and I just think the world has changed. This is a new, going to be a new defenseman market, obviously with Kail McCar and Quinn Hughes. And, you know, look, Cellebrini is an incredible player.

I think he's going to be the best player in the league for the next, you know, a couple decades. But the reality is that these are two stud defensemen that are in the prime of their careers, and they probably, at this point, their careers, weren't being the highest paid players in the league. And so I think where the wild thought that they could probably get Quinn at Carillo,

type money, it's probably gotten up. I mean, maybe one of them, you know, McCar or Quinn wants to be the first $20 million player. This is just conjecture. But I just think the world has changed. I still think it's going to get done. I just think that the type of concept that the Wilde probably thought, you know, would go into free agency has changed. Probably the second that Philly did that offer sheet. And we'll see. I still think, as I mentioned, that it's going to get done. I just think that now it's a true negotiation between both sides. So just to calm everybody's fears officially, the fact that this is stretched into August 11th should not make any Minnesota fan worried that Quinn Hughes will be a New Jersey devil next year.

Yeah, I mean, look, if he's going to be anywhere, it'd probably be New Jersey if it's not Minnesota. And obviously, look, if he wants to play with his brother, obviously the smartest thing to do is not to sign with the wild. But I think that the reason why we're all expecting him to sign, not just because he has said all the right things about how he much he loved playing for the team and thinks he could win there. But I think it's also because I think that he realizes the amount of assets the Wilde gave up for him.

And I think that there's just a feeling from his side that he deserves to pay that back to the Wild and at least give them term on the next contract, knowing that he's still going to be at the prime of his career at the end of that contract if he signs a three-year extension. The problem is that that doesn't mean that he's just going to sign with them for three years times 15. Now, again, the world has changed. He still is going to want to be paid.

He should want to be paid. He's one of the top two defense in the league. He absolutely is, you know, everything to this team. He was a total game changer in terms of the way that this team played hockey last year. He knows he could pile up a ton of points playing with guys like Boldi and Capruza. But again, I think that he is still going to, you know, sort of play ball with the wild in terms of staying here. I think there's a lot of loyalty from Bill Guerin,

the USA hockey thing, obviously the amount of assets that he gave up for him. But again, he's going to want to get paid. He is an incredibly good agent who knows what the market is. And, you know, I think that they're going to get it done. It just might take longer than any of us thought. At what point then, if it's not now, at what point if you're a Minnesota wild fan, do you get nervous? Is it open up?

Probably open night, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I really think that this is becoming, yeah. Here's why I ask, Mike, is I just wonder how much of this is, because the money is going to be the money. Like Quinn Hughes's money is going to be, whether it's Minnesota, whether it's New Jersey, whether it's wherever. Like Quinn Hughes is getting paid.

We all understand that. And it's going to be the same wherever he goes most likely. The one wild card is, and we were just talking about this before he came on, and when we're done the conversation, we'll finish it up here. Like every year there are teams that fall off the face of the earth. last year who saw what was going to happen to Winnipe. Exactly. Like, it just does happen.

Like, how much does that factor into Quinn Hughes's decision here? I am completely with you on there. That to me is why I say opening night. It is because if the wild get off to a terrible start, it changes everything. So, you know, if he's got to believe that he's going to want to, that he's going to win here. And obviously, the wild to this point hasn't gotten that number one center. They still are really holding out hope for Larkin. obviously Quinn has a lot of inside information here because he skates with Larkin on his daily basis in Ann Arbor.

So he knows that that Dylan's preference would be to come to Minnesota or Vegas or Florida, but Vegas or Florida right now don't have interest in them. But the Wilde still do. So we got to see who the GM is. And then if the Wild can make some sort of contract, the problem is there is that the, you know, or some sort of trade, the problem is there. The Wilde's assets are what they are. I mean, they're not going to magically suddenly give up old in a,

a Dylan Larkin trade. So unless they're going to want futures that aren't sure things, you know, I don't know how that deal is going to get done unless it's a three-way trade. But to get back to your original point, I mean, I do think that opening night, I think it was the template with Carol Caprisoff. I think that that was always the deadline from both Corrill's side and from Minnesota's side is to get a deal done by opening night and not have this become a distraction. And I could tell you, just knowing, you know, the type of beat writer I am, it probably will be a distraction. the point he isn't signed opening night because they can't tell me not to ask the questions, right?

We have a saying around here, a low-hanging fruit is still nutritious. Don't be shy. Low-hanging fruit is still nutritious. Yeah, from what I understand, the only place I can tell you not to ask the questions is Vegas. Now, listen, I find it interesting. You mentioned Caprisaw's contract a few times, and this is not really, I mean, you've got to pay the guy what he's looking for, right? That's essentially how we ended up with that number on krill. It's kind of amazing, though.

Like, you could think back to September 30th of 2025. Like, if you believe the timeline on Quinn Hughes, Quinn Hughes wasn't a fucking glint in the eye of Bill Guerin at that point when he signs Capri Soft of that contract. And now he's going to have to have two guys making that kind of money on his cap. That's kind of amazing to think back at that Caprice contract. And that domino never really being mentioned. Yeah.

Well, there's a couple of thoughts that I have there. It also, it does talk to, you know, I think a lot of people envision that teams have all these grand plans and they're mapping things out for years. I'm sure there are some teams that do it. Bill Garron's a pretty impulsive GM. And I don't think that, you know, like Matt Sells and the assistant GM called him up one day and said, hey, what do you think about getting Quinn Hughes? He calls him up literally that day, makes the best offer possible. And a week later, he's on the Minnesota Wild. I don't know if the Wild actually start andly forecasted what they were going to have to pay him on an extension.

And so the world has changed from that standpoint. The other thing to your point is that, so I'm right here in Vegas. I'm literally, my room looks over the Mandarin Hotel, which is where I sat down with Quinn Hughes last September, when all those Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes stuff came to light, where Pierre LeBron asked the question of Jack, and Jack came right out and said, I want to play with Quinn. And the next day we talked to Quinn. And I was joking around with Quinn back in February or March of this year, maybe right before or after the Olympics, about how funny it was. that he and I were both there, and three months later,

neither of us could envision that he was actually going to be on the Minnesota Wild. That I was sitting right next to Pierre during this conversation, and even Quinn never thought that that came to light. So it is, it does show you how things change. There is a big question on whether or not you could, you know, have a winning team if you're going to pay two guys this type of money. And, you know, Matt Boldie, obviously, is eventually going to get up there. But the cat, but look, Quinn Hughes, he's in the driver's seat right now.

The Wild gave up a ton to get them. They got to sign them because I don't think you're going to recruit the assets that you gave up, you know, knowing that essentially you're probably dealing with one team in Jersey. So it's a quandary that the Wilde are in right now. And to your point, though, Russo, like, that's one thing that we don't really probably give GMs enough credit for it is the idea of, you know, keeping that space open, keeping your flexibility open. You know, when something does shake loose from the tree that you didn't expect, you don't have to. to make three other deals in order to make it a reality. I think Carolina has always been a team that was able to do that, whether it was the Gensel thing or the Rantanin thing, like just the ability to know what you have and know what you have to give up in order to make something big happen.

And other teams, you know, when it, when a cues or Rorensky comes loose or a Larkin, to your point about Vegas and Florida, like they just don't have the flexibility to make that kind of move happen. And I think that, you know, even with the Capri Soft contract, like Billy still took the swing and now we'll have to figure out the math on it. Yeah. And the irony, the irony here, guys, is that, you know, the wild have actually the cap flexibility. It's now the asset issue because he has given up a ton of prospects the last couple of years. It's not just that he gave up Rossi, Blam, Ogren, and the first in the Hughes deal. You know, he took a swing for David Eurocheck. It turned out to be a disaster. You know, and they turned that into Bobby Brink. But the reality is that he gave up.

up for second, third, and fourth in that deal. And then, you know, they essentially threw away Maratheus Nadinov, who's, you know, whether he's a true first-line way or not, he is on Boston playing with Boston right now. So, you know, they've given up a lot, and that's, that'll hurt them in getting Dylan Larkin, because obviously the wild don't even know what Dillianel, you're off and Charlie Stramel are. So it's like, why would Detroit just suddenly, you know, just say, all right, yeah, we'll give you Dylan Larkin for them.

So, you know, that's sort of the issue now. So we'll see where it goes. I still think the wilder going to be okay. You know, but, but obviously, again, the world has changed. I mean, you know, if they thought they were getting Quinn Hughes at 16, 17 million on a short-term deal, you know, when all of a sudden Carlson's at 18 and Celebranians 18 to 8 and McCars and, you know, in a lot of ways, this is like the whole last year with Caprice and Eichel and McDavid and Kempe and Connor and all these guys. because now McCar, you know, they were all waiting for the first domino to drop and then figuring out how everybody was going to align there.

You know, McCarra and Hughes right now are sort of doing the same thing here. And so, you know, Brian Bartland and Paterson are in the driver's seats here and we'll see where it goes. How do you see, again, like sort of off the Quinn Hughes page right now, but sort of big picture this. So this kind of feels like because the cap has gone up and some new money has come in, salaries of, have grown. And listen, we all know what's on the horizon with Connor McGavid somewhere down the road here as well. At what point do you think we really start to see like significant,

like you remember pre-lockout 04 when like Detroit was spending 90 and Nashville was spending 19. Like it was like it was ridiculous. I'm not saying that kind of swing anymore because it can't happen. But like at what point do you think we're really going to start to see that in the system with the cap? and how much it's going to go up next year. Yeah, I mean, I definitely think that, you know,

the good thing is that there's still a significant floor in the NHL the teams are going to have to get up to. But it's sure, you know, I don't even know if it sort of feels like it's becoming that right now where everybody wants to go to three or four teams. I mean, even Brady could Chuck, even though he technically had Minnesota on his list, he still had, you know, and I'd say technically because we all know that he pretty much had one team on his list, but he still had Minnesota on its list. Larkin has Minnesota, this is stuff that's never happened before.

So I do think that there are, that these players now are sort of now dictating their terms on where they want to be. There's a power game going on in the NHL right now. And so I do think that it puts a lot of pressure on teams to figure out ways to win. Because I think that what that's showing you, like the Wild, Minnesota has one of the highest tax situations in the National Hockey League in terms of state income tax. yet teams or players are still putting the wild on a list that they want to go to so what it tells me is that if you're vancouver if you're san jose is we're seeing now that they're on the rise if your teams that that haven't been winning you better start figuring out to win or it could be that just you know sort of that the have me and have knots so let me ask this one as a follow up there um the hockey hall of fame is there to document significant moments that have changed the game that have influenced the game in that spirits should be Should the USA hockey slash gold medal group chat, should that be in the hockey hall of fame? Oh, definitely. Can you imagine?

I would give anything to be on that list. So I would give anything to just read some of the things that happened. Well, I mean, to be honest, I heard stuff that was going on in the Olympic Village about how, you know, how certain guys were basically saying, well, we want to play together. We want to play there. There was a joke going on in the Olympic Village. about like, you know, all guys fighting on, like, who wanted to come to Minnesota with to play with Quinn. So, I mean, that also just shows you the importance of Quinn Hughes here. It's not just, you know, the hockey player and the brilliant hockey player he is.

He's, he turns Minnesota into a destination along with guys like Boldie and Faber and Capriess and Ericsonac. I mean, there's suddenly a core here. And, you know, that's why Bill Garron, look, it was four tough years for this organization after he made the decision to buy out Parisian suitor. And it was poor tough years where everything he wanted to do, he was basically told by his AGMs, look, you can't do it. I mean, we have no money. There's no way to get it done. And the wild, we're living on really tough times here. And that's why you've seen him so aggressive in taking big swings in the last couple of years.

Some haven't made sense like you're a check and some made sense like Hughes. And Hughes has absolutely turned the wild into a real quality hockey team and a real quality destination for a team, which brings you to the pressure point of having to extend them. You know, I still think the Wilder are going to get it done. It's just going to be the sticker shock on it when you coupled with Correll. You know, Wild fans just might want to remember that they got Eric's neck at five and a half and boldie at seven and just, you know, and, you know, favor an eight and a half. I've been stopping about this for a while. Players are not general managers.

One of the greatest tricks after the lockout of 2005 that the NHL pulled on the Players Association was convincing the players that they were in charge of the cap. They're not. They're not general managers. Well, Rousseau, when you look at the pie chart of why players want to play in Minnesota, and obviously the Quinn slice is huge and the Billy slice is huge, the money slice is huge because they've got an owner that's willing to spend that money. But how big is the slice of it being a place where hockey is taken very seriously, but it's not a bat-shit market like Vancouver or Toronto?

Like, is that a significant part of this too? Absolutely. Just say it's not Canada. Just say, but it's not Canada. It isn't. I mean, you know, like the Vikings are still king. You know, like it's not, I mean, every single night you don't have local TV there at games, you know, with like 15 cameras around. It's essentially three or four beat riders.

It's a big hockey market that's not that that is, you know, I mean, look, and I'll say this. I mean, the one thing about our market is that we have obviously two major newspapers that travel, which is unheard of in the league and the athletic that travels to all 82. games, 84 now. So from that standpoint, it's still a big hockey market, but it is not crazy like essentially other markets. The thing about Minnesota is that, like, it is like I, you know, John Crosinski are a

basketball writer and I talk about this all the time because it is such a rabid sports market. It's got the best sports radio station I think in the country, the highest rated in the Midwest. I mean, people just absolutely love sports there. They fill all the buildings. And, you

Yet this is a market that hasn't won a major championship in decades, the longest in the United States. So could you imagine if they ever had a perennial winner? And so, you know, there's a lot to like about that if you're players, too, you know, about being part of that core that can maybe lead this team to a major championship, this market to its major championship. So, you know, it's, you know, there's a lot to like about Minnesota. it's not, you know, it's not this little bubble, though, like we see up in Vancouver, Edmonton, and all the pressure on a daily basis. Toronto, obviously, Montreal, places like that. Sorry, I'm Canadian. What's the sports radio station?

I'm sorry. I'm Canadian. Oh, no. Oh, no. That's all about. Okay, anyhow, we shall move on. Okay, listen, last one. Listen, when we talk about Minnesota, we focus so much on the Quinn Hugh story because it is juicy.

and it's big and it's a superstar, it's Minnesota. What is the story you think we're missing on when it comes to the Minnesota while? Like, as we all focus on Quinn Hughes, is there anything sort of, you know, under the surface here that we're missing on? Or is everything really just revolving around, you know, QH? Yeah, I mean, it really, I mean, this has been, I think, you know, probably a frustrating offseason for Bill Guerin. You know, he was obviously in for Brady Kachuk. He was obviously in on Dylan Larkin and hopes is still. get that done, believes there's still a path to get it done, at least believed it, you know,

until Steve Eisman, obviously left his current position. So we'll see where it goes. So they're sort of in a holding pattern here for Quinn Hughes. The one thing that I think that last year showed me is that you don't necessarily have to make all your moves in the offseason. And so while the wild still haven't gotten that long anticipated number one center, you know, they also missed out on Andrews Lee, but they responded by making it. to trade for Blake Coleman and Ole Mata. You know, while it doesn't necessarily have to happen now. So if all of a sudden to use Greg's line, if something shakes from the trees in the middle of the season,

and Billy's patient now, and it gets Quinn done, you know, and all of a sudden a larkin becomes available or another center out there becomes available, I think that Billy is willing to pounce. So I think that's the one thing that Wild fans are probably going to, that are probably a little frustrated now and a little concerned about how good this team is going to be here, regardless if they get Quinn done. I think they've got to realize that at some point, Billy is definitely going to pounce on something because the team is what it is. And right now, if you look at them on paper, they're not a cup contender in my eyes right now

until they get that long-anticipated No-1 Center that can go up against the Colorado's in this conference. Like say there's a guy who plays center. Maybe he was on the Olympic team. His goaltending implodes. He wants to go play with his brother who's stuck there until 2030. I'm not like, I'm not, look, I'm, uh, right now. Go for it. Radiom, everybody. Radio him. I'm public enemy number one with Devils fans.

So I'm not, I'm going to let you talk about that, Greg. I, I love the Devils. I love Heeshire. I love, I love Sonny Mont. Oh, I was talking about Dawson Mercer. I assume his brother is somewhere in the Minnesota. Yeah, that's true. In the Minnesota depth chart. That is actually a good point. Yeah, yeah, yeah. that would get them here. All right, very good. We'll get you off the hook here before you get in trouble. That's what Vegas is for. I told you guys last time I was on with you that every time I'm on here,

I'm worried that Greg's going to get me canceled. You know, working with him for years on a daily basis. I know. I know. I'm sorry. I get people in trouble. I lead people to places they don't want to necessarily go.

That's what my job is. Sorry. It's the beauty of it. All right. I'm going to go look for Jets fans to play poker with guys. Yeah, go, go rinse some some drunken Jets fans. Enjoy yourself. They'll be the ones with an unbridled optimism that's weeks away from being crushed. So that's a telltale sign. Michael, you're the best.

Thanks is always pal. We'll talk soon. See, boys. Take care. Mike Rousseau. I'm from the athletic covering the Minnesota Wild. I don't, I don't think Jack's going anywhere until 2030. I'm just obviously just fucking around a little bit.

But, like, I do think that it is interesting that they, I mean, the Matthews thing to me would be like more of the logical thing than the Jack thing if you're Minnesota. But again, Austin loves Toronto. I don't have you heard that, Merrick. He loves Toronto. He loves being in Toronto, playing in Toronto, being a leaf, being the capital of the leaves. He loves all those things. So let's do Toronto then as part of the teams that could fall flat on their face as you're obviously transitioning us there. So we've talked about, well, who have we talked about so far?

talked about the New Jersey Devils. The Devils, the Oilers. The Devils, the Oilers. So we got three more. So real quick here. It's tough to try to make the playoffs last year. Right? Like last year was a year.

Like, okay. I know. They ended up winning the lottery. Like last year was a year where, okay, maybe it was going to fall in the face. How do you justify putting Toronto on this list? Well, I first of all, I justify it because you suggested it. But I also justify it as there being an air of optimism around the team. because of McKenna's arrival, but also because of how much, and also the new regime,

the Cheka-Sundin regime, you know, reinvigorating everybody's, you know, excitement for the franchise. And they've done a lot of tinkering. I mean, they've, Radish was a big ad. Bob Broffs, he's a big ad to pair him back with Stolars. Then you've got, you know, Paul and Sizzins and Rosavik and Duques. Like, they've obviously done a lot of work this. off season. There's a lot of darts being thrown at the board. And what's it going to come down to? Austin Matthews, William Nealander, like Matthew Nyes, John Tavarra is like, that's

what it's going to come down to. Right. Again, like all the stuff, all the stuff like around the perimeter is the stuff around the, now I'm not saying that Darren Radish is around the perimeter kind of move, nor is Sir again. No, it's not. Even though, even though he's the oldest gold tender in the NFL event's available. Yeah.

Even though Bobowski is the oldest goaltender in the NHL, which. which despite the fact that everyone will tell you, he's got the body of a 27-year-old, time is undefeated so far here. Again, it's going to come down to Matthew, stay healthy, Matthews scored 55 or 60, where's William Nealander, can John Tavares still play at that level?

How good can Matthew Nyes be? Like, can, honestly, can Matthew Nyes pop between 35 and 40? Right. Like, it's still going to come down to, can those guys do it? Yeah. And again, you mentioned Nyes.

You mentioned Matthews. You mentioned Nylander. I mean, we assume that McKenna is going to be, you know, good for what he is as a kid. Like, all of this stuff is real. And hopefully it manifests to them being better than they were last year. But, again, like a lot of that busy work that I talked about, those are a lot of those guys I'm not crazy about. Like, Roslovick makes Anthony Mantle look consistent with how hot and cold. that guy runs. So like, you know, I said at the time when, when the frenzy was going on, that

it seemed like a lot of moves being made just because we could make some moves. And, and what is that ultimately manifest as? I don't know. Part of that too is part of that is, too, is like they needed to change the story. And the best way to do that right away is fill it with a bunch of new names and names that everybody are in Toronto are familiar with. the other team you mentioned that made the list and this was an interesting one because i had the ducks originally and your point i think is well taken which is that you know it's hard to really talk about how their season can be blown up one because of where they are in their contention window two because of the leo carlson thing kind of like rewriting the equations for them in many

ways totally yeah um and they've kind of reset their own bar by not really addressing the defections on the blue line. I think the expectations for this team probably take a downgrade overall. But you mentioned Ottawa. Tell me why. The loss of Brady Kachuk and this new eye. I'm curious to see what happens with this quote unquote new identity. Like you don't lose someone like Brady Kachuk without having to change who you are.

Do you lean into it? Now, everyone in the Atlantic right now. And I would maintain the Maple Leafs made this mistake for a number of years. Try to out Panther the Panthers. And the Panthers are back. And everyone's going to be using them as the measuring stick again. oh no, here comes the bogeyman. How are we going to beat the Florida Panthers?

What are we going to do about the Florida Panthers here? And some teams will default and say we need to out panther the Panthers. I would maintain, it's the team, and we saw this with the – and listen, I would be fascinated to see Carolina face off against Florida in the playoffs next season because that is still like that team out there that Carolina still has to beat. Oh, right? That is the team that Carolina has to beat. Yeah.

To get like full satisfaction here. The cup is the cup and the cup is the cup. but Florida Panthers. I'm curious to see how much they lean into what type of new identity they have here. And the acquisition of Eklund is a massive one. Like are they going to lean into, we're a skilled team,

Stutzelah, Eklund, etc. Are they going to try to, again, out Panther the Panthers, out Tampa the Bolts? Or are they going to lean into, we're a skilled team and that's the way we're going to need to play. And we're going to hope, we're going to hope.

that that Linus Allmark that we saw in the playoffs, because God, was he ever awesome, is the real Linus Allmark from now on? And is this the year that people finally, like legitimately understand how good Jake Sanderson is? Well, you also have to hope that that Allmark can play like 60 games at a minimum for you. Yeah, because everything behind them is a tough one.

I know. Samerson is terrible. That's a tough one. That's a tough one. That was a little. That was a little bit surprising. But yeah, absolutely. The other team that I want to get to here, Dallas.

Yeah. Jim, okay, like, just have like the full sort of snapshot of what's happened here with the Dallas stars. Now, first of all, you can bank on some internal, like Wyatt Johnson, for example, continues to distinguish himself as one of the elite in the game. And I think that's just going to continue this season. But look around this team and, find your areas of improvement. And it's not as if Jim Nill, I'm sure, hasn't tried.

And we think about Zach Werenski, for the obvious one, but you deal with what you have right now. And you don't have Bork, who has gone for draft picks to the Nashville Predators. Like, here you're like, it wasn't that long ago we're talking about like, and they're going to replenish all these spots with Logan Stankhoven and a Maverick Bork and it's going to be great. And those two players are fantastic. and one of them is already won a Stanley Cup in Carolina and the other is in Nashville now and who's coming up to grab these spots. So like you don't have,

you don't have Maverick Bork. I don't know what Tyler Say again is going to be like when he comes back. Hopefully for his sake and Dallas's sake, he's good because that's a high-end, high-end hockey player there. Matt DeShane is not getting any younger. Any regress last year?

Yes, absolutely. And if you're, you know, if you're Thomas Harley, you didn't have the best of all possible seasons. And all you've heard is that you're going to Columbus. Yeah. And Jake Ottinger has to be better. And we've been saying it for a while. So if you look at, I think I want Dallas to do well. I like Dallas.

I just, when you look at candidates for teams that are like, this team got 106 points or 108 points. And then how did they miss this year? year. Yeah. It might be chump here. It might be here chump for Dallas and the Jason Robertson saga as we talked about a couple of shows ago. That can't just been kicked down the road. So that's going to continue.

I think the big difference from me, Eric, is like there was a run when they kept making the conference final where all the conversation was like, it's going to be our time. Like, we're going to break through. Like all we need is a piece here, a piece there. And we're playing for the cup. does it remind you of? Who does it remind you of? San Jose Sharks. Joe Thornton.

Oh, like in the Thornton years? Oh, they're so close. They're going to get how many, it's not all they're going to win the cup, it's how many cups? And the conversation has now changed so dramatically. It's no longer forward thinking. It's almost inward thinking. It's like the Robertson thing. We got to think about that.

Is Ottenger okay? What do we get at a say again? Like, I feel like the forward momentum of this organization towards a cup has really hit a speed bump in a pretty significant way and I don't quite know how they're getting that velocity back. I don't know either. That's why I look at them as like a legitimate candidate

to have that fall. Again, like you'll, anyone listening, watching right now, we'll say like, oh, that's ridiculous. You would have said the same thing. We've talked about Winnipeg this way last year. Because it happens every year. There are 100 point teams that fall out. Now I thought last year was going to be like the bottom,

bottoming out for the Los Angeles. Kings. I didn't see it as Winnipeg, but it was. Yeah. Now, the Kings are always just there. Any honorable candidates for you? Maybe can you see the Boston Bruins? But then we say that every year and the right back in the playoffs.

We say that every year. Yeah. And then. And then Pavel Zaka has like, it's best year of his career. You mentioned the king. You mentioned the Kings. And one thing we didn't mention around the Leafs is, is I think one of the more intriguing parts of that equation.

which is Jim Hiller. You know, what does the team look like under Hiller? Is the team buttoned up to the point where it becomes kind of a foe contender because of how that play? That's not him. He's not, he was that coach in L.A.

because that was the roster. I think honestly, with Hiller, the accent is going to be on offense with Toronto. I really do believe that. That might not be the right decision. We'll see. Again, again, like with Toronto,

again, the whole thing. We could be. We could be, and the injuries, the potential for injuries, like we could be going right back to the 18 Wheeler conversation, waffles on the ice, all of it. 100%. There's no guarantees on this one. They made a lot of different move.

The key for Dallas, by the way, is how close are they to a playoff spot when Torts shows up for the last eight games of the season is really the issue with Dallas? The Kwai Chankane, like going from town to town to fix. Yeah, I know. That's, um, Do you think that's a hang up, but just as an aside here, what do you think his future is? I mean, you cannot ignore what he did with Vegas.

You cannot ignore that. But do you think that that's his future? Like, he's the guy that comes in and fix his teams around trade deadline. I think his future is that, but here's the thing. And, you know, the interview, I want to say it was Joe Smith, Russo's buddy from the athletic did with torts and his desire to want to keep coaching the Golden Knights. and them not them being by the way we're good here we've got our guy i think if he pulls this again if he if he parachutes in to save a team it's going to have to be you're getting me for the

rest of this season and then you're paying me for another pay me for one more because i've done this before yeah i think the i got the leverage now i think he was fine doing what he did with Vegas but after they they kind of burned him on i've had such a good time i love these guys that want to come back let's finish the job they're like nope i think the next time he's i don't I think the next time that he does this, it's going to be the rest of the season and then I'm back for next year. Yeah. That's an interesting concept. I don't think you're wrong with that if he does indeed.

And then if you've got an AHL coach that you've been grooming to be the guy, congratulations. You've got a coach for next season and I've got money for next season because you've given me eight games plus a year on my deal. My favorite part is when they gave me my money. Okay. So two things before we go. First of all, we should mention the big news here on August 11th, which is the New York Islanders jersey contest. As a saw this. Yes.

The fans have voted. I'm sorry, the fans have created these concepts for a third jersey that'll be wore in the 27-28 season. They've had over 80,000. submissions 80,490 submissions Merrick and they created a final eight jersey designs. Now maybe I misunderstood this contest, but all of the all of the crests on these jerseys are current New York Islanders trademarks. The name aisles, the name islanders, the fisherman logo, and their jersey, their their shoulder. patch lighthouse logo.

And a couple of these designs, especially the lighthouse ones, if you squint hard enough, they look like the Oilers. So I kind of felt, I kind of felt we were inviting the fans into the process for them to create the sort of things like when the San Jose sharks do Cinco de Mayo jerseys or, you know, Harry's Night jerseys and they're awful and they're inventive and they're artistic and the gorgeous. This kind of, this kind of. this kind of feels like here are the logos we already own.

We don't want to have to pay you for any of your IP. Yes. Yes, right there. And now these are the ones that we're voting on. And so, again, I give the Islander's credit. This created a lot of buzz. It's an amazing concept. It made the community feel like they were a part of something.

But at the end of the day, and I say this of all due respect, these are eight designs that fanatics could have done. And that's not where I thought we were going with the contest. But Elliot listen, it got great buzz. Fans can vote on it. Yeah. Fine. Yes.

At the end of it, we were getting it to. Yes. At the end of it, it's fine. If I were designing it, and you know me, you've known me for long enough. You know what I would have gone with, regardless of what the logo is going to be. Around the neck. A bow tie. Bow tie.

Absolutely. Boatye. Like, this is your thirds here. Like, honor your legacy. Boatie. from Viltory. Somewhere. It's not like I thought they were going to accept the logo with the Islanders fan dropping trow on a Rangers logo.

Like, I know we're not doing that. I just thought that it was going to be more, here is my original artistic interpretation of what it means to be an Islander's fan and that we put that on the Jersey, and everybody celebrates it. But instead, it's like, here is the logo we used on that black. jersey piece of shit that we were we played in Brooklyn and now it's on a blue jersey look so I don't know about that at the end of it you're right it is fine anything else hockey wise for today's program no okay so here's not here's here's

here's something it was it was one of the a text that I really wish I didn't have to write is welcoming you to the saddest club in the world. Yeah. Passing of your father. Yeah. Went through it and you went through it a couple of weeks ago. You have a couple of words for your dad, who I know was obviously who formed a lot of

who you are today, obviously. Oh, like, I hear you talk about ponies and I think about your dad. Oh, yeah. Well, for their 50th wedding anniversary, me and my sister paid for a race at Monmouth Park named in their honor, which I thought was kind of a fun deal. That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah.

He was in a bad way for a while. Like he had double bypass surgery and then never really rebounded from it. So he was, you know, for the last couple of years on oxygen and whatever. And then, you know, finally his body started to break down. He took on a bunch of water and stuff. And he went to the hospital a couple months ago. And then he passed at the end of July. And it was just like it was like one of those tough ones because you don't want to see him go.

but it was clearly time for him to go. Went to the same. You know, exactly what you mean. The laundry list of things on the death certificate that my mom showed me was just like, oh, you know, spin the wheel and pick one. And that could have been the reason why he went. But yeah, like I love my dad. And like you said, I mean, the guy that I am today, whether it's, you know,

learning how to be a father, what to do, what not to do. I mean, he gave me my sports fandom. him. He taught, in a roundabout way, taught me to be a journalist because he used to bring the newspaper home every single day from his job as an electrical contractor in New York. And I'd go into his briefcase and grab the New York Daily News and I'd read it from the back to the front or the North Star Ledger and start with the sports section. You know, my sense of humor, just everything comes from him in some way, shape, or form. So, you know, it was one of those deals where he

I said goodbye to him on several occasions, basically, in the last few weeks that he was around because you just didn't know when he was going to go and kind of came to peace with the fact that he wasn't going to be around. But it's just, you know, when you lose the North Star for a lot of who you are, it's tough.

It's also tough because, you know, my wife and I had a son last October, Graham, great kid. got to meet his granddad, which is great, but like my first son after two daughters. And it's kind of like one of those weird circle of life things where you know, you welcome a boy into your life and you say goodbye to the boy that that raised you. So I don't know. I wanted to mention this on the show because I thought people would appreciate how we honored him. I don't know if you've got that photo. This is great. So my dad loved two things in life more than almost anything. Yeah. He loved

loved White Castle sliders, not only because on the way to the Meadowlands in Jersey for games, we used to swing by White Castle, and I would watch the man eat in the car. He'd keep burgers between his legs. He put fries on the dashboard. The drink would be in the cup holder, and he would eat the burgers in the way to the game. He used to buy this crave case of White Castle burgers, and he would freeze them and keep them in the freezer. Oh, you told me about this before. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

He had an entire routine on how to proper. unthaw the burgers to make them taste like they just came off the grill. And then Maker's Mark whiskey. My dad loved Maker's Mark to the point where he signed up to be an ambassador for the brand. They gave him a little identification card. Like he was in some sort of a fan club. He used to get labels made with his name or my name. He had a Puck Daddy, Maker's Mark label made for me once.

So at his wake, I made sure that we had white castle sliders and shots of makers mark and everybody imbibed to the point where both were pretty much done by the end of the day. And that's exactly how he would have wanted it to be. So I don't know if he, whatever you believe, and I don't know if he's cognizant of any of this having happened in his honor. But I bring it to the world now that that's what we did for my dad. And yeah, he was a great dude. I mean, he, he'll be missed. Absolutely. As I mentioned, it's the loneliest club.

It's the absolute lonely, loneliest club in the world. Peace to your family. Have great, however many days that I'm not going to see you or talk to you. Oh, I'll be around here and there. Saratoga tomorrow. We'll figure out. Saratoga tomorrow, yeah. My dad also got to see four Islanders Cups and three Devils Cups.

I mean, he was an Islander's fan before he was a Devils fan That means the man got to see seven teams that he liked Win the Stanley Cup That is a lot Was he at Nassau Coliseum for any of the Any of the Islanders wins? I don't know if he was In this series, but like

I don't think he was Because I feel like he would have told me that But like he and I were at Brendan Byrne When they won the Cup in 95 And I'll never forget Like, because real briefly For those that don't know the story my dad won my dad played the lottery the lottery every single week and in fact in going through some of his stuff there was a Ziploc bag labeled like 20 22 and a wad of losing lottery tickets inside the bag because my dad would collect them on the off chance he'd win he could use the losing lottery tickets to offset the taxes on his lottery winning that's the thought but you never won shit except

in 95 when he won a good amount of money in 95 not like a million or anything like that but a good amount of money and so he invested it in Stanley Cup final tickets because the devils were doing well yeah the tickets went on sale and his thought was I want to make sure that we get to see a game because at that point everyone thought they were going to get their asses handed to him by the red wings yeah so he bought game four and he's like if there's a sweep we We'll get to see the cup. We know there'll be a home game. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And there was a sweep, but it was the devil's doing a sweepin. And so he bought the tickets. It was a game that was played on my parents' anniversary. He had to tell my mom, I'm sorry.

No way. Take it a dinner one other time. And they won the cup. And I'll never forget this. My dad, instead of like, sitting there and basking in the glory of your team, winning the cup and sitting amongst the fans, he sprinted downstairs as fast as he could to be the first. first one to buy the Stanley Cup

championship hats that were being like hot glued at that moment. The two that we got, the logos aren't even where they're supposed to be on the hats. Like they're covering the letters because they were done so hastily. But he just wanted to be the first one to get the gear downstairs

instead of just like watching the whole celebration on the ice. How much of a kick did he find it considering the career you chose? Oh, he was my dad's pride in what I've done as a career I think is more meaningful

to me than anything that I've ever accomplished. Like the fact that he would record my television hits, the fact that he would try to find ways to read my stuff despite being completely you know, internet illiterate.

I mean, he, he would brag about it. Like he would meet people, you know, at a bar where he would frequent. And he would tell them, you know, if hockey came up,

like my career. Yeah. He would just, extremely proud of it. Like that's, you know, the fact that I made him proud with making your dad proud with what you do is not necessarily a mandatory thing in life. Like, I think you could be proud of what you do no matter what. But it certainly was a cherry on the Sunday for me as far as like, you know, sports being

important to him, the newspaper being important to him. And probably overall, anything else, my happiness being important to him. And then the idea that he knew that what I did. for a career made me happy and made me fulfilled because i you know that's the i think for a parent that's probably the most important thing when you look at your kid it's not necessarily success or money or anything else it's like i trudged to work at four in the morning on a bus to figure out how to wire the subway electrically and i don't think that's what my dad envisioned for his life but it's what he ended up doing you know what i mean yeah and so like

i think if he looked at me and said that's a happy man who's fulfilled and he's got a good family and everything else. And, you know, people care about the things that he does. That probably made him happier than anything else. It's the saying. Like, your father is the only person, only man you're going to meet in your life that wants you to be better than him. Yeah.

It's true. It's true. It's the only man you will meet that wants you to be better than him. Bless the Wichinsky's. Bless you, Greg. Oh, that's sweet of you. All right. Thank you.

Have a great little bit of time off here. And we'll check back soon. Thanks, pal. You'd be good. Thanks for the memories. Of your father, who I, Greg, ever since I met Greg, he would always speak so glowingly about his dad and share stories. And all of them were hilarious.

It was, it was pretty upsetting when his time came earlier this summer. Zach, anything from today's program, spicy for you as you wear your St. John Sea Dogs hat? Yeah, gutless years through the Maple Leafs in that list of teams that could. could blow it to this season. Because your expectation is zero? Yeah, I know. I mean, I understand why. I understand why they're on there.

So it's just, I get it. No, there's not too much else. I think we'll have to reopen conversations about CBA as we get closer to the season because I feel like that one's going to be clawing at the back of your brain

as we get closer and closer and closer along and whatever it is about. You just have to understand. Like that was like, Honestly, like that year, it still haunts me. That 2004-2005 dark NHL season still haunts me just because I was so involved in covering it every day and every inch and every meeting and every comment and talking to everybody from all. I was, I don't want to say like I was into it. Like it was a fun story to cover.

But it was an interesting, like, I wouldn't wish that season on any hockey fan. But if you work in media, it is a really. really interesting way to learn how the league works and how the league thinks and how these types of things come together and how you still see the cascade in the game right now in 26 that goes back to conversations from 2004 and 2005 anyhow but I know that it's I know it's a snooze for a lot of people so I try to stay away from the paint drying that is the CPA talk yeah the only thing I was going to say about it. and just to explain like continue that conversation of my my only like what the hell or my disagreement

I guess with wish because I know that he said yes there should be more teams I know I voiced it on here and we don't have to like dig into the whole thing again but I I am worried about talent level across the league as you continue to add more teams I don't I don't I don't just I don't I don't disagree but now if Greg were here right now he he would say, listen, you're going to like it because there's going to be more offense. Because naturally the game is going to be that much more watered down. And there's going to be a cajillion new power play goals. And that's just the nature of how it's going to go.

I'm not so sure about that. I do share some of your concern here. I just don't know that I see a sort of critical mass of minor league hockey players that should be in the NHL. There are some, clearly. I just don't know if there's a mass of them. Yep. That's all. And that's kind of my thought.

And then, you know, just do you end up with more Seattle? And it's no to suspect of what they're trying to do because they're obviously trying to get better. They're not like, oh, we're okay being in the middle. Yeah. But I get it. That's my concern. But those are kind of the only things really from today that I stuck out from the hockey conversation. Other than that, just condolences to Greg and the Wushinsky family, of course.

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Okay. Before we let you go, too, I do want to make. mention this, and this is the next era of nation gear. The Nation Network has partnered with level wear to bring a whole new standard of apparel to you. Premium fabrics, elevated fits, and more variety than ever, introducing the limited

edition off-season social club collection. Got a hoodie behind me. Built for the sports between sports, from polos to premium T's to hats and hoodies, these are the pieces designed for every part of your lifestyle, not just game day. Because being a fan isn't just a season, it's who you are. Head to nationgear.ca, follow Nationgear on social, and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to shop new products, limited edition collections, and exclusive drops.

We are back on Thursday. No idea we'll be talking about then. I thought today was hinting with Mike Russo talking about Quinn Hughes and the future there and how it's not a time to panic until the puck drops, which is, by the way, 49 days away. Are you surprised Cutter Goce? is in a bigger story right now?

Yeah, but it's, like, I think a lot of these, I think the, not Celebrini, sorry, the Carlson contract, as we said, like, when the Celebrini one comes up, like, everything just kind of like washes it away. Like, I feel like it's all kind of being like that was the big one. And now everything is kind of just like sloughed down a little bit where all the other stories aren't quite as big. So like the oxygen was taken out of the room a little bit. If you know what I mean.

Yeah, Goce. We got Fantilli still. These are two whoppers that are out there. Yeah. We should do that on Thursday. But I think in any other year, they would be so much bigger in terms of like these are what's remaining and oh boy, are they going to get paid? Oh, what's that number going to be?

We've seen some massive contracts come out of this and some of the bigger names with Celebrini Carlson Bedard that get crossed off the list. I feel like it's like, okay, well, the excitement has happened. So Carlson, so, maybe. So Carlson wrecked it for everybody. I think so, yes. Okay, is that, that's the century where you're getting at. The 18 for Leo Carlson wrecked everything.

Like, I think you and I and a lot of the people watching the show, probably everybody watching the show are all like, yes, this is a big deal, but just in terms of like the general consensus of whether or not the Cutter-Go Tate contract or the Adam Fantili is, I think that is, where beyond like the day-to-day, like die-hard hockey fan, it's kind of like, well, like, I already saw a guy get 18.8. What do I care about the guy who gets maybe 13? Or does his team fit him in?

What does it matter? I watched a guy get 18.8 on an offer sheet. It's like in general, kind of, eh, whatever. So yes, Carlson ruined it. I'm going to finish out the show by annoying you. You know what my pet peeves is? What? General consensus.

as opposed to what other kind of consensus. I've never thought about it. No, every time I hear someone say that or I say it, I'll say it. You're like, oh, God, freaking Merrick in August of all months. Anyway, thanks for joining us here today. Whether you're watching our DFO YouTube, I don't know. Whether you're watching us on our DFO, YouTube,

whether you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, we thank you for your attention. I know we kind of went long today. Holy smokes, do we go long, 90 minutes. Okay. We'll try to correct that for Thursday. and make it a little more economical so you can get on with your day if you're choosing to watch and or listen to the sheet. We thank you for it.

We thank to everybody in the chat. Everybody listening, everybody watching as well. Thank you for your attention. Here we are deep into summer and you're still here. Thank you. Chip your Zamboni driver on the way out. We are back on Thursday. 1 o'clock Eastern right here for the sheet.

18 hours last night every day this week, every day this month. I can't get out my head. because you can cow.