Slow the game down to a crawl it’s bad enough the coaches have destroyed overtime and we’ll get there now they want more and more video review and slowing the game down and after every whistle everybody gets the iPad the NHL I’m here so you’re going to be here too what a
Slogan welcome once again to 32 thoughts the podcast presented by the GMC Sierra elevation Jeff Merck Elliot Dom shatty so Elliot I want to launch the podcast today by reading a tweet to you it’s going to remind you of the old idesk days let’s go down to American Morrison
Read some tweets guys here we go OT here’s one here’s one that I got on Thursday uh listen to the Pod today this is the podcast from the radio show love the video coach segment this is the conversation Elliot that you and I had about video coaching on Thursday on the
Radio show I love the idea of them getting praise after the game and the locker room and stuff just wait until torz healthy scratches his video coach after a bad review that comes from Jonathan Morris I think that’s probably a good way to set up today’s 32 thoughts
Podcast uh we’re going to get to John chorella we will get to video coaches we will get to Florida we will get to the Islanders and the Red Wings and a lot of other things today but do you want to put a quick bow on the uh on the Florida
Uh Florida GM’s meetings I mean this was about in a lot of ways GMS and GB Gary bman let’s start with the managers themselves anything spicy for you come out of this well I I think the only thing like I’ve written a lot about it
And we’ve talked a lot about it and one of the things that I I do think is is going to be interesting here is that there was some talk going in would there be a showdown between uh George peros and some of the managers over uh some of the suspensions or the processes
I understand there was one manager who had some pointed questions now it’s all in the eye of the beholder right Jeff you know sometimes people think oh this is a really intense argument and other people are like me it’s just two Alphas going at it and uh I I think that that
Was one of the things that kind of said to me like I I did have some people say to me wow like Peril really got challenged but I got some other people who said really you thought that was a challenge I didn’t think that was a big
Challenge I just think it was two people kind of giving it to each other a little bit and it really wasn’t that bad and also the commissioner was around for a bit of that so people are always a little bit more careful whenever uh bman
Is in the room so whatever the case was and and some other people said to me yeah someone challenged peros a bit but he had good answers and he was ready uh for them so whatever the case is I don’t think it was too bad one of the the
Things that came out of it to me is I didn’t write it that someone called me about it on on Thursday and so I had better picture was you know for example at this meeting they were shown 14 examples of plays at the Blue Line and
They wanted to know like do you think this is onside or do you think this is offside like Minnesota Wild fans would know there was a play with Marcus Johansson where he was ruled to be offside and some of the managers looked at it and said I don’t know I think that
Should be a goal so that was one of the things they do here and colen Campbell is really well known for this if there’s a goenda play or a somewhat controversial play that they review he will send it to a group of managers he doesn’t always do the same one
I think there’s some he’s pretty consistent with but I think there’s others he tries to involve and just say hey uh at different times you know what do you think of this play how did you feel about this call how do you think this play should be ruled and I think
One of the things that they talked about with peros is what if you said to start doing the same thing you know what you know do you want to send it out to a group and say hey this is a play that let’s let’s use for example Tom Wilson
Now you’re not going to send it to Brian mlen and you’re not going to send it to Brad Tre living because his team’s involved but maybe send it to a bunch of other managers and say actually raised yeah raised ra Steve Steve eisan is probably a good guess I’m betting he
Sees a bunch of these no but I’m saying do do you send it to anyone for thought I mean if they’re competing for a playoffs if they’re competing for a playoffs so I was like do you think there should be a penalty on Tom Wilson Steve Eisman the Detroit Red Wings
Absolutely Ely you want to know you want to know something about Eiserman I I will tell you and I’ve said this on this podcast before I think there’s probably no manager who thinks uh who thinks referees should interfere less with games than Steve Eiserman he is a big
Let the players decide the game guy he like I think I’ve told this story before but I heard if you’ll remember and I’m going off on a tangent here if you’ll remember when Nicholas cronwall was was suspended for game seven of a Detroit Tampa series um Eiserman was the manager
Of Tampa at the time so it really benefited his team if if Cromwell couldn’t play I I I said to someone at the league at the time I said oh great great stuff for Eiserman he must love this and they said to me actually he is
The one guy who wouldn’t do that he would just say you know whatever you guys decide I he’s generally let the players play kind of guy so I would say if there’s one guy who might not actually say 50 games for Wilson while we’re racing to the playoffs it’s
Probably iserman anyway um maybe you sent it to a bunch of Western Conference guys so that nobody who’s in the playoffs in the East has a comment but I do think that that’s one of the things they talked about and I also think that peros was receptive to that I think he
Also kind of challenged the managers and said hey you know what you guys don’t really get involved with us you know instead of maybe and this is my word not from his instead of complaining about it how about you guys get more involved so I think that’s one of the things that I
Haven’t written yet and I I don’t know that’s been written or said yet that I think is going to come out of this meeting I think that’s going to be a big part of the future and I’ve got no problem with that um a few other things
And there were you know minor tweaks that are suggested and have to go to competition committee and uh then get Royal Ascent after that whether it’s uh High sticks or lake overboards or Puck overg glass or more video review or go these dislodging nets uh anything jump
Out there for you or anything that you want to sort of sharpen a point on something else I wanted to mention and you point out a couple minutes ago you refer to the conversation we had on your radio show about how video coaches are about to become even more important like hugely important
Is I had someone say to me I want wonder if teams are going to start hiring referees either as consultants or to work with their players or their coaching staff about the rule book hang on hang on because hang on you know you know who did that in Winnipeg Paul Mar
Jets did it Paul mauce did that he brought NHL officials into the uh because remember the Winnipeg Jets would take like they had like season after season of undisciplined penalties and it just killed them and he brought NHL officials in training camp to work with the players which I thought was a
Brilliant idea and good good on Paul marce for doing it I think I think the Jets have used Von roie in the past or currently um uh faceoffs I think is what he’s he’s doing uh for the Manitoba moose so yes there there is an example from what I understand you’re right Paul
Mar did it in the past that’s a very good call Jeff but but this individual said to me more teams should probably do it or think about doing it especially as this becomes more of a thing especially as video review expands like I was talking to one coach today uh and I said
What do you think about it and he goes oh I I want more of it I want more things to review any any chance like there are some coaches and past coaches who think this shouldn’t be up to the coaches to get right there it should be
Up to the league to say look we’re going to get it right the the penalty shouldn’t be on the coaches he doesn’t like that the risk is for the coaches which is fine but this coach said to me I want give me everything I can review
Give me a smorgas board of reviewer and you know I said to him what about how long games can get and he said yeah I know the league has to worry about that but you know what I think and I go what he goes I’m going to be there anyway so
It’s not like I’m going anywhere so just give me more things to review he said he wants to review as many things as he can to review oh slow the game down to a crawl it’s bad enough the coaches have destroyed overtime and we’ll get there
Now they want more and more video review and slowing in the game down and after every whistle everybody gets the IAD the NHL I’m here so you’re going to be here too what a slogan it’s a great one that’s whole new campaign for next season okay well done
Elliot our work here is done lunch gentlemen okay well done um Elliot let me let me ask you about drill down a video coaches just to to put a a final bow around this thing um are we on the precipice now of video coaches really getting paid and are we on the precipice
Now of there being like a real competition amongst teams to get the best possible video coaches working for them like I I threw out that tongue and cheek quote off the top about you know uh you know John torella S you benching or scratching a video coach who who
Misses a play but like these these people are going to be more valuable than ever before you’ve pointed that out here and elsewhere um I would have to imagine the compensation would rise commensurate with how important they’re going to be and I can’t help but thinking much like we see in the battle
For every team’s analytics Department the competition to put together a great stat great video staff is going to be huge Elliott well first of all I like to see people get paid so I hope so but I you said the word their staff you know for example the maple
Have two video coaches who’ve made some huge calls for them this year in addition to getting paid again I’d like to see everybody get paid I just wonder more and more they’re going to they’re going to be hired you know for example one of the things that’s going to happen
Here is that the more that is video reviewable Jeff the more these coaches are going to have to look at at the same time so as good as some of these coaches are one of them can’t do it all yep so you’re probably going to need two or
Three people and Jeff we talk about these franchise altering decisions big money decisions Under Pressure critical moments for the video coaches look at Vegas Seattle on Thursday night Vegas is up almost the entire game they’re up one nothing with with 6 and 1/2 minutes to go Jaden Schwarz ties it and then Keegan
Kisar puts in what looks like the winning goal with a minute 20 to go and it’s close like offside challenge that’s a close close challenge so what do they do they decide to challenge it and I would have done it in the same situation it goes Vegas’s way the goal counts now
You’re down 2-1 with a minute 20 to go and you’re short-handed Vegas scores uh with the empty net that’s how pressure cooked these decisions are as Seattle’s trying to win and Vegas is trying to hold on to the playoffs with the blues chasing them like these jobs they are
Not not for the weak-hearted this is and I was making this point on the radio on Thursday if you’re someone who’s aged out of actually playing hockey or maybe injured yourself or just your your on Ice career is over but you want to stay in the game there’s a lot of different
Avenues you can go down there’s bro there’s broadcasting there’s coaching no don’t do that we have enough broadcasters don’t don’t do that okay scrub that one um but but also like stay out stay out of my Lane stay out of my Lane yeah get just uh stay stay behind
The scenes and you know call off sides for teams here but no that’s going to be like a a really big field and if you’re someone that’s you know considering a position in the game like if you’ve played hockey your whole life like there’s a lot of knowledge of the game
Obvious obviously you understand it and if you want to marry that with a love of you know staying in the game and you know working for a team and having the the winning losing juices pumping through your veins video coaching could be it because as muchy listen as you
Made this point on on Thursday and I thought a lot about it since you said it and it’s true as much as you know coaches go through the emotional roller coaster and as much as coaches are the ones feeling a ton of stress how’d you like to be the video coach
That makes a call on a Stanley Cup winning goal you want to talk about stress level you want to talk about pressure you want to talk about you know being nervous and having to make that call when what’s on the line here are millions and millions of dollars and it’s up to
You it’s it’s a honestly in hockey this could be Elliott a fascinating field to be involved in it really really could be you know some you know and the other thing too is some people they’re Adrenaline Junkies right like some people are not cut out for that you know
And I understand it not not everybody is capable of that kind of Split Second decision was so much on the line you’re not just you know it’s not only the money at stake but it’s your team depending on you to to make that call in the moment and for to be honest
Video coaches have been doing that for a while now and even the the video reviewers I think you have to say have been doing it for a while now but if you want to be if you’re not a pro athlete but you want to be in the thick of the
Moment and making a decision that can be the difference between uh the the glory of Victory and the agony of defeat that position is only growing more in importance uh real quick uh no changes to overtime this one upon much further reflection doesn’t surprise me at all as
Much as we grous about neutral zone regroups I I said my piece to you on the radio I see that as a symptom of something else um nothing is going to be done about it your thoughts on that one well it it just goes to even though this
One coach his new slogan is I’m going to be there so you’re going to be there with me too I I I think the NHL looks at it as we are not lengthening these games any more than we have to we are not adding any more whistles than we have to
Unless you give us a good reason and and I think one of the things here is that nobody has shown them anything that would make overtime better that wouldn’t make it longer and you know the ECHL they looked at the 7-minute ECHL overtime that’s a bargaining issue uh I
Don’t know where that would go but it’s not just happening out of nowhere and and I think there is a feeling even though players are more careful and they aren’t shooting generally as randomly as they used to even with the regroups the the the chances come back
In most cases so I think barring a better idea this the idea of any of this change changing lost steam uh I I really believe it did so you know it’s funny Jeff this is one of the things I wanted to talk to you about we had I don’t know
Was it five to seven rule recommendations that still have to go to the competition committee and the Board of Governors and you know these were the most since 0405 when they had the lockout year and really colen Campbell and Brandon Shanahan at all kind of redid the game
And there were some people who said to me after the meetings were over that um there are there are those in the NHL that don’t like it when there are this many changes because it creates the impression there’s there’s something wrong with the game right
And and I I in this case I don’t agree I I think if you were making major changes you would look at it and say we’ve got a problem but to me these are a lot of minor tweaks not a big deal and nothing that says the quality of the game is
Poor so you know I was interested in that somebody mentioned that to me I was like like really wow like I don’t I don’t see it that way at all um but it just shows you like people are sensitive to that kind of thinking and I I don’t
Look at this as in any way shape or form saying that the quality of the game is not good I think it’s simply are there things we can do that are not major but can make the game even better I I saw it that way two things for me on that point number
One let’s all say it together tradition is peer pressure from dead people if you don’t evolve and continue to evolve your game will stagnate and die I know we all like to talk about oh the tradition and this has passed on and this is tradition that’s gone back
100 tradition is peer pressure from dead people I think it’s your responsibility as a sport whether you’re hockey whether you’re baseball whether you’re football basketball whatever to constantly review your sport to make sure that you are reflecting the modern tastes of the modern sports fan sports fans tastes are always changing and I
Think it’s the smart Sports the wise sports that reflect those tastes otherwise they will vanish so I don’t mind this at all like I to be honest with you I worry when there’s a period of you know five or six years when nothing changes even if it’s a small
Thing I I’m with you on that you should always be trying to do a little something yes yes I completely I completely agree with that I’m with you on this one normally your ideas are terrible this one’s good you just like tradition is peer pressure from dead people I know there a
Part a great that is a great that’s a really good line I do like that okay um from there let’s go to some of the games that we saw on Thursday now Elliot earlier on this week there was sort of an awkward moment between you and me I
Don’t even know if you realized that it happened was that I can’t remember it’s like a Tuesday or a Wednesday on the radio show and I asked you something about the New York Islanders and you said I don’t know what to say at this point I can’t give you an answer and I’m
Like you know what he’s right man we’ve been banging this one for so long now uh I shouldn’t have even brought it up and it kind of made for like I don’t know uh six or 45 seconds of awkwardness on the radio but nonetheless here we are now is there
Still nothing to say about the Islanders after getting doubled up by the Red Wings who now have 78 points and welcome back Dylan Lin with a pair of goals and it’s six losses in a row for the Islanders and Patrick W pulled his goal tender with 535 remaining in the third
Period because he’s Patrick w and the song remain the same for the Islanders Bill Parcels who’s a New York Legend you are what your record says you are and to me this is It’s really stunning it’s been stunning to watch um they’re officially now in the math is is
Not their friend territory for a couple of reasons they’re at 73 points they’re five behind Detroit they’re six behind Philadelphia yes they have a game in hand on both those teams but the other reason things are really bad for them is they have the fewest regulation wins of the which is
The first tiebreaker of any of these teams around there and by a significant margin they’re 21 and you have you have talked about their record but the thing that really stands out is is just the way they’ve gone down like you know that Islander identity for a a long time was
Was was Pure Heart Right they were the grind team of of the NHL and and they were the team that grinded their way to victory in a lot of ways and uh Lou Lam Morello is one of the toughest people in the league and Patrick W is one of the toughest players
Ever to play and uh you know stunningly at the hardest part of the Season it the the team just has fallen apart and I I find it shocking um you know there are some Islander fans online I don’t know why but my timeline that for you tab lately like Elon is clearly
Listening to me because that for you tab is full of Islander fans saying I told you this team was not very good and sometimes that’s just fatalism you know the the fans are fans and and they’re a reason they’re were all employed and I appreciate them for that but fans are
Generally a group of hey we’re allowed to say our team is crap but if you say our team is crap we’re going to kill you and you know that’s that’s fans but you know they would say that they saw this coming I have to admit I I did not look
I I knew they could miss the playoffs I did not see it ending like this I I I did not see it ending like this and Patrick W you can see he’s just at a loss for words we talked about this on the last pod that one thing that Patrick
Wad could not understand is how in a big game you couldn’t be ready to be at your best and you know one of the things my my favorite memories about W was his last Stanley Cup win was in 2001 that was the Avalanche over the devils in
Seven games game four Colorado was up in that series two games to one and they were winning 2-1 at the time and had a chance to go up three games to one and in the third period he fumbled the puck behind the net he was trying to Puck
Handle it and it led to a goal by Scott Gomez and then Peter sakur scored late in regulation and it tied the series at two and you know people who knew W and the Avalanche said because that was the big storyline I remember W fumbles game W fumbles game
Devils tie the series and I remember the people who really knew W and the Avalanche were all like big deal um you know he’s going to make up for it and actually the Devils won game five 4 to one in Colorado and had a chance to win
The series at home well W shut them out in game six and Colorado won game seven uh 3 to one and W was particularly brilliant early in game six and so you know one of the things they talked about after that was first of all it was a big
Game so you knew W was going to be great and secondly because he’d made a mistake you knew eventually he was going to take over the series and the Colorado players talked about that and so like that’s that’s W right like that’s that’s one of the reasons we all loved him was
So I I think he’s got to be looking at this and just completely at a loss I’m sure the Islanders organization is is completely at a loss and you know if they don’t write themselves you know they’ve got a lot of players signed there to Big
Contracts but they do you know they do have some that are coming towards the end you know people are going to look at this and they’re going to say okay could this be a bit of a Changing of the Guard in New York will the Islanders look at
This hard and say we are going to have to make changes because you know someone like larell and you know someone like Patrick gu are going to look at this and say we can’t come back with the same group the way this year has ended because if there’s one thing and I would
Bet you even the players there are the same you know when you it’s one thing to lose at the end of the year it’s one thing to go through a stretch like this and unless they really write themselves these are the kinds of ending to the season that bring change to your
Organization um I had Ken Daniels play byplay voice of the Detroit red rings on the radio show on Thursday and he gave me a money quote before this game um he’s been on fire lately Ken oh Ken’s been awesome he he always is but you’re you’re right he’s really been on fire
Lately that call by the way in that Columbus game of the showtime goal like with all due respect Pat Foley called some great ones but man Ken Daniels calling big Moments by Patrick Kane hold holy smoke signed me up okay this is from Ken Daniels quote this is about the
Islanders game um at Little Caesars this is likely the biggest hockey game with as much meaning ever played outside of an opener at Little Caesars Arena mhm it had that feel like this was must win for the Detroit Red Wings they needed to create distance Dylan lurin was coming
Back um they could you know put a nail into the coffin for the Islanders uh a team that’s you know right there with a win that would get a tight turtleneck around the detre Red Wings throats um I think Dan I think Kenny was right outside of an opener that was the
Biggest Detroit Red Wings game so far at Little Caesar’s Arena when you factor in everything that was on the line now if the Detroit Red Wings make the playoffs all of that gets Eclipse but leading into Thursday’s game this was the biggest hockey game the Detroit Red
Wings at that ring since it’s opened you know there are going to be people who are going to be very happy to see the Red Wings in the playoffs should they make it and not just the Red Wings fans so you know our whole thing about expanding the
Playoffs and we talked on Monday about how people said to me the way the East is going they should not expand the playoffs there are too many garbage teams I had somebody who said to me at the GM meetings do not not give this up even though bman hates it cuz it’s just
Bad that teams like Detroit and buffalo have not been in the playoffs for so long it just it’s bad for the markets it’s bad for the league and it really damages their organizations in their city so and the other thing too is Detroit that is a big Revenue Arena it does not
Hurt if that re if that arena is collecting playoff revenues uh hrr ladies and gentlemen if you’re a player who’s not in the playoffs you cheer for the biggest Market teams that can put the most money into the C boy and we should mention Lin coming back tonight
And what a big what a big factor he was what a big factor Simon Edinson as well you know Steve Eisman talked about well prices are too um too expensive at deadline actually this was a clash of two teams that were silent at deadline uh the Islanders ended To Tread Red
Wings but Simon Edinson gets the call up and he looked fantastic on Thursday night he W on that on that first Lin goal he was tremendous um I mean great wingspan the size keeping the pock hot he was he had a fantastic game on Thursday okay you
Mentioned friend of the Pod Ryan Hannah feeling Vindicated for all of his Simon Edinson love yeah he uh give me Edinson he proved it man he looked great okay um you mentioned 2001 a couple of seconds ago I want to rewind to 2001 um but on a
On a different note in 2001 in Tampa John torella was the head coach Vincent La Cavalier was the star player and Rick Dudley was the general manager yeah things were not going I’m going to give this a soft Landing swimmingly between Vincent La Cavalier and John
Torella to the point where um the Tampa Bay Lightning had a deal worked out with the Toronto map Leafs to trade Vincent La Cavalier to Toronto now my former partner on Leaf’s lunch uh many years ago bill Waters uh told me the specifics on that deal because the Maple Leafs
Wanted to run a one two up the middle of Matt sundine and Vincent La Cavalier um the specifics of the deal were Vinnie La Cavalier in exchange for Nick antropov Jonas hogland Thomas cabet and Tampa Cho T either a first round pick or Brad boy their decision that was the
Deal everybody went to bed on it thinking it was going to get done but it didn’t get done the next morning um shortly after I want to say like a month or a month and a half Rick Dudley resigned as the general manager and in came Jay Feer and quite famously in
Tampa Jay fer went to both John torella and Vincent La Cavalier and said Vinnie I’m not firing John and John I’m not trading Vinnie you two need to figure this thing out right now because neither of you are going anywhere now that’s an extreme example from John turella’s past
But it is part of it how do you see the situation with John torella and Sean couturier right now first of all listening to that you also remember that Vince laal was nearly traded from Tampa to Montreal there is a great story to be done one day on all of the Vincent laav
Trades that didn’t happen that nearly happened but your you know your story is obviously right you had a great source on that so your your story is is obviously correct um you know this isn’t exactly the same um you know at the time Vincent La Cavalier was was what two
Years into his NHL career and there were a lot of years to come this is later I’m just trying to Elliot I’m just trying to capture the spirit of the thing it’s a we it’s a week it’s a week for that line so and the one thing I I
Do agree with is you know Daniel Brier is going to have a role he’s going to have to play here and and that is uh brokering I don’t know whatever it is a piece a Deton whatever you want to call it between John torella and his
Captain um you know I I have to say Jeff that this happening a month after uh couturier was named captain has spawned a lot of conspiracy theories about what everybody thought of the captaincy being named in the first place you can only imagine all of the conspiracy theories
Being thrown around this one you know there’s a lot here that’s you know again I I’ve said this on your show and I wrote it nobody can be surprised at this this is page one of the torella Playbook there are no sacred cows and if you
Can’t do what I need you to do or I feel you’re not giving me the effort and number one there’s no way that he’s got a problem with Cure’s effort as I you know I I do feel as I’ve said this is a pace issue John but John Torell if he’s not
Happy with your play or you can’t give him what he wants he’s going to take you out of the line up it’s happened to kids it’s happened to Veterans um it’s happened to everybody in a year where John torella could be Coach of the Year Philly like nobody thought Philly
Was going to be here nobody and he’s had a great year he’s pushed almost all the right buttons to me this shows coutu’s popularity because there were a lot of other players that this could happen to and nobody would say anything or nobody would fight like this but it shows how
Popular a guy cachier is how much he’s beloved how much that he is respected for returning to play when it would have been very easy for him to retire and take the money right there are people looking at him and and and I actually do think that that has been one of the
Things that’s been raised in defense of Couture that you can’t do this to him because of all of the effort he put in to even playing like he didn’t quit he continued to play and I and I wouldn’t be surprised if tortorella’s argued well I’ve already given him benefit and Grace
For that but it’s time so you know the I wondered if he might get back in on Thursday I was live into your radio show on Thursday and we were talking about it and someone uh texted me who knows Torell and said you know be careful until warm up you never knew if
Know if Tortorella is throwing the media a fake like he has couturier sketing on the fifth line and then he shows up and he plays tonight but obviously that didn’t happen and that guy texted me and said wow he actually went through with it I didn’t know that he was going to
Actually go through with it and and you know they lost and though they played hard and and we’ll see what this is going to mean for Saturday night but you know that there’s two things about it I think are weird number one Jeff I I think it’s weird
That coutur didn’t seem to know why he was getting benched because that’s the thing about torto like you know bxa and everybody who played for him will say we always know where we stand we always know know where we stand and for someone to say I don’t know where I stand that’s
Weird to hear for for me from him because that’s usually not the issue and the final thing I would say is torella not showing up after the game on Thursday to meet with the media and Brad Shaw doing it now one thing I do like is
That the Flyers give Brad Shaw and Rocky Thompson visibility that’s going to help those guys careers they periodically do it from time to time and and those guys get FaceTime but especially after a loss like these are situations where torella knows he’s the guy everyone wants to
Hear from and especially after a loss uh to not hear from him I always give the benefit of the doubt in the in the sense that there should always be a qualifier in the sense that maybe something has happened where he can’t talk cuz if that
Turns out to be the case I’m going to feel really stupid but but Jeff it’s weird that after that game torella is not talking and especially after some people have been saying and I actually thought about it on Tuesday morning I thought I thought he should have been
Face front after it was clear couturier wasn’t playing you know you just you look at it and say this is weird it’s just weird does it not feel to you and again I’m basing this on nothing other than like I think we’re all looking at this and wondering you know the reason for
This and I know torella keeps coming back to either I’m not going to talk about Shawn or I’m trying to put together the best possible lineup for two points yeah you know what but even if you’re saying that you have to go out there and do that if that’s the reason
That’s not a good enough reason to say no let me let me let me let me let me push this a little bit here’s what I wonder about I wonder if John torella is trying really hard not to tell us something that there’s something that he might want to say or that obviously
There is some type of Reason here there is some type of issue here and he knows he’s going to continue to get asked about it and maybe for the benefit of the Philadelphia Flyers he realizes no good will come of it if I explain myself well that that’s what happened on
Tuesday right he said I’m not talking about Sean I’m not talking about it that’s right yeah yeah and and you’re probably you’re probably 100% right I I would concede this to you without even arguing yes that is his way of saying I’m not going where you want me to go CU
I don’t think it would be good Jeff do% right yes I think you’re 100% right on that now you know I I’ll say this I I’ll say this too there’s a couple other things here let’s go conspiracy wild here okay oh okay so number one like in
The aftermath of this I have heard a ton of conspiracy theories and I want to say I just you know I don’t know how many of them are right you know this is a podcast we throw stuff out there like spaghetti against the wall and and see what
Sticks number one one of the things and I could see this potentially being true is that maybe torella is unhappy that couturier’s agent talked and number one is a reporter I’m not going to complain about that because I’d be making that call too and number two it’s couturier’s agent and that’s
His job to protect his client but you know I did have people suggest to me that you know if here here’s the thing like K is the captain right so it’s always an even higher level of craziness when it involves the captain and you know some people will look at it
And say well that you even have to take more of kid gloves well people will look at it the other way and say it’s the captain they have to make sure they do less to create controversy right and and I said everybody’s entitled to one day where they can be upset and couturier
Had it but I did people say to me that torella might look at it is you’re the captain it’s your job not to create controversy and your agent spoke now not everybody is going to see that the same way and again if I’m a reporter actually
I kind of am I’m making that call too but someone said to me look at it from tortorella’s point of view and the other thing and I and I’ll say this uh there there’s the other conspiracy theory out here is how much longer is torella going
To coach and could Brad Shaw or rocky Thompson be the next coach of the Philadelphia Flyers and his Tortorella simply saying I’m happy to give these guys more time I’m sure that one will go will go nowhere I I’m not so sure about that last one yeah anyway like I said it’s
Weird like the the fact that you know torella didn’t didn’t speak like unless there’s a good explanation it’s especially after a loss like I’m surprised I I am surprised you know as pissed off as I would be at some things sometimes if I was coaching after a loss
Hey I’m the boss I’m the number one guy I’m getting paid the big bucks I’m I’m going out there to answer for it you’d have to have a really good reason for me not to and maybe there is one you’d have to have a really good reason for me not
To go out there okay uh a couple of more things here before we get to the Montana’s thought line uh want to mention the Nashville Predators and their 16 game point streak um they beat the Florida Panthers by a final score of 3 nothing uh Jason Zucker and N cousins
By the way um had their scrap so Zucker got his retribution on the cousins um and I will applaud Nick cousins for obliging like they lined up at the draw and they they both went and knuckled up and that’s great Uh Kevin L Nick cousins has really taken it this year and oh
Yeah and not like the thing about this is it’s not media it’s his peers yes that’s different I mean you well you see you see players from other teams laying into them a little bit extra and former sure and making sure they finish checks on Nick cousins even
If it’s like a midweek game in a quote unquote you know small Market or something like that guys are going run for him yeah like there was a game not too long ago was Edmonton in Florida how many times did a Vander Kane go right at him
Hard hard on Nick cousins real tough and I I think that’s part of like how a lot of the the PE his his peers feel in the NHL about how he’s you know uh what he’s done with people who they consider to be in vulnerable positions that is their
Way of of of policing the game uh Lincoln in with 33 saves uh picks up the Shad out uh Philip forsberg Mr consistency two goals one assist good on the PRS I got to say like we talk about teams grabbing a spot and taking the two points and you know grabbing their their
Their wild card spot and running away and hiding Nashville is doing it 16 game point streak so you know what someone said to me on uh on Thursday when are you going to start talking Roman Yos Roman Yosi for trophy yeah stop with the Norris yeah he’s been
Excellent so he said stop with the Norris the Norris isn’t going to be isn’t going to be good enough Yosi had another assist he’s got 53 assists this year you know he’s got he’s got 71 points he’s a point per game guy 71 points in 70 games and he started slow yep
No guy said to me the Norris Trophy is not good enough for Roman Yosi well as the Pittsburgh Penguins fall out of this thing and we wonder if Sydney Crosby goes with them on the the heart trophy race uh maybe enter Roman Yosi in into that discussion but it’s
True like even if you don’t watch Nashville on a consistent basis but maybe just sort of you know read read the game sheet uh every warning just to to catch up on who’s doing what like you pick it up and like every game it’s like Roman Yosi one goal three assists Roman
Yosi three assists Roman Yosi like two goals and one assist like it’s just like I mentioned Philip forsberg’s Mr consistency but so is Roman Yosi yeah every single every game Elliott I’m glad you mentioned him because you’re right every single game he’s he’s right in there okay it was not his agent who
Called I know people are going to ask that you know what I’m wondering about on Saturday night you want to hear something that would be pretty crazy on Saturday night okay Zack heyman’s at 48 goals where does Edmonton play on Saturday uh the um the People’s Republic
Of the Toronto M Leafs you imagine if Zach Heyman hits 50 in Toronto no I know the place will melt absolutely I know but I think hang on but okay let me ask you this pretty crazy I I think hang on I think Leaf’s fans would love
It uh I don’t know if they would love it he would get a great Ovation there I I I do believe that but I don’t know if love it would be the exact response put it put it this way he gets so the perfect thing for the for a Maple Leafs fan on
Saturday Hockey Night in Canada Edmonton’s in Toronto to face off against the Maple Leafs it’s a 54 Maple Leafs Victory Heyman scores two for the Oilers uh to give him 50 goals in in a losing cause so Maple Le’s fans can get their two points and also see Zack Heyman get 50
Because I think he still loved I really do I I do like like I said I think he would get an ovation uh but the electricity coming from that building if Heyman scored his 50th on Saturday night and the electricity going from the social media Fiasco that would enrage that would
Enrage everyone online could power about 10,000 neural links I I really believe would be quite I mean it’s incredible H in at 48 goals and and McDavid is closing in on 100 assists to become the fourth guy ever to do it but hman 50 in
In Toronto I kind of want to see it on Saturday night I I’d really love I I’d really love to see it happen and you know St Louis you know Vegas one2 they held on against Seattle I know what I’m doing here Vegas won two they held on
Against Seattle but St Louis went into Ottawa and won you know Vegas still has a game in hand um but I I’m glad St Louis is at least trying to make this a race you know Nashville has put themselves an excellent math spot I think we’re all kind of surprised that
Vegas is right here and it looks like hurdle’s getting close to Skating here so we’ll see what his timetable is but I want races and the blues at the very least are making this one a race you know Minnesota had an ugly game uh this week the six nothing loss to the six
Nothing loss to La brodin’s hurt ericon is hurt it’s not looking good for them if anyone’s going to give us a race in the west it looks like it’s the blues and they they did their part on on Thursday night all you can do is create pressure and you know what I actually
Speaking of La there was a there was a great tweet I saw I wanted to recognize and it was a tweet from uh Daddy copar on X and you know he pointed out DD Kopitar yes now I assume this is a person cuz their name is Daddy Kopitar
So I’m going with I’m assuming this is a he a he daddy cop daddy Kopitar if that is indeed your real name so he tweets Anza Kopitar is about to break into the top 50 alltime point points leaders never had a points per game teammate in his career Two Stanley
Cups two lady Bings two Sky trophies MVP finalists this week he got the second gamest conduct of his career and he goes he’s arguably the greatest two-way forward of all time that’s that’s that’s pretty impressive stuff really impressive stuff and uh you know the kings are a weird team like there’s
There’s games I watch them and like oh these guys are going to be a a real tough hand for someone there’s games I watch them I’m like what am I watching here these guys are forgotten how to play hockey but you know right now it looks like it’s Kings Oilers first round
For the third year in a row and I I don’t know what Kings team we’re going to get here yet but boy Kopitar just consistence consistency consistency for 20 years guy deserves the recognition best la king of all time I I think you’d have to say yes uh
I really do at a time where another former King Jonathan Quick tied the record for most wins by a us born golender by beating the Bruins I I think you you’d have to say yes I don’t know who you would have put there before Wayne grety even though he
Wasn’t there for a long time Luke Marcel Deon Dave Taylor RI Vashon Rob Blake Rob Blake I think you have to say it’s it’s copar yeah uh it and you know what if was copar if I was copar I would say my statue has at least needs to be at least
One inch bigger than Dustin Brown statue I would I would do that just to be that petty okay just to be that petty um let me Circle back on one thing you mentioned the St Louis Blues a couple of seconds ago uh congratulations to Zack Dean who made
His uh NHL debut with the St Louis Blues a former first round draft pick of the Vegas golden knights uh was the piece that St Louis got in the Ivan barbashev deal uh former gold medalist for Team Canada World Juniors uh played his minor hockey in New Finland born in Alberta
Family moved to New Finland he played in gatau right across the way from Ottawa uh so real special moment there in his first game I would imagine there would have been plenty of friends and family and as you like to say Elliott when there’s that many in the stands you are
Playing for free free congratulations on your first NHL game you’re playing for free congratulations Zach Dean there uh um quick thought on Tom Wilson in person hearing theck on Noah Gregor have a a thought on this one it was it was a bizarre scene because it even seemed to
Surprise Tom Wilson that he did that like the minute it happened like Wilson grabs Noah Gregor as if to say I didn’t really know what happened there like it looked like he was trying again this is going to sound weird he was trying to swing his stick at him but didn’t think
He was going to catch him in the face you know what I mean like I think surpris Tom Wilson yeah but still to me what it says is that this is a they’re looking at like this is a really tough one for Washington you you cannot afford
To lose him but you know you’re you’re going to right so but they’re they’re simply going to say you know he’s got a history and he has to control his stick better than this like he just has to do uh a a better job and now we have seen
This year we’ve seen big suspensions to players who weren’t injured pan six games Riley five games like it used to be to get this kind of suspension injuries had to be involved now we’re not there anymore pan and Riley had no history right Wilson obviously does like
When I saw he got offered an in-person hearing I said to someone are we talking like 1520 games here and I don’t think we are I I I think we’re looking my guess B Bas on and and I don’t want anyone reporting saying he’s getting this but my guess based on everything I
Heard today is that we’re probably looking at 6 to 10 games like I don’t think we’re looking at 15 to 20 but it it’s it’s amazing how in a short time things have really changed in the sense that we’ve gone from no history means you get something lighter to that
Doesn’t matter and no injury meaning maybe you get something lighter to that doesn’t matter cuz thankfully Gregor is okay here this is a player with a history and you know I think he’s getting something I would guess between 6 to 10 but that’s a massive loss for Washington
Considering uh you know they’re in the race they’ve only got 14 games left and now you’re you’re you’re worried about losing and you’ve got two games in hand on Detroit you’ve got two games in hand on Philadelphia you’re already a team that has to fight and scratch and Claw
For everything you get and one of those players who’s so critical to your team you might lose them for half those games uh you’re right about all of it and one other thing that I’ll thr one other log will throw on the fire here um when you
Look at the Washington Capitals and the strength of schedule the teams they are playing against it’s one of the worst possible schedules to have like at last Che I think it was like the fourth wor first schedule for any team to have like everyone around them like everyone
Around them on this uh final stretch these 14 games are winning teams pretty much this is a tough one this is a real tough one for the capitals and they’re going to have to do it without Tom Wilson as you point out for a sizable amount of time now before we wrap up
Jeff actually somebody so someone sent me a note tonight while we were recording the Pod about something that we had discussed in a previous podcast and that is that during the Seattle Vegas game Jared mccan tries to score off of Logan Thompson’s mask and they said this is something that you have talked
About and I I said to them and and this is an executive in the league who would have some juice uh he sent us the note my first response was why are you listening to anything I say my second response was you know and so I I thanked them for
Sending me the note and you know I did ask a couple of managers about this and and just said you know what do you guys think and you know what the response to me was it said this one’s going to be on the goalies and I said why do you think that
And he said because if a player is shooting where he can score like if the goalie was standing with his head over the net and players were shooting at their mask then you’d go to the players and you’d say hey you you you can’t do that we we’re
Going to stop that but if the goalies mask is in a place where the player can score you can’t tell the players not to shoot there yep I agree completely I 100% that’s why like I know there is a sensitivity obviously around directing you know fists or sticks or in this case
Pox at someone’s head but if the goendale up a corner with his head and only leave a little bit of space players now have the skill to bank it off their heads I’m the same way like if it’s above the crossbar or if it’s like like we all remember the wend Clark Curtis
Joseph you know it’s a blowout game and he comes down blasts one off Curtis Joseph face it’s like okay like I I always look back at that one Elliot it’s funny too I look back at that one and think wow if Twitter was around then uh how much would hockey Twitter have
Melted uh during that scene with all the with all the takes but as long as net minders and so far like the other thing that I’ll say is so far we haven’t heard goalies complain about it we haven’t had either an injury nor have we had a
Goalie complain about it yet do things change if there is an injury or if a goalie complains about it maybe probably at least there’s a conversation at least maybe it becomes uh an agenda item at the general manager meetings I I’m not sure but as of right now the only people
That seem to be talking about it are podcasts or radio shows or intermissions on on various games but I I do wonder if there’s going to be a goalie somewhere down the road and says hold on a second here what about my head why don’t you
Protect mine here and I think the right point is well don’t stick it in places where players are trying to shoot right 100% agree okay uh on that we will pause uh when we return we try the ribs Montana’s thought line in moments listen to the 32 thoughts
Podcast add free on Amazon music included with Prime okay Elliot time now once again for the Montana’s thought line Montana’s barbecue and bar Canada’s home for barbecue Elliot try the r try you it’s fantastic and if somebody goes to that much of an effort to do this we’re using it that is the new try the
Ribs for the next little while until yes my Mercurial mind decides something else good so again that is uh Rick Turner from last week with his hit new single try the ribs uh he sent something along to the thought line by the way at 32ths at sportsnet.ca uh Hey guys heard the
Jingle on the Pod thanks for the kind words wanted to follow up and say I’m from Perth Ontario a buddy from Brockville Ontario Leo deuber help with the music production so Leo thank you Rick thank you thank you as always for the try the ribs jingle 32 thoughts at sportsnet.ca 1833 311
3232 with that let’s Jump Right In and let’s go to SC hold on before we before we do that okay oh wait a minute yes you have some updates four updates four okay oh jeez okay four updates okay soang can you tell Elliot had some time
At the airport this week well you know I I got to give credit to people some of them who work in the NHL some of them uh regular fans and listeners who hear things and they say well what about this or know this so here first of all one is
Ken Daniels who you had on your radio show he great on on on Thursday and he’s talked about Steven holco players who had no goals and a ton of shots and he pointed out that in the last game at Joe Lewis Arena for the Red Wings Riley
Shayen came into that game with no goals on 106 shots that season and scored twice including the final goal ever scored at that Arena by the way another broadcaster pointed out that Hol CO’s defense partner that year was one of the greatest defenseman in NHL historyof Paul coffee so it’s all coffee’s fault
Okay second and unnamed NHL executive hearing the conversation about longest name on the back of a jersey mentioned Jacob fors Baka Carlson and he said Jeff that does not qualify under your hyphenated names because fors Baka Carlson did not hyphenate those two names yes uh that’s true and one of the
Reasons why I loved Jacob fors baka Carlson playing with the Boston Bruins specifically Elliott do you know why no why initials JFK come on man like that’s an obvious one isn’t it come on it’s kind of perfect you know what Jeff I didn’t even think of that that’s that
That’s pretty good okay third one from a tweeter by the name of Tommy Garner we talked about player with four teams in a single contract Jamie Dean brought up Mark arabello here’s another one David Pon signed a four-year deal with St Louis was in 2012 traded to Edmonton to Pittsburgh
Then Anaheim before sonning back was St Louis so it wasn’t one season like arabello but it was a four-year deal where he ended up playing for four teams okay let me can I add on to that one because I had one executive text me two names for that one this one was kind
Of fertile ground that we found here I love this cleanup aspect here of the Montana’s thought line um about players playing for multiple teams on the same contract one executive sent me two examples one Eric good Branson who played for five teams on a three-year contract and the other and I’d forgotten
About this this is spectacular UC oan four teams on one contract here they are this is 201718 the Edmonton Oilers the Los Angeles Kings the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Vancouver Canucks H are you are you willing to crown him as our winner four teams one-year contract Jeff what it comes
Down to I think to answer your question is is it more impressive to play on four teams in the same one-year deal or four teams Over a four-year contract which you think would buy you security H I think it’s the four teams on a one-year deal yeah that’s cuz you
That’s cuz you presented Tommy Garner on Twitter I’m with you and the last one the last one is see Jeff’s all for himself I am all for the listeners I’m team me oh look there’s my Naval hey look another mirror let me just hop in
Front so I was when I was flying home from Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday I ran into uh a couple of uh listeners their names were Brad and Jeff they were from Montreal and they told me that they went to a hockey camp where a friend of theirs who played goal had his hand
Broken by Gaston Jinga there’s another one another one so it’s not just Cassidy so who’s now playing it’s not just Cassy s but there was another goalie who and it was a shot from Center Ice they said they said they were listening to the podcast when you
Were talking about Cy s and they were laughing and when we ran into each other on Thursday or on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale they said we were hoping someday we would get a chance to tell you this story but their friend had his hand broken on a Gaston jenra slapshot
From Center ice and they also said that when jenra would get upset at the Players because they weren’t paying attention he would turn and he would shoot he would make sure nobody was there first but he would shoot the puck over the glass at the wall of the Arena
To get everyone’s attention and that worked here’s my question as we go down these roads of hockey geekdom I wonder how many hands Gaston jenra is broken how many goalie hands hasra broken well we know two we know that there are two I suspect that there
Might be more if you are someone who listens to this podcast obviously and knows of any more victims of the Gaston Jing slapshot please inform us immediately the way to get in touch is the Montana’s thought line which is now turned into like a detective service
Here find out how many hands Gaston JRA has broken 32 thoughts at sportsnet.ca or leave us a voicemail maybe you’ve had your hand broken by Gaston jenra 1833 311 3232 this podcast is taking a weird turn any more cleanups Elliot no those four all right those are good um let’s go to
Nile in Scotland hey guys big fan of the Pod from Scotland thanks for all you do um to me you guys are like the news and chicklets are like the entertainment that’s meant as a compliment to both anyhow the recent chat around the Minnesota overtime goalie pole got me
Thinking for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction so say we have a game late in the season between two Bottom Feeders Hawk ducks for example although their last game against each other is this week what would happen if we got to it was Thursday night as a matter of fact
What would happen if we get to overtime between them and both of them think well wait a minute well we don’t want one point let alone two and both pull their goal tenders hoping to go home with zero points and increase their Lottery odds would this be allowed would the teams be
Penalized for a lack of sporting Integrity Keen to hear your thoughts cheers and go Flames so our friend in Scotland Nile is a Calgary Flames fan Elliots two teams at the end of the game pulling the gold tenders FL should bring him to Calgary to go see a game in
Person don’t you clearly absolutely get off your wallet bring our friend from Scotland to the Scotia Bank saddle don’t um lack of sportsmanship we’re not here for the points first of all I don’t see any way how they could stop them from doing it if two teams really wanted
To do it maybe they hear this podcast C and ask that question and prematurely step out and say we’re not allowing this to occur but as far as I know there’s nothing that could prevent them from doing that there’s there there’s nothing other than you just get the Wrath and
The scorn from the industry and here’s the thing too we’ve talked about this before as much as managers and perhaps owners as well may want you know the team to fold to get yourself the better Lottery odds get a better draft pick Etc players don’t think that way like I’ve
Always thought about this if you had a scenario the likes of which that Nile submits here what would a player do if their coach told them go score on your own net we need to lose this game what would that player do because my guess is the
Player would tell the coach to go kick rocks I’m not going out there and doing that to myself cuz I have I have wondered about this scenario when a team wants a tank whether it was the previous you know marola me sweep Stakes that we can all recall that battle between
Pittsburgh and New Jersey but I’ve always wondered what would a player do if the coach on instructions from the manager said we can’t win this game we need the better Lottery odds go score on your own net I’m guessing the majority if not all players on that team would say not a
Chance there’s no way I’ll do that uh first of all I would say before I do that do I have an eight-year $64 million extension yes on the table good point yeah that would be my first thing you know what that would be the kind of thing where I I could see the
Commissioner who does have some power over this kind of thing he would he would probably H he would hammer a team with a huge fine that’s one of those things that that is detrimental to the game and you if you can prove it which you probably
Would be able to prove just by the video itself you find a team half a million dollars something like that and you suspend the coach and I don’t think anybody would protest that yeah especially not you know considering how um how Sports wagering is such a huge
Thing not just in hockey but in all of sports as well that the uh and this this wouldn’t be subtle the obviousness of um poor Behavior or as our uh emailer submits here uh Nile um lack of sporting Integrity I couldn’t see it happening but I always have wondered what would a
Player say what would a player do okay let’s get to Ricky in Richmond British Columbia hey Elliott and Jeff I read that Wayne Simmons signed a one-day contract to retire as a flyer I understand it is just a gesture to retire in a certain franchise but has
Any player ever suited up and played a game on a one day contract oester has thanks for your time love the Pod try the ribs change your oil hey Elliot how about that he slides that catching on nice there was one that I can think of who’s that Cordy how hm 1999 you’ll
Remember this Elliott he signed with the Detroit Vipers oh for one game for one game uh so he could say that he played in six different decades the Gordy how one day contract that’s the only one that I could think of off the top of my head maybe further research and
Examination may come up with some other examples but that’s the one that popped to me right away Gordy how 1999 Detroit vipers who by the way had one of the coolest looking logos the game has ever seen I love those yes that was a great one oh beautiful I’m trying to think of
If there’s any NHL player who’s played for ass signed a one game contract I mean there’s plenty of guys who’ve played one game yes Ken Reed wrote a great book about it I’m trying to think about one game contracts I can’t even think of anything like that nope um I
Mean in some way the ebgs can be one game contracts but those are unique yeah that doesn’t I I don’t think that fits what um what Ricky and Richmond BC is shooting for here I wonder if gord’s it I really do but we shall see let’s uh
Let’s finish up with this one um this is John from State College PA by way of Kingston Ontario good afternoon as the Buffalo Sabers are in the hunt for a playoff spot I can’t help but think about Jeff Skinner many people like to discuss great NHL players who have never
Won the Stanley Cup but I’ve never heard a discussions surrounding great NHL players to never make a playoff appearance Jeff Skinner is in his 14th NHL season none of which have resulted in his hurricanes or Sabers qualifying for the playoffs the fact we had an expanded playoff in 2020 and his team
Didn’t qualify makes this even crazier this guy has played almost a, career games with over 350 goals and nearly 7 100 points but we’ve never seen him play when it matters the most and just to make things worse Carolina made the Conference Finals this season after Skinner left rough this fact blows my
Mind every single year so I’m wondering who comes to mind when you think of other longtime NHL players who never play on a playoff team take care and go Ducks John is an Anaheim Ducks fan there’s a couple that come to mind for me all right why don’t you go first lot
Of schme is one Speaking of ducks uh latty schme would be one of those um currently in the NHL not just Jeff Skinner and he is the one that you know much like uh John at State College uh mentions I think about often too like I
Think a lot about Jeff Skinner and you look at the hockey DB and it’s Bagels uh for playoff appearances uh Rasmus Rolan is someone who’s never played well the guy who did it last year was Sam Reinhardt yes Sam Reinhardt was that guy and then obviously he got traded to
Florida and they went to the Stanley Cup Final yep um there’s two more that came to mind for me one G shiron who I think comes to mind for a lot of other uh people as well yes that’s the one I always remember from when I was a kid
Same and then the net minder Mike Dunham uh never played a playoff game either there was a few that were close but Mike Dunham was on playoff teams right so Dunham would have backed up Marty Bor but never gotten any playoff games so maybe that’s a technicality Elliott the
Other two that I think of who just have only a couple of games a couple of playoff games but they’ve played over a thousand NHL games one of them is one of our favorites and that’s Sam G who at the time of this recording has played 1,
142 games in the regular season and 11 in the postseason and oie yenan who played 1200 123 won regular season games and six in the postseason I remember that it took yokin in a long time but G Chiron was always the one I remembered uh as a kid because he had
The longest one for a while so that’s kind of the one that sticks with me because I just remember growing up Ron hany was almost that guy right he listen to the Pod so he’ll be happy to hear you bring that up well he I mean his streak was broken by winning the
Stanley Cup like come on you go up from not playing in the playoffs like how many players if if you would say to any player okay here’s a question for you out house to the penous you go to any player and you say okay here’s the deal
You’re G to have a 15-year NHL career you’re never going to make the playoffs until the one year that you finally do and you win the Stanley Cup are you cool with that and they’ll all say 100% I am yeah if I if I knew I was guaranteed a
Cub win it would be a hard one for me to live for that long but if I knew there was gold at the end of the rainbow I would probably do it toally if you’re Hanes you’re like I’m slugging it out here with the Blue Jackets and Thrashers
And you know welcome back to Manitoba Jets and Carolina and then bam Pittsburgh Penguins and I’m holding Stanley Cup after all those years of frustration if I’m Ron hany oh yeah oh yeah I’m I’m I’m taking that that’s that’s a game worth the candle right there 100% so there we go uh great
Question hope the answers were okay um and I do think about I think you do probably as well just get Jeff Skinner into the playoffs please uh thanks to everybody uh who either emailed in or called in as well we’ll get to some voicemails coming up
On the next edition of 32 thoughts uh this was the Montana’s thought line Montana is barbeq and bar Canada’s home for barbecue 32ths at sportsnet.ca 1 1833 311 3232 back in a Moment welcome back to 32 thoughts the podcast presented by the GMC Sierra elevation quick reminder uh hockey in Canada I love it you’re forcing this you you’ve walked into the Hat Shop you’ve only found one hat but damn it you’re going to make it fit and I love you for
It Elliots uh Edmonton faces off against Toronto Ottawa faces off against New Jersey late game the Vancouver Canucks host the Calgary Flames um to wrap up Elliot this was a tough week for hockey um the sport losing uh two players uh Constantine colof and also Chris
Um I talked to Mel grabovski who was close with with Colt soft this week when he passed and you know grabo talked a lot about how you know they were roommates they were teammates wonderful guy um I think you know grabo like a lot of his you know former teammates and
Friends were just devastated um by the loss um and I spoke to Todd Warner specifically about the passing of Chris Simon and you know Warner said something that I’ve heard other people that played with Chris Simon echko and that is when you first went into the dressing room
With Chris Simon on your team on the one hand you’re intimidated because he’s such a large presence and a large man and you know was a scary scary dude when he played like nobody messed with Chris Simon um but then right away he became a your best friend and B the friendliest
And best teammate anyone anyone could ever have you know Warner told me all kinds of stories about you know this different side of Chris Simon that nobody got to see unless you were a teammate and he would have and they with they with each other with the with the
Quebec Nord EES have players Elliott just howling in like in like you know your belly hurts laughter just a larger than life personality loved by his teammates uh certainly loved by fans and missed by everybody Elliott first of all those are great words Jeff I didn’t know
Colts love at all but Colby Armstrong did so you know reading and and and hearing Colby about him um uh it’s it’s really tough the Chris Simon news is really tough I’ve dealt with suicide in my life I don’t like it and I don’t like
Talking about it um I I would just say that in both Canada and the US there is 988 to call and text uh as they say help is available someone is always um willing to listen um you know it it I have a lot of deep feelings about this that I’m not going
To get into on on this part it’s very personal but I I I think it’s it’s very sad and uh you know one of the people I really think about here and I haven’t spoken to him yet is is uh is Glenn Healey and Glenn runs the NHL Alumni
Association and he takes incredible pride in being able to help as many people as he can and I know that this would be as hard a week for him as it would be for anyone outside of the families and the closest friends of colov and Simon and um yeah I mean it’s
It’s it’s really hard I it brings back a lot of memories that I don’t like thinking about and uh I feel terrible for the for the friends uh and the family and the the one thing I would say is that there’s always someone willing to listen always and uh I hope people
Who are going through a very bad place uh find that person condolences to the family and the friends of Constantine colof and Chris Simon
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